'66 Pontiac Resto-Mod Update

[wmhjr]

OK, work day is over at last. Got done what I needed, packed everything, and started to load the car in my trailer. Backed the trailer right up and dropped the ramp into my shop, so the car never went outside! The winch really seemed to be struggling pulling the car inside. I understood why when I saw that I had accidently put the car in 4th gear - doh! I had been pushing the car around without the driveshaft so long I forgot to check that it was in neutral before moving it! Anyway, the Cummins pulled it over to the shop for the glass, and I was able to unload inside again - so never a spot of snow touching the car!

Here are what I sincerely hope will be the last pics ever of the car without glass and the interior.

[BA.]

Just seeing your thread here for first time...... I'm stunned by the color. :-D It knocks my socks off, stops me in my tracks,...it's dead sexy gorgeous.
The whole car is beautiful, I hope I see it at a show one day.

BTW - is that a factory styled rubber matting I see on the trunk floor and interior floor? If so, I'd love to know where you picked that up.

[wmhjr]

Thanks for the compliment. The trunk material is the same stuff all over the floor and firewall. It is Luxury Liner Pro from Second Skin. You can see it at http://www.secondskinaudio.com/noise...-Liner-Pro.php

I used almost 7 sheets of it in the car. I also used Damplifier Pro as the first layer through the entire car before the Luxury Liner Pro was put down. They are both great products. Comparing the Damplifier Pro to FatMat is like comparing high end tri-coat paint to a spray bomb. And even compared to Dynamat, I found it to be a superior product. I've used all 3.

[gearbanger]

Where did you get that factory stye oval shift boot? I have looked for one but am not having much luck.

[wmhjr]

Where did you get that factory stye oval shift boot? I have looked for one but am not having much luck.

Ames Performance. Part# R152. https://secure.amesperf.com/qilan/De...?part_num=R152

[Motown 454]

I know I said it before but that paint work and color is awesome.

[wmhjr]

Thanks!

I stopped in today. Glass is all in. My buddy was adjusting the door and quarter glass while I was there. We were both surprised that the glass (from Auto City Classic) was really not great quality. Some of the edges are not even, and the contours are not completely right. The only reason I'm not totally ticked off is because the windows will rarely be up. Windshield looks good. Interior install starts at 10am tomorrow. All glass, interior and trunk upholstery on schedule for completion prior to the end of the day Friday! I left my trailer there, so it'll go back in the trailer and come back to my shop for a couple more days of prep.

On another note.... We were planning on putting the car up on wheel blocks for the show. But, the darned stance is turned out SO nice that I'm now thinking that it needs to stay on the ground to really emphasize the low, mean lines. Thanks to Marcus at SC&C, I have to say the stance is exactly - and I do mean EXACTLY - where I was hoping it would be.

Any thoughts?

[gearbanger]

I have been looking at Auto City Classic. How was the back glass? I can't find many that sell a back glass and ACC is whole lot cheaper than the others.

[gearbanger]

OOps, you have a convertible. I forgot.

[wmhjr]

Based on both the door glass and the quarter glass, I would have reservations on any glass from Auto City. The door glass top edges were bad. The contour/shape of the quarter glass was bad. To be honest, I am not at all satisfied with the quality and plan to call them about it.

[wmhjr]

OK, brought the beast (now known as "Red Ink") back home. Weather was horrible. Got another 3 inches or so of snow last night, and temp was around 12 degrees today. Fortunately, my pull truck was up to the task. 4wd low range with the Cummins makes it a lot easier.

Interior is in. A couple small things to finish up - haven't gotten the billet specialties window cranks yet - but it turned out nice. I'm going to pull the CS kick panel/speakers back out when I get a chance and repaint the enclosure Pearl White. Steering wheel wrap and some other trim still needs finished up. We'll focus on finishing the wiring tomorrow and get the dash on.





I mentioned before, the stance is exactly right on the money for what I want.







Notice on the drivers side that the rocker molding is back off. So, I bought both left and right moldings from Performance Years last year along with some other stuff. Since they are oversize items I added them to another order also having oversize items to save on the (ridiculous) shipping. They were stored in the shipping box in a climate controlled location all this time. The passenger side was no issue. The drivers side had some blemishes, and the blue plastic protector just won't cleanly peel off. Call Performance Year, and they were surprisingly of very little help. I will most definitely not let that drop, considering all I've spent with them. I had to order a replacement, which will arrive next week. Have to say, I was surprised at the obvious lack of service from a company I've spent a great deal of money with - over a $61 part.

Exhaust is scheduled for Sunday night, Mon-Tues. I'm hoping to get it done, welded, then remove it. I've got a local place waiting to do polished silver ceramic on the entire exhaust over next weekend.

[wmhjr]

Oh, and the water under the car on the floor is NOT from the Pontiac. Since the car was not in there last night, I parked the Truck in their overnight and some snow melted. The car remains untouched by any of the elements!

[wmhjr]

Didn't get as much done as I'd have liked, but did make some good progress. We had some issues with wiring the wiper motor which took up way too much time. Then, I realized I had the wrong size speed clips to mount the dash in the car. Ooops. Also had to take some time out to wire in a new trailer brake controller in the truck. But, the wiring inside the car is essentially done - and it's done enough for the dash to go back in and to go to the show. The dash/instrument cluster itself is completely wired with quick release connectors to allow easy disconnect and removal. Wiring diagrams are updated. I spent some time cleaning up the motor - pulled the valve covers and buffed and polished them, polished the intake, cleaned up the headers. Then we loaded the car back in the trailer and took it to a great fabricator that's going to finish the exhaust. I took the car, and an exhaust system from Ram Air Restorations. 3" oval, x-pipe, into Spintech mufflers, then 3" round exhaust out the back.

I realized I never took a pic of the finished trunk. Here you see it with the finished (except the Twist Machine Bezel Rings are not installed yet) dash and the windshield reveal moldings in it. It turned out nice. BTW, the battery, remote solenoid and a couple other things are behind the passenger side panel. One relatively unhidden screw comes out and the panel removes very easily. The front panel in this pic just covers a void where the secret audio is mounted. There is another panel yet in front of that just behind the convertible top well that has two kicker 6x9 3 way speakers mounted in it.





I have no idea why, but for some reason I just like seeing that valve train with the stud girdle exposed. Must be some sort of mental deficiency..


And while these shots don't do it justice, here's what I decided to do concerning the dash grab bar. The issue is that the actual handle of original grab bars is not repopped. And mine was kind of worn. When I thought about it I realized that replacing the handle was not the answer I was looking for. So, I replace the entire bar with a "sort of" stock theme, but all billet and ball milled to match the billet specialties ball milled door handles and window cranks. It actually looks far far better in person.

[CruizinKev]

coming along nicely!

[LeighP]

Wow, that is one heck of an impressive car...can't wait to see pics in the sun.
Love the interior/exterior combo!

[PT Goat]

And while these shots don't do it justice, here's what I decided to do concerning the dash grab bar. The issue is that the actual handle of original grab bars is not repopped. And mine was kind of worn. When I thought about it I realized that replacing the handle was not the answer I was looking for. So, I replace the entire bar with a "sort of" stock theme, but all billet and ball milled to match the billet specialties ball milled door handles and window cranks. It actually looks far far better in person.

I bet you could sell a ton of those. Beautiful. Shame 65, 66, and 67 are all a little different.

[Shaker455]

Is that MSD coil designed to be used upside down like that?

[mmag36]

REALL NICE! What type of body mounts did you go with? Rubber or Poly?

[wmhjr]

Poly mounts.

[wmhjr]

Is that MSD coil designed to be used upside down like that?

No, and it won't be. I just stuck it back in there to get it out of the way. There is room for it to be right side up and the coil wire connects to the bulkhead connector - which I have not mounted yet.

Good catch, though! Good eye. You're the first person that noticed that.