Hi Folks -

My father has a '65 Cutlass 'vert that he's had since 1990. Without going into too many details it is extremely sentimental to me, so much so that I am willing to go to great lengths to 'save it". I'm currently researching my options and would love your input, here's the story:

Over the past 27 years my father has done a rolling restoration on the car. In the mid-90's he had the body work and paint done (replaced a quarter panel, went down to bare metal and had it resprayed in the factory Target Red), not much later he had the seats recovered and top replaced. In '99 he had a fresh 350 put in (too much play in the crank with the old 330) with a matching TH350 trans. Also around that time we rebuilt the front suspension and put disk brakes up front. The point I'm getting at is the car isn't shabby in any sense except for some rust on the other quarter panel and front of the hood appearing. AND THEN THERE'S THE FRAME.

Sometime in the late 90's we noticed rust holes in the frame along the side rails. We brought it down to a local welder that reinforced it with some thick plating along the bottom of the frame underneath both sills. It considerably stiffened things up and we successfully kicked the can down the road. We now see holes forming right under / in front of the firewall where the frame bends up. To me it looks like we are in need of a new frame or grafting in a new front sections, no patching will really help in this case. That opens up the can of worms. I think in any event the body has to come off which is going to I'm sure expose even more rust not to mention snapped body mount bolts etc.

What I'm looking for is some guidance with the following:

1. Does anyone besides G-Machine make a bolt in chassis that would work with this car?
2. Is there a place to source a remanufactured or "like new" frame for this car?
3. Am I over thinking this?

Thanks for the help!

by https://www.flickr.com/photos/sicklyscott/, on Flickr

 

Nice paint. Yes, you ARE overthinking this. You need a convertible frame from, I believe, a 64-67 convertible Olds Cutlass. Other GM A bodies convertibles of the same year may work. Buy a rust free one, dip it or sand the surface rust off, and paint to your flavor of chassis black, then, while you're at it, replace all the suspension rubber, bolt on the powertrain, and drop the body back on.

 

You may be able to find a stock, serviceable frame by placing a parts wanted classified ad on this site. Then all you need to do is transfer all your good parts to it and bolt everything back together.

 

Yes, and then it wouldn't be his father's beloved car any more. Only the top half would be.

This reminds me of the George Washington's Hatchet story. I have George Washington's original, chop-down-the-cherry-tree hatchet on a shelf in my den. It's one of my proudest possessions, and it's been in my family for generations. Of course, since Washington had it, the blade has been replaced once because the original rusted away and the handle replaced three times due to them rotting away over the years. But it's still Washington's hatchet. At least, it occupies the same physical space and looks just like it.

 

Actually, 64-65. The later cars use a crossflow radiator and thus the frame horns are different. I had a 1965 442 convertible in college that had the same problem.

 

At one time years ago I was researching for another sturdier frame for my 64 F-85 Club Coupe. But instead I repaired it, had to patch a few holes where few body mounts were. I cut out the rust rust and used some thick washers and welded them in. Mine was real crusty! Then had the frame sandblasted and powder coated. If it were a numbers matching highly desirable collector car I would have sourced a another less rusty and pitted frame. Double check this it may give you more options but a 64-65 El Camino, (not Chevelle) frame will work too.

 

His post read as though he was unaware of the existence of used frames; note that he suggested an aftermarket chassis.


Thanks for the correction on the years, Joe.

 

We had this discussion a while back. Some of the same suggestions were made back then too.
https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...questions.html

 

Buick used convertible frames under the first Gran Sports in 1965. If you found one of those it should work for you. Unfortunately there are probably not a lot of them out there.

 

Olds offered the boxed convertible frame under the Holiday and Sport Coupe cars as the HD Frame option in 1964-67. It was about $12 under RPO F35.

 

For only 12 bucks it was a bargain. Makes you wonder why Olds didn't do the same as Buick and put it under all the 442's.

 

it will not to my knowledge the el camino was set on a wagon framethey are longer behind the back wheels.66 and 67 chevelle also have
the vertical flow radiator

 

I do like the idea of (perceived) higher performance with the newer G-Machine type chassis. I'm sure with some Hotchkins items you could do wonders with the car but I figured if I'm doing this level of work why not up my game?

Are there any other aftermarket frame manufacturers in this space?

 

Yeah, all of them. The Cutlass and Chevelle frames are essentially the same. Type Chevelle frame into Google.

 

There's a 1964 Buick Skylark Convertible thats being parted out listed on Chattanooga Tn. Craigslist. He says the frame is perfect and still has most of the original black paint on it.Don't know where you are located,but I would think that is a very scarce item. I sent you a PM but thought you might not find it. Larry

 

For whatever it may be worth, Hollander says that the '65 Olds convertible "A" body frame interchanges with the '64 Olds convertible "A" body frame. Part number 9777400. The other divisions have different part numbers.

 

I’m in the same boat. I have a 65 cutlass convertible and bought a Buick 64-67 boxed frame. Wondering if it will work for the 65 Olds convertible?

 

New frames, with modern suspensions? Art Morrison, Scott's Rod Shop, perhaps Martz racing...

 

make absolutely sure before you buy a frame from another non Olds car that it is exactly the same ,front frame horn design and width can be different between car manufacturers . especially on these earlier cars

 

Wonder what ever happened with OP's car ...?

 

https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...s-conv-124777/

 

I’ve already bought a frame from a guy that said it came from a early 64-66 Buick. It’s been powder coated as well. I will measure the horns on both frames to see if it’s any difference.

 

Thanks! Quite a saga.

 

My '65 convertible had a shot frame. I bought a four door frame from Jim on the forum and boxed it using an ABC kit, which was very straightforward and affordable. I plumbed all the brake lines and fuel line, painted the frame and replaced all the suspension bushings/front end parts. It was so simple working with the bare frame. During covid-19 lockdown I jacked the body off the old frame, and dropped it on the new frame. I used an engine crane to the rear trunk lock and two floor jacks and wooden blocks under each pinch weld. I cribbed with lumber as I went. It was scary in a narrow garage. The body bolts were a pain in the ***. In my research I was advised that the '64-'65 frame is unique, so didn't want to gamble with anything else. It's back together and I'm putting the floor in now, hoping to be in primer by the end of the summer. Bad weather's been holding me back so far. If you have some space to work and take your time it's pretty straight forward but a bit of sweat equity to get it done. Mine was sentimental also, otherwise would have been a parts car.