1953 Cadillac 60-Special "The Muskogean Phoenix"

[kudims]

Brakes, Brake Plates, and Rear Axle Seals

Brakes certainly been serviced before I got the car—maybe 30 years ago—because the hoses don't appear to be from 1953. But the shoes, wheel cylinders, hold-down pins, and springs definitely date back to '53.

I started with the left rear wheel. After flushing out and drying the wheel cylinder, it was clear it belonged straight in the scrap pile.


Wheel cylinder with corrosion


Further inspection revealed that the axle seals also need replacing. So I'm tearing it all down to the housing.


Delco Moraine stamped on the shoe


Front brake components removed and cleaned


Used a slide hammer to pull the axle shaft out


Removing the old seal using the same method as above


A handy puller with a tapered expander


Picked up a special tool to adjust the shoes more easily than using a regular pry bar or a screw driver


And this multi-tool for disassembling and reassembling the brake hardware


Hook for the smaller spring


It works a bit like pliers, but you all know about it without my explanation :-)


"Spring installer" for the bigger springs


It works like this—very convenient and safe, considering how strong these springs are


And finally, a remover for the larger springs


You rotate it to release. I never realized drum brake service could be made this straightforward.


The backing plates go to the sandblasting and a matte black powder coating.


The same - sandblasting + powder coating



Meanwhile, I will make new brake lines



Professional flaring tool



Steel lines, copper-coated inside and zinc-plated outside. I use a Ridgid tube bender for shaping.



Ready for installation



Brand-new wheel cylinders



New brake hardware



And here are the freshly coated parts



I didn't released those pins in order not to screw-up the brake shoes alignment within the drums





More metal goodies—coming up in future updates



Getting ready for reassembly. New gasket between the backing plate and the axle housing



New axle seal





Putting the hardware back together



Adjusting the shoe-to-drum clearance. The spec is about 0.4 mm. I'll explain the method in another post.



This is a "floating shoe" setup, so both shoes have a self-tightening effect whether moving forward or backward. That's the main difference compared to the Ford design with a fixed lower pivot. Overall, floating shoes contact the drum more evenly, resulting in more effective braking and more uniform wear.



New lines



Front wheel cylinders and new hoses



Assembled front mechanism, which follows the rear design except it has a bigger cylinder bore and no parking brake linkage



Another view



Final look



Wrapping up with an overhaul of the master cylinder. Its bore is flawless, so a rebuild kit sufficed. Why not buy new? They're no longer manufactured. You could find NOS for around $150, but you'd still want to rebuild it (old rubber is suspect), and depending on how it was stored, you might find pitting or cratering in the bore.



Reassembled, ready to go back in.

[kudims]

Front Suspension

Let's continue our "dirty games"—so called because the suspension has plenty of grime on it, even after a dry ice cleaning. And "games," because, well, this Cadillac is essentially a toy.

From a technical standpoint, the suspension is in perfect shape. There's no play whatsoever in the threaded joints or kingpins, and all the steering linkage pivots are in good working order. The only items needing replacement are the sway-bar bushings, shock bushings, and bump stops.

Equipped with a lot of patience and a set of steel brushes (plus 2 gallons of the acetone and xylene to keep spirits high), I set about cleaning the suspension down to bare metal.



Oil-soaked grime—and that's even after dry ice cleaning.



Methodically, inch by inch, the suspension starts to look respectable.



Another couple of shots



You can imagine how much dirt and oil was packed inside the crossmember and on all those horizontal surfaces...



But we got it done.



More progress





All ready for paint.

I painted it in two coats, letting it dry for a full day between coats. I used matte black Rust-Oleum "paint-over-rust" enamel, applied with a narrow (about 2-inch) long-nap roller. For hard-to-reach spots, I used a brush, then smoothed out the brush marks with the roller. I removed all the grease fittings first. The springs were painted with a special roller designed for fences, rods, and pipes—like the one shown here:



I brought a few of these rollers back from Russia to US. :-)

After giving the paint a couple of days to cure, I began reassembly.



Parts for the job: #19460337

It turns out the sway-bar end link kit from a 2002–2006 Escalade is a direct fit.



You can get brand-new sway-bar bushings specifically for this Cadillac. Naturally, the bolts are new and in inch sizes, with the correct head markings for strength class.



A few more progress photos









I made three blue paint marks on the springs, just like the original markings for Fleetwood as per Manual.



A small but important upgrade: I added some grease fitting extensions.



You can't reach the zerk on one of the threaded bushings (rear upper right) from above because the generator is in the way. And you can't see it from below, either. But now, with a 4-inch extension, greasing it is a breeze.



Tried to squeeze my phone under the generator for a photo.



Once assembled and on its wheels, the suspension looks great—and, more importantly, it'll be easier and more pleasant to service and clean.

It wouldn't be a complete story without showing some before-and-after photos. I found a few from last year, when I first attempted to clean the suspension. Unfortunately, I don't have any from the day I bought the car.



First wash at home



Second wash, but still huge amount of dirt



A few more shots





That's it for now!

[Cadman-iac]

 Where did you find those grease fitting extensions?  I like the idea of getting it out where you can get to it easier. Great idea.
 The suspension looks like new, great job on it.
 
 Rick

[kudims]

New fuel lines, Fuel return line, Aux OEM Electric Fuel Pump

The plan involves bending a new supply line and creating a break in it near the auxiliary electric fuel pump, plus adding a return line that wasn't originally provided at the factory. Cadillac started installing a return line—especially on A/C-equipped cars—around the very next model year. The goal is to do all of this as neatly and professionally as possible, so it's virtually invisible.



5/16-inch line (~8 mm). I'm using a hand-operated roller straightener.



Next, I bend the first short section—running from the fuel tank to the electric pump—using the old piece as a template.



Test-fitting in place.



Temporarily fastening it to the frame.

Since I decided to paint the frame and underbody, I figured I might as well do it all at once. I loosened the body mounts on the left side and cleaned everything thoroughly. The zinc-plated washers and bolts are in great shape, so I'm leaving them as they are. I'll send the parking-brake cable bracket out for powder coating along with a larger batch of parts later.





I shape the supply line according to the old one, using new fittings and a fabric sleeve like the factory setup. The coil spring is for crush protection.



It's a fairly complex shape, but I pulled it off—and even optimized it a bit, so it fits better than the original line did.



Double flare. I'm not entirely sure of the exact term, but "double flare" is what we usually call it.



Securing the new line, after slipping on a new stainless protective spring.



Here's how it looks on the front of the engine.

Return Line

Why add a return line at all? First, continuous circulation helps cool the fuel pump, reducing the chance of vapor lock. Second, if vapor lock does form after a hot engine shutdown, the return line helps purge it quickly. Third, if everything is done correctly, the return line will provide a small degree of cooling to the carburetor.



The return line will be made in two sections, because running it as a single piece is basically impossible. This zigzag section goes on the firewall. I used a wire mock-up to get the right shape.



I had to remove the heater assembly. The return line will run along the firewall, duck under the heater (clamped to one of the mounting points for the heater box), then drop down to the frame.



This is all you'll see, and even that piece will be nearly hidden. You'll see why.



It's barely noticeable because I tucked it into a black cloth sleeve. You can also see a new line from the fuel pump to the carb with a T-fitting now in place.



It's crucial to tin the tube (with solder) and then drill a tiny 1 mm hole in the solder. First, that ensures the fuel goes to the carb instead of just heading straight down the return line. Second, as the heated fuel flows through that narrow hole into a larger opening, it vaporizes, cooling the tube (and thus slightly cooling the carb itself).



For soldering, I used flux and American-made solder—an absolute dream.



In the engine bay, it all looks rather "sexy," if I do say so.



Wouldn't you agree?



Connected with a Continental hose and heavy-duty stainless clamps.



Now it's time to bend the return line going back to the tank. I'm using new OEM-style zinc-plated clamps and a stainless protective spring.



Bend and keep bending.



This will run along the frame to the tank.



Joining the engine-bay section of the return line with the section that runs along the frame. I hope all you detail-oriented folks appreciate these lines!



The return line goes above the supply line, fastened with those original-style clamps and new inch-size bolts with mushroom heads—exactly like the originals. The frame is coated with black hammered enamel.



The return line loops around the body mounts; that's why I created this U-shaped pass-through.



Another couple of views.

After the pump (more on that in a moment), the lines cross slightly on the frame. The return keeps running along the frame, while the supply dives inward toward the tank.



Return line in the foreground, supply in the background near the tank.



To connect the return line to the tank, I needed a 1/2-inch hose, so I bought a whole roll of it.





ACDelco hose



We'll tap into the tank vent tube. I cut off the old hose, trimmed the tube, and added a 1/2"–5/16"–1/2" tee.



Then I hooked the return line to it.

And Now, the Pump

I found a NOS GM unit on eBay for the fair price.



I guess that it comes from 1980-s



Unfortunately, the pump had 3/8-inch hose fittings. So I cut the fittings off the nuts, bored out the brass so a 5/16-inch line would fit, and then...



I cut the tubes, bent them to the shape I wanted, and soldered all the connections. From the back side, I flared the tube slightly so it wouldn't slip out, and soldered that too. Basically, it's permanent now.





I think it turned out even better than before, because I was able to customize the tube angles.



A couple of final shots

Installed it, hooked everything up, and it works like a charm.

Electrical Pump Wiring



Hoses used for connections. Ethanol compatible



Wiring along the frame. "Feasibility study" photo, before cleaning



Wiring diagram. All connected using relays and fuses



Manual switch, fuse, relay



Hidden under the dash



All wires are behind the dash



Like this

Final notes:

All of these modifications have effectively resolved any vapor lock issues—even in the intense Texas heat—while maintaining an OEM-quality appearance that looks as if it came straight from the factory. Under normal driving conditions, I usually keep the electric pump switched off because the NOS mechanical pump and the return line cover 99% of situations. However, if the engine has been shut off while hot (and sits for 20–30 minutes until all the fuel in the carburetor evaporates, leaving vapor in the lines) or if I'm caught in heavy traffic, I simply turn on the electric pump, and the car starts as smoothly as any modern, fuel-injected vehicle.

The same goes for when the car has been sitting in the garage for days or even weeks: flip on the electric pump to prime the system, and the engine fires up on the very first crank. Not only does this setup completely eliminate vapor lock, but it's also implemented so seamlessly that it appears to have been done on the production line.

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

Double flare. I'm not entirely sure of the exact term, but "double flare" is what we usually call it. 

You are correct, it is called a Double Flare.

And all beautifully done.

Bruce.

[35-709]

Very nice. 
On all of the electric pump installations I have been involved with, our seen, it is always strongly recommended that an inline fuel filter be placed BEFORE the electric pump.  Keeps any bits of trash out of the pump which could/would be detrimental to the pump.

[kudims]

Very nice. 
On all of the electric pump installations I have been involved with, our seen, it is always strongly recommended that an inline fuel filter be placed BEFORE the electric pump.  Keeps any bits of trash out of the pump which could/would be detrimental to the pump.

Yes, you are correct. I was also making a bit of research here, and my conclusion was that these membrane type electric pumps may suffer only from big particles, which can block any valve inside the pump opened. Other than that, there are no issues.

But: when I was working on carb, fuel pump and fuel filter, all inside was clean! This is why I took a decision to omit included in pack fuel filter. Only mesh filter at the pump entry

[Cadman-iac]

  One suggestion here,  if it ever becomes necessary to use the electric pump for an extended period, you want to make sure your wiring is heavy enough to handle the load.
I made this mistake on my El Camino. (I used the same pump you did, I called it my electric fuel filter as that's what it looks like). I matched the wire size that was on the pump and ran it back to the tank. Worked like a charm, until it had been running for about an hour, then the pump slowed down and couldn't supply enough fuel to keep the engine running, it acted like vapor lock. The wire begins to get warm and the resistance goes up, and the pump slows down.
Once the wire size was upgraded it worked fine.

I like that tube straightener, very cool idea. Where did you find it?

Very nice job.

Rick

[Roger Zimmermann]

Super job on the various lines you did; as Bruce noted, the double flares are fantastic! I bought some time ago brake lines from a known supplier. The flares were awful compared to yours...
Personnaly, I would use the protector springs just at critical places, because dirt can be trapped into the coils and start attaking the coating when humidity is present. However, I doubt that this condition will happen as long as the car is in your hands...

[kudims]

I would use the protector springs just at critical places, because dirt can be trapped into the coils and start attaking the coating when humidity is present. However, I doubt that this condition will happen as long as the car is in your hands...

Absolutely true: springs were used only in few places, where lines can potentially suffer from stones, or any types of bending... and, of course, this car will never see dirty roads again.

[kudims]

One suggestion here,  if it ever becomes necessary to use the electric pump for an extended period, you want to make sure your wiring is heavy enough to handle the load.

Gauge 14 was used, so I'm confident that it's enough

[kudims]

New Hood Emblem

Very short post )))



Ordered



Installed

[kudims]

Heater

As I had to remove the heater assembly in order to run the return line, then, once I had it out, there was no way I could just slap it back in as-is. That's how it goes with old cars—start out replacing a headlight bulb, and somehow end up taking off the entire fender.



The heater comes out together with its air duct.



Inside, it's suspiciously clean, considering nobody before me ever cleared out any dust or leaves.



A little on how it's set up: the heater core sits in the center. Fresh outside air can enter below and flow to the footwell without heating or cooling. Air can also flow upward for defrosting the windshield, either at ambient temperature (ventilation) or heated (defog) to clear condensation.



The damper seals had dried out and needed replacing.



I replaced the seals and lined the interior of the heater housing to reduce sound and heat transfer from the engine.



Painted the inside of the heater box with black hammered-finish enamel.



And used matte black on the outside.



"Harrison"—the company that built heaters for GM.



Reassembling the squirrel cage after powder-coating it matte black.



Balancing weights are in place.



Heater box components after sandblasting and powder coating.



The blower motor was disassembled, lubricated, and rewired with the correct cloth-covered wiring (the originals were in bad shape). I'll explain where I source these cloth wires in a moment.



I applied a layer of sound insulation inside the ducts. It'll also help shield them from engine heat.



Outside air enters here (through the box in the fender) and is picked up by the blower.





I also lined the diffuser with sound insulation.

Before putting it back on the firewall, I wrapped the diffuser in masking tape on the outside so it wouldn't get scratched during installation.



From the factory, gaps at the joints were sealed with cloth tape. I replicated that. It's mostly cosmetic now because I've already insulated everything internally, but I wanted to keep it authentic.



Heater assembly installed—just need to connect the blower and diffuser with a flex hose.



All set.



Here's the place where I buy my wires. Conveniently close to my work, though they ship worldwide.



Re-soldered the Autronic Eye harness in the correct colors. It was easy to do with the heater removed.



Interesting detail: the Autronic Eye harness is wrapped in cloth tape (supplied by an external vendor for GM), whereas the car's main wiring harness—made by GM in-house—was wrapped in vinyl. I reproduced that difference.



Finally, I changed the gear oil in the rear end. This is a mineral-based oil recommended by other vintage Cadillac owners, as it closely matches what was originally used. It took three quarts (just under three liters).



Now there is a time to test the car on the road, see how brakes work, fuel supply, heater, etc...
And I will be ready to disassemble the engine bay for maintenance, painting, seal removal, and engine cleaning from inside.

[kudims]

Engine Bay, Engine, Transmission, Pt1

I think that pictures are more informative that thousands of words...



Start removing things...



This will need to be replaced by new cloth wires



and these too..



New



Right air inlet



Battery hold-down frame. Has to be replaced with a new one.



Battery was boiling at some time, no doubt. I guess the reason was in the voltage regulator



Some sludge, of course







Lower housing of the bell



Original generator



This will be all cleaned



Looking bad?



A/C compressor was not removed and system was not disconnected. I will manage to do everything with A/C on the car.





Dirty vs. clean



~ 1" of sludge over 71 years



I guess that oil change was not as frequent, as it was required by the manual



Lifter cover and oil filler neck



Exhaust manifolds



Right has a crack. Will be replaced



Clean exhaust!



Oil pump and Hydramatic pan



Radiator needs overfill tube replacement



Removal of rear main seal



High strength screw + pry bar



The condition of the rear seal rope does not look like it was leaking... But what was leaking? I will tell you in future posts. And this will be the great finding! I think that this is the reason for 99% of rear engine leaks




Without seal

Cleaning of parts



Just after bath with xylene







Oil pump mesh, which is the main oil filter in this car (and it was till 1960)



Clean, ready for assembling



Gears need to be greased before assembling. Otherwise you will never get oil pressure



Overfill radiator tube



Rot and damaged



Oops!



Need to clean all these



New copper tube bended and soldered



Filling the gaps)))





Soldered connection for the drain valve





+/- ready to be painted in black satin





And this is the quality of the factory engine paint



Parts are getting better and better



Compare it with what it was...



How about that?





Modification of intake manifold



I decided to lock these ports for heating the carburettor



Cleaned them and made threads



This guy will be used to lock screws in place





This is how it looks from outside and inside.

And this is all for today.

[kudims]

Valvetrain + Paint job

Next on the engine service list was the valvetrain. It needed to be removed, taken apart down to the smallest piece, thoroughly cleaned, lubricated, and reassembled. Since the rocker shaft bolts also serve as head bolts, I tackled each head in turn, loosening only part of the bolts for as little time as possible.



Freshly cleaned hydraulic lifter components. There's no wear; everything looks almost new aside from the "archaeological" layers of deposits built up over 70 years.



The low-pressure chamber inside the plunger was completely clogged. Hard to believe it functioned at all, but evidently, oil still managed to seep through.



Filling each lifter with fresh oil.



Installing the retainer and lock clip.



A quick push with a 1/2-inch tube seats the clip along its tapered guide. The lifter is now assembled. If there's any air trapped inside (and there definitely is), it'll eventually bleed out. That's just how hydraulic lifters work.



The rocker shaft was packed with a tar-like sludge. First, I pushed out thick "sausages" of gunk with a 12mm (1/2") rod, then soaked everything in solvent. Before reassembly, I used compressed air to clear out every hidden passage and oil channel.



Getting ready for reassembly.



These grooves feed oil to the rockers.



New end plugs.



All set for installation. I cleaned all the pushrods as well.



While the rocker assembly was off, I cleaned out the pockets in the cylinder head and the lifter bores.



You can see the left side (from the driver's perspective) cleaned versus the still-dirty right side.



It took me an entire day off just to do one side, and I had no energy left to tackle the other head. Along the way, I also prepped various parts for paint. The black paint is matte PPG; for the engine, I used KBS Motor Coating.



On paint day, I got up at 5a.m. The night before, I set up a makeshift spray booth in front of my garage—complete with a hook overhead for the spray gun. With no bugs or dust around that early, and before the heat set in, I wanted to finish by 9a.m.



A simple spray gun, plus a tack cloth for dust removal.



Parts "before"



Another box



Parts "after." All cast iron parts were painted with a narrow roller, not a spray gun



And a few more shots.











The color is a vivid, richly saturated blue. It is the most accurate shade I've seen for Cadillac engines from 1949 to 1976. And it 100% fits the remaining paint color from 1953, left on the engine.



Painting the radiator.



Radiator construction details.



Another look.

Everything cured for a few days—mainly so the paint could harden.



Starter assembly. NOS starter solenoid installed



More shots of the starter.



Generator assembly



Another view



All factory ID tags preserved.



Reassembling the water pump.



From 1949 to 1955, the front crankshaft seal (sealing the pulley and balancer) was felt, which tended to leak. It also wore some significant grooves in the sealing surface.



Kit for repairing that worn surface.



Using a red anaerobic sealant to fill any imperfections and lock everything in place. Even with a solid press-fit, oil sometimes seeps under a repair sleeve if you don't seal it thoroughly.



All done.



Instead of the original felt-seal timing cover (right), I picked up a '56–'62 cover designed for a more modern rubber seal (left). That's going to be on the engine



Various parts sitting off to the side, waiting for their big day.

[kudims]

Firewall & Engine paint + Assembly start

The workflow was planned so that while the freshly painted Cadillac Dark Blue components cure, I'd have about a week to tidy up the right portion of the firewall and frame. During that same timeframe, I also set out to paint the entire engine and transmission in dark blue.

Cleaning the engine, transmission, frame, and the firewall of dirt and oil buildup was quite an undertaking. I went through 8 liters of xylene, 10 large rolls of paper towels, 5 or 6 cans of carb cleaner (for tight spots you can't reach otherwise), and one 40-pack of nitrile gloves. Inch by inch, I removed decades' worth of grime amid the swirling fumes of xylene. Every corner of the engine and transmission (including the top of the transmission), plus all the tight spaces of the frame from the front crossmember to the driveshaft, were painstakingly cleaned. It took two full weekends of effort, but it was worth it.

After cleaning, I prepped the right half of the firewall by brushing/sanding down to bare metal, applied a red-oxide anti-rust primer, let it dry, then sanded it with 400-grit. Finally, I applied matte black PPG paint so it would match the factory finish on the left side of the firewall.



Only the right side of the firewall is being repainted; on the left, the factory finish remains in excellent shape.



Both the engine and firewall have received two coats.








Right-side frame rail and A/C lines.



Pushrod (valley) cover installed.



Front cover installation.



Another angle.



Sandblasted exhaust manifolds. With high humidity, cast iron begins to flash-rust almost immediately. Right manifold was found solid and uncracked



The replacement right-side manifold has casting-sand pockmarks but is solid and crack-free.



The "heat stove" (snorkel) for preheating intake air, which feeds the carb's cold-start system.




On the right manifold, the exhaust passage diameter increases downstream.



After applying a 2,000°F–rated high-temp enamel.



All fasteners are installed with copper-based anti-seize.



New high strength studs and nuts.



Installed on the engine. Also visible are the polished A/C lines and a section of the frame finished in black hammered enamel.



Another view.



Both manifolds installed. The generator bracket is bolted to the right manifold.



Transmission pan with a new gasket.



Another look.



All mounted up.



One more angle.



Preparing to install the engine oil pan. Judging by the dipstick, a full oil level sits right at the baffle plate, so not too high above the oil pump pickup.



Oil pan installed and torqued to specs.



Another view.



Bellhousing cover in place.







The left side is obscured by the steering gear—made painting in that area pretty challenging.



Crankcase vent tube.



A few drops from the transmission dripped into the oil pan through the untightened drain plug

[kudims]

Further engine assembly, Pt2

According to the assembly sequence, the valve covers can't be postponed any longer, so we proceed—offering a quick prayer to the GM gods.



A polyurethane-based engine sealant applied to one side of the gasket.



Positioning the gasket on the cylinder head.



Applying sealant to the valve cover itself.



Setting the cover in place and starting the bolts, simultaneously guiding the gasket using its small "tabs." I used a ratchet strap to pull the A/C compressor slightly aside so the right-side valve cover could slip underneath.



Torque is 3 N·m. Do not overtighten!



A Phillips #3 bit ("Ph3").



Covers installed. To protect them (and my nerves), I taped them up beforehand—same procedure I used on the oil pan.



I made small cuts in the "tabs" so the cover's edge could slide in. Without these tabs, there's a 99% chance the gasket would shift inward and fail to seal properly.



With that done, we move on.



Horn relay housing—cleaned up and painted. I'm not detailing every little step (like soldering, painting, wrapping wires) to avoid driving readers away with minutiae.



Finally tackling the wiring, which started this whole chain reaction.







Upgraded all wiring on the firewall up to where it enters the cabin.
Working was only possible by climbing into the engine bay barefoot, naturally.



For extra sealing on the two manifold passages that route exhaust gas to warm the carburetor, I used high-temp sealant.



Manifold back in place.





Installing the oil filler neck, which also serves as a mounting bracket for the fuel pump.



I bent and flared a new vacuum line for the dual-action NOS fuel pump.







Continuing to load the engine with components: the fuel pump and ignition are now installed.
Oil filter is in place.



A new tube for the carburetor's cold-start system. It slides into that spiral heat pipe on the right manifold (shown in a previous post), letting the carb "sense" that the engine is warmed up and reduce RPM/un-choke.





The generator is ready to go.





Engine bay is regaining its familiar look.



New generator wiring.



New starter wiring.







A brand-new battery tray from McVey's



New battery hold-down plastic frame



Completely assembled. Top of the oil filter bath was re-painted in correct satin black. The bottom with the sticker is still original.



The reason why the paint was off the top of the filter is the hood insulation, which was rubbing over



Now the engine and the engine bay looks the same as it was in 1953. Yes, firewall does not shine like after the modern restorations, which I often see. But! in 1950-s Fisher body used nitro enamels, which had a satin finish, and only after hard buffing they turned to gloss. Note that door frames also do not shine, and I want to keep that car as closer to the original, as it is possible.

[Cadman-iac]

  Looks really nice!! How long ago did you start this project?

 Rick

[kudims]

Looks really nice!! How long ago did you start this project?

 Rick

I do it in portions. E.g., suspension + brakes ~ 1 month, Engine bay ~ 5 weeks, etc. I also omit many things that were done with the car, which sometimes takes few days, but you spend them for just cleaning and fixing minor things.

And may be you will want to watch this...
I talk in Russian, but there is a text explaining, what kind of message I try to deliver )))

[Cadman-iac]

 Interesting video, and a very beautiful car. So it looks like at least for this video anyway, that you started in June of last year?
 How long have you been working on your car?
 Excellent results!

 Rick