Googled...um yeah...definitely not my thing. Can't wait to see the finished product with the visors and all installed.

 

Well this is what came to my tiny little mind

http://www.truckaddons.com/Catalog/s...truckballs.htm

 

This has got me looking at these with a fresh perspective. I really would like to do something that really makes my HHR different than the pack. I will be looking forward to your updates on install and photos.

 

REALLY dig these since first seeing them, HOWEVER, on anything other than black, i don't care how they look like a "bolt on":imo blending them into the body would look killah

 

Was just reading the installation instructions A&P and they seem well thought out, but I've got a couple of questions.

http://hhrboutique.com/images/55%20c...ll%20Sheet.pdf

There will be a definite seam around them and they will have an obvious leading edge under the rear side windows, did you ever think of getting the primed assemblies and "glassing" them in? Rather than going with the pre-painted units that will look "added on" when you examine them closely?

Please don't take my questions as criticism, since your HHR is always the epitome of cool, just wondering that's all.

 

A&P- I was just joking, posting the guess of adding SS badges.. I knew you wouldn't go there..

Gotta agree with 843 about the leading edge of the pre-paint 55 tails, it really doesn't have a smooth transition.

But I'm sure you will make it look fine..

 

First and Foremost.
These are NOT for everyone !

Most don't have a Passion for the '55 Chevy as I do. So they are not gonna like them, or the price.

The Inventor did, thats why he made them to begin with, for his own HHR.
He was restoring his '55 Chevy and thought the '55 tail lights would look kinda cool on his new '06 HHR.
His Daughter talked him into offering them up for sale.
I believe he has sold around 40 sets or so, we talked several times on the phone about them.

No criticism taken. Good Questions.
Yes there are seams with "Bolt On Kits" But that is Exactly the point of a bolt on kit, it is ready to go, get it painted to match and bolt it on, and go.

Can you mold/smooth them in Permanently? Yes.

And Yes, buying the Primered kit would normally be the way to go, since youd be grinding,sanding, filling, and sanding some more on them, no point in buying pre painted.
Saving you about $175.00, but either Option is availble for whatever the buyer wants to do.
They are in the HHR's belt line body line area, leaving Plenty of space to blend them in in that area below the rear window.

I Cropped this side view picture, just to take the other "Mods" out of the picture, but there is plenty of space to rework them anyway you like.




A Panel or AA5 version, has no rear window to even worry about.

And Yes, I thought about the Primer Kit, to TWEAK it to My liking, but the Pre Painted kit in Black was available, and at a HUGE Discount.

I LIKE finding a good deal.

So it was less costly to Take the Black kit he had sitting, ready to ship out.
I paid $935.00 shipped for this pre painted kit. They just so happened to be in MY Color, Black. Why not take them at a Discount Deal Price?

If I bought a unpainted set, it would have cost me several hundred More to do so.

For now, I'll just bolt them On. I have been waiting so long to get a set, this Summer I will just enjoy having them on my Panel.

I may decide to fiberglass them in later. I am still thinking of some Custom Paint work, that would be a good time to do that. Right now, my paint is in really Nice condition.

I have 1 tiny little ding, and no one but Me ever even notices it or knows were it is.
It was there the day I bought the car.

So until I get a dent, scratch, god forbid an accident, Or go ahead with some Custom paint work, Hard to justify grinding on both quarters and having to repaint them.

For now at least.

I Want my Supercharger project Done, Before, I would start tearing into my quarter panels.

I agree Sleeper, not the best leading edge transition, but it is workable.

And on Black, some of the shadow lines will be less noticable as bowtieboy68 observed.

I have hung around here about 2 years now, and this subject has come up a few times. I have always Liked them, and as stated before, I have my reasons.

In the past a few have mentioned the Cost, and then without ANY backing whatsoever stated they would do it in Metal and mold it all in for Less.

Thats alot of Bull ***** and hot air by some that have NO clue wtf they were talking about.

I am currently going over my 55-57 Chevy Parts catalogs and visiting them online for the most Current Pricing and I will post that comparison soon to Prove a point, starting with this Kit, is alot less costly than buying the Needed metal parts from a restoration dealer.

Yeah Sleeper, I would Never put "SS' badges Falsely on any of my cars. Ever.

I would Not remove them from an SS either, Not a fan of the debadging trend.

 

Well, lets ALL thank the powers that be, you HIDE them beneath your little grass skirt.

 

Thanks.
I missed that compliment on the first read.
Epitome of cool huh, Nice.

I've had a vision of what I wanted my Black Panel to look like since even before I even bought one.

I am now getting pretty darn close to my minds vision.

Classic Black with Chrome/Polished Stainless Steel. Adding to it's "retro" design, adding the stuff GM/Chevy Used to put on cars.

I like taking pics as I do things, and sharing them here. I don't mind sharing how I did them when asked.

But everything I have done, is for me, and only ever needs my own approval.

And also, so far everything I have done, can be swapped back to OEM at anytime.

We all like Different things and Different Looks, but that makes it even better, would be pretty boring if we all ran out and bought the exact same accessories from the same list in the same order as everyone else.

Now I am looking out my window sitting at my desk, watching it Rain, and checking the forecast, were gonna get Rain again on Tuesday. Then 3 days of mid 50s temps.

Dying to get my Rolled Visor ON!
Need warmer and dryer temps for 3 days while the adhesive cures.

Got a Tracking # for the '55 tail lights, but they won't actually be picked up by FedEx until Monday, they are coming in from Florida. Should have them by the end of the week would be my guess at this point.

 

Here is a little comparison, if you bought all metal '55 Chevy reproduction parts to do this.

Cost to replicate this kit using '55 Chevy metal reproduction parts.

1955 Chevy Quarter Panel to Trunk Panel,Right Side. (These are the Inner halves of the tail light opening. There is a Factory Seam to the Quarter Panel that the inner Lip is Spot Welded to the outter Quarter Panel, this Seam is Not seen on the '55 Chevy, because the Factory used LEAD to Fill the Seams. No "bondo" back then.)
Part # 31-264 Price $219.99


1955 Chevy Quarter Panel to Trunk Panel,Left Side.
Part # 31-265 Price $219.99



$219.99 X 2 = $439.96

Now, you need to buy the left and ride side Quarter Panels.

(You can buy Lower quarter panels, in either the whole lower half, front lower half, or even the back lower half, But- None of those options will buy the tail light section opening you need.)
So, you must buy 2 Complete Quarter Panels at $779.99 EACH.

1955 Chevy Full Quarter Panel, Right, 2-Door Hardtop/Convertable.
Part # 31-144 Price $779.99



Add the Left Quarter Panel $779.99



$779.99 X 2 = $1,559.96 + $439.96 = $1,999.92

You are now at $1,999.92
That is just to have the matal pieces to form up the rear tail light openings.

Lower Quarter Panel Sections won't do, they are cut Below the light opening.



Now, you still Need to get a few More parts.

1955 Chevy Tailight Assemblies, Complete, Pair.
Part # 02-127 Price $209.99 a Pair.
(Does Not include Bulbs or Wiring.)



$1,999.92 +$209.99 = $2,209.91

You are now at $2,209,91 Just in the bare minimum in Metal Parts to create these in a welded in and smoothed out form.

Do you have the SKILLS to do the work Yourself ?

If not, your Paying Labor to a Body Shop that does Custom Fab Work, or you could end up with a real mess taking it in to a body shop that only does insurance work as it's bread and butter work.

Add about another $119.99 for the stock '55 Chevy Tail Light wiring harnesses, and keep in mind, they Will need to be rewired/reconfigured to hook up to the HHRs tail light wiring.

1955 Chevy Tailight Wiring Harness, 2-Door Hartop, Bel Air
Part # 22-19 Price $119.99



$2,209.91 + $119.99 = $2.329.90

Now your at $2,329.90. (Don't forget, you havent even Paid for the Shipping yet.)

And all you have done so far, is buy the very basic of parts needed to even start the Project.
You yourself, or a Custom Body Shop will have HOURS of custom fabrication work ahead of you.
Metal work, Welding, Fiberglassing, General Body work, and Painting work.

My guess in Labor Costs to have a Custom Shop that actually Knows what they are doing with a Project like this one would be, in the $1,600.00-$2,600.00 range, if not More. (I think thats a Low guesstimet)

Thats Just the Labor, NOT counting the Parts Costs. Add it up.

Bulbs only add another $8 bucks, no biggie there.

Want the latest LED Conversions? Add another $100.00 - $ 200.00 for that Kit.
Cheap Kits are just that, Cheap, and usually dont last long.

Do you own a Mig Welder? (I do.)

Do you own Oxygen/Acetylene Gas Tanks and the Torches? (I do.)

Do you own a Lencospot Mark II Spot Welder? (I do.)
Nice to have in Custon Fab work.
Do you own a Plasma Cutter? (I don't.)
Nice to have cutting metal parts and pieces out with alot less Distortion.

Do you already own all the basic and not so basic of Bodyman Tools? (I do.)

Add at least some of these tools costs into doing the job yourself if you don't already have them.
(This really is NOT a DIY type of Custom Job to do.)

Some guys have complained about transition on the sides of the HHR quarter panels. In past threads about this Kit.

But it IS a "Bolt On" Kit. A Non Destructive Kit, meaning you could take them Off and put the OEM tail lights back in at any time.

Thats the price you pay with a "Kit" like these. You could take it to another level, and rework them and mold them in seamlessly, but thats alot of work to do so. Added labor cost if you can't do it yourself.
And you can't easily remove them at trade in time.

Maybe, in the Future when my Panel is in need of a complete repaint, I would do that, But I can live with them as is for now.

As I have always said, this is NOT a "Mod" for everyone, it IS a Costly one, no matter what route someone took to achieve a project like this, weather it's '55 Chevy tail lights added, or some other cars tail lights added in this fashion.

Over the past 2 years since I have been around here, the subject of these '55 Chevy kit tail lights has come up a few times.

Some, whom I believe have absolutly NO idea what they are talking about, have commented on the quarter panel transition and the Cost of the Kit. Saying, that they would just buy the Metal Parts and custom mold them on the car for alot less.

NOT gonna happen! Unless you already have a '55 Chevy sitting in the back yard that your willing to cut off both tail light and quarter panel sections off of it.

I really don't think they ever bothered to go check the actual cost of reproduction 55-57 Chevy car parts and just started commenting outta their a**es not having a clue what the actual Cost would be to do them as a Total Custom job. VS. the cost of the Bolt On Kit offered. That Can be fully custom installed if so desired.

Yes it is costly, but when do the actual research and find out what all is actually involved to accomplish a project like this, the Kit comes out way Less in costs, no matter which install approach you choose to do.

If someone wanted to blend it in seamlessly, starting with this Kit even at Full Retail, you are still ahead in Savings.

Source for the "55 Chevy Parts comes from- Ecklers Classic Chevy.
http://www.classicchevy.com/catalogs...5&q=&x=46&y=17


The Pre Made Kit Cost at DanDeCar (the acual owner/maker)



Primed Only Complete Assemby Kit: $1275.00 Shipped.

Custom Painted Complete Assembly Kit: $1475.00 Shipped.

You can ADD ON some Extras if you wanted.

I got a Custom Pre Painted Kit due to it being a Cancelled order sitting on the shelf in the shipping box for about a year.- $935.00 Shipped, a ONE time deal. Luckily, it so happened to be in BLACK. I SAVED $540.00 buying Direct. It even Includes a Install DVD, and a complete Install kit with the Tools and other install stuff in it.

As anyone can clearly see here, this Kit, isnt all that bad when you consider the Costs of doing it on your own Completetly Custom in metal.

These Kits, can be Permanently Mounted and fully Smoothed into the HHR Body, if you wanted to do so. And for Alot Less than buying Steel.

3M makes some Body Adhesives that are used just for this type of Bonding, before you do your fiberglass and finishing bondo work.

With all my years as a body and fender man, and auto painter, I would not do it in metal unless they sold just the upper corners of the quarter panel to build the light housing area to start with. It would Still be a hell of ALOT of work and effort.

I was planning on wrapping my own '55 Chevys quarter panels in saran wrap and try making my own in fiberglass but after talking with Dan, and getting the one time price on a set he had laying in wait, it was not worth all the extra work for what I got my Kit for.


Now I am just waiting for mine to arrive.