Nomad final assembly

[567chevys]

Hello Lazlo ,

thanks for all the updates,
Its hard to believe the rear glass did that , I still have the 2 I took out of my 55 nomad 45 years ago and they are as good today as when I removed them .

Sid

[busterwivell]

Like you, Laszlo, I didn't want to open the boxes my glass from Auto City came in. They showed no damage, and after opening the top of the box for the back glass, I couldn't see how they had any damage. I wanted my glass guy to install the glass, front and rear, and had to wait on his schedule for a couple of weeks. Of course, no problem with the back glass, fit like a glove. Opened the box for the windshield, and, of course, found that one corner was shattered. Auto City said I had waited too long to report the damage. They offered to replace it at less than the going rate, but they didn't have one and didn't know when they would. When I finally found what was probably the last smoked grey windshield in the known world, of course the company knew that and charged accordingly. It was as much as the complete 8 piece set. Lesson learned.
My friend has a 63 Nova, and he ordered the glass from Auto City. We were installing the side glass and broke one. Stopped, ordered the replacement, and when we got back to it, broke another on installation. He decided it best to call in the pro to do his glass.

[chevynut]

When I finally found what was probably the last smoked grey windshield in the known world, of course the company knew that and charged accordingly. It was as much as the complete 8 piece set. Lesson learned.

My original glass kit included a green tinted windshield with a blue shade along the top. I decided that it would be ugly on my orange car so I almost ordered a clear one from Auto City, then I noticed they had the smoked gray version with darker smoke gray shading. However, their website said it was out of stock. I searched around and found one on Ebay for LESS than on their website and cheaper shipping, and was sold by Auto City. I bought it on Ebay and expected them to contact me saying they didn't have one, but I got a shipping notice and in a couple days it was in my shop for under $300. I immediately looked at it and it looks like it's in good shape. Hope it fits.

Wait til you hear about my sliders.

[chevynut]

Once I got the quarter glass in, I moved on to the sliders. I first attached the "fuzzy" that I got in a kit from CCI long ago to my restored vertical stainless. It was cut to length, and unfortunately cut square on the ends, even though the stainless was angled. I installed it, didn't like the fit, and ordered new, longer fuzzies that I could trim at an angle.


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I then pulled out the slider channels from the kit that I had bought long ago from CCI. I fit and installed the shorter, top channel on the passenger side and found out that it was 1" or so too short. Then I pulled out the longer lower channel and found it to be 2" too short. i don't know who in the hell put this kit together but it was irritating that after all these years that I thought I had the parts, they didn't fit. I ended up using the long channels on top, and ordered two new lower channels.

When I installed the lower passenger stainless I noticed that if I put it in the factory position the stainless bead would sit below the edge of the stainless. I didn't think that was right, but probably the way it was assembled when new. I couldn't find anything strange on the body that would have caused that area to sink. I ended up shimming the channel up about 3/16" in a couple places to make the channel straight, drilled holes, and installed it with screws. I didn't have to shim the driver's side.

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Well, it looked good but now I had another problem. I had two new tempered sliders and both were the stock 13" height. The glass wouldn't fit the passenger side, and needed to be about 1/8" shorter in height. I called around to glass shops to see if anyone could do anything to shorten the glass, but since it was tempered nothing can be done.

So, I called Auto City and explained the problem to them and asked if they could get me a 1/8" shorter slider. They said they could cut me one to my specs out of laminated glass. I asked if the color would be the same and they said it would be close, so I just ordered two new laminated sliders, one at the stock height and the other at 12 7/8" which was 1/8" shorter than stock.

When I got the sliders, one was 13" and the other was close to 11 5/8". This was way too short so I called them again and they didn't know why that happened and said they'd ship me another one. When I got that one it was 13" and didn't fit.

I reluctantly called them again to discuss the problem and they told me they're not sure why the shop couldn't get the height right, because it should be right on. Anyhow, they said they wouldn't cut another one unless I sent them a pattern. So I made a pattern out of cardboard, transferred it to paper, folded it up and sent it to them.

A few days later I got the shipment, and I excitedly opened it up and planned to install it. It was smashed on the end. Probably the UPS/FedEx driver dropped or threw it on that end, and depite being well-wrapped in bubble pack it punched through and crushed the end.


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So I reluctantly called Auto City again, and told them what happened. I almost expected them to tell me to go to hell, but they said they'd see if they still had the pattern stored in the computer. They did, and they sent me the FOURTH slider and it came undamaged and fit right. What an ordeal.

I then installed the previously-assembled vent windows and hooked up the power vent motors.


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I had already assembled the door glass to the frames as well, so I tried to install them. Nothing seemed to line up correctly and the window didn't go all the way down. I studied it and looked at the lower channels, and realized that when I ordered NOMAD lower channels LONG AGO they sent me HARDTOP channels. The picture below shows the front bracket placement compared to my original channel and you can see the "stops" don't line up either. So I had to order them again. Once I got the correct ones I reinstalled the glass and wired up the power motors. The motors seem to struggle a little raising the windows so I don't know if I have an adjustment problem or what. I'll work more on that later.


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What a total pain in the ass the glass has been. I hope the windshield installation goes smoothly.

[chevynut]

My interior guy and I recently discussed the strategy to attack the interior, and some of the details. We talked about the console because the original plan for it was to remove it from the car, assemble it, upholster it, and install it. The issue is all of my electronics and a ton of wiring is in the console. I already removed it all once to remove the console base to make some modifications, and it's not easy to re-install. It would be even harder if it was assembled.

So I decided to leave the console base in the car and make modifications to the sides and other parts so it can be assembled in the car. I added brackets inside the console and added some tabs that hold the sides onto the base. I also made some modifications to the stereo opening and support structure to assemble it in place. I believe the plan is to cover the side trim with leather with a french seam running down the full length, and across the bottom of the valences. This is an old pic of the interior construction. I have since done a lot of wiring and added A/C vents and switches to the valences.


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I just did finish the top cover forming, and cut a small hole for the shifter, but there's still a lot of work required since I want to be able to get to my fuses easily. The rear console is only partially roughed out.

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[BamaNomad]

I like your design, Laszlo... it's going to look/function great.

(I wish my AAW fuse panel was in a console under a panel to access - I'm not sure I'll even be able to see/access the fuses based on where AAW fixes the fuse panel!)..

[Belair-o]

Chevynut,
The console design looks great! I really like the downturn in the console nearing the dash - very smooth and adds a lot to the looks. Regards, Doug

[chevynut]

(I wish my AAW fuse panel was in a console under a panel to access)..

I actually have two fuse panels, one at the front of the console and one at the rear of the console. I ran out of room in front with a 24 fuse block so I made the front block smaller at 20 fuses and added 16 in the rear. I will make them both accessible. The ECU is buried pretty deep and I hope I don't have to mess with it. I plan to cut a hole in the side of the console for airflow where it's marked in the previous pic, and put a small 12V fan between the rear seats to draw air over it to help keep it cool.

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[Tabasco]

(I wish my AAW fuse panel was in a console under a panel to access - I'm not sure I'll even be able to see/access the fuses based on where AAW fixes the fuse panel!)..

I made a copy of the picture of the fuse panel from AAW instructions. I blew it up to full page size, printed it and put it in the glove compartment. No if I need to replace a fuse I don't have to try to read the writing on the fuse panel. I can read on the picture I printed a lot easier. Then I can remove the fuse from the panel location that matches the location on my picture.

[BamaNomad]

Thanks Tabasco! I'd thought of that since one would have to have *some AID* to ever check/pull the appropriate fuse.. My head won't extend into the allowable space past pedals/SW/etc to be able to read it. Not sure I can get a tool into the right place to get at the fuse.. (It's a SORRY PART of the AAW design, to go with their half-ass explanation of what they did re changes from original...)