Building a 1956 Pontiac Safari wagon WIP - Ready for paint.

This was a 4 door and too long for a Safari, so I filled in the doors and started shortening the body at the rear wheel wells.

This is actually a bit of a stretch for me. I'm a customizer and scratch-builder, so doing all this work to build something "stock" bodied is new for me.

Looks like a great start so far Dave!!Looking forward to more.........

Well, Dave - I like it - nice, radical conversion! Good luck with your build and have a nice day

Paweł

That's going to be a great wagon! And not one you see very often,,if at all!

Cannot believe you cut up the old Johan though!!

Look forward to seeing it complete!  Nice work!

tonka

Cannot believe you cut up the old Johan though!!

 

 

 

Thanks guy's for the kind words.

I understand what you mean "Tonka".

To me though, they were made to be built in whatever way any of us choose .

I know some consider these collectables, but I'll cut up anything to have fun and get the look I'm after. It's just a hobby to me, and nothing is "Sacred".

You wouldn't believe some of the old kits I have heavily modified and had a blast doing the build.

I love wagons, and this classic and rare body style really "Grabs" me

I'll have more body work updates shortly, but here's a pic of the body work done and checking the fit of the tailgate - Dave

Hi

 The only thing I can add is this , Nice job so far .BUT you have a small contour problem on the inner rear fenders .The line of supposedly , the old trunk  was NOT present on those wagons . I believe they did the same thing Chevy did and elongated the tailgate side of the fender with flatter sheet metal . If I am wrong , my Bad .  T.B.

Tanker - Builder

Hi

 The only thing I can add is this , Nice job so far .BUT you have a small contour problem on the inner rear fenders .The line of supposedly , the old trunk  was NOT present on those wagons . I believe they did the same thing Chevy did and elongated the tailgate side of the fender with flatter sheet metal . If I am wrong , my Bad .  T.B.

 

Hey there "Tanker"

Thanks for looking so close and critiquing my 'ol girl. I do appreciate that.

Took me a few minutes to figure out what you were referring to, and your right. Guess I'll have to get out the 'ol dremel and do some trimming. Glad you've got such sharp eyes , and glad I hadn't painted it yet.

Made some progress. Got the hood opened - these were promo style. Also got the underhood structure done with fenderwells, firewall and radiator bracing.

Fits good, and the chassis fits right up to it , and the hood sits in there nicely too.

More later. Thanks for looking.

Aha THD .

 You pulled a Boo-Boo !

 How can I concentrate on your Pontiac when you have that Tantalizing " T-Bird " cased up begind it ?  T.B.

Tanker - Builder

 How can I concentrate on your Pontiac when you have that Tantalizing " T-Bird " cased up begind it ?  T.B.

 

The T-bird you mentioned is an older Modelhaus resin 1967 4-door kit. I sliced the hood open and hinged it, and found a more detailed chassis that fit nearly perfectly with a few mods, and then added a detailed stock Boss 429 engine and also added all the under hood "goodies" to complete it. Wheels are from a '60 T-bird and tires are from a Moebius kit.

Fun build - thanks for asking

Progress looks super so far Dave! What power plant are you going for on this one?

mustang1989

Progress looks super so far Dave! What power plant are you going for on this one?

 

Still debating on that. This didn't come with a useable chassis, so lots of choices with the chassis I'm using. These didn'e come with an interior either, so more choices to make there also. Fun stuff - I love this hobby . Still quite a ways to go, but I'm slowly getting there .

Got a scrathbuilt 1950 Lincoln full custom "Sled"I'm working on too, so I go back and forth as stuff has to dry. Painting my house too - a summer job I'm lovin'. SO FUN and turning out very nice.

More great fun. No need to hurry, the're both nearly ready for paint.

Scratch-built 1950 Lincoln Cosmopolitan "Sled" I'm workin' on.

Well I got a little done. The hood is now hinged and the changes to the rear of the car are close to being finished.

Thanks for checkin' in. Any comments appreciated .

Hmm;

 Dat dere wagon looks vewy good . T.B.

Tanker - Builder

Hmm;

 Dat dere wagon looks vewy good . T.B.

 

Dat der comment iss wewy goot

Looking good.

midnightprowler

Looking good.

 

Thanks midnightprowler. Much appreciated .

Well, my ol' girl is ready for paint.

Just a few pics before the color goes on.

Next time you see her she'll have on some "Lipstick" and maybe a little "Jewelry" .

I used to dread this part of auto building. Now I can't wait to get started on it. Will be watching.

mustang1989

I used to dread this part of auto building. Now I can't wait to get started on it. Will be watching.

 

I hear ya.

To me this is the most difficult part of building/finishing as the chance's for devastating mistakes is so numerous.

Without a painting system that is nearly fail-proof and successfully repeatable, at least for me, I would have so many difficulties.

I developed a paint system years ago for enamels, lacquers, acrylics and auto urethanes that is pretty much the same for all my paints with just a small variation here and there depending on the type of paint - no failures in many years after many failures before what I use now.

Dont know if you have ever seen/heard of it but GM did a 1954 Nomad wagon that was sort of based on the Corvett of the same year.

I only mention it because your wagon has almost the same fins.

Nice looking model you got there! I'm dying to see some paint on her !

Littlejimmy

The car your refering to was a concept car known as the "Waldorf" and shown at the NY Autorama at the Waldorf Hotel in 1954. A very cool design .

Hi .

Well , Chit ! There goes another model Corvette and a Nomad . Just fer parts !

 I saw this vehicle at the Greater Buffalo N.Y. Auto Show and Car Extravaganza . The photos joggled loose a few old stones tween the ears .

 My Gosh , she's still Gorgemous !

Tanker - Builder

Hi .

Well , Chit ! There goes another model Corvette and a Nomad . Just fer parts !

 I saw this vehicle at the Greater Buffalo N.Y. Auto Show and Car Extravaganza . The photos joggled loose a few old stones tween the ears .

 My Gosh , she's still Gorgemous !

 

I hope you plan on doing this as a WIP. I'd love to follow along as you create it .

Nice conversion! Waiting and watching this one.

treehuggerdave

 

 

mustang1989

I used to dread this part of auto building. Now I can't wait to get started on it. Will be watching.

 

 

 

 

I hear ya.

To me this is the most difficult part of building/finishing as the chance's for devastating mistakes is so numerous.

Without a painting system that is nearly fail-proof and successfully repeatable, at least for me, I would have so many difficulties.

I developed a paint system years ago for enamels, lacquers, acrylics and auto urethanes that is pretty much the same for all my paints with just a small variation here and there depending on the type of paint - no failures in many years after many failures before what I use now.

 

I've got 4 bodies ready to start the paint process on, but I'm a bit nervous to start, too. 

Dave

[quote user="shamoo"]

treehuggerdave

 

 

mustang1989

I used to dread this part of auto building. Now I can't wait to get started on it. Will be watching.

 

 

 

 

I hear ya.

To me this is the most difficult part of building/finishing as the chance's for devastating mistakes is so numerous.

Without a painting system that is nearly fail-proof and successfully repeatable, at least for me, I would have so many difficulties.

I developed a paint system years ago for enamels, lacquers, acrylics and auto urethanes that is pretty much the same for all my paints with just a small variation here and there depending on the type of paint - no failures in many years after many failures before what I use now.

 

 

I've got 4 bodies ready to start the paint process on, but I'm a bit nervous to start, too. 

Dave

[/quote

Many "eons" ago I felt the same way, and got tired of it, SOOOOO - I collected about 40 tin cans, peeled off the label, and took about 20 cheap spray cans of paint and began spraying and spraying and spraying until it was so easy to get a perfect paint joj, I never worried or got nervous again.

Painting for me is just a second nature thing now after spraying all those cans. It doesn't scare me now and I continue to get better and I'm relaxed while doing it.

shamoo

That's not s bad idea. Thanks!

 

Throwing cans away is painless .