66 Grande gone for the big paint job!

timbuk · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

RE: 66 Grande gone for the big paint job!

grantR · Veteran Member

66 Grande guy wrote:
However, I expect to have the grilles, headlights and a fresh rechromed bumper mounted on the front tomorrow.

so what did you do to the grilles?

66 Grande guy · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Carl Stevenson wrote:
I'm staying tuned for pretty much ANY updates Ken. I've had a nasty cold, lack of energy for going on 3 weeks now and your updates are helping me through these long couch evenings!

Ah, thats why your avatar is looking so puffy and swollen! (especially the finger)

66 Grande guy · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

grantR wrote:
66 Grande guy wrote:
However, I expect to have the grilles, headlights and a fresh rechromed bumper mounted on the front tomorrow.
so what did you do to the grilles?

So since you ask I've had to find two good ones with no broken mounting castings to start. My originals had a couple of cheesy fog lights mounted in them so I had new holes drilled on each side that waren't stock. As they are castings I didn't know how to fix those holes so I managed to accumulate about six of them but the best I could do was one perfect one and one with one broken casting (pot metal) in the mount. Then it turned out that I had no intact plastic backings so I cut out bits from the six I had and made two good ones. Then i painted the grilles halves but it turns out I used too dark a shade of gray on the inner surfaces so i will scrub that off and repaint tomorrow with pretty much a rally wheel grey. Once I get that all done I will mount the bumper which is the rechromed original and it will start to look like a smiley, sexy Poncho!

Stay Tuned Bruce!

427carl · A Poncho Legend!

66 Grande guy wrote:

I'll run 15 x 7 rallys with 235/60 TA's so the orginal ride height will be pretty much mantained.

Would you consider taller tires IF it sits real low? really low? It looks sooo good in the photo attached

Grande sept 12 1.JPG

66 Grande guy · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Hi Carl, here's what I'm thinking. The tires on the front in the picture are the ones I was planning to use. The back ones at that point were just a couple of old ones to hold up the car during the paint job so you can't go by that. Now that I have all 4 on the car I actually think the front is sitting a bit too high and the back is a bit low, but but I'll reserve judgment until I have all the bumpers and other stuff on. I'd like to fill the wheel wheels nicely and maybe have it a bit lower than stock but I am planning to use it to tow my airstream so i can't go too low. I'll also run airshocks so I can adjust the height on the back as well. I also want to have the speedo at least close to being right so stock wheel height may help.

So once I get it going i may change things around but having just spent about $700.00 on tires I'm a bit committed.

427carl · A Poncho Legend!

Good biggrin sounds like you have a plan

as usual we all want you to build it to OUR liking lol

I just like them sitting up Too many old cars running around sagging and dragging

remember the white GP 396 4 speed car just sold? Before the McMillian's got it , it was rolling on P245/60R-14's and sittin on the ground.....They got it raised up...

66 Grande guy · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Too low is not practical thats for sure. i remember when my brother first got hs rod going and figured low was the way to go he actually sheared off his nerf bars when he rean into a manhole cover. Now that's too low! I have to have it so I can run it on any road in Canada.

Stealth68 · Addicted!

66 Grande guy wrote:
Life has inteferred with much progress as my wife has decided we need to renovate the upstairs of our house. However, I expect to have the grilles, headlights and a fresh rechromed bumper mounted on the front tomorrow. I still don't have my hood (bonnet) back as my body guy had a bunch of remedial work to do on it and has now given up and has decided to use the secondary bonnet (hood) I provided for him (which is actually off my fathers old 66- cool or what?)
Stay tuned for some seriously low angle shots from the front!

...... lol.......I reckon you can never take too many low angle shots from the front!!.........bring em!!............

She'll look great sitting a little lower with the wheel arches filled a little more............cant wait to see the pictures...........

Pontiacanada · A Poncho Legend!

Love those "homemade" rims Ken!

4SPEED427 · A Poncho Legend!

Me too, I can't quit looking at those!

rabbit64cs · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Pontiacanada wrote:
Love those "homemade" rims Ken!

yeah...that Idea may get 'copied' evileye

66 Grande guy · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Its about a 10 minute jobs to make those each actually. I can see the supply of 66 Grande wheel covers disappearing pretty quick which is bad for me. I'm still looking for unpitted ones.

Sorry to not have the front stuff done. Going a bit slower than I thought plus I had to batten down the hatches for our first decent winter storm.

66 Grande guy · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Its amazing how perspicacious you are!

-- Edited by 66 Grande guy on Thursday 1st of November 2012 11:36:48 PM

66 Grande guy · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

You bet I'll check through my stuff and assemble my second best stuff. It'll get you started if you want to look stock once in a while.

Massive Fred fan! I love the line he used a few years ago when i saw him, " Some of you probably think we're high on drugs. Not true. Actually we're low on drugs! Anybody out here got any?"

This is his best song even if it s about a Ford.

-- Edited by 66 Grande guy on Friday 2nd of November 2012 12:12:48 AM

Pritch · Guru

Hi 66 Grande guy,

Congratulations on your '66 project thus far. Your car is coming along very nicely and looking great. Super color choice! Reminds me of about where I'm act with my '64 Custom Sport. (check the 4 rounds of pictures under 58-64 Full size body tech if you are interested) Here is a picture of 4 '66 spinner caps that I used to have on my '64 until I found the correct ones years ago. I am willing to part with them. They are not mint but perhaps better than some of the surviving ones out there. Good luck as you continue your project.

grantR · Veteran Member

Pritch wrote:
Hi 66 Grande guy,

Congratulations on your '66 project thus far. Your car is coming along very nicely and looking great. Super color choice! Reminds me of about where I'm act with my '64 Custom Sport. (check the 4 rounds of pictures under 58-64 Full size body tech if you are interested) Here is a picture of 4 '66 spinner caps that I used to have on my '64 until I found the correct ones years ago. I am willing to part with them. They are not mint but perhaps better than some of the surviving ones out there. Good luck as you continue your project.

I'd take 'em off you...

gparis7 · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Car looks great.

66 Grande guy · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Pritch wrote:
Hi 66 Grande guy,

Congratulations on your '66 project thus far. Your car is coming along very nicely and looking great. Super color choice! Reminds me of about where I'm act with my '64 Custom Sport. (check the 4 rounds of pictures under 58-64 Full size body tech if you are interested) Here is a picture of 4 '66 spinner caps that I used to have on my '64 until I found the correct ones years ago. I am willing to part with them. They are not mint but perhaps better than some of the surviving ones out there. Good luck as you continue your project.

Thanks for the kind words. Those look better than mine so I'm VERY interested. How much?

Grant, if you want a set of Grande wheel covers i can sell you a tide-you-over set until you can find the perfect ones. Ie I'll sell you my second best set. They'd look OK from 10 or 15 feet.