1958buickforum.net

Hello All,
I've spent a good deal of the summer/Fall repairing the body on my Super 56R. Front fenders both needed rebuilt under the headlights. Almost nothing was left there due to complete rustout. This front end had it bad(Pennsylvania car) I bought a near perfect splashpan 15 years ago and finally put it on plus good radiator support inner skirts that also were non-existant.
Front of rockers and inside corners of front floor had to have all new metal welded in. Salt and windshield leakeage were culprits here.

The trunk area has been most challenging. The wheelwells have a 1 1/2 split along the seam from rust. Most all is welded,but very difficult from the top towards the inside. By the way I am using a borrowed Century model wire feed welder. This is not a MIG(metal inert gas) because it is not gas set-up,just flux core wire. Flux core welding produces alot of smoke and splatter that gas does not.

The rear body supports in the back of trunk were gone also. All new now,but you have to cut out more than you think to find good metal to fabricate to.

This is the only 2dr ht I have and I've had it since 1991. It's being worth the extra effort so far. I've also installed a six way seat option and have a Wonderbar radio for it. That will be the winter project . I'm not doing much in the garage when zero weather comes.

All for now.........Lee

Sounds like you've done quite a bit. I always wished that I could do my own welding, but I haven't had time to learn. I have a similar welder to the one you have been using, but have never really fired it up.

Post a few pictures if you can.

I'll try in the near future to get some pictures on here. I promised this awhile back.

I got hooked on the welding/fabricating once I got serious about this car. Fortunately I can get a couple different guages of sheet steel from work. A good book to recommend is one called "Weldors handbook". Setting everything up correctly is as important as the welding. Body panels can warp if done wrong for one thing.

A good leather weldors coat I recommend,plus full length welding gloves. You may get away without these doing a flat weld,but anything vertical and especially overhead dumps molten steel on you. I've had enough burns to prove this. Grinding is also a dirty job with sparks and I get stuff in my eyes even with goggles or faceshield.

Sounds rough? Not really. the next day you will look forward to getting into it again!

Lee

Hey Guys

Glad to here of your progress, Lee. I too have been busy welding on my current project;
a 51 Chevy half ton Panel truck. Needed all new floors, toeboard, inner and
outer cowl panels. Just finishing some patches around the rear wheel wells and I'll be ready to
lift the body off. I am calliing this truck my "LoadMaster"...! Since I am using all Buick
drive train... I have a great Buick 455 big block & a Turbo 400 ready to go in...
Using some other Buick touches, too... 50 RoadMaster tail lights, a 53 Buick Roadmaster
steering wheel, and 48 Buick speedo and gauge cluster & clock.
Going to use it as my tow vehicle, so it's being built to work!

My welding skills have improved as a result of all these repairs!
Regards
Mike

Mike,

That sounds like a great project. I also have a Buick 455 and T-400 set up - just need to figure out what to put it in. I restored a '53 Chevy for my dad several years ago and he is giving it back to me. I really like that truck and can't wait to drive it again. Its all original, but the babbit bearing 216 motor has been replaced with a 235 6cyl. It is not a show restoration, we wanted it to like like the retired farm truck that it is, so the bed still has dings in it. The wood is new oak and the cab has no dents.