65GS.com - Buick Gran Sport Enthusiasts!
General Discussion => General Discussion => Topic started by: cwmcobra on July 11, 2017, 03:46:19 PM
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For those of you that weren't able to attend the BCA Nationals last week, you probably haven't heard the now famous (infamous?) story of how Brian Stone found a fan shroud for my restoration project where I'm retrofitting factory A/C. You guessed it; I bought a car to get a fan shroud. Not entirely, but this 65GS has all the original factory A/C equipment still intact and in good shape. There are many other parts that will be harvested as well, including a running 401 and ST300 transmission with about 87,000 miles on them. Bob Bowen and I partnered to buy the car and will each take the parts we need for our projects. And there will be parts left over for sale after we have taken our parts and stripped the car.
So Brian, here's to you for finding the part I never thought I'd get! :cheers2:
Definitely the icing on the cake that was a great time at the Nats!
Chuck
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Dear Chuck and mid-60s Buick extreme seekers of parts!
You guessed it; I bought a car to get a fan shroud.
Of course there are those who might insist . . . . you must have been goin' about it da' hard way! :BangHead:
Still, you might find buyers for all sorts of goodies on this parts car! It is hard to tell from your photo, but even the hood ornament doesn't seem to be in horrible shape! :thumbsup:
Best of luck on your latest restoration project! :icon_thumright:
Cheers, Edouard :occasion14:
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Chuck,
Great find, how long did that car last in the lot there - an hour?! It was only missing a few pieces, rear bumper and the dash emblems.
If you peeled the vinyl and tape from the top, you'd have an instant convert! Rest of the sheetmetal looked pretty good though.
Mark
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Mark,
It only lasted an hour because it took the seller an hour or more to return from breakfast nearby after I called him :evil6:
Yeah, the car has surface rust everywhere except the top that has very weak vinyl holding what's left of the seriously rusty roof in place. Everything in the interior is oxidized as well, so the car must have spent a lot of time in a humid atmosphere. There is a "73 Memphis" sticker in the windshield, so I'm pretty sure it lived some of its life in Tennessee. And the seller said the guy he bought it from in Arkansas said the car was originally bought in Missouri. Solid quarters, fenders, doors, deck lid, with some damage here and there, but repairable. Hood not so much. There is a slab of bondo in on the floor in the back seat from the hood that has the "K" from the BUICK hood letters in it. I think that might be a keepsake :icon_biggrin:
The seller delivered the car to my house yesterday and when he was taking the rear tiedowns off, the one gas tank strap that was on the tank let loose and the tank dropped. We pulled the wires and cut the fuel and vent lines and it slipped right out. After all, who needs a gas tank in the rear when we have a gallon bleach bottle of fuel under the hood? :BangHead:
Bob and I will start tearing into it next week. Let the fun begin!
:cheers2:
Chuck
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Chuck,
Still Looking for rear Quarter Panel skins when the time comes and you decide if you can let them go!
JimL
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So the real question is--do you have the fan shroud out of it and installed in your restoration project car yet?!
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So the real question is--do you have the fan shroud out of it and installed in your restoration project car yet?!
No. Not that I wouldn't like to, but three reasons. First, my restoration is not ready for it yet. And second, we'll be taking our time with disassembly. Don't want to rush that any more than I want to rush reassembly of the restoration. Third, I'll be cleaning the shroud up and possibly coating it before installation. What do you recommend? Satin clear or no coating at all?
Believe me, there will be pictures posted here when the fan shroud is in place! :thumbsup:
Chuck
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To restore the fan shroud all you need is a box of Brillo pads, a water hose, and some elbow grease. They will make it look brand new again. Don't put any coating on it.
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OK, thanks Brian!
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They are beginning to circle and I may be one of them.
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Kevin,
I think you need to zoom out to show the rest of them. Lol
Mark
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Chuck,
Still Looking for rear Quarter Panel skins when the time comes and you decide if you can let them go!
JimL
Hi Jim,
I'm pretty sure the quarterpanels will be retained and not for sale. If that changes, we'll let you know.
Chuck
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They are beginning to circle and I may be one of them.
Well, of course. Who on Team 65GS can resist a good parts car?? :headbang:
Chuck
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Dear Kevin, Mark, and mid-60s Buick owners fond of "immortal words," . . . .
They are beginning to circle and I may be one of them.
I think you need to zoom out to show the rest of them. Lol
In the voice of that rascally rabbit - Bugs Bunny:
Nah, . . . . . . Could be!!
Cheers, Edouard :occasion14:
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Okay, I'll say it.....
That car looks to good to part out!
Is it beyond saving?
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Okay, I'll say it.....
That car looks to good to part out!
Is it beyond saving?
Hi Walt,
Actually, you're right. It is not beyond saving and would make a good restoration project. I've seen much worse. That said, I don't plan on another restoration and this car just has too many parts that Bob and I want/need. I understand that in a way, it's a shame to part it out, but on the other hand, it will make our restorations higher quality and easier.
That's my story and I'm stickin' to it! :thumbsup:
A great weekend to all!
Chuck
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I looked it over good and it would basically take a body swap to fix that car. Roof is completely rusted away. Lip around the trunk opening is completely gone all the way around, floor pans and trunk floor need replacing, and it is severely rotted at the base of the front windshield. Oh, and the lower qtrs have rust in the normal places. It would take another body shell to fix it. Therefore it is a perfect parts car!
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They are beginning to circle and I may be one of them.
I could be put on that list....lol.
Great find!!
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Bob and I are making progress on disassembly of the parts car. And now it's more obvious that this would be more of a restoration project than I would be up to. Can't touch anything without rust falling. But that's why it's a part car!
A few pictures are attached.
:cheers2:
Chuck
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All
Really makes you think twice about buying a vinyl top car from the mid 60's.
I know the 64 Skylark I purchased in San Jose California with halo trim and vinyl top in 73 was a moon roof by 76.
The vinyl cracked allowing water to rust the unprotected metal underneath.
I don't think the Minnesota road salt helped much.
It was my daily driver at the time.
Milton
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Dear Chuck, Milton, and mid-60s Buick caregivers,
Bob and I are making progress on disassembly of the parts car. And now it's more obvious that this would be more of a restoration project than I would be up to. Can't touch anything without rust falling. But that's why it's a part car!
Yup, can't disagree with your assessment looking at the pictures. At least this car you can part-out without feeling any guilt!
Cheers, Edouard
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You have all the hard work done already! Once you get the rest of what you want to save off the body, removing the body from the frame is easy. I took apart one really rusty like that, and once I was down to the bare body shell on the frame, I took the mounts loose, then grabbed the body under the rocker panel on one side with my hands and flipped it up and over upside down off of the frame--it was going to the scrap yard anyway. It slid up onto the trailer on it's roof really easy!
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Good to hear, Brian. It will be a bit lighter by the time we remove the quarters and rear panel!
A great weekend to all!
Chuck
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More progress today. Holy (holey) floor! :icon_biggrin:
All that's left in the body is those darn courtesy lights in the sail panels. Any advice on how to take them out would be appreciated. Looks to me like the light housings have to be removed from inside the trunk following the wires down since the wires for both sides connect together into one connector in the trunk. And the hole on the inside of the trunk is too small to squeeze them through. The housings are not in great shape, so I'm thinking of just cutting the wires.
:cheers2:
Chuck
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Bob and I have made more progress. Almost ready to take the body off the frame. We're betting the body mount bolts will be a big challenge, considering all the rust in this car.....
The top was as crispy as we thought it would be after removing the vinyl. And my ugly mug was made uglier by the Arkansas rust and dirt that showered down on me as I was using the Sawzall in the wheel wells! :angry1:
:cheers2:
Chuck
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Good progress. Wow, that roof looks rough.
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Dear Chuck, Jim, and mid-60s Buick owners who occasionally are in need of "transplant parts,"
Sure enough Chuck, you made an excellent call of what this car could be used for. It was definitely well beyond restoration!
Cheers, Edouard
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Body is ready for the scrap heap. The rest is tucked away for the winter.
Some of the parts are ending up on my Verde Howitzer!
:cheers2:
Chuck
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Glad you guys were able to salvage a lot of parts. That car sure was rusty.
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Wow! and I thought the convertible I 'm working on was rusty! Sometimes you just can't save them! But the parts help others live on!