I have found a 65 Beaumont wagon, custom, black on black. It has a 283 2 barrell and 3 speed manual on the floor(looks like it's factory) and kneeknocker tach. Body is rough but the car is all there, now for the bad news-- frame is pooched. The 65 Pontiac service manual shows all cars to have the same wheelbase so all frames should be the same? This car has been in the family since new and not been licensed for many years, I am going to offer to purchase but I would like to know more about the frame issue? Can you guys help?
I think only convertible frames were boxed to make up for the lack of rigidity by not having a roof. Anything that had a roof (i.e. a structural arch that would provent the body from bending up at either end) just got by with regular "open" frame.
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Hillar
1970 LS4 (eventually an LS5) Laurentian 2dr hdtp -and a bunch of other muscle cars...
1964-1967 Chevelle 2 Door and 4 Door frames are interchangeable. 1964-1967 Cutlass, Skylark, Tempest are 4 Inches Longer from the rear tire to the rear bumper and have to be shortened. 1964-1967 Chevelle Station Wagon Frames are also 4 Inches longer from the rear tires to the rear bumper and have to be shortened. 1964-1967 El Camino Frames are boxed just like the convertible frames and also need to be shortened 4 Inches. You will have to use an El Camino or Convertible Crossmember as the non boxed frames use a different crossmember. Station Wagon Frames are not boxed. __________________ Tory ACES Member #1890 Team Chevelle Gold #288
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1967 Parisienne 2+2 1967 Grande Parisienne
1967 Laurentian 1967 Strato Chief
Remember, "The Government" only has money confiscated from us.
Reading 67rag's frame interchange note above, if the 64-67 Cutlass, Skylark & Tempest frames are 4 Inches Longer from the rear tire to the rear bumper as well as the 64-67 Chevelle Wagons, do they swap?.
On the boxed frame thing, I only questioned this as I swapped a '68 wagon frame into a '72 Camino years back and seem to recall the rusty Camino one was boxed but the clean wagoon one wasn't..
One more thing and not that it matters if using a '64 frame but I seem to recall something different about '64 only control arms having grease nipples...anyone???
-- Edited by Ghost Post at 15:06, 2008-08-27
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I like real cars best...especially the REAL real ones! ----------------------------------------------------------------
I think there was 2 different styles of upper control arm bushings in 64. As far as I know, it will not affect frame interchange, only upper control arm interchange.
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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars
heres a stick in the fan for you guys-the frame has a V.I.N. on it-if we change the frame what do we have ? a chevelle wagon/el camino or still the beaumont wagon ? Yes it will still have a beaumont ownership and tags on the body but how much can we change before its a different car or bordering legal-this steming from the 68 SD conversation and the L79 Acadian conversation.
The vin is located drivers side rear wheel area, if I want to restore this car I won't have any choice but to change the frame as the other one is toast!
I have no problem with it, rather have a rust free chevelle frame under it than a bunch of patches anyday-sort of the same as a guy replacing a body would rather have that than panels replaced/patched
a judgement call as to how much material or what parts can be changed before it becomes a different car. A frame yes just unbolts but to most people is consider at least one of the major components. Like changing body panels, if we change fenders, doors, quarters, hood, trunk, floors (which a lot of cars get over time ) is it a different car ? if we change the body and move the tags we've done something bad but what if we cowl cut the body and don't move the tags ? Sure I'd like to know all this stuff too at the time of purchase but I doubt many people would disclose it-half the time the owner "can't remember" if the body shop put quarter panels on it, what kind they were or where they are joined.
Really I'm OK with changing the frame-its saves the car !
On the way back from a service call I stopped beside a 64 El C. Looked underneath and noticed his frame is boxed at the rear from the wheel humps back to the rear bumper. Looked at mine to compare and mine is open there. Noticed mine is at least three inches lower, Sweeet!
