Bodydrop!

[balthazar]

Today balthazar is happy because today my brother, a good buddy and myself reinstalled the body of my '59 back on it's beefy boxed frame!! So good to have my pride & joy back in only 1 garage bay!

No problems to report, no mishaps, only 1 of the 16 bodyshell mounts requiring a bit of prying to align. All new rubber bushings & bolts/washers. Body has 2x3 steel tubing inside the rockers: much like another set of frame rails. This baby is going to be stiff!

Even with no weight on it, she sure sits pretty on those 315/60-15 rears. Rear tires fill the wheelwells to perfection. Car height matches factory as it sits (57") but will drop 2 more inches I predict, once done.

Only 700,000 details and fabrications left to go! I could bubble on all night about the operation and my joy, but I won't. Here's the only pic my wonderous japanese camera was able to snap before going into it's normal status : dead.

[Northstar]

Cool! When do you hope to have it finished by?

[z28luvr01]

Sweet!!! My father's in the middle of a frame-off on a '55 Bel Air. We might be dropping the body back on this coming summer.

Those rear tires look nice and fat. Are those the stockers, or did you install minitubs? Either way, it looks fantastic.

[razoredge]

Well, good for you !

[razoredge]

Well, good for you !

[balthazar]

>>"When do you hope to have it finished by? "<<

Hm-mmm, 2009 is the car's 50th anniversary. Let's just say I am cautiously optimistic..

>>"Are those the stockers, or did you install minitubs? "<<

Rear wheelwells are stock, but the car has been, in effect, backhalved.

>>"What is your rear suspension setup? "<<

Truck Dana 60. 4-pinion posi, 3.73 gears, 36-in custom ladder bars, Panhard bar (<-- all tucked up within the frame & invisible from all but the worms), Hiem ends, HAL QA1 adjustable coil-overs. Ladder bars have 4 front points of adjustablity and about 8 in the rear.

[ocnblu]

Damn, she's gonna be HOT, balthy!

[HarleyEarl]

Edited February 5, 2006 by HarleyEarl

[HarleyEarl]

Balthazar, I and others would be really interested in seeing your progress as you go. Maybe continue an ongoing thread how it all comes together. I can't wait for the final result. Love this year of Buick.

[knightfan26917]

SWEET!!!!!!!!!!!!! Awesome news, balthazar!

And, I echo HE's sentiments about keeping us posted. You have a website that you can post updates so we can keep a watch on it? Just curious....

Cort, "Mr MC" / "Mr Road Trip", 32swm/pig valve/pacemaker

MC:family.IL.guide.future = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/

Models.HO = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/trainroom.html

"Nothing's quite the same now" ... Vertical Horizon ... 'Best I Ever Had'

[balthazar]

An ongoing thread or website would be cool, but I need to maintain progress at a steady pace. Between work & family that has not proven to be consistantly obtainable. Might be better to just... take 'em as they come, so to speak.

I need to mock up the front clip, you can bet there'll be pics then. But lots of other tasks won't be so dramatic: fuel line fabrication, for instance. I will probably rebuilt the center link & paint the trunk interior & the rest of the passenger compartment next. I'll toss in a few pics when there's something to see. Thanks for the encouragment- this is certainly where my heart is. There is NO modern car I would rather drive than this and there never will or could be.

I'll try and get a few more as-she-sits pics up tonight.

[knightfan26917]

Whichever way is best for you balthazar ... course, I'd suggest taking wildmanjoe up on his offer .

[Camino LS6]

Fantastic!

I have to add my voice to the "more pics,please" chant. Extremely cool project - love the wheels.

[balthazar]

Death is coming...

[Sixty8panther]

Great to see the frame & Fisher Body reunited! Please do keep us posted Balthazar.

BTW: Neither of these photos give justice to how thick & beefy that frame is. I remember commenting that it looked almost armored-truck-heavy when I saw it durring my visit to Balthazar's house.

I'm still hoping to own a 1959 Buick myself by years end but who knows what the future will bring. If I win the lottery I'll donate to the WQ59B fund so that Balthazar can complete his Invicta by fall of 1958, it's true 50th B-day.