Wyoming 65 GS Restoration

[nut465gs]

Dwaine and Brian,

Here's the build sheet that I also found between the inner and outer fender on the passenger's side. It was a Kansas City built car. I photo copied the original and then high lighted the codes in red ink on that copy. I could not make out all the codes as it was quite deteriorated. I laminated the original.

John Egel

[Brian]

I did mine in a similar fashion, but with a couple of key differences that made it alot easier.
 1. Remove the front fenders, hood, and inner fenders
  2.  Jack the whole car up as high as you can with the tallest jackstands you can get
 3.  Take a portable engine hoist (cherry picker as some call it) and using two straps with hooks on each end, lift the front of the body up off the frame by hooking the two straps to the hook on the hoist, then run one to one of the rectangular holes at the bottom of the firewall where the body mount bolts go in, and the other to the opposite side.  Just put the hooks in the rectangular hole--it is thicker metal than the rest of the firewall and will support the weight of the body with no problem.
 4.  Once in the air, fashing a 4x4 to fit under the front mount points of the body and make it long enough to hang out each side of the body at least 12".  I had to do some carving on my 4x4 with the chain saw to make some relief on one side to clear the drivers foot well.  
  5.  Go to the back with the engine hoist and lift it up with the two straps using the braces at each rear corner inside the truck that support the rear panel (the braces that have the little piece on top that the rubber bump stops on the bottom of the trunk lid hit on when you close the trunk lid).  
  6.  Use another4x4 the same length as the front one and build a structure on top of it using some 2x4s that will rearch up to the rear body mounts where you can bolt it to the body mount points.  Have to do that so the 4x4 will clear under the lower rear quarter panels.   You can then build a structure around the two 4x4s to hold the body up .  Once supported, you can then lower the frame to the ground with your floor jack and roll it out from under the car.

[nut465gs]

Brian,

I forgot to mention that I also notched the front 4x4 to fit securely. I also forgot that I had to nail wood blocks to the rear 4x4 under the body mounts to clear the rear quarter sheet metal. All in all, it was quite a simple process once you think it through and take your time. Hope this helps, Dwaine.

John Egel

[Weldar]

Thanks to all for the feedback.

John - My car is also Kansas City built but my Build Sheet is certainly not as legible. Any idea about the number codes with typed letter identifiers?

Dwaine

[nut465gs]

Dwaine,

I have no idea what they mean. Perehaps Jon T. or Brian might have a clue.

John Egel

[Weldar]

We have lift off in Wyoming! Had several days off but spent to much time eating and watching football - By the way Go Huskers!, and finally got to it this afternoon. Broke my left little finger dinkin around with the floor jack last Wed. so that kinda slowed my down as well. Took diagonal reference measurements between the body and frame in the front to aid in reassembly.

Went fairly well, but had to grind off both body bolts that are close to the rear wheels. Will work on getting it blocked up after I finish helping the wife with the Christmas tree.

[nut465gs]

Dwaine,

Looks like you're making good progress.  I forgot to mention that the body to frame bushings are not all the same. Keep track of which ones are different and which ones have a shorter bolt.

John Egel

[Weldar]

The frame is rolled out and in the other garage stall. It was not a pretty exercise and I will definitely invest in tire skates when putting it back under. Also, got to looking at the gas tank a little closer and found a bunch of pin holes so....

Well, have some business travel coming up and then Christmas so everyone have a very merry Christmas and don't forget the reason for the season.

[Weldar]

Removed the engine from the frame, bolted into a stand and have it down to the crankshaft. Don't see anything major but don't have the mics to look closer. Will leave that to the shop.

Have several areas of heavy silver build up (on top of heads in the back and in areas above the camshaft) kinda like a real thick anti-seize. Machine shop says that it is tetra ethyl lead build up and I should keep it off my hands - I have since they told me. Anybody ever here of this before? Also had the exhaust crossover burn through and looks like the motor was intaking an unhealthy dose of exhaust.

Kinda thought the serial number code next to the LR stamp would match the vin or cowl tag in some manner. Is it supposed to?

[Brian]

That number will not match the VIN, but it you look to the right of it (driver side of block) on that same front machined edge, there will be a number that matches the last portion of the VIN.  Should start with 5, then have a letter denoting the mfg. plant, then a series of numbers that are the sequence number part of the VIN.

[Loren At 65GS]

It's good to see someone making progress on a project.
Brian is correct about the vin #. As he stated, it is directly across from what you have pictured,on the driver side of the block.
Keep up the progress and don't forget to include us. I'm fairly certain that many of us enjoy the updates.
Loren

[Mark Ascher]

I definitely enjoy the updates. Keep them coming!

Mark

[Weldar]

Thanks for the encouragement. The hard money part of the work is coming soon.

The only other markings on this surface are what can be made out faintly just to the right. Can kinda, sorta make out a 5 but nothing else is there. There are random, individual numbers stamped into the valve lifter cover sealing along each side. 7,5,7,8,6 but these don't match anything on the vin. Probably not a big deal and maybe when the block gets cleaned up better I'll see something else.

[WkillGS]

At least the 'LR' engine code is correct for a GS.
The '448' stamped next to it is the production code. The best definition I've heard, is that it is the shift number on which the engine was built. A '001 would be the first shift of the first day of production of the '65 model year... around August 1964.
With 2 shifts per day, a '448' was made approx 224 days into the production year......roughly March 1965.
When was your car built? The date code is in the upper left of the cowl tag.
BTW, I'm fairly certain it was the ROA pres that posted what the  production # means.
If you have the warranty booklet/ protecto plate for the car, that engine # would be stamped on it as well.

You could also look for date codes on the various engine castings.

I enjoy your update as well. Keep 'em coming!

[Weldar]

Walt, Thanks. The Protect-o-Plate matches the block number. The date code is 04D, but have not researched what this means. What is "ROA pres"

Well, one of the reasons I love western Wyoming is the fact that there are not many people (not to mention the winter elk herd in the canyon I live in), the flip side is there are no machine shops that have worked on a nailhead in close proximity or for that matter any that I'm at all familiar with. So, I've loaded up the block, heads, crank, etc and we are off to SW Nebraska to visit my parents in the morning. Will deliver the motor to the local, reputable machine shop while there. A little apprehensive about it because of various posts here and elsewhere cautioning about not using a machine shop unless they have extensive nailhead experience. Being a practical man I have to play the hand I'm dealt, so....wish me luck. I have been doing my research on the various considerations and have shared my concern with the owner and I believe it will be OK. I'll post some pics of the drop off (kinda feel like one of my kids is leaving the house for the first time and no longer under my control).

One question I have is whether the flex plate is unique to the motor or can any replacement be used? The gear teeth are worn significantly in a few spots which may be OK anyway. Understand that it needs to be correctly installed to ensure proper balance but is there more to it then that?