Fitzy's GP is back!

[Fitzy]

Another fruitful day's toil comes to an end. I clear coated the headers to retain that nice raw steel look they have - far better than my prior horrible blue paint job. Note to self: work on car, THEN take heroin, not the other way around. I also cleaned up the windage tray (no need to paint it, obviously) and chucked some primer on the valley cover & oil pan. I also prepped, primered & painted the inlet manifold but chose silver to finish it off, and I'll tell you why. Yes, I know it should be Pontiac blue but I'll bet back in the 60s, once they assembled the engine, the whole thing got painted. I want to break it up a bit and the silver will look cohesive with the carby and just gives it that point of difference. I think the Pontiac blue block, heads & rocker covers will contrast nicely with the shiny steel headers, silver manifold, nice clean aluminium carby and chrome air cleaner. All the ancillaries will be either blue, black or polished steel for that nice 'hand built' look. I also started on the engine bay by coating a few bits with chassis black. 

Hillbilly Paint Shop. Yee - haa!!!

Whoops! I forgot to mention that I ground out the little stove pipes on the inlet manifold that feed the auto choke and filled the holes before painting.

[64 kiwi boni]

nice work mate, tell me, what did you use to clear coat your headers? i am looking for something that will take the heat when i redo my 8 lugger drums 

[JUSTA6]

6 hours ago, 64 kiwi boni said:

nice work mate, tell me, what did you use to clear coat your headers? i am looking for something that will take the heat when i redo my 8 lugger drums 

Was wondering the same thing.  Never seen Hot paint clearcoat.

[Fitzy]

It's just VHT Flame Proof in a spray can. Obviously, you can't primer it first, so I am a little doubtful regarding it's durability but it's better than nothing. I used a pot scrubber scouring pad to try and key the surface before cleaning it down with wax & grease remover.

[Fitzy]

Another day of cleaning, priming, masking & painting. I painted the oil pan & timing cover, polished the alloy alternator mounting bracket and did a bit more in the engine bay. I am carefully brush painting various bits & pieces which will either never be seen or will only be seen if you are actually carefully inspecting stuff in there. I will go over the finished surface with the lightest wet sandpaper to be rid of any telltale brushstrokes, but with careful application, you can pretty much get away with it. I'll be sure to spray the larger more visible areas.

Also, after much deliberation (at 3am, my favourite deliberating time) I went balls out and ordered a cam degreeing kit. Those damn things are expensive. I might hire myself out as a 'cam degreeing service' once I learn how to do mine. All the El Cheapos were out of stock so I sold my soul and bought a Trick Flow here in Australia. I was fussy because I wanted the 11 inch degree wheel, whereas the cheaper Proform kits come with a 9 inch wheel.

Sorry about the crappy photos - even with the flash active there wasn't enough light.

[64 kiwi boni]

looking good mate 

fiddly work but will make for a super tidy look once that nice freash engine is back in there

thanks for the clear coat info,,, i will go grab a can and test it out.

[Fitzy]

Kiwi - I get my VHT stuff from Autobarn, coz Supercheap doesn't sell VHT.  Just be sure to do what you can to mildly roughen the surface if you're going on to raw steel. Remember when I was so proud of my repainted rocker covers? Well, whatever rust I thought I had neutralised is just starting to come through again, so I might have to take 'em back down and chuck on an extra coat but I never clear coated them last time. Because they're a high visibility item, I want them to look their very best, so shall finish them with a clear and I'll post the result.

[64 kiwi boni]

yeah mate supercheap dont have it here too, i will find someone with it 

i need it for when i refurbish my 8 lug drums and polish the alloy finns, i want them to stay shiny 

but as we know, these drums will get bloody hot, so its gota last

justA has put me onto Jim Larsen, and he has done this refurbishment on 8 lug drums before so his insite will be super helpful !

[64 kiwi boni]

30 minutes ago, Fitzy said:

Remember when I was so proud of my repainted rocker covers? Well, whatever rust I thought I had neutralised is just starting to come through again,

mate i feel your pain!!! nothing worse than having to do things twice!!!

i found this rust killer/ primer product and its the bees knees mate!! 

https://www.crc.co.nz/Rust-Converter/6895-2548b7ca-2a00-4114-b2e1-17eb0e6a576b/

i use it on all my steel that i am going to paint and it works great!! takes over night to dry before you can paint over but its like shit to a blanket !! and no issues with rust popping through! 

[Fitzy]

Thanks mate  - I'm gonna get some. It seems not all rust converters are equal.

[JUSTA6]

11 hours ago, 64 kiwi boni said:

yeah mate supercheap dont have it here too, i will find someone with it 

i need it for when i refurbish my 8 lug drums and polish the alloy finns, i want them to stay shiny 

but as we know, these drums will get bloody hot, so its gota last

justA has put me onto Jim Larsen, and he has done this refurbishment on 8 lug drums before so his insite will be super helpful !

Saw Jim today at the Sellers carshow. Didn't mention talking to you, but didn't see him for long as he was working the registration desk.

[64 kiwi boni]

3 hours ago, JUSTA6 said:

Saw Jim today at the Sellers carshow. Didn't mention talking to you, but didn't see him for long as he was working the registration desk.

Just got a pm from Jim 👍👍👍

thanks justA 👍👍👍

[Fitzy]

Back to work tomorrow for another 7 days, but it has been a productive week. Today, I did some more in the engine bay, reprepped & repainted the rocker covers (clear coat will go on when I get back) and had another go at the steering wheel - I did some more shaping and then liberally poured fibreglass resin over the structure and will gradually build it up in layers until the rim thickness is uniform. Next time I'm back, I'll want to at least start prepping underneath the hood for repainting, to complement the refreshed engine bay.

My El Cheapo air compressor started leaking from the controller, so there's a new controller coming - thanks ebay: $12 delivered. Whilst the compressor was apart I took the opportunity to give it a clean and tighten all the various fittings, which turned out to be a good move as quite a few of them were loose. I guess the 8 year old child who assembled it in China must have dropped the ball that day.

 

Edited September 27, 2021 by Fitzy
Double up on photo

[Fitzy]

Thanks to Del (64 Bonneville Convertible) for inspiring me to post this. Prior to buying my Grand Prix, I wasn't sure of what car to buy. I knew it was going to be my last indulgence and wanted to make a long lasting choice. Once I knew it had to be a US car and fullsize, I wanted a Pontiac because of their extra special styling. We have locally assembled Parisiennes here in Oz and so I thought I'd get one of them, but after an enquiry to the Queensland Pontiac Club, I learnt that export Parisiennes weren't 'real' Pontiacs, but a Chevy chassis & mechanicals draped in Pontiac sheetmetal. Anyway, during a trip through Canada a few years ago, I picked up a magazine that featured US car ads from the 40s thru the 70s, and there it was: the coolest looking Pontiac I'd ever seen and had no idea even existed: a 65 GP. 

Upon returning to Oz, I was cashed up and ready to purchase. I kept thinking about that GP and knew I'd never even see one, let alone own one. I started searching for one and would you believe it, an importer had one for sale in Melbourne. The instant I saw it advertised, I knew I was going to buy it but went through the pre purchase checks first and did everything calmly and sensibly, and now I own one of only 3 that I know of in Australia.

Here is the image that started it all. I still look at it with some amusement because I've been to Paris a few times and believe me, negotiating one of those 2 ton land yachts through medieval cobbled streets and looking relaxed is never going to happen!

[JUSTA6]

Awesome ad...   So what was your 2nd wish?  Finally gettin er back together? 😎  There is light at the end of the tunnel.

[Fitzy]

My second wish is that the cute looking American blonde in the passenger seat came with the car: albeit freshly thawed after having been cryogenically preserved for the last 55 years.

Light at the end of the tunnel...it's a long tunnel and I do see a firefly buzzing around at the other end but I'll get there. The latest drama is that Butler emailed me and are wondering why the package containing my cam was refused by the post office. No other details yet but I can't figure out what has happened.

[Fitzy]

Butler emailed me and said their local post office lost the barcode on the package and had to return it. Anyway, it's back in the post and will hopefully find it's way to Oz. Pistons, rings, bearings & cam bearings are also on the way, phenolic spacer, radiator, cam degree kit and other doodads are also floating about somewhere. No sign of front door panels, ordered February.

One day we'll laugh about how the world stopped back in 2020 for a coupla years.

[64 kiwi boni]

oh your in for some cool xmas pressys mate!!

i have been tracking my ignition switch from pontiac world..... all i can say is ...... painfull !!

one little box with a switch in it has been sitting at sydney air port for over a week, now its been sitting in auckland for 5 days !!! 

its a big wtf moment !! 

[64 kiwi boni]

18 minutes ago, Fitzy said:

One day we'll laugh about how the world stopped back in 2020 for a coupla years.

couple of years !!!! mate this could be life as we know it for here on in !! 

[Fitzy]

Hey y'all, home again after 7 days at work. I came home to a sack of presents and am now waiting on engine internals to turn up so's I can get the thing back together. Will visit machinist tomorrow to see how they're going. Should have engine bay mostly sorted by end of my R and R.

Will catch up on all your activities tomorrow morning.

 

[Fitzy]

Okay you guys, come on - that's enough about Kiwi's funny pink chair. Time to get back to Pontiacs.

I visited the machinist today. Crank is all nicely linished, block all cleaned up. Heads cleaned up, a light milling on the intake faces, all the valves are good, new valve springs and locknuts are on order, new freeze plugs installed in heads and don't those castings look nice all shiny & new. I'm thinking I might just clear coat them so as to match the silver intake manifold and they'll contrast with the blue block.

I inspected all my goodies today - FlowKooler and new divider plates are a good fit but there are a couple of minor issues with some other stuff. First off, Kiwi, did you ever get around to purchasing a phenolic spacer? Mine turned up (to suit Holley & AFB it said) but it doesn't. As usual, I can modify it but will contact the supplier first to see what might be done with it. And my 'exhaust crossover block' intake gaskets turned up but have a look at what they expect will put up with endless hot exhaust gases. Those little bits of stainless steel are 0.52mm thick - that's 20 thou. I'm thinking of getting some thick stainless plate made up and shoving those in the crossover ports. For our US readers, the last thing we need down here in the Southern Hemisphere is extra heat under the carby. Anyway, these are minor problems that I can sort. Oh, and the new pressure switch for my El Cheapo compressor turned up and now it works like it's supposed to. Happy days.

[64 kiwi boni]

fitzy i reused my base gasket under my afb,,, it was super thick and in good nick and i recon it will help stop heat soak into the carter... i didnt have my intake manifold off to plug the exhaust cross overs and i would leave them open... i dont live in super hot northern Queensland!! and it does help cold start , to vaporize the fuel in side the intake runners under the carb.

 

Edited October 6, 2021 by 64 kiwi boni

[64 kiwi boni]

37 minutes ago, Fitzy said:

Heads cleaned up, a light milling on the intake faces, all the valves are good, new valve springs

mate have you though about port matching your heads to the inlet manifold ? its easy to do and helps that intake flow.... along with spending a little time with dremal and clean up the intake runners and blend the bowls a tad !! ... its a nice little trick that improves intake flow and improves velocity

bet two lane black top  does it all the time on his race engines  !

37 minutes ago, Fitzy said:

, Kiwi, did you ever get around to purchasing a phenolic spacer? Mine turned up (to suit Holley & AFB it said) but it doesn't.

gota show us a picture of what turned up 

Edited October 6, 2021 by 64 kiwi boni

[Fitzy]

I have thought about it, but that's all. I can only guess that you would need to fit fhe heads, then the manifold with the ports coated in something to leave a telltale to show what's not lining up and then CAREFULLY remove material with a Dremel, which I own. Does that sound right? I'll do some research. Good tip.

[JUSTA6]

7 hours ago, Fitzy said:

Okay you guys, come on - that's enough about Kiwi's funny pink chair. Time to get back to Pontiacs.

I visited the machinist today. Crank is all nicely linished, block all cleaned up. Heads cleaned up, a light milling on the intake faces, all the valves are good, new valve springs and locknuts are on order, new freeze plugs installed in heads and don't those castings look nice all shiny & new. I'm thinking I might just clear coat them so as to match the silver intake manifold and they'll contrast with the blue block.

I inspected all my goodies today - FlowKooler and new divider plates are a good fit but there are a couple of minor issues with some other stuff. First off, Kiwi, did you ever get around to purchasing a phenolic spacer? Mine turned up (to suit Holley & AFB it said) but it doesn't. As usual, I can modify it but will contact the supplier first to see what might be done with it. And my 'exhaust crossover block' intake gaskets turned up but have a look at what they expect will put up with endless hot exhaust gases. Those little bits of stainless steel are 0.52mm thick - that's 20 thou. I'm thinking of getting some thick stainless plate made up and shoving those in the crossover ports. For our US readers, the last thing we need down here in the Southern Hemisphere is extra heat under the carby. Anyway, these are minor problems that I can sort. Oh, and the new pressure switch for my El Cheapo compressor turned up and now it works like it's supposed to. Happy days.

Wouldn't think you could go any thicker on that blockoff.  How do you expect your head to seal to the block if you went any thicker?   Hate to see ya blow the gasket N have to tear it down all over again.