68 el Camino Resto-Mod

Big Dave said:
True. Best you can do is pre fit each piece before paint. Not always easy if the lead time for parts is way out. Even NOS stuff can be mishandled for years and need tweaking upon assembly
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What I've noticed is if you truly want a show finish bright work, then NOS parts that are refinished is what is needed. I found some nos stainless for my 60, in original gm boxes and wrappers. Open them up and surface scratches all over. And they werent from shelf ware. They were from gm making these cars in a production setting. This is being super picky though. Most people just say oh it's Shiney, it's perfect put it on....
 
RosharonRooster said:
What I've noticed is if you truly want a show finish bright work, then NOS parts that are refinished is what is needed. I found some nos stainless for my 60, in original gm boxes and wrappers. Open them up and surface scratches all over. And they werent from shelf ware. They were from gm making these cars in a production setting. This is being super picky though. Most people just say oh it's Shiney, it's perfect put it on....
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And shiney is good enough for most folks. It’s hard not to be picky when all you’ve done to get to assembly is be picky
 
Pressing forward.
As I wire the car, I power it up often to test individual circuits. Good news is all external lights work correctly.
Bad news . . . I started smelling gas (the fuel pump comes on when ignition circuit is energized.)
Dang it! Traced it down and found a small seep happening on top of the tank where the supply/return fitting plate is. Only way to fix it was to drop the tank.
What a PIA! Had a buddy come help. Lowering and raising a fuel tank with 5 gallons of gas in it just ain't a 1 man gig. Thank goodness for him and the 4 post lift. Got it fixed

Then got the tailgate installed, somehow without scratching it or the bumper.
Figuring out the cables and springs was a puzzle, but I got it.
Now for final alignment and puzzle through the latches etc.

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RosharonRooster said:
We need details....
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Just frustrated. These "speed nuts" are a total PITA. I'd rather thread a real nut on a threaded post than fight these things.
Most of them go on trim studs, which are almost always in tight spots. Very hard to get the pressure needed to get the things to start cutting threads.
"Blood, sweat and tears."
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Reactions: MJM
Dean Jenkins said:
Just frustrated. These "speed nuts" are a total PITA. I'd rather thread a real nut on a threaded post than fight these things.
Most of them go on trim studs, which are almost always in tight spots. Very hard to get the pressure needed to get the things to start cutting threads.
"Blood, sweat and tears."
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Agree..nuts cost 3 cents while speed nuts cost 1 cent...so GM made their decision...

On new emblems and badges and stuff I thread them on first outside of the car then put the badge on and use speed nut....then if u go to over tightening you could put a wave in the panel. There went dozens of hours of blocking. Putting a car together is alot of work
 
Steel speed nuts have been used by the hundreds of millions for attaching diecast items with some kind of protruding post left on them and are designed for a non-precise diameter of the "as die cast" posts. You aren't going to cut threads with a die accurately on something that isn't round to start with and use a common nut with cut threads as well.


Most of these automotive badges or emblems were zinc alloy die cast that chrome plated well and are by their alloy nature--easy to cast into small intricate shapes and are reasonably atmospherically corrosion resistant. I remember two sizes--about the equivalent of what a #8 and #10 machine screw should be. I use them up about 3/8" on cast brass emblems. I'd check to see that a person is using the right size--Yep, I did that too a couple of times. They are an excellent design with the basic premise of one material hard to do the unprecise thread cutting and one soft-the post. Single opposing wings for cutters on the nuts and a drop of Relton's Magic tap and drive then home--don't stop--one motion. If you don't have clearance for a nut driver or if you are getting just too tight to even start the nut----take a point of a conical die grinder bit or a chainsaw file and open up the nut a tad to ease the cutters. They go on like a breeze and cinch tight.

A leather washer between the nut and the inside of the panel or a softwood spacer works good too for the nut to seat/bear against
 
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Only took 3 days to get the bed trim on. Next car, I'm listening to @RosharonRooster and getting factory trim reworked. This reproduction stuff is too hard.
Had to lie, cheat and steal to make it work, but I made it work and it is "acceptable."
Aficionados of this car will spot the "cheat." For the rest, if you don't see it, I ain't telling :)

Bed trim drivers side.jpg


Bed trim passenger side.jpg


And, got my new license plate from the DMV and went ahead and mounted it, and the backup camera.
Of course, the backup camera bracket wouldn't mount behind the plate and looked bad.

Plate start.jpg

so, did some creative "bracket surgery" and made it work the way I wanted. Looks much better I think.

Plate new.jpg


Notice the "collector vehicle" plate. Cool thing here in Washington State, you can get this for cars over 25 years old. $125 one-time fee and then never have to renew the tabs again. Nice!
 
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