For all the 4 door 1964 Parisienne Hard top enthusiast our there ,...
Looking for inspiration on restoring my '64 4 door hard top. I may just go stock or drop in the 409 engine which I have for it. I recently purchased the rust free 4 door, 283 2spd car from Lethbridge Alberta. The 409 passenger car engine (which I had previously) is already rebuilt.
I had a 2 dr Custom Sport years ago which I restored with all the mods. Now years later, I found a rust free 4 door hard top,,, the same as my parents had. It's so wild,... years ago,... it had to be a 2 dr. So many of the 4 dr models went to the crusher,... so now the 4 door cars are rare. Everyone (including myself) was saving the 2 door models ,.. and in the process ,.. many beautiful 4 door models got scrapped. I did the custom sport years ago,.. so now I wanted to have a nice 4 door hard top.
Any 4 door pics you have to post ,. and any stories to share would be greatly welcomed.
wecome to the club, nothing wrong with a 4dr, either sedsn or htp. & yes they are getting scarce!!! Ilike the pic. of the front H/L it could be my Catalina [same colour] !!!
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Some times I wake up GRUMPY, but today I let her sleep in !!!!!!!!BLACKSTOCK Ont.
Ian ,.. I see your from Winnipeg. I live about an hour away. Can you tell me if there are any auto body places in Winnipeg that you'd recommend which charge "reasonable" prices. The ones out really don't want resto jobs. And as such ,.. they charge astronomical prices. I realize that prices have gone up since I restored my custom sport over 25 years ago,.. but most of the auto body shops have got hooked on quick fast autopac cash. I've got prices from $6000-$12000 just for paint! (no body work) Or maybe this is just what the price is now and I'm out of touch. .?.
So if you can refer a place that charges more reasonable prices,.. please let me know.
Nice choice of car! I say make it the nicest equpped 64 out there. Find a tilt and tach and every other option you could get in 64. (power windows, seat etc) put the 409 in front of a 700r4, and make it a really nice summer cruiser that can pass anything when you want it to. That overdrive will make a huge different to how much you like the 409 I think.
A four speed is just out of place on that model and a powerglide is kind of limiting.
This would be like the kind of car your dad would have bought if he had checked off the right option boxes
Might be tough to find all the options but a worthwhile chase when you finally find them.
Ian ,.. I see your from Winnipeg. I live about an hour away. Can you tell me if there are any auto body places in Winnipeg that you'd recommend which charge "reasonable" prices. The ones out really don't want resto jobs. And as such ,.. they charge astronomical prices. I realize that prices have gone up since I restored my custom sport over 25 years ago,.. but most of the auto body shops have got hooked on quick fast autopac cash. I've got prices from $6000-$12000 just for paint! (no body work) Or maybe this is just what the price is now and I'm out of touch. .?.
So if you can refer a place that charges more reasonable prices,.. please let me know.
Thanks
I am not quite there with my car yet, have not shoped for paint for about as long as you. There is no way I would pay 6 to $12000 for a paint job either. I plan on doing as much as I can myself with the help of a freind who does body work. Good question though, can any one else help Randy ?
If I had a workshop and was even reasonably competent at bodywork,.. I'd attempt some of it myself. But ,. I want the body done right So I'll have to find a body shop. I'm looking for a place in the Winnipeg area. I live 45 south.
I just had another guy look at the car today and give me a quote. I asked him to price just doing the minor work ,. some dings and a 12" area on the rear fender where someone had attempted a previous repair from a dent. Nothing major. My '64 has no rust holes what so ever. It's mostly original paint,. fades and in some areas,. the paint is gone. The body is amazing. I asked him to quote fixing the minor areas and sanding down the complete car down to metal and then applying epoxy primer. The price he gave me ,... $6000.00 ,.... and that no paint job!
I may be a little out of touch. $6K plus another 6 for paint. ?? WOW. $12,000.00 ?!? I guess most of the guys restoring cars must do their own body work. Or if you find someone that's even reasonably priced,... I guess the bondo trowel comes out. I know that an autobody man would say ,."you get what you pay for". But there must be a happy medium between price and work.
In any case,.. if anyone knows of a reputable body man in the Winnipeg area.,.. please let me know.
I live in Steinbach. If you know of a reputable autobody man that charges reasonable prices in Morris,... I'd even consider taking my car there. Almost anything in a hour south of Winnipeg.
a friend just purchased today a 64 4-door hardtop, 283 glide, has turq interior, paint is stripped to the metal, suppose to be 30 thousand miles-the owner died-my friend is planning, Turq with a white roof and polished Americans-he does have a 454 to go in but the 283 should stay.
WOW,.. that's wild!! You see the white Custom Sport?! That "IS" the actual car I owned! I spoke to the guy this summer. He's from the Anola area. He even let me take it for a ride! I had not driven the car in many years since I sold it! I was really happy to see that he took care of it. Nothing worse than seeing a car a year after you've sold it,.. and it's been destroyed. The present owner really appreciates the car and what I put into it. Can you believe ,.. that paint is over 25 years old! At that time I did extensive work to the body. It had a fair bit of rust when I bought it. It was all cut out and new metal welded back in. The bumpers were re-chromed. The underside of the hood and trunk lid were painted,. ,.and it was painted with premium paint. All for ,... $1200.00 ! Yes,.. 1 thousand ,.. two hundred! Today that amount of work would run a fortune! You see the chrome headlight bezels on that custom sport.? I installed them from a Parisienne As we all know,.. the custom sport never had chrome headlight bezels,.. they were painted. And the painted ones? ,.. I still gottem Thanks for posting the pics from the show!!! Sure was nice to see my old girl still gleaming in the sun. I hope my 4 door turns out as nice. That's if I can actually find a reasonable place to have the paint done.
I have a soft spot for 64's as I had a white Custom Sport with red interior back in the 70's . Your old car look so sweet I had to take a pic. I see what you mean about the head light bezels. I have no doupt your 4 door will look just as good , and with a 409. O Yea !!
I finally got time to post a photo of my new project. This is the car which I bought sight unseen ,... and I wasn't disappointed when the auto carrier delivered it to my door. I came across it online in Lethbridge. Anyone out there think they might know the history on this particular car? Anyway ,.. it has no rust holes. The paint is original (faded right out). And as you can see,. one fender was replaced years ago. Everything is there. All original parts including bias ply tires! Only 126,000 miles. 283 powerglide. Runs and drives. It has exactly 1 option ,..... tilt steering. I never realized that the four door did not have a rear seat speaker ,.... unless the "deluxe sound system" was ordered. That's the option my parents car had. There was a switch under the dash.,, to switch from front to rear speaker. I wonder what an option like that cost back then? Does anyone out there have a dealer cost option sheet for the '64 Parisienne? Would be interesting to check out what all the options cost back when you could fill your car for $5 bucks!
Anyway ,.. this is the car I plan to drop the 409 into. I hope to make it a daily driver.
It's amazing what it's like to drive these 60s full size Pontiacs. A total experience!! One can hop into a new $30,000 - $50,000 car off a dealer lot and take it for a ride ..,ya,. they're "nice" ,, but nothing really special at all. But fire up a '64 and point that nose down the road ,.. I could cruise all the way to Texas! I'm sure there are many others on this forum that would agree
If you don't mind, I'd like to come and check it out some time. My wife has 2 sisters living in Steinbach so I am over there from time to time and I'd sure like to see it.
The funny thing is, her other sister lives in Lethbridge!!!
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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
Sure,. would be great if you could make it out some time. I'm not sure how much longer I'll keep it outside. I haven't been able to find an auto body man so I'll probably put it into storage in a quonset very shortly. Maybe you could make it out in Spring some time. Hopefully by that time I'll have know where I'm going to get the bodywork done.
FYI The guy who drove the trasnport and delivered my car says that there's a lot these older sixties cars in Alberta. For those who are still looking. He also says that the condition of most of them is very good. They use even less salt than Manitoba. So for you guys still looking ,.. Alberta is a good place to start. Also,.. It only cost me $495.00 for transporting the car all the way from Lethbridge to Winnipeg! Action auto is the carrier I recommend. That's very reasonable.
I noticed something on on the 64 that you might be able to clear up for me. You've got an American Catalina so I'm sure you would know. I've had a few Canadian 1964 Parisiennes. They've all been full X frame cars. The attached photo is of a 1964 Catalina which was posted on ebay. It does not have an X frame. Did none of the American full size Pontiacs have the X frame? I've never heard of this.
Randy, the American Pontiacs don''t have the X frame, totally different, rails go down the outside as in your picture. Front suspension,rear end, springs etc. are not the same as the Canadian ones. some pieces are interchangable with Olds, ie. b/joints & rear end centre pot. Even the strg, column is different, it doesn't come out as far from dash as Cdn. one does, The heater controls are diff. too, yours will have "slide " levers for temp & defrost, mine have "push buttons" [vac. operated] & looks almost the same as the radio, & I have had people ask "why I have 2 radios in the dash. also brakes are different 11x2 shoes, 5x5" bolt pattern. The wipers are also different on Ameriacn ones, they are 'opposed" as Cdn. ones operate in same direction!!! Pete
-- Edited by dualquadpete on Saturday 17th of October 2009 07:32:45 AM
-- Edited by dualquadpete on Saturday 17th of October 2009 07:41:40 AM
__________________
Some times I wake up GRUMPY, but today I let her sleep in !!!!!!!!BLACKSTOCK Ont.
I finally got time to post a photo of my new project. This is the car which I bought sight unseen ,... and I wasn't disappointed when the auto carrier delivered it to my door. I came across it online in Lethbridge. Anyone out there think they might know the history on this particular car? Anyway ,.. it has no rust holes. The paint is original (faded right out). And as you can see,. one fender was replaced years ago. Everything is there. All original parts including bias ply tires! Only 126,000 miles. 283 powerglide. Runs and drives. It has exactly 1 option ,..... tilt steering. I never realized that the four door did not have a rear seat speaker ,.... unless the "deluxe sound system" was ordered. Anyway ,.. this is the car I plan to drop the 409 into. I hope to make it a daily driver.
It's amazing what it's like to drive these 60s full size Pontiacs. A total experience!! One can hop into a new $30,000 - $50,000 car off a dealer lot and take it for a ride ..,ya,. they're "nice" ,, but nothing really special at all. But fire up a '64 and point that nose down the road ,.. I could cruise all the way to Texas! I'm sure there are many others on this forum that would agree
I agree my 66 was a good experience. the first time I drove it, was a 1185 mile 1 way trip
I'm thinking,,put a custom sport grill and Bonneville lower trim ( it's the same as custom sport trim,,,just trim it at the rear wheel well ) IT would give it a ?? what the look. especially if you run the 409 ,,,keep em guessing !! look state side for bonny trim.
there is a fellow here at home with a 4dr hardtop Catalina,, very cool looking ,,different.
rog
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later...rog
AADD supporting member !!
I'm a collector...not a builder!!Located in sunny central Saskatchewan at the lakehead!
So I'll have to find a body shop. I'm looking for a place in the Winnipeg area. I live 45 south.
