More progress (now that the summer is done, I've got two things to show for it before the snow flys!)
Got a set of original Stude seat belts (but from slighly newer Hawk, as I didn't want the "attached to door" version my '57 optioned).
So, spent a good deal of time trying to figure out how and where to mount them without templates. Ended up mounting the seat and using the later 60s Hawk template as a rough guide. Had to cut an access hole in each 'hog trough' for the front outer anchor; welded this one in place, wouldn't want THAT coming loose and rattling around in there some day!! Sprayed Eastman 'rust encapsulant" around as far as I could reach in there while it is open, but looks pretty good back there, unlike the FRONT end of the hog trough did)
Test fit the seats and seems like they will all work! I'm 6'6", so seat ALL the way back and gave a little extra distance on the tranny tunnel so there should be no chance of the big anchor plates touching the U-joint or driveshaft....
All I have to do now is weld up those access holes, and am FINALLY ready to lift the body off the chassis and start on the fun part, the mechanical!!!! (I hate the body work but can't afford to pay a shop to do it, so you do what you have to do, right?)
Got a set of original Stude seat belts (but from slighly newer Hawk, as I didn't want the "attached to door" version my '57 optioned).
So, spent a good deal of time trying to figure out how and where to mount them without templates. Ended up mounting the seat and using the later 60s Hawk template as a rough guide. Had to cut an access hole in each 'hog trough' for the front outer anchor; welded this one in place, wouldn't want THAT coming loose and rattling around in there some day!! Sprayed Eastman 'rust encapsulant" around as far as I could reach in there while it is open, but looks pretty good back there, unlike the FRONT end of the hog trough did)
Test fit the seats and seems like they will all work! I'm 6'6", so seat ALL the way back and gave a little extra distance on the tranny tunnel so there should be no chance of the big anchor plates touching the U-joint or driveshaft....
All I have to do now is weld up those access holes, and am FINALLY ready to lift the body off the chassis and start on the fun part, the mechanical!!!! (I hate the body work but can't afford to pay a shop to do it, so you do what you have to do, right?)
Attached Files