Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Freeper help wanted - car question

Posted on 01/13/2007 3:06:28 PM PST by djf

OK I drove by it three days in a row. Finally, the snow stopped an I was able to read the 4sale sign.

It was a freakin steal. So now it's in my driveway. No pics (yet)

But my question is this: What could/should a fellow do when he's restoring a car? This one is in VERY good shape, I could easily put in on ebay and sell it in hours for much more than I paid.

Is there anything in particular that a guy SHOULDN'T do during a restoration?

The car is:

1966 Chev Impala 327 four door.

Any and all experience/tips with restorations appreciated!!


TOPICS: Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS:
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-6061-8081-100101-120 next last
To: Red Badger

New lock in driver side yesterday. New brakes last Friday (I'm still getting use to manual brakes, you really gotta put the pedal to it! I may install power brakes).

Went to Lowes. They had .025 24X24 sheets of aluminum. Cut them to 20X20. Added a piece of bracing steel strip below them, then fit them into the floor pan one on top of the other.

Worked about as perfect as you can imagine.

New Alternator came out. Some sort of incompatibility between it and the voltage regulator or something. Cleaned up and re greased the bearings on the old unit and back in she went. Generator light works as expected now, comes on for about a second during startup and shutdown.

I am starting to realize that even though this car is in very nice shape for a forty year old rig, I got one heck of alot of work to do!

Keep me outa trouble, I guess.


61 posted on 01/29/2007 6:46:24 PM PST by djf (Democracy - n, def: The group that gets PAID THE MOST ends up VOTING THE MOST See: TRAGEDY)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 55 | View Replies]

To: djf

Sounds good!....Don't forget to seal out the water and slush around those patches!....No power Brakes? Bummer....Power Steering?.........In The Old Days, voltage regulators were EXTERNAL to the alternator (small black box about 3"x4" usually located on firewall), and the new one may have had one built in. They may have conflicted with one another.....How about tires? Modern steel belted radials sometimes have a bit of steering and handling effect on old cars that were made for plain old tires.........


62 posted on 01/30/2007 5:15:37 AM PST by Red Badger (Rachel Carson is responsible for more deaths than Adolf Hitler...............)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 61 | View Replies]

To: djf
I just dropped it off at the shop for brakes, the guy said something about turning the rotors...

Rotors? I would have thought that old of a car would have had drums all around........

63 posted on 01/30/2007 5:17:18 AM PST by Red Badger (Rachel Carson is responsible for more deaths than Adolf Hitler...............)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 60 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

It does. That's why I said I didn't have much confidence...

I talked to the guy who did the work. He was an oldster 60s 70s type ride dude, so he knew what he was doing.
After I backed it out a couple times, the self adjusters got everything right. But you still gotta lean on them alot harder than power brakes.

New carpet supposed to show up today. Not sure if I'll put it in until I get alot more interior stuff done.


64 posted on 01/30/2007 6:29:25 AM PST by djf (Democracy - n, def: The group that gets PAID THE MOST ends up VOTING THE MOST See: TRAGEDY)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 63 | View Replies]

To: djf

If you adjust the parking brake cable for just the right amount of tension on the brakes, it might help some...........


65 posted on 01/30/2007 6:46:19 AM PST by Red Badger (Rachel Carson is responsible for more deaths than Adolf Hitler...............)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 64 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

Never thought I'd say this...

I'm gettin tired of puttin screws in!

Found out what the wonder stuff is they used. There are some interior trim parts that are basically a material bonded to a baseboard carrier.

The two pieces I'm working on, one is pretty much decaying on the baseboard, but the fabric is good. On the other, which is in quite good shape, I peeled the material away from the board, gonna use the board as a template to cut two new ones.

It says:

us NAUGAHYDE 64

New door lock on passenger side installed today, also both high/low headlight adjustments, they were way outa line!


66 posted on 01/30/2007 10:28:21 PM PST by djf (Democracy - n, def: The group that gets PAID THE MOST ends up VOTING THE MOST See: TRAGEDY)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 65 | View Replies]

To: djf
us NAUGAHYDE 64

You know how many Naugas had to die to make the interior of that car? That's why they are on the Endangered Species List, now...........3M Super 77 Spray adhesive is the preferred choice (around here) for bonding new or old upholstery to base materials............I think they get it at Home Depot.....

67 posted on 01/31/2007 5:14:53 AM PST by Red Badger (Rachel Carson is responsible for more deaths than Adolf Hitler...............)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 66 | View Replies]

To: djf
1966 Chev Impala 327 four door.

WOW, my first car was a '67 4 door impala with a 327! Cool ride! I got it for $180 and I had to mow the guys lawn for the rest of the summer for free.

68 posted on 01/31/2007 5:16:52 AM PST by Fierce Allegiance ("Campers laugh at clowns behind closed doors." GOHUNTER08!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

My bro had a nauga ranch. Those nauga's are nasty little suckers.


69 posted on 01/31/2007 5:41:39 AM PST by Fierce Allegiance ("Campers laugh at clowns behind closed doors." GOHUNTER08!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 67 | View Replies]

To: Fierce Allegiance

Blame the Corinthians, they killed all the fine leather.


70 posted on 01/31/2007 5:46:57 AM PST by Tijeras_Slim
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 69 | View Replies]

To: Tijeras_Slim

But they were rich!


71 posted on 01/31/2007 5:49:20 AM PST by Fierce Allegiance ("Campers laugh at clowns behind closed doors." GOHUNTER08!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 70 | View Replies]

To: Fierce Allegiance

Nowadays you gotta be careful. There's a lotta fake naugahyde bein' pimped on the streets!.......


72 posted on 01/31/2007 6:28:17 AM PST by Red Badger (Rachel Carson is responsible for more deaths than Adolf Hitler...............)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 69 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

Try to find virgin vinyl sometime.


73 posted on 01/31/2007 6:33:31 AM PST by Tijeras_Slim
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 72 | View Replies]

To: Fierce Allegiance

I think Impala was one of the largest selling cars in history. Second only to Escort? Not sure.

It is a cool car. Thirsty sucker, though...


74 posted on 01/31/2007 7:10:41 AM PST by djf (Democracy - n, def: The group that gets PAID THE MOST ends up VOTING THE MOST See: TRAGEDY)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 68 | View Replies]

To: Tijeras_Slim

I know where to find a virgin, Ester Resin!


75 posted on 01/31/2007 7:20:28 AM PST by Fierce Allegiance ("Campers laugh at clowns behind closed doors." GOHUNTER08!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 73 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

3M Super 77. They got it at Home Depot.

I have a can on my workbench. Been using it for the last few years.

That's my plan. Use a non-permanent (but sturdy) type of adhesive. Put them skanky little hydes of Naugas back onto a new baseboard, wiegh them down to make them nice and smooth, then bond the outer rims.


76 posted on 01/31/2007 7:31:20 AM PST by djf (Democracy - n, def: The group that gets PAID THE MOST ends up VOTING THE MOST See: TRAGEDY)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 67 | View Replies]

To: djf

Brown fiberboard?.........


77 posted on 01/31/2007 7:40:10 AM PST by Red Badger (Rachel Carson is responsible for more deaths than Adolf Hitler...............)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 76 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

Brown on one side. But it's a flat ceramic type white on the other. About 3/16th in thick. Remnants of the stuff I and a friend used to build a shower.


78 posted on 01/31/2007 7:44:07 AM PST by djf (Democracy - n, def: The group that gets PAID THE MOST ends up VOTING THE MOST See: TRAGEDY)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 77 | View Replies]

To: djf
I bought a new '65 Impala 2-door hardtop when Chevy first came out with the "coke bottle" design. It was a beauty, but unfortunately the beauty was only skin deep.

After a year of it being in and out of the Chevy dealer's shop every few days I finally gave up trying to get GM to fix it so I could depend on it and traded it in on a '66 Cadillac DeVille 2-door hardtop. Which BTW was a really great car that I drove for 8 years with practically no serious mechanical problems. That's in contrast to the shop queens that Cadillac puts out nowadays.

79 posted on 01/31/2007 7:54:37 AM PST by epow (I'm too blessed to be depressed)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: djf

Same stuff...oughta work really well. Kinda tough to make bends, though.....I assume the engine still has points and condenser ignition. An electronic ignition kit, Accel HV Coil, and silicone wires and platinum plugs would make life a bit easier.........


80 posted on 01/31/2007 8:00:48 AM PST by Red Badger (Rachel Carson is responsible for more deaths than Adolf Hitler...............)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 78 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-6061-8081-100101-120 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson