Fitzy's GP is back!

[Fitzy]

Thanks, Man. I'll be sure to get really pissed and post all sorts of nonsense!

For our American viewers, pissed (down here) means drunk, not angry. 

[64 kiwi boni]

4 minutes ago, Fitzy said:

Thanks, Man. I'll be sure to get really pissed and post all sorts of nonsense!

For our American viewers, pissed (down here) means drunk, not angry. 

nah dont get pist, justA do a really cool skid and get your boss to film it!! THAT would be cool 

smoke coming out under those skirts pushed out left and right by the tail pipes!!! wee hee 

yeah baby yeah,,,, 

[Fitzy]

Here's a question for any Pontiac Tragics who may be viewing: my car went to the mechanic for it's inspection today but the dude is flat out, so I left it there and he'll do it tomorrow. No problem. He called to ask me if the chassis number is actually stamped into one of the rails in addition to the little plate that sits under the driver's A pillar in between the door hinges. I had wondered this previously so checked the official service manual. No mention of any number except for that little affixed plate. I look online and there are several schools of thought on the topic. Some are vehement that no frame ever had numbers physically stamped into them - others suggest the top of the left hand rail just behind the rear wheel. Is anyone brave enough to dive in and have their say? I find it hard to believe that any manufacturer would not stamp a number directly into the frame.

There's also a good story where one bloke found the number but it was 'X'ed out and another number added alongside. According to someone else, this is what the factory did if they made a mistake. LSD in the water cooler in the Staff Canteen? Probably. It was the 60s, after all.

[64 kiwi boni]

4 minutes ago, Fitzy said:

Here's a question for any Pontiac Tragics who may be viewing: my car went to the mechanic for it's inspection today but the dude is flat out, so I left it there and he'll do it tomorrow. No problem. He called to ask me if the chassis number is actually stamped into one of the rails in addition to the little plate that sits under the driver's A pillar in between the door hinges. I had wondered this previously so checked the official service manual. No mention of any number except for that little affixed plate. I look online and there are several schools of thought on the topic. Some are vehement that no frame ever had numbers physically stamped into them - others suggest the top of the left hand rail just behind the rear wheel. Is anyone brave enough to dive in and have their say? I find it hard to believe that any manufacturer would not stamp a number directly into the frame.

There's also a good story where one bloke found the number but it was 'X'ed out and another number added alongside. According to someone else, this is what the factory did if they made a mistake. LSD in the water cooler in the Staff Canteen? Probably. It was the 60s, after all.

no chassis number on my 64 frame mate!! trust me i had been over it with a fine tooth file!! / wire brush 

and from what i read they didnt do it..

justA ya vin in the door jam is all 

frosty would know.

but he will be sleeping now

Edited March 1, 2022 by 64 kiwi boni

[Fitzy]

Thanks Kiwi. I still find it hard to believe that that little plate is the sole ID point on the frame, because it's so easy to pop off and rivet another on. I suppose you gotta bear in mind that back then, the Yanks churned out cars endlessly and it might have been considered superfluous to stamp the number because more than likely, after a few years that car would be scrapped. A terrible thought in hindsight, but perhaps true.

[64 kiwi boni]

1 minute ago, Fitzy said:

Thanks Kiwi. I still find it hard to believe that that little plate is the sole ID point on the frame, because it's so easy to pop off and rivet another on. I suppose you gotta bear in mind that back then, the Yanks churned out cars endlessly and it might have been considered superfluous to stamp the number because more than likely, after a few years that car would be scrapped. A terrible thought in hindsight, but perhaps true.

none of my 56 and 57 chevs had chassis numbers ... so i am guessing it was justA the norm.... but by 1972 my camaro has a chassis number and a vin tucked behind the glass on the driver side.... may be no one wanted to steal pre 70 cars ????

4 minutes ago, Fitzy said:

Thanks Kiwi. I still find it hard to believe that that little plate is the sole ID point on the frame, because it's so easy to pop off and rivet another on. I suppose you gotta bear in mind that back then, the Yanks churned out cars endlessly and it might have been considered superfluous to stamp the number because more than likely, after a few years that car would be scrapped. A terrible thought in hindsight, but perhaps true.

one little thing about that plate that the vin is on mate.... those are special rivets... most agencies would know if that plate was taken off and a after market rivet was used. 

[JUSTA6]

6 hours ago, 64 kiwi boni said:

none of my 56 and 57 chevs had chassis numbers ... so i am guessing it was justA the norm.... but by 1972 my camaro has a chassis number and a vin tucked behind the glass on the driver side.... may be no one wanted to steal pre 70 cars ????

one little thing about that plate that the vin is on mate.... those are special rivets... most agencies would know if that plate was taken off and a after market rivet was used. 

While building cars for GM.  Those rivets were guarded like gold.  While changing my frame on the 66.  Thought of behind the rear wheel on the frame #,  but never saw it while sanding/repainting the replacement frame.

[Frosty]

I am not aware of any numbers on the chassis that early boys. I will do some double checking. I have an old Buick service manual that I was given for '65. I will look at it later to see if they did anything. 

[Fitzy]

I thought I'd pen this as another Public Service. Mechanic called me and said there's a problem with the car. I sigh heavily and drive there. He can't pass the car because the brake booster is leaking air. Brakes work fine and booster does it's job BUT by law the booster has to hold it's pressure for one full minute after engine shuts off, and it doesn't. All of a sudden I get why there's the sound of a vacuum leak when I shut the engine off. I searched high & low for weeks prior and couldn't find anything amiss, so I convinced myself that it was just residual air being sucked thru the carby until the engine stopped turning altogether after shutoff, but of course it wasn't. I also realised that the booster AND trans modulator feed off the same manifold fitting and that's probably why the auto won't change up when it's supposed to. So, I'm kinda disappointed that I can't get car on the road yet but am also relieved that he found the problem. A brake specialist in Cairns is fairly confident they'll have something to fix booster with, so hopefully next week it'll be fixed and ready to go.

One more thing. I'm probably late to the party once more but I went to my local electrical wholesaler some time ago and told him I wanted to know the best way to join 2 auto electrical wires. He showed me these heatshrink connectors complete with a low temp melting point solder connector in the middle. These things are great and I'm never using anything ever again when joining wires. Once heated & cooled, they are never coming apart and are fully insulated. Gold.

[64 kiwi boni]

yip, mate. my booster was leaking and it was way to much to get one from rock auto, so i sent my one to a specialist and he rebuilt it....  

so was that all that they spotted ???? once that's done your all legal ???

[Fitzy]

I believe so. Once that booster is fixed, she should be right. I'm pleased to hear that yours could be fixed - I really hope that's the case with mine. I just shopped around for prices and IF you can even find one, they're hideously expensive. The only time in my life when I needed a new booster was when I was about 20 and it was $100 supplied & fitted for my 67 Fairlane. Now, they're anywhere from about $160 for a kit to about $700 for booster & master cylinder...US$!

[64 kiwi boni]

11 hours ago, Fitzy said:

I believe so. Once that booster is fixed, she should be right. I'm pleased to hear that yours could be fixed - I really hope that's the case with mine. I just shopped around for prices and IF you can even find one, they're hideously expensive. The only time in my life when I needed a new booster was when I was about 20 and it was $100 supplied & fitted for my 67 Fairlane. Now, they're anywhere from about $160 for a kit to about $700 for booster & master cylinder...US$!

think my one was rebuilt by a firm in Christchurch, was $320 

the booster if your is like mine is a standard gm 9 inch, you should have no problem getting it done

[Frosty]

On 3/2/2022 at 12:48 AM, Fitzy said:

One more thing. I'm probably late to the party once more but I went to my local electrical wholesaler some time ago and told him I wanted to know the best way to join 2 auto electrical wires. He showed me these heatshrink connectors complete with a low temp melting point solder connector in the middle. These things are great and I'm never using anything ever again when joining wires. Once heated & cooled, they are never coming apart and are fully insulated. Gold.

I've used a couple of packs of these from Amazon and used them on the speaker and radio wiring for Lucy when I yanked out the dash last summer. I love them. No more soldering, flux, burning yourself on excess solder, etc. 

Edited March 3, 2022 by Frosty

[Fitzy]

That's right, Frosty. For an inept klutz like me, these things are a cinch and give a great result.

[64 kiwi boni]

sorry but i want to see that solder interpenetration of the 2 wires and i KNOW its 100% 

then heat shrink over it. but thats because i am a plumber and have been soldering all my life .

[Fitzy]

No need to fret. Due to it's transparency, you can insert each wire in and watch where they meet. Once happy with the positioning, a small amount of good heat and the solder melts completely - you can see it. A quick check with a multimeter and you're done.

[Fitzy]

Man, I am so bored. I've got another 10 days off yet! I won't see the GP until mid next week at the earliest so it's time to find another project, but still gotta take it easy with my arm. I have an old Husqvarna ride on mower that was gifted to me and is sitting under our other carport patiently waiting for some attention, so tomorrow I'll drag it into the Pontiac Garage Area and shall begin it's resurrection. I will spare you guys pics although I'm happy to share tales of woe as I tinker with it. I'll try and keep the content Pontiac relatable - perhaps if I write 'Pontiac' on the side of it?

[Frosty]

Fitzy - start another "off topic" thread. Let us see your trials and tribulations as you try to get the Husqvarna to do 20-second quarter mile times and do your best imitation of "more power" and Tim "The Tool Man" Taylor here.

 

Edited March 3, 2022 by Frosty

[64 kiwi boni]

yeah mate, like i am doing for the reno, we would love to see what your doing with the old ride on👍

[Fitzy]

You guys just want Ringo to ban me for posting non Pontiac related content. I'll see if I can sneakily incorporate it into another thread.

[Frosty]

2 hours ago, Fitzy said:

You guys just want Ringo to ban me for posting non Pontiac related content. I'll see if I can sneakily incorporate it into another thread.

The sad thing is there really is a US Lawn Mower Racing Association (USLMRA). Justa amd I know three members of their Hall of Fame too, Bruce Kaufman (Mr. Mow-It-All), Kerry Evans, and Bobby Cleveland.

https://letsmow.com/

 

Fitzy - what say you put a Pontiac engine in that Husqvarna? That way you won't get in Dutch with Ringo!

[64 kiwi boni]

2 hours ago, Frosty said:

The sad thing is there really is a US Lawn Mower Racing Association (USLMRA). Justa amd I know three members of their Hall of Fame too, Bruce Kaufman (Mr. Mow-It-All), Kerry Evans, and Bobby Cleveland.

https://letsmow.com/

 

Fitzy - what say you put a Pontiac engine in that Husqvarna? That way you won't get in Dutch with Ringo!

how cool is that!!!

[Fitzy]

Check out my new thread: Little Known Pontiac Mower Division.

[Fitzy]

I'm embarrassed to say this, but Lawn Mower Racing is a thing here too. For nutjobs who have too much spare time, the thrill of doing 45 km/h (about 30 mph) on a ride on is worth bodily injury. By all accounts, it's seriously scary. These guys fit go kart wheels and all manner of doodads to their mowers. Me? I just mow the grass. I know, right. Boooor - ing.

My regular ride on is a secondhand year 2000 model Greenfield, an impossibly sturdy little tractor mower made here in Queensland. It's poor old sidevalve Briggs is still going but needs a rebuild. When the rain stops and it cools down a bit, this is the year that I finally rebuild that old engine. That'll be another 'off topic' thread if there's any interest. If not, that's okay. I'm sure by then, the GP will have experienced enough ongoing dramas to keep us all amused!

[Fitzy]

Ohmygod ohmygod ohmygod...I picked up my repaired brake booster today and hastily delivered it to my long suffering mechanic who is probably as sick of looking at my car sitting around as I am. He MIGHT get it fitted tomorrow. My guess is that if he does, he'll write the Safety Inspection as a pass just to get rid of my car! If I can get the damn thing registered and then possibly get a front end alignment done tomorrow or Saturday (bad day for anything as most blue collar workers are very likely hungover from Friday night's excesses and bad decisions) then I can drive it home and that's that. Pray for me, please.