Hello everyone who is following my new project, the frame-off restoration of my '55 Bel Air Nomad, which I bought about two years ago.
Now that the restoration of my C3 is almost complete and the Bel Air parts are taking up a lot of space, I have decided to prioritize the Nomad and now I’m working on both projects. Based on experience, I expect the restoration to take at least two years. I will report on the individual steps here. I hope you find it interesting and welcome your comments and suggestions for improvement.
The facts
The Bel Air was imported from the USA to Germany in 1985. It looked really good back then and I don't think it had much rust.
The interesting thing about this car is that it has been converted to a hydraulic flip-front. The conversion has been done really professionally. The original sheet metal fenders and hood have been used. The builder used the cylinders from the Bel Air convertible roof as hydraulic cylinders. It would be interesting to find out who did this conversion.
When I found it, nothing remained of its former glory. After about 15 years of being stored in a barn as an abandoned restoration project, this is what it looked like.
So first, I put it on the lift and took stock of the situation. I then decided that chemical paint stripping and rust removal with KTL coating was the best option to prevent further rusting. So first, I completely dismantled it and lifted off the body.
Here are pictures of the individual steps involved in removing the paint. You can already see the damage to the bodywork.
I had the frame sandblasted and powder coated during that time.
Now the rebuilding begins. As always, I start with the frame and chassis. I always build a rollable chassis first with the engine, transmission, and everything else that goes with it. The difference here, however, is that the new floor assembly is also already installed, as this will later serve as the benchmark for the body.
to be continued soon
Thomas
Now that the restoration of my C3 is almost complete and the Bel Air parts are taking up a lot of space, I have decided to prioritize the Nomad and now I’m working on both projects. Based on experience, I expect the restoration to take at least two years. I will report on the individual steps here. I hope you find it interesting and welcome your comments and suggestions for improvement.
The facts
The Bel Air was imported from the USA to Germany in 1985. It looked really good back then and I don't think it had much rust.
The interesting thing about this car is that it has been converted to a hydraulic flip-front. The conversion has been done really professionally. The original sheet metal fenders and hood have been used. The builder used the cylinders from the Bel Air convertible roof as hydraulic cylinders. It would be interesting to find out who did this conversion.
When I found it, nothing remained of its former glory. After about 15 years of being stored in a barn as an abandoned restoration project, this is what it looked like.
So first, I put it on the lift and took stock of the situation. I then decided that chemical paint stripping and rust removal with KTL coating was the best option to prevent further rusting. So first, I completely dismantled it and lifted off the body.
Here are pictures of the individual steps involved in removing the paint. You can already see the damage to the bodywork.
I had the frame sandblasted and powder coated during that time.
Now the rebuilding begins. As always, I start with the frame and chassis. I always build a rollable chassis first with the engine, transmission, and everything else that goes with it. The difference here, however, is that the new floor assembly is also already installed, as this will later serve as the benchmark for the body.
to be continued soon
Thomas
BB
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