[Jerry H.]

On your lower rear shock mounts, have you checked to see if those 'bolts' sticking out of the frame have a nut on the back side you can take off? They look someone has had a set of shocks on there that could be taken off with the nuts on both sides of the stud and they just took them off the front side instead of the side inside of the frame mount. If that is the case, your shocks will work.

[70ra455]

Thanks John!

Jerry ... I will check them out (the bolts) but it looks like my 66 Bonnie that I just sold but is still on the driveway has them but later this morning I will be at the garage in work clothes and I'll check it better AND the '66 GP parts car ... if all 3 have them then I'm thinking they are welded in? If they are I'd rather just get shocks with the mounting rings without the bolts. The Konis would be great but I'm looking into Vikings ... they look really really neat.

[rick54hearse]

Phil, thanks for the link to your thread. (I had to join up here to reply) Firstly, let me say how sorry I was to read about your son. I can't imagine the sadness you must feel at losing a child. I'm glad to see you keep him in the forefront of your mind as you accomplish this monumental task.
And secondly....to this day I still KICK myself for passing up on getting this car. Its wasn't even 3 hrs from my house. But I realize theres no way I could have done this car justice like you are. I probably would have patched the holes, new tires and brakes, and driven it like that. Then I would have rebuilt the 421 and put it back in then sold the 455. I sold my '65 Catalina 2 dr hardtop sport coupe to cover a chunk of the bills I was incurring with my '54 hearse. Not that I needed to sell it, but it wasn't getting driven much anymore. (sigh, I owned that car since '97. Bought it with 39,600 original miles on it and drove it from Alberta to John's place in OH and home again)
I didn't know you knew John (57Chieftain)...I drove across the country to attend one of his annual get togethers he hosts back in '04. John will know me as rick65cat.
One day if I ever win the lottery, I'll come visit and "rent" the car for a drive with the stipulation I'll buy two new rear tires for it when I'm done lol.
Keep the pictures coming. I'm saving them to build a "it could have been me" file.

[57Chieftain]

Originally Posted by rick54hearse

Phil, thanks for the link to your thread. (I had to join up here to reply) Firstly, let me say how sorry I was to read about your son. I can't imagine the sadness you must feel at losing a child. I'm glad to see you keep him in the forefront of your mind as you accomplish this monumental task.
And secondly....to this day I still KICK myself for passing up on getting this car. Its wasn't even 3 hrs from my house. But I realize theres no way I could have done this car justice like you are. I probably would have patched the holes, new tires and brakes, and driven it like that. Then I would have rebuilt the 421 and put it back in then sold the 455. I sold my '65 Catalina 2 dr hardtop sport coupe to cover a chunk of the bills I was incurring with my '54 hearse. Not that I needed to sell it, but it wasn't getting driven much anymore. (sigh, I owned that car since '97. Bought it with 39,600 original miles on it and drove it from Alberta to John's place in OH and home again)
I didn't know you knew John (57Chieftain)...I drove across the country to attend one of his annual get togethers he hosts back in '04. John will know me as rick65cat.
One day if I ever win the lottery, I'll come visit and "rent" the car for a drive with the stipulation I'll buy two new rear tires for it when I'm done lol.
Keep the pictures coming. I'm saving them to build a "it could have been me" file.

I still miss Green Onions... So, what about making the trip to H-Fest in the hearse, Rick?

[rick54hearse]

I'd like to give it a try John, just don't trust that engine for long hours of running at a time.
Green Onions isn't far from you btw...Its in Ottawa Ontario. Jeff, a fellow member of poncho@thegarage bought it.

[70ra455]

Rick if you make the trip to Norwalk I'll put you up here in Detroit area for as many nights as you need ... food included! lol ...

Soooo ....

[70ra455]

1. NOS material for the restored dash pad ...

2. Bottom of car ... pre POR15

3. Bottom of car ... after (forget painting with brush ... spray it on ... it works great! But I did use their system of Marine Wash and Metal Etching ... didn't want to play games with it.

4. Front Springs in with spindles ... took 3 hours the first day and I thought I broke both hands ... the "claw" type compressor wasn't working for me and we broke it and I was holding the spring in both my hands! Yep ... swollen 3x the size but nothing broke! Blessed ...
Day 2 4 hours trying to get a new pair of hooks on the springs correctly and couldn't do it ... besides the first day we couldn't turn the bolt enough ... needed a power tool and then realize that you're not supposed to use a power tool on that compressor.
Day 3 3-4 hours looking at YouTube videos and came up with what is termed a "Mercedes Benz Spring Compressor". $600 for the German model. I bought the $82 Cambodia special off ebay ... waited for it to arrive.
Day 4 (a week or so later) ... 15 minutes and BOTH springs were installed with ease with one person manually turning/compressing the spring. BEST $82 I ever spent!

5. Rear End Ram Air Restorations suspension installed ... easy peasy without any issue.

[70ra455]

Purchased my springs from Eaton Springs in Deeeetroit. Great guys ... said if I don't like them to bring them back in and they'll exchange them.

1. Both springs in, control arms, all nuts and bolts original and restored. All rubber bumpers are original, mint, and even restored with a rubber restore product from Germany ... they'll last another 50 years without incident.

2 - 4 Dash pad restored to mint with NOS material ... of course the speaker grill was only put in for fitment ... the final will be a restored mint one.

5. Beginning the disc brake installation ... going Scarebird with all 4 wheels! Plan on driving all the time and want to STOP!!!

[70ra455]

Notice on front end we installed a Ram Air restoration front Sway Bar ...

The steering linkage is all new and from ProForged I believe. (Losing my mind ...)

1 - 5. Disc Brake installation

[70ra455]

More 4 wheel disc brake installation

[70ra455]

Body on the frame!!!

Now let me say this: I AM AN IDIOT! I should have painted the entire car first but I thought that getting the body on the frame would be a BIG DEAL and was afraid of ruining the paint but the entire process of

a. putting the body dolly on the bottom
b. removing the rotisserie
c. lifting the body by hand
d. pushing the frame under the car and having the frame push the dolly out
e. putting the body down

45 minutes ... done

The lifting part and getting the frame under the car ... 15 seconds. The car should have been painted for 3 months already. This was the worst decision I've made on this project because now I have to tape the car really really really careful before painting.

Oh well ... we keep moving forward.

[barrierblue66]

Whatta day! Keepa rollin' Phil!

[Rapdron]

Looking great Phil !
What steering box are you using?
Can't wait to see the finished project.

[70ra455]

barrier ... that was a lot more than a day! lol Just trying to play catch-up with the blog

Rapdron ... it is a rebuilt GM Box that has gearing for 2.25 turns lock to lock vs. the original (3.9?) I had this done on my '70 GTO and the way it handles is 1000% improved ... almost like a new car. I'm hoping that the same will result in this GP.

[Heybuck]

Originally Posted by 70ra455

...
Day 3 3-4 hours looking at YouTube videos and came up with what is termed a "Mercedes Benz Spring Compressor". $600 for the German model. I bought the $82 Cambodia special off ebay ... waited for it to arrive.
Day 4 (a week or so later) ... 15 minutes and BOTH springs were installed with ease with one person manually turning/compressing the spring. BEST $82 I ever spent!

Hey Phil, How's about posting a link to the spring compressor you bought?

I'm thinking about buying one myself and you seem to have bought the right model.

Thanks, Ian

[AROWHED]

Beautiful work. You are gonna love that front sway bar, I sure do. Where did you get the front rotors...are they a different application that happens to work for mid-60's fullsize as well?

[70ra455]

Heybuck ... pic and links included ... now $10 less than I paid http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mercedes-Ben...798587&vxp=mtr

best money I ever spent

Youtube video of how they work ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKyT8pMupUw


Arowhed ... the front rotors are straight from the Scarebird website: 1977 Pontiac Bonneville Wagon! Yep you heard that right! lol

Front Calipers 1971 GTO Rotors 1977 Pontiac Bonneville Wagon (Safari)
Rear Calipers 1980-1985 Chevy Citation (Yep they only had front wheel discs ... lol ... But they are called for so I got them) Rotors 1992-1996 Chevy Impala

[Heybuck]

Originally Posted by 70ra455

Heybuck ... pic and links included ... now $10 less than I paid http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mercedes-Ben...798587&vxp=mtr

best money I ever spent

Youtube video of how they work ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKyT8pMupUw

Bought the identical set. Interestingly, sold here on ebay for A$88.00 including free postage. So in US$ terms, I paid just on $66.00

Keen to give them a try. I need to pull the front springs out of my '65 Parisienne Convertible project

Thanks for the heads up Phil

Ian

[mrrat1]

Very impressed!! That will be a sweet ride Sir!!!

[70ra455]

Let me know how it goes ... I always worry about my recommendations! lol

mrrat1 ... thanks!