Tom442

Things are coming along. Went to the yard and picked up the little bracket to hold the fuel surge vent. Put a new sending unit in the tank. Got a new lead for the sending unit. My steel return line had been broken off short(by a PO), so I trimmed it and flared the end...so it has a longer rubber line from the sending unit. Let's put some gas in it and see what happens?

Tom
68 442 convert
70 F85
95 Aurora (in the shop...they want too much money to fix it. I think I can do it myself)

CQR

Tom, I have the rounded shallower ones on my wheels. I don't like them. They give the illusion of a narrow wheel. I'll be ordering a set of the deep ones.

Tom442

Hey Clint,
You are right about the skinny trim rings...they just don't look right. There is an Ebay seller here in town selling the wide trim rings for not too bad a price. You should get a set and let me see how they look! Here is their link. The add doesn't list our Old's wheels as compatible, but I emailed him and he said they do fit our rims..he said Fleebay just wouldnt let them list all the compatible cars.....hmmmm

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rally-Stainl...69795239730550

allyolds68

Tom,

The typical SSIII trim ring is 3" deep

I used these. They aren't a perfect match to the originals as far as the trim around the edge but the depth is perfect

http://www.ebay.com/itm/120717497530...84.m1423.l2649

CQR

Those look like the ones for the 15X8 wheels. OPGI has them listed at 2-7/8" deep. do they fit flush on the 15X7's?

Real good price (relatively) on those from Rocky mountain Tom. If I get them and the look good, I'll trade you straight across for a set of repop Chrome outer SSII's

allyolds68

They fit perfectly and give a nice deep look to the rim. I have mid to late 70's SSIII's with a snap on center cap

CQR

Do you know if the backspacing is the same between the SSII's and the SSIII's?

CQR

Tom I talked RMwheel, (John) and he also has the 3" deep rings. They are not chromed. Just stainless.

allyolds68

That's a great price. If I saw those I would have bought them

CQR

Mike, I just ordered a set. We'll see what they look like when they get here. They were a couple dollars more for the 3"ers.

Tom442

Hey Clint, Glad to help you spend your money

CQR

Thanks Tom. Just got them looks like a good investment for the $.

The depth and overall look is huge.

They are VERY thin.

Tom442

Clint, I think we made a good investment. Did you go through Ebay or call him direct? The new one looks nice and deep, gives it that wide look you don't get on the first picture. So by thin, you mean quality or heft of the rings? Look at it this way...lightweight = faster?

Tom

CQR

Tom, I ordered through their website. Here are the ones I ordered. Thin means lightweight and flimsy until installed. I would imagine they are easily damaged. I think it would be good to only put them on by hand.

http://www.rockymountainwheel.com/in...ducts_id=55010

allyolds68

I think that's probably the difference between the RM ones and the ones I got from spoilerbarbie. The ones I got are very similar in construction to the originals

Tom442

Finally made it to the garage today. I don't know if it was the right way to do it but I glued the kick panel insulation to the kick panels and installed them. hung the parking brake and put the dimmer switch in. Extended my column shift wires to my Dual Gate. Putting the courtesy light harness in...I hope you can see the picture. Question is... there is a single white wire connector in the middle of the harness...what does this connect to? There is the double connector with a white and orange wire and the connection was obvious there. Then the connector that goes to the fuse block...does it go to the Accsy blade at the top? or the Battery blade below(powered all the time I assume). I also need to connect the light bulb in the Dual Gate for power with the lights on. Where would be a good place to splice or connect that wire?

Sorry so long winded
Tom

Tom442

Finally got some new tires. 235-60-15...Costco was able to order them for me. I also got my oil pressure and water temp gauges in. I replaced the nylon/plastic tubing like I others have done on recent threads...I was a little concerned with the age of the plastic and had visions of hot oil squirting out on my new interior and my ankles. Polished 25 wheel bezels and put new rocket emblems on the center caps of the wheels. What does one do with the electric connections for the idiot lights on the motor side?
Tom
68 442 Convt
70 F85

Tom442

Getting there...still need to start this old motor. Got the fuel supply and return hooked up today...other little odds and ends like finally figured we had enough weight to torque the control arms. Still seems high in back...gotta figure top frame and top, side glass, interior plus a spare..as well as the rear bumper. It will probably come down a little bit. Also got the switched relay for the top motor done. Have to put some power to it and see how it works.
Tom

car_designer

The car is looking good, Tom. Keep at it.

Eddie Hansen

I like the stance personally. Just enough to give it a more aggressive look . You are doing great work just read this from start to finish again with a second cup of joe and a ciggy lol great stuff for a Sunday morning . Fire that ***** up

Eddie Hansen

Btw which rear springs did you use I went with moog cc501s curious is all

Tom442

Thanks for the comments...Keeps me motivated to get my car back on the road. I bought the Eibach Pro Kit Lowering Springs http://www.summitracing.com/parts/EI...s/?prefilter=0

Hopefully when I get everything on the car it will still maintain a good stance, just dont want the rear to be lower!

Tom442

I've been plugging away...slowly. Like the burned out thread...I go through periods where I just don't get to the garage enough. Since it's summer I can't use the too cold excuse...now using the too hot excuse.

Spent the Fourth in the garage and got a bunch of stuff accomplished and am getting sooo close to getting my 68 fired up. Accomplished the following!

Radiator and seals
Fan Shroud
Tranny cooler lines
Wiper motor
Cowl seal and screen
Upper and lower radiator hoses
Plastic upper rad hose clamp
Fan belts
OAI clamps and hoses

Think how fun it will be to be cruising again! Wish me luck.

Tom
68 442
70 F85

CQR

We're still rooting for you Tom.

servexcell

I was looking at your build , can i ask you were you got the panels for the trunk and fender wells and did they fit well

thanks Bruce

sea442

Beautiful car! Just starting on my 68 442 Convertible. Am in need of lots of parts (as I am sure you know). Starting with the seats, what is the best way to find these? Any leads? My frames and springs are pretty rusty. I need a dash pad, ac & vent tubing & door panels....I'll stop there for know, that will strap me for cash. Any leads are welcome, thanks and good luck with the rest of the build.

Tom442

Thanks Bruce and sea442,
I beleive i got the trunk floor replacement panel from Year One as well as the lower inner wheelhouse patch panels. They fit pretty well and I was pleased with how it turned out. I fabbed up the patch on the passenger side of the trunk floor where it meets the inner wheelhouse patch. I also had to replace the trunk dropoff on the drivers side which is a little trickier to fit with the quarter and the inner wheelhouse.
Sea442, I did remove my A/C and have some of the ducting from under the dash and I have a passenger seat bottom frame too, lots of little bits too.
Tom

oldsguybry

Awesome car !

Tom442

This was the 455 that was in it when I bought it. I have some core BB's around for a fresh motor this winter?
Got it running, getting all the little things wrapped up. Door, trunk weatherstripping, lights wired for new in dash tach, Dual Gate, under dash oil and water gauges. Glass installed(that was a puzzle), new trunk key cylinder, sport wheel installed correctly, license plate light.

I bought a NOS right hand mirror off Epay YEARS ago, put it on and WTF? looks like it is for a Toro or other big Olds. Look at the pics and notice the angle of the stem from the base vs the original on the drivers side. Part number 983138? So if anyone needs an NOS (installed once, driven zero)let me know!

Tom442

I've been grinding away at this. Carpet is fitted, Windlace is in, kick panels are in, steering column firewall piece is in. A pillar pads, door cards in (they are fun) door sills installed. Waiting for some re-pop seat backs and skirts. Seats will go in and then off to the gas station and an alignment. FINALLY

Tom
68 442
70 F85

Tom442

Re-pop (Pearl)seat backs were not available from my supplier. So I decided to strip the paint left on my original Garnett seat skirts. Prep and paint the green seat backs I had aquired (notice the stainless trim). I used SEM pearl aquired many many years ago. I also painted the arm rest bases with it. I'm not pleased with the color compared to my upholstery, but I am going to live with it for a while.
Seats in, Started it up, did a few back and forth in the driveway. Opened the gate and drove to the gas station for it's first shakedown. Going to the shop for an alignment today. Couldn't sleep last night I'm so excited.

Boilerz25

Tom,

Great project. A lot of attention to detail shows with the finished product. Congrats

Sean

sammy

Wow! That looks great!....nice work!

Tom442

Well it rained here on Tuesday afternoon so I didn't take it for the alignment. As you probably guessed the top is not installed yet. That will come this winter when the budget can handle it. It will be a white top. I have a new pump and lines but need (want) new cylinders. I like the idea of not having leaks from the system in a fresh interior.

I need to check my brake booster and check valve. I have a hard pedal even with the engine running. Maybe the check valve? Fingers crossed it's the check valve.

Tom
68 442
70 F85

OLDSRI

Car looks awesome.

L69

Looks great. She's a beauty !!

Tom442

QUESTION! I was wondering about the lower radiator air deflector (which I just acquired) that I am going to put on my car. I have installed the under bumper or OAI scoops. It doesn't seem to want to fit right under there....maybe I located my scoops too far inboard? I used the dimensions in the AM. Do you guys with original W30's and W31's have the center deflector? The deflector extensions too? I'd think they had to be there for airflow through the radiator. Were they altered in any way to accommodate the scoops?

Tom
68 442
70 F85
PS I drove it again today to the alignment shop. BIG grin on my face! They wouldn't align it because I need to tighten my drivers side wheel bearing. We'll try again tomorrow.

facn8me

performance years has a parchment paint that may be a little closer to the color you need for the seat backs. I used a flat white base first on the 66 lemans I redid. Your car looks great!!!

Hawghead

They wouldn't adjust your front wheel bearings? I'd find another alignment shop.

Scott

Tom442

Here are some pic in the pseudo daylight. Is it pearl? Or parchment? I swear when I bought the upholstery YEARS ago it was pearl. Now I question my sanity.
Tom