Most of sanding/painting is done. Lifted it off my utility trailer, found my 1-7/8 ball and class 3 insert. Have messed with it all day trying different blocks, shims and 2x10's and finally was able to get it on the ramps. Now the spoiler will not clear if I was to drop the front tires in the basket's. Need to cut out the front tire stops and it MIGHT work??? Still have 2X2 square tube to stop forward motion. Had the Bird running 4 times today for more than a half hour each time. Running fine. But I was idling out of the neighborhood on the mud road when for no reason for the fuel pump to quit. I need the trailer done in case it messes up on me. Can't tow it or flatbed. Missing Woodward, it's been going on for weeks N gets crazier the closer the Dream Cruise gets.

So new alternator for the Bird will be here by Monday??? Maybe?? Charged the battery. Will swap in the new blower belt I got for Christmas while I'm there.

4 hours ago, JUSTA6 said:

So new alternator for the Bird will be here by Monday??? Maybe?? Charged the battery. Will swap in the new blower belt I got for Christmas while I'm ther

4 hours ago, JUSTA6 said:

So new alternator for the Bird will be here by Monday??? Maybe?? Charged the battery. Will swap in the new blower belt I got for Christmas while I'm there.

i so want a ride in the Bird Steve !!!!!!

18 hours ago, 64 kiwi boni said:

  22 hours ago, JUSTA6 said:

So new alternator for the Bird will be here by Monday??? Maybe?? Charged the battery. Will swap in the new blower belt I got for Christmas while I'm ther

I don't think it floats N sorry I'm not gonna try, no matter how much beer and onion rings you tempt me with!!!

You’re such a killjoy JUSTA!

Now you have done it! Kiwi and Fitzy will be here before we know it!

2 hours ago, Frosty said:

You’re such a killjoy JUSTA!

Now you have done it! Kiwi and Fitzy will be here before we know it!

yeah what he said !!!!

and if you dont fancy beer n onion rings Justa ....all the more for me n fitzy

Edited August 22, 2025Aug 22 by 64 kiwi boni

OK... My new alternator arrived today (early no less). So I add my Magpie attractant and installed the new blower belt. Checked the trickle charger and it shut down for a bad connection? Dang battery should have been ready to go. Oh well, leave something to do for tomorrow.

On 8/21/2025 at 10:49 PM, Frosty said:

You’re such a killjoy JUSTA!

Now you have done it! Kiwi and Fitzy will be here before we know it!

Killjoy??? Cause I won't try to float the Bird? At best it would be good for a 3 hour tour. Now if we install a blowhole in your Buick we would be good to try water wheelies (breaches) to keep us amused on the way down under.

Edited August 24, 2025Aug 24 by JUSTA6

Oh !!!! Very shiny alternator there justA

My original was all hand sanded/polished while watching TV back when I was YOUNG N had more time then $$$. (actually it's still that way!) Intake, water pump N timing chain housing too.

Working on a 59-60 Pontiac Sportable radio unit to install in my car. Manage to find and purchase a 1959 Sportable unit on eBay. Only problem is the portable unit is an Oldsmobile unit. Since I have not been able to locate a Pontiac unit, I have been working on converting the Oldsmobile unit to a Pontiac unit. I finally finished it and am fairly happy with the results. What do you guys think? Passable...lol.

What is a Sportable? I've never heard of these....I mean I can see in the picture it looks like a transistor radio but have no idea how it was implemented in the car. Crazy.

Is the main radio unit using vacuum tubes? Are the tubes hard to find that are not gassy or with blown out heater filaments?

Rick

Yes...they started with portable radios in 1958, I think, for Oldsmobile, Buick, and Pontiac. They were originally called Transportable radios. In 1960, I think Pontiac was the only one offering the option and they were called Sportable radios.

The main body of the radio has tubes in it and is the same as the Super Delux AM radio. I'm thinking of sending it out to have it upgraded to AM/FM unit. The portable unit has no tubes and ran off of the main unit, and it also had batteries in it so that it could be removed and used as a portable radio. The portable unit (bottom right of unit) extended into the glove compartment.

Here's a couple of pics mounted in a car.

A friend in WV had a tri-color red ‘59 Bonneville convertible with the portable radio. She loved that car!

Sadly the car was totaled by a truck in front of her that lost its load of steel rods. She was lucky she wasn’t killed. She said she kept the radio for decades after the car went to the scrap yard. I have no idea if she still has it.

Edited January 7Jan 7 by Frosty

Well you learn something new every day !!!!

I too had never seen one !!! Well done Rick 🍻

Add me to the list of never seen that before, thankz for sharing.

Great job Rick! Pontiac used the Sportable name, Olds used the Transportable designation. Found this explanation online:

• For 1958 and 1959, Oldsmobile offered the “Trans-Portable”.

• For 1958, 1959, and 1960 Pontiac offered the “Sportable”.

• For 1959 only, Buick offered their “Transistor Portable” (interesting that they didn’t create a “catchy” marketing name like the others).

2 hours ago, 31pontiac said:

Great job Rick! Pontiac used the Sportable name, Olds used the Transportable designation. Found this explanation online:

• For 1958 and 1959, Oldsmobile offered the “Trans-Portable”.

• For 1958, 1959, and 1960 Pontiac offered the “Sportable”.

• For 1959 only, Buick offered their “Transistor Portable” (interesting that they didn’t create a “catchy” marketing name like the others).

I can see into the future !!!! When an old guy takes a picture of his re built iPod and plugs it into his home made aux port under the dash of his gto … and some future Pontiac forum kid , goes …. What’s that !’???? I have never seen one of those before !!!!

Heatwave..... Mid 40's and mid 50's before the next Artic Blast. Hope to heat up the GTO and install the windshield LOGO. and also Install the new armrest in the Sunbird. (Thanks Santa) While I have the quick break, tune up my snowblower, ain't done with it yet.

4 hours ago, JUSTA6 said:

Heatwave..... Mid 40's and mid 50's before the next Artic Blast. Hope to heat up the GTO and install the windshield LOGO. and also Install the new armrest in the Sunbird. (Thanks Santa) While I have the quick break, tune up my snowblower, ain't done with it yet.

Was 40c in my garage when I got home today … went out to the tunnel house and it was 38 c !!!! Thankfully I have water chillers cooling my pets !!!

I justA have to keep an eye on the cucumbers ,,, they get jealous when they see me feeding the tomato’s !!!

Edited January 8Jan 8 by 64 kiwi boni

Ok got my windshield logo on the GTO. Really like it and thinking of adding a RED trim line. Maybe. Sunbird will not fire up as I tried to pull it out where I could open the doors and install the new arm rest. So of course, came out to find the GMC had a flat. Took it in and they said nothin wrong rim leak. No charge ... NICE. But on the way home from the club meeting my truck brakes started grinding. Almost $600 for rotors/pads at Oriellys. WTF? Over $1000 installed at shop. Found Detroit AXLE.... for kicks I put the order for drilled/slotted rotors (4) and ceramic pads. All new hardware came with the kit as well as AND a cab of brake cleaner and bottle of brake fluid!!!! Justa tad over $325. With weather warming into the 50's this weekend, looks like I'm gonna give doing brake's a shot this weekend. May take all weekend, but $700 saved will go into paint fund for the GTO. Check this link for parts you might need.

https://www.detroitaxle.com/parts/

I didn't find much for the GTO, but that was all Drums original.

So, when new tires were installed about a year ago. Shop overtightened the lugs. Was able to break 4-5 loose, the last one I bent my 4 way wrench. Added a 3ft pipe....bent that in half. Guess I'll tighten everything up and take it back to fight with the tire shop and see what they plan on doing about this mess. Not sure if you can get the old lugs out and replaced with out taking it all apart. Can't anything go right.

I averted what I thought could turn into that same situation when I tried to explain left-handed threads to a rookie tire-changer as he started to remove lugnuts from my ‘61 Catalina. After 3 failed attempts I had to take the impact gun from him and demonstrate.

Of course I took it back to a mad busy shop. Waited over an hour 1/2 before they got to me. 1st gun no go. He went and got their big gun, loosened and lightly tightened every nut, Got home to the same mess all over, but was able to get em loose. Then spent an hour trying to get the rim to separate from the rotor with no luck. Even took the sledge to the tire with no go. Don't want to hammer on the rim. Need to go back out this AM and maybe try to put a 2X4 across the rim and pound on that?? NEVER have I ever had probs like this to do a brake job.