[Dick Boneske]

Here's how my '64 is coming. I cut the carpet around the seat anchors in a "T" shape as has been discussed on this forum. Worked out very well as you barely can see the slits.

Also note the hard plastic washers I found for the bucket seat back swivels. These are a John Deere part--with the right OD, ID, thickness, black, and they're tapered on one face to work great with the seat back hinges to protect the upholstry. JD part number is L78768. They're $4 each, but they're all I could find.

Seat belts in the rear seat so I can take the grandkids for rides also worked out well, thanks to many pictures and posts on anchor location. Seat belts from Seat Belt Planet are reasonable in cost and look very much like the factory belts that were in my new '64 GTO. Now, I need to figure out how to cut a 1/2" hole in the carpet for the front belt anchors. Was thinking of using a piece of 1/2" iron pipe sharpened like a leather punch.

Rear bumper was absolutely perfect out of the packaging. Fit is great!

Next week--engine gets painted and assembled to Muncie. Hope you enjoy the pictures!!

[mrtonegto]

Couldn't find a thread about rear seat belt anchor location.

Can you point me in the right direction?

Tone

[GT182]

Looks very nice Dick. What color is the body painted? Looks familiar and close to my 66's paint. Flame Red?

[64woodwheel]

Originally Posted by Dick Boneske

Now, I need to figure out how to cut a 1/2" hole in the carpet for the front belt anchors. Was thinking of using a piece of 1/2" iron pipe sharpened like a leather punch.

I used an exacto knife and just cut an "X" in the carpet by poking the knife into the bolt hole while the carpet is laying in the right place. I doubt if that is "correct", but once the seat belt is installed the cut is unseen.

[Dick Boneske]

Thanks for the compliment. In '64, the color was called Grenadier Red.

Search this forum for rear seat belts and you will find some threads with pictures of the anchor points. I didn't find dimensions, just used the photos to locate where to drill the holes. Note that the anchor points are even with the height of the rear seat back hold down clips. I measured 7.5" from the center of the car fo the inner two bolts. I measured 15" from those bolts for the outer two bolts.

[ron cozzo]

Originally Posted by Dick Boneske

Thanks for the compliment. In '64, the color was called Grenadier Red.

Search this forum for rear seat belts and you will find some threads with pictures of the anchor points. I didn't find dimensions, just used the photos to locate where to drill the holes. Note that the anchor points are even with the height of the rear seat back hold down clips. I measured 7.5" from the center of the car fo the inner two bolts. I measured 15" from those bolts for the outer two bolts.

Here's a pic of where I placed the anchor plates on my '64. I think I posted somewhere where to find the plates, I'm pretty sure I saw them on Amazon, they're used for street rods, and similar to the factory design.

[mrtonegto]

Thanks for that information Dick. I'll be putting my 65 back together in a few weeks.
I already added 3-point seat belts up front and need to put two lap belts in the rear.

BTW, can you tell me what the steps were in putting your doors back together (glass tracks, glass, vent window, mole skins, etc)?

I'd hate to have to do any of that twice with new paint! LOL

Tone

[klunker]

for the 1/2 hole, just buy a punch, I paid $5 for mine.
General Tool, try a decent hardware store.

[geeteeohguy]

Dick, that's a super clean installation. Nice work! Love the red on red.....

[Pontirag]

whoa! now that is nice

[Dick Boneske]

Finally got the front seats & seat belts in. I ended up cutting the holes through the carpet with an exacto knife as 64woodwheel did. I used chrome seat belt bolts with about a 1" shoulder on them so the belt bracket doesn't suck into the carpet when the bolt is tightened.

Got the power steering brackets blasted & painted yesterday---will fit to engine today to see that I have all the right bolts. Kind of on the fence on whether to just put a shaft seal on the pump or rebuid completely. It has about .090" end play on the shaft, which is the same as the other three pumps I have.

[64woodwheel]

There is some end play built into the PS Pump. Not sure what the official spec is, but 90 thousands is prob. about right. They are really easy to rebuild. Just need a press to compress the rear cover to remove the retaining ring. Be sure you get a 64 kit. 65-up has different stuff inside. This is a slide show that shows one going back together.

[Dick Boneske]

Ordered a kit for the pump. Bolted the "new" '64 pump/alternator bracket to the engine and found out I don't have the right water pump pulley. Andre' came through again with a pulley with the right offset!

I noticed one of the steering gears I have is about 3 1/4 turns lock to lock, the other 4 1/4 turns. I believe the 3 1/4 box is variable ratio, the other not. Any reason not to go with the quicker one?

Primed the oiling system yesterday. Took at least 10 minutes to get oil to all the rockers. This is not a job for a wimpy drill! My 3/8" Craftsman was actually smoking after awhile. It took a lot longer for the #5 cylinder rockers to oil than the rest of them.

Adjusted rockers to 1/2 turn lifter plunger compression with Polylocks. I used the method of turning the engine until one valve per cylinder was all the way open, then setting the rocker for the other valve on that cylinder.

Attached a few pics of the engine almost ready for paint and the front bumper brackets just before blasting. I wish I'd have had the blasting done instead of doing it myself. A lot of area to blast with glass beads.

[benchracerx]

Where did you get the back bumper from? Looking for one for my 64 Tempest.

[Dick Boneske]

I had the original one off the car plated. Used ones are often on eBay. Or, try your local bumper exchange/rechroming place. The better shops can straighten used ones to be better than new. The place in our area provides a lifetime warranty. I'm very pleased with the result at $412.

[Dick Boneske]

Got the engine cleaned with Eastwood PRE today and painted it with Plastikote #208 Pontiac Blue. Tomorrow, I'll mount the starter, motor mounts, exhaust manifolds, coil, distributor, etc.

Now, it's getting exciting!!

[mrtonegto]

Beautiful!

[Dick Boneske]

A couple of questions for engine assembly--.

I'm on the fence about exhaust manifold gaskets. Heads are stock "716" '64 GTO as is the Tripower manifold. Exhaust manifolds are '67 HO. In the past, I've used the metal gaskets with these, but the metal ones have no divider between the center exhaust ports on each head. Most aftermarket ones do have a separator. I have both here, so I just need your thoughts on which to use. I don't remember having leakage problems with the steel exhaust gaskets.

I'm using a Pypes 2 1/2" stainless exhaust system. The downpipes fit on the exhaust manifold outlets OK. Is there a "donut" or other sealer I should use here? I plan to use 3/8" brass nuts on steel studs for the flanges.

Has anyone found a source for the two longer '67 HO exhaust manifold bolts? They are sold in 1/2" increments, but what is needed is 3/8-16 X 2 3/4". I'll probably cut 3" bolts to 2 3/4".

For the power steering pump, would you use Dexron fluid or the "power steering fluid" now recommended? The pump is freshly rebuilt.

[Dick Boneske]

Getting close!!! A couple of pics as I'm assembling the engine.

Can't find my starter support brace & starter bolts. Lost one of the six harmonic balancer bolts. Intake and exhaust manifold bolt lengths are hard to find---even in my five boxes of Pontiac bolts. I've spent way too much time looking through parts to find what I need.

But, as you can see, it's finally coming together.

[Dick Boneske]

Finally got the engine assembled far enough so I could install it yesterday. As most of you know, and I was reminded, getting the HO manifolds past the frame crossmember is really tight. I don't know how I used to do this without a decent hoist and leveler like I have now---and with the front sheet metal and radiator support in place. This was a piece of cake compared to the dozens of times I did this outside with a borrowed cherry picker.

For those of you that often comment about chassis clearance with the HO manifolds, I think you can see from the photos there is ample clearance on both sides. The only areas that are tight are where the starter wires pass between the manifold and engine block and where the downpipe flange is very close to the starter body. The main brake fitting mounted on the frame below the master cylinder is at least an inch behind the manifold so there was no need to move it.

Now to install the NAPA power steering box, exhaust, shifter, driveshaft, distributor, pulleys & belts, and prop up the radiator so I can fire the engine.

I'm feeling Pontiac Excitement!!!!