The guy probably hit that tree getting a BJ!
Or his girl was like "my parents aren't home and I'm bored" He hit the tree cause you can't steer too well while you are doing a wheelie
CK5
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57 Pontiac "Zero Fox"
- Thread starter tRustyK5
- Start date
Or his girl was like "my parents aren't home and I'm bored" He hit the tree cause you can't steer too well while you are doing a wheelie
Could say she went out with a bang
hahahahaha that was awesome
Please hang that box from the rear view mirror.
Well like most projects of mine I haven't made huge progress, but I gave made some. I figured it was time to update this. I'll start with my parts car finally showed up...but was not the best buy I've ever made. This old stuff can be a real crap shoot sometimes, and this parts car looked promising, yet was full of fail. First thing that got my attention was the parts car was the top trim level for Canadian Pontiacs in 57...a Laurentian. This one wasn't fully loaded, but it was a 283 4 barrel car which is pretty rare up here. Canadians loved the 6 cylinder cars back in the day.
Anyways, I bought it and it landed in my garage...and this past weekend Nick came over and we tried to remove as much saveable stuff as possible. The 283 I figured we would partially disassemble before committing to pulling it out. All I can say is wow...
Just crust.
The guy I bought the car from has another 283, so at the very least I'd have something to show for the cash I spent on this.
My 57 Nick and I got the mashed up front sheet metal off, and the only frame damage is a small chunk ahead of the suspension...basically something to hang a bumper off of. I did salvage that chunk of frame from the parts car.
With the mangled front end removed I tried to get the 261 to turn over and found it was seized up from sitting so long. I removed the plugs and filled each cylinder with Deep Creep penetrant twice a day for 5 days. Each day I'd rock the car back and forth in gear hoping to somewhat gently break it free. On day 5 I though I saw movement, and put a 4 foot bar on the crank pulley and tried to work it...and it did break free with no drama.
I was a little worried the engine might be full of mouse debris as the oil fill cap was missing. So, before doing much more I removed the valve cover...and there was a bit of seeds and stuff...but not bad. I vac'd it up and tried to get one full revolution with the bar, but no joy. Nick and I pulled the head on Sunday and #5 had just enough seed stuff in the right spot to prevent the piston from hitting TDC and going over.
gunky and dirty, but damn decent inside. It even appears to have had frequent oil changes back in the day. Very little sludge.
For giggles I hooked a battery to the old girl to see what electrical worked, if any. I was rewarded with this...
And this...
Brake lights and running lights work, interior light and that was all I could check without a key.
Anyways, nothing earth shattering but some progress. The short term plan is get a gasket kit for the 261, tune up parts, rad and get it running. Then continue fixing stuff to make it roadworthy. Hopefully I'll drive it some this summer.
Anyways, I bought it and it landed in my garage...and this past weekend Nick came over and we tried to remove as much saveable stuff as possible. The 283 I figured we would partially disassemble before committing to pulling it out. All I can say is wow...
Just crust.
The guy I bought the car from has another 283, so at the very least I'd have something to show for the cash I spent on this.
My 57 Nick and I got the mashed up front sheet metal off, and the only frame damage is a small chunk ahead of the suspension...basically something to hang a bumper off of. I did salvage that chunk of frame from the parts car.
With the mangled front end removed I tried to get the 261 to turn over and found it was seized up from sitting so long. I removed the plugs and filled each cylinder with Deep Creep penetrant twice a day for 5 days. Each day I'd rock the car back and forth in gear hoping to somewhat gently break it free. On day 5 I though I saw movement, and put a 4 foot bar on the crank pulley and tried to work it...and it did break free with no drama.
I was a little worried the engine might be full of mouse debris as the oil fill cap was missing. So, before doing much more I removed the valve cover...and there was a bit of seeds and stuff...but not bad. I vac'd it up and tried to get one full revolution with the bar, but no joy. Nick and I pulled the head on Sunday and #5 had just enough seed stuff in the right spot to prevent the piston from hitting TDC and going over.
gunky and dirty, but damn decent inside. It even appears to have had frequent oil changes back in the day. Very little sludge.
For giggles I hooked a battery to the old girl to see what electrical worked, if any. I was rewarded with this...
And this...
Brake lights and running lights work, interior light and that was all I could check without a key.
Anyways, nothing earth shattering but some progress. The short term plan is get a gasket kit for the 261, tune up parts, rad and get it running. Then continue fixing stuff to make it roadworthy. Hopefully I'll drive it some this summer.
Any progress is good progress Rene.
BTW I vote keep the 6 cylinder and turbo it
BTW I vote keep the 6 cylinder and turbo it
Glad to see your workin on it a bit.
Guessing you posted the same thing on Canadian poncho? Haven't tuned in there for quite a few months.
I'm friends with a die hard pontiac guy, he's got a hoard of neat stuff.
Guessing you posted the same thing on Canadian poncho? Haven't tuned in there for quite a few months.
I'm friends with a die hard pontiac guy, he's got a hoard of neat stuff.
Shame on the 283....they were good little motors!
Glad to hear the 261 is in good condition, gaskets, carb rebuild some ignition parts and fluids should get it running again?
Any hope of driving it around the block this year?
Always look forward to this build updates!
Yeah I think gaskets fluids etc will have it running again. I'm really hoping to drive it a little this summer. There isn't a ton wrong with the car, should be mostly fluids and fluid related repairs to get it roadworthy.
Rene--back when I worked in a parts store with a machine shop,we had a customer bring in an equally corroded 283 from a '63 Impala that he found at a salvage yard,he wanted a numbers matching engine,his original was ventilated by a connecting rod,and he said "see what you can do with it--I'll pay for the time & labor if it turns out to be NFG"..it looked like it sat in a car with no intake and the hood open "forever"..
We put the engine in an electrolosis tank for a few days to get the heavy rust off---then the hot tank with "Oakite" and let it simmer for a whole week,each day when we pulled it up with the hoist it looked better and better...except the bores,they were badly pitted..we were able to turn it over though..you could see hone marks still in places,it was a shame it sat and got so rusted..
We told the customer to come look at it and decide if he wanted to "keep going"--he said after inspecting it closely "Bore it to 4" and I'll make a 327 out of it"...turned out a friend of his had new pistons and bearings for a 327 standard size,and the one he was rebuilding needed oversized ones,so he got them cheap..
My boss insisted there would be no warranty if we bored it that much,he doubted it would run long without cracking--but the guy said he didn't care,he'd take that risk..said he had done a few before for dirt track cars and they held up OK..
It ended up being a nice running motor after it was all assembled--he used 350 truck heads he had off a '69 truck,we did a 3 angle valve job and he bought a crane cam and lifters for it..that car is still around,I saw it at a cruise night a few years ago,still had the same engine..
That 261,is it the big brother to the 235 six ?...if so,those engines are torque monsters,the 235 I had in my '56 Chevy truck was often mistaken for a V8 until I opened the hood and showed others it was a straight six...that thing could take off in second from a standstill and roast one tire if you dumped the clutch...
..
I think its peak torque was made under 1800 rpms,and you could lug it down in third or second and just step on the gas and go,without any bucking or knocking..
We put the engine in an electrolosis tank for a few days to get the heavy rust off---then the hot tank with "Oakite" and let it simmer for a whole week,each day when we pulled it up with the hoist it looked better and better...except the bores,they were badly pitted..we were able to turn it over though..you could see hone marks still in places,it was a shame it sat and got so rusted..
We told the customer to come look at it and decide if he wanted to "keep going"--he said after inspecting it closely "Bore it to 4" and I'll make a 327 out of it"...turned out a friend of his had new pistons and bearings for a 327 standard size,and the one he was rebuilding needed oversized ones,so he got them cheap..
My boss insisted there would be no warranty if we bored it that much,he doubted it would run long without cracking--but the guy said he didn't care,he'd take that risk..said he had done a few before for dirt track cars and they held up OK..
It ended up being a nice running motor after it was all assembled--he used 350 truck heads he had off a '69 truck,we did a 3 angle valve job and he bought a crane cam and lifters for it..that car is still around,I saw it at a cruise night a few years ago,still had the same engine..
That 261,is it the big brother to the 235 six ?...if so,those engines are torque monsters,the 235 I had in my '56 Chevy truck was often mistaken for a V8 until I opened the hood and showed others it was a straight six...that thing could take off in second from a standstill and roast one tire if you dumped the clutch...
..I think its peak torque was made under 1800 rpms,and you could lug it down in third or second and just step on the gas and go,without any bucking or knocking..
Did you get the sheet metal to fix the front end off the parts car?
Bob it is the big brother to the 235. More cubes and the same cam as the Corvette 235. 148 hp I think...
Dean, I saved the somewhat crappy front sheet metal off the parts car...but will be picking up a nicer front end soonish. If I have to I could fix what I now have...I'm hoping for better though.
Dean, I saved the somewhat crappy front sheet metal off the parts car...but will be picking up a nicer front end soonish. If I have to I could fix what I now have...I'm hoping for better though.
so no grill or bumper either?
Hood?
Hood?
I have a front bumper. That being said I might go with a 57 Chevy bumper instead? There is one for $100 nearby. Then maybe a custom grill using expanded sheet. We'll see. I'm a ways from worrying about that.
Hood from the parts car is straight but has rust and bad pitting in the middle. Ivan should have a better one...
Hood from the parts car is straight but has rust and bad pitting in the middle. Ivan should have a better one...
Well today is my shortest day at work so I went to see about getting some more 57 parts.
I got to Ivan's place as another guy was buying a parts car. We each drove our trucks to his back 40. I scored a really good hood and a decent pair of fenders. I also got a matching good pair of headlight surrounds. The last part i snagged was a steering wheel and horn ring. My horn ring was busted.
Anyways, it doesn't get interesting until I go to leave. Ivan's crazy "soon to be ex wife" gets it in her head we're all doing something illegal...and closes the driveway gate and blockades the only exit with her Avalanche.
She is taking video of us. Ivan is taking video of her. Cops get called. An hour later the cops finally get her out of there. I finally leave and the crazy bitch follows me into town where I stopped for gas...
I'm not going back.
I got to Ivan's place as another guy was buying a parts car. We each drove our trucks to his back 40. I scored a really good hood and a decent pair of fenders. I also got a matching good pair of headlight surrounds. The last part i snagged was a steering wheel and horn ring. My horn ring was busted.
Anyways, it doesn't get interesting until I go to leave. Ivan's crazy "soon to be ex wife" gets it in her head we're all doing something illegal...and closes the driveway gate and blockades the only exit with her Avalanche.
She is taking video of us. Ivan is taking video of her. Cops get called. An hour later the cops finally get her out of there. I finally leave and the crazy bitch follows me into town where I stopped for gas...
I'm not going back.
Sounds like hella adventure
I hate going to junkyards sometimes, I always find them kind of people
I hate going to junkyards sometimes, I always find them kind of people
Those are the best junkyards.
Also anyone named Ivan. I saw this coming from a mile away lol
Sweet you got some good stuff though
Also anyone named Ivan. I saw this coming from a mile away lol
Sweet you got some good stuff though
That's funny! Lol!
I'd go back purely because of it.
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