Author Topic: 1949 Limousine Repairs Finally Underway! (Read 4323 times)

jaxops · « **Reply #20 on:** August 14, 2021, 12:23:46 PM »

Time to rechrome door handles. The inside door frames and inside and bottom of the doors have all been repaired with new metal and painted. The rear bumper is rechromed and awaits installation along with the seat and other window parts.

jaxops · « **Reply #21 on:** October 23, 2021, 08:24:55 PM »

All painted...now color sanding, chrome, and re-assembly!

jaxops · « **Reply #22 on:** January 09, 2022, 07:55:04 AM »

7 January 2022 the car reassembly has begun! Chrome is all finished and we are slowly putting the car back together. Next week is rear carpet and door handles. Here we have the trunk lid back on with restored hinges, and the front fenders, grille and front bumper.

James Landi · « **Reply #23 on:** January 09, 2022, 08:14:35 AM »

Looks terrific---very promising with "several tons of WOW factor." At you adding any "comfort items" to the original design, or will the final outcome of your effort be stock? Just wondering about your vision for this lovely recreation. James

jaxops · « **Reply #24 on:** January 12, 2022, 03:45:58 PM »

Stock insofar as I could. The shocks are all modern. I also changed the window motors to 12V and put a 12V battery in the trunk. The repair of the hydraulics AND electric lines was a "bridge to far." Everything else is stock. I toyed with overhauling the radio but I never use it in the '56 (AM only) so I passed on that for now also. There is a huge waterstain on the rear seat when it got left out in the rain 2 years in a row at Hershey with the windows falling down, so I may have to re-cover that....but not yet. I'm working on the rear carpet and the trunk liner next..

James Landi · « **Reply #25 on:** January 12, 2022, 09:00:05 PM »

Way,way back in the early 60's, a friend had a 49 Fleetwood with the hydrolytic windows and antenna... even then, they often failed and were a chore to repair... It's a terrific journey you're on, and thanks for sharing with us, James

jaxops · « **Reply #26 on:** February 09, 2022, 07:11:00 PM »

Rear bumper installed. Rocker mouldings going on and tail light assemblies being installed!!

jaxops · « **Reply #27 on:** February 16, 2022, 02:45:05 PM »

All of the rocker mouldings are on now as well as the hood trim. Next up is the installation of the running boards. He has to push out a few dents and polish them up first.

jaxops · « **Reply #28 on:** February 20, 2022, 07:20:18 AM »

Reinstalling the running boards! It took a week of small dent removal and polishing. Next the running board mats will go on. I had bought thin small ridged mats, and Ed bought taller wider ridged mats....so we traded since the wider ridges are more in line with what was on the '49. Ed can use mine on his '34 Packard running boards. Not just glued on, the mats are vulcanized onto a metal plate (which is rusting) and then bolted through the running board....so lots of work to do still on this one project.

jaxops · « **Reply #29 on:** February 20, 2022, 07:24:17 AM »

Happen to spot the gear shift lever knob had been epoxied so I was able to find a new one at Caddy Daddy along with a set of new 6v bulbs.

jaxops · « **Reply #30 on:** February 27, 2022, 11:49:59 AM »

New rubber matting going onto a new stainless plate to be bolted to the running boards. Formerly, the metal plate the mats were vulcanized to rusted. So with stainless on the stainless running boards we shouldn't have that problem again. Straightening the little dents and polishing the running boards took a week apiece!

jaxops · « **Reply #31 on:** March 19, 2022, 11:41:37 AM »

Trunk all completed except for the reverse light and the radio antenna. Running board stainless sheet made and mats glued onto it. Next they will be bolted to the running boards themselves.

jaxops · « **Reply #32 on:** March 27, 2022, 07:22:59 AM »

Wood reveal and trim had been sanded down by me and is now stained in mahogany and ready for glossing. Work starts on the rear seat, armrests, shades for the windows, and door panels.

jaxops · « **Reply #33 on:** April 02, 2022, 11:24:13 AM »

Wood framing, reveal and door trim all glossed and ready to go onto the car. Working on the 4 door panels. Black leather on front and cloth for the rear. Purchased waterproof cardboard for the backings, just need foam. Also progress made polishing the running boards. The non-slip rubber tracks are vulcanized onto metal pieces that will be bolted down onto the running boards.

jaxops · « **Reply #34 on:** April 10, 2022, 08:16:59 AM »

No pics this week.
- Running board rubber and stainless sheet ready to be bolted onto the running boards, which are all polished.
- Gave up on trying to get the door panels redone. I'm looking into material from SMS, so this process may take a while. I'll redo the back seat when I can. I'd leave it but it is heavily waterstained
- Re-hooking up the windows and repairing the divider window motor and arm.
- Window shades in brocade-silk are still in working order and just needed a cleanup.
- Now getting tires from Diamondback. The car has 7.50-16 4" huge tires, but I am going with the 750R16 Auburn radials. The old tires look good but they're 50 years old....don't want to blow out and crash on the expressway with that 5k lb beast!

jaxops · « **Reply #35 on:** May 11, 2022, 04:05:09 PM »

4 new Diamondback radial tires 7.50-16 4" (correct for this year according to Diamondback) went on thanks to Bruce Warren Auto Repair (Norfolk). Added a border to the white vinyl roof. Droopy door handle repaired. Front carpet going in (black); and the black dash is being touched up and buffed. Next up, rear compartment gray carpet and re-finished wood paneling pieces.
After that- the divider window and new radio antenna.

Photos to come later.
Working with SMS on fabric for the rear seat, jump seats, door panels, and armrests. This might be a "next-year" part of the project!

jaxops · « **Reply #36 on:** May 14, 2022, 12:15:02 PM »

Finally! New pictures!
Roof rail piece added; new front carpet installed, new tires from Diamondback installed, running boards completed, headlights re-installed, antenna and rear trunk clip all completed.

Mike Baillargeon #15848 · « **Reply #37 on:** May 14, 2022, 02:51:13 PM »

Mark, car is looking good !

Mike

jaxops · « **Reply #38 on:** May 14, 2022, 05:30:03 PM »

Thanks Mike- we're getting close!!!!

jaxops · « **Reply #39 on:** May 21, 2022, 01:24:52 PM »

Rear compartment cleanout day! New rear carpet going in, and the rear wood trim pieces are also going in. Snaps are being added to the SMS carpet to reduce gluing and stay closer to the original carpet. Actual carpet tag with stock number and color was found on the jump seat carpet. These carpets were pretty "shot" after 73 years. The last photo is the very shiny door showing the rear quarter in the reflection.