Fitzy

I ordered another mirror from Ames and was told that the 'line of sight' from the passenger mirror is not good, but that's okay. I can explain that to the Corolla driver I wipe off the road as I change lanes one day in the future. So...yesterday I achieved a milestone. I've had the car about 10 months now and have peered into that rusty trunk almost every day mumbling to myself that I need to get in there and get rid of that ugly surface rust. I planned for the event the day before and then spent the entire day washing & wiping dry, wirebrushing and hand sanding every panel, nook, cranny and piece of hardware from the back seat brace panel to the back of the car, all the time contorted into inhuman positions. Amidst all the rusty dust I found the last remnants of vermin nests that obviously came from the old rear seat padding that had migrated into those side recesses inside the rear quarters. I hooked them out with a piece of wire and then emptied the side lower portions of the trunk, down beneath the spot welded panels that form the sides of the trunk floor. I used an air hose to force out bits of rusty metal, old caulking remnants and 55 year old dust, mixed with ratshit and rusty dust. Yes, I wore a mask and then I brushed rust converter on all areas. I crawled outa there a broken man, whimpering and hobbled into the shower to de-contaminate. Today's task is to get back in there, wipe off the rust converter and chuck a coat of rust preventative paint on all areas. This is one of those jobs that you do ONCE. Remember, I bought that car so that I had something to do in my spare time - I never envisaged being covered in ratshit was to be part of the ownership package. This is the sort of thing you need to keep in mind when purchasing a restored car. Sure, the owner is asking a hefty price, but HE got covered in ratshit whilst all YOU have to do is tool around looking cool. Apologies for the crappy photo - we're experiencing unusually inclement weather right now and the lighting is not good.

Thanks Guys. I also currently drive for a living and the GP is about the same size as the 53 seat coach I drive! Thanks for the photo-another mirror comin' up. Ka-ching!

Hey, while we're here, I'm thinking of installing a passenger side exterior mirror. Now, I've never driven a left hand drive car in Australia but I reckon I'm gonna need some far side rear vision once I actually hit the road. My question is, do those far side mirrors actually provide enough vision for the driver? Those big swooping C pillars are always going to be a problem but any vision is better than none. Plus, I guess it'll even up the look of the car having twin mirrors.

It's nice to be back home with pockets full of overtime pesos, and there they go! Goodbye heard earned pesos. So, I keep ordering stuff. My front end rebuild kit turned up, the CORRECT springs are apparently coming, my steering box is coming, all my crap from Ames is...gathering at their warehouse. I bought a spring compressor and ball joint remover - stay posted for gruesome injuries. I had my headlining bows welded so they are now the correct lengths. I POR15'd the floor and the windscreen surrounds, I prepared inside the front cowl for POR15, I painted my air cleaner tough looking matt black, 389 decal is coming to finish it off. Next time I'm home I'll POR15 the trunk weatherstrip channel, front cowl and battery tray. I repaired the fuel tank, POR15'd the top and bought some heavy duty rubber strips to ensure it never rusts again. I got a POR15 tank sealer kit. That damn car is NEVER gonna rust again! I found the correct pitman arm for fullsize GM manual steering Saginaw 525 box and have added the photo as a reference for anyone else lunatic enough to follow in my steps. Goodness me, THAT took weeks of research. A question: 14 x 6 Rallye 1 steel rims. Nobody wants them, except me. If anyone has a set of 4 that run true and have bolt holes in good condition, perhaps we can do a deal. Their cosmetic condition is unimportant as I can resurrect them.

Wanna hear something funny? I thought "wow, I'm having a great time on Forever Pontiac, let's try an additional forum." So, I joined another and it was so benign and vanilla, much like sitting in a doctor's waiting room. I have since given up and shall stick with the gaggle of online like minded chaps here. I have transgressed and beg forgiveness, never to stray again.

Thanks Last Indian - nice simple elegant solutions. I shall dive into my engine bay with wire & pliers and see what irreversible damage I can do.

Goodness me, what a response. Frosty's storage sheds full of, what was it, scrapbooking??? THREE sheds? And Last Indian's Kirby vac story - hilarious! I'll add that my missus also keeps our hillbilly shed absolutely spotless, despite me trudging detritus through the ahem, living room en route to the Pontiac room. It's not all one way though - I defend the place by keeping the bears & wolves at bay, so I'm worth having around, right? I said RIGHT, honey? I keep waiting for Ringo to intervene and make us stay on topic, which was apparently my GP. I'll post something once I get home and actually physically see the car again - it's been a while now. Actually, here's a new topic. I want to somehow lock the external hood latch lever as some attempt to stop someone hot wiring the car. If anyone has successfully and neatly done such a thing, let me know, will you?

I loved Wrongway's little ditty about his new project. He told his (obviously long suffering) wife that it was in 'pretty good condition' and he'd have it running by the weekend and then limped it from the backyard to the driveway. That is SO classic and I'm sure we can ALL relate to it. There must be an entire sub culture of suffering wives who quietly put up with hubby and his 'other love.' I guess as long as he's in the garage working on his baby, he's not out with his boozy friends getting toasted in some sleazy bar. He can always have a drink in his sleazy garage! I have been known to have restored a piece of chrome trim by polishing it for ages, and then running over to her like a 10 year old and showing her how good it looks - upon reflection I believe this to be a confirmation reflex that lets her know that the car is worth all the time & money I'm spending on it. How sad.

Goodness me, the MONEY. You've all heard me whining about money for months now. No more whining coz no more money! That's okay, I never had kids, am not married, own everything I have, make my own beer, have travelled extensively, so what else am I gonna do with money? I'm going to enjoy it, and if that means lavishing it on 2 tonnes of chrome & Detroit iron, then let's go!

You know, I've spent a LOT of time researching parts for that GP. I'm gonna end up old & crusty and a source of all things Pontiac. It wasn't supposed to end like this: all I wanted was something to tinker with in my 'spare time,' you know, the time I USED TO HAVE that was spare! I'm gonna be as painful as a reformed smoker-Pontiac this and Pontiac that, blah blah blah... Mind you, it has been immensely interesting and being a long time car tragic, it's not going away.

You know, I've spent a LOT of time researching parts for that GP. I'm gonna end up old & crusty and a source of all things Pontiac. It wasn't supposed to end like this: all I wanted was something to tinker with in my 'spare time,' you know, the time I USED TO HAVE that was spare! I'm gonna be as painful as a reformed smoker-Pontiac this and Pontiac that, blah blah blah... Mind you, it has been immensely interesting and being a long time car tragic, it's not going away.

You know, I've spent a LOT of time researching parts for that GP. I'm gonna end up old & crusty and a source of all things Pontiac. It wasn't supposed to end like this: all I wanted was something to tinker with in my 'spare time,' you know, the time I USED TO HAVE that was spare! I'm gonna be as painful as a reformed smoker-Pontiac this and Pontiac that, blah blah blah... Mind you, it has been immensely interesting and being a long time car tragic, it's not going away.

To anyone who's interested, I had to order front springs from one place and rears from another-they have assured me they will be correct. Now, I asked someone about the potential difference between p/s & man steer idler arms and there is no difference. This is GREAT news for me. I want to give a shout out to this fella: https://nospartsfromthepast.com/ An excellent parts resource from a friendly, eager to help chap. I highly recommend this bloke for those vexing questions that pop up as you're laying under your car wondering where the f@#! am I gonna find one of those?!

Okay, here's news (well, it was to me) regarding lowered springs for the GP. Did I mention I want to lower it? 2" at the front and 1.5" at the back. After being sent 2 batches of incorrect springs, a professional informs me that the 65-66 GPs had unique springs. No wonder these parts houses can't get it right. Great prices and speedy service are okay if you have a Chevy or a Ford, but Pontiacs seem to require a little more careful research, especially B bodies. Everyone seems to think that all Pontiacs are A bodies because the only Pontiac they know is a GTO or a Firebird. So, I now have a local outfit who will make me springs as a custom order and 2 US spring manufacturers who I am waiting on quotes from. Eaton Detroit want US$400 to ship them to me, quite apart from the considerable cost of the springs themselves. I'm sure their springs are very good, but money matters, so I shop around. I offer this information to fellow GP restorers (surely Catalinas & Bonnies will use the same springs) in case they are tempted by large parts houses offering apparently correct 'direct fit' springs for their project. And my God, DO NOT get me started on pitman arms. Treasure the one you have on your car-don't lose that sucker!

I've actually ordered a reco box ftom Ames-I just wanted the pitman arm and believe it or not, this was not only the ONLY way to get one but probably about the same price. I'll fit that pitman to the reco box and maybe it'll work. The next concern is if the idler arms are different between man & p/s. If they are, the drag link could be crooked. You can be assured that I'm going to share my stories of pain, anguish & mental suffering, but I just KNOW it's gonna be worth it. Truth be known, I have no-one else to share such misery with. My missus couldn't care less, I have no children, my friends already think I'm loopy and my workmates exist only on other planets judging from their concentrated weirdness. That leaves you guys. Enjoy!

Let's get real - we shall continue to bash the Chinese, especially since the spring compressor I'm considering will be made there. I'm still working (doing my third consecutive overtime stint) and shall crawl under the car upon my return and will then 'assess' the mechanical situation under there. If I reckon I can get a compressor up there without exposing my own flesh & bone, I shall toddle off to the Ying Tong Super Happy Auto Parts Emporium and buy the sturdiest looking compressor I can. Let's also remember that the car will be suspended by my Chinese made jack stands and I will be raising & lowering said vehicle with my Chinese made trolley jack. Maybe my brain is made in China?

Thanks Frosty-I agree. I'll get it later today. They seem to be rare in manual format so I can always sell it later if required. A splash of black paint and it's a 'remanufactured' unit!

When the compressed spring lets go because my El Cheapo Chinese compressor fell apart and takes my brain out, we'll shovel the remains back into my skull and I'll buy a Corolla and lower that next. Get the beers ready-Car Injuries 101 comin' up!

Hey guys, please have a look at this. Will this fit my 65 GP? GM B bodies are essentially similar, right?

Thanks Everyone, what a great unanticipated response. I now feel empowered to decapitate myself. My uselessness & ineptitude know no boundaries! Nah, I'll be right. I've been working on cars my entire life-I'm just getting older & lazier. I'll look forward to posting gruesome photos of what went wrong!

Okay, now that we've bashed the Chinese let's get back to business... King Springs want $900. EatonDetroit will be about the same, so I'm deciding what to do. I'll need a spring compressor to get those front springs out. I've never used one but from what I've read you are dicing with death! Any tips on how I might live longer whilst compressing those giant springs, apart from paying someone $100 an hour to do it for me? I've also ordered a front end rebuild kit. I'm going to need a ball joint separator, a pitman arm puller, some biceps...mind you, one hour's professional labour rate will pay for all that. Believe it or not, I bought that car to give me something to do in my spare time. My 'spare time.' Let's all ponder that for a moment. What was I thinking???

Thanks again Frosty. I have seen this site already. Ames has the same box at the same price with same core deposit. What I don't understand is the bit about full or half splined shaft. Ames offers the one box only with full splines. Do you know whether Pontiacs were fitted with both? I'm also doing more pitman arm research, and am totally confused as to the difference between manual & p/s. Is it just the length, or is there a different fitting? If the length is different, there are idler arm concerns. Fun times ahead. Who could have imagined GM made so many different pitman arms!!!

Thanks Frosty. I have sent another dozen emails and am now simply waiting. I found a secondhand box & arm on eBay which I'm hoping will work. I'm starting to realise that the 65 GP seems to be one of the harder cars to find parts for, even thru Ames. I realise manual steering was almost always overlooked in favour of power steering but assumed the US would be awash in parts cars. I keep forgetting that 55 years is a long time to be sitting around a wrecker's yard and most classics are now too valuable to part out. Anyway, here's hoping the eBay fella gets back to me.

Fitzy here again. The latest drama is my insistence on fitting a manual steering box to my GP. Why? I like the purity of manual steering and I like an engine bay full of just engine. So, I have ordered a rebuilt manual box from Ames (I believe Saginaw 525 was the almost universal fitment amongst B body cars) but do you reckon I can find a Pitman arm to suit? Ames suggested that the GM part # is 5679781 but it leads nowhere. Does anyone have a lead, or any info, or even an old manual box laying around that they'd like to sell, complete with the arm, of course? Believe me, any leads will be appreciated. I must have sent a dozen enquiries to Franks, PontiacParts in CA, and a joint called Pontiac Paradise amongst others.

I am a purveyor of quality goods Frosty, that filter is from Ames, is made in the US (I just checked the box) and is shorter than a regular one to clear the Doug's headers that I am waiting on. Good to see at least SOME things are still homegrown. Just about nothing is made in Australia anymore and is a source of national disappointment. Once we dig the last ton of iron ore out of the ground, it's Goodnight Gracie for us. Let me tell you an imported oil filter story. Many years ago, I was driving my little $500 1968 Renault 10 around the country, an epic trip. Don't forget that Australia is the same size as north America. I changed the oil in Perth and fitted a cheaper oil filter. Halfway through a 300km stretch of desert my oil pressure light came on. I switched off the engine immediately and coasted to a stop - the El Cheapo filter had let go and spewed oil everywhere. I eventually hitched a ride on a Greyhound to the Sandfire Roadhouse and bought a respected brand Ford filter that I knew would fit. I never forgot that incident and will never go cheap again on vital components, if I can help it. It's the flood of cheap Chinese crap that's destroying global manufacturing and the thing is that it doesn't have to be cheap & crappy. They can manufacture quality, but nobody wants to pay for it. By the way, that little Renault lasted for 300000km whilst in my possession and never let me down. I eventually rolled it and it still went, but a bit bent. The cops eventually pulled me up, declared it to be unroadworthy and I had to say goodbye to it. I regret it to this day. I'd still be driving that tough little car.