July 14th- Painting and metal working

This past week I've been making straps to strengthen the rear quarter panels. Jeremy has been my mentor, showing me metal working and answering all of my questions. We also strengthened the rear quarters by adding 1/2 steel dowels to the wheel wells.

I've been getting so frustrated with wanting to prime the rear so we can finally start skim coating body filler that Jeremy, and I stayed a little later and primed the rear. It also helps to keep rust away. I have to admit that I'm getting pretty proud of myself for only running the primer in one tiny spot on the upper kick panel where no one will see it.

Welding the last of the straps in before I prime

Priming the Powell

Done priming the back. Time to work with the front fenders and strengthening those up.

July 7th- Welding in braces for the inner fenders

Welded in some supports and braces today. The vehicles don't have body mounts, they have braces that are welded from the body to the frame. Should prove to be a fun ride when we're done!

I also made some new supports for the wagon out of some angle iron we had in the shop. Cut them to length, drill pressed the holes, grinded them down and got them ready for some DP.

For the truck I held the support onto the body by using some washers, bolts, nuts and the original trim holes and then drilled through the body and core welded the angle iron to the sheet metal.

Getting a little nervous around here with the vehicles in the state they are, but we still have some time left and I'm still ambitious to think they'll both be done and beautiful on car show day.

July 6th - Body number 2

NOTICE: We have 8 weeks until car show day....which means we are behind. I'm going to start coming in early and working Sundays to help get things done.

Finally got the wagon body back. Got the frame under one of the tents ready to work on. The body looks way worse than in the photo. It has a lot of new metal but a lot of dents and oil cans. Plus we're not yet done with the truck body yet. Yikes! We better get the move on!

This is the color scheme of what the Powell's will look like when we're done.

Leading up the first tank. This one is already body filled and DP'd. Just waiting for the second one (which is about to be DP'd) to seal the inside and Herculine it on the outside. The second one was way worse! Lots of nasty rust through. Won't even be able to tell when I'm done with it!

Putting the shackles and leafs on. I have another picture of the rear end and axles assembled and installed as well. I was joking with Jeremy and said I would win in a race if he was driving one Powell and I the other. He asked why and I told him it would be because I would turn his pumpkin upside down. Hopefully he'd be a good driver in reverse since he'd have 3 reverse gears and one forward. I'm not that mean though.

(If anyone can guess what that truck is coming out of my face, I will give them some serious cash)