I forgot to mention ,I got the Chevelle out of the barn last night so I could drive it to work today and check out things during lunch.

Went over and moved around some vehicles today... this one is still patiently waiting for her turn.

So what are the plans for that one ?

I forgot we went cruisin in the vert with the top down now that the rain has left for now ,could not go very far as Im on call til Friday .

Make it better than new, but retain most of the originality.

Looks like that would be a fun build.

Sittin down here about to start my work. Looking at the chev projects at hand spread out. Looking forward to the cold setting in so I can get to them. I was looking under the car after what shadowgrey said. OMG it is dusty cob webs. Needs cleaned bad before I mask it off and under coat it. I just going to the gas pedal area so it is pretty under the hood still.

Still waiting on the radio parts to see if I can manage to do that with out toasting another one. LOL Once the radio is in I will put a battery in and test all the exsisting electrical. I got to run a light wire from the dome to the console still. I got 3 sets of ceiling bows I got to go through them and see if I got a complete set. Anything could have happened in 13 years. I know i got all the outside flat peices still those are easy to count and check.

So nothing photo worthy going on but I still plugging away in my spare time after my real work.

I been cleaning the light housings and polishing lenses for the back up lights and licence plate light. Bought new bulbs tested them. They ready to go in now. My connectors for the stereo came. So I be playing with that a while seeing if I can get that to work. I about to buy a battery to check the electrical.

I can't lie I want to sit in it and listen to the stereo and see the dash lights on. I got to adjust the headlights and what not. Make sure the turn signals work. Get the amp gauge going. Just lots of unmemorable things that just need to be done.

Anyhow that the latest. I going to undercoat and get the trunk cleaned and repainted for the 10th time it seems like. Body work sure messes things you thought were done up. get the trunk wiring finalized and in place. I need to get the trunk and floor plugs.

You know how it goes never ending project.

I started to tear down the non-matching number L48 that came out of my 69' Malibu. (HN coded block - B body with a TH350) I had been trying all different kinds of penetrates to try and free it up. But, no dice. I got the top end off today, very clean inside for an engine that won't turn over. Found a few valves in both heads stuck open. No major carnage so far. I plan to drain the oil and get a look at the bottom end soon.

If I could free it up, I would ring and bearing it - then slap it back together for a temporary engine.

I got the stereo in all the way. Rear speakers still need mounted tho but they layin there plugged in. For the first time since it ran long long ago it had a battery in it. No fires and everything worked.
I tested lights turn signals blower, anything I could think of. The annoying door buzzer with the key in deal works.
But the main thing was the radio works. Battery is a dead peice of junk so it back out. Got to go get a real one to put in. Back to work on installing the rear speakers

GREAT SUCCESS! :D I got the short block on an engine stand and drained the oil. Took the pan off, looks very clean. ::sigh of relief:: I decided to give it one more try and grabbed the 24" breaker bar. To my surprise, it spun over with ease. A few of the lifters were collapsed and cupped on the bottom. But, overall it is a good base for what I need.

The plan is to get a cheap rebuild kit: gaskets, rings, bearings, freeze plugs, cam and lifters, and a timing chain. I'll have the block boiled and new cam bearings installed. Then hone the cylinders and clean up the crank. It won't be a precision rebuild, but will get the car running and me in the driver's seat much quicker.

I had read that an L48 found in B body cars had 2 bolt mains and cast crankshafts, it turned out to be true in this instance.

Took the rear bumper off of the 69' Malibu after work today. The car was hit, or backed into something at one point in its life. I needed the bumper out of the way to get at some of the damage. I borrowed a stud gun/dent puller from a friend last week.

Looks like a partial quarter replacement to me. Don't think a dent puller is going to help much, but I'm not a body guy.

That's the last resort. (I have the panel if i need it) I am going to try the dent puller, heat - via a torch, and I am currently building a pair of plates that bolt through the inside and outside of where the tail light extension bolts. I will use the winch on the car trailer to try and pull on it from that angle.

Believe it or not... I actually used a similar method to straighten the bed off of my old truck. It was hit low, in the left corner. Crushed, and pushed a bunch of metal upward.

Since I got a battery. I down here fiddling with wiring. I got the amp gauge right now it works. Charger hasn't got enough hair to move it positive much. But the neg discharge is working right with the lights on. So I gonna run them and hook them up permanant now and move on to other things to play with. Get the back up lights in and tested and licence plate light. Play baby stuff but needs done never the less.

These things are alot more fun to play with once the nasty stuff is done

Went to get tags for the van and pay taxes on the chev. Woman ask dont you want tags on the chevelle? Wow it was tempting. Next time they due I think I gonna get them ready of not. So when it ever is ready to drive i can just put insurance and do it. Exciting that it is even a consideration I have had it so long.

I been testing wiring. I got no power to the hazzard brake fuse. Says 6 volts but work even make a test light glow at all. So when I get my real work done and get a break I a thinking it the fusible link is out coming from the relay on the firewall after studying wiring diagrams a while. I looked at it yesterday it is all floppy and seems like it is dead.

And i had a little excitement yesterday. Closing the hood and BAM and the hood went all funky. One of arms popped out, Thank god I caught it and no damage to anything. I took the hood spring off and closed it gently untill i can get some new ones. Damn 50 year old parts layin in a feild 30 years. LOL I got to crawl under there and measure if I got a 68 or 69 hood for the hinges. I beleive i had 68 because I had a shitload of hinges and only one of the side that broke, 3 of the 69 style. Or vise versa it been years. It will come out in the wash.

Bad connection in fuse box. Cleaning it. Got it soaking in cider vinegar now. It already works but i want it clean. I obviously missed one before I put it in. But now I know all my fusible links are still good LOL

Yea that little hurdle is over. Got tail lights, brake lights, hazzards, back up lights.
So pretty with them on.
Now get this wiring tied up and splice in for the console light. Got to dig out the correct color wires from the extra harnesses. Moving along now.

My Chevelle and El Camino probably feel very lonely as I have had no time for them. I do hope to visit my trucks today at the bodyshop.

Got the car in the garage, back end up on ramps. Gotta jack up the front end and put ramps under the wheels. I have the low end of the ramps facing each other for safety reasons. Gonna be detailing the underside up a bit.

Haven't seen mine for months, under a cover for the winter.

About to go down and play with it some. Run the console wires and get the gas tank sender out and just make sure the gas gauge works. I bought the marker light bulbs last night and put them in. So lights are complete. I need to move the van out of the way and adjust the headlights soon.

Well I can see why chevelles gas gauges do what they do. 3/4 tank is where they start moving on the gauge. That pretty true to form to every one i ever owned. Last 3/8 of arm travel it gets real sensitive which explains the wobbly needle as it gets low. Any way it works and on to the next project.

Todays adventure was testing the temp gauge. It works fine.

And fixing the stupid hood hinge. Took it off welded a washer on the back between the hood and hinge where it wont show. ground it down. That wont ever do that again. Made my measurements. I actually have a 68 hood.

I starting to sit in it alot now. Play with the radio and lights. That is my little I done working now ritual. Play some Led Zepplin it it and enjoy the stereo for a song or so. Review the days work and plan the next move.

As Mrs Grumpy said to me once. Enjoy what I already got done.

Got the engine running and it moves under its own power...yee haa.
Then i bolted in a seat and took it down the block for a spin...lol
They sure are fast with no doors...no fenders or bumpers and no glass or hood.

Son is having a B Day party today, and most haven't seen the chev since it been this far. It getting a wax and detail for the inevitible car show about to happen

I was off Tuesday and browsing Craigslist, I know... dangerous. Found a near perfect 69' bench seat that is already black. Picked it up, will be giving the red 70' seat I previously bought to my folks for their 72' Malibu. While there, bought them a tilt column for the same car. The guy had a real 69' SS 396 car that had been in his family since new. He swapped in bucket seats and a console. I was happy to get his "left overs."

No getting the Chevelle out these days. Been raining around here for the last month v

I havent been doing nothing to it. KeeP it clean. battery charged. Occasionally sit in it play with the radio.
XMas and work normal stuff which is why it took so long so far.

But I do know one thing the longer it sits and I look at it. The better it looks. I am forgetting where the bad spots are. And I having trouble finding them if I look because I just am not fresh on where they are. So I am being overly critical and it is just fine.

Terrible being so anal compulsive. Anyway I been real busy cars coming and going lately working. I doing a nissan valve body problem at the moment.

58 degrees yesterday and sunshine. I took the Chevelle out for a quick cruise. I had to throw the interior back together, but worth it.

It was 75 here today but raining most of the day and raining again now .My driveway washed out wednesday night and I spent yesterday putting it back as best I could so no getting the Chevelle out.

Finally opened the hood today and cleaned thing up. Noticed the alternator belt had a twist in it so took it off and fixed the problem. Cleaned the garage up around it and put away the shop towels I got for Christmas.

Fired it up and took it out to blow the cob webs off it. Nice be able to drive it after sitting since September.

Just rub it in LOL. I used to wish mine was this far. Now I on to wishing it was done.

Took the van's SD card out copied it and put it all on the chevelles stereo. We got 2 days worth of solid music now if it is on 24 hours a day. I just tinkering right now. Between major jobs and just relaxing playing with stuff now cleaning mostly.

I was burned out on it after painting and buffing. And the winter depression deal. But today I was Jamming the new music. And up comming task were looking like fun again instead of Oh I got to do that.

Dusting polishing the rag. Charging the battery. Go through these headliner bows I got and get a set to use together. Clean them and mark them. Start cleaning the metal side pieces get all that non sense ready.
Believe it or not I been planting lately. Staring seed so the plants are ready when it gets warm.
But I heard the call of the wild walking past her this morning. There were fingerprints and marks in the even coat of dust she collected. That got me going this morning LOL. Yea play with the car regular work can wait today.

Dropped the Sprint off this morning to have the new A/C system vacuumed and charged (R134a).
Had a Freon leak before I bought this car so I've replaced the compressor, all hoses, dryer, and POA valve. Hopefully the leak isn't in the Evaporator or Condenser.
They're going to dye check the system too.

Finally had a day where the planets align. (Time, weather, and health) I pulled the 72' front fenders out of the 69'. Got the inside of the driver's fender blasted and epoxy primed. I also marked all of the rod and main caps in the short block for the 69'.