E48 Fitting the Trunk Lid! 1956 Chevy Bel Air Restoration

In Episode 48 of Restoring Christine, with all of the temporary braces removed, we can now start fitting all of the body parts. In this episode, we mount the trunk lid and have to adjust the gaps and alignment with a little bit of cutting, fitting and welding. It comes out nice in the end!
Bill Thomassie
"Christine" 1956 Chevy Bel Air
2-door Sedan Restoration
Music Credits:
All KZbin standard license:
"Greaser" by TrackTribe
• TrackTribe - "Greaser"...
“Pushing the Stone” by Silent Partner
• Pushing the Stone - Si...
“Texas Napkin” by Freedom Trail Studio
• Freedom Trail Studio -...

[@trifivegarage8683]

Making great progress Bill! 👍 That will be a super nice and solid 56 for generations to come! 👍

[@RestoringChristine1956]

I hope so!

[@markfurry2807]

Wow Bill, you are amazing! I have just recently started watching your videos. Stumbled onto you around episode 80 and have decided to start at #1 and this is where I am at. I have learned so much from you. I’m getting ready to start a 57 2 door post project very similar to what you are doing. I can’t thank you enough for sharing this info. You are very good teacher! I teach high school automotive technology myself. Your no fear approach has given me the much needed confidence booster I need. I can’t wait to get to your current video. Again, thank you for what you are doing. Mark

[@RestoringChristine1956]

Wow! I'm very flattered and thanks so much for the thumbs up! There are a lot of subscribers that are following along that have their own tri-5 projects underway, and I ask everyone to keep us all posted on progress. There's a wealth of information among viewers and someone will always have some insight on an issue. And it's also good to have a sympathy committee to feel your pain when it gets frustrating! Glad to have you along for the ride!

[@sheet-son]

Plenty of sweat, little bit of blood but no tears. Get it Bill! 💪

[@RestoringChristine1956]

I do my weeping OFF camera!

[@jack002tuber]

I liked the dad joke at the end 😅🤣😂

[@RestoringChristine1956]

That was a complete accident! The words came out if my mouth and my head realized it was a dad joke immediately after, and I caught myself! LOL!

[@johnjason7204]

Bill a tip.. When you slice your project and have an opening the width of your disc or more....lay a coat hanger into that gap it will bridge and support your weld...no need to fill with so much wire..will weld quicker and not build up so much heat in your panel

[@RestoringChristine1956]

I used something like that a couple of times and probably should have done it more often. Great advice!

[@bradreeves7534]

enjoyed it Bill like always.

[@RestoringChristine1956]

I appreciate that you're with me each week!

[@greggonzalez7396]

Good to see the progress your making on the 56. I have new respect for what it takes to get all the alignment and gaps set up. I know it all pays off in the end so all the extra attention to detail is critical. I enjoyed seeing the Olds and your boat as well. They reflect the level of energy and commitment you put into your projects.

[@RestoringChristine1956]

I'm very anxious to see how those edges float and sand with body filler!

[@randyellis3116]

looking good Bill. One thought though, remember to cover your bumper so as not to get any slag from welding. unless you plan to rechrome it.

[@RestoringChristine1956]

Embarrassing to say that the thought never occurred to me. No telling how much sense leaked out of that hole in my head!

[@johnbreen440]

just an thought a welding blanket could save you some work on your great looking bright work have always had a soft spot for 56 enjoying your show

[@RestoringChristine1956]

Totally escaped me! Great tip!

[@mikehaglund7283]

One thing I have seen to get repeated exact reinstallation on trunk, hood and door hinges is to drill 2 tiny holes the size of small common nail all to way through the hinge and backing plate inside trunk, hood, or door and then use nails stuck in the holes to align them when you put them back on. Fill the exposed tiny holes with seam sealer and the holes can remain for future use but not be obvious.

[@RestoringChristine1956]

I saw that in a video somewhere and I plan to do something like that, because otherwise I'm just going to be guessing and will likely never find the magic spot again!

[@OutBoardTink62]

Beautiful boat every need parts for that 1958 18HP I have quite an inventory of parts and motors that year group collector for many years.

[@RestoringChristine1956]

Thanks! Here's the boat build video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/barIkGyqitB_nac

[@OutBoardTink62]

@@RestoringChristine1956 Back in the mid-1960S three of my friends built the TNT boat from plans from GlenL.I remember them using Yankee push screwdrivers then and getting blisters from driving screws in with them,Ha! No Makitas or cordless screwguns then.Ill check your build out for sure...

[@RestoringChristine1956]

Sorry for the video glitch at about 4:33! I rushed the upload and didn't proof-watch it beforehand. Naturally, that's when the gremlins pop up!

[@oacumulador]

Coming along

[@RestoringChristine1956]

Slow and steady!

[@sizzle073]

With all that humidity, do you think that trunk bracket would be better off etch primed rather than raw steel when it was welded in? Or did I misidentified the state of it? And I noticed a potential metal contact up in the corner when you closed us in to demonstrate the latching. Perhaps it was just the angle of the camera.Hate to see paint rub off when it’s all done. Making great progress though keep it up!

[@RestoringChristine1956]

Wouldn't it? Total blunder on my part. Good catch!

[@bradreeves7534]

hot in Nebraska too so a couple of years ago I bought a mrcool diy mini split. not expensive and easy to install.

[@RestoringChristine1956]

If you look in the background, I have a window unit AC in the wall. I also have a power ventilator in the roof that pulls a lot of hot air out, but with no insulation and an open door it gets blazing hot anyway.

[@kidjeff4304]

another awesome chapter! lemme know the cut plan if you are building a generator stand!

[@RestoringChristine1956]

Thanks! I've never welded aluminum if I went that route. I know I want to lift it off the ground by some amount, but not sure how much yet!

[@kidjeff4304]

@@RestoringChristine1956 I been looking for a reason to buy a spool gun.

[@MagaRickn]

@@RestoringChristine1956 Get it up in the air away from the fire ants!! They seem to love electricity! My Dad was a A/C guy and he said fire ants made him a lot of money getting in the contacts of electrical systems!

[@kingboo5191]

Awesome channel, I just recently found it and subscribed! I'll look forward to seeing more progress, love it. Are you planning on making this look like a period accurate stock vehicle? Like with white walls, bench seat, etc?

[@RestoringChristine1956]

Glad to have you along for the ride! This build is going to be a period hot rod, which is how Christine has always been: a 1970's speed shop street machine. She'll sport Corvette rally wheels and will be a carbureted 1st generation small block. Totally old school!

[@kingboo5191]

@@RestoringChristine1956 I love the sound of that! My personal favorite restorations are ones that are period correct street rods and stock restorations. This one will be amazing to see complete, and I'll definitely remain around, it's gonna be awesome to see this beauty finished!

[@VintageCarHistory]

No film of whatever required the bandage on the side of your head?

[@RestoringChristine1956]

No, but I talk about it at 4:39. It's from a procedure earlier this week.

[@MagaRickn]

I need to buy a tail pan for my 56. Mine is rusted too bad to save!

[@RestoringChristine1956]

Some parts aren't worth saving when it's easier to just replace them. Curious how that part originally attached to the trunk floor. Mine never was.

[@MagaRickn]

I wish FB would allow us to like a video several times. I go back and watch your videos multiple times, and wish there was a 'counter' so you could accumulate more hits. :) @@RestoringChristine1956

[@joewolf4483]

I had to cringe just a little when you were welding the pans right next to the crome bumper...I've seen a lot of crome messed up by weld marks...looks like you made the best of the trunk problems...now the doors may be a whole different can of worms...good luck with those...I'll be watching...

[@RestoringChristine1956]

This was easily the one observation that most everyone made, except for me. I totally bonked on it. It never occurred to me.

[@johnbreen440]

you had you head planed

[@RestoringChristine1956]

Bored 30 over! LOL!

[@reality-winner5759]

If someone with no previous body or paint work wanted to do something like this would it be better to take classes at a local community college first or trial by error

[@RestoringChristine1956]

Good point! While I'm not formally trained, I'm not a beginner either. My dad and I used to patch rust with scrap sheet metal, pop rivets and Bondo. I learned a lot about it in my teenage years and then gained a lifetime worth of more experience through however many projects I've touched since. But welding sheet metal is something that I had to learn by watching KZbin and, as you said, by trial and error.

[@reality-winner5759]

@@RestoringChristine1956 awesome thank you