My Friend Mike

[mrwrstory]

     To begin,.... this thread is placed in the OT Forum because it will document a number of items that may offend some P15-D24 purists.  That is not the intent here.  However, and although the canvas a 1950 Plymouth Suburban, it is a modified, modified for comfort, style, safety, and performance.  It's a Hot Rod!

     I am privileged to be called a friend by Mike and his family.  We became acquainted years back when he performed a whole lotta magic on my '56 wagon.  He's a quality young guy with computer and engineering savvy, a garage full of tools and projects, grease under his fingernails, is generous to a fault, and is dedicated to his wife and young son.  And he tolerates my need to kick tires and imagine all sorts of projects we should work on.

     This year, in July, there is a major event in Victoria, BC that a number of us Yanks will attend.  It's a Hot Rod event.  So to travel to and around BC and witness the majesty of the Pacific Northwest, Mike and family decided to build a "cruiser" that would accommodate them and their paraphernalia for a two week trip.

     I take some pleasure for pointing them toward the Suburban, a car and style they were not aware of previously.  It's perfect for a family while providing something vintage for Jessica, as well as a project to share with young Josh.  The goal is a daunting one,...to drive to Victoria in July of this year.  The car, a solid stocker, came home in October 2015.  And after a lot of thought and hard decision making, work began just after the first of the year.

October 2015

-

I indulged in some "Photo Shopping" to help visualize the stance of the finished project.

[wayfarer]

...c'mon Bill, there has to be a few more details...or are ya trying to make some of us crazy with the tease...?

 

Gary

[Dave72dt]

As long as you're photoshopping, add some skirts to it, get rid of the overriders on the front bumper, trim the ends of it off a bit and slide it closer to the grille, v- cut the hood a bit so the nose of it comes down about an inch and take a couple inches off the roof. 

 

 I don't care where you post progress pics at.  I'll follow along and won't be offended at all.  I like following builds.

[mrwrstory]

I just got the pics I needed to start this thread and I have struggled to get them on to PhotoBucket.  I also wanted to pause after the fairly lengthy introduction for fear of over doing the first page.

With that said,...

Mike, Josh and Uncle Joe got busy right after the first of the year.  The dog house and engine and trans were removed and surgery on the front suspension begun.  The recently refreshed engine/trans were set aside for another (yet TBD) project.  The suspension and running gear were handed off to another local early Mopar nut. 

-

-

a Fat Man clip was installed and ride height dialed in.  Bottom pic is "actual ride height".

-

[DJ194950]

I like the roof height as is!

 

Lower that the others manufacturers  at the time. Still enough room for a hat being worn  inside- Per Walter C.

 

DJ

[mrwrstory]

Modifications were made to accommodate a modern EFI V8, electronic transmission, cross-flow radiator, AC and power R&P steering.   Mike bent up sheet metal to facilitate those changes and clear the new suspension as well as to address a few minor rust spots.  He took particular care to bend radii and roll beads to replicate a stock, production appearance.

-

-

-

-

-

Today is a big day!  After untold hours of hammering. priming, skimming and block sanding, it's ready for paint.  Later this morning we load up the body and all the fenders, splash panels and misc pieces and parts to truck to the paint shop.  The goal is to have the major painting done by Sunday PM.

[40plyrod]

Mike does very nice work also. Another craftsman from SoCal. The part of the build where paint gets sprayed is always exciting. Can't wait for the next instalment.

[1950 Special Deluxe]

Your friend Mike appears to an artist.

He does great work.

[mattimuss]

Please continue to keep us up-to-date on this project...and post lots of pictures!

[mrwrstory]

Coupla subtle modifications,....a new gas door and a sectioned spare tire well.  Moved the floor of the well up so's to provide room for a deeper fuel tank with a well for the submerged high pressure fuel pump.

-

-

-

And then a final sand and last coat of primer at 1:00pm of the day the car was due at the painter.

-

-

And finally on the trailer for the trip to the body shop.  Last pic is Friday evening about 6:00pm

-

-

 

 

 

[40plyrod]

Either that's a huge gas fill door or a really small drill!   Middle picture of the gas door made me do a double take. Again very nice work.

[Young Ed]

Either that's a huge gas fill door or a really small drill!   Middle picture of the gas door made me do a double take. Again very nice work.

I was wondering the same thing!

[mrwrstory]

It's in the paint booth now.. there's no turnin back!

-

We spent a fair amount of time dialing in the colors.  Several requirements were, white walls and baby moons, a retro body color and a warm color for the window surround that did not appear like an attempt to look like wood.

Thank you to Mike Brennan,...."lodi3qtr" of this forum, who provided a high res side view of his Burb.  That was the basis for Photo Shopping color alternatives.  The bottom pic is the goal.

-

-

-

This is all we've been able to see so far.  Pretty exciting stuff, eh!

[mrwrstory]

A little side bar to share while waiting for the paint to cure.

While working on the Burb awhile ago, young Josh showed me a school project he had just finished.  The assignment was to do a diorama about a famous person.  He chose Henry Ford and constructed this tribute.  I think it's just spectacular!  Most of the model is built from his stash of used and left over model parts.  Check the overhead conveyor made from spare model truck parts and smoke stacks made from Nurf Gun bullets.

-

Edited May 15, 2016 by mrwrstory

[40plyrod]

That's AWESOME!!!! Way to start em out!

[Niel Hoback]

Better than awesome, that's amazing! I like all the guys standing around supervising. That's really neat.

[mrwrstory]

The wait is over and the stress of worrying about the color choice is in the past.  Pretty tasty IMO.  I think they scored a perfect 10!

Next is Mike will paint the inside so that he can begin wiring.  Big step completed but the deadline still looms ambitious.

 

-

-

-

-

-

Home again.

[40plyrod]

The paint looks good, he must be happy. It's funny I always think that when you get to the paint stage you're almost done, but really you're just starting. Lots of work left, oh well only thing to do is keep your head down and keep plugging away. We had a farm helper that used to say "when your weeding never look to the end of the carrot row" it keeps ya from being discouraged.

Edited May 19, 2016 by 40plyrod

[rb1949]

Wish Ol' Mr. Chrysler could see it now.

[mattimuss]

Very nice, keep posting pictures...

[mrwrstory]

Frame and under body painted.  Suspension detailed and installed.  Engine and trans are in.

 

-

-

-

-

Next is to finish paint the interior, hang the AC unit and electronic modules and begin wiring.

[40plyrod]

Wow! looking good, must be working night and day on it!

[mrwrstory]

A fun comparo,........barely 6 months

-

Edited June 8, 2016 by mrwrstory

[mrwrstory]

Progress proceeds in large chunks.  Mike narrowed the rearend and installed it as well as battery box fab., gas tank and A/C install and is running fuel and A/C lines and wires.

-

-

-

smg.photobucket.com/user/wstory/media/My%20friend%20Mike/IMG_4479_zpsjkrewu8i.jpg.html'>

-

-

-

[deathbound]

Progressing nicely and you couldn't ask for a better helper.