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Next step is to start on the doors and fenders. All are in pretty good shape, but the fender bottoms have previous patch work, done by my mentor, brazed in. He overlapped the patches, and they are now rusted through in spots. He also overlapped some small pieces of metal over the stock trim holes. I guess he was getting lazy, or forgetful late in his career. Either way, it all had to be cut out, and replaced with steel, and I TIGed them all in. Getting to really like the old TIG!

A Nomad or Safari wagon was a very special version of a station wagon, so Chevy and Pontiac both made them with the "top of the line" trim packages. So to do this Olds concept right, I thought to do it as a '98' trim, instead of the '88' that the car came originally as. Besides completely different sidet trim, it had different tail lights, and extra trim on the back ups. A set of '98 tails were in a box I got, with all the other boxes, that came with the car. A little surgery, and viola! '98' tail lights!

Since I welded in the gas filler door to smooth the car out, I had to find a place for the filler. My brother in law reminded me, that just turning it inside, like I usually do, would place the filler inside the passenger compartment, on a station wagon. So I had to formulate another plan! I liked 56 Chevies having the filler hidden behind the tail light, and I took it a step further. Hope tis You Tube link works...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAaWAX4LLug

Feels like I'm going backwards!

I admire the custom work you do. Me? I am just a restoration type guy.
Car is going to look fantastic when it's done!

chopolds wrote:A Nomad or Safari wagon was a very special version of a station wagon, so Chevy and Pontiac both made them with the "top of the line" trim packages. So to do this Olds concept right, I thought to do it as a '98' trim, instead of the '88' that the car came originally as. Besides completely different sidet trim, it had different tail lights, and extra trim on the back ups. A set of '98 tails were in a box I got, with all the other boxes, that came with the car. A little surgery, and viola! '98' tail lights!

I have said it so many times, but you fab guys just totally impress me with your skills.

I cannot wait to see this car on the road.

chopolds wrote:Since I welded in the gas filler door to smooth the car out, I had to find a place for the filler. My brother in law reminded me, that just turning it inside, like I usually do, would place the filler inside the passenger compartment, on a station wagon. So I had to formulate another plan! I liked 56 Chevies having the filler hidden behind the tail light, and I took it a step further. Hope tis You Tube link works...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAaWAX4LLug

Way too cool!!!! Love it!
Does the motor drive have adjustable stops?
What kind of motor and drive did you use?

Dennis, I just picked up a 6 inch, 12 volt actuator on Ebay, I think it was made for opening ventilation hoods. No adjustments, I just worked with it's own starting and stopping points. Actually pretty simple.

Blasted and painted the chassis, after more grinding and sanding, then blasting. Did 2 coats of Master Series Rust Preventative paint (similar to POR-15). Then 2 coats of their gloss black (they didn't have a satin black). Not too happy with the turnout. I believe I rushed the coats too much. I was painting it outside, around 95*, very high humidity. Between time for coats is 3 hours, but I didn't want it to drag out that long, so I cut it to 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Thinking the heat and humidity would accelerate the dry time. Well, I was wrong, and I got patches of gloss, and patches of flatter looking areas. Going to wait 2 days, scuff it up, and put some SEM Hot Rod black on it, a semi-gloss.

Was that heavily pitted rust near the shock mount areas?

I have had great success just using black epoxy primer for the undercarriage and suspension parts.

'67 Jeep CJ that I had to repair some frame cracks on.


Rear brake caliper used on '55 Chevy Truck:


'68 GTX upper control arms:


'68 Coronet R/T rear axle: (Painted drums with Hot Rod Flatz)