Psssh...this is one of those "its how you look at it" questions.

If you change the motor, it's the heart of the car, is it not the same car? Most would say it's the same car

What about just fenders and hood? That's half the car you can see? Most would say it's the same car. What about the same frame but change EVERYTHING else? some would say the same car, some wouldn't.

My dad has a 69 gto convertible that has deteriorated to rust. He wants to restore it one day and i said just buy another, and sell yours/use it for parts. You could have THREE gto's for the cost of restoring this one, and this one wouldn't be as nice.

His answer? It wouldn't be the same car he drove around in when he was younger and had memories in it.

my answer? Move your shift knob and steering wheel to a new car, call it a "total restoration" and make memories in the new one that's running vs the old one that will never get done.

It's all perspective.


I don't ever advise moving vin plates and id plates between vehicles because that's illegal and i'm a law abiding citizen.

If the car isn't registered in ohio/last owner in ohio, when you title it they'll want to check it and will see the vin doesn't match and it's a whole ordeal.

Get the rusty one registered and plated in ohio if it hasn't been yet, then make changes and fixes and don't feel that you HAVE to maybe accidentally forget which plate went where on what car, and it ends up matching what your registration says now.

Finally:

Change the body and save yourself time, effort, and lots of money OR have the naysayers contribute to the project with time, money, and effort.

I did all of that with spray cans and time. All the parts off, paint brackets, etc individually, use fresh hoses and wires, tons of brake clean, etc. Not a lot of money, just effort.

That is a 5 or 7 blade flex fan, i think 16" was all that would work before hitting the water pump pulley. two spacers (one like 3" and one like 1/8", and puts the fan VERY close to the radiator for max draw.) it does move a TON of air vs the 4 blade fan, rev it up while you're working on it and it's a TON of warm air, and i'm sure at low speed it's improved too. It's not a magic bullet for cooling, but if your car is on the edge (heats up now and again, rarely boils over, generally efficient) then it can help. BUT, as close as it is, the radiator has to come out to put the fan off and on. I modified the car so that's only a few bolts to get the upper radiator brace that goes over it off, and the radiator can come out and the fan and/or motor out the front.

I didn't realize we weren't in postwar section...sorry guys!

Paul,

Again, it really all depends on the prep work. Let's say you took all the trim off the sides and masked her up and she didn't need any body work and let someone just scuff her up and resquirt her...shooting from the hip, let's say no clear coat, maybe 150-300 in paint a little more in supplies and labor. If you get everything ready to paint and want a quality paint + clear, maybe 1K? It's so hard taking painting prices over the internet, because every car is different AND because every owner has different expectations about what is a "good job."

Mine has some fisheyes and not totally painted well under the trunk and under the hood and door jambs etc. I painted the black on the firewall and up higher to cover some of the underhood versions of the paintjob that weren't that great. If you're willing to depart from perfectly original or show quality, there's shortcuts you can take that might save you money (non-original or close enough color, single stage paint, etc)

I consider the job done on my car as quick and dirty, and the car isn't 100% straight, but she looks ok and has a shine, she presents ok. This shot is from last year after i had a local detail shop buff her (pic taken through window) and a shot of the engine bay before i was done with her, you can see how i painted the engine bay up high with black to cover a lot of the bad areas that were half green half black and faded.

Attach file:

---

  (104.10 KB)


  (45.66 KB)

I think i am going to have to do an entire engine job. The number 2 rod journal is tore up, and might as well do valve job and pistons and rods as needed, etc while in there. I think the detergent oil and MMO and seafoam broke a lot of old crud loose and ran it through the oiling system.

My car was painted when it came to me...a kind of OK job, 50/50 car, 50 feet at 50 mph. It was done in acrylic lacquer metallic, a little too green, more than factory, but ok on the car. No idea on the cost. Painting costs always depends on what shape the body is in, and how much you're willing to do yourself. If you mask and sand and block it and repair, paint and labor to spray is relatively cheap. And if you wetsand yourself and then clear and wet sand, it can look amazing.

For a really good to great paint job, but not OMG show quality, and me doing no work, depending where you are in the country, i'd assume maybe 5k?

Howard,

Thank you for the clarification! Always good to learn more about the details of these cars, and glad to realize i was off on that detail so that i don't forward the wrong information in the future.

Paul,

here are some blurry cell phone pics from storage. Basically, i drilled and threaded the boss and bolted a small piece of about 1/8" by 1" plate (sold in hardware stores, tractor supplies, etc) and then set the throttle bracket on it, marked and drilled it, then bolted the bracket to it. It's pretty stable, so i'll likely take it back apart and paint it and remount after engine rebuild. Also, i'm going to use a longer bolt with washer spacers so that, on the outer most bolt through the bracket, it will go through the bracket, through the plate, through a nut to make it snug and rest up against the manifold underneath it so that it's not hanging out on just one bolt. It's not needed, but would look sturdier. Hopefully these help.

Attach file:

---

  (58.15 KB)


  (74.45 KB)


  (55.65 KB)


  (41.98 KB)

I'll try and stop and take photos today.

That is indee the vacuum starter switch. As i understand it, when you push the pedal all the way down with engine not running, there is a metal ball that conducts power between the wires and allows the starter to turn over. When the engine is running, the ball is pulled away by vacuum and if you push the pedal all the way down when running, it doesn't conduct and run the starter.

The manifold i put on was a 4bbl, and a gentleman here happened to have the correct 4 bbl carb nos (or like nos) and me a deal so i could afford it. It had the same switch wires as the 2bbl in that pic. Otherwise i would have had to modify as your car to bypass the carb switch. Also, on the 4bbl, the linkage is on the inside of the carb instead of the outside. I will modify my linkage so that it can run either, as i kind of have it "rigged" at the moment to just work well, but not as clean as i'd like. I still must have the outside linkage to run the TV ro to the ultramatic.

Edit: and i do beleive that there is no button under the gas pedal, i think just a spring loaded throttle return stop. I beleive the starting by pedal setup is all in the linkage at the carb and that switch.

Also, are you sure the holes on the side aren't supposed to be there for something? That's a thick area of the manifold to just rust through or something! I'd be interested to see a pic.

Edit: If i recall, the boss on the newer one DIDN'T line up, but it did let me bolt a small steel plate there, drilled two holes in that to mount the linkage too. Barely even notice it. I'll try to remember to stop at storage this weekend and take pics, takes 15-20 minutes to do with normal tools lying around, not machining or welding.

I believe the boss is there, or close, and can easily be drilled and tapped....i did it to put a 51 327 in my 50 and to use the original 50 linkage. However, if that scares you (shouldn't) I have a great condition 2bbl 50 288 intake if you're interested, it's in 44484 (ohio) I would imagine that there is little or no difference between a 288 and 327 manifold, especially 2 bbl.


Drilling and tapping that boss is no biggie, barely has to go into the manifold boss, not even into the runner, and use a short bolt with locktite. However, i think it was 2 bolts on the 50 manifold, and there's only one there on the later manifolds. If i recall, i had only drilled and tapped one bolt, tightened it, and let the other side of the bracket hang out over the manifold. Snugged it up, and had no issues with it. I'd take a pic, but the car is in storage and not here.

Attach file:

---

  (90.89 KB)

Quote:

NO KIDDING! We have to adjust the 1 - 10 rating system here to be more accurate...just like the cost of living and home values.


A girl can be both a "6" and a "youngstown 8" at the same time.

I had thought that i read someone would have their car downstairs there last year, but it's been a hectic year and i couldn't find the thread. Packard info was well represented then, with a classy ride.

I didn't think the car was original or anything, but like you said, great build!