Restoring my Rusty 65 4spd convert from start (and hopefully) to finish

[Robk]

I bought this car in May after about a year long search for a 4spd convertible.  While it is pretty rusty certain parts on the car are in surprisingly good shape. The motor had very little wear.  I paid $3000 for the car which may be too much but it's the only 4spd vert I ever saw.  If I am sucessful with the photo attachments, you see the car as it was delivered, the interior and the project getting under way. The only part that was missing was the carburetor and i now have a nice 3921 which will work.  The last photo of the car with the gold front end is a skylark I bought off of Craigslist for parts.   I now have five nice front fenders in addition to the rusty ones that came with my GS.  The rebuild on the engine and tranny are underway (tranny came out this week) and the body is coming off the frame so i can get to the rough spots on the frame and splice in a few areas of the skylark frame.  I am going to need a lot of advice in the next 9 months (yep that's my schedule), and i hope i don't drive you guys nuts.    I'll post more photos as i go.  Rob Keena

[Robk]

Here is my donor skylark mentioned above.  Rob K

[Joe65SkylarkGS]

Hi Rob. Your car is spectacular. It's worth what you want to pay. I paid almost twice that for a 4 speed coupe. Which is on a rotisserie with the frame complete and on the side.

Keep us posted.

[Mark Ascher]

Rob,

Awesome! Keep the pics coming. $3000 was not too much for that car. I can't believe you found a 3921. I've been looking for 18 years! 9 months is aggressive, why that time frame?

Mark

[Robk]

Mark,

The time frame is for one reason and one reason only.  I want to drive this thing!  I figure most of the snow will be gone in May. 

Rob K

[Robk]

It has to come apart before it goes back together.  Goes on the rotisserie next week.  Anybody got any rocker panel trim?

[65GS]

Rob

Be very carefull on the floorboards around the shifter hole.
When you pullup the OLD tar insulation LOOK for a build sheet.
I found a part of one in that location stuck to the tar paper.
Although mine was pretty well deterioted, I could still make out some codes.

Al

[Mark Ascher]

Rob,

I have two pretty nice rocker mouldings for one side. Can't remember which side, but I've got ya covered for that. I hope your keeping all the nuts-n-bolts organized for that thing!

Mark

[Robk]

Mark,

Definitely saving the nuts and bolts.   separate labeled containers, etc.

I'm surprised to hear that the build sheet could be under the the tar insulation.  I did not find it in the rear seat so i was hoping  it might turn up inside one of the doors.  I will re-look under the insulation (which is still in the car).   Believe it or not i even had rust at the shifter hole.   The hole (and driver's side floor) is about 35% trashed.   I have no choice but to do a fair amount of grafting from my skylark. Leaky convertibles!
Rob K

[WkillGS]

Nice project Rob! Keep the pics coming.
The repo 64-67 Chevelle shifter humps are 99% identical to the GS ones.

[Robk]

Walt,

That's very helpful thanks.  I was going to try to get one made by using my old one as a template, but that would not be easy.

I found a chevelle hump on the web but the shape seems more square than my original.  I have no console in my car.  This is what I found:

http://www.opgi.com/product.asp?catmainid=1&topcatid=26&chapterid=26&GrpCode=15291&ProdCode=A62551B&yearrange=


It also says "64-72", which doesn't agree with your post.  Anybody have a good site to get a correct reproduction for chevelle?  Thanks!
Rob K

[WkillGS]

Try this one for 64-67 WITH console:
http://www.opgi.com/product.asp?ProdCode=PAN0222&topcatid=26&grpcode=10744&yearrange=&chapterid=26&topvalue=0&newflag=0

I bought mine from Ground Up. They're here in the NE.  Only $40 from them. PN RST-76D
http://www.ss396.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=chevellecamino&Product_Code=RST-76D&Category_Code=SHIFTERHUMPS

Here it is next to my original 66 GS. my original is a bit bent up from a previous Hurst shifter install.

[Robk]

Things are moving along with my 65.   Quarters are now welded in place as well as floors.  Next comes the trunk  and then clean up work at the various rusty intersections.   I'll admit that I am merely a gopher when it comes to this phase of the project.  It helps to have a close friend who owns a body shop and loves old cars.   

I am having a real heck of a time finding any differences between my skylark convertible frame and either of my (much worse condition) GS frames.  I have two GS frames, one of which is original and totally trashed from which I salvage the 4spd components.  Neither GS frame had any numbers whatsoever.  All three frames are boxed.  I am wondering if the fact that my skylark donor was a convertible means that it had no differences with a GS frame.  Here is a photo of my skylark convert frame and my recently acquired GS frame (which also has no numbers and appears to have no differences with the skylark convert frame).   The skylark convert frame came from Nevada and is VERY clean and I would be glad to use it with contributions from the GS frame but none of can see any differences.  Anyone know if we are missing something?  Any ideas appreciated.  In the photos below, the skylark frame is the one indoors on the blocks and the GS frame is outside on the trailer.

[gssizzler]

Rob,  the vin number is stamped in the left rear rail on top by the body mount
 where your wheel well is! I am surprised that you can not see it on the Nevada
frame, the others will be gone or not able to see with the rust!I will try and post a pic of one!The only difference I have seen in the frames is the extra plate on the cross brace and I think some of the non gs convert frames had this
anyway! The parts books that I have show the same part number for the frames? Jon

[WkillGS]

Rob, I've been meaning to take a closer look at my 65 GS frame vs a 66 'lark vert frame, I've  just been too busy.
But I do have some pics on file from my 66 GS.
I'm not clear on what they mean by the 'triangular brace' on the GS frame, maybe it's this?