Classic Nation

After a few years of sitting around and getting wet, many rear window seals start to leak. When this happens, water gets into the car and ruins the interior. My car has a very small leak, but it was enough to warp a new rear parcel shelf that I had purchased from Year One a few years back. These original pieces were made our of a cardboard-like material, so I decided to fabricate one.

First, I bought a 8′x4′ sheet of 1/4″ particle type of board. I bought it at Home Depot, but this type of material can be found at almost any lumber or building supply store. I got 1/4″ because I wanted it to be light but easy to work with. I then took my old piece out and used it as a template to cut the shape out of the wood. I used a jig saw to make the cuts, being careful not to cut too small.
Once I did this, I put the piece in place to see how it would fit. Perfect!
I then crawled in the trunk with a pencil and marked where the speaker holes were. Previously, I had opened the factory holes to allow my 6×9s to fit. Since I was going to be getting a new parcel shelf, I treated myself to a set of brand new Infinity Kappa 6×9s as well.

With this all done, it was time to do the carpeting. Since I have a black interior, I used black carpeting. I elected to use the thin, speaker-grade carpeting, as it molds better and is easier to work with. Also, the stock floor carpeting (80/20 loop) would definitely look out of place. I covered the entire panel and folded the carpeting around the edges, overlapping the back about 4″ all the way around. I then stapled and used spray adhesive to keep it in place. Around the edges, I would cut slits so that the carpet would lay flat. For the speaker holes, I poked a hole in the center and made cuts in every direction to meet the wood. I then folded these flaps back and staples and glued them as well.
With this piece done, I was almost ready to go. I first put in a thick piece of juke padding down to help insulate and help with sound.
The piece fit perfectly and looks great.

I have sourced a set of new quarter panels that I will have put on soon. I decided to do this after speaking with many people, and after all I want it done right and don’t like the idea of covering rusty panels with bondo. Also, I have and will be installing a Edelbrock Performer Carburetor and Intake. This will be a great step up from my stock setup with my one barrel carb. Also, I will be putting on a new HEI distributor and new wires this week. I anticipate being able to feel a difference on how the car drives. The next few weeks will consist of me sanding and sanding….and more sanding. I will keep you all updated with pictures.

The time has come. I have started the process of finishing the body work and paint, as well as the interior of my 1965 Impala Super Sport. I have found too many rusted spots and body cancer to let this go on any further. I imagine this process will very time consuming. I am hoping to do some “garage” type procedures to minimize cost while trying to maintain exceptional results. I have also started to do little things like remove and polish the chrome, such as the grill (I stripped the entire grill of the factory black paint) and will be going with a custom look. After doing much research, I have also sourced a way to paint my car, myself, for less than $50. Don’t start laughing quite yet…. I will use a roller instead of a spray gun. I know this seems silly, but I will show you how I do it every step of the way, and here are a few pictures to show what I am working with.