65GS.com - Buick Gran Sport Enthusiasts!
Projects & Restorations => Projects & Restorations => Topic started by: 455pev on June 27, 2012, 02:25:03 PM
-
I posted some pics of my car in the new member site. Thought I would add it here.
65Gran Sport from Alabama.
had 455 olds installed in the 80's but they saved everything.
Trunk lip is gone along with the trunk floor and lower quarters.
lower front windshield area and trunk filler has sme rust.
Olds engine is gone :blob7: numbers matching 401 is back in its home.
-
I bet you had fun putting those engine mount pads back on the crossmember--really tough to get to those bolts with the lower A-arm installed. It can be done though!
-
really wasn't bad. 6 inch extension and a swivel socket makes it a ton easier. :icon_thumright: realizing I needed to take the drvers side manifold off to get the thing in took a bit. :BangHead:. I think the starter may be bad. Will it come out without taking the manifold off? starter engages but is not turning the engine over.
-
Bad news on the starter. Removing it requires taking the engine mounts loose, jacking the engine up until it touches the firewall, then removing the exhaust manifold. You can then remove the starter. Done it twice before and there is no way around it.
You won't get that starter at Auto Zone either. Take it to a starter/alternator shop and have it rebuilt.
-
Thats what I was afraid of. I put it in as I was putting the manifold back on, just wasn't sure if it was possible to do with the manifold on. Figured I would just have it rebuilt.
-
Costs quite a bit more than a rebuild but Tom Telesco sells mini starter that will fit in with the manifold on. He is Telriv on the V8forum.
Dan
-
Probably just rebuild it. Trying not to spend a bunch of money on it at this point. Besides I only have to do it once right :laughing7:. At this point I am just wanting to get it running so that I don't have to push it when I need to move it.
-
I helped a friend remove and reinstall the factory starter without jacking up the engine block. We disconnected the starter wiring harness at the junction block (horn relay) then removed the exhaust manifold bolts. I crawled under the car and removed the starter bolts. Now the fun part, while he held and manipulated the exhaust manifold, I was under the car doing the same dance with the starter. It took awhile to get the starter out but we did it. It was much more difficult to put the starter back in as gravity was not helping with the installation. Yes, it was a struggle, those starters are heavy! The down side to doing it this way, scratches on the frame and starter when wrestlering with the manifold and the starter. Wonder how the factory did this in 1965? Good luck.
John
-
yeh try doing it by yourself and not letting the manifold or starter fall on your head. :help: I was wore out by the time I got it in. I bet the factory put the body on last.
-
Hopefully you won't have to go through the hassle of doing it AGAIN!!! Too bad you didn't have one of MY "Mini's" to install.
-
Well the starter is rebuilt cost $65. Hopefully it'll work and I can get the 401 to fire up tomorrow without any fireworks.
:hello2:
-
Over the weekend I finally got the 65 running. :blob7: Sounds pretty good Doesn't seem to have and unusual noises. filled tranny up and it pulls itself. Need to replace master cylinder so I can drive it around the yard.
-
Welded up some head pipes for the GS this weekend. once I got the dents out of the pan so the crank wasn't hitting it. The car sounds reay good. You can just lightly hear the rockers ticking. need to put a tank in it and finish bleeding the brakes. Then I can drive it around the yard, or maybe a burnout or two in front of the house. :headbang:
-
Put a tank in it, new sending unit And drove it around the yard and down the road a bit. Not sure why they removed it. Seems o run strong, and does one heck of a pegleg burnout. :occasion14:
-
Wheels cleaned up other than left front. It is pretty rusty but they are all originals. Do some cleaning on the body and it will not look too bad. Need to strip the Vinyl top off and seal the roof so it won't keep rusting.
-
David,
That is awesome! Now you need to post a video of a burnout....
Mark
-
doing a little work on the car. deck filler and trunk lip almost done.
Also bought a console tach.
-
fullywelded and primered trunk lip
-
Worked on the GS some over Christmas break. Back Glass channel is almost done as is the Passenger side quarter patch. This is what the quarter patch started as, fender lip was shot but didn't get it in the picture.
-
Passenger side quarter patch
-
Did the quarter patches come from a donor car, or did you cut the lower quarters out of the car to patch them?
-
quarter came for a 4 door long ago. It still has the inner structures atached.
-
That's good progress, and nice work! :thumbsup:
-
Thanks, have to work to stay warm. :violent5: need more heat.
-
Looks like good work (and difficult). Glad to see the effort being made to keep another one on the road.
-29F at our plant this morning. Also need more heat.......
Dwaine
-
Tail light wiring fixed. Now I have taillights but no brake or turn.
-
My son was making fun of me for changing the white and black wires out for the correct green and brown and yellow and brown. Took a while but I think it was worth it.
-
Looks like good progress! Check the signal light switch and wiring for the issue with the turn signals and brake lights not working. Brake lights feed through the signal light switch, so they are inter-related.
How is the rust repair coming?
-
Haven't had time to work on it. Rebuilt th400 for my truck and a 4l60e for my bravada. I had this problem with the 65 racecar. Rebuilt turn switch and got things to work. This one has a rusty fuss box. So still jumpering across connectors to see where my disconnect is. Being a tilt column I don't want to mess the switch up. Any more than it might already be.
-
Tilt column signal light switches are easy to work on! They are down on the side of the column under the dash on the 64-66 models. There is a bicycle style cable that goes from the lever down to the switch on the outside. Really easy to take the switch off and work on it. They reproduce them too since they are common with the other GM products from the same years.
-
Worked on the Gran Sport Friday night in an attempt to make it to a car show that one of my son's friend was putting on. Found some interesting things. The Car kept loosing Brake fluid. so I rebuilt the rear brakes. Fronts were already done. Rears look to be all original, with all the hardware painted. I found a paper tag on the drivers side frame rail above the axle. I also found reminisce of the greenish tag on the axle tube.
-
Buffed the sides of the car a little before the show happy with the way it looks just with I had time to work on it more, as I have floor pans for it now. the last picture is of my son's74 J-10 siting next to the Gran Sport at the show.
-
Looks good! Nice to be able to share that experience with your son!
:cheers2:
Chuck
-
Dear 455pev, Chuck, and mid-60s Buick lovers, :love4:
Thanks for sharing your information and photos! :thumbsup: I like that way you "staged" the engine bay with manuals and other literature. It is a neat way add interest to the car.
Cheers, Edouard :occasion14:
-
Looks Great! ,project is coming along! How nice to share the car show experiences with your son to!