Frosty

I would submit that the aftermarket has embraced the G8 with its LS3 powerplant (along with the modern Chevy SS successor), so I would expect suspension and powertrain parts will be readily available for quite sometime. That said, certain mundane parts will become difficult to get over time. Chaos is right, the feds do require parts must be available for several years after it goes out of production.

Nice write up JUSTA !!!

Pontiac was never intended to be a global brand for GM. It was sold in North America only with a handful of special exports to Australia and Europe (converted to right hand drive). The international brands for GM are Chevrolet, Cadillac, Opel/Vauxhall, Holden (some under the Opel/Vauxhall name but will go away by 2017), Daewoo, and Buick (especially popular in China). BTW - Welcome to Forever Pontiac.

I played little league and a lot of pick-up/sandlot as a kid but it was not a passion like the boy has. He dreams of playing college baseball someday. I want to see him make it, its just extremely competitive to make JV, Varsity, college, and the pros. Each level takes that much more to get to. Speaking as an "old guy" who's been active for nearly 30 years in my ski club and 10 years in my car club, it has been tough to draw in young people such as yourself. I am not sure if it is not wanting to associated with "old people", the perception of old ways/old ideas/ not modern enough fun, whatever. I have even read that "young" people are simply not "joiners". I am not sure what to actually believe. I know that young people hold the future to the success of social groups like car and ski clubs. So clubs are a combination of what you put into them and what you get out of them. If the same people do all the work, then nothing will change, and then burn out and resentment sets in.

Life has a way of filling up your time. Believe me, my son's baseball games & practice schedule has sucked nearly every spare minute out of my life for the last 2 years and will continue for the next 2. I barely have time for car shows or cruises anymore. I literally have to fight with my wife sometimes to go to a car show, car club meeting, or do something I want to do for myself vs. going to yet another doggone baseball game. I glad you found a car club. I hope you become active in the club. New blood and new ideas are always appreciated.

Where have you been?

Look for the casting number on the block. A '63 326 V8 will be 548211. A '64 326 is 9773153. A '65 & 66 326 is 9778840. Casting codes from 1955 to 1963 are on the passenger side of the block. From 1964 to 1967, they are on the distributor pad (except for the 421). Casting codes for from March 1967 on are found on the rear of the block just behind the number 8 cylinder. This will confirm the original displacement of the engine and the year of the block was made. It will not confirm it is the original engine. Now there should be a block code. It roughly corresponds to the body/transmission/carb/engine combination. So for a '63 A-body with a 326, the possible codes can be. These can be found on the front of the block below the passenger side head. Code Car Year CID HP Trans RPO VIN Carb Block Cast Main Notes 590 A-body 63 326 280 Powerglide L-76 1x4 548211 2 HO 68X A-body 63 326 250 3-speed L-30 1x2 548211 2 600 A-body 63 326 260 Powerglide L-30 1x2 548211 2 690 A-body 63 326 250 Powerglide L-30 1x2 548211 2 70X A-body 63 326 280 4-speed L-76 1x4 548211 2 HO 71X A-body 63 326 260 3-speed L-30 1x2 548211 2 Date Code The date code is cast on the distributor pad. It is a 3 or 4 digit code. The first digit will be a letter. A=January, B=Febuary, C=March, etc. Followed by a 1 or 2 digit number for the day of the month. The last digit will be the year. The build date of the engine will be sooner than the build date of the car. If it is older than the build date of the car, the engine has been replaced (it is possible it a service replacement).

Be careful what you wish for from GE boys. You just might get it !!! Of course I've been wishing he'd find his way to the post office and he ain't done that neither. We've already established that he ain't right. I suspect a chromosome count might uncover some sort of genetic mistakes.

Sounds like a great weekend. I wish I had the time this weekend.

I am not certain, I know that POR has a rust encapsulator. That is their big product. They may have a rust remover now. You might want to check their website. I would prefer to use a rust remover / converter before using an encapsulator. So Eastwood Fast Etch and Naval Jelly are two that I've used. WD-40 has a rust remover liquid now (I've no experience with it though) just to name a few. I would imagine your local tractor supply/farm & fleet would also have something too.

Pro has a point. You may be able to buy the same dye/paint the Subaru dealership uses. Expect it to be pricey though.....its what dealers do. Here is a link for you....I also find SEM paints on Amazon. http://www.stockinteriors.com/items.asp?MakeId=26&ModelId=401&MainCatId=16&Desc=Subaru_Impreza_Paint_and_Dye

Who's fault is that?

Havoc - the biggest factory rim in the Rally IIs Pontiac made were the 15 x 7s. 15x8 Honycomb and Snowflake wheels came along later. You should be okay with either set so long as the bolt patter is 5 x 4.75, which is the same as the GTO/Firebird. I checked to make sure the X-body platform carried the same bolt pattern. So you have your choice of rims, although if the chrome rings are in good shape, the 14s might be the better buy since the wheels are already painted (albeit used). The 15s you have to buy everthing else, paint (argent silver and charcoal), center caps, and trim rings (if you want them). You might want to buy a fresh set of chrome lug nuts to go with these new wheels. As for the question of rust, you want to buy some sort of rust converter, not a rust inhibitor. Naval jelly is one product, Eastwood has another. You want to sand off the large scale rust (and paint) and then treat the rest of the metal with the rust converter, cover it with a sell-etching primer, and then paint/clear it. Be sure to read all the instructions on proper surface preparation because some special prep maybe necessary between converter, primer, and paint. Paint Over Rust (POR) products will encapulate the rusted metal and prevent air and moisture from getting to it. POR products are not generally recommended for things like exterior door panels or fenders that need to be painted to make the car look good. However they are great for chassis / suspension parts or inside doors, fender wells, etc. that will not be seen. That said, I know POR is coming out with a new line of products, so they may have some newer materials to work with too. I have a brake caliper kit from POR that I want to try when I get some spare time for my kids perennial baseball season.

Hmmm...looking at the SEM color chart, Camel is a very popular automotive tan interior color. If its a light tan, there perhaps Santa Fe. Palomino, or Buckskin. Do you know what the official color of your interior is from Subaru?

I stopped in to check on Lucy's progress. I had do order something from The Parts Place seems I was missing a small $15.00 part. The embroider is out until this coming week. So with luck everything should be wrapped up by Friday.

Studebaker Avanti - on my recent trip to Chicago

What color are you looking for ? SEM products are available in a lot of places, including Amazon.

Wow! Looks like another popcorn and Junior Mints event to me!!!

1LE only parts may be fewer and therefore less expensive than the total Z/28 package. Of course, the Z/28 package may be more complete too.

You will probably want to find some interior dye, not paint. Eastwood and SEM both carry a line of good dash/plastic dyes for automotive interiors. You will need to buy 3 things: a plastic cleaner to remove wax/grease from the part, a prep spray to get the plastic to accept the dye, and then the actual dye color itself.

$2.599 post-Memorial Day for Shell 87 octane.

Have you considered the 1LE braking/handling components too or is that already included in the Z/28 suspension ?

True, but they won't be making Holden's much longer in Australia at all. 2017 is literally the end of the road for all car manufacturing in Australia - Holden, Ford, and Toyota are all stopping production by then.