65GS.com - Buick Gran Sport Enthusiasts!
Announcements => New Members / Bio's => Topic started by: paul massicotte on April 16, 2013, 09:08:36 PM
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Wanted to stop by and introduce myself. Some may recognize me from v8buick. I have a 66 GS I've been slowly bringing back to life. Here are some current photos:
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8103/8655968629_a511d5a566_b.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/paulmass/8655968629/)
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/paulmass/8655941023/](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8103/8655941023_f78dd5314a_b.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/paulmass/8655968629/)
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/paulmass/8657041306/](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8102/8657041306_ff74cfe12d_b.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/paulmass/8655941023/)
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/paulmass/8655934339/](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8101/8655934339_bbe209f6e5_b.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/paulmass/8657041306/)
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/paulmass/8655934339/)
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(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8108/8657081302_52068b5d60_b.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/paulmass/8657081302/)
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/paulmass/8657082796/](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8120/8657082796_092644511c_b.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/paulmass/8657081302/)
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/paulmass/8655949929/](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8104/8655949929_7e62267005_b.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/paulmass/8657082796/)
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/paulmass/8655949929/)
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Welcome! Glad to see more members with a 66. I have a 66 Skylark (not GS) that I have owned for 27 years. My grandfather bought it new.
Tell us more about your car--where did you find it, what options are on it, what are your restoration plans for it? Looks like you are replacing the cowl section of the body?
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Great to see you signed up Paul! I agree with Brian, we need more 66 owners here. :icon_biggrin:
Car looks much better without that horrendous blue paint, the original silver is one of my favorites on a '66. :thumbsup:
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Thanks Walt. Hopefully I can gain some knowledge here, and bring something to the table as I'm going through this car.
Brian- Short version of the story is that I found this car in Nevada in 2008. Had been sitting since 1983. I got it running out there and had it transported back to Mass. I quickly tore through it and started the frame off. It's funny how easily they come apart, but fail to go back together as quickly.
So I painted and went through the chassis in 2009 and everything looked great. I put the body on 4X4 posts on top of the frame so I could paint the underside in the fall, but the car sat outside through the winter with a ton of snow on it, and the rockers got crushed. I realized this too late and stored the car in the cellar of a barn which, given the moisture and dampness, destroyed all the work I did on the chassis and actually rusted more than the car did sitting in the desert for 26 years.
So fast forward to 2012, and I've bought a house with a garage where I can properly go through the car again.
I've stripped the paint and started to realize that the quarters are shot, and the windshield channel up to and including the dash (up to the vents) disappeared when I wire wheeled it. So I decided to cut the cowl out of a Skylark in San Jose, so I can replace the dash completely and use the windshield channel as well.
There was a lot of bondo in this car which didn't show at first. Seeing as the owner was 65 when she bought the car, it makes sense. She hit everything but the lottery in this car.
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Welcome Paul, keep the posts coming. It's always a pleasure to see someones progress with their project.
Loren
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Welcome Paul! I think this is the first 66 build up on the board.
Mark
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Thanks Mark. I'll be sure to add photos as I go along.
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Been busy working on this thing for the past two months. Been working backwards as I needed to get the chassis done so I can get it to the body shop as a roller. I've also been stripping and painting as much as I can in an effort to keep body shop labor and materials down.
Here's some progress shots. The body went back on the frame tonight for the first time in four years.
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f229/bigblock4speed/IMG_14341_zps5ac48419.jpg) (http://s48.photobucket.com/user/bigblock4speed/media/IMG_14341_zps5ac48419.jpg.html)
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f229/bigblock4speed/IMG_1801_zpsb5fd7dad.jpg) (http://s48.photobucket.com/user/bigblock4speed/media/IMG_1801_zpsb5fd7dad.jpg.html)
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f229/bigblock4speed/IMG_1802_zps463320fd.jpg) (http://s48.photobucket.com/user/bigblock4speed/media/IMG_1802_zps463320fd.jpg.html)
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f229/bigblock4speed/IMG_1806_zpsbf14c47e.jpg) (http://s48.photobucket.com/user/bigblock4speed/media/IMG_1806_zpsbf14c47e.jpg.html)
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f229/bigblock4speed/IMG_1807_zpsd93002ce.jpg) (http://s48.photobucket.com/user/bigblock4speed/media/IMG_1807_zpsd93002ce.jpg.html)
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f229/bigblock4speed/IMG_1808_zpsb6b9b9f9.jpg) (http://s48.photobucket.com/user/bigblock4speed/media/IMG_1808_zpsb6b9b9f9.jpg.html)
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f229/bigblock4speed/IMG_1697_zpsb4d1be32.jpg) (http://s48.photobucket.com/user/bigblock4speed/media/IMG_1697_zpsb4d1be32.jpg.html)
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f229/bigblock4speed/IMG_1699_zps50ee4bc9.jpg) (http://s48.photobucket.com/user/bigblock4speed/media/IMG_1699_zps50ee4bc9.jpg.html)
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f229/bigblock4speed/IMG_1700_zpsfacd366d.jpg) (http://s48.photobucket.com/user/bigblock4speed/media/IMG_1700_zpsfacd366d.jpg.html)
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f229/bigblock4speed/IMG_1744_zps75e2fe8b.jpg) (http://s48.photobucket.com/user/bigblock4speed/media/IMG_1744_zps75e2fe8b.jpg.html)
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f229/bigblock4speed/IMG_1747_zpsd258c8dd.jpg) (http://s48.photobucket.com/user/bigblock4speed/media/IMG_1747_zpsd258c8dd.jpg.html)
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Looking good Paul!
Getting the body back on the frame is a big step. I consider that point being 'over the hump', with much of the upcoming work being paint and reassembly.
You've almost caught up where I am with my silver '66.....I took a break from that project for a couple of years. Time for me to get back on it!
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Paul, just curious how you plan to fix the crushed rocker panel on the body. Are you going to cut a rocker out of another car to repair it, or have you found a source for repro rockers?
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Paul, just curious how you plan to fix the crushed rocker panel on the body. Are you going to cut a rocker out of another car to repair it, or have you found a source for repro rockers?
Brian,
I've asked guys parting out 66's if they'd cut rockers out of parts cars. Most guys have passed, as they'd risk hacking the quarters. So my plan is to buy repro rockers from Autobody Specialties when I head down to their store in CT.
I'd like to see the repro rockers before I buy them, as they list stamped and hand formed outers and I'm curious how they look.
It's a shame that it happened. The rest of the rockers are so solid and the inners could probably be hammered and dollied back into shape, but there's no hope for the outers.
My body guy says he should be able to cut out the bad sections.
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Paul,
Not sure if you have realized this yet or not, but the factory rockers on the 66 are galvanized--that is why you never see rusted out rockers on these cars. Problem with that is it makes them a major pain to weld. I split two bodies in half once and welded together to make one good one. Hardest part of the welding was the rockers because of the galvanization on the metal. I am guessing the reproduction one will not be galvanized, so make sure you coat the inside of it with some of that weld-thru primer before you welded it together so it won't rust on the inside sometime in the future.
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Brian,
I saw that the inner rockers are galvanized. I was not aware of the welding issues with the galvanized metal. I will definitely use the weld through primer. Thank you for the heads up!
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A concern about welding galvanized metal is the gases given off are harmfull to breath. The galvanizing can be chemically treated to allow welding. Don't recall with what though, been a long time.
Loren
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Welding galvanized metal= hazardous fumes. I just grind off the galv coating before welding.
Paul, are the rockers beyond repair? One suggestion is welding/brazing on some pull tabs, applying heat to the damaged area, and pulling the damage out.
I tried to pull some minor deformation out of my rockers using a stud gun and slide hammer, but it's thick metal....It'll need some heat to soften the metal.
I'll take a look at a floor section I have and see if the rockers are salvageable. I'd recommend used originals over hand-formed repro's anyday...
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Walt, I think they're too far gone to try and reshape. If you could let me know about cutting them out that would be awesome.
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Unauthorized link to more info-history-pics on this project.
http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.php?169526-I-feel-like-Jason-Cook (http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.php?169526-I-feel-like-Jason-Cook)!!-I-m-bringing-home-a-66-GS!
That second page was a hoot.
Mark
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Thanks for posting the link Mark. I hadn't gone back and re-read the thread before. Man, where has the four years gone since I brought it home? Hopefully it goes back together in the next 4 years!
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Well after several delays and a few months past my original goal, the car is finally off to the body shop. A fellow Buick guy will be doing the body work.
I dropped the car off a few weeks ago, and went to Autobody Specialties in CT to pick up new rockers and a trunk floor. We're not sure if the whole outer rocker will be replaced or cut and sectioned. I did express my concerns over the galvanized metal issue.
All told, he's anticipating the car being in paint by the winter which would be great. Here are some photos of the day it left the garage.
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f229/bigblock4speed/IMG_1992_zps7d3deec5.jpg) (http://s48.photobucket.com/user/bigblock4speed/media/IMG_1992_zps7d3deec5.jpg.html)
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f229/bigblock4speed/IMG_1996_zpse0d866fe.jpg) (http://s48.photobucket.com/user/bigblock4speed/media/IMG_1996_zpse0d866fe.jpg.html)
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f229/bigblock4speed/IMG_2053_zps2a7ae006.jpg) (http://s48.photobucket.com/user/bigblock4speed/media/IMG_2053_zps2a7ae006.jpg.html)
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f229/bigblock4speed/IMG_2054_zps82785a6f.jpg) (http://s48.photobucket.com/user/bigblock4speed/media/IMG_2054_zps82785a6f.jpg.html)
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f229/bigblock4speed/IMG_2055_zpsac551a6c.jpg) (http://s48.photobucket.com/user/bigblock4speed/media/IMG_2055_zpsac551a6c.jpg.html)
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f229/bigblock4speed/IMG_2056_zps1a9b3156.jpg) (http://s48.photobucket.com/user/bigblock4speed/media/IMG_2056_zps1a9b3156.jpg.html)
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f229/bigblock4speed/IMG_2058_zps39717777.jpg) (http://s48.photobucket.com/user/bigblock4speed/media/IMG_2058_zps39717777.jpg.html)
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Looks like a good project Paul!
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Thanks Jim. As is the case with many of these projects, there hasn't really been any movement on it over at the body shop. I had one car in front of mine and that car is still there. Hopefully I'll have it back by the spring.
In the meantime, I'll be in the garage at home stripping and painting parts...
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Still working on small things here and there. There hasn't been any movement at the body shop which was to be expected to some degree.
Had the original wheels, core support and inner fenders blasted. They all came out great. Here are some shots of the 1966 GS steel wheels. I was told these were GS specific and not the same as the Skylarks.
Not sure if the 65s were the same?
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f229/bigblock4speed/IMG_3300_zps07611764.jpg) (http://s48.photobucket.com/user/bigblock4speed/media/IMG_3300_zps07611764.jpg.html)
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f229/bigblock4speed/IMG_3299_zpsdfdd346e.jpg) (http://s48.photobucket.com/user/bigblock4speed/media/IMG_3299_zpsdfdd346e.jpg.html)
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The difference with the steel wheels is the GS cars all came with the 7.75-14 tire size, which automatically gets you the 6" wide rims. The smaller size tires were standard on the special and skyalrk, and they came with 5" wide rims. My '66 was ordered with the 7.75-14 tires and it came with the same 6" steel rims. My grandfather bought the car new and wrote in the owners manual that he got the 7.75-14 tires on it. I have since put the chrome road wheels on it, but still have the steel wheels--put all 5 of them on my '64 and it makes the tires look better on it than the 5" ones it came with.
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Thanks for the clarification and specifics of the wheel difference. I think I'm going to have these painted black and mounted on the current G78-14 equivalent sized tires. I have a clean set of the spinner hubcaps that were taken off a car in 1968-9 to go on these, but I'm undecided whether to run the hubcaps or go with the road wheels.
The 14" road wheels just look better on these cars, so I've been collecting all the 813 and 810 wheels I can find to get a really nice set. I'll probably end up having a set mounted for both looks.
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If you want an original G78-14 Goodyear Polyglass tire in perfect condition, I can set you up. I have one I found in the trunk of a car 20 years ago that was a spare and was brand new. I had it in my '66 as the spare for a long time, then I started showing with AACA where all 5 tires have to match, so it has been in the shed ever since. Would love to get it out of there if you want it!
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Thanks for the offer Brian. I may take you up on the offer when the car gets closer to being finished.