I spent today on a road trip to purchase this car from Steve who's a member here but hasn't been on lately. Then Rick, another member who's in the mid-west paid part of the purchase price for the side and tail trim with the agreement that I'd pull it and ship it to him after getting the car. It's a factory 3 on the tree car, the first one I've seen in person. The engine and transmission are missing, but that's about all. I was toying with fixing it up but now that I see the amount of rust I'm leaning towards using it as a parts car. I'll need to crawl over it a little better before saying for sure. I think I've got most of the sheetmetal needed to fix it, but would the time invested in it be worth while? I'm not sure. I know I've got extra motors and a four speed that could go in it, but if I do that then there's time I'm not putting together a 442 project car I know, there's only so many days off each year and I've got 7 or 8 years until I can retire and play with the hobby full time. So after I get a better look at it I'll evaluate what I should do. I see a few items I can use on other project cars, and lots of trade stock if I do part it out. Decisions, decisions So here's a picture of me on the way home, and a couple select photos before it got dark. I'll take more photos in the coming days. John

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Cool! Another addition to the stable!

 

cool, I know pictures hide stuff but from where I sit that cars MINT!!!!!!!

 

Neat!

- Eric

 

The floorboards and rear quarters behind the tires would need replaced. It was probably repainted not too long ago as the white paint is shiny, not oxidized at all. One fender eyebrow piece and the longer stainless piece around both back seat side windows have phillps screws holding them on And one of the fender V-8 emblems also has a screw through it too. But at a glance it would make a very respectible driver. Since it already has clutch pedals it would be easy to change the 3 on the tree to a muncie four speed on the floor I know, I was daydreaming about it before I saw it in person

John

 

Cool John! Would be pretty sweet with a 4-speed
and a 455.

 

Yes it would! And I just happen to know where a 455 and Muncie 4 speed might be

I'm crawling over the car right now to see how bad the rust is. I came across something odd, it has a 442 frame under it. Now I'm going to have to lift the body up and see if the vin in the frame is the same as the body! Since it's a Fremont car there wouldn't be anything on the trim tag to say one way or the other. John

 

Sweet body style and a big block 4 speed combo would rock!

 

Here's a few more pictures

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It would have been a nice deck lid if they didn't punch the lock
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And if the trim isn't tight, please don't put a sheetmetal screw through it to hold it on
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I love that body style. Man that could make a great car. Of course it is not like you don't have a project or two.

 

I remember talking to the owner and he told me the car was pretty solid. Pics showed a total pile of ...... Passenger floor isnt even there. Rot up into the kick panels and heavy rot in the windshield channel. Car has had a Chevy engine in it at some point, Chevy mount perches are welded on the front crossmember.

From the pics I got, that car is a parts car, barely.

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Congrats on the find. It really looks pretty solid from the pictures you took, too bad the floor rust is extensive. If you like welding, it could be a fun project.

 

I've driven worse.

You West coast kids are spoiled.

- Eric

 

TK-65, yes the floor boards for both the front and rear seats are rotted through, as are the bottom of the rear quarters. But I've got solid floorboard portions from another car, and the lower quarter panel portions. The front fenders don't have rot in the lower heel and the doors don't need much to be nice. I don't know if I'll fix it or part it, but finding the 442 frame underneath was interesting. At a minimium, I see a lot of good parts there. But I was able to drive up and get it, so my shipping costs were fuel and time. John

 

John, What makes you think it has a 442 frame? What is it to make the difference?

Gene

 

All manual trans cars have the 442 frame under them. From my experience there is a ton more rot in a car like that than what you see. Those floors just didnt stop rusting at the kick panels.

 

Good for you.

Im from Detroit, and that car is worse than the cars we find around here.

 

TK, I suspect much of the rust was caused from carpet holding water against the floorboard. The lower fenders and rocker panels look good so I don't think the damage is from salt. Yes it would be a big project to save, but I have most of the parts it needs so that's why I'm considering it. The Chebby motor mounts would need to be cut off the frame, but if done carefully that would work. I also got some nice spare parts with the car that I'll use on another project car or as trade stock. I didn't know all manual transmission cars came with the 442 frames. I'd been talking with Glenn at 442BRO and he commented it wasn't unheard of.

Gene, Glenn's site has some really nice pictures and details on the frame. Here's a few pictures of the points to look for in identifying a 442 frame.

Gusset plates at the crossmember corner were added
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One piece frame rails. Other frames are spliced with a weld here.
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Multiple bolt holes for the rear upper control arms
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This one is harder to see, there's an extra lip on the frame cross piece under the brake line hose
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Then there's this code stamped in the left rear frame rail, back near the rear bumper
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For more details on these features see Glenn's site at: http://www.442bro.com/ and go to the frame info tab. John