Hello there! I'm in the process of restoring my 1968 442 Post Coupe with my Grandfathers. They where both mechanics and have been helping me but neither of them have done anything other than this project for over a decade. I bought the car almost exactly a year ago. The project started as "I'm going to tune her up and replace the cracked windshield" but it turned into "He used rivets and bondo to fix the rusted package tray!? I wonder where else he did that." Since then there has been just about every possible "While I'm here I might as well..." Now all I have are parts and I figured it qualified as a major build. I have been asking so many questions along the way I wanted to start a new thread here to keep it a little more organized. Thank you for stopping by and for any advice you may give me! Below should be some picture from the build up until now.

 

 

 

My first question is about the camshaft. I don't know if you saw in the pictures but the engine had j heads on it. I have a set of C heads that I want to put on but before I do I have to get them cleaned up at a machine shop and they need to know what cam is in the engine. I assume that it is original because it didn't sound like it had a cam when it ran but I want to know for sure. Is there anyway for me to determine if it is original or not without taking out the camshaft?

 

I think your frame is toast. But you should be able to find a replacement. The body isn't too bad.

 

Tony, on ID'ing the cam (if it's factory), do you have an Olds chassis service manual? There is a page in it, that shows the cam end, with shapes cut - the shape or contour is an identifier of the cam.

 

That's a big project.

If you're interested in reinstalling the W36 finder stripe correctly, here's the drawing. It requires moving the emblems

 

I thought I had the manual but it turns out its the body service manual. Do you know where I could pick one up? From what I remember its better to get an old one rather than a reproduction, right? In the mean time would I be able to trouble you for a picture of the page?

 

Thank you!! I do plan on putting the stripe back so the diagram is a big help. I think its safe to say I have some time though.

 

My plan was to try and fix the frame. Cut out the rusted spots, weld in a patch panel, and then paint with rust inhibitor. I was also toying with the idea of putting in a plate to box the frame. If I did this I would set the plate a little further back to create a recess to run the fuel and brake lines so that they are accessible but not hanging out of the frame.

[Edit] First I'm going to sandblast it. My plan might change if it disappears while I'm blasting.

 

I think you're a little out over your skis, Tony. Put me in the "replace frame" camp. I don't know that structural integrity can ever be restored to the one you have with welded patches. I'm not even sure I'd spend the money or effort sandblasting it.

Anyway, before you concern yourself with mechanical/cosmetic stuff, put a plan together for frame and body. That's the most important place to start.

 

Save yourself some time and take a 3lb hammer and start beating on it.

 

Tony, this is the page I was remembering from the Chassis service manual. It is section 6B (engine) page 25, so 6B-25. However I don't know that it's going to be very helpful.
And for what it's worth I agree with others- man that frame is smoked, to far gone. Just my opinion, but I think you need to find another frame.

 

I think you’ve got a great project there. Wish you luck on knocking it out.

 

That frame is junk. It’s gonna look even worse after blasting it.

 

So I took the timing cover off and that didnt really help. Is there anything from these pictures that would help identify if the cam is original? I dont want to take the cam gear off.
(Edit) I was able to get a caliper around the cam from the bottom and the best measurement I could get was 1.732 inches. I dont know if that helps at all.

 

I also dropped the pan today and ran a magnet through the little oil that was left. Everything was perfectly fine except for this little present I found. I dont know where they came from. The engine ran perfect before I started taking it apart. Any ideas?

 

I found this tag on the bottom of the oil pump. Does it mean anything?

 

Those look like the clip that retains the oil pump drive rod.

 

I think you have your priorities a little muddled, Tony. Before you go off on a tangent addressing mechanical issues, you need to take a step back and decide what to do about that rancid frame.

 

I'm doing this engine work now because the guy who is doing the heads for me said there is a 2+ month lead time. I need to know what the cam is so that I can get him to do the heads. While he is doing those I'm going to address the frame.

 

I was able to get a much better measurement with a dial gauge. I got 0.247in of lobe lift. If I multiply that by the rocker ratio of 1.5 to 1 (which I think is correct) I get a 0.370 cam. Does that sound right taking into account it is a 400 4 speed?

 

I believe 1.6 to 1 is the factory rocker ratio.

 

I may have a solution to your frame dilemma. PM sent.

 

Definitely a solution for him, but that car looks pretty solid!

 

Unfortunately that frame is not going to work out. It's too far away from me and then I would also have a body that to figure out what to do with. I am looking for a frame. I posted a wanted ad the other day.

 

Hi Tony,
I'm working on getting you pics of the frame I have, nice solid one. Just give me a little time, thanks

 

Hi Nick,
Like I said when we spoke take however long you need. I'm in no rush. There is plenty of work to keep me busy. I'm not doing anything until I see yours. I just want to leave the add up in case yours won't work for whatever reason. Which as of now it seems like it will work.

 

My chassis service manual came and it had some goodies inside.

 

That Arizona carcass is worth its wright in gold. $1000 is to ship and what ever hes asking would put you miles ahead.
Spend your time grafting in the post parts if you must have a post coupe.

 

I still trying to figure out what im going to do but im not going to be able to use that one. Its too much trouble to get it to me.

 

So while im figuring out what to do with the frame I thought it would be a good time to really confirm my car is numberamatching. The cowl vin, engine vin, and cowl tag are all in my original post and seem to match. I cant find the vin on the transmission. I only found P8P26. I also cant find the stamp on the rear end. On the frame I found this.

Can anyone help me figure out if my car is really #s matching? I looked through my manuals and it didnt help.

 

Youll be sorry you turned that deal down. Western frames and sheet metal put you ahead in time and price. Spend now on good parts or more later repairing pitted and rusty stuff.

 

If you decide one day down the road to give it a w36 stripe make sure its perfectly placed on the car. It's already been done wrong once.
Here is a thought. Leave it off if it didn't get it from the factory. 68's look great without it too.
The stripe police will thank you.

 

Hi there, I just got some parts in from fusick and I had a question about the body to frame bushings. I got 8 of the bushing on the bottom and 2 of the one on the top. Where does the top one go? Does it matter? Thank you!

 

Hi Tony
Sorry, I haven't read your thread in a while. Did you get an answer to your question on the transmission vin location? Then on your frame, I'm not an expert but believe the date is the 10 2 67. Does October 1967 fit the date on your trim tag? John

 

Yeah, I was able to figure that all out with some research. October 67 matches perfectly. The transmission matchs the vin. On the rear end I found the stamping for thr type. I dont know if I should be looking for a vin stamp on that too. I think the rear end is a posi unit. Im not sure only because i havent taken the cover off yet and the stamping is a little off. If your lookinging at it like its installed in the car, the stamping is on the passenger side and reads M and then an upside down T. Ill find out when i pop the cover off.
Thanks!

 

The transmission

 

Nice that the transmission is original to the car. The rear end won't have a vin on it. But the casting number may be able to confirm it as coming in a 1968. I'm trying to remember, I'm not sure but think it will have a julian date cast into it. Those numbers would be on the center section, cast so the numbers will be raised rather than stamped into the metal. John

 

I just remembered my reference book. For the rear end, if its a TM it would have been 3.42 posi. If a TW that keys out as a 4.33 posi. There is also a date code stamped into the pumpkin that I had forgotten about. If readable, it will be next to one of the dimples on each side of the inspection cover. At the 9:00 O'clock and 3:00 O'clock positions. The stamps will be on the flat area around the dimple. A letter will be the month then a single digit for the day of the month. According to this reference there is nothing for the year. If you can't find this I'll see if I can come up with a photo for you. John

I just read a little further in the reference I'm using. I was wrong about the year being stamped into the housing.