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Concept car build?

PostPosted: Sat May 25, 2019 8:08 am
by chopolds
In the 50's Gm used the Corvette platform to try out different division's versions of the 2 seater. Pontiac, Buick, even had 2 or so different ones. GM also tried a "luxury personal station wagon", first utilizing the Corvette platform again, then going into production with the idea, in the Chevy and Pontiac full size line. Unfortunately the idea didn't take hold, probably because it was an expensive car, and limited in it's "station wagon " usefulness., not being a 4 door. Chevy Nomads, and Pontiac Safaris were made in very limited numbers, and are very rare today.
Olds, Buick, Cadillac, never made their version, and since the car was supposed to be a high end wagon, I never understood why. Various drawings, in the past, and Photoshops in the present have imagined how these versions would have looked.. A caddy version won the Ridler this year, though it was a highly stylized, hand built one. I have always wanted to do an Olds version, as I already own a 55, highly customized, and love that car.
last year a friend gave me his 56 Olds when he was too old to work on it. I had already bought a couple Nomad roofs years back in anticipation of doing something like this. I recently found a "good" Nomad roof, so now the project begins!

Re: Concept car build?

PostPosted: Sat May 25, 2019 1:04 pm
by Doright
I will be watching sounds interesting

Re: Concept car build?

PostPosted: Sat May 25, 2019 3:30 pm
by chevman
Just so everyone knows what to expect

Image

Re: Concept car build?

PostPosted: Sat May 25, 2019 9:20 pm
by Doright
That's a beautiful car

Re: Concept car build?

PostPosted: Sun Jun 02, 2019 10:32 am
by DarrelK
That is one awesome looking station wagon...... Any progress? Just curious, hoping to do a truck project this coming winter...

Re: Concept car build?

PostPosted: Tue Jun 11, 2019 5:24 pm
by chopolds
Yes, lots of work/progress, but it's been a tough cookie! LOTS of rot/rust/stuff not even there. I did manage to get a 57 Safari parts car, but that, too turned out to be a major rust bucket. It DID have the interior trim I needed, plus glass and some stainless I didn't have.

Re: Concept car build?

PostPosted: Tue Jun 11, 2019 8:24 pm
by Slofut
Is that a Goat with an irs? :shocked:

Re: Concept car build?

PostPosted: Fri Jun 28, 2019 6:14 pm
by chopolds
Yes, building it for an ex-coworker. Bought a real rust bucket, Changed out every panel they made for the 67 GTO, including the roof! Frame was gone, too, wrong eng, trans, etc. So I got him a 93 Vette, and we're using the whole driveline (LT1, 6 speed) and both front and rear suspension. Had Art Morrison bend me some rails, so I could duplicate the way the factory rails were, but with the Vette suspension. Had to do it in 6 pieces, and weld them together! May even use some Vette type styling cues in customizing the exterior.

Re: Concept car build?

PostPosted: Tue Jul 09, 2019 12:10 pm
by Doright
Chop
Please include lots of Your metal work in your progress pics I am sure this is gonna be another out of the Park custom and a true classic Build Built by you!

"just to add to difficulty adding 1.5 inches of Chopped Roof" ??????
That's gonna Be epic PICS PLEASE!!!!!

I cant wait to for progress pics!!

:worthy:

Re: Concept car build?

PostPosted: Sun Jul 21, 2019 6:03 pm
by chopolds
The transition between the Olds front part of the roof, to the Nomad roof, is driving me crazy. The Olds was about 3/4" too wide, and then it had to be widened a bit more because of the chop. I was able to relief cut, and fudge the metal around to get them to fit, but there was probably too much tension at the long seam (side to side) and I couldn't control it while welding it. Even tried gas welding, to give me more malleability to hammer the metal into the correct shape. Didn't work, so I cut out a 6 in. strip where the bad seam was and am working it again. So far, so good. I took a long break in between, to fix the rotted out front of the hood.
My old mentor had removed the front emblem, which was quite large, and the hood rocket, using brass and copper pipe to do it. The owner of the car tried MIGing the rotten front, but just tried to patch it up with lots of little pieces. I cut it all out, and started over!
Thanks for the interest, Dennis, and I know you appreciate the metal working it takes to do this stuff!