Chop Cut Rebuild Update
To get this month's Classic Life rolling along, we made a surprise return visit to Classic Industries to see how the build of their '53 Chevy shop truck was progressing towards its seasonlong stint on the Speed Channel's Chop Cut rebuild. It was obvious that Mark Vogt, Edgar Soler, and the Classic Industries crew had been busy since our last visit-when we discovered a change in plans from the original premise of restoring Classic Industries' '53 had transformed into a fresh start based around a brand-new replacement cab. our spy photos reveal that, used in conjunction with TCI's recently introduced '47-'55 first-series rolling chassis, the brand-new cab is definitely on the fast track towards building an Advance-design pickup from the ground up. of course, this is not to say that there won't be a lot of chopping, cutting, and rebuilding-because there's going to be a ton of trick one-off ideas poured into the '53 before it's all said and done.
We returned one week later...
We returned one week later during normal hours to discover that Edgar, along with Edgar no. 2, had progressed to the point that the '53's new front fenders pulled from Classic Industries' on-hand inventory had been mated to a mint '53 hood glommed from Classic's '53 holmes tow truck that had been bolted-up for the first time. With his back to the camera is Chop Cut rebuild's host, dan Woods. It was neat to find out dan is as nice a guy off-camera as he is on the show.
A sneak attack on one of the...
A sneak attack on one of the days that the studio/shop was dark provided some spy photos of the freshly mounted replacement cab onto the TCI chassis.
Chuck Taber from Miller welders...
Chuck Taber from Miller welders showed up to make sure the Classic Industries crew was all dialed-in for what is ultimatelyn going to be a lot of welding. rob becker from Airgas drove in from Airgas' Santa Ana, California-location with all of the gaseous elements needed to ensure a first-rate welding job.
When it's time for the '53...
When it's time for the '53 to receive its lifeblood, there's a shelfful of royal purple synthetic lubricants just waiting to make it happen.
Riverside City College Autobody School
Palm Trees and blue skies,...
Palm Trees and blue skies, a typical mid-February day for riverside, California. The custom-painted C-10 Chevy in the background is Jerry's daily driver.
The tool room at rCC is stocked...
The tool room at rCC is stocked with everything from automotive shop manuals to the latest in waterborne Sata HVLP spray guns.
Who uses "blue"? RCC, that's...
Who uses "blue"? RCC, that's who.
Our friend Jerry Sievers,...
Our friend Jerry Sievers, proprietor of paint 'n' place in Anaheim, California, called recently and told us about the incredible new Thermoair heated downdraft paint booth that riverside City College just installed for his students to use during the paint and autobody courses Jerry teaches every Saturday during the school year. At the invitation of richard barron, rCC's associate dean of academic innovative programs, we drove out to take a look for ourselves. Sure enough, the rCC Automotive Technology Center was everything we were told to expect, and more. Thanks to Jerry's firsthand experience as the owner of a fully compliant shop and being a working professional, he is qualified to teach rCC students all of the latest technologies they will need to know before they enter today's highly competitive job market. From left to right: paul, Jerry, and richard inspecting the program's latest addition.