[SD455DJ]

After a long winter and spring hiatus, Tim started panel work on the GT-37 a couple of weeks ago. Deer hunting was his focus back in November & December after the car was delivered to his shop, then he wanted to make some serious progress on his ’62 Chevy II Convertible before jumping on the GT-37, which was OK by me as I needed to tend to my injured wife (broke her knee the week of Thanksgiving). Dan stopped by today to pick up window trim that I need to clean up of old glue and tape residue. He’s working on the doors and has the hood, deck lid, and valances primed. The front fenders are at the sand blasters for cleaning in the tight areas.

I’ve got to find some white ’71 door panels! I’m going to need them sooner than I thought!

Dennis

[79 Phoenix]

WOW Dennis,, it looks like it's moving along well! That's exciting! Looks like he knows what he's doing. That's going to be a fine looking GT-37.

Haven't gotten anything done on mine this past month but should get back on it next week. Wish mine was a far along as yours!

[SD455DJ]

Originally Posted by 79 Phoenix

WOW Dennis,, it looks like it's moving along well! That's exciting! Looks like he knows what he's doing. That's going to be a fine looking GT-37.

Haven't gotten anything done on mine this past month but should get back on it next week. Wish mine was a far along as yours!

I sure hope it keeps moving along, lol! I've been trying to finish this car for 10 years and it's always been interrupted! Tim does know his craft for sure. It looks like our cars are both in a similar state of progress at this point. If my GT-37 is out of the paint shop by the end of June, it'll be a couple months to reassemble it, so maybe drivable by the end of summer...I hope?

Dennis

[SD455DJ]

Refurbished the inner fender wells today...not professional grade, but a little better than before.

Dennis

[79 Phoenix]

They look good Dennis! Mine were rusted out in several places where the bolts go through. I needed to repair with fiberglass. Keep up the good work!

Oh, and If all goes well, I will get back to body work on mine today.

[Sport71]

Dennis - that is such a sweet car. Chrome nose '71 HO: fantastic!

Vince

[Sport71]

Our cars are somewhat close together in production. Mine is 12E out of Fremont, with the same "high-stamp" VIN (apparently common from that plant) ...

[SD455DJ]

Thanks Vince! Here are my trim tag, block stamps and date code (G090 - July 9, 1970).

Dennis

['ol Pinion head]

Dennis that's the earliest 483677 casting 455 HO block casting I've ever recorded. Typically the early Gxx0 cast 455 engine blocks that Ive recorded have been D port application blocks, YG's, YC's

Another note, the '71 WL coded 455HO HD 3spd engines were so rarely installed, even w/o the Fall UAW Strike delaying installs, it is very common to see similar wide date ranges on block casting to actual vehicle build.
Am betting it would make sense for each of the A & F body plants to get a WL coded engine assembly, then for it to sit in the engine bank for multiple months until needed.

[SD455DJ]

Thanks Roger! 5 months is an appreciable spread for sure. It's interesting that Dan had 1 of the 3 Lemans (non-Sport) manual trans 455HO cars produced, and probably the only one with the WL code M-13 3-spd. It's the only manual car to surface so far...that we know of.

Dennis

[Sport71]

Most interesting, Dennis and Roger. My YE 483677 has the, I believe more common, casting date of I020 (Sept. 7 1970). I recall other PY'ers posting the same date on their HOs.

Roger - wasn't the strike duration from about Sept. 15th through Nov. 20, or so, adding to the delay between block casting and the engines being VIN stamped and assembled at the A & F body plants?

['ol Pinion head]

Originally Posted by Sport71

Most interesting, Dennis and Roger. My YE 483677 has the, I believe more common, casting date of I020 (Sept. 7 1970). I recall other PY'ers posting the same date on their HOs.

Roger - wasn't the strike duration from about Sept. 15th through Nov. 20, or so, adding to the delay between block casting and the engines being VIN stamped and assembled at the A & F body plants?

Yes, strike was Sept 15th til near Nov 20th.

Pontiac home plant, Fremont, & Van Nuys (F-body) plants came back on line fairly quickly. more research need on '71 Framingham A-body plant.

Lakewood & Oshawa plant resumed production in January '71, so did Norwood (F-body's).

As result of many factors, but namely the '67 day UAW strike sometimes the date gaps became quite wide. The widest date gap i've noted on a substantial component was an original 2 door HW coded 455 frame that PY member Chris Haggerty sold years ago on eBay. Chris had decades ago parted a Framingham built '71 GTO 455 HO auto. It was built, i believe in late Feb '71 & being a lower volume '71 Pontiac A-body plant. the frame was second run AO Smith frame from Aug '70. Less substantial parts like '71 usage side glass & rear glass have been documented be dated out much further.

[455HOGT37]

Originally Posted by SD455DJ

I sure hope it keeps moving along, lol! I've been trying to finish this car for 10 years…

Dennis

I can’t believe it’s been that long! Time sure flies.

Looking forward to seeing it “done” (whatever that means with these cars).

[SD455DJ]

Originally Posted by 455HOGT37

I can’t believe it’s been that long! Time sure flies.

Looking forward to seeing it “done” (whatever that means with these cars).

Me too Mike...lol! Actually, it's been 11 1/2 years since it came to Michigan...geesh! Tim, the body & paint man, is working slowly on the body work as it's been too hot up here lately. This is a side project for him, so he's working at his own pace (retired) and letting distractions happen.

The GT-37 runs, drives, and brakes well, now it's the cosmetics we need to finish up. We were thinking about a light flattener in the clear, but now have decided to not do that any longer and put the proper 100% gloss clear coat on it.

Dennis