I build big toys, for old boys

[cookie]

yep My 56 merc is the first car I ever  drove. we wer e visitting my uncle roland  in Yodler Wyoming. I was looking at the car walking around it and he came out side and said you like my car. I was 13 He said jump in, slide over your driving and off we went for a 10 minute drive. he taught me how to shift 3 on the tree. Years later my cusin  moved to Minnesota .When his dad died he drove the car to Minnesota. I said man if you ever want to get rid of I would love to have it. been lugging, storing, starting. towing it around for well over 30 years. back in my painting day I repaired the  bottom of the fender as some tar  had gotten in there and rotted  the corner .I put in new metal and leaded it. It was hard to work on when that's what you did  all day for a living plus raising 3 kids. The furthest I have ever driven it was  a 24 mile trip about 4 years ago. I had it stored in Cromwell at one time and the left door and  quarter got damaged. very repairable with the  right tools. I love that darn car. My dream was to drive it to Alaska with the honey bunny as they say the first time you go to Alaska you should drive. I would say its 98 % original. The bottom of the rockers  have started to rust from sitting in the weeds but it has never seen salt. need tlc for sure. I will have boar post a pic. The motor is a 312 the same motor that was in the 56 t bird with a tea pot four barrel carb, Duel exhaust  3 on the tree with overdrive,two  tone paint .

[Boar]

thanks for sharing that cookie! awsome! send me that pic when ya get a chance.

[cookie]

test


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[cookie]

sorry about that trying to post a pic of 56 merc and This is what posted

[Northerndave]

it's a picture, just the wrong one is all.

I love stories like that, very cool.

[Boar]

That ol' minnesota ain it cookie, your close. looks like you just selected the wrong picture...

[deadeye]

Just to prove I didn't steal it, here's a picture of me paying my dad for the car.  Old farmers have a hard time letting go of land and possessions.  My dad was 93 at the time and we felt it would be better if he didn't drive it anymore.  He lived on the farm for another two years and died at the ripe old age of 95.

[glenn57]

That ol' minnesota ain it cookie, your close. looks like you just selected the wrong picture...

hey i recognize that!!!!!!!!

[Easy]

Just to prove I didn't steal it, here's a picture of me paying my dad for the car.  Old farmers have a hard time letting go of land and possessions.  My dad was 93 at the time and we felt it would be better if he didn't drive it anymore.  He lived on the farm for another two years and died at the ripe old age of 95.

Neither one of you looks ready to let go of that check. 

[HD]

I have a question....
Dave, when you make those replacement panels, are you free forming those on an anvil?

I've made door panels on a brake before, but nuth'in with curves.

[glenn57]

I have a question....
Dave, when you make those replacement panels, are you free forming those on an anvil?

I've make door panels on a brake before, but nuth'in with curves.

HD, me thinks all your curves are in the think i gotta go fishin thread!!!!!!!!!!! but yea i was wonderin the same thing. thays some mighty fine work there!!!!!!!!

[Rebel SS]

I was gonna post pics of my '67 Red and black Belvedere GTX here...naaa.   

[glenn57]

I was gonna post pics of my '67 Red and black Belvedere GTX here...naaa.   

CHICKEN..................CRAP!!!!!!!!!!!

[Rebel SS]

Chicken?! Ok...how about my '73 TA with the 455 SD, and my '76 TA, that I ordered new on my 21st Bday. Have the window sticker, AND the factory customer build sheet....! Total price on the loaded '76 (except I did NOT order power windows, just didn't do that on a strip car) was $6, 250. THAT oughtta get Dotch revved up. 

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[Rebel SS]

After I received the car (took 4 months to get it)the  hood scoop plate rivets were drilled out and plate used as a template for a stainless steel screen that was installed, making it a functional cold-air intake. A B&M shift kit was installed, Accel high temp silicone wires and an Accel power coil were also installed, and bigger jets put in the Q-jet, and it was retuned. It was a going bad-ass pup. I sure do miss that that car...

[Dotch]

Chicken?! Ok...how about my '73 TA with the 455 SD, and my '76 TA, that I ordered new on my 21st Bday. Have the window sticker, AND the factory customer build sheet....! Total price on the loaded '76 (except I did NOT order power windows, just didn't do that on a strip car) was $6, 250. THAT oughtta get Dotch revved up. 

Jeez, now ya did it. I gotta see if I can find pictures of my Vega and Gremlin! 

[HD]

 

I have a question....
Dave, when you make those replacement panels, are you free forming those on an anvil?

I've made door panels on a brake before, but nuth'in with curves.

[Northerndave]

I have a question....
Dave, when you make those replacement panels, are you free forming those on an anvil?

I've made door panels on a brake before, but nuth'in with curves.

It's a combination of tipping roll set on a bead roller for curved body lines, shrinker/stretcher, bossing mallets on a large leather shot bag, planishing with body hammers and dollies, english wheel... some hand made T dolly bars and little anvils fixed in a vice.

It takes a bunch of time to make a flat chunk of sheetmetal take the shape you want it to.

[Northerndave]

We are doing some invasive exploratory type of surgery on the forward structure of a 69 ranchero this morning. Rust is a real bastard.

[HD]

I have a question....
Dave, when you make those replacement panels, are you free forming those on an anvil?

I've made door panels on a brake before, but nuth'in with curves.

It's a combination of tipping roll set on a bead roller for curved body lines, shrinker/stretcher, bossing mallets on a large leather shot bag, planishing with body hammers and dollies, english wheel... some hand made T dolly bars and little anvils fixed in a vice.

It takes a bunch of time to make a flat chunk of sheetmetal take the shape you want it to.

That's pretty cool in my book!
I've remade rocker panels, cab corners, floor pans and door skins.
Making curved panels like that, takes some skill. 

[Northerndave]

Thanks.

I much prefer rockers, lower door skins, lower fender repairs etc. Stuff with a LOT less shape. lol

Speaking of shape...

LOW is really shaping up, ice wise.

West side, springsteel plowed this morning. Tried to make it out to "south tip" but ran into an issue with a crack, wayyy out there. (mind you this ends up being about a 5.5 mile long ice road)

They packed a bunch of snow in the crack area hoping it will heal up soon. Plans (as I understand) are to open the road to trucks tomorrow, out to the "DNR reef". 3/4 tons with single axle houses, half tons with tandem axle houses. (as a general rule I imagine)

That of course won't be official until they post it.

Ice thickness reports I've gotten today are 15" and 17"

average of 6" snow on top of the ice.


I predict I will be on LOW, DNR reef in our ice castle for new years weekend.  :)

[cookie]

Sweet report Dave on both counts. Cars and ice conditions. Talking about all the cars everyone grew up with is way cool. My 340  70 duster 4 speed with a 73 dodge dart front end was a blast. Still have the motor. One of a kind with the front clip. Boy did we have fun with that car. 73 mercury capri 2600 was also a great car 140 mph speedometer and it went that fast as well as the duster.  Men and there machine

[Northerndave]

My first car was a 1970 Torino GT. 351C, auto trans.... many, many auto transmissions. lol!

I was a champion destroyer of transmissions.

I tracked that car down, I know where it is today. I might go get it someday.

[Gunner55]

A 69 Dart 340 for me

[glenn57]

A 69 Dart 340 for me

66 buick wildcat fer me!!!!!!!!!!! chick magnet............well maybe it wasss just me!!!!!!!!!!!

[Boar]

69 ford montego.  hated it but loved it.

[LPS]

I had a 67 GTO and then a 69 Judge.  Both too much car for a young guy to have and not get into lots of trouble.  Wish I had them both.  Also had a 68 El Camino....

[mike89]

1963 chevy Impala SS ragtop!!

[Boar]

geeeze what did u guys do withese cars??

[HD]

My first car was a white 69 Fury lll, 2 door, 318....dang I  miss that car.

Then, I owned 5, yes 5, 1969 firebirds

A 68 Cady, a 1940 Studebaker ....oh the list goes on, and on, and on