[smittyseng]

I just bought a real decent 66 bonneville covertible, 421 338hp, all original parts still on the motor incl air cleaner, 8 bolts, beautiful paint.
1. Where is the best place to buy all the window seals and felt as they never replaced them and they are falling apart
2. Would it degrade the future resale of the car to put a 66 tripower set up and 068 cam in the motor when I freshen it this winter, the cars a bench seat column shift car and I think any year correct upgrades shouldn't lower the value of the car.
Going to thru drivetrain from one end to the other and fix a few minor things, ie leaking valve cover, check brakes and steering, install heater core that is bypassed, fix 12v kick down power to the th-400, compression test and leakdown test engine etc, check wires, points etc. Any other "must do" things these cars usually need that I might be over looking,
Thanks, Smitty

[Stuart]

I like Metro for weatherstrip parts: http://www.metrommp.com/ but there are others like Steele Rubber http://www.steelerubber.com/ and Soffseal http://www.soffseal.com/store/main.aspx

[Txbobcat]

You got a 421 thats a plus and the car looks good to. Adding trips would be a plus in my opinion

[Mr Twister]

I think that adding a tripower, cam and long branch manifolds would make it much more fun to own and drive. Just retain the original parts for later. If you could find some vintage "smithys" mufflers that would be cool.

[mike nixon]

That's a great color on it.

I wouldn't' think that adding trips and long branches would decrease the value.

[Deadhead]

Killer car. If you can find out what color gold that is I would like to know. I am looking to change the tone of mine when I do it. Factory gold is way too washed out looking.

I don't think anyone will ever dock you for putting trips on it. If they do, 3 more people will be standing there with their checkbooks to take his place.

Welcome to the world of Big 'uns. Its fast & comfy here.

[smittyseng]

Originally Posted by Deadhead

Killer car. If you can find out what color gold that is I would like to know. I am looking to change the tone of mine when I do it. Factory gold is way too washed out looking.

I don't think anyone will ever dock you for putting trips on it. If they do, 3 more people will be standing there with their checkbooks to take his place.

Welcome to the world of Big 'uns. Its fast & comfy here.

My last big car was a 1969 GP 350 hp/400 that I bought in 1988 in Ca for $600 and used for a daily driver until returning to Mi in 1990, then I used it 8 months a year until 1993 when it met its demise during a attempt to show the cops I was Mario Andretti!! That car was a blast,even back then hardly no one had one on the road, ran 15.00's in 1/4 mile at suffolk dragway in Va quite a few times and with minor tweaking but still 100% stock parts got into the 14.90's eventually (full street trim, p235 radials on it, drove 100 miles to track). Me and mr twister drove it to the pontiac show and go in 1991 at edgewater motorsports park in Oh, had a near miss with a deer at 110mph on I-75 south that morning, the good old days!! I currently have a decent 74 TA clone that I have a dynoed and ready to run kre headed 455 with efi on the stand waiting to go in IF I can ever get customers work done first! I am going to restrain myself from doing any non-original looking mods on this car as it is 99% original and it needs to stay that way, I bought it from pics and when I saw it in person it actually looked BETTER than the pics did (it usually doesn't work that way for me), I see a coreect looking tri-power, 068 cam, posi and long branch manifolds in its future, for now going to make sure it's safe and reliable and just drive it a little, I don't want to turn it into a ripped apart long term project sitting next to the rest of them! As far as the color, I have no way to contact the owner or the guy who painted it, if I find anything in the car though I will post the info, Smitty

[63gpman]

Nice ride!!!!!!

Yea, put the trips on, 068 cam, long branch from Ram Air restorations along with their down tubes, jeep grand cherokee gear box, big front sway bar, rear sway bar and you would have one killer crusin' machine!!!

As long as you keep the factory parts, there is no harm done as they are all bolt on!

[smittyseng]

Originally Posted by 63gpman

Nice ride!!!!!!

Yea, put the trips on, 068 cam, long branch from Ram Air restorations along with their down tubes, jeep grand cherokee gear box, big front sway bar, rear sway bar and you would have one killer crusin' machine!!!

As long as you keep the factory parts, there is no harm done as they are all bolt on!

What years grand cherokee gear box, that one is new to me, Smitty

[63gpman]

Some reading for ya

http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...power+steering

http://classicoldsmobile.com/forums/...ap-w-pics.html

http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles...e/viewall.html

http://oldsjunction.classicoldsmobil...r.htm#Steering

[Deadhead]

Well, I certainly can not condone any excessive speed or attempt to ENJOY the powerful attributes of these cars myself but...
My friend had a '72 GP that he went over the bridge coming out of DC in Crystal City, VA in going 130 MPH in a rather agitated state. He got to a roadblock a ways into VA . He said, "What's the matter?" They said, "We got a report of a white '72 Monte Carlo going 130 over the bridge, so fast it blew all 4 hubcaps off when it hit the ground. Step out of the car." He looked at them and said, "Oh, no problem then. This is a '72 Grand Prix." Off he went. Pontincognito. True story. You can use the box out of one of those to enhance your driving pleasure same as Jeep.

[Doug Hopkins]

Great looking car. I love that color. If it does not have a posi rear,then you will want that as well. A 3.42 posi rear really wakes up the big B-body cars, but they are hard to find. The 65 2+2 that I owned would run 14.30's with the combo you are looking to do after doing a Bobcat tune on the carbs. The 66 center carb is larger and easier to find.

[63gpman]

Agree with the later ones, they are all the same housing for the most part. Nice thing about using the 72 is that you don't have to worry about o-ring style hoses. Nice thing about the JC is that they are newer and can be found at any salvage yard.

If you have the money, just send the one you have to Lee Manufacturing and have them build yours, from what I understand, it is money well spent!!

Or do nothing, enjoy the way it drives from the factory, either way, have fun with it and drive it often!!

[smittyseng]

Originally Posted by 63gpman

Some reading for ya

http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...power+steering

http://classicoldsmobile.com/forums/...ap-w-pics.html

http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles...e/viewall.html

http://oldsjunction.classicoldsmobil...r.htm#Steering

Great info, thanks!

[Brad Pringle]

Nice Score Steve,

cant wait to see it in person. Brad

[gentile3]

go with a 67/68 kick down... it mounts under the gas pedal rather than under the hood. cost less, easier to find and lasts forever...

[70ra455]

Is that Tiger Gold?

[70ra455]

Gentile3 ... would love to see pics of the '62 Convertible! Sounds like an awesome car! Missed one by a couple of hours ... sold it out from under me ... thinking over night and when I called to buy it the next day it was GONE!