Found a 68 thats been sitting maybe 20 years - intro - PICS and now Video!

[mightywing7]

Saw your updates and pics from the b-body site as well.....thanks for sharing your adventure and your new toy with us.  My car is JJ1 gold too.  Best of luck with your new find! 

[Pat1973charger]

Awesome car and trip! I guess there are a few hidden gems that just need some polishing left up here in the great white north, best of luck!

[oddis]

great story, thank`s for sharing the picks...        most people would at least ask for some pictures before buying, but this was exiting just to read, and the car looks like a great project..          best of luck, and keep them pictures coming..   

[fc7_plumcrazy]

enjoy your new toy !

Carsten

[ACUDANUT]

 Hope you have deep pockets. I am guessing a 30k plus resto.

[6spd68]

Hope you have deep pockets. I am guessing a 30k plus resto.

, but it looks like it will be a lot of fun 

[Swilling]

Thanks Guys, it sure has been a blast, sure was an exciting trip.  Well worth it just for the Memories alone.

Hope you have deep pockets. I am guessing a 30k plus resto.

I do all my own work, but i'll probably end up paying someone to spray as i just cant get a quality job in the Garage, but i'll do the body work and primer. Then will build my own motor but obviously have to fork out for machine work and such.  I really wish 30k would be it. But it always costs more. I'm expecting it to be more like 40k all said and done and thats just trying to be realistic.

Every project i do, i include the cost of tools and i seem to think it gets cheaper but, it does not appear that way, my current project i lashed out on a rotisserie and a really nice tig welder, some other things like a heavy bandsaw for cutting pipe to build my own headers and such. It adds up and i'd like to think that all that stuff reduces the cost of the next project, but you always seem to find other ways to bury money.

As for the plans, im a traditional type of person not too into the new tech stuff.  So right now i want to do an old iron headed hemi and a 4 speed.  Steel wheels, dog dish caps.  I work in San Francisco, so i have the Bullitt car engrained in my mind.

I'm very glad this car was not a vinyl top car, but at the same time i really do love vinyl top cars. They just look classy. Especially on these cars with the huge sail panels.   I like the idea of an keeping it the factor color combo too.  Since its such a low spec stripper car, it would be fun to blaze tires in something that looks like a bingo mobile.  I love low spec poverty pack cars that are bursting at the seams with a period correct high power drive-train tucked away.

[Swilling]

Heres a couple of Snaps from the Return trip home...

Last stop in Canada


At the border, 15 minutes later, a couple of signatures and a big red stamp, the car is now a US Citizen. This was almost too easy, the Border guys were a great bunch, super helpful, cracking jokes having a good time. Very pleasant. No issues. Amazing how easy it was.


Montana that night.


Montana highways the following day




The only spell of less than good weather a few miles outside of Butte, still wasnt bad, but i'd personally never seen roads like this.


Stopped by to visit EK


Snake River Canyon


Last Stop for Gas before hitting Nevada


Nevada


Stayed in Reno for the night and had a half day drive home the next day, unloaded the car and cracked a beer.






Heres the worst of the rust, goes a little into the rocker, the wheel houses are completely salvageable will just need some patching. The trunk is amazing to me that its in tact, has some scale but it looks waaaay better than i thought it would. I don't even think a sand blaster would go through it. We'll see!


Home sweet home and tucked away, Annexed by Pontiac parts a plenty!


Thanks for following along guys, plenty more pics to come of the inside and whats in all the boxes.

I also have a video of the whole journey im almost done with, ill be sure to share that once its up.

Thanks again.
Sam

[tan top]

great stuff !!  looking forward to seeing more pictures & stuff 

[Dino]

This is way cool!  You'll remember this trip and the feeling as long as you live.  Yeah it'll cost to make it nice but so what, what else are you gonna do with money?   

[WHITE AND RED 69]

Cool trip and a nice project! 

What's the story on the Pontiac in the last pic?

[six-tee-nine]

Cool trip and a nice project! 

What's the story on the Pontiac in the last pic?

I agree, I like your story and that you took the time for pictures and are willing to share them with us gets you 

I like all sorts of old iron, so dont be shy and show us your previous projects, whatever brand or model it is.....

[TPR]

 
Looking forward to the video.
TPR

[Lennard]

Awesome story!  Now you can build your dream ride 

[keepat]

Looks like it was a AWESOME trip! Cool pictures, thank you for sharing!
Good luck with your new project!
Pat

[Swilling]

Cool trip and a nice project! 

What's the story on the Pontiac in the last pic?

I agree, I like your story and that you took the time for pictures and are willing to share them with us gets you 

I like all sorts of old iron, so dont be shy and show us your previous projects, whatever brand or model it is.....

Pontiacs have been my true Passion i have a 77 Trans AM that has a built 10.5:1 455 , hydrualic roller, shaft rocker sytem, 4 bolt conversion forged guts and aluminum heads. It makes 575 ft lbs at like 3300 rpm, and is imo the ultimate street motor. Blazes tires everywhere i go.  Kept the car stock appearing as possible. I just love the thing.


My current Project that i hope to be done with end of Summer is a 71 T-37 Post car, very Oddball Pontiac, low buck stripper model. Done a frame off restoration , boxed and braced the chassis. Built a 10:81 400 aluminum heads, roller cam, all the good stuff and an M22 with an oldstyle Vertigate shifter from Long for the ultimate retro feel.   Manual drums all around and keeping it basic and simple in appearance.   This is my first time doing complete body work myself, replaced a quarter, floors even did the factory lead seam (learned lots there)  Just forever trying to challenge myself. 

My ultimate accomplishment with this car so far has to be the headers i built from scratch, they fit so good i still cant believe it.  So stoked. Especially with the horrible exhaust port angle Pontiac heads have, i somehow managed to get great clearance. I built a test stand and a fuel cell to fire the engine on and dial it in so hopefully this will be the car where once paint is done i just turn the key and cruise, no messing or pulling the motor to fix leaks and stuff. I've done everything with this car, even rebuilding the steering box with a new sector and ball nut, opposed to buying new. I just love fixing stuff and tinkering. 

I could have done this car in half the time and probably less money (lol) if i just bought compelte units of things or what. But i get a real kick out of getting right down into it.  Especially had fun building the M22 4 speed, this is the part of the hobby i'm most passionate about, not having the nicest car out there, but the car where i have just as much driving as i did building.









I appreciate the interest, and i wont torture you guys with anymore Pontiac stuff, but to me, cars are all just steel in slightly different shapes and some with more stupid water pump designs than others (i'm looking at you Pontiac!)   

I promise i'll keep this thread  focused on the Mopar!

Cheers

[Swilling]

Looking forward to the video.
TPR

Hope to have it uploaded tonight! Cheers

[timmycharger]

That Charger is in good hands 

Nice stable of muscle you got there, love the plate on the TA 

[skip68]

   nice

[sanders7981]

Awesome!  Now the real fun begins, get that baby restored and running! 

[six-tee-nine]

The headers look awesome.

Thanks for the pictures. Oh and I like your welding mask....

[Swilling]

Thanks Guys, lol the Plate, i got that when i lived in Texas for a year, and its just so damn hard to Part with, back out here in California. Dang it!

thank you six-tee-nine - im so proud of them i sometimes just sit and stare lol. 

[Swilling]

Annnd heres the Video! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HD1PZdQ_0Vw

It's long . But its more to document the trip, not so much for Entertainment.  All the following updates will be much more to the point and related only to the car.

Cheers.
Sam

[skip68]

Awesome mini documentary Sam.    
A fire truck.       
What kind of camera did you use?   Go pro?   

[skip68]

Here's the next build for you.  This satisfies the hot rod part for you and the fire truck craving for her.   You can both enjoy it.