Auto Restoration 101

Trying to find replacement sheet metal for the Wildcat has been a real challenge. There just isn’t many people making parts for these cars. After discussing with the owner the amount of rust in the rear of the car and the time it would take to repair the rust if we had to hand fabricate the panels, the owner decided to look for a donor car. It was not an easy task. He finally found a salvage yard in Idaho that had a rear clip from a 1965 Buick LeSabre that was in excellent condition for its age. The only thing…..it was off of a four door. We couldn’t find any two door parts cars.

The rear clip was sent to me on a large crate that barely fit into the back of the semi trailer. It took three of us using an A-frame and ratchet hoists to get it out.

This is the rear clip off of a 1965 Buick LeSabre four door.

The rear clip is virtually rust free.

The trunk floor is in excellent shape for it’s age. We will now start the process of grafting this rear clip to the car.