Interior options

Instead of going with the stock boring front bench and going through the trouble of customer upholstry, we elected to use the seating out of a 2002 Cadillac Deville. Black leather, power and heat. The overall fit is great and only minor modifications will need to be made.

Welding at its finest

New Sheet Metal. Both rear quarters and we have decided to remove the stock gas fill tube and go with a clean look. At this point some of the chrome on the side of the car will be removed also.

Marking and Cutting

Partial quarters were purchased to replace the current rusty ones.

Primer

Quarters and some of the floor will need to be cut and replaced. It starting to take shape with the addition of primer.

Locating Cancer to be removed later.

Sand Blasting

As you can see here, the rear quarters need to be cut off and replaced. This is the left rear. The right rear looks exactly the same way.

Less rust than you would expect a car that is 56 years old in Michigan.

The new sandblaster in action.

The body is looking great overall once the surface has been removed.

All sheet metal has been purchased. Cutting and replacing will start soon and then primer.

Cancer Inspection

The body is now off and the complete removal of trim and glass has revealed some surface rust. Obviously the floor pan on the driver side will need to be replaced.

Once everything has been stripped the sand blasting will begin.

The windshield did not break on the way out, which was a huge plus.

Not sure what to do about the wiper system yet. This one operates with a belt and pulley system. Might upgrade to a transmission style in the future.

Separation

The body will set on a horse wagon for now. Its portable and it is easily accessible from underneath.

Next, the engine and trans are coming out.

Hopefully, the frame blasting will start soon. Been stood up once by some flaky dude that said he could do it.

The engine and trans is for sale.

Body Removal

These trees came in handy for pulling the body. The powertrain is next.

The Beginning

Taking off the front clip. There is a lot of surface rust, but overall the body is in great shape. It will need rear quarters and a partial floor pan.

The straight six and power glide trans have no value to us and will be listed on craigslist in hopes of selling it as a combo. The engine will not turn over. Probably rust from the years of sitting.
Not sure about the condition of the trans.

Right now the plans are to have a small block with 4l60e trans built and installed. We are still talking about whether to go carb or injected.

Towing the '53 to the tear down location.

The New Home

The Shop (White Cloud, Mi)

The Recovery

This car sat in a garage in Grand Rapids, Mi from 1975 - 1991. It was a originally from Colorado. In hopes of restoring it some day, I purchased in from my parents for $400 in 1991 and moved it to a girlfriends parents house in northern Michigan. I finished college and moved to the west coast, leaving it there due to not enough resources to take it with me. Years later, I became removed from the now ex-girlfriend and was told the car was sold. I thought it was gone forever.

In the winter of 2007/08, my friend Rick Beukema emailed me the following photos. He and his brother found the car and dug it out of its wintery grave. It was hard to believe these guys would put forth the effort in sub-zero temperature to pull it out of the deep snow and trailer it 30 miles to its new home in White Cloud, Michigan. It is here where this very solid 50's beauty stayed inside waiting plans for its revival.

In July of 2009 a plan was put together for its official restoration. The car is now owned by both of us and should start to take shape over the next few months.