Let the rebuilding begin

 Last weekend with the help of my neighbors, I finished stripping the body down to the bare bones.  In the picture you can see the only parts left that could be removed are the windshield and deck lid. I guess more will come off, but those parts have to be cut away, not just unbolted! So here is what I have to work with - a good shell from a rare original '65 Chevelle Malibu SS.

The passenger side floor is solid,

 but the drivers side needs a small patch in the footwell and up into the cowl area.

The trunk is in poor shape.  It doesn't look that bad, but it is full of pinholes and will need to be completely replaced. 

 I found Gateway Muscle Cars in Moscow Mills last weekend, and met a couple great muscle car fanatics.  We spent a couple hours just talking cars.  I brought home a new trunk floor and drivers side floor.  The trunk pan is so big I had to bend the piece to the right down to fit it in our van.  Thankfully we will not be needing that part, since it is not rusted on the car.  The rest of the pan will be used to replace the floor.

 This weekend was spent powdercoating old pieces that I have sandblasted.  For those that do not know, powdercoat is essentially a powdered plastic that you apply with an electric charged spray, and melt in an oven to cure.  It is a lot more work than spray paint, but makes a fairly permanent, rock resistant coating. It is much more durable than paint.  One can from Eastwood doesn't go very far, and it took me the better part of yesterday just to do the parts you see below.  I think it will be well worth it in the end.  The parts at the top are originals that have been cleaned and coated.  All of the suspension pieces and trim that is not stainless will get this treatment.  I need opinions on what color to do the new brake calipers; red, black, silver, or high temp stainless?

 I put the new park lights and coated bracket into the original front bumper.  I'm very happy how this looks.  Unfortunately one of the first pieces restored will be the last to go back on.

I test fit a bracket from Speedway Motors to relocate the alternator, and the good part is that it fits the alternator well.  Unfortunately it does not work with the engine lift mount in place, so I cannot install it just yet.  The GTO power steering pump looks to be about 1/2" wider where it mounts to the block, so I will need to pick up a pump from an F-body ca. 2002.  I'd rather use the GTO pump since it has a remote reservoir for the fluid, but that would require precise modification of the bracket.  Anyone want to trade an F-body pump for a GTO pump?