1954 Plymouth Suburban Project

[Dave72dt]

Heating the old metal might pop some rust pockets loose or expose really thin areas and that's just a guess on my part.  Normally you try to confine as much of the heat as you can to the immediate weld spot and limit the amount of heat transfer to adjoining areas.  Weld shrinkage gets worse the more heat you put in.

[pflaming]

I rebuilt this to flip. I found three same year Suburbans, by selling hard to find parts the cars were free and I had parts I needed free as well. Guess what, there is no free lunch. I could have made more money as a Wallmart greeter and with my STML made new friends every day! 

[Los_Control]

26 minutes ago, pflaming said:

I rebuilt this to flip. I found three same year Suburbans, by selling hard to find parts the cars were free and I had parts I needed free as well. Guess what, there is no free lunch. I could have made more money as a Wallmart greeter and with my STML made new friends every day! 

Think of all the fun you would miss out on as a greeter and not a suburban fixer 

[casper50]

You would most likely get the same amount of trash talk dumped on you with either.  lol

 

[pflaming]

Update:  I'm working on the little things required to test drive the car. The shifter lever and handle is with my machinist. It will be one piece  milled aluminum, lever and handle all the way to the bottom pivot pin. The R/1 selector trigger pivot end in a milled out center space. I've eliminated the mini console, replaced by a tunnel side mounted leather boot, the floor is held in with metal screws waiting for a friend to weld it in, etc., etc., little things eat up TIME! Will have photos mid week. I had no idea how much more work is involved repairing a car vs a truck. 

 

My Dodgers don't seem to be able to handle the Red Sox. Bummer! 

[Don Coatney]

35 minutes ago, pflaming said:

 I had no idea how much more work is involved repairing a car vs a truck. 

 

 

 

When did you repair a truck? I must have missed that thread.

[pflaming]

It needs no saying that I put a truck back on the road TWICE!  In defense of your comment, I'm will need to do a full body cleanining, protecting, then  quality paint. Our daughter likes forest green. Even though the truck has not been rained on, is garaged 99% of the time,  rust is beginning to emerge. 

 

It will require a full disassembly of the doghouse, and bed. I don't know what will be required on the inside of the doors. Well that's future. 

[pflaming]

It is slow and tedious, but I'm learning. Brake pedal out of adjustment.

 

Edited October 31, 2018 by pflaming

[casper50]

Looking good.

[pflaming]

After working with the inconsistent thicknesses and questionable quality of the old, yet seemingly solid material, I'm going to pull it all out, get new metal, get some help on very tricky areas and put in a new floor. At this point I have very little money invested, mainly learning time.

[Adam H P15 D30]

Possible problems I see in the picture above is 

1.Painted metal patch (lower left)

2. Galvanized patch (lower right)

3. uncleaned metal (original floors)

Seriously, clean everything with a 4" grinder and a 60 grit flapper wheel.  Use clean steel patches also cleaned with the flapper wheel.  Replacing all the floors will be MUCH harder, I've done both....

 

Adam

[pflaming]

"I'm going to pull it all out, get new metal."

 

I noticed that also, pictures are very honest, I could do as you suggest, but welding all new, all the same, all sheared and broke by machine, just suddenly appealed to me. Im aware that I'm prone to skimp and save, but not here. This is foundational stuff. However TKS for the kind observations. 

[pflaming]

54 post review. 

I joined this form, October 23',  2006, wow 12 years ago on the Pilot-House side. I repaired a 52 B3B to driver status.  In 2013 I bought a junker Suburban for $300 to get the rear bumper for '53 convertible I bought. I sold the convertible and switched to the Suburban thinking it would be easier to fix than the convertible, bad, bad decision. 

 

Feburary 2014, my back yard shop burned to the ground, the B3B was in there.OUCH, two losses in one. So new shop and I rebuilt the truck and drive it nearly every day. Then I switched Suburbans to a parts one that I'm now working on. In all that time I had two knee surgeries, the second a replacement, and then surgery to repair a carpal tunnel problem.

 

So here it is, 12 years later, this thread is still active, me as well, but a bit less so. It is the very best journey I've taken and trust I can finish this Suburban and enjoy it some. My appreciation to all on this forum. I've locked horns with some which I regret. But have a lot of great acquaintances and friends here in USA, Canada, Australia, and possibly elsevwhere.

 

i posted this primarily for the new comers. As aptly stated numerous times, this hobby is mostly a marathon, not a dash for many. See you in the shop.

 

Paul

[pflaming]

On 2/9/2014 at 7:06 AM, pflaming said:

Not a pleasant morning. Feeling  a bit hallow just now. Truck was in there. This is how I first saw it, then the fire broke and in the snap of a finger it was in full blaze.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How do I repost these pictures? 

[pflaming]

Transmission levers.

 I have two three speed transmissions. The gear selector and gear shifter levers on the two are NOT the same. Tomorrow I will check the numbers on the casing and . . . . . 

[pflaming]

Update:   

I haven't checked the transmission numbers yet. I used the levers from what I believe is an older transmission. I've been busy detailing the shifter levers, handles, clearances, etc. I can now drive it as it is, so will hold off until use it driving. What you see is prototype. Will stay with this until it is done, then will do the cosmetic work with the pieces made on a CNC mill. 

 

I cut a large enough opening so i could work from the top. The final opening will not be large. 

Edited November 20, 2018 by pflaming

[RNR1957NYer]

What you see is prototype........

 

Thanks for clearing that up - looks like some "finished product" I've seen!? (the final will be in plywood and not OSB?)

[pflaming]

In defense of my OSB box.  I have learned as much if not more from prototype pictures which show the evolution of a project.than from just seeing the end result. I'm certain there are others like myself, who oft times find themselves in the fog and get out withba piece of cardboard, rusty piece of tin or whatever else is on the floor at the time. 

 

But im making progress, may drive the Suburban this weekend. 

[casper50]

Good luck.

[RNR1957NYer]

.......who oft times find themselves in the fog and get out witha piece of cardboard,.....

 

Yeah, I'm a foam core guy myself. I'm following your build with great interest - keep it coming!

[pflaming]

RNR:  I'm starting to reassemble.  Tomorrow a jaunt to the Bay Area for family gathering, next week things mechanical will button up. Nothing left to fab, to repair, to purchase to get this car to driver status. I repaired this floor panel, and now can work back toward the seats.

 

I have considered putting in a marine plywood floor.  Would be rust proof, provide a sound barrier, be less work!'!! Shucks, only Jiffy Lube would know!! 

[RNR1957NYer]

I have considered putting in a marine plywood floor.  Would be rust proof, provide a sound barrier, be less work!'!! Shucks, only Jiffy Lube would know!! 

 

Paul - no shame improvising using quality "non OEM" materials with good workmanship.  Back in the mid '80's I was replacing the carpet in my '66 Satellite after having it painted and upholstered and was dismayed to find the floors well pinholed by rust.  Good junkyard floorpans were rare as hens teeth in the northeast even then, and reproduction pans were a decade away.  So, I went at the floor with a wire brush attachment on my trusty drill and laid in several layers of 'glass.  Thirty years later they are as strong and as waterproof as when I did it.  And, with a coat of rubberized undercoating and all the factory plastic pan plugs still in place, the Jiffy Lube folk are none the wiser!

[JerseyHarold]

I knew someone years ago who fixed car floors using multiple layers of window screening and roofing tar.  It took a while for the tar odor to dissipate, but the repair was sturdy and long-lasting.

[Plymouthy Adams]

1 hour ago, JerseyHarold said:

I knew someone years ago who fixed car floors using multiple layers of window screening and roofing tar.  It took a while for the tar odor to dissipate, but the repair was sturdy and long-lasting.

I am afraid after this posting we may start seeing a few more tar-babies....?

[Dodgeb4ya]

Why not use two or three layers or 1/4" torch down to contour your floor pan??

A flaming weed burner is all you need to melt it to the floor pan.

Lotsa fun, flames, hot, fast and easy.?

Edited November 25, 2018 by Dodgeb4ya