El Paso to LA in a Catalina

From Hot Rod magazine, a trip from El Paso, Texas to Los Angeles, California on $1,500--including the Car, a Pontiac Catalina:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=NOYlloxcRZA

Axels Are Out, Posi Is In

After jacking up the back-end and putting the car on car stands, removing the brake drums and the four bolts holding on the backing plate, I pulled the axles.  The driver's side required only a couple of slight taps outward--which is fortunate because there is little clearance to tap outward..  The passenger side required the use of a sliding hammer to break the 31 spline axle loose from the differential.  Came out pretty slick.  I took the axles to a friend to remove the old bearings, and press on new ones. 

With the Axles out, I removed the open 3.08 diff..  It looked like new inside.  These Pontiac rear-ends are heavy.  One can see why they were so popular for racing and dragging.    They are super simple to swap out, once you know what you're doing.

I cleaned up all of the surfaces where future gaskets (supplied by Fabcraft) will go.  I hoisted the rebuilt Posi 3.64 up, with new gasket and RTV already in place--almost dropping it--and got it installed.  A true sense of accomplishment.  Next step: replace the axle bearing seals, get the axles back and popped in, and reinstall the brakes still assembled on the backing plates. 

Rear Sway Bar On, Now Time for the Axles & Posi

Work on the front of the car has reached an impasse (need to find rubber sheeting to pattern replacement splash gaskets).  Moved to the back of the car.  Jacked up and removed the rear tires, drilled holes for and installed the carriage bolts (3 1/2" X 3/8" Grade 5) previously mocked up for the rear sway bar upper brackets, and started to work my way towards removing the rear axles to replace the Open 3.08 with the replacement 3.64 Posi-Traction unit (shown painted above with some red POR 15 I had laying around).  Need to get a slide hammer to get the axles out.  I'll replace the rear bearings, though the 50 year old ones seem to have held up well.  Also have to look at new wheel studs--to be safe, they need to be about 1/2" longer for the steel Cadillac rims that adorn the rear. 

Also time to start throwing all stuff out.  As soon as I remove the old speedometer and knobs, I'll be tossing out the old corroded dash shown above.

Great Show at the Pabst

Hairlines change, but great songs never do.  Below is a video from Peter Frampton's recent show at the Historic Pabst Theater.  Great concert by an incredibly tight band.  Thanks to Peter for allowing autographs back stage after the show, bringing the waiting fans in from the cold outside.  He's really a good guy, and an incredible guitar player: Frampton at the Pabst

A Painted Piece, On the Car

A painted piece, on the car.  Pure exilaration and sense of accomplishment:

Pontiac Body & Chassis Torque

Recently picked up a 1964 Pontiac Inspector's Guide (Printed 12-19-63).  This 56 page pocket-sized Guide contains a wealth of information difficult to find elsewhere.  Ever wonder about Body and Chassis Torque specifications?  It has them:

Suggestion:  Ever see one of these for your car at a swap meet or online, pick one up.

Dwight & Buck in A Big Pontiac Singing a Cash Tune-Does it get any better?

Taking a clue from Roy Rogers '63 Bonneville, here's Dwight Yoakam and Buck Owens in a Big Ol' Pontiac:  Folsom Prison Blues

Spring's Coming--Let's Drive & Groove

Ten Hours Worth of Driving Music as Recommended by My 9 Year Old Son Right Here:

Ten Hours of Music to Drive To

Two Great Names and Great News Concerning Indy Racing at the Milwaukee Mile

As reported on JSOnline this evening, it sounds as if Indy Racing WILL return to the Milwaukee Mile this summer:

By Dave Kallmann of the Journal Sentinel

Feb. 10, 2012 5:02 p.m. | A Michael Andretti-backed group led by a former AirTran official will promote the return of IndyCar racing to the Milwaukee Mile this year.
Andretti Sports Management announced its entree into race promotion Friday, saying the race would be held on the Saturday of Father's Day weekend, June 16.
Kevin Healy, who was senior vice president of marketing and planning for AirTran, will serve as managing director of Milwaukee IndyFest.
The Friday-Saturday weekend is to include entertainment beyond the race itself on the grounds of State Fair Park.

This is GREAT news!

UPDATE: It seems like it's a done deal, but maybe isn't: SpeedTV  Can only hope.

Be On The Lookout for Pabst Vandalism

Tagger spotted at Pabst: Pabst Vandal

It's In, Finally

The Heating/AC stuff is finally in.  Turned out fantastic, once I got the new heater box from John in Texas.

Before box:

After heater box:

With duct work in:

Installed engine monitoring system (AKA the gauges that came with the car):



Finally, the Sway Bar is Mocked Up

The rear sway bar is finally mocked up into place.  It required the welding of some adapter plates, which, like everything, took over a year to accomplish.  Many thanks to Aaron for stopping by and helping.

After a little grinding, cleaned right up

Drilled, mounted and mocked up

Next step is to drill the frame rails, get some Grade 5 carriage bolts, and finish installation.  Will have to paint the bar, too.

Speaking of Aaron, he shared a couple pictures of a car he inherited not so long ago--a '49 Straight 8 Pontiac Silver Streak Streamliner (Streamliners were fastbacks; Chieftains were notchbacks).  Below is how he found it, and after dusting it off.  He tells me that he changed the fluids, replaced the fuel and brake lines, and some other consumables, and she fired right up.  Clearly, a tribute to the power of the Darkside.  Beautiful car designed under the legendary Harley Earl, the car also boasted 106 or so horsepower.





How To Tell Rear-End Ratio

Ever wonder how to tell what gear ratio is actually in a Pontiac rear pumpkin, and if it is a Posi-Traction?

Check the end of the axle, or the pumpkin, for a paint daub. 

Paint daubs on the pumpkin and on the rear axle flanges. If posi, it will have a green daub in addition to a color daub that identifies the ratio. The green daub on the pumpkin is usually near the oil fill hole, and the color daub is more up on the snout near the pinion yoke.

These are the paint codes:

Gray - 2.56
Red - 2.69
Orange - 2.87
Yellow - 3.08
Brown - 3.23
White - 3.42
Blue - 3.64
None - 3.90

Green, in addition to an above, is Posi.  No Green, it's open.

The yellow daub in the center below signifies a 3.08 open rear end.  Pretty easy.

And (Slow) Progress Continues

Progress on the engine continues: new Carter fuel pump, oil filter adapter and fittings for senders, heater bypass valve, PVC, copper exhaust manifold gaskets and manifold installation, and AC compressor and brackets in place. 

Inside the car, getting the heater/AC duct work to all work has been a big issue.  The original heater box itself had been damaged (it looks like at the factory at the time of manufacturing).  The underdash vent unit was cracked and damaged, and the chrome vents were corroded beyond restoration.  Thanks to some forum members, I managed to find a  replacement heater/AC box from a '64 Grand Prix in Texas, and a vent unit out of a blue '63 Catalina from Arizona.  The box hasn't arrived, yet--I'm hoping there were not any changes from one model year to the next.  I've rehabbed the vent unit by repairing a small crack, buffing up the chrome, and painting black.  Just a lot of time-consuming, putzy stuff.
From John in Texas:

And from Mark in Arizona (extra radiator core will come in handy as a spare-my car's original was pressure tested locally and looks good):

How the vent turned out:



Under the car, I have placed new fuel supply and return lines, and new brake lines.  Haven't fitted them perfectly, yet.

Over the next month or two, hope to get the heater/AC components installed, get the distributor properly in, and put on an Edelbrock 750 cfm carburetor with linkages, etc.  Really want to get that engine in the car and off of the stand.

Concurrently, I want to finish off the lines under the car, weld the gussets for the rear sway bar and get that thing installed, and then pull the axles to replace the bearings and to get the 3.64 posi unit installed.  This unit was completely rebuilt, put into a car only to have an engine blow.  I'll have to clean it up and paint it. 

And somewhere in between, I have to get to Boston to pick up a 4-speed set-up that I bought way too long ago.  So much to do, and so little time.

Bossa Nova Grand Prix

The Bossa Nova beat of Antonio Carlos Jobim is featured in this 1963 Pontiac Grand Prix Ad:
Pretty Hip Pontiac

1963 Grand Prix Ad Featuring Cesar Romero

While we may not know it, we all know Cesar Romero who appeared in this 1963 Pontiac Grand Prix Ad: Cesar Romero Ad  Of course, Cesar is probably best remembered as The Joker in Batman.

Close to You

I have to admit that Richard Carpenter of The Carpenters singing duo never struck me as a car guy.  I was wrong.  He has a wonderful collection of great cars, including this Cordovan Brown 1963 Grand Prix with less than 20,000 miles on her: Richard Carpenter's Grand Prix  The entire inventory of his collection can be found here: Richard Carpenter Car Collection

Jeannie was a Darksider

Pontiacs and Jeannie's: What could be better?

I Dream of Jeannie in a Ponitac
And More Jeannie in a Pontiac

"The Oldsmobiles are in early this year."

What and where is the Dixie Square Mall?

From the newswire: 
Dixie Square Mall to Be Demolished, Finally

Originally opened in 1966, the Dixie Square Mall in Harvey, Illinois was a great place to shop:
http://dixiesquare.webs.com/
Pleasant Family Shopping Blog
Ghosts of Dixie Square

Of course, a famous car chase scene with Jake and Elwood immortalized the place:
Dixie Square Mall Chase Scene, Harvey Illinois

TRIVIA: What was the Blues Brothers' license plate number?:  Illinois BDR 529; Registered address 1060 West Addison.  Do the numbers have any significance?  The letters & numbers in the license plate refer to a bike club in Dan Aykroyd's home turf of Toronto, the "Black Diamond Riders".  The clubhouse was located at that city's 529 Jarvis Street

Let's Make a Deal!

While mostly 70's stuff, this compilation of Pontiacs on "Let's Make a Deal" sure brings back memories:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhJ6baUjXQs&feature=youtu.be

Imagine buying a new car for $3,300?