Tearing the 61 strato chief apart

455StratoChief · Member

Tearing the 61 strato chief apart

57poncho · Uber Guru

That a boy giver sh*t. If you need any trunk sheet metal I have it all except the tub. And the price would be reasonable.

455StratoChief · Member

My sheet metal on the back isnt to bad i dont think have nt really notice much back there yet as my trunk tub i think is pretty good but i will keep that in mind if i do come across anything.

i see you have a 61 ponti as well have you done anythin with your floor pans.

if so were they hard to replace or not to bad?

57poncho · Uber Guru

I had the floor pans done buy a body guy. But I don't think it would be to hard I just didn't have the time. Here is a like to the 61 .

http://canadianponcho.activeboard.com/t39564139/1961-parisienne-sport-coupe-restore-begins/

455StratoChief · Member

Really was this a rare colour for these cars?

Its a nice colour i think but mines is faeded and weatherd quite a bit

455StratoChief · Member

How much did it roughly cost to have your floor pans and rockers done?

Sixty7Laurentian · Member

Good luck with the build, a close friend of mine is putting a 61 Laurentian together back in New Zealand at the moment. It's red with a white roof and looks to be in similar condition to yours. It had been sitting in a shed untouched for almost 20 years when he picked it up about 3 months ago.

455StratoChief · Member

Well went out to do some more dissasembling today 25/6/2011 and as soon as i got ready and set up to pull the motor it started raining owell its all loose now just needs lifted out.

been working on this outside as i have no shop or garage space.

57poncho · Uber Guru

455StratoChief wrote:
How much did it roughly cost to have your floor pans and rockers done?

I was told by a couple of guys 3000.00 for just the floors. The guy that did mine charged me $25 a hr and the total bill was $3700.00 for floors, floor braces,rockers ,rear quarters and body mounts. With me supplying the parts.

427carl · A Poncho Legend!

57poncho wrote:
455StratoChief wrote:
How much did it roughly cost to have your floor pans and rockers done?
I was told by a couple of guys 3000.00 for just the floors. The guy that did mine charged me $25 a hr and the total bill was $3700.00 for floors, floor braces,rockers ,rear quarters and body mounts. With me supplying the parts.

I would have guessed 3-4000 plus paint 5-6000 plus engine overhaul and suspension add new exhaust and wheels tires always adds up to 12-15 grand but they are nice when finished

-- Edited by 427carl on Saturday 25th of June 2011 10:15:49 PM

455StratoChief · Member

Yeah i kindof figured it would be roughly around there.

well i got my engin out today 26/6/2011.

Think i got the bug now to get my car goin but all takes time and money. but the way i see do it right or not at all im going to get my 455 buick cleaned up and hopefully get rid of that emmissions stuff on it in hopes of getting some more power out of her.

but i am unsure on what i will do for a gearbox i have a 12 bolt rear end with posi on the car too at the moment the gearbox is a turbo350.

And i will do my best to keep you guys updated on how my project is goin.

Outsider_1 · Veteran Member

Very very cool, and good luck. Absolutely awesome to see you tearing into a 4 door. We had a '61 Strato Chief 4 door w/a 261 with three in the tree~stock till somebody decided to blow a yield sign and we T-boned him. Bonehead, I think that car saved my life though. We now cruize in a '63 Laurentian 4 door. Look forward to updates!

dualquadpete · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Hope you are "tagging" & bagging" all the bolts & nuts & such, makes it a "whole" lot easyer when you go to assemble it at a later date!!!!! I use those "zip" lock bags that have a place to write on with "felt marker" pen!!!

craigd · Veteran Member

dualquadpete wrote:
Hope you are "tagging" & bagging" all the bolts & nuts & such, makes it a "whole" lot easyer when you go to assemble it at a later date!!!!! I use those "zip" lock bags that have a place to write on with "felt marker" pen!!!

This is good advice, as I made the same mistake...... I got so excited stripping & disassembling parts.. eventually took a bit longer than expected....

Car complete...... AND WHERE DOES THIS HANDFUL OF BOLTS BELONG confuse confuse

427carl · A Poncho Legend!

455StratoChief wrote:
Yeah i kindof figured it would be roughly around there.
well i got my engin out today 26/6/2011.
Think i got the bug now to get my car goin but all takes time and money. but the way i see do it right or not at all im going to get my 455 buick cleaned up and hopefully get rid of that emmissions stuff on it in hopes of getting some more power out of her.
but i am unsure on what i will do for a gearbox i have a 12 bolt rear end with posi on the car too at the moment the gearbox is a turbo350.
And i will do my best to keep you guys updated on how my project is goin.

Notice no comments for 2 months?

sometimes a teardown like that, is the end of the beginning

Ahnuld · Addicted!

holy crap 3000 to do floors, i did mine for 150 and was complaining, this is the first time i read this. nice to see another 4 door done.

Jennifer and Wayne · Addicted!

WOW...good luck with your resto...the coming apart seems to go MUCH faster then the putting back together. biggrin Have fun the end result will be SOOO worth it. aww

455StratoChief · Member

Well guys im still workin away on the car now and again when ive got time between working three jobs. The motor sits apart in my garage as a bare block waiting to get some nice new part that will give it more power.

57poncho · Uber Guru

Good stuff keep us posted on the progress.

JJ · Guru

good stuff have fun and giver

carbuff2007 · Addicted!

Good luck on ur resto, should look similar to this one.

paris69 · Addicted!

Hey 455Stratochief, soon as I seen that name I knew it was you! Love to see you getting at it! Keep looking at Carbuff2007's finished product and know what you can have.