65GS.com - Buick Gran Sport Enthusiasts!
Announcements => New Members / Bio's => Topic started by: wheelspin on August 15, 2016, 07:42:48 AM
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:hello: from sunny, muggy, SoCal. Pleased new owner of a '65 Sea Foam Green Custom Sport Wagon :hello2:. Two seats and powered by a '67 340 motor. I began my lengthy bike/car hobby in 1964 with racing my Triumph TR-6 work bike in the California desert on weekends. With three little boys and their mother to support I slowly completed my first "hot rod", a 1939 Ford Deluxe opera coupe (fold down rear seats) using a small portion of my quarterly commission checks. Following removal of the flathead and torque tube driveline I installed a 392 hemi, cast iron case Torqueflite, and a Ford 9" rear in it's place. Many, many, bikes and cars later I still enjoy developing a vision for the vehicle, working out the parts combo to achieve the performance goals, and enjoying the completed package.
I'm new to the Buick niche of the car hobby having spent the past 15 years of my retirement building three classic Pontiacs for my and our son's enjoyment. I look forward to getting up to speed on my new project with the generous help from this Forum's members :wave:.
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Les
Congratulation on a very nice wagon and welcome to the group.
You will find a lot of great people and a vast amount of first hand mid 60's Buick A body knowledge here.
Thanks for the pictures. They help a lot.
It looks like you have power steering, power brakes, power seats, windshield washers, dual speed wipers, maybe driver adjustable mirror and of course add on gauges to keep track of things.
I'm sure the list goes on from there but you will have to fill us in.
Welcome aboard.
Milton (MDKD)
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Welcome Les ! Glad you found our site.
A friend of mine that is into GTO's called to say that someone (turns out it was you) had received some grief on one of the Buick forums over the purchase of your beautiful wagon. He was laughing pretty hard at the stuff they were saying.
Looks like a great find. Sure that the site's long roof guru, you know who you are LOL, will chime in soon.
Dan
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Welcome aboard Les! I'm sure that another California resident named Edouard will be over the moon!
Cheers!
Chuck
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Yes, welcome! Great looking car!
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Welcome from Rancho Santa Margarita!
Nice looking car! Nice color too! I'm torn between that color and the blue for my 65 Special Convertible.
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Welcome Les,
Really nice looking wagon.
Maybe someday there will be one in my stable.
Loren
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Thanks to all for the warm welcome :love4:.
Hi Milton,
This little wagon has had a lot of work performed by a couple of it's prior owners which in turn made it very attractive to me: new brakes, poly-graphite suspension bushings , new GR-2 shocks, new rr sway bar, 20K on rebuilt ST-300, new carpet through out, nearly new w/shield, 15" rally wheels, and a '67 340 motor transplant. My plans include re-valving the overly boosted p/steering pump, quick turn steering box, Rally type steering wheel to replace my busted green deluxe unit, reuse the front seat cover over new springs & foam, Redi-Rad unit for the existing am radio, Bilstein shocks, and a Vintage Air Mark IV type /ac unit.
I'm looking for a Sanden type compressor mount and posted on a thread (longhorn?) re purchasing one.
Hey Chuck,
Edouard sent me here!
Hi Dan,
I built a few Pontiacs and when I sold the GP and gave the GTO and the TA to two of our sons I did catch a little grief on the old PY Forums :nono:.
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Dear Les, Milton, Dan, Chuck, Jim, George, Loren, and the mid-60s Buick welcome wagon, (http://www.canebas.org/WeatherCat/Forum_support_documents/Custom_emoticons/welcomewagon.gif)
Welcome Les to 65GS.com!! (http://www.canebas.org/WeatherCat/Forum_support_documents/Custom_emoticons/welcome_smiley.gif)
Sorry I'm so late, I was busy tweaking the fuel injection my own trusty 1965 Buick Special wagon! Never enough wagons around here! :love4:
I'm looking for a Sanden type compressor mount and posted on a thread (longhorn?) re purchasing one.
Unfortunately, I don't think anybody makes a bracket for the 300 or 340 engine. Longhorn now has one for the Buick 350, but I don't think that will fit at all. That's why I suggested you look into the Pro6TEN compressor on your V-8 Buick thread. Here is a link for the guys here:
http://www.oldairproducts.com/catalog/compressors-parts/21-2201sh/compressor-p-8390.html (http://www.oldairproducts.com/catalog/compressors-parts/21-2201sh/compressor-p-8390.html)
There was a posting on the Team Chevelle forum suggesting that the Vintage Air system can be driven with the Pro6TEN compressor and that compressor would fit in a standard Buick A/C bracket for that engine. I haven't had a chance to explore the matter further, but that might be easier than trying to have a custom bracket fabricated. It is possible to fabricate a custom bracket, that's what is in my wagon since she got A/C before longhorn started making his.
I do have the part numbers and other info on the A/C installation in my wagon. So if you have any questions don't hesitate to ask.
Once more welcome! (http://www.canebas.org/WeatherCat/Forum_support_documents/Custom_emoticons/smiley.gif)
Cheers, Edouard :occasion14:
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I owned that car for a couple years was my daily driver . Congrats
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Welcome aboard :hello2: (https://meetwife.com/blog/category-pick-up-russian-woman/post-how-to-find-a-russian-wife/)
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Been busy installing and modifying my new ride :icon_biggrin:. I added a quick turn steering box, Global West upper A-arms, stock height sport springs in front, larger sway bars, Bilstein shocks, air bags in the rear for stance and carrying capacity, new BFGs, and Summit front disc brakes.
Making good progress on my hybrid a/c install :glasses9:. Big shout-out to Forum member and friend Bill Moore who sourced some a/c pullies and compressor bits for the project. I am using a V/Air EZ Clip hose kit, Ebay sourced 340 A-6 style factory compressor mount, an Old Air under-dash evaporator unit, and a 4 Seasons A-6 style aluminum compressor obtained from Amazon for $230!
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Dear Les and mid-60s Buick longroof fans,
Been busy installing and modifying my new ride :icon_biggrin:. I added a quick turn steering box, Global West upper A-arms, stock height sport springs in front, larger sway bars, Bilstein shocks, air bags in the rear for stance and carrying capacity, new BFGs, and Summit front disc brakes.
Sounds great! You'll be very happy with how the car handles!
Making good progress on my hybrid a/c install :glasses9:. Big shout-out to Forum member and friend Bill Moore who sourced some a/c pullies and compressor bits for the project. I am using a V/Air EZ Clip hose kit, Ebay sourced 340 A-6 style factory compressor mount, an Old Air under-dash evaporator unit, and a 4 Seasons A-6 style aluminum compressor obtained from Amazon for $230!
Thanks for sharing pictures of your engine bay! It looks perfectly original and still clean and spiffy!
I looked up the Old Air Products 300 series under-dash unit:
http://www.oldairproducts.com/catalog/ford-1965-1966-pickup/old-air-products/ip-300/underdash-unit-inside-package-p-4473.html (http://www.oldairproducts.com/catalog/ford-1965-1966-pickup/old-air-products/ip-300/underdash-unit-inside-package-p-4473.html)
It looks very nice while being period correct in a mid-60s cabin. Please do post photos of how that part of the installation unfolds! There are a lot of guys on this forum who wish to keep their cars as original as possible. Still dealer installed air conditioning was a somewhat common occurrence at the time. So this could be - "just what the doctor ordered" - for some of the guys on this forum.
Thanks for sharing! :icon_thumright:
Cheers, Edouard :occasion14:
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I just completed the under hood part of my hybrid a/c system in our Sport Wagon. I installed the receiver/drier behind the battery on the forward part of the wheeltub apron. The condenser was installed after modifying the hood latch/grill support for sufficient forward clearance. Our Buick's front bumper is pushed in slightly, pinning the grill and h/light bezels in tightly and preventing their removals. I opted to pull the radiator/fans and fitting the condenser from the rear thru the core support opening. Look closely at one of the pics and you can see there is a horizontal factory pass thru opening in the core support for a/c lines that exits them behind the battery. I opted to route the #6 & # 8 condenser lines between the passenger wheeltub & the fender for a cleaner look and improved access to that side of the engine. The excess hoses that you see coiled/stored around the a/cleaner will be passed thru the firewall and on to the evaporator in the next session.
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Nice clean install, Les. Great looking engine bay. It just keeps getting better! Keep us posted on this and other projects.
:cheers2:
Chuck
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Dear Les, Chuck, and mid-60s Buick longroof fans,
I just completed the under hood part of my hybrid a/c system in our Sport Wagon.
. . . . .
Your installation looks very nice indeed! Some of the components are ending in the same place as they did on my trusty wagon. You are making good progress toward having A/C for the summertime!
One bit of advice that I haven't had time to take myself. At some point you might want to insulate between the headliner and the roof. I have some Dyanmat insulation on the cabin side of the firewall and it does a great job of reducing the engine noise. As you might have also noticed, when you leave a wagon out in the sun, it really heats up because there is so much roof surface area. I have a few electronic items I want to hide behind the headliner before I replace it. When I finally get that done I would like to put some high-performance insulation before replacing the 51+ year old headliner.
Congrats on the process!! :icon_thumright:
Cheers, Edouard :occasion14:
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Getting close to completing my original pick list of mods/improvements. Given the choice of attempting to increase the power of the stock non-original 340 Buick motor or changing the final gearing (3:23 currently) I chose to get serious about improving the overall driving experience/performance. I elected to replace the original 2-speed ST300 trans and switch pitch converter for a 3-speed TH350 with a TIGHT 13" 2200 stall converter. How did it work? Outstanding mod that added the feel of another 50 horses at the wheels without even touching the stock 340 motor. By adding another gear to help the small block Buick "stay on the cam", trading the ST's low gear ratio of 1:78 for the 350's 2:48, and swapping the switch pitch's 1700-2200 converter for a fixed 2200 stall converter the little wagon accelerates much faster and now burns rubber easily even on the 1-2 up-shift :thumbsup:. I had my tranny guy add sufficient hard parts to the TH350 in order to handle the additional torque of a big block Buick should I feel the need sometime in the future.
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Dear Les and mid-60s Buick long-roof fans,
I elected to replace the original 2-speed ST300 trans and switch pitch converter for a 3-speed TH350 with a TIGHT 13" 2200 stall converter. How did it work? Outstanding mod that added the feel of another 50 horses at the wheels without even touching the stock 340 motor.
Yes this is a relatively simple change that makes the car much more perky. You might be satisfied with that alone and skip the bigger engine swap. The only "still mor' bettr'" change that some guys have done is to use a 200-4R transmission with overdrive instead of the TH350. The overdrive makes the car quieter and improves gas mileage for freeway driving. However, that only matters if you are going drive the car a lot on the freeway.
Congrats! :thumbsup:
Cheers, Edouard
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Thanks, Edouard :icon_biggrin:. I have struggled a bit with the unusual rear shocks (stud/eye mount on bottom and shaft mounted on top) discovering the there is only one currently produced shock for my '65 Sport Wagon which is produced by KYB called an Excel. It appears to be the old GR-2 non-adjustable shock selling for a very reasonable $20 from Summit. I found these shocks to be overly stiff on compression and lacking sufficient rebound to control the rear end "pogo" probably due to the extra weight and overhang of the wagon body and boxed frame. The only company that that was willing to build a reasonable custom shock ($190 each) for this application was RideTech who sells Fox branded aluminum bodied single and double adjustable shocks in various lengths/strokes. It took them two tries, but I now have the ride and handling that I am used to when making the type of performance mods that this wagon has.
I'm now ready for some track days @ my favorite track: Willow Springs Raceway big track :cheers2:.
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Dear Les and mid-60s Buick long-roof fans,
Thanks, Edouard :icon_biggrin:. I have struggled a bit with the unusual rear shocks (stud/eye mount on bottom and shaft mounted on top) discovering the there is only one currently produced shock for my '65 Sport Wagon which is produced by KYB called an Excel. It appears to be the old GR-2 non-adjustable shock selling for a very reasonable $20 from Summit. I found these shocks to be overly stiff on compression and lacking sufficient rebound to control the rear end "pogo" probably due to the extra weight and overhang of the wagon body and boxed frame.
Hmm, my wagon also has KYB shocks, but they were bought back in 2013. I don't remember which model it was, but I might be able to dig it up in all the paperwork of her restoration-modification. I haven't noticed any problem with the rear end bouncing as you say, but I never drive my wagon too aggressively. I'm not overly pleased with the car's handling at this time, but that's a problem that will have to wait until the drivetrain is back together and operating normally.
Let me know if you do find an alternative shock to the KYB. I kept the previous load-leveling shocks that she was equipped with before we switched her to a big-block, but they are old. If I ever get around to doing some serious towing I'll need some sort of air-adjustable shocks or lifting bags.
Cheers, Edouard
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Put air lift bags much better ride and performance over air shocks . I have on my 65 GS wagon drove great plus didn't loose ride .
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Dear Buicknut65 and mid-60s Buick "long-roof" fans,
Put air lift bags much better ride and performance over air shocks . I have on my 65 GS wagon drove great plus didn't loose ride .
Thanks for the tip! :thumbsup: I'm definitely not ready to take that on yet, but I most dearly wish I could! :angel4:
Cheers, Edouard :occasion14: