I am sooooooooooooo far behind in my blogging in general and specifically with the work on #ProjectSportsRoof. I’m catching up this weekend (actually it’s going to take a week or more to go through the videos) with the work I’ve done on the vacuum system.
The goal started out to get this all completed before the end of January when I had to renew the registration, but first it needed to pass emissions. So I had to hustle. The next few blog post cover this process.
There are some questions that come up and most of them were solved. In particular the Vacuum Distribution Solenoid locations. All the diagrams I pulled off the web were for non-A/C cars. This solenoid was moved to the back when A/C was installed. Take a look.
Of course the long vacuum hose leading down under the firewall does in fact run to the transmission.
I just have to add one more sleeper car slated to be auctioned off in Scottsdale this week. You might be surprised at this little gem.
Since you know by the title that it’s a Pontiac (or is it?) let me show you a badge on the car to give you a hint. Don’t scroll all the way down yet!!
Hey it’s a Pontiac Sports Deluxe? Not exactly!!
It is a 1967 Pontiac Beaumont!
Looks like a plain Jane Pontiac from the backside!!
It’s got a V8!!
Love the side vents!!!
The Beaumont was a GM based Canadian car sold at Pontiac-Buick dealerships in Canada. Through out it’s production years of 1962 – 1969 it was based on a the Chevelle, the Chevy II and the Nova, all at different point on it’s time line. The Sports Deluxe (SD) was in fact the same trim level as the Chevy Chevelle SS – hence the engine option below.
This one is restored to original, including paint color and it has date-code-correct 396 engine tweaked a bit to produce 375 HP.
Now that’s a sleeper!!!!!
Should be crossing the auction block on Thursday 1/28.
It is tough to pick out favorite cars at a place like Barrett-Jackson’s Classic Car Auctions. There is too much to like. I can say I just like Mustangs or I just like Corvettes, but in reality, I can find lots to like about many classics. But when you sit back at the end of the day of previewing the cars and think about the beautiful works of art, there will be a few that come to mind right away.
So here is one of my favorites I saw on opening day.
Lot #1563 1966 Chevy Chevelle 300 Deluxe
Great looking 66 Chevelle.
It is a 300 Deluxe
Just a great little every day (back then) commuter car.
Just love the painted steel wheels and center hub caps. Hey..what’s that badge on the fender?
What?!!!!
What a sleeper car!!!!! Check out the options:
502 GM crate engine with 502 horse power
Aluminum heads
12 bolt Posi-Traction rear end
Dual Exhaust
Richmond 6 speed manual transmission
4 wheel disc braker
Aluminum radiator
Tach
Should cross the block on Sunday, Jan 31. I’ll watch to see what it brings!!!!
Here are your #AutoFactoids for the week up Jan 17, 2016.
Jan 17, 1903 Cadillac introduces its first car at Madison Square Garden
1903 Cadillac
I say ‘car’, some say ‘horseless carriage’. Regardless it was a high-end run-about powered by 1.6 liter, 1 cylinder/2 value engine – producing 6.5 hp to haul around it’s 1300 plus lbs.
Jan 17, 1953 Chevy introduces the Corvette at a Motorama show in NYC
From the 1953 Motorama – Corvette Display
Jan 17, 1956 Ford becomes a public company
They offered 10.2 million shares of stock at $63.00 each – shares opened at $64.50 and closed at $69.50. Today Ford stock is running around $12.00.
Jan 20, 1942 Chevy ceases car production to help support war effort.
As United States as drawn into WWII the Federal government asked the car companies to stop production new cars. The metals and rubber were in short supply and providing the military with these items was the first priority. Most of the car manufacturers retooled to help the war effort. Chevy produced the T-17 Staghound armored scout cars in Flint, Mich. These cars were armed with 37 mm Cannon. Production began in Oct. of 1942 and 3,800 were produced through April 1944.
Jan 21, 1954 Turbo Cruiser Bus produced – the 1st gas turbine engine vehicle
Auto Factoids for the week of Aug 26, 2012. Cadillac Runabout, 1902. 1902 Cadillac Runabout. 1902 Cadillac. 1. Pinned from. Uploaded by user. Pin it. Like.
I seriously like the lines of this car!! Auto Factoids for the Week of Jan 18, 2014 http://wp.me/p2YxYx-3d4. my Mum had one of these in dark green.. this one from …
It just a great way to start the New Year, firing up the project car and take it for a quick jaunt down the road. Of course the car is ‘under construction” but still have to take out for a short distance.
The ’73 Stang is a long ways from being completed and yeah…I would be taking it out on the freeway just yet, but I does need to get driving.
My New Years resolution for #ProjectSportsRoof? “Get Her Done!” Next Years Day’s video will be 100% different from this one!!!!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!
Rare trip. Just far enough to get the engine hot, take the C6 transmission through the gears and top out at about 70 mph.
These little snippets are by chance photos of interesting cars.
During a trip to Jerome, AZ I was investigating this nicely cared for 1969 Chevy Nova.
Great Body Style
Love the Poverty Caps
Got the Camaro taillights.
The ’69 Nova was really just a pedestrian car and perhaps the worse evolution possible of the Chevelle, Chevy II of the early ’60. (Of course it got much worse in the late ’70s and early ’80s!!!)
These came in 3 main engine groups….4, 6 and 8 cylinders – yes 4 cylinders!!! There were 6,103 4 cylinders produced (make them a rather rare find in original condition), 157,400 6 cylinders and 88,400 V-8s ( 17,654 of those were in Super Sport trim). The horse power ranged from a weak 90 hp to meager (by todays standards) 200 hp.
As I was standing back to get the little more distance on the shot I noticed something in the view finder:
In the background
Getting closer
Oh so nice!!!
And a wave!!!
Yes a very nice ’71 or ’72 Mustang. One year later I’d own a 1973 Mustang, the last of the big ‘Stangs!!!
So this is my last post for 2015.
I wish all of my readers/followers and other fellow gear heads, car nuts, car peeps a super New Year and all the best in 2016!!
Coming up in 2016 I’ll be working straight out to finish the 1973 Mustang Sports Roof (#ProjectSportsRoof) – got to get is show ready in the next year – so keep checking back for updates (floor pan, vacuum system and much more coming up next month). We also will attempt to get pod-casts rolling but you’ll also be able to keep up on our hobby with C.N.N. (Car News Now), special pieces on the 351 Cleveland engine and more parking lot spotlights, AutoFactoids (#AutoFactoids), Engine Line Ups and much more.
See you all in 2016 – maybe at Barrett Jackson in Scottsdale, AZ Jan 23, 2016?
I don’t often post up cars on Craig’s list or elsewhere, but I happened to run to the owner filling up the Ranchero at the Shell station down the street.
The pics in this post are from the Craig’s list ad, but I can tell you body is in great shape and straight. The wheels are awesome looking. The engine sounds strong and the interior is in great shape.
Take a look at these pics and it looks even better in person.
Has the 400 in it…very cool (only a 2bbl carb….needs 4bbl – easy) Will need a transmission – easy to find a used one.
Wheels are great looking. Engine was pretty clean. Interior was great condition. Sounded awesome!!!
Body was in great shape. Originally delivered to DSO 74 (Seattle), so it’s a west coast car.
Thanks for checking back on #ProjectSportsRoof. Progress is being made and I’d like to finish up these post on the install of the Mach 1 grille on this ‘plain old’ sports roof.
This was pretty much straight forward, with a small change.
If you recall on the last post we started with a NOS Mach 1 grille I acquired from Ebay…..SCORE!!!
NOS in original box
Box label – so what? Hey it’s cool!!!
For now I’m using the signal lights from the old grille and a new proper pony badge.
New Pony Badge
The new badge is different from the original (that being just a large Mustang running), which I preferred. Of course this new badge is made in Taiwan and not as sturdy as I would have liked. In fact while tightening the one of the nuts provided the prong sheered off. Luckily there were enough threads to make it secure.
Here it is installed:
Here are a couple of videos on the install.
Now there are still a few thing I need to buy to finish up the grille:
This is the wrap up on the compression testing for the 1973 Mustang w/ a 1972 351 Cleveland power plant. You’ll might have notices that I referred to the remote tester, which is my code for remote starter…yeah…that’s it!!! All of these tests were dry test and I should have done a …
As with most plastic exterior trim pieces on Arizona cars, the original grille in #ProjectSportsRoof has seen better days. Although this one is still mostly intact, it is brittle with a few missing tabs. Couple that with the look of the Mach I grille for the 1973 Mustang and I have to say I really like the look of it better than the standard.
