Frosty

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.

Sounds like it will be a sweet set-up.

Very cool. What are you doing to lower it Chaos? An engineered lowering kit? Old school cutting of the springs? How much are you lowering it? Can I assume this is for a little auto cross from time to time?

You making a compelling point Ringo. I think the challenging point that keeps the horsepower wars in check is the future emissions/CAFE mileage requirements. As the rules get more stringent, the companies are being forced to build ever more uber-"econo boxes" for every HP giant they build. In order to balance the equation, build fewer models of HP giants and build far more econo-boxes.

Thanks stratman. Its worth rescuing because so few were built. As long as the back glass and rear unique sheet metal is intact, a donor Grand Prix could be used to restore the rest of it. Oh, and be sure to duck....a lot.

Now that is lazy !!!!

Thanks for the compliment Ringo !!! I have no idea how the royalties work. Unfortunately, Paul died in 2011, so if there are any commercial royalties, I would expect it to go to his widow and/or estate. Eric has never told me that he has gotten anything for the book. I might ask him some day though. Although I rather doubt he gets a dime of it. I agree with you that it is a must see place. Every Pontiac enthusiast should put it on their bucket list and go visit. Nearby Route 66 is a must do and a lot of fun too. Tim showed me a first edition 1927 Oakland service manual while we were in the library. He gets copies of all the POCI chapter newsletters/magazines, including the Widetrackers "Tracker". He had an issue of the Tracker that I can't recall reading before. Tim and Penny will be speaking at the Motor City POCI Chapter's car show/event in July at Baker's in Milford (in Indymanjoe's backyard) this summer too. If I have that day off from baseball, I will try to get down to see them again.