4x4 Chevy HHR Panel

6 minute(s) of a 51 minute read

It has been over four months since update!  I never stopped working on the project, just slowed down - normal household life stuff got in the way. I did paint the Blazer chassis back to black.  Sold the white HHR panel - to fund the 4x4 project.  Oh and the orange one and the 48 Chevy truck cab to a happy guy who just had a tree limb fall on his!

Talking about tree limbs - and since I promised last year I would do it this year - I trimmed house side limbs off a giant tree so it doesn't fall on the house in a storm...

And then while I had all the chainsaws goiong - I cut another giant tree (and two smaller ones) that have been in the way too many years! I developed this climbing technique over the years - not fast, but gets the job done!   Hey Y'all!  (my first job in '72 was tree trimming!)

And I might as well stain the deck and a 100 other life stuff things we all gotta do to get back to the project!

And in between I did more cutting and fitting and welding stuff on the 4x4 HHR.   Figured out master cylinder, steering location - ordered stainless tilt column. After seeing that a full restored to very nice 1948 populated dashboard and A/C heat was going to cost a lot (about $2000!), I decided to do another side project as a fundraiser.  No reason to waste all the HHR knowledge I gained this year!  Brat XL brought home a $1200 2007 HHR with a blown motor (only 120K miles) but otherwise looking good from Corning, Arkansas.  

A company was getting rid of NEW HHR motors on ebay - $1450 shipped!  I took a chance it wasn't a scam - (it wasn't) so Brat hauled home a brand new chevy 2.2 HHR motor from the trucking depot in Little Rock - I think the whole company shut down to look at the Brat!  It happens a lot.  I make sure to always be understanding, courteous, and never refuse to open the hood - even when I am busy!   Note: Brat is really my daily driver.  8500 miles this year!  Hoping to put in a new zero hour 5.7 before too long!

After installing the new motor - working transmission issues, brakes, battery, cleaning (rats nest under the hood - a freaking condominum - and chewed wires!) and all the stuff we do to our cars to make them reliable, it was ready to go.  Only I kind of like it, new motor helps.  So, it will stay around a while, a least until Brat gets repowered next year!

Finally back full time on the 4x4 HHR project.  Winter is coming!  Time to paint!  All the fabricating is done! It is a fact - you can fit a front ways motor in a sideways motor hole if you are hard headed enough and don't mind a whole bunch of cutting and welding and hammering! I moved the battery tray from back to right fender.  The ECM will go under passenger seat.

Since the turquoise HHR needed a new windshield and so did the 4x4 HHR project (stone chips) I got the windshield guy to pull it while he was here replacing the other one.  It made sanding and painting much easier!  So I sanded, and sanded (you know the routine!) until I didn't want to anymore and then shot some very easy to paint synthetic enamel olive drab paint.  I like it, never sure until I see it!

Finally - it was time to mount the body!  I had already moved the Blazer chassis body mounts to fit the HHR - six bolts are through the HHR body and the four front one's use the original HHR sub-frame mount bolt holes and bolts. I am using the HHR fuel tank and door.   I like the way it looks - thank goodness!

Most of the upper firewall metal was formerly Blazer roof!  The small section with the holes for steering, brakes, throttle, are original Blazer - and all of the lower section.  I cut it is quarters to fit. There is room to pull the distributor - although you would not want to often! The seat mount was trimmed to fit and welded back in - easier to use HHR seats - they are common.  And I got to keep the HHR emergency brake - I just have to redo the other ends to mate with the Blazer brakes.

Well, that catches me up to September 2021.  I sent the ECM for programming and ordered a custom 4.3 stand alone harness and a 21 circuit interior harness.  It will be wired like the Brat...OMG, that almost made me crazy!  I sprayed the doors and fenders this morning.  Will assemble the body for the final two coats of OD.  I am undecided right now but leaning towards a camo paint job, or camo panels in the back - to break it up some.  I have done several boats - making mylar patterns, etc.  I gotta think on it - where's my bucket?