Taking a squat

The owner of the el Camino had the car lowered 2-inches all around when the car was assembled,  using drop spindles in the front and lowering springs in the back. While he liked the stance at the back, he was never happy with the front, claiming the car appeared to be riding nose high. Even though we measured and the car was sitting dead level, it did appear to have a nose high attitude because of lines of the car. But no longer.

Last week the owner showed up with a box. Inside the box were two new front springs, an inch shorter than the stock springs he had installed on the front of the car. After swapping the spring we set the car back on the ground and lowered the lift. The car kept settling, and settling … and settling, until it finally stopped. The new springs lowered the car 1.25 inches in the front, tucking the front wheel up just inside the lip of the fender. You can see the difference between the stock springs, in the first photo and the one inch lowering springs in the second. As the car sits, it has been lowered 2 inches in the back and a total of 3.25 inches in the front.

The owner stopped by today and was well pleased with the new, more aggressive, stance, stating that now the car looks like he always imagined it would look with the 2-inch drop. Far be it from me to disagree with how the owner wants his car to look … especially when he’s right.

While we had the car on the lift, the owner asked that we take a shot of the underside for him as he hadn’t see the car up in the air since the car has been completed. Looks pretty good, if I do say so myself, and with the bedliner coating the bottom of the car, tough enough to withstand anything normal driving is likely to dish out as well.

Look who’s back

Well, well, well … look who’s back. The 1969 el Camino that we painted last year in our High Performance Finish is back in the shop for the final touch-up and check out before it is turned over to the owner for the last time.

This car has been subjected to some major renovations … starting with extensive rust repair. It also has a few carefully selected modifications to update it’s look without drastically altering it’s classic lines, such as removing of all the emblems and side marker lights, shaving of  the drip rails, a 2-inch drop all around, single side glass, a custom interior and more.

Now that the car is back in the JMC AutoworX shop we can clean up the few problems that have cropped up since we had it last, most notably the reason it came back on a tow truck. The owner filled the car with fuel for the first time … and found the new tank we installed is defective and leaking around the filler neck. Annoying … but these things happen. Fortunately the place that sold the fuel tank is replacing the tank under warranty, but it means more delays in getting the car finished so the owner can begin to enjoy this beautiful car.

If you want  a closer look at this stunning el Camino, stop by the Annual Shriner’s Drag Racing & Hot Rod Expo in the Greensboro Coliseum the weekend of February first and second. There will be lots of great looking cars on display inside where it will be warm and dry … a great way to spend a dreary February day. This will be one of the new cars presented by JMCAutoworX this year, and it’s a dandy.

Back at the shop

Now that the “jewelry” has been attached, this El Camino looks great! 

I don’t know whether to call it a car or a truck, so I think I will just call it a fantastic looking machine.

Looking good

Now that all the paint work is done, the car … or truck … whatever, is ready to leave the JMC AutoworX shops for its interior, fitment of it bright-work and new wheels and tires.

This two tone black over red looks great on this, uhh, vehicle and I think the little gray pinstripe at the color change sets it off nicely. This pinstripe is applied the old school way … with a paint brush and a very steady hand. One of these days I am going to have to learn to do that.

Making the bed

Just out of the booth after spraying in the Raptor Liner, the ol’ girl is looking sharp.

We put the  Raptor Liner on the floor and left the walls of the bed in paint.

In the booth

This 1969 El Camino is in the shop for a little TLC.

The first picture shows the car … um, truck … er, vehicle after the body has been primed and blocked to remove any slight imperfections in the body work so the paint looks its best.

In the second photo you can see that the black and red color layers have been applied. In case you are wondering how different color paints are applied, it is really very simple.

You mask off the vehicle for one color, say the red, and apply that color. After the paint dries, you remove the masking, remask for the other color, and repeat.

Most people are surprised at how flat the color layer is until the clear coat is applied. That’s the next step.