Sounds right to me, bud, thanks.

 

the trunk looks new Joe, nice work...

 

That was my decode & you're correct it's not a "strato" bench seat. For the '67 Cutlass Supreme hardtop & convertible it's "Custom Sport bench seat w/center armrest".

Koda, is your 442 "antique pewter metallic"?

WAG the "05F" is a factory mistake for June 1st??? OOPS!

 

Thank you, am just getting started with this one.

 

Well it is almost swap season. The plan is to drop the bumpers off at Carlisle to Tri City plating and pick them up in the spring. I was very happy with the ones they did for the 67 442, but I had great cores. I am happy to say that right now I have no big need list just the usual soft repro parts, bumper bolts, engine paint and the like. I am hoping I dont find anything wrong or worn inside the engine when I disassemble. As for paint I see I can get White Lacquer for 71 bucks a gallon. Wow I have to jump on that soon! I also see the 4 piston front calipers are available for about 150 each so I will be wanting a set of those as well. As for actual work on the project I am just about done with welding up the inner rear wheel wells and patching the outers. Next I think I will pull engine and trans and then see about lifting the body so I can do the frame mounts and repair the cross brace ends for the front floor pan.

 

I hope to take some pictures soon but they wont be pretty! I got the back glass out and see the channel has been "messed" with before. Most of the clip pins were actually aluminum pop rivets. There was bondo in the rot holes and the lower sides of the sail panels have some decent rot. So I have some work to do there. I got the trans out and removed the valve covers and intake off the 400. It looks surprisingly clean and sludge free there so I have hope the engine wont need much...Ahem! I have also been trimming the rot on the passenger floor pan.

 

Very nice work Joe. I recently picked up a 67 TP cruiser white w/parchment so i'll be watching closely.

 

Cool, got any picts to share?

 

sure, these are from when i picked it up. the motor was in pieces and the tranny was out. amazingly, i was only missing one piece from the motor, a valve cover. i rebuilt the motor and had the trans rebuilt and dropped back in the car. i plan on upgrading the brakes and suspension (i've bought most of the parts) but i wanted to drive it as was for a while to appreciate the upgrades. i am pretty freakin happy with the way the car drives. the brakes pull to the right when first depressed and the steering is too light for me but overall it's a lot of fun to drive. i'm still going to do the upgrades though. i've removed the headliner and carpet. i am about ready to install new front floor boards then paint the floor and dynamat and new carpet. it of course is going to be an ongoing project but i don't want it sitting in the garage, i want to drive it. i am looking forward to learning a lot from your resto- it looks like you do great work.

i'll post a couple of current pics a little later, not much has changed though, just new wheels and tires

 

Ha, I remember that car. I was drooling over it but it was far away when I saw it on Craigslist. Then I watched it go on Ebay a couple of times. It seems pretty rust free compared to the one I got. Yours is not white but Cameo Ivory I think is the color. Its great you got it to a driver for now. The rest will come over time.

 

You didnt tell me you found your PRNDSL bezel? Where did you find it? Did you happen to figure out how or why yours didnt have it? Obviously our question about any factory colmn shift auto cars coming with rally dash has been verified -eh?

Keep up the work --- i admire your work ethic!!

 

are sure its not just a "weak" stamped "E" that appears to be an "F"??

 

Tweed that prndsl bezel would be tough to find so I made one. Pretty easy to do with a marriage of the rally one and a prndsl colum shift one. It came out perfect with just a little cutting and all the molestation is hidden!. I still do not think the gauge package is original to the car but for sure an option with column shift.

No that is for sure a crisp F stamp on the cowl tag!

 

OK -- I know we had talked about "making one" like that. How did you get them off and then how did you affix it to the ralley bezel?

?? There were only 5 weeks in June 1967? WTF? Someone at Fisher Body hallucinating? -- It sure isnt often that there is a 6th week on the calendar!

 

Interesting. I knew of the Mercury Turnpike Cruiser, but not the Olds Turnpike Cruiser.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury_Turnpike_Cruiser

 

I took the rt side off the clear plastic bezel of the one that had the prndsl. (small coping saw and exacto saw) This means I cut the side off that had Hot, Oil, Gen. Then I cut the rt side off the rally that had the prndl. There are enough factory screws to attach each part to the bezel securely without any glueing and the front trim or finshed piece covers and seams.

 

cant wait to see this when it is done...another nice rare care joe

 

Me Too!

 

Some pictures of rear glass area.

 

doesnt look too terrible Joe....

can you tell if the support frame underneath is fairly intact?

 

Wes i was watching your old 67 project and this one seems not as bad as yours. The frame is OK but stringers were trunk mounts were kinda thin where the rubber mount was so i welded a washer there on each side for reinforcement. I will do the same where the front floor cross brace is and frame mounts. The car has a decent amount of rot but no so much that it cant be saved...just more work!

 

Just an update, the front floor passenger side is finished. It came out good. The driver's side has more extensive rot and the front floor support with body mount needed work. They sell just the end pieces which I got and spliced them into the original brace. i found there is just enough room to do it without jacking the body off the frame. The hardest part is welding the brace to the inner rocker but it can be done. Once again the frame was weak there at body mount so I had to weld a washer to the frame for support. I have most all the body mounts replaced.

 

Nice, Joe!

- Eric

 

turnpike cruiser is getting closer to go cruising

by the way, I bought a used 25gallon air compressor... I may put it to use soon for the valve seal replacement project in the coming weeks.

 

Thanks Eric and ED. I will be glad when all the welding is done, not there yet... Nice grab on the compressor.

 

A little progress has been made. Today another Olds fanatic and Classic Oldsmobile member stopped by to see what was going in in Rocketland. Thanks to Bob we got the gas tank back in. I did pull the sender and checked and all was well there. We also pulled the heads off the 400 and the cylinders as of now look great! I am happy to say the floors are complete and I have a new master cylinder, prop valve, and booster to go on as soon as I get the block out and can paint the firewall.

 

Well i am sure the 400 E block has never been apart before and still am surprised as to how clean everything looks internally. The 400 is out and on a stand for examination and new rear main seal, oil pump, gaskets. I am hoping bearings are good but will prob replace the rings. Now its time to clean engine compartment. I also have a picture of the cam timing gear. It was just beginning to self destruct!

 

Impressive, Joe.

- Eric

 

Thanks Eric! Today I got the 400 apart and as said all looks well internally. No scoring on the crank, no stuck or broken rings and no debris in the oil pan! So the plan is new bearings, rings, cam bearings, oil pump, gaskets, main seal, timing chain set. Will pull the valves and check the guides. Funny there was more dirt and grime on the exterior than there was inside the engine.

 

Wow my 67 has the same kind of rust problem! Both passenger and drivers side,also trunk! Passenger side is partially done.

 

This rot is typical of the 67's especially from "salt belt" areas. Good luck with yours!

 

Thanks I need more luck with the weather! Im in Rhode Island and have to roll the car out of the garage to work on it,and the weather has not been cooperating lately! Cant wait for spring.

 

It seems the welding is on hold now as I dove into the engine. I hosed out the water jackets and cleaned the block and washed out the crank. I installed new cam bearings, mains and rods and new rings. I took the glaze off the cylinder walls. Plastigage said all is well on the bottom end. I am about to install original cam and lifters with new rockers and timing set. The oil pump is new and the pan will be going on soon. I need to disassemble the heads yet. At minimum they will get new stem seals.

 

sounds like one less hurdle, the list is getting smaller Joe

 

Wes, thanks for your support. As far as interior it will get a new carpet and since there are 2 mouse chew holes in the headliner that will come down too. There could be massive amounts of nest material and droppings there like the 442! I need to get an exhaust system and have to research wether resonators were used on the TC. Not over the hump yet when it comes to spending money!

 

Some progress has been made on the brake system. The car has factory front disc. Everything is 1967 vintage and prob needs replacement. I got a new booster and master cylinder and a repro prop valve said to be like my original... but it is not as it is slightly different in size and shape and the line ports are not as stock. I think I found the correct repro one listed for the 67 GTO only... The pictures show that this is the one Olds used in 67. The steel line from front to back was rotted and snapped when touched. The rubber lines are new and I replaced the rear wheel cylinders and installed new shoes. I have new pads for the front but found the original 2 piece rotors are too thin to use. Research shows repro USA rotors in the original style are about 230 bucks each. Chinese repo are about 110 each. I scored a nice set of used originals for 150. The calipers appear to have been serviced at some point and seem to be working and useable. I got the passenger side rocker patched up with new metal. Lastly I have decided to drop off the heads for a valve job.

 

Nice, Joe!

- Eric

 

Moving right along Joe, even in this crap weather!

 

Yeah I am lucky to have a workshop as small as it is, with heat via potbelly, and a huge window shaker for summer!

 

Just a quick note on the rear in ths car. I am sure it has been swapped and counting driveshaft turns it works out to a 308. It is a 12 bolt cover Olds rear with posi. It would be nice to have the original 256 highway gear back there but the 308 works for me as well. There is also no stamp that can be found on the axle tube.