69 Impala SS convertible

[ponchoblue]

question, what shocks did you use in the impala

[JustJohn]

ridetech double adjustable shocks. I previously had the hybrid Viking coilovers but I wasn't really happy with the amount of travel at the front.

The ridetech shocks are easy to adjust between cruising on the Power Tour or firming up for occasional runs down the drag strip or other foolishness.

[JustJohn]

Long time since I got to do this... After 8 months of delays trying to find rear quarter panels and getting back into the shop rotation we are moving forward again.






I was close to losing sleep over it since my original guess was somewhere around a year total for paint. Had some luck on the wheel housings. They need some minor patchwork at the bottoms but are otherwise ok. You can't get them for this car.

The shop is also down a couple of people due to franchise chains. I've heard more than one local independent shop owner complaining about franchises coming in and hiring up all of the good paint and body work people. Insurance work just pays too well to not look at it as a career option.

I finally committed to a hydraulic clutch so my spouse would be able to drive the car and hope to install the throw out bearing when the body comes off the frame again for undercoating.

[Rick Dorion]

Very nice. My 67 doesn't feel the love on panel replacements. Out of curiosity, where did you source your quarters? That's great news.

[JustJohn]

The shop found them. I had choice between $600 more in shipping from CA to SC or keep waiting. I picked option 1

[JustJohn]

Stalled, stalled, stalled. That’s how it’s feeling these days. Working on some details here and there is all I can do.
Played with the 3D printer at work both to learn how to use it and make up some AC duct adapters that are otherwise not available. Also got moving on the rear view mirror. I want an auto dimming mirror and was going to print a new trim piece to cover where the factory mirror mounted. After looking at it I decided to try and keep the factory mirror mount and try to adapt the mirror. This is my prototype that hopefully will adjust to the needed angles. I’ll be able to check it this week.

[JustJohn]

Mirror didn’t quite work out so I had to rethink it. I couldn’t tilt it up high enough to be useful. My thought was to rework the original ball mount since modern mirrors are built in the opposite direction.

First effort was just make and extended mount out of the original. I was pretty happy with the result.

This is my second effort, leaving it attached to the bar stock since my first one was slung across the shop by the belt sander.

Finished result mostly ready for plating.
Finally, this is the original piece I found right behind the belt sander during cleanup.

[JustJohn]

Made progress on a car, just not the Impala…
Finally got the interior back together on the track car. I had to buy another passenger seat so that instructors of all sizes could fit. A little more spartan than the older car as well.

[JustJohn]

Continued slow progress. Happy with the internals to retrofit a self dimming mirror. Out of the right epoxy so assembly and test fit will be another day.

[JustJohn]

Think I finally got the rear view mirror right. 2nd revision has the ball mount extended another 1/2”. I’ll be able to check fit next week. Also had the thought, since this is a convertible, to go ahead and spray the circuit board with a conformal coating.
All so I can keep the factory mirror mount and have auto dimming

[JustJohn]

Lot of d@mn time into "just a mirror" but no car to work on and I decided the original mount would look better.

[Evanks]

Hey John,
I have enjoyed your documenting of your 69 build and am building a 1966 Impala convertible SS. I noticed you started with the same oil pan I have and changed to a, what appears to be a Milidon, likely due to centerlink interference. I am dealing with the same issue. What pan did you end up with on your build?

[JustJohn]

I can send you the part number when I get home (tomorrow).

But yes, drag link interference. I had a biggggg turning radius

[JustJohn]

Hey John,
I have enjoyed your documenting of your 69 build and am building a 1966 Impala convertible SS. I noticed you started with the same oil pan I have and changed to a, what appears to be a Milidon, likely due to centerlink interference. I am dealing with the same issue. What pan did you end up with on your build?

Milodon 30970. Clears the steering, higher than the engine cradle, and holds more oil than the stock pan.

[JustJohn]

So no, the project is not dead. I should have taken pictures but has been block sanded and gapped from the rear of the doors forward.

Longer than I expected and I do empathize with the shop, I just want my car back together. They lost 6 people right around the start of covid to other career options and their workflow slowed to a crawl.

[Peanut1959]

Glad to hear from you. We look forward to the next update!

[JustJohn]

Went back for pictures.

[JustJohn]

We have progress... Expecting the first coat of primer in about a week. Then off the frame to undercoat.

[JustJohn]

Little bit of back and forth but decided to shave the marker lights.

[JustJohn]

When it rains it pours.





Body comes back off soon for undercoating. I'm going to sneak in to install a hydraulic clutch bearing when that happens.