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Author Topic: 4 Speed Convertible Restoration  (Read 24237 times)

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Offline dsags

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4 Speed Convertible Restoration
« on: February 27, 2011, 03:56:39 PM »
The project finally made it to my house today. Its a CA car built in Fremont. Never left CA as far as I can tell until now. Last time it was on the road was around 2000. The color is Turquoise Mist. It needs just about everything - except donor panels. It comes with a bunch of parts including the correct 3922 carburetor !! The interior is a mess but the trunk and floorboards are solid and the taillights are even decent. Plan is to completely rebuild it. As yet the bottom has not been looked at but the previous owner says its as nice as the top.
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1965 Special Convertible, L33 LS, 4L60

Offline Mark Ascher

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Re: 4 Speed Convertible Restoration
« Reply #1 on: February 27, 2011, 04:15:50 PM »
Dan,

It made it! Can't wait to see it in person. As soon as the weather gets a bit warmer, I'm heading your way....

Mark
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65 GS HT 4 Speed - BCA Senior 2015; AACA Senior Grand National 2021
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Offline dsags

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Re: 4 Speed Convertible Restoration
« Reply #2 on: February 27, 2011, 06:53:00 PM »
Warmer ? So you're coming over in April or May ? LOL
As you can see we've had a bit of snow here too. Come on over any time, the cars not going anywhere for a bit.

Dan
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1965 Special Convertible, L33 LS, 4L60

Offline Brian

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Re: 4 Speed Convertible Restoration
« Reply #3 on: February 28, 2011, 10:33:06 AM »
Dan,
   Be sure to carefully remove that shifter boot in the console.  That is the only original I have ever seen in all my years of messing with Buicks.   Other than factory litterature.  It would be nice to have someone use it for a pattern to reproduce some.  All that is available now is the newer style upper console boot that has a rectangular hole in the top for a Hurst shifter. 
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'64 Skylark 2dr ht 4 speed, 300-4
'65 GS ht, 4 speed,2-4s,AC,PS,PB,PW,Pseat,Tilt
'66 Skylark 2dr ht 300-2 automatic
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'88 Ford F-150 4x4 (used to be 4x2)
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Offline Loren At 65GS

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Re: 4 Speed Convertible Restoration
« Reply #4 on: February 28, 2011, 12:11:42 PM »
Dan,
It is good to see it has finally made it home.
Loren
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Offline dsags

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Re: 4 Speed Convertible Restoration
« Reply #5 on: February 28, 2011, 03:19:48 PM »
Brian, you find someone to make the pattern and reproduce it and I'll supply the part. I'd love to see a correct one.

Dan
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1965 Special Convertible, L33 LS, 4L60

Offline Mark Ascher

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Re: 4 Speed Convertible Restoration
« Reply #6 on: February 28, 2011, 03:45:36 PM »
Dan,

Contact Doug Dougherty at the Buick Farm. Doug did the bellhousing boots.

Mark
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65 GS HT 4 Speed - BCA Senior 2015; AACA Senior Grand National 2021
66 Impala 396/TH400/12 Bolt "Project Rodent Remediation" - Almost Done
69 Bel Air 2 Door Sedan "Project Junior Stock" - In Process
19 Chev Silverado Pickem Up (daily driver)

Offline dsags

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Re: 4 Speed Convertible Restoration
« Reply #7 on: February 28, 2011, 04:56:21 PM »
Mark, I will get in touch with him. I need another one of those boots anyway.

Here are a couple more pictures of the car. The hood hinges weren't attached so I had to wait for some help before I took these. There is a battery tray its just not attached. The car continues to amaze. I connected a battery to it and when I opened the door all the interior lights went on. Then I lowered the top !!! How lucky can I get ?

Dan
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1965 Special Convertible, L33 LS, 4L60

Offline nut465gs

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Re: 4 Speed Convertible Restoration
« Reply #8 on: February 28, 2011, 06:06:38 PM »
Dan,

Looks like you have the perfect candidate for a total restoration. I do like the Turquoise Mist body color with the white interior and top. Plus. . . it's a four speed! And it has the California crank case vent closed circuit air cleaner. Plus . . . it's the chrome dress up version! Sweet!

I'm sure that you will be looking for factory paint code markings. Look for the build sheet. On my CA hardtop, I found two build sheets, hand written, one under the passenger's seat springs, the other under the rear seat springs.

Good luck with your new project. Keep us posted.

John Egel
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Offline dsags

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Re: 4 Speed Convertible Restoration
« Reply #9 on: February 28, 2011, 06:18:44 PM »
John, thanks for the good words. I will look for the build sheets when the interior comes out.

Dan
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1965 Special Convertible, L33 LS, 4L60

Offline dsags

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Re: 4 Speed Convertible Restoration
« Reply #10 on: March 01, 2011, 09:57:30 AM »
Brian, here's a picture of the shifter boot that came out of the car. Unfortunately I do not think it is an original.
The first picture shows the order which it came out of the car. Note that there was a glued in portion of what was probably the original boot still attached to the lower retainer.
Doug knows of one person who has an NOS boot, but they won't part with it. Very interesting guy to talk to. Has a 65 GS that is loaded with options that he is restoring.
Dan
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1965 Special Convertible, L33 LS, 4L60

Offline WkillGS

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Re: 4 Speed Convertible Restoration
« Reply #11 on: March 01, 2011, 11:36:28 AM »
Looks like a great project Dan! Neat color combo too..... there's a guy in NYC that had one that color. I'll see if I can find pics on the BPG site. It was Ron Mooneys son-in-law.

Unusual shifter boot. Is there a part number on it?
I believe early 65 had a different design boot than later ones. Mark has an early style, but it's a no-console boot if I'm not mistaken.
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Walt K
Eastern Pa

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Offline dsags

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Re: 4 Speed Convertible Restoration
« Reply #12 on: March 01, 2011, 12:20:51 PM »
Walt, thanks. I would love to see a picture of that car. I sent a picture of the boot to the Buick Farm to see if they had an idea about its authenticity. I could not find a part number on it anywhere. The car is a '1B' build date car so that is really early.
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1965 Special Convertible, L33 LS, 4L60

Offline BuickGSrules

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Re: 4 Speed Convertible Restoration
« Reply #13 on: March 01, 2011, 02:25:28 PM »
Congrets on the car again. It will be nice to see when it comes to life again :hello2:
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Jan

1965 Gran Sport HT
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Offline kcombs

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Re: 4 Speed Convertible Restoration
« Reply #14 on: March 02, 2011, 12:13:53 AM »
Wow, that car has all the right stuff. It is going to be a beautiful restoration. Can't wait to see more pictures of your progress.
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Kurt
65 Bucamino
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