Buddy's Beauty - 65GS Hardtop

[Clatter]

Two guys going for a full resto...

Back story is over here on V8Buick.
https://v8buick.com/index.php?threads/buddy%E2%80%99s-beauty-%E2%80%9865-gs-build.393837/

Now that I know where the 65GS people are located,
We'll get into details here.

Attached are some 'as found' pics to get us started.

[Clatter]

Because both of our cars, the GS and the Skylark were rear-ended in the past,
We had to find a clip.

Luckily, we found this site,
And that led us to Kurt, 'kcombs' here who was selling a rear clip.

Additionally, we found a rotisserie, which we will also need, near Carson City.
About 275 miles from here...

So Buddy came by at 4AM, and we lit off into the dark.
My oldest son agreed to come help as well.
Up I-80 and over Donner pass before 9. Balling the jack! 
We got to meet Larry and see his huge shop.
He's liquidating everything for health reasons.
Cut us a great deal on this thing.
Cigarillo -and- oxygen.. Classic old hot-rodders breakfast. 

Loaded up and off!

500 miles in, we're visiting Kurt in Clear Lake, loading up a clip.
Couldn't be more different than the last place.
Kurt's shop is immaculate,
And he's got the most killer projects going.
The place is 65 heaven.

He schooled us on all kinds of '65 details,
Gave us a few extra parts, including a GS radiator, another decklid, rear window section...
Big Big thanks for hospitality and help to my man.
Very much appreciated.

He took us for a ride by the lake in his vert,
And we were off, for a total of 700+ miles and 14 hours of driving.
Came home way after midnight.
BIG ol' car day.
The stage is being set..
 

[Clatter]

Took until the next morning for us to get the clip and rotisserie stashed away in Buddy's yard.

It was quite the adventure.

Also got to hook up with Dano here,
He came by to see the girls and give me more info on things Buick.

Starting to learn more about this game and how it goes.
Also found the correct steering column and have it coming from Jim 'GS66'.

Another car project - a Fiat (big mistake) is getting done.
More specifically we're getting done with it, 
And now there is room in my shop, and life, for Buddy's Buick.

Following the flat-bed here, unloaded and in back.
Let the games begin..

[kcombs]

It was great meeting you all and I am happy someone is going to be able to use that rear clip.

[Clatter]

Hey Hey my man, sorry to disappear on y'all,
But we have had a life hiccup lately.
Nice to be on the other side of it and back on track.

Yesterday i dug into the thing to see exactly what we're dealing with here.
About six hours of work done, even though it took all day! 

Extra points for racoon tracks.

Messy to be sure. Much junk in the trunk.

Rear hit was pretty good.
Bent the rear panel, bumper, both taillight housings and the crossmember.

Front bumper got tapped pretty good as well.

Sad to do it,
But those bent bumpers and crooked housings all went to the scrapper.
Nobody's ever going to be straightening anything that bent.

[Clatter]

Spent a bunch of time going through and cleaning all of the parts as they come off.
Bagging/tagging.
Putting them in a box and labeling it.

Got to remember what's in that far corner of the attic,
Months/years later when assembly time comes...

[Clatter]

Couple of questions for those in the know...

Trying to get my head around correct finishes.
This is to be a 100% restoration,
As close to 'new at the dealer' as possible.

Is it OK to powder-coat chassis things?
Correct for things like bumper brackets, inner fender, wheels, etc. is semi-gloss black?

Would any show judge out there ding someone for having powder coat vs. actual paint?

A couple things i was contemplating getting done now vs. later.

First,
The spare tire.
Any way to tell if this is indeed a correct OG wheel from this car?
Markings or some such?

Also,
Re-finishing a jack.
This is the correct jack for this car?
Say, semi-gloss powder for the foot and parts,
Maybe cad or zinc for the main shaft?

Silly details to be sure,
But want to get going on things that take time,
So there isn't a big list of unfinished business later in the project.

Much thanks,
Steve

[Loren At 65GS]

  As long as the gloss level is correct, powder coating would be fine but keep in mind that the front chassis and sheet metal is the ground circuit for the front lighting, like the park/signal lights. As is the rear bumper bracket is for the backup lights. Those heavy duty, barbed washers used in mounting the bumper brackets help to complete the ground circuit.
 Just my opinion, but most judges couldn't tell the difference.
 The spare tire pictured is not correct for a GS. The correct one is a six-inch width and has a hole, about 1/8" in one of the raised bumps. There is also a stamped marking near the valve stem hole. If I recall, correctly, that marking is a "C" with a circle around it.
 There were two styles of jack used. The one you have pictured and a solid "T" shaped style. I think the style you have was used by the Fremont assembly plant and the other style was used at the other three assembly plants. That might be an interesting thing to try and document.
 As for the finish, the post portion I've seen, looks to have been zinc plated. Maybe cad?
The other pieces would look correct in a semi-gloss finish and powder coat would hold up well. One would probably never use it again anyways. lol

 The devil is in the details and details do make a difference in my mind.

  Loren



 

[cwmcobra]

My T-shaped jack post is plated clear zinc. I think zinc dichromate would be acceptable as well. I concur with Loren's assessment of the black paint on the base and hook.

I've never had points deducted for my jack...

Chuck

[Clatter]

Oh, man, thanks for those pics..!

We fished that spring out of the side of the trunk rail yesterday.
Thought it was junk and tossed it.

Going out of town at 4AM tomorrow,
Jumped out of bed,
Ran out,
and fished it out of the trash! 

Close call!
Trash day would have come and gone before we came back.
 

Takes a village gentlemen.
Thanks again.

[schlepcar]

 That spring is a rare piece. I almost tossed one the same way because when I parted the cars I only saw one and I didn?t think it was a car part. It seems a lot of guys are powder coating but I agree that it isn?t really hurting anything. I am not sure that a clean frame would ever rust after a resto irregardless.

[Mark Ascher]

The bumper jack hold down spring is a near exact copy of an old door closing spring. I bought mine at a local hardware store. Thank you Brian Stone for the heads up on that info.

[cwmcobra]

Mine is also from a hardware store and shortened to fit.

[Clatter]

What are you guys doing for the thin trim around windows and drip rails and whatnot?
Ours is scuffed and scratched.

Did any survive on shelves somewhere?
New Old Stock parts Ive gotten before suffered from shelf rash.
Usually worse shape than parts kept on a nice car.

Anyone ever strip, polish, and re-anodize that stuff?

How about aftermarket?
Any out there as original?

This car here will be getting a very nice paint job with cut n buff,
And we need to find a way to get the trim looking right.

Thanks again for taking the time gentlemen.

[gssizzler]

Trim around windows is a toss up either find best used to polish or buy repro ! Make sure it is BOP not Chevelle as the rear window trim will not fit! Drip rail I would go with repro as nos is not easy to find and it is usually has oxidation! Hard to get off and also hard to restore! Also make sure that it is BOP as Chevelle will not work! Belt reveal or wide trim as it’s called, hardtop can be bought repro from the Pontic
guys! Or find nice ones to have reanodized, Post original wide trim would have to be restored ! Convertibles had stainless trim in wide trim or without! Best to find originals and restore stainless! Halo trim would have to be restored and also vinyl top or division trim would have to be reanodized!