You said you bought a new replacement starter.  Did you try that in the car?  The Old one was lucky to survive reentry into the real world after the 5 year mission to get back into your good graces.

4 hours ago, JUSTA6 said:

You said you bought a new replacement starter.  Did you try that in the car?  The Old one was lucky to survive reentry into the real world after the 5 year mission to get back into your good graces.

That’s what I was thinking too !

I so don’t trust standard old gm starter motors ! 
caddy , camaro, bonni, hq , all have aftermarket road runner starters 

just for the fact that they are more reliable 

And don’t stuff out when it gets hot 

Well I spent literally the entire holiday weekend working on Lucy and to no avail. In fact, things are probably worse. I never really got into diagnosing the ignition switch. I was putting the old starter/new solenoid back in yesterday when it slipped, almost hit me in the head and ripped the terminal posts off the two side wires. Grrrr....after a weekend long of wrenching, on my back, and running to the parts store several times, I got pissed! Eff this!!!! I packed everything up in the trunk, took the jack stands down and put the car back on the ground. I am going to have this mother towed to a real mechanic. I've lost my patience with this SOB.

I plan to call a garage later this morning and see when I can get her in. At this point, Lucy going on Power Tour is looking pretty dim. The Trans Am will have to go instead (a.k.a. Plan B).

Here is the finished Hurst shifter, with 3 coats of clear on it. Remember this is an all aluminum grip.

Edited May 28, 20242 yr by Frosty

Wouldn't now be the time to move up to one of the mini starters? Less weight,  takes up less room and more power and for the cost of the mechanic you could do it yourself.  Remember I Had the same prob with the GTO couple years ago.  Dropped the starter, made a new wire harness, had one hell of a time gettin it back together (not admitting how hard it was to put back in place with one hand) turn the key .... NOTHIN.  Harness came loose from back of the ignition switch.  Quick wiggle N she fired right off.  Then had to remove the new starter and put the old one back in to return to Mazzas.  After all the cussin, sweat N blood, I thought why didn't I JUSTA replace with a mini???? Keep the original as a spare.

I like the idea of a mini-starter. I was simply amazed anyone had any starter for a Pontiac in my area at all and I wanted to take what I could get. If it doesn't get used, I can take it back and order one online. I think Indyman Joe is happy with his starter too.

Mind you, this is the starter I purchased over 2o years ago when I had the burnt cable problem. It was one of the last "heavy duty" starters I ever saw listed. So if it still works, it's worth hanging on to. As for age, it don't really owe me anything.

i feel you need a hoist Fosty !!!!

I agree Kiwi.

It's been a priority for awhile now. I know what I want, i just keep getting side tracked and I don't get around to pulling the trigger.

17 hours ago, 64 kiwi boni said:

i feel you need a hoist Fosty !!!!

I 2nd that emotion.....

Imagine installing a starter motor simply by walking under your baby and lifting it into place ! standing back and looking at how simply easy that was and why the F--K you didnt buy one 30 years ago !!!!

16 hours ago, 64 kiwi boni said:

 and why the F--K you didnt buy one 30 years ago !!!!

Lucy, my dad and I were stuck in a park lot at a rest stop in New Madrid Missouri off I-55 in 2002. A good Samaritan drove me to a local parts store that had a starter for a Pontiac. It was the heavy duty one I still have. Beggars can't be choosers. I took what they had, and until now, I've not had a problem with it ever.

2 hours ago, Frosty said:

Lucy, my dad and I were stuck in a park lot at a rest stop in New Madrid Missouri off I-55 in 2002. A good Samaritan drove me to a local parts store that had a starter for a Pontiac. It was the heavy duty one I still have. Beggars can't be choosers. I took what they had, and until now, I've not had a problem with it ever.

No longer talkin about the starter....talkin bout the lift.  

Imagine installing a starter motor simply by walking under your baby and lifting it into place ! standing back and looking at how simply easy that was and why the F--K you didnt buy one 30 years ago !!!!

I only have 8ft rafters/trusses.  End story

Frosty has the room!

4 hours ago, JUSTA6 said:

No longer talkin about the starter....talkin bout the lift.  

Imagine installing a starter motor simply by walking under your baby and lifting it into place ! standing back and looking at how simply easy that was and why the F--K you didnt buy one 30 years ago !!!!

I only have 8ft rafters/trusses.  End story

Frosty has the room!

He does aye justA !!! 

On 5/28/2024 at 8:31 AM, Frosty said:

Well I spent literally the entire holiday weekend working on Lucy and to no avail. In fact, things are probably worse. I never really got into diagnosing the ignition switch. I was putting the old starter/new solenoid back in yesterday when it slipped, almost hit me in the head and ripped the terminal posts off the two side wires. Grrrr....after a weekend long of wrenching, on my back, and running to the parts store several times, I got pissed! Eff this!!!! I packed everything up in the trunk, took the jack stands down and put the car back on the ground. I am going to have this mother towed to a real mechanic. I've lost my patience with this SOB.

I plan to call a garage later this morning and see when I can get her in. At this point, Lucy going on Power Tour is looking pretty dim. The Trans Am will have to go instead (a.k.a. Plan B).

Here is the finished Hurst shifter, with 3 coats of clear on it. Remember this is an all aluminum grip.

Very nice job Frosty! Really! But I have one question, there’s a fair amount of work there & since you are trying to make it look like wood, why not just get a nice piece of black walnut & make a real one? JustA saying!

Let me be clear, a lift is in the future of the garage mahal. A four post, drive on/off unit on wheels. I definitely have room for one. I can affford one, I just need to pull the trigger. With work, repairs to Lucy, Black Beauty and the Roadmonster, plus a new grand baby, I’ve got a shit ton of distractions at the moment.

As for making a real  wood pistol grip instead of faux wood? I’m not much of a wood worker and I don’t have a ton of wood working tools first of all but I’m sure I could make something passable. However, I’ve really missed my airbrushing days. Most of my old paints are over 15 years old and are junk. I never opened my One Shot pinstriping paints until now and they are still good, surprisingly. So I don’t need to buy much in the way of paint for the time being.

i wanted to get back into airbrushing and artwork to some extent. I’ve seen and read how to do faux wood and faux patina. I wanted to try my hand at it. The Hurst handle was a test of my artistic skills. Is it perfect? Hell no. Still I am proud of myself for doing it.

Think it came out great.  Nobody's gonna spend alot of time staring at the shifter, but it will stand out. Now if I was looking to match my one of a kind steering wheel.....different story. 

Edited May 31, 20242 yr by JUSTA6

The mini starter on my car is the one i got from you. I added extra wire lengths so i could put it on the ground and wire it up. Hell of alot easier than dealing with the 100lb factory starter. Not to mention the stocker wont fit with my miloden oil pan.. 

 

did you check to make sure the switch under the column is engaging by way of the rod that attaches to the tumbler? may need to loosen and readjust it? 

 

I did a quick check before the starter almost gave me a concussion. The key tumber and the rod inside the column is moving back and forth correctly. The rod itself "appears" to bend slightly when entering the ignition switch. I am wondering if there is a bind somewhere between the rod coming out of the column from the tumbler and the switch, thus not allowing it to move far enough to engage the starter. That's my theory but I am at a point of no return with Lucy.

I need to get Lucy into the shop for the no start, a front end alignment, and some other minor work. Power Tour is in a week, so Black Beauty is now the ride of choice. So I need to spend some time cleaning and loading BB up for the Dustoff and Power Tour.

On 5/31/2024 at 12:10 AM, Frosty said:

As for making a real  wood pistol grip instead of faux wood? I’m not much of a wood worker and I don’t have a ton of wood working tools first of all but I’m sure I could make something passable. However, I’ve really missed my airbrushing days. Most of my old paints are over 15 years old and are junk. I never opened my One Shot pinstriping paints until now and they are still good, surprisingly. So I don’t need to buy much in the way of paint for the time being.

Frosty, it was meant as tongue in cheek! I think it’s a terrific job! 
Now as far as JustA concerned; we might be able to cobble something up! What thread is the shifter? 3/8 course or 5/16?

Edited June 1, 20242 yr by Last Indian

No worries Last Indian.  I can take a joke, but truthfully I don’t have the mad fab skills you have. I appreciate what we all can do,,collectively.

3 hours ago, Frosty said:

No worries Last Indian.  I can take a joke, but truthfully I don’t have the mad fab skills you have. I appreciate what we all can do,,collectively.

 I think you do great buddy! 75% is being committed to the project & heaven know we should all be committed, errr I mean are committed. 😵‍💫

6 hours ago, Last Indian said:

Frosty, it was meant as tongue in cheek! I think it’s a terrific job! 
Now as far as JustA concerned; we might be able to cobble something up! What thread is the shifter? 3/8 course or 5/16?

Sunbird and GTO have the Hurst T.   GTO has Brian Black engraved in the T handle.   A very good longtime friend, that gave me the His N Hers shifter with the T handle and console included.  Brian sadly passed the day they finally called to say the engraving was done and I could pick it up.  Think of him whenever my hands on it.  Think of you too Gary and appreciate the steering wheel that attracts soooo much attention.

1 hour ago, Last Indian said:

 I think you do great buddy! 75% is being committed to the project & heaven know we should all be committed, errr I mean are committed. 😵‍💫

Our wives think the former, we believe the latter Last Indian!

It probably lies somewhere between passion and out right stupidity.

5 hours ago, JUSTA6 said:

Sunbird and GTO have the Hurst T.   GTO has Brian Black engraved in the T handle.   A very good longtime friend, that gave me the His N Hers shifter with the T handle and console included.  Brian sadly passed the day they finally called to say the engraving was done and I could pick it up.  Think of him whenever my hands on it.  Think of you too Gary and appreciate the steering wheel that attracts soooo much attention.

thats super cool justa 

4 hours ago, Frosty said:

It probably lies somewhere between passion and out right stupidity.

i would go with passion !! stuff who thinks otherwise

Great job on the wood grain on the shifter grip Frosty.

Thanks Wrongway.

I am going to try my hand at faux-tina, or fake patina, in the near future.