Sorry for the no pix to describe the following. Been kinda of a cluster-f*ck here in the last while. Too frustrated to remember to take some. Been a little tense. No rant here, though. The backwoods long way home the other day was good to blow off a bit o'steam! Hehe!
Wellll...the Impala has been on hold for almost 2 weeks!!! The supplied rear armrest ashtrays are wrong, & getting the proper ones has been an exercise in futility. 2 of the 3 'expert' suppliers for parts to a '59 listed the same ashtrays that we have, as the right ones. I have pics, that I took years ago, of an unmolested original. I have the parts in my hand that they list as right, & they're WRONG! These experts are telling me I'm wrong! Grrrr!
The ones in the kit are for a sedan. Those open by sliding front to back. In the coupes & sedans, there is a brace/cover for the conv. framework that will not let that happen. Tried turning it around, & the p/w switch is in the way.
The right ones open side to side. The top rolls over & down in behind the ashtray.
They are also a different size! The proper ones use a larger hole in the metal frame of the armrest base.
Finally (Finally!!!) we lucked into some NOS ones. In old dusty beat up blue GM parts boxes! The cups, handles, frame/door & the screws, never assembled.
For...ready? $175.00. Each! Plus shipping & taxes. No duty. (Age exempt)
"Expediate them!!!"
Ordered them that day. Friday. Expected them on Tuesday, maybe Wednesday.
Two weeks later, yesterday,...they are STILL in FLORIDA!
This vehicle was supposed to be one of the showcase vehicles at "Father's Day In The Park". Last year there were 1600 Hot-Rods, Muscle cars, Antiques, Street Machines, & Concour's Resto's. THE first big outdoor run of the year.
It ain't happenin'.
Why can't I pull something outa the bag o'tricks to fix this?
Normally, usually, I have ze vays und meanz to at least make the car presentable until the right parts show up.
I build an interior in the order that the factory does. Just common sense. But. I'm working on this at the owner's shop. And as much as I appreciate this guy, he's been kinda throwing a wrench into the works.
He owns many collector vehicle's. All convertibles. I've done several vehicles for him. At my shop. First one I've done at his. He's good humor. Excitable, though.
The red/white '50's Mercury interior previously posted is one of his.
This car has been in the works for over 4 years now. He sees it getting close & he's like a kid in a candy store!
But just get the hell outa the way! He's wanting to install parts way before their time. He can show up at his biz or leave when he wants, so when I'm in his shop, so's he!
Messing with my focus when I'm in the zone!
Grab a beer, a lawn chair, & hand me tool when I'm folded up under the dash. Don't try to help. Please!
And that's what happened.
(Owner) "Rear ashtrays? Now? O.K? Are we ready? Let's get those in! Can we, can we, can we?"
That was like 3 or 4 steps away, but, oh, alright. (feeling rushed!)
So he cut the holes in the armest's vinyl, & that's when we found out about having the wrong ones.
I don't usually do that unless I check over everything right up to the last second before I cut anything.
If the hole wasn't cut, I could of put in the rear quarter panels without the ashtrays & no-one except the most knowledgeable would of known the dif. The ashtrays we have now fall right through the hole. That's already cut!
Now I can't install the rear seat until those quarters have the ashtrays.
Which also means no tonneau, front seat, & door panel install until. That's the order of the progression.
With no more snags, all I need is another 5-6 hours & she's done! Yea! It's that close!
Pretty hard to fly like an eagle when you're working with turkeys!
In the meantime, I've had to keep busy.
Some boat seats. No pix yet.
I've also had some work thrown at me by B&N Hot-Rods. The guys I did the T-bucket for.
A '37 Ford. Fiberglass roadster. Older build, in for a freshening. Engine, tranny, rear end rebuild. New brakes. And a new interior with new seats.
Mostly recover the original stuff but a color change from white vinyl to black leather.
Just some in-progress pix so far.
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New gauges, leather covered dash with some handmade stainless detail.
That block of wood is for the console to mount to, which hides that split in the carpet.
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New 'German Square Weave' carpet.
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Leather covered. The 1/4 panels curve around & butt up against the raised part on the panel. There's another panel that fits across the top & dips down over the front of this one. That'll have a some of the stainless detail pieces in to it.
The dirt on either side of the tunnel is from me walking it down so that glue really holds.
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A couple of sneak peak pix of way down the road interior projects at B&N.
'33/'34 Ford coupe. This one I want a ride in when it's done!
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'71 'Cuda. New crate 392 Hemi/6 speed! Full Art Morrison chassis.
Those are holes in the frame for the exhaust!
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More pix coming during the next week.