Every Vehicle that enters IBF HotRods arrives with its own History, Condition, and Challenges.

Build Phase: Final Metal Fabrication and Fitment

 This 1967 Chevrolet C10 arrived as a partially disassembled project with significant rust and several major structural components missing, including the firewall. 

What initially appeared to be a typical repair quickly became a full metal reconstruction project.

The work completed so far includes fabricating a new firewall and floor system from scratch, building inner fender structures within the engine bay, reconstructing the roof with a new roof skin, and fabricating structural supports throughout the cab and body. 

Additional fabrication includes custom bumper modifications, bumper construction, and structural preparation for a raised bed design.

The project also includes the fabrication of a completely new windshield surround to accommodate an oversized flush-mounted windshield, along with structural reinforcements beneath the cab and custom lighting modifications.

The images shown here document portions of the structural fabrication and metal work completed during this phase of the build and represent only a small portion of the work involved in rebuilding the truck’s structure.

Build Phase: Final Metal Preparation & System Fitment

This 1965 Buick Riviera arrived with visible rust, but once the vehicle was stripped the full extent of the damage became clear. 

The floor system from the trunk to the toe boards was severely compromised along with multiple structural areas throughout the body.

Because aftermarket panels are not available for many sections of this vehicle, much of the repair required custom metal fabrication including rocker panels, lower quarters, firewall sections, and a complete floor system.

The body was structurally supported before the rusted areas were removed, allowing the new floor system and structural panels to be fabricated and welded in place.

Once the structural reconstruction was completed, the body was mounted on a rotisserie for continued metal work and refinement.

The images shown here represent only a portion of the metal reconstruction completed during this phase of the build, as properly restoring the structure of the vehicle required extensive fabrication well beyond what is shown. 

This 1949 Diamond T arrived as a partially completed project that had stalled during the build process. 

Although the truck appeared close to finished at first glance, a deeper inspection revealed multiple structural, safety, and mechanical issues that needed to be corrected before the vehicle could be safely driven.

A complete electrical system was installed and integrated with the dual-quad EFI setup, and the air ride tank and compressor system were finalized. Significant safety concerns were addressed throughout the chassis and suspension. 

New upper shock mounts were fabricated for both the front and rear suspension, and a stronger rear crossmember was designed and installed to reinforce the frame and eliminate excessive flex.

Additional work included fabricating a new floor system and seat belt and seat mounting structure, correcting firewall and toe board areas, fabricating a transmission and driveshaft cover, installing drivetrain and interior components, and building a custom dash insert for the gauges and air ride controls. 

Wiring integration, throttle linkage for the dual-quad system, window installation, lighting, and interior finishing were also completed.

The images shown here highlight portions of the structural corrections and fabrication work completed during this phase of the build before the vehicle left the shop.