New to the site, had the car for a while...
October 13th, 2015, 10:51 AM
#1
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Central Mass
Posts: 174
New to the site, had the car for a while...
Bought my 1968 442 when I was 16, It had had some resto-moding done in the 90’s, complete with a 455 swap and red paint. It seems it was likely originally a cream colored turnpike cruiser originally.
Well… I drove it through the second half of high school and all through college. After school, I moved to the northeast (Massachusetts currently) and didn't bring it along because i didn't have anywhere to park it and didn't have the money to put into it. So it spent the last five years parked in my dad’s driveway. I worked on keeping it running every year during the holidays.
Now I have a garage and some disposable income. So I had it shipped up, it was in rough shape when I left it and worse now, but it still runs. I started with a carb rebuild, radiator swap, and some work on the throttle linkage and kick down switch. I’m moving on to some suspension work, and then its all the bodywork I can afford.
Well… I drove it through the second half of high school and all through college. After school, I moved to the northeast (Massachusetts currently) and didn't bring it along because i didn't have anywhere to park it and didn't have the money to put into it. So it spent the last five years parked in my dad’s driveway. I worked on keeping it running every year during the holidays.
Now I have a garage and some disposable income. So I had it shipped up, it was in rough shape when I left it and worse now, but it still runs. I started with a carb rebuild, radiator swap, and some work on the throttle linkage and kick down switch. I’m moving on to some suspension work, and then its all the bodywork I can afford.
October 13th, 2015, 12:28 PM
#4
Just an Olds Guy
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Edmonton, AB. And "I am Can 'eh' jun - eh"
Posts: 24,525
I see you joined in 2014 but likely were just lurking in the background looking in? Good to see something about your project. Congrats on sticking with it for so long and keeping the dream alive.
Turnpike Cruiser RPO L65 was only offered (in name) on 442 models in 1968. What's also interesting is that the 68 CS models had the L65 option simply listed as an engine, not the 'turnpike cruiser' option. hmmmm...
Turnpike Cruiser RPO L65 was only offered (in name) on 442 models in 1968. What's also interesting is that the 68 CS models had the L65 option simply listed as an engine, not the 'turnpike cruiser' option. hmmmm...
Last edited by Allan R; October 13th, 2015 at 12:50 PM. Reason: delete incorrect info
October 13th, 2015, 12:39 PM
#5
Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 2,620
October 13th, 2015, 12:45 PM
#6
Just an Olds Guy
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Edmonton, AB. And "I am Can 'eh' jun - eh"
Posts: 24,525
Diego,
Yes, You're correct - it was an option on the 68 442. Although the standard engine on the 68 442 was the 400 4bbl, the L65 option of Turnpike Cruiser was offered but had to also have a TH400. Good Catch - I'll correct my mistake ^^.
Yes, You're correct - it was an option on the 68 442. Although the standard engine on the 68 442 was the 400 4bbl, the L65 option of Turnpike Cruiser was offered but had to also have a TH400. Good Catch - I'll correct my mistake ^^.
October 14th, 2015, 05:36 PM
#7
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Central Mass
Posts: 174
Some Pics are attached.
Thanks for the kind words! Its been a long road. There was always a lot of pressure from members of the family to sell it and put the money toward something else, but in the long run I'm very happy that I've kept it.
Alan,
I have been lurking in the background for quite a while. I didn't have much to say until now, but joining was the only way to look at pictures!
The reason I went to turnpike cruiser was
a) I was told by the seller that it "had a lot of weird options" i.e. power seats, and that he thought it might have been one
b) the rear Axle is coded R7 (2.56 gears), which jived with the previous assumption, but maybe you can help me out with some info on the axle?
so any "evidence" I have is pretty thin, the original motor is long gone, along with any 2 bbl. manifold...
One thing I always thought was unique about the car (but never particularly liked) is the aftermarket hood scoop (hood is off the car right now as seen in the pictures) mounted on the incorrect flat cutlass hood, complete with a hole cut to line up with the top of the K&N x-stream air cleaner.
Its odd to me that one of the previous owners went to so much trouble with the hood/air cleaner, considering that there is so much redneck engineering elsewhere: the kick down switch was literally bent to fit on backward with the peg wrapped in electrical tape so that it would still function but also take up the slack in the throttle cable after a swap to a holley carb!
Thanks for the kind words! Its been a long road. There was always a lot of pressure from members of the family to sell it and put the money toward something else, but in the long run I'm very happy that I've kept it.
Alan,
I have been lurking in the background for quite a while. I didn't have much to say until now, but joining was the only way to look at pictures!
The reason I went to turnpike cruiser was
a) I was told by the seller that it "had a lot of weird options" i.e. power seats, and that he thought it might have been one
b) the rear Axle is coded R7 (2.56 gears), which jived with the previous assumption, but maybe you can help me out with some info on the axle?
so any "evidence" I have is pretty thin, the original motor is long gone, along with any 2 bbl. manifold...
One thing I always thought was unique about the car (but never particularly liked) is the aftermarket hood scoop (hood is off the car right now as seen in the pictures) mounted on the incorrect flat cutlass hood, complete with a hole cut to line up with the top of the K&N x-stream air cleaner.
Its odd to me that one of the previous owners went to so much trouble with the hood/air cleaner, considering that there is so much redneck engineering elsewhere: the kick down switch was literally bent to fit on backward with the peg wrapped in electrical tape so that it would still function but also take up the slack in the throttle cable after a swap to a holley carb!
Last edited by rothlane'68; October 14th, 2015 at 07:15 PM.
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