Man Kiwi, great work bro! Super impressed!!!!

Hi Chris, I just scanned all the posts, and you sure have been a busy boy. No wonder you haven't started on the '57 yet, as not enough hours in the day. 

Very impressive work by the way!

8 hours ago, KiwiStarChief said:

Hi Chris, I just scanned all the posts, and you sure have been a busy boy. No wonder you haven't started on the '57 yet, as not enough hours in the day. 

Very impressive work by the way!

Thanks Russel 

there certainly isn’t enough hours in a day !!

I have one major job to get done on. The additions to the house before I can go for code of compliance !! Then !!! 
the boss has bought a swim spa from alpine pools there in Auckland which will need a 6 inch  thick concrete pad poured for !!! 
sooo I grab any moment I can to get something done ! 57 happy sitting there , I start her up and take her for a drive from time to time 

I really need to get the 63 frame built painted and back under the body as soon as I can 

See that 57 down levin for sale on tm has dropped wayyy low in price ! He’s only asking 30k now !!! It was 50 ! 

Edited February 13, 20251 yr by 64 kiwi boni

Finally got back to the 63 after doing chores for the boss most of this Saturday !!!

justA pondering how I want the trans member to look 👀 

I am using some 42 mm thick tube and I will make some end plates to bolt to the frame and a  section of 5mm plate in the middle for the factory trans mount to bolt too …

might add some pretty infills too … frosty ? Fitzy ? Past me a beer !!! 

It’s near 6 so it’s beer o clock ⏰ 

Edited February 15, 20251 yr by 64 kiwi boni

Cheers mate! 

She’s looking good!

I managed to get another few hours on the trans mount this sunday,double checked my angle at 3 degrees and set to making mounts plate, ends to bolt to the frame rail JustA like the factory one , and some plate in between. 

and got it all tacked, i will need to fully weld it next weekend.

Edited February 16, 20251 yr by 64 kiwi boni

The drivers side factory manifold is too close to the steering box, which means a change to headers is on the cards 

Ls parts are easy to find and I bought some full length headers that should work … fingers crossed ! As it is not like u can go to a speed shop and ask for ls headers for 63 safari 

 

Edited February 16, 20251 yr by 64 kiwi boni

Nice work. Always waiting to see what your next project is.

6 hours ago, JUSTA6 said:

Nice work. Always waiting to see what your next project is.

Justa, after i weld this suport up, i have to deal with that wrongway angle of that 12 bolt diff, it will need, new mounts on the top made and welding on, and to be rebuilt as well and it has no drums or backing plates, so it going to need everything.... i am of 2 minds !!! out in the paddock sitting under that bent 64 frame is a perfectly good Ponti diff.... only issue there is i will need to have the axle pattern redrilled to 4.75 chev to match the fronts, which some one had already done... only thing stopping me from justA swaping it is, future parts avaliblity if i break it ! 

the gearing of the ponti diff will be fine for a street cruiser but the big question .... will it last ? 

on the plus side, all the mounts are factory and i would not have to dick with them !!!

what do you think ? 

 

Kiwi - take a hard look at your old ‘63 rear end. If it is the old Hotdhkiss style diff, then it is very desirable for drag racing purposes, so I suspect it can be built up to what you might do to the Safari. 

https://www.hotrod.com/how-to/1303sr-1957-1964-pontiac-and-oldsmobile-rearends/photos/

Edited February 18, 20251 yr by Frosty

This is the spare diff , it came under the 64 bonni I used the frame from 

what I do know it will bolt straight into a 63 … so frosty are you saying it’s as good if not better than a 12 bolt ? 
what I like is that it hasn’t been messed with . All the mounts are intacted and stock … so my angles will be perfect … no having to muck around with repairing like on the Chevy unit 

Yes mate, that’s what I am saying. This rear end was used by drag racers back in the day. Some of who received the famous super duty Lemans and Tempests in ‘63 used this diff because the shiftable rear end that came with the car was less reliable and more finicky. That’s not to say you may need to beef up the internals a bit.

How much HP and torque are you looking to put out?

I see this as a way cheaper alternative to buying a custom 12-bolt or a Ford 9-inch, even if you have to rebuild the pumpkin and put in stronger axles. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

Edited February 18, 20251 yr by Frosty

My .  You kept the ol frame N parts in case you ever need to use them.  Nows the time!  Save work, $$$, time.  I'm assuming the 10 bolt is not posi? The 12 bolt should have posi, lil stronger.  Both should last with stock rim/tire sizes.  Not like it's gonna be on the dragstrip every weekend.  Go 10 bolt, you always have the 12 to rebuild as needed in the future. 

Actually Justa, that's technically not a 10-bolt but rather a Hotchkis-style rear end. It is very similar to the Ford 9-inch in configuration in that the ring and pinion are one single assembly or "pumpkin". The traditional 10 and 12 bolts have separate ring and pinion assemblies. All are fine rear ends, it is just a matter of how much abuse of Kiwi's right foot it needs to be able to take and how much his boss let's him spend! 

thanks guys, i will drag the 64 frame out of the paddock and pull the diff apart to asess  its condtion. then i will make the call.... i think this 64 diff is bigger than a 10 bolt, arnt they like 9.25 inch ? 

Yes, they were 9.3 inch ring and pinion gear sets. So that's a lot of beef right there. So the big two questions are what is the gear ratio and if it is an open diff or a post/limited slip unit.

2 hours ago, Frosty said:

Yes, they were 9.3 inch ring and pinion gear sets. So that's a lot of beef right there. So the big two questions are what is the gear ratio and if it is an open diff or a post/limited slip unit.

I am not going to be putting any more than. 400 hp through it …

ao what I need to do is open it up and inspect its condition 

being a stick 64 bonneville one I am expecting it to be nice cruising gears 

which will be perfect for wagon 

On 2/8/2025 at 10:28 PM, 64 kiwi boni said:

wow !!! thats exact temperture of my beer fridge  

JustA a tad warm again this Sunday !!!

perfect weather for staying in the shed outa the sun 

 

Check this Mitten weather report.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/topstories/breathtaking-video-captures-a-frozen-lake-michigan-after-days-of-arctic-weather/ar-AA1zogEQ?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=EDGEESS&cvid=616ef7b0e7c54f3fa6fa7bc7dda0fc1f&ei=23

I am still not happy with Puxataney Phil. This damn winter won't go away. Have I said how sick I am of this winter weather?

16 hours ago, JUSTA6 said:

Check this Mitten weather report.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/topstories/breathtaking-video-captures-a-frozen-lake-michigan-after-days-of-arctic-weather/ar-AA1zogEQ?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=EDGEESS&cvid=616ef7b0e7c54f3fa6fa7bc7dda0fc1f&ei=23

That’s impressive ! 
I justA had to show the boss 👍

15 hours ago, Frosty said:

I am still not happy with Puxataney Phil. This damn winter won't go away. Have I said how sick I am of this winter weather?

And here I am banging on about this heat !!! Give me cold any day !! 

i finally get another weekend where i can move forward on the chassis !!!!

 

 

First job was to bring the 64 into the garage and measure her ride height…

I want to set the ride height on the 63 frame since they are are the same, and can check the pinion angle of the diff ….

the 64 sits justA where I want the 63 to sit height wise ..

200mm front and rear to the bottom of the frame rails, as you can see, i have set the frame on my floor at the ride height i want ..

I was so not happy with the 12 bolt that the previous owner had installed ..  pinion angle was only one issue !!

The welds where soooo not flash and when i checked the spring bases, they too are welded in wonky postions ..... time to make a call on this diff ! 

Out in the paddock is the frame from my donor 64 2 door hard top that has a perfect factory 9.3 inch .. all factory, all geomerty is stock ......
 

frosty ! what can you make of these codes ? 2.9 to 1 single wheeler ? 

so the call was made and i installed the 64 diff under the 63, frame ... it went in perfect ......

and i stuck the 12 bolt chev diff into the bent frame, it did not go in easy, which reiterated that the mounts where not any where near perfect !!!, regardless of the condition of either diff, i am going to do a complete rebuild of the one i use, which now is going to be the factory one, guys any suggestions on sorces of parts ? 

i want to up grade to a disc brake set up too, the 9.3 is missing too many parts to go stock 

 

 

Edited May 17, 20251 yr by 64 kiwi boni

The diff type & ratio codes on my car are stamped into the top of the RH axle housing - it's a really light stamping and I had to wirebrush surface rust & dirt away to find it. Mine says UC: U is an open wheeler and C is 2.73.

Anyway, your work is really impressive .I think you made the right call using 64 diff. As Justa said - the old frame is sitting there for parts, so use them.

I did like the idea of the Chev 12 bolt for availability of parts !

but the more I measured the more it was a nasty rough installation .. hence going with stock ! It’s big it’s strong nothing lost at all !!!

Not sure mate that 64 had stamping in the tube like yours ..

I certainly have a stamping in the tube on the 68 

but 64 ? It was a big change year for lots of components 

On 4/24/2023 at 5:25 AM, 64 kiwi boni said:

sure is mate. this ones for the boss and its going to be red as per her request... she has also set the budget, which will dictate how far into it i go, but i see nothing major to do, justA panel and paint. engine and trans set of wheels.

So let me get this right...nothing major except for panel, paint, engine, trans and wheels 🤔

And, it's a Pontiac 😬

Sure, you should slip that in easily a little under $80k 🤣

fabcraftmetalworks.com should have anything you may need for your 9.3.  They specialize in them.