[Murf]

Hi all. After a long long time off I'm almost ready to install the front sheet metal back on our 65. I'm trimming out everything, them install & paint the whole thing.

My problem is, all I can find in my books is one exploded view of the front end in Paul Zazarine's restoration guide. I have one of those eBay copies of the body manual. It doesn't show any of the front end assembly. I assume maybe there's an assembly manual. I've looked online & haven't found anything, but I do suck at the internet.


Could anyone give me a source for info or any helpful hints on getting this back together. I seem to remember it being kinda complicated when I took it apart. Of course, I didn't take pics or notes. I never dreamed I would stall out for so long.

Thanks,
Murf

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[64speed]

I talked to my body man the other day about things I could do to make my life easier and maybe save a little coin. After taking mine off and apart. Looking at the exploded view and all the pics I took and all the bolts washers and alignment shims that came in the front end hardware kit I will be allowing him to do this part LOL. I might reinstall the bumpers myself

[Murf]

Yeah 64, it looks like a daunting task. Much more so than when I tore it apart 20 yrs ago.

So, if anybody else is watching, Should I paint the front parts ( the parts around the grilles) assemble that stuff & install it as a unit on the car? I am concerned with being able to get good paint coverage on these parts if I install it all prior to paint.

Any tips or advice would be most welcome.

Thanks,
Murf

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[Cardo]

Paint it in pieces, and assemble to the body piece by piece just like the factory did. The whole front end was assembled to the car after the body was dropped on the frame, with the engine and trans, etc already installed. Get a copy of your year shop manual, and phone a friend or two here on the website. Take your time, be patient and ask alot of questions. You can do this. Ask others on here who have already done it to share pictures with you... most of us document pretty well so all the information is here for the asking.

[Murf]

Thanks Cardo! I have the body & chassis manuals. They don't have any info on the front sheet metal. I assume it would be in the assembly manual. From what I understand, it is not available anywhere.

Would you have any idea where I could find an exploded view or anything?

Thanks
Murf

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[Cardo]

Do you have the actual body manual? It is a separate book, and is Tempest specific. The exploded view should be in that book. I don't have one yet, but am planning on buying one. I see them available on ebay in a reprint. I'll need one too, I bought my car as someones project and it was already apart.

[Murf]

Yes, I have both the separate Body Manual and the Chassis Manual. Front sheet metal is not covered in the body manual.

I read somewhere that there was a 1965 Pontiac Assembly Manual that covered all models and it had the info I need. It seems rarer than chicken lips, tho.

Murf

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[Murf]

Bringing this back up for some more help.


To any of you who have messed with the grill on the 65. Should I assemble the header panel, grilles and lower filler panel and then install on the car, or should I try to assemble the pieces on to the car as separate pieces?

Hope that makes sense.

Thanks
Murf

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[Jerry H.]

Originally Posted by Murf

Bringing this back up for some more help.


To any of you who have messed with the grill on the 65. Should I assemble the header panel, grilles and lower filler panel and then install on the car, or should I try to assemble the pieces on to the car as separate pieces?

Hope that makes sense.

Thanks
Murf

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Makes plenty of sense. I've probably assembled 10 or more 65's in the past 30 years. I've done it that way and you've got to be very, very careful. With the original grills this will be a very heavy assembly. Also the 'ends' will not just slide back beside the headlamps. It is a very tight fit and very, very easy to scratch the paint. Tread lightly!

[Murf]

Thanks for the help. Can it be installed piece by piece? It looks like that might very hard to do but might be easier to handle, weight wise.

If you have time would you be willing to go through the sequence you would use installing the newly painted front sheet metal onto the car.

Thanks for your help!
Murf

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[dld]

The reason you can't find the front end sheetmetal in the body Manuel is because Fisher Body did not install or paint the front or related parts. Body drop was the delivery to the motor side or GM side of plant. The Bal. plant installed the fronts in 65 as a assembly.

would definitely paint all parts as pieces. just have to be careful. Go get a jigsaw puzzle and practice. Really not that hard.

you could really put it together on floor. before paint just to get cough up.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by dld

The reason you can't find the front end sheetmetal in the body Manuel is because Fisher Body did not install or paint the front or related parts. Body drop was the delivery to the motor side or GM side of plant. The Bal. plant installed the fronts in 65 as a assembly.

There was variation between plants. Pontiac installed the front end "piecemeal" rather than as an assembly.

In fact - there was variation within the same plant building the same product. When I started at Flint in 1979 the Line 1 pickup line installed the front end piecemeal; Line 2, building Blazer and Suburban, installed the front ends as an assembly ("buck build").

My vote would be one piece at a time.

K

[Murf]

OK thanks guys. So would the order be

Fenders & inner fenders

Fender extensions

Lower filler above bumper

Grilles

Then the header panel?

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[Keith Seymore]

...
http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...d.php?t=773122

K

[dld]

set core support first (loose) then fenders to doors. Set gaps (of course the doors must be hung correct) install the fenders with inner fenders attached. There are small closeout panels at bottom of fenders can install them. The upper grille panel or header panel must have grilles pre. mounted. The lower filler panel will mount between fenders. of course the fillers must mount to fenders. hood latch and related parts will go on before header and grilles.

The fenders should be hanging out from doors a very small amount. This gives some room for door but more so for wind not getting forest into jam.

really not so hard . You can handle it. two people would be nice.

[Murf]

Thanks did, I've done other cars before. It just seemed like the grill area on this car is a little more involved than some others.

So the grilles need to be attached to the header panel but I can leave the lower filler panel separate?

That's the kind of thing I was looking for.

Thanks again,
Murf

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[dld]

lower filler may fit but do it after grilles/header are hung. they both are attached to center support bracket and lower filler bolts to fender fillers. the inner fender shields can go in whenever.