New year and new time to do

 ...something to the El Camino, which has been sitting all alone in the garage for a quite while now. I had a couple weeks off from the work and I had some video shootings to do with my friends YouTube channel, and that gave me a boost to do something with my El Camino and shoot some videos too.

So, I did buy used driveshaft from other side of the country and I might fit or not, but it is close. And like so many car show videos, several months later... I haven't even unwrapped it and test fitted does it fit or not.

Oh and I have bought all kind of sh...stuff and clogged my garage, so I had to do a bit of clean up and presto! There is now room to do shi... stuff.

And finally I bought a new starter motor. Now that garage is mainly clear and warm, I can start doing stuff. 

Happy and joyful new years to you all!

Been a while

Yeah, it's been awhile. The El Camino has sat in the garage for almost two months and I haven't done anything, except a bit of arranging the garage. I had the whole end of summer, whole autumn and start of the winter to sort it out, but...

At least it is in the warm garage now. Okay, it has been there, idling all alone the whole time, but I have been busy in life.

The El Camino spent three cold weeks in the Finnish winter weather, outside in the lot of the shipping company. One of the first things to do in the garage was to shovel the snow off the bed.

After a  few days of sitting in the warm garage, I took a look what I have actually bought.

It is a bit of dusty, but considering it has been sitting in the Nevada desert for quite awhile, it's no wonder.

I just love that cowl induction hood. And this is actually working one. Not just a bulge on the hood.

That front end is just... Fantastic!

Okay, I have started cleaning the interior, which I'll tell you more about in a future post and YouTube-channel video.

Till next time!

Sneak peek whats up with The El Camino!

My back is aching and I really can't do too much at the moment for my El Camino. I still have gathered parts little by big and up coming winter I'll be doing some modification to my current out and in look. He are few sneak peek photos:

Whats that bulge doing there?

Is there any other colour than matte black?

Whats with the spokes?

And on the other day we had so much raining in short period that it flooded to our garage. Janne was visiting our garage and took these photos and posted them on our garage's whatsup chat:

You can check his blog about building/restoration his 1972 Chevrolet Camaro SS at: http://jakulepi.blogspot.fi/

It is in Finnish, but I think you can translate it through Google translate. A lot of pictures! Check it out!

Hood off.

It's good to take off the hood when you are working on your cars engine compartment for a long time. Gives more surrounding light and easier access. Four bolts and it's off. It is possible to take off by yourself, but it's recommended that use an extra hand pair to keep it in place while unscrewing last two bolts. First you should mark where those hinges are at the hood so that when your putting back that same hood it's more easier when you can put it close to same position that it was.

Then you should take off any other thing from the hood, whether it be washer jets or cowl induction lines etc. When all is off then you should proceed to unscrew those bolts.

And when you are unscrewing those bolts start with those that are top end of the hinges. Those at the bottom will hold the hood in place as it rest on the hinges. If you take those bottom bolts first then hood will fall down as the pivot point is near the edge of those hinges and as the centre of mass is way beyond off that edge.

too busy to write?

Well, I have few post halfway written but I haven't got the... time? mind? dedication? to finish them. Last post was way too long ago and I haven't done anything to the car either. Going away for couple of weekends don't help that either.

I've gathered here a few things that I thought I address this winter:

Tailgate has worn white stripe and moldings aren't in that good shape. Got brand new moldings with the car when I purchased it.

Front bumber was hit on the something and due to that drivers side signal light is pointing upwards a bit. Also got a new bumber too that came with the car.

Currently there is Nissan in the way, but I haven't got the time right now so...

Car came with bed side handle moldings and need to address those 3 holes times 6.

Hood isn't aligning right, but big surprise is that friend of mine has a Cowl Induction hood tucked away in his garage for me!

It's a bit crowded in the garage.

In to the Garage, again.

It was about time. We had one big cruising ahead but as I was yesterday in our department's recreation day I heard some bad noise from the engine and I decided not to go ahead on Lakeside Cruising this year. I might been just loose rocker arm but I didn't wanted to risk left on the road miles away from the garage, so we didn't participate Lakeside Cruising this year and put El Camino on early winter hibernation and had a great time at the garage.

Yearly Inspection 2014

Yes, 2014 yearly inspection. In Finland your inspection time is determined by last number on your license plate. As I have 9 as a last number my inspection time is between August and November. And as I didn't do my yearly inspection last autumn my El Camino wasn't eligible for driving since last December.

So first thing was to head to inspection after a little help from a friend. As it is old inspection engineer was kind of forgiving for few minor things that I'll be addressing before next yearly inspection which is, well you guessed, between next August and November. And this time I'll be doing it before I'll put El Camino in the garage for winter hibernation. Three minor issues was marked up and main problem is drivers side rear tail light. Blinker fluids are okay! ;) Driving lights works on and off. This issue has been around now for few years. Sometimes it works and then sometimes it doesn't. I am thinking of a problem in wiring in the middle of from switch and tail.

I was going to take a pictures of those three things, but haven't got around to shot those pictures, so here are some other pictures:

The Yearly Inspection passed.

Back at the parking lot.

Side shot Saturday.

Raining but I now I don't have to wash...

A little help from a friend

I have been a bit lazy and haven't got around to proceed on welding and fixing that rear window corners. My good friend got frustrated on my laziness and we drove El Camino to his garage and he welded those rear corners, painted window areas with rust preventing paint, tinted the glass, installed the glass and did few other minor things that I haven't done. So, it is ready for yearly inspection and hopeful nothing too bad has come so that it'll pass the inspection and we can drive around.

No bigger news this time. Keep calm and drive interesting cars!

Oh, yeah facebook page hit 700 likes last weekend!

Driving from my garage to friends garage.

My other ride.

Fabrication.

Yesterday and today I have been cutting out that rusted metal around rear window corners and making a template out of thick paper. Paper is easier to mold around this corner where there is all kind of shapes and sharp turns and bends and what not.

It's a tricky place to mold and eventually weld but I am in no hurry and doing it slowly, spot by spot.
Luckily I had Dremel mini grinder so I could to those final clean ups and more freely to manuver attacking angle of the grinder.

These were my tools for making a template. It was quite easy to do once you got it figured out in your head first. I has been so long when I needed to this thing that I wasn't sure how well this is going to progress.

Those could have been better shaped and molded, but this isn't your trailer queen and show stopper, and after all you don't get to see those since window and trimming is covering almost whole corners completely.

Leaking rear window, dammit.

I was yesterday at the garage to do a clean up on those rear window corners and as I scrape and poke that surface rust away, I noticed how the sound was a different on that tight corner. As I poke and scrape a bit more it revealed a rusty edge of sheet metal.

As you can see it's straight through, but that light that you can see is inside c-pilar which doesn't lead to inside the cabin. And it wasn't that bad before I started poking it with a screwdriver. So now I have to cut it up and make a template from cardboard and make a small piece from the sheet metal to fit in and spot weld it in place. And same thing to the other side.

I was affraid that it was this bad and I was relieved that it wasn't as I post on my last post, but now I am a bit of stressed. I know how to use welder and bend the steel, but it's always a bit of work for me as I am not used to fabricate sheet metal for tight spots and corners. It takes time and patience. I was hoping that this would have come to me when I have planned whole stripping down to bare metal and do it propeply.

Well now I guess I have to do it because I have the window off and there are still time left before I'll take her out in the open road for a drive. Driving season is planned to start in mid-May. So till next time I'll be in the garage and keep you updated on how this little project goes on.

Garaged.

Yesterday I drove to the garage and settled in the spot. It's a bit of tight spot but few back and forth movement, it was in the spot. First thing was to disconnect battery for the winter. Basically that was it. As I have a problem with the water seeping on passanger side of the car, both back and front of the seat, I opened both windows so that it would evaporate before I start to take interior a part.

Hibernation.

 

Garage spot.

So, I got a spot on a garage for this winter. It's close to home, warm and rent is below average around here.

Shelves were empty but those are now filled with dashes, vents, exterior trim, interior stuff and all the small things I might need during long dark night. I just can't wait to go in to the garage and start working on something. Just about anything!

Garage for the Winter!

Has been awhile. Okay that starter finally gave up on end of the driving season, couple of weeks ago and I bought a new one. Should have done that a long time ago. Tomorrow I get keys to garage where my El Camino is going to hibernate during this winter and best part is that it is close to my home! Last winter I had a warm garage that was about 40 km away and out of public transportation and since we don't have any other car... This is only six bus stops away and it's warm and there are six other American cars so there a plenty of help and know how around. Can't wait for getting my hands dirty! YAY... I guess I'll be posting more on my progress to this thread! Sorry no pictures yet...

Yearly inspection 2013

Took her out of the garage yesterday and went inspection station. 8 minor faults. Since our system allowes 3 minor faults, but no more I didn't get passed. The inspector was novice, since he had to ask from a older inspector should he write up this and that, and what not. Okay, I knew there are few issues but didn't expect that much. I got permit to drive her home and I started fixing these issues and 7 out of 8 are now fixed and I went back. Now I got passed. Same time I finally fixed my AC blower motor switch, which has been sitting in my locker for good year now. I guess I should wash her now...?

Open roads here we come!