69 GTO Build

[Fastmonty]

Eric, awesome work with the ebrake mock up. Too bad I'm past that point in my build... I have a ton of ideas for the next build, thanks to you. Ha, ha... As for the 68 GTO Puke Green, I agree... my 2am Green looks a lot better. Did you decide on a color yet?

Mike

[ekmxryda]

Andrew were you talking about this one from Lokar? Looks like a good setup, have you checked your clearance on the drive shaft though? I know it is tight with the stock trans tunnel, you could always cut it and weld in strips to raise it?
http://1970boss302.blogspot.ca/2011/...tion-cowl.html

Mike I have always had a dark almost black metallic green in mind for it, but for now I am going with a flat or low gloss black and decide later.
The flat black will also get me into the street fighter club too, right Mr Vengeance?

This PPG color picker is fun by the way. I like code # 917860
http://www.ppgpaintit.com/Collision....10&Brand=PPGNA
Black wheels and trim, Flat black hood with Judge - like stripes with a pearl green. Need to do a rendering someday.
http://www.planetcolor.com/color/det...artNumber=PCS8

[ekmxryda]

Windshield brought up 1/8" and made up 3/8" x 1/2" strips for the sides.
Pushed up bottom to match instead of adding anything on top.
Also welded 1/8" x 1/4" strips to the outside of the A pillars to blend into the roof lines better.

['71cutlasluvr]

Hello Eric, Mike,
Been away for a while autoxing, work and family stuff. But, in my defense, I have not recieved ONE email notification from the forum that there have been posts on this thread! I have some catching up to do! You boys have been BUSY!

Sadly, I have come to the realization that I will probably never have the time/$ to rebuild my '71 vert so lots of my spare time has been spent advertising and selling parts I don't need for my pt project on the classic oldsmobile forum. It's a hard thing to do, parting out an old friend like this, but the old girl will live on in both my pt project and in other olds enthusiasts cars througout the country, so some solace there.

Once she is gone, I will have much more room to continue my pt project at a much healthier pace and the progress won't come to a grinding halt 'cause of the white stuff. Plus the 20ft trailer I got for the Miata will keep my MX safe and out of the way during the winter, allowing more room for my PT project, so hopefully you'll see more of me sooner rather than later.

I have also had my rendering artist change the color of the car from black to the 1992 chrysler color neon blue, which is what the car is painted now. Since my plans of making the vert into a w30 tribute in blue have been dashed, time to transfer those plans to the hardtop.
I'll post the update when he sends me the first one.

Glad to see you guys are still at it. From what I've just sampled, you guys are doing some fine work, some of which I hope to emulate in my 442.

Gus

['71cutlasluvr]

Eric,

I can't wait to see that frame painted too! Awesome job on the motor mounts and gussets... The acid trick is exactly what I did to my entire body. The beauty of that is the zinc coating that results, protecting all of the interior areas you can't get primer on.

Anyway, on to the news... I finished the interior! (Well, at least what you can see... still don't have a glove box, yet) Next step is bleeding the brakes so I can roll it into the sun and do a final QA on the paint.

Talk soon...

Attachment 102328Attachment 102329

Sweet Mike! Beautiful job. Impressive!

['71cutlasluvr]

Eric,

Great work, as usual... I'm glad to see someone more Anal than me on here. (That's a compliment) Sooooo, you wanna see bare steel, huh?... here you go. As well as a teaser outside... Next time out, I'll get a better "sun" shot.

Mike

Attachment 103017Attachment 103020Attachment 103018Attachment 103019

Hey Mike! Finally Back. All I can say is.... WOW!!!! Beautiful car. Nice Job! Has the little fella had a ride yet??

['71cutlasluvr]

Sorry to hijack the thread but I have quick question for Mike. I'm new to the PT scene and building an Olds 442 convertible. I like your parking brake cable set-up and equalizer bar. I'm running 11.7" rear discs off an '01 Blazer for my rear brakes and the parking brake cables look similar to what you have on your car. I never really cared for the stock "clothesline" set-up that these car had from the factory. What can you tell me about the bracket where the 2 rear cables meet the front cable? I would like to do the same thing with my car. Thanks!

Rodney

Attachment 102790

Oh Oh! Hold the Phone! Another 442 has invaded this thread? Kewl! From one Olds nut to another, Welcome to the thread Rodney. Eric and Mike are fine examples of enthusiasts willing to share their expertise and knowledge to help out their a-body brothers. They have tolerated my ramblings for quite a while so I'm sure you will be treated well and welcomed to the a-body project family they have started here. Enjoy your stay.

btw: I, for one, would like to see some more pics of your 442 'vert.......... Please??

[cdrod]

Gus:
Here's the link to my build thread on ClassicOldsmobile.com

http://classicoldsmobile.com/forums/...nvertible.html

['71cutlasluvr]

Gus:
Here's the link to my build thread on ClassicOldsmobile.com

http://classicoldsmobile.com/forums/...nvertible.html

Thanks Rodney. I will view with great interest.
ATB

[ekmxryda]

More metal work off the list.

['71cutlasluvr]

Sweet! You have made some serious progress Eric during my absence. And as always, your fab skills are amazing.

I am going through the hard work and heartache of tearing down my vert for parting out and for the buyer of the shell/rolling chassis from Illinois who's coming to pick her up Saturday. Once the old girl is gone and I get the rest of parts shipped to their new owners, I'll have the room and some extra funds to start my 442 PT project up again, and FINALLY get the bloody frame job done.

Since I am no longer going to do the convertible in blue, which is my favorite color, I'm going with the neon blue the car is already painted in. My artist has already made some preliminary changes. Seeing his work has really motivated me.

See latest update below.

Keep up the great work Eric. Mike, guess you're just about done, eh Bud?

[Roger Poirier]

More metal work off the list.

Holly Toledo. It's starting to look like a car again! Maybe even a 69 GTO. Man, you do love fab work.

[Motown 454]

Nice work.

[ekmxryda]

Thanks guys,
Made some good progress and took advantage of the nice weather, was out there until 2 AM spraying the epoxy primer. So lucky I have nice neighbors!





I still need to sand off the e-coat on the roof and the weld thru primer on the quarters the epoxy them too.
Then the frame is next, I rolled it out into the driveway looked at the stars and then noticed it had rained on it a little later, had to re clean the whole thing again!

Gus I like the new rendering, and the blue is cool.

['71cutlasluvr]

Gus I like the new rendering, and the blue is cool.

Eric, you are THEE fabricating man! I am amazed at how far you have progressed with your goat in such a short time.
Gotta admit, you sure have a beautiful project going on there. I STILL hope to come by your place and see her in person someday.

Thanks on the color. Yeah, he's got some tweaking to do but it's a great start.

Tear down of my dear 'vert is almost done. Many parts from her going to "Big Blue" so there's some consolation there. Buyer of the shell/rolling chassis coming Saturday. I think he's more excited to get a near rust free shell than I am having her live on in another olds enthusiast's project. And I'm getting some much need $ to get the 442 back on track.

I gotta ask... can one purchase a frame like yours without all the extras? i.e. just enough to give me a good platform and save all the effort of notching the frame and having a chassis ready to start attaching suspension components and such? AND allow me to use the gm 12 bolt, stock 12.1 steering box and SC&C suspension setup I have in the boxes? I still may only be able to afford a notched frame but I haven't gone so far that I can't undo the cutting/welding of the stock frame... I see projects like yours and Mike so far along (and in Mike's case, pretty much done) and I get the urge to jump right in and buy the bare bones frame, knowing how much time it will save me.

I checked the roadster shop's website and didn't see any options for a bare frame... do you know if they will do that? Or are there other vendors that will do just the bare frame? I'm sure without a doubt you have done ALL the research. Your input would be appreciated.

Keep the pics coming Eric. Looking GOOD!
Gus



I

['71cutlasluvr]

Never mind Eric. I looked at the Roadster shop more closely and realized the frame is built around chevy engines, so won't work for me... Maybe a Schwartz? I think Horsepower tv used one for the hurst olds build. Any input on my frame options would be appreciated. I will search the forum and google to see what I can find.. The more I think about it, the more I like the idea of a prefabbed frame as a foundation to my project. But finding one that will acomodate my bb olds motor and the chevy 12 bolt might be a tall order.

kk

[andrewb70]

Never mind Eric. I looked at the Roadster shop more closely and realized the frame is built around chevy engines, so won't work for me... ....

kk

I am quite certain that any vendor that sells full frames will make the appropriate mounts to use whatever engine choice you want. It's not like GM had unique frames for Chevelles, GTOs, Cutlasses, and Skylarks. It was just a matter of having the right frame stands.

Andrew

['71cutlasluvr]

Agreed! Thanks for your input Andrew. Much appreciated.

I also checked out Schwartz performance, but their online catalog is kinda vague, indicating you CAN order the frame with motor mounts "other" than a chevy, but not much other info.

I remember there was a muscle car episode that used a high end chassis for a 60's era Hurst/Olds project. Found the episode, and lo and behold, it was Art Morrison. Their downloadable catalog seems to have quite a few options but not sure if they have what I need. Hope to find out for sure by the end of the evening.

Thanks again.

[andrewb70]

Gus,

Just because companies don't post all of the option on their websites doesn't mean they won't accommodate your requests.

Andrew

['71cutlasluvr]

Gus,

Just because companies don't post all of the option on their websites doesn't mean they won't accommodate your requests.

Andrew

Agreed again. I've sent out a few emails explaining my project details to art morrison, Street Rod Garage, Schwartz and the Roadster shop. Street Rod garage's website shows an a-body chassis with a gm 12 bolt in place so that's encouraging. Even in this internet high tech age, sometimes ya just gotta send an email then pick up the phone.

I'll do a search on the forum to see if anyone besides Eric has installed one of these frames kits under their a-body. Through my research, I can see these vendors have been around for a while so they must be selling these things to somebody.

Thanks again for your input Andrew.

btw: You've got a cool little GTO there (had a '67.. the one that got away ) Looks like you've had some good media coverage on your project. I'll have to look up those vids and the build thread if you have one. Always looking for new ideas for my pt 442 project.