Do you also have 1:1 project cars?

[89AKurt]

Brakes are not 100% perfect, but it's running great after an oil change, calipers changed (Delco NAPA).  I have a young mechanic who has been sorting it out.  Meanwhile, have this cool rubberized paint, gotta use it on something!  It's a better cheapo RinoLiner than what passes as bed liner.  Can you spot the difference in the look?  When painting a model, looking under a magnifying glass makes my work look like this. 😅

Imagine with the modern black headlights nowadays.  (I hate how it's 1 "one", is that each light, or the set of 4)

[Can-Con]

15 hours ago, 89AKurt said:

Brakes are not 100% perfect, but it's running great after an oil change, calipers changed (Delco NAPA).  I have a young mechanic who has been sorting it out.  Meanwhile, have this cool rubberized paint, gotta use it on something!  It's a better cheapo RinoLiner than what passes as bed liner.  Can you spot the difference in the look?  When painting a model, looking under a magnifying glass makes my work look like this. 😅

Imagine with the modern black headlights nowadays.  (I hate how it's 1 "one", is that each light, or the set of 4)

Are you eventually gonna make a set pf plexi covers for over the headlights, Kurt? I always thought that looked cool on the real Daytonas.

[Falcon Ranchero]

Bought some nice chrome exhaust tips yesterday from Canadian Tire; not exactly the same size and didn't notice till after the checkout but they should be fine and should fit over the exhaust pipes. Both had the same bar code and everything so I dunno. Also the wheel opening trim should come in after tomorrow's holiday so that'll be nice.

[89AKurt]

On 6/29/2025 at 12:02 PM, Can-Con said:

Are you eventually gonna make a set of plexi covers for over the headlights, Kurt? I always thought that looked cool on the real Daytonas.

There was originally, there is a tiny remnant in the channel.  There is a huge gap under that panel, above the bumper, I bet the underside got really dirty, PITA to clean.  I was thinking about something like how the grill is made louvers, mock up cardboard first, something like the Alfa Romeo Montreal.  Or 1/4" galvanized WWM (screen) painted black, or even the stainless like what Bentley does but that's getting beyond my "rat rod" look.  But still the new LED lights lead.

When cleaning, noticed the Sign Man cowboy spurs were broken off, then I caught the arm and he was out of competition.  Made a new one from roofing aluminum.  The stamps were my dad's, he had Womack inside the Mauser banner logo, screwed up the first one.  Prescott's rodeo is coming up, had to fix that!

This is easy to remove, if I wanted to grow up.  I was thinking of what the Bronco, Mustang, and what else needs one?

[Russell C]

52 minutes ago, 89AKurt said:

... louvers, mock up cardboard first, something like the Alfa Romeo Montreal.  ....

Seen images of those for eons .. or, well, maybe since the 1970s. Didn't think to look up how they worked until tonight.

 

[89AKurt]

7 hours ago, Russell C said:

Seen images of those for eons .. or, well, maybe since the 1970s. Didn't think to look up how they worked until tonight.

[...]

Huh, I didn't either, but You Tube and internet didn't exist back then. 😬  That's interesting, until you drive in snow.

[89AKurt]

Did the other headlights to match.

But I'm still having issues with the brakes!  Front is leaking?  All new NAPA calipers, having the mechanic who did my pickup do it, just been a pain getting the correct parts to begin with, then they are junk, ridiculous unless you pony up on aftermarket, not ready to rebuild the whole car.

[Falcon Ranchero]

Just found out the wheel opening trim for the Highway Star has been delivered, so that's awesome. Also those chrome exhaust tips didn't work out so we'll just have to return them and find something else.

[espo]

4 hours ago, Falcon Ranchero said:

Just found out the wheel opening trim for the Highway Star has been delivered, so that's awesome. Also those chrome exhaust tips didn't work out so we'll just have to return them and find something else.

On your exhaust tips. At one time the GTO's had an option of what was often called a splitter exhaust tip. You may have seen them in pictures; they would exit just behind the rear tires and the exhaust pipe would split into two exhaust tips in a row just below the bottom edge of the rear quarter panel. Don't know if that look would even appeal to you but it was a popular option and would often be seen on other mid-sized GM cars at the time. 

[Falcon Ranchero]

21 hours ago, espo said:

On your exhaust tips. At one time the GTO's had an option of what was often called a splitter exhaust tip. You may have seen them in pictures; they would exit just behind the rear tires and the exhaust pipe would split into two exhaust tips in a row just below the bottom edge of the rear quarter panel. Don't know if that look would even appeal to you but it was a popular option and would often be seen on other mid-sized GM cars at the time. 

I have heard of that. We actually thought  the  guy who did the pipes on the car was going to make them come out the sides but he ended up putting them over the rear diff and out the back. They were also cut at the end on a downward angle mimicking what the exhaust tips look like. They do fit the pipe, but won't make it past the angle cut and my dad doesn't want the exhaust pipes cut at the end just to make those tips fit. Might end up actually shining up the end of  the actual exhaust pipes, but we'll see what happens. 

On another note, the wheel opening trim came and they look real nice. Odd though the holes in the fender where you screw those trims on are present on the front fenders but there are no holes on the rears so we have to drill some new holes. Must've been filled over during the restoration, though I know one quarter panel was replaced at one point.

[redscampi]

After a long bout of procrastination I finally got the new shocks, dropped spindles, shorter springs and front sway bar installed. I should point out how much I hate installing front springs. This might be the last set I do myself. Car is dirty from the shop.

 

[Falcon Ranchero]

3 minutes ago, redscampi said:

After a long bout of procrastination I finally got the new shocks, dropped spindles, shorter springs and front sway bar installed. I should point out how much I hate installing front springs. This might be the last set I do myself. Car is dirty from the shop.

 

That is a very nice El Camino, looks good

[redscampi]

Just now, Falcon Ranchero said:

That is a very nice El Camino, looks good

Thanks, Nathan! It's a 77 so has the stacked rectangle front headlights. I'm not particularly a fan of those so I am now installing some 74 round headlight buckets. 

[Falcon Ranchero]

Just now, redscampi said:

Thanks, Nathan! It's a 77 so has the stacked rectangle front headlights. I'm not particularly a fan of those so I am now installing some 74 round headlight buckets. 

Ah yes I see; the only 70s El Camino we have in town here is actually a ‘74 GMC Sprint. Those round headlights definitely look better than the stacked.

[johnyrotten]

11 minutes ago, redscampi said:

I should point out how much I hate installing front springs

I hear that. they do have a way of keeping you on high alert coming apart. I'm cautious every time I do 'em. Struts too.

[redscampi]

Just now, johnyrotten said:

I hear that. they do have a way of keeping you on high alert coming apart. I'm cautious every time I do 'em. Struts too.

Yeah, nothing like the possibility of instant death or serious injury to keep the pulse pounding.  The other big issue I'm having is age related. It just hurts to crawl under the car and is even less fun getting back up. So I try to make sure I have every tool I'm going to need. Never works, but I try.

[johnyrotten]

25 minutes ago, redscampi said:

The other big issue I'm having is age related.

I'm only in my mid forties, but the years of doing it beat you up and I feel it,too. Being reckless in my youth didn't help none,either.

[Deathgoblin]

Right now I don't even have a 1:1 running car.  Acadia ate the alternator, now it wont start after replacing.  The loaner ran for about a week, and it wont start now either. 

[RSchnell]

Thanks to fellow forum member @Rodent I'm now the owner of one of my bucket list cars. What started out as a simple "hey a friend of mine has a car or two you may interested in", resulted in me flying out to California from Florida this past Monday and spending the past week getting it ready to bring back to Florida. I'd been looking for a factory yellow/black '55 Ford convertible project. It's a project but it has all the right stuff- power windows, power seat, V-8, automatic but I will convert it to manual transmission. A big thanks to Steve and our mutual friend Dave for providing some great California hospitality to this old Southern boy.

 

Edited July 4 by RSchnell

[Rodent]

6 minutes ago, RSchnell said:

Thanks to fellow forum member @Rodent I'm now the owner of one of my bucket list cars. What started out as a simple "hey a friend of mine has a car or two you may interested in", resulted in me flying out to California from Florida this past Monday and spending the past week getting it ready to bring back to Florida. I'd been looking for a factory yellow/black '55 Ford convertible project. It's a project but it has all the right stuff- power windows, power seat, V-8, automatic but I will convert it to manual transmission.

It was great to meet you and I am glad to see how well you and Dave took to each other. That front clip and decklid you scored are awesome. Can't believe that sheet metal sitting outside for 70 years survived so well.

[RSchnell]

9 minutes ago, Rodent said:

It was great to meet you and I am glad to see how well you and Dave took to each other. That front clip and decklid you scored are awesome. Can't believe that sheet metal sitting outside for 70 years survived so well.

Dave is a cool dude. A fun week of messing around with old Fords, trading ribald jokes, and eating at all the hole in the wall restaurants in the area!

[Zippi]

That is a good looking project.  The body looks to be in really nice shape.  

[espo]

18 hours ago, redscampi said:

After a long bout of procrastination I finally got the new shocks, dropped spindles, shorter springs and front sway bar installed. I should point out how much I hate installing front springs. This might be the last set I do myself. Car is dirty from the shop.

 

Great looking El Camino. I notice the side trim, could this have been, in the past, a Conquista model or one with the wood grain siding? You're already doing something about the headlight setup and the nice thing about these cars is that the way they are put together there are many changes you can make that are basic bolt one alterations. As your finding out the head lights can easily be changed, but the trim and even grills and bumpers can interchange with other year models as well as some of the same era GM products. I have had the good fortune to have owned two different, '66 & '67, El Caminos and enjoyed them both.   

[espo]

10 hours ago, RSchnell said:

Thanks to fellow forum member @Rodent I'm now the owner of one of my bucket list cars. What started out as a simple "hey a friend of mine has a car or two you may interested in", resulted in me flying out to California from Florida this past Monday and spending the past week getting it ready to bring back to Florida. I'd been looking for a factory yellow/black '55 Ford convertible project. It's a project but it has all the right stuff- power windows, power seat, V-8, automatic but I will convert it to manual transmission. A big thanks to Steve and our mutual friend Dave for providing some great California hospitality to this old Southern boy.

 

Great find and you have some work ahead of you. Seems to have some of the hard-to-find trim parts. The hood does look like it is from a '56 model but not to hard correct if that is important.   

[redscampi]

31 minutes ago, espo said:

Great looking El Camino. I notice the side trim, could this have been, in the past, a Conquista model or one with the wood grain siding? You're already doing something about the headlight setup and the nice thing about these cars is that the way they are put together there are many changes you can make that are basic bolt one alterations. As your finding out the head lights can easily be changed, but the trim and even grills and bumpers can interchange with other year models as well as some of the same era GM products. I have had the good fortune to have owned two different, '66 & '67, El Caminos and enjoyed them both.   

Thank you! As far as I can tell this is a "Classic" model. The passenger side is missing the front dog leg of the trim . The one I had was mangled. The original color was a two tone brown and tan. I'm happy that the color was changed, just wish they'd spent a bit more time and money on it, but that was years ago. At least it's shiny!  Fun fact: It already has a 74 grille in it. The previous owner broke the 77 grille (plastic I think). The 74 grille is all some kind of pot metal, including the surround. The surround on the 77 is aluminum.