1965 Skylark - a continued journey

stuart in mn said:

So for your car, the original paint will remain along the sides but the roof, hood and trunk would be white?

Another thought - If you're going with spray cans, you can get them color matched to the original paint if you want and then you could do the hood and trunk in the same color they are now (if there is a slight difference, you do have a natural break line along the edge of the fenders so it wouldn't be so obvious.)

That's the idea! White where the red is, original paint where the white is. I'd rather not try color matching since the spray cans are so expensive (like $20 vs $2), and I bet I will need 10 cans or more.

The fender break line is also good, but I have bad paint a little below it too. I should grab some detailed photos.

wawazat said:

Are you still interested in the 14" tires I have Robbie?  

Todd

 

Well, yes, I am. However, I'm choosing between your tires and some brand new (with 1 inch whitewalls, to boot) tires from tire rack. The tire rack one's are $65 each or something, with free mount/balance. If I get yours, I'll have to spend about $20 each to mount and balance. Not to mention if you have to get them dismounted, and then I would pay you something for them on top of that of course.

I'm afraid the juice just isn't really worth the squeeze for either of us. Unfortunately. But I really do appreciate the offer!!

I don't know how it took me this long to find this thread, lol.

The kickdown cable makes sense.  There's a long steep(ish) hill on the way to my house and the transmission would never kick down into "passing gear" on that hill (and obviously, anywhere else).  That cable, once properly functioning, should help that.  No clue about the shift points though.  I never really learned to drive an automatic.

There's a parking brake cable that came apart and is just tucked into the frame (seen in one of the under car shots you posted).  I've never in my life repaired a parking brake (I'm not proud of this).

This car totally  needs the front disk brakes you are going to give it.  As I mentioned to you...Drum brakes are the bane of my existence.  I didn't want to get the snowball (work and dollars) rolling with a disk brake conversion...but it's totally the thing to do here.  

Look at the exhaust on that thing.  With an extra muffler and pipe running down the side opposite of car from the existing single exhaust, you'd have quite a nice little purr.  (I'm trying to say, but not sure it's obvious, that the car would be easy/cheap to transform to Dual exhaust...If you were so inclined.)

I really wanted to take the time to repaint that oil pan while I had it off.  D'oh!  I was more anxious to get it running again, I guess.

Thanks for letting me know.

Started pulling off some trim today in an attempt to prep for some rattle canning.

Everything came off around the windshield no issue, and the driver side drip rail. Here's a trick I learned for the drip rail from YouTube - the aluminum bottle openers are the perfect tool to remove these. Just hook and pry up. The plastic ones have a metal insert that has a tendency to damage the trim. 

I didn't have an aluminum one but conveniently I got this one for Christmas! Score! It does work great.

Nice, let me know if you ever need any help, I’m experienced in 60’s cars. Reminds me very much of my ‘65 Chevelle Malibu 4-Door. 

SyntheticBlinkerFluid said:

Nice, let me know if you ever need any help, I’m experienced in 60’s cars. Reminds me very much of my ‘65 Chevelle Malibu 4-Door. 

That's because it's basically the exact same car, right?

And yes, I would love to have an extra hand or two. I'll be doing the front brake swap shortly, I'll let you know when I plan to take care of it!

I haven’t read the whole thread but I’m surprised it felt like such a dog.  Grandma’s ‘67 LeSabre had an only slightly larger 340.  2 barrel Rochester Dual-jet and Buick’s version of the 2 speed Powerglide.  Big old beast of a car (though I don’t think it actually weighed that much) but was really zippy.  It wasn’t fast as you would learn when passing, but it had great throttle response and wasn’t unsatisfying to drive.  Rated at 220 hp gross IIRC.

And on an unrelated note, I’ve always thought the small V8 Buick’s would be excellent swaps into vintage Jeeps.  I have never seen a V8 run as smooth and sewing machine like as grandma’s 67.  An extremely compact little jewel it would be a dream in an early CJ-6.

In reply to A 401 CJ :

Yeah, I think it is a transmission mismatch problem. I haven't had a chance to hook up a tach, but I really feel like this trans isn't allowing the engine to rev over about 2600 rpm in anything other than top gear. And that would put a large damper on acceleration in just about any car. 

Throttle response is good, drivability is fine, it's just like driving with a can of tuna under the gas pedal. 

That's definitely a (much) newer transmission than anything that would have been original to the car. I'm pretty sure that's a TBI style cable. Original stuff would have been a physical linkage or a cable with a stamped steel end retained with a Jesus clip. I'm not sure how much work would be involved in getting that to work with your carbon, but the fact it's hanging next to the belhousing is fairly telling. 

I'm totally drawing a blank on the name ATM but there's a vacuum canister on the passenger rear side of the transmission just above the pan. If you pop the vacuum line off there's a tiny flathead screw you can adjust to that will change the shift points. Make a half turn, then drive around the block until it's where you want it. I wouldn't worry about using a tach, common sense and personal taste will tell you when it's right. 

I wouldn't call it a much newer transmission than it came with.  It's the next generation of GM autotrans than what it came with.  GM started using the TH350 in '69 (and it was ubiquitous for the next decade and a bit).

Any good transmission shop in your area can sell you the correct cable (I agree...that cable end doesn't look like what I remember a TH350 kickdown cable looks like...but it's been A WHILE).  Jegs and Summit and the like will have it also.

Same basic trans, yes, but if that really is a TBI kickdown cable there's like a 16-17+ year disparity. I'd say that qualifies as much newer. 

I see where you're coming from.  The transmission is (I believe, as the previous owner of the car) a TH350.  I agree that cable looks like it doesn't belong.  But as, I often say, "I never learned to drive an automatic" so I don't claim to be an expert ;).  

More trim off. Have been mostly successful with no significant breakage.

I love this photo

Finally, there is some old hard caulk in the drip rail. I'm going to try to get it out, but I have no idea why this was done.

Robbie said:

SyntheticBlinkerFluid said:

Nice, let me know if you ever need any help, I’m experienced in 60’s cars. Reminds me very much of my ‘65 Chevelle Malibu 4-Door. 

That's because it's basically the exact same car, right?

And yes, I would love to have an extra hand or two. I'll be doing the front brake swap shortly, I'll let you know when I plan to take care of it!

Well yes technically speaking they were. Mine was close to that color too, but it was a solid Artesian Green. Mine has a 283 with a Powerglide and it would scoot. 

There is supposed to be seam sealer in the drip rails.  I used a wire wheel on the angle grinder on the chevelle and it took it right to bare.  

Patrick said:

There is supposed to be seam sealer in the drip rails.  I used a wire wheel on the angle grinder on the chevelle and it took it right to bare.  

^This.

I use an old file with the end ground down like an engraving chisel to pry most of it out then wire wheel. 

Hmm. Interesting re: seam sealer. It's not hard to remove at this point.

Got the car de-trimmed and de-bumpered enough for the painting I plan to do. Even had a helper in the garage a bit.

Interestingly, I noticed the car only had 3 of the 4 chrome wheel arch trims. I think I like the look better with them off, so I removed them and put em up on eBay. One already sold for $65!! So that is money back in the bank. I think I can do my planned paint job for that.

When it gets warmer I'll back the car out into the driveway and remove some paint!

A "crew cab" in that perfect metallic blue . . . LOVE IT ! ! ! !

Lace roof, yes please?

In reply to AngryCorvair :

well, I do have $65 burning a hole in my paypal balance since selling that trim piece...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Tablecloth-Floral-Lace-55-x62-Light-Beige-Cream-Daisies-Table-Cover/123672846695?hash=item1ccb79e167%3Ag%3AHHYAAOSw76lcA~6d&LH_ItemCondition=4

but I'm gonna stop by the local salvation army first

In reply to Robbie :

i love you.

Started on the disk brake swap.

Missing a stud and maybe some weights

Off

Mmmm grimey. The lower ball joint is a bit on the questionable side. No noticible movement, but the boot is torn and it moves easily. Cheap enough to replace but I don't have a ball joint press kit. I'm tempted to just clean regrease and send it.

Should I just go ahead and do it now? I'm normally a while you're in there guy but I don't want this to turn into rebuilding the entire front end.

In reply to Robbie :

If all other parts are ready to go together, I say hit the “help” section of FLAPS and get new boot only.  No shame in avoiding scope creep.