Two years ago I decided it was time to buy an El Camino that I had been wanting, and after searching for 7 months I found the perfect one for me, a bone stock `71 numbers matching 402 big block southern car with cold factory a/c. Mulsanne blue, black vinyl top and interior. The only thing it didn't have was a 4 speed, which is the first thing I put in it. Since then the poor Buick has been a little lonely, only putting 212 miles on it that summer and other than tearing more stuff apart on it and shoving it into the back room, I've barely touched it since then. So today I finally got it back in the shop. WTH, I can't work on it if it isn't in the shop. Hopefully it will be back in action by spring. Winter here drags on for sure, but when you're trying to get stuff done by spring, spring tends to come sooner than we think so I have to get started now. So here it is today. New body mounts are first on the list, and it's a long list. The El Camino is sure fun to drive and I love it but my Buick needs me.
Bill that definitely is a "Golden Oldie"! Looks great, nice color too! Show it some love and get it ready for spring. Be interesting to see which one you choose to drive more often after you get it all ready. Take lots of pics and keep us posted!
Finally some progress. I only have Sundays to work on my own cars so my list isn't going to disappear rapidly, and with the holidays...…….… Anyway, I got the body mounts done with a couple bonuses. I only broke one caged nut, but it's a Florida car so it's cleaner than most I've worked on. Plus, it was the one behind the right rear wheel so it was a easy one to access from the trunk. I've been working on GM A-body cars for 40 years and this is the first time I have come across caged nuts in the front four mounts at the bottom of the cowl. That was a huge time saving bonus. Secondly, in most cars there are several locations where there is just a cushion rather than a bolted mount and mine is no exception. What I did find was that in the four locations where I had cushions, two on top of the crossmember above the rear springs and the two in front of the rear wheels, there were caged nuts in all those locations, they just weren't being used. I had enough new mounts so I went ahead and put bolted mounts in those four locations so the car now has 14 body mounts rather than the original 10. Might make a difference at the track. Fortunately I have a box with lots of mixed mounts, etc. and I had two new ones to use for the radiator support to replace the ones I used on the body. The bumpers had to come off and the steering shaft had to be disconnected but the bumpers on a `65 are light and easy and the steering shaft was made easy due to the engine not being in the way. Whew, finally a feeling of accomplishment. I've probably had those new bushings for 10 years but time has a way of getting away from us.
Finally some progress. I got it back together and running but haven't driven it yet. Our weather hasn't been all that great lately and there's rain in the forecast for the next 4 days. I've been planning to go with the Day 2 look with it this year so are a couple shots of it with the new wheels and of a few other items I plan to add in the near future. All I usually get to work on my own cars is Sunday, so progress can go kinda slow sometimes, but now with the virus going on and not being able to go anywhere I might actually get in a little more time on it.
Thanks Steve. I've had the car 17 years and it's gone through a couple other transitions. This time I want to be able to say that if I had this car in high school, this is what it would look like.
Love your car Bill, where from Fl did the car come from. We had a member of our Buick club that collected the 65's. PS: remember the dog dish I got from you ( a very clean one I thought for my trailer) well the POS trailer wheel decided to spit that one out too. I'm scratching my head, what the hell is going on? The hubcaps went on nice and tight but now is 2 I've lost on the same wheel. Makes me want to remove the other 3 and say f....it and save those others. Need to inspect that wheel carefully. Stay save! Fernando
Hi Fernando, Yeah, that is a shame, that hubcap was nicer than I thought it was after I cleaned it up. A shame to lose one. Maybe some Buick guy will find it and know what is. Even better, a member here will find it it'll make it's way back to you. I bought my car in Sarasota from a guy named John Cavanaugh. He owned a company that made guitar strings but I can't remember the name of the company now. He was 65 when I bought it from him, same age as I am now, so if he's still around he would be 82 now. He also had a `70 Electra convertible and I think a `65 Wildcat GS.
Bill, that name doesn't ring a bell at this moment. I'll have to ask Dennis "Wheelz" maybe he remembers. Our local monthly Buick meeting are put on hold due to this crazy pandemic. Anyway thanks for the story, it's always neat to read where some of the cars come from. Stay save! Maybe we'll see you in BG if we are still having it. Fernando
