E51 Building & Shaping Door Gaps! 1956 Chevy Bel Air Restoration

[@mazeurbanski]

she is coming along nice looking forward to seeing her finished

[@RestoringChristine1956]

Steady progress every week!

[@bradreeves7534]

Way to go Bill. That bottom was probably the result of patching the rust on the door. Keep it up.

[@RestoringChristine1956]

I think I'm finally getting the general shape where it needs to be. I should be starting to work with body filler sometime next month.

[@kidjeff4304]

good stuff Bill! Happy 4th!

[@RestoringChristine1956]

Yes sir! Same to you!

[@elkgroveflorin5223]

Great job by the way on keeping a clean and organized workspace. Some channels work among chaos and mess, although it works for them, it is maddening to see! lol! Cluttered space = cluttered mind, at least in my mind! lol

[@RestoringChristine1956]

Oooof... You're definitely overlooking the clutter all around me! LOL! I'm short of room in the garage and I have stuff stacked all over the place, but every now and then I get to clean it for all of 5 minutes of tidiness!

[@VintageCarHistory]

FYI- This Tuesday, your channel will be featured on my, 'Ye Ol' Garage' Shout out. Keep up the great work, Bill!

[@MagaRickn]

I bought 4 of the Harbor Freight dollys for my 56. Now, because I positioned my lift correctly, my wife and I can lower the 56 onto the dollys, and slide it back towards the open door, then turn it to the open stall next to the lift. Close but it works. I caught your comment about closing the door for the air conditioning to work better. ;) I have 2 small window units, I leave on low all night, then turn on high during the day here in north Texas. Keeps me comfortable while I work. Oh, I highly, highly, suggest you figure some way to mount the compressor outside your shop for the noise level. You are 'filming' and I am not, but I don't like the constant noise. Make a little shed, or purchase a used Porta John and turn it into a compressor shed! ;) Notice I did not say 'abscond' with a used porta john. ;)

[@RestoringChristine1956]

I really wish that I had space outside the garage to do it, but as it is I almost don't have room for the generator. I might have to fashion a sound enclosure in the corner where I plan to put it.

[@frankburn6312]

You need to do all this with the whole front end on and the car on the ground.

[@RestoringChristine1956]

I'm about to the point where I'll put her on wheels again and then we'll do one last check before doing filler.

[@garysgarage.2841]

Good trick with the window opening highly doubtful itl be noticable. Twisting the door at the rear I had to do that to my chevelle I just grabbed the door at the top and the bottom and brute forced it. Worked like a charm. Only thing I would have done differently was I would have worked the quarter to fix the gap. The door didn't change it's factory except that small lower section but the quarter has the aftermarket patch and you can see it doesn't match what's original above it. Things do change I test fitted my floor in my 55 yesterday with the doors on and pre adjusted and I had to twist things around a little and readjust my vice grips to have the floor fitted and the doors still open and close properly. Looks good your a lot further along than me.

[@RestoringChristine1956]

Your logic is spot on. The main reason why I didn't take it up at the quarter because I would have had to cut it, creating a small gap, and then moving it over, creating an even bigger gap. I just didn't feel comfortable welding that big of a space without having trouble.

[@joewolf4483]

I wondered if that might not be the case with all the adjacent surfaces you had to do....the only way to avoid alignment problems would be to have had it on a fixture table and weld the doors on...like we all have fixture tables....as I sais before... you do what you have to do...I did cringe a bit when you were jacking the door frame ....but it did the trick...it looks like your mud will be at a minimum.....so keep on a truckin....

[@RestoringChristine1956]

Wracking that door was the one thing that had me puckering too! Thank goodness it all worked out!

[@MagaRickn]

Oh, I forgot to send kudos for the excellent video on door fit. You are a patient man that truly loves his work! :) Good job!!

[@RestoringChristine1956]

Thanks! The fit of this door really surprised me. I can't get over how it seemed square when it came off and fit so poorly. But we're getting there!

[@rustyrodgarage2686]

Looking good,are you going to take the doors and fenders off to paint the car?

[@RestoringChristine1956]

Absolutely! Any assembly being done right now is to mock-up all of the alignments and gaps.

[@rustyrodgarage2686]

@@RestoringChristine1956 I am to that point of epoxy DTM then filler over that. Metal work almost complete.thanks for the videos.

[@oacumulador]

Hey there. Are you alright Bill?

[@RestoringChristine1956]

I'm working on it!!! Got an upload coming sometime this afternoon!

[@johnserou6466]

Great job! I live on the North Shore and I need a rear end for my 55. Do you know someone who is selling used tri five parts?

[@RestoringChristine1956]

Another neighbor riding along! Do you need the entire rear end or just the differential? I have been looking for a lower gear for Christine and haven't yet found a nearby parts source.. I do know that the Gueydan Lumber family has a barn full of tri-5 cars. Otherwise, I'm still scanning the internet myself.

[@johnserou6466]

@@RestoringChristine1956 I am looking for the complete rear end.

[@sheet-son]

👍👍👌

[@RestoringChristine1956]

Thanks!

[@rickyouthouse9583]

I thought you installed a generator

[@RestoringChristine1956]

Good observation! I bought a 20kW generator and it is still on the pallet in the driveway. Installers are 60 to 90 days out with hurricane season about to start and permitting is heavily scrutinized, so that's taking time. I'm in the process, but I don't expect it to be on line before the middle to end of August.

[@rickyouthouse9583]

Yep i know i live in Houma and just did get my new 10'x10' rollup doors on and 180' of fence back up i have a 20kw generator but there was so much damage they shut off the natural gas so it was useless i still spent hours in line wait for gas for sevral weeks not fun

[@RestoringChristine1956]

@@rickyouthouse9583 Houma! My family was originally from Cut Off! Did you see my Episode 11 "Battling Hurricane Ida?" It's nothing compared to what y'all went through, but it's all about losing power and the heartbreak. Glad to have a neighbor riding along!

[@rickyouthouse9583]

@@RestoringChristine1956 yes i have i also have a 1971 cutlass convertible with 455 i am working on with plenty of mods hope to get it back on the road this summer i have enjoyed your videos and watch many if the same ones you have mentioned

[@RestoringChristine1956]

That's right! Didn't we already figure out that we both have 71 Cutlass drop-tops? Mine has the Rocket 350 though. Probably gets the same gas mileage, 6 gallons to the mile!