[twooldgoats]

By popular demand (actually, 60man asked to see some pictures ), I thought I'd start a thread on the progress on my '60 Cat (now that there is some progress). I bought the car out of Reno, NV a couple of years back and I work on it as I get a chance. My plan is to build a mild custom similar to the style of the '60's which my wife Ellen can also race from time to time. Since I've started, I've used my MIG welder to patch a few rust areas and fill in the back-up light areas. I removed the Pontiac letters front and back and removed the chrome trim pieces that ran along the upper rear quarters and surrounded the taillights. I've replaced all that with sheet metal patch pieces. I also removed the door handles, but I got a little ahead of myself there: if Ellen is going to race the car, I need to put them back on, so that's what I'll do.

Paul Carter of Koerner Race Engines is doing the engine. We're using the original '60 block (they're noted for their strength) but we're updating it with a forged stroker crank, some old Edelbrock heads I had around, an aluminum '66 tripower intake and carbs I got off eBay and a set of Ram Air Restorations long branch round port headers. I bought an adapter kit to bolt the '60 block to a TH400, so I'll have to modify the rear trans mount and shorten the front half of the driveshaft. For now, I'll use the original open rear end, but the eventual plan is to go to a posi unit.

Jim

[twooldgoats]

This is the dash area (pardon the Bondo dust). I took out the radio and filled all unnecessary holes to continue the theme of simplifying the appearance and emphasizing the original lines. I plan to have a metallic red interior. I'll probably go to a floor shift conversion for the TH400 to simplify the linkage set-up and eliminate the column shifter. Current plans call for a heater and no AC to keep the car light and simpler.

Jim

[twooldgoats]

I replaced all the original brake lines, wheel cylinders, and brake linings and went to a dual master cylinder. I added a line loc also for Ellen's racing purposes while I was at it. I'm using a set of eight-lug wheels and drums I got off eBay which I am hoping have enough meat left on them to work. I've got the brake system all sealed up, but I haven't added fluid yet. I'll deal with that headache when I'm closer to getting it done.

Above the master cylinder, you can see the original factory CC paint color code on the firewall. I plan to keep it Cameo Ivory (or whatever they called it in 1960), but I may pearl it or add flames. The light color is the only way to go out here in AZ if you plan to do any driving in the summer without AC.

Jim

[twooldgoats]

Here's the finished trunk area, complete with new spare tire and eight lug wheel. I probably should have waited on the tires, but sometimes you just need to see some big change for the better. I bought a trunk patch panel on eBay and welded it in. The trunk floor was almost completely rusted away, but, fortunately, the braces were OK. The trunk was the only area of the car that had major rust. It looked when I got it like the car had been sitting in the Nevada high desert sun forever. The interior was baked away, but the body panels were pretty good. Unfortunately, someone had stripped out the whole under dash and engine wiring harness, including the fuse panel, so I decided to replace it all with a Painless wiring kit. I bought the kit, but I haven't started putting in it yet.

Jim

[twooldgoats]

This is what I'm doing to the rear end to simplify the lines: back-up lights eliminated, Pontiac letters eliminated and the chrome pieces along the rear quarter and around the taillights eliminated. The taillight trim I replaced with 5" diesel truck exhaust pipes and some round wire hoops to form the taillight openings. I made patch panels to replace the back-up light housings and welded up the holes for the letters. I'm currently doing the Bondo work to finish off the welded areas.

Jim

[twooldgoats]

I modified the front core support and radiator mount area by widening it a few inches to accept a standard '66 GTO aluminum radiator I got off eBay. I'm also using a '66 timing cover and tripower unit. By sticking to one year, I figure it'll be easier to mount an alternator, PS and the various pulleys and hoses I'll need.

Jim

[Jack Gifford]

Nice project! I like the "simplified" dash. Planning any body mods any more extreme than what you mentioned above?

[twooldgoats]

Originally Posted by pontiac jack

....... Planning any body mods any more extreme than what you mentioned above?

No. I got that out of my system back in the 90's when I built a '41 Ford coupe and chopped it four inches, filled the grill, shaved all the trim, frenched the headlights, etc. I think the early 60's Pontiacs look better as mild customs, though there's nothing prettier than a chopped Merc or shoebox Ford.

Jim

[U47]

Jim, have you ever thought about installing a 59 instrument cluster?? I believe the top of the dash is the same 59-60, possibly the whole dash is the same.
Great project, I wish I was as far along as you with my 62 Cat 2dr. post.

Don

[twooldgoats]

Originally Posted by U47

Jim, have you ever thought about installing a 59 instrument cluster?? I believe the top of the dash is the same 59-60, possibly the whole dash is the same. ......
Don

I'm not familiar with what the '59 dash clusters look like. There's seems to be an unwritten rule in customizing, though, that any non-original parts added have to be from a newer vehicle, not an older one. Besides, I bought this gauge cluster off of eBay (the original was missing), so I plan to go with it. Supposedly all the gauges work, but I'll see as I get further along.

Jim

[keith k]

Neat project. I love the "jet fighter" inspired taillamp look of these cars.

[twooldgoats]

Originally Posted by keith k

..... I love the "jet fighter" inspired taillamp look of these cars.

Me too. It's why I converted my racecar from a LeMans to a Tempest---those quad taillights.

Jim

[U47]

One thing about custom's is there are no rules.
check out a 59;http://www.streetsideclassics.com/sc...pg&w=400&h=300
http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...1&d=1311265952

[twooldgoats]

Originally Posted by U47

One thing about custom's is there are no rules.
check out a 59;http://www.streetsideclassics.com/sc...pg&w=400&h=300
http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...1&d=1311265952

It does look like the whole '59 instrument pod would fit right in.

I disagree about no rules for customs, though. If you look at old customs, most went for a certain "look" and the nicest looking cars, in my opinion, were the ones that maintained most of the styling cues for the way that particular model was usually customized. While there were always guys that didn't follow any rules, their cars usually didn't turn out as well.

I read all the books I can get my hands on when I'm interested in something and over time I noticed that you just don't see older parts on newer cars. I'm sure there were some exceptions, but they're rare. Take '39 Ford taillights: they're all over earlier year hot rods, but you'd never see them on a later car. Also, I customized a '41 Ford coupe years ago and I noticed that most '41's were customized using the later '46-'48-style horizontal grilles. Also, a lot of guys who customized Fords used parts from more expensive cars, like Lincolns and Cadillacs. I figured that most customs were made in an attempt to make the car appear more modern or more expensive than "just another old Ford". Anyway, that's my take on it.

Jim

[60man]

Thanks for posting the pics Jim.. Car is looking good. Always wondered about doing away with the top crown molding on rear quarters...looks cool..As the story goes Pontiac designers changed design of 59 car for 60 model to mimic a Geogre Barris custom look...like the tube grille look and lots of body lines. Only year Pontiac didn't use a split grille which 59 started the trend. I hate head knockers... I had three 61's..
On trans....It's not hard to use column shifter. Mine was a column shifted TH400 when I bought it. If you go with buckets I think a floor shifter would be the way to go...IMO Keep pics up if you have the time..
Troy

[twooldgoats]

Originally Posted by 60man

.....
On trans....It's not hard to use column shifter. Mine was a column shifted TH400 when I bought it. If you go with buckets I think a floor shifter would be the way to go...IMO Keep pics up if you have the time..
Troy

I hope to use the bench seat and I do have all the original shift linkage, so I may play around at keeping the original column shift. I would have to resolve the problem of the shift indicator and the two very different shift patterns.

Jim

[60man]

Originally Posted by twooldgoats

I hope to use the bench seat and I do have all the original shift linkage, so I may play around at keeping the original column shift. I would have to resolve the problem of the shift indicator and the two very different shift patterns.

Jim

My shift indicator was never corrected. I think it could be done..maybe using a piece of clear plastic and ingraving the back side.. Here is all previous owner did to use the stock column bell crank at bottom. this looking up towards steering column...guess you could tell.. It was crude but worked. I used to lay the line loc button on seat next to me when I raced..

[twooldgoats]

Made some progress lately on the '60, but it always go slower than it seems like it should. After months of avoiding it, I decided to tackle the replacement of all six side windows. I bought the glass a long time ago, but I put off doing the work, because it can be so painstaking---and it was. The vent windows were non-functional--the cranks turned, but the windows didn't move. It turns out the ends of the gear cases had popped off, probably from people cranking too hard on them over the years. Fortunately, I found the odd-shaped ends in the bottoms of the doors and I was able to figure out how they went back together. I greased them up good and re-riveted the ends on and they work well now.

The rear quarter windows went well, as soon as I figured out how to mount the new glass in the rubber channel and then trim the rubber around the edges. The hardest part with the quarter windows was getting them in and out. The Fisher body manual helped, but finally I resorted to having my wife Ellen lower the windows by hand into the opening while I reattached all the cams and channels one at a time. I did one quarter window at a time, so I could refer to the other while I went along. I have huge respect for the Fisher Body engineers who designed the mechanisms for those rear quarter windows. It's amazing how the windows move while going up and down and how well they mesh with the side windows.

The biggest problem with the driver and passenger side door windows was missing and broken nylon wheels. The originals were riveted on and I haven't seen screw-on replacements, so I reverted to a trick I've used in the past on mid-sixties Pontiacs. I cut off the ends of some spare crank arms I had with good nylon wheels and welded them onto the ones I had. That went well, though it was a problem keeping the nylon wheels cool while I welded the arms on. The only remaining issue is the driver side window doesn't lower quite far enough into the door. The door stops in a '60 are non-adjustable and are spot welded in. The only thing I can figure is the original factory welded them in a little too high. Or maybe I'm missing something. The way it is, the top of the window is a little above the top of the door when the window is all the way down. The rubber bumpers on the stop are at least 1/2" thick, but they've got factory part numbers on them and appear to be original, so I don't think they're the problem. If nothing else, I can cut the welds and re-weld them in a little lower if I have to. The replacement window fuzzies screw in rather than clip in as the originals did, so I either have to move the lower stop or put the fuzzies in now before I paint (or remove the whole window assembly to do it later).

Anyway, all six side windows are in and working well. I'll save the fine adjustments for later after I paint and put in the weatherstripping.

Jim

[MOJO Catalina]

I found this video for you. The guy has a similar rear quarter treatment to what looks like you're going for:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNwEc...eature=related

Crappy Hard core music and I think that's a small block Chevy engine (P-Ewww) but you get the idea..

[twooldgoats]

He eliminated the back-up lights like I did, but it looks like he kept the chrome trim along the top of the rear quarter. I like the "rocket" taillights. I got a set of skirts with the car, but I prolly won't use them. The car has to be REAL low for them to look right. Besides, I want to show off the 8-lugs.

I'm bringing the engine home from the machine shop this coming week and the TH400 and torque converter will arrive from Hughes as well. Then, I get to bolt on the Wilcap adaptor plate and see if I can get the trans all sorted out. After that, I'll drop it in in one piece and see how much I have to add to the trans crossmember to mount the TH400. Getting the engine and trans in will be a big step and a big motivator to get serious about the body work and paint again.

Jim