Just Because

Just because Kenny Wayne Shepard announced an upcoming Pabst Theater performance, and the weather is nice:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6N4WbXRu-c&feature=player_embedded

"Pontiacs No More"

Heard a great little tune today on Public Radio called "Pontiacs No More" by a local folk guy named John Stano. Great song, especially the lyrics reminiscing about the '60 Ventura.

http://www.johnstano.com/index.html

A Banjo King Grand Prix

Found out who bought the Grand Prix originally (hint above). More later.

Almost Have A Front Suspension

A little motivation, a little help from my friend Greg, and the kids distracted in the house, and the front suspension is almost done. The rusty, grimy, 47 year past has been refurbished and reinvigorated. All new ball joints, tie rods, shocks (GM NOS Pleasureriders), coil springs from Eaton Spring, bushings, centerlink, and rebuilt steering gearbox from Lares make for something looking almost new. The coil springs were a challenge, but with the right spring compressor, and a lot of trial and error, finally got those puppies in.
The wheel wells and radiator support, after being acid dipped, are getting black chassis paint at the body shop--as is the dash and steering column in gloss black. Once the front end is wrapped up, I'll move to the rear end and swap out the pumkin. The 3.64 Posi should be a nice improvement over the 3.08 open. In the process I'll have to pull the axles and replace the bearings and seals. Also have to weld the gussets for the rear sway bar so that I can get that thing on. Going to be making a road trip to the Boston area to pick up the complete 4-speed (Borg Warner T-10) setup I purchased out of a low mileage '63 Grand Prix donor car (embarassingly) over 2 years ago.

A Day in Chicago

Recently had a couple of hours to pass in Chicago while my wife was at a trade show (I was her ride). Beyond the excitement of driving on Wabash under the "L" (the scene of the famous Blues Brothers high speed chase scene), stumbled across a couple of things that were cool.

The first was the "End" (or the beginning) of Historic Route 66 marked by a pretty darn non-descript sign. Couldn't help but start mumbling to myself "It winds from Chicago to L.A. ..." In heavy traffic, managed to snap a picture, but clearly had to keep moving on.

What was perhaps even cooler was the discovery of Motor Row on south Michigan Avenue, just west of the new McCormick Place. The area was once home to many car dealers which made there home in beautiful storefronts along the street. Chevrolet, Pierce, Premiere, Hudson, and Cadillac are just of few of the many. Only Joyce Ford remains (See: http://chicago-architecture-jyoti.blogspot.com/2009/09/ford-showrrom-and-dealership-in-motor.html ), and I had the pleasure of having a smoke with one of the salesmen on the sidewalk on the street. He was a wealth of information about the old street, the neighborhood, and the boarded up Club across the street from the dealership.

Seemed like an odd place for car dealerships especially with the narrow storefronts. He noted that most of the buildings still had the car lifts that moved new vehicles to the floors above the showroom. The neighborhood was once to home to famous Chicagoans, Montgomery Ward for one lived a few blocks away on Prarie Street to the east. It was also home to Chess Records (on 22nd & Michigan), the label of many a famous Blues musician. Cars were big status symbols in the day, and many of Chicago's richest shopped the showrooms along the stretch.

The neighborhood was also home to the exclusive Illinois Automobile Club--now boarded up and directly across the street from Joyce. In addition to office space, the Club had an olympic sized indoor pool and large ballroom. Apparently, it was THE place. The weathervane on the Club is still there, and, of course, it has an automobile on it. To learn more about the Motor Row check out this great Blog with lots of great pictures: http://chicago-architecture-jyoti.blogspot.com/2009/09/motor-roiw-historic-district-ii.html

Plugging Along

Can only do bits and pieces at a time, but finally making some progress on the remaining floor pans underneath.

While it is a real bear getting almost 50 years worth of grim off, it's a real sense of accomplishment when it's finally cleaned off. After scraping, degreasing, wire brushing, touching up, rust encapsulating, and priming with red oxide primer, the final "Professional Grade" undercoating goes on. This stuff dries on like fingernail polish. A little more touchup, and on to the front suspension. Donor A-Arms have been acid dipped and red oxide primed. A friend is pressing out the old bushings and pressing in the replacements. Once I get those back, I can compress the coil springs and remove the old and install the new.

It's Out, Finally

Appreciate the time a couple friends took today helping remove the old Slim Jim transmission and 421 powerplant. Engine needs to be freshened up. An original T-10 4 speed from a low mileage 63 GP donor out east will be going back in. On the back side, a 3.64 posi will be replacing the 3.08 open rearend. With all of the big stuff out, I hope to clean, wire brush, encapsulate, and undercoat the remainder of the floor and frame--which is in remarkedly great shape.

17 Seconds of Pure Pontiac Excitement

The wicked laugh at the end sums it up nicely:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-zJ_gDdggk&feature=related

Sadly, this video was found through a Craigslist post that simply stated:

broke the valve in the head and ruined one head one piston and the block selling all the rest of the parts minus the carb everything else will go body parts engine parts rearend seats all of it, let me know what your interested in and ill price it for you. Engine was a 400 stock bore but tons of performance stuff

Very, very SWEET 1964 Catalinas

Sit back and enjoy the sound of built to move 462 Powerplant (with very little imagination, your olfactory senses are enlightened as well):


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZgqNEJLq4A&feature=related


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfDs2C86HkY


And another beautiful '64 Cat:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7j8ss025so&NR=1


And another:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZYQyhBxxQM&feature=related


And the last, a '64 Cat beating her little brother:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIlYVbL4Xc0&NR=1

1963 Swiss Cheese Catalina

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpjEmThal_w

The Final "Good Bye" From Pontiac; Good Buy on a Buick?

Too funny, after publishing the screen shot I got the Google Ad above it. Had to put it in here for posterity

Yeah right, buy a Buick.

Pontiac-Official SHUT DOWN

News from the AP: October 31, 2010 is Pontiac's last day:

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Pontiac-maker-of-muscle-cars-apf-2786184062.html?x=0&sec=topStories&pos=2&asset=&ccode=

http://marketplace.publicradio.org/display/web/2010/11/01/am-gm-contract-with-pontiac-ends-today/

Known for Little Duece Coups and 409's, it's ironic that Carl Wilson (of the Beach Boys) had a '64 Pontiac Grand Prix--similar to the Aqua-colored one that partially graced the Shut Down album. The rumor is that he didn't have it long as he was T-boned driving it home from the dealership.

Only GM could screw up this brand. But, hey, the Chinese like Buicks.

Been a While

Been a while since anything's been posted. Getting to stuff 10-15-20 minutes at a time takes a lot of time to make headway. Even still, managed to replace the front end: idler arm, center-link, tie rods, ball joints. It's a great feeling to get parts on the car that have been sitting on the shelf for a couple of years. Also managed to take off the front wheel wells, radiator support, etc. Next step with this stuff, money permitting, off to acid dipping. Still looking for a good source of rubber (1/16" and 1/8") to replace the odd splash guards and seals. About a month ago, body guy announced with great pride that the doors, trunk lid, hood, cowl, and fenders are all in primer--a beautiful thing. Big project now is to get the A-Arms off, blast, paint, re-bushing. Have the new coil springs and NOS shocks to go on once that is all done.

Pictoral Tribute to Pontiac

A great little pictoral history of Pontiac Motor Division:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahQKd9DrBFY

Old Car Heaven

A Father's Day gift and a Bucket List item checked off: MSRA Back to the 50's Show at the Minnesota State Fair Grounds. For Father's Day this year my family and I took the journey north to St. Paul, Minnesota. Over 11,000 street rods and classic cars graced the Fair Grounds. What was so completely amazing is that there was not a Camaro, Chevelle, GTO, or Mustang present. The Show, and Minnesota Street Rod Association membership, is limited to pre-1965 vehicles. If there is a car heaven, it's the Back to the 50's Show in St. Paul. For more info check out the MSRA site, and make the pilgrimage next year.

Nothing like 60's Advertising

Kids are home today, so a couple of vacation hours to scour the web looking for old, cool Darksider advertising. Ran across these period pieces on YouTube:
1964 Pontiac Grand Prix:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhkjI2Zu3pM&feature=related
The 1963 Pontiacs Introduced on a barge of all places:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gniBwZiUytM&feature=PlayList&p=8180733A3C9E6304&playnext_from=PL&playnext=1&index=31
1962 Pontiac Grand Prix:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQvExYSwbWI
1960 Pontiacs:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixyMNA1jD54&feature=related


Hope to find more to post.

A Firmer Rear-End

Latest project done: Replacing the lower control arms in the back. Found these on EBay, and they fit like a glove. Also found a nice online source for Grade 8 9/16" bolts and hardware (Pointe Products). Great quality, and easily less than half the cost of the local hardware store-even with shipping. These PMT (Performance Muscle Technology) pieces contain poly-bushings, the uppers are adjustable, and the bushings are all greasable. I noticed one of the small brakes lines in the back is leaking. Time to replace those. First, though, need to get the Fabcraft rear sway bar fitted and on. That'll require welding a Fabcraft adapter kit on, and drilling some holes. Need to find someone with a welder for a quick job on the adapter plates. When done, all of this should firm up the rear-end.

Tires Make it Tough

Since the last post, picked up the rims with new Cameo Ivory paint on them; and, mounted and balanced the tires. With the encouragement and help of Benji's friend Annie's Dad Greg, another car guy and Harley Engineer by trade, I swapped out the 8-lug drums on the front with the 5-lug hubs/drums that came from a low mileage Bonneville donor car in Colorado. Many thanks go to Jeff out there for the hassle of removing them from a remote junk yard in what sounded like less than pleasant weather. I replaced the inner and outer bearings and races. The spindles on the car looked great. The brakes themselves looked as good as the back. It is amazing how TOUGH the GP looks with the simple steel wheels with the larger 15" tires. Next step is putting the Fabcraft rear sway bar on. Need to find a stick welder for the adapter kit, drill a few holes, and get that puppy on. From there I'll likely replace the worn suspension and steering components up front. Finally, need to find that contact information for the only source of the rear lower control arm bushings. Greg got me thinking that the tire transformation requires a little more heft under the hood than originally planned. It's been said before, but the wheels and tires make a car and provide its character. It is certainly the case here.

On a Sad Note ...

Curiosity setting in, I wondered if Bill & Rusty's Shell (their oil change sticker was on the driver's side door) was still on York Boulevard in Los Angeles. Thought it might be cool to drive the GP there some day when I "take that California trip on Route 66." The guys were certainly responsible in some small way for the longetivity of this car. Maybe somebody would remember the car. Sadly, it appears that their station is no more, and nothing more than a vacant lot in what looks like a declining neighborhood.

bub-BA It Is

Having a few hours in a row to work on an old car is a wonderful thing. Managed to get the front fenders, cowl, and grille all off. Off to the body shop tomorrow night, then off for a nice bath in acid. The metal all looks decent--no hidden cancerous surprises.

The only surprise was a production line wax crayon marking under the driver's side fender that looks like "bub." The Bonneville is named, of course, 'Big Aqua Bonney.' Could never quite get a name down for the White GP--but think I have one now: "bub-BA".

Next up: Getting the dash out, picking up the painted 5-lug rims to get tires mounted, then on to the front suspension and brakes.