 Jens
"8th Year" Silver Supporting Member
Posts: 5948
Loc: Emerson IA.
Reg: 04-21-02
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02-26-12 07:24 AM - Post#2195352
Hey guys...
This must be the year for getting 59 SDLs done. Jim Vanarey asked me to share a few pics of his newly finished RHD with you guys. Nice to see the guys -down under- doing such fine craftsmanship. Keep up the good work Jim. She's looking great!
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 Hobart
"5th Year" Silver Supporting Member
Posts: 1496
Loc: Chicago, IL USA
Reg: 11-18-02
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02-26-12 07:59 AM - Post#2195377
In response to Jens
Nice!
Bill
Chicago Gearheads Car Club / Lynch Mob Racing
'58 Delray windowed - SDL (Yellowstone Park Car - in progress...)
'59 Bel Air 2dr sedan
'59 Olds Super-88 4dr hardtop
'72 Eldo ragtop
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cool59belair
Very Senior Member
Posts: 2452
Reg: 03-05-02
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02-26-12 08:39 AM - Post#2195387
In response to Jens
FANTASTIC JOB !!!!
My BelAir
yeah, you've got a nice car....BUT IT'S NOT A '59 !!! |
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 Jerry Acheson
"10th Year" Platinum Supporting Member
Posts: 4933
Loc: Glenview, IL
Reg: 12-30-00
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02-26-12 10:03 AM - Post#2195420
In response to cool59belair
Wow! That's beautiful.
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Blue Bomber
Contributor
Posts: 398
Age: 41
Loc: Westford, MA
Reg: 05-17-03
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02-26-12 01:02 PM - Post#2195479
In response to Jens
Beee-you-ti-ful! I usually don't care for painted bumpers, but I really like the way these turned out. I think it's the use of chrome accents and trim elsewhere. Very nice.
Blue Bomber
1949 Studebaker 2R5 pickup w/a 341 Desoto Hemi
1960 Chevy Bel Air, 4-dr sedan, 350/TH400
1965 Chevy Malibu
1990 Chevy K2500 plow truck
2007 Ford Mustang Convertible, V6 w/ Pony Package
2012 Subaru Outback
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oz59
Contributor
Posts: 138
Loc: Brisbane Aistralia
Reg: 06-17-08
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02-26-12 02:11 PM - Post#2195506
In response to Blue Bomber
Thanks for posting the pics Jens, it has been a long time coming but i,m happy with the out come.
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Bruces 57
Frequent Contributor
Posts: 1663
Reg: 01-03-07
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02-26-12 03:10 PM - Post#2195524
In response to oz59
Hello;
Looks SUPER! Somehow, I'm just not comfortable with the steering wheel placement.
Bruce
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Jens
"8th Year" Silver Supporting Member
Posts: 5948
Loc: Emerson IA.
Reg: 04-21-02
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02-26-12 04:28 PM - Post#2195569
In response to oz59
You're welcome Jim. Totally amazing transformation. Doesn't even look like the same car anymore. Btw... tell us what happened to the old girl again, for the benefit of the new guys here.
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 Black SD
"9th Year" Silver Supporting Member
Posts: 892
Loc: TEXAS
Reg: 06-26-05
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02-26-12 06:12 PM - Post#2195609
In response to Jens
Hey jens
what kind of wheels are one the grey and black one?
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oz59
Contributor
Posts: 138
Loc: Brisbane Aistralia
Reg: 06-17-08
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02-26-12 06:42 PM - Post#2195624
In response to Bruces 57
Bruce here in Australia we drive on the right side so i had to convert it to right hand drive.
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oz59
Contributor
Posts: 138
Loc: Brisbane Aistralia
Reg: 06-17-08
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02-26-12 06:44 PM - Post#2195626
In response to Black SD
The wheels on the black and silver one which by the way is the same car as the gold one where Show wheels which i hated.
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oz59
Contributor
Posts: 138
Loc: Brisbane Aistralia
Reg: 06-17-08
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02-26-12 06:50 PM - Post#2195630
In response to Jens
Well i had the sdl nearly complete and decided to take it for a drive, whilst out driving i was t boned by a learner driver which necesitated a rebuild and what i have finished up with i,m glad it happened, i had to replace the left hand quarter panel plus quite a bit of other work also and i think you will agree with me that it does look a lot better now.
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Gav73
Forum Newbie
Posts: 34
Loc: Brisbane, Australia
Reg: 02-12-10
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02-26-12 11:43 PM - Post#2195731
In response to oz59
Great work Jim,
so where's the unveil, Munchies on Friday??
| 1959 El Camino, mostly! Just lots of holes. |
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oz59
Contributor
Posts: 138
Loc: Brisbane Aistralia
Reg: 06-17-08
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02-27-12 01:38 AM - Post#2195743
In response to Gav73
No i wont take it there Gav, but maybe Harrys old school night.
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crownsapphire59
Contributor
Posts: 106
Reg: 10-11-10
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02-27-12 02:12 AM - Post#2195746
In response to oz59
 Oz59 great job youve done there my Aussie buddy good to see another 59 in the country job well done.
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oz59
Contributor
Posts: 138
Loc: Brisbane Aistralia
Reg: 06-17-08
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02-27-12 02:42 AM - Post#2195748
In response to crownsapphire59
I have owned it for over 16 years, and built it twice, this is it now no more as i,m retired from doing body and paint work.
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oz59
Contributor
Posts: 138
Loc: Brisbane Aistralia
Reg: 06-17-08
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03-02-12 02:26 PM - Post#2197594
In response to oz59
30 miles and already have to pull gear box, no top gear, dam cars.
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VintageCarryall
Member
Posts: 1555
Loc: Arizona
Reg: 10-08-06
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03-12-12 07:49 PM - Post#2201777
In response to oz59
Factory right hooker or a conversion?
1994 Dodge Caravan SWB 3.3L V6
1962 Studebaker Lark 4 door 350 Chevy/TH350
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oz59
Contributor
Posts: 138
Loc: Brisbane Aistralia
Reg: 06-17-08
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03-15-12 04:01 AM - Post#2202821
In response to VintageCarryall
I converted it to right hand drive.
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 alexm900
"2nd Year" Silver Supporting Member
Posts: 51
Reg: 03-15-12
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03-15-12 07:15 AM - Post#2202876
In response to oz59
wow, I am nearly speechless, what a beautiful and tasteful restoration, hat's off oz59. when you have a minute or more I would really appreciate if you could share some tips about the RHD conversion, in particular the dash (a modification I am considering for a 59 Elky). cheers.
Edited by alexm900 on 03-15-12 07:16 AM. Reason for edit: No reason given.
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Tony
Founder & Grand PoohBah
Posts: 15434
Loc: Orange County CA.
Reg: 03-15-99
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03-15-12 08:09 AM - Post#2202917
In response to Jens
Shared on CT facebook page.
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1960_Guy
"2nd Year" Gold Supporting Member
Posts: 64
Loc: New Orleans LA
Reg: 01-23-12
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03-15-12 08:23 AM - Post#2202923
In response to Tony
This gets a double WOW. Nice job.
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oz59
Contributor
Posts: 138
Loc: Brisbane Aistralia
Reg: 06-17-08
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03-15-12 01:29 PM - Post#2203029
In response to 1960_Guy
Alex, the conversion was quite simple, i used an Australian delivered 59 steering box and all the components from a doner car and also used the right hand drive dash from the same car, I believe that back in the day Canadian cars were also right hand drive so you might be able to find one of them as a doner, by the way thank you for your kind words about my SDL, cheers Jim.
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oz59
Contributor
Posts: 138
Loc: Brisbane Aistralia
Reg: 06-17-08
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03-15-12 02:56 PM - Post#2203077
In response to oz59
What is CT face book page? and how do i get to it.
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oz59
Contributor
Posts: 138
Loc: Brisbane Aistralia
Reg: 06-17-08
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03-15-12 03:04 PM - Post#2203080
In response to oz59
A little trick guys, I was never happy with the way the rear wheels tucked in behind the front of the wheel arch, so when making the brackets for the 9 inch diff i made the brackets 50 mm longer so it now centralised the wheel in the centre of the wheel arch and i think it looks much better.
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alexm900
"2nd Year" Silver Supporting Member
Posts: 51
Reg: 03-15-12
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03-17-12 05:49 AM - Post#2203694
In response to oz59
Alex, the conversion was quite simple, i used an Australian delivered 59 steering box and all the components from a doner car and also used the right hand drive dash from the same car, I believe that back in the day Canadian cars were also right hand drive so you might be able to find one of them as a doner, by the way thank you for your kind words about my SDL, cheers Jim.
Jim, thank you for the explanation. Indeed a small number of Oshawa cars CKD RHD, mostly or only sedans, were exported to Australia. I have owned such CKD RHD cars over the years, in particular a 1958 Biscayne. Was your donor car a sedan? I have also owned later years CKD RHD cars (65 Impala sedan and 65 Pontiac sedan) but those had a fiberglass dash. Do you or anyone knows on this subject if the LHD ones (65, 66) had a fiberglass or stamped steel dash? Over the years I have seen a few RHD 59/60 coupes, deliveries, wagons and utes but I was unable to assess if they were genuine RHD DOM imports (and there would be so few of them) or indeed converted like you have done with yours. cheers.
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 DonSSDD
Silver Supporting Member
Posts: 4657
Loc: Nova Scotia, Canada
Reg: 08-21-01
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03-17-12 08:19 AM - Post#2203735
In response to alexm900
The 58 to 60's were easily convertible to RHD by GM, 61 and up RHD from Canada had a 61 Pontiac metal dash instead of the Chev dash, up to 63 or 64. After that, were they built in Aus by Holden? Seems to me a fiberglass dash would have been aftermarket, not factory?
Don
59 El Camino, 62 Bel Air SC, 62 Bel Air SC(sold in Finland is 2011), 63 SWC Vette (sold)
Member #2194 |
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oz59
Contributor
Posts: 138
Loc: Brisbane Aistralia
Reg: 06-17-08
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03-17-12 03:19 PM - Post#2203855
In response to DonSSDD
Alex, the doner car was a sedan which had all the gear i needed for the conversion, a few years ago i also had a Canadian 61 4 door impala pillarless which as Don said had a Pontiac dash, the later model chevs that i have seen here all had Pontiac dashes which i think were quite plain compared to the American Chevys.
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alexm900
"2nd Year" Silver Supporting Member
Posts: 51
Reg: 03-15-12
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03-17-12 05:28 PM - Post#2203900
In response to oz59
hey Jim, thanks for that, and sorry to bug you again. I have a couple more questions: I gather you had to modify (cut out) the firewall for the steering column? how did you mount the steering box on the other side of the frame (on other years i have heard instances of cracked chassis rail near the steering box for lack of bosses)? cheers. alex.
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oz59
Contributor
Posts: 138
Loc: Brisbane Aistralia
Reg: 06-17-08
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03-17-12 05:54 PM - Post#2203915
In response to alexm900
Alex i actually used the front part of the doner chassis rail, i pie cut the rail and welded it onto the existing rail and it looks like it was factory, as for the fire wall i cut the whole thing out and folded up a new one and welded it in, and dont worry about bugging me i,m pleased to help in any way that i can.
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