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Post Info TOPIC: 67 GP. Hideaway assembly repair.


Canadian Poncho Superstar!

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67 GP. Hideaway assembly repair.


For those with a 67 Grande or GP, it's a well known fact that the setup gets plagued with rattles when the shaft bushings break and fall out. Even when new, I don't think it was a very well designed setup, and new bushings are hard to find. When you lose the bushings, the lift bar shakes and bounces around so much that the plastic doors will eventually break at the tabs.

In an effort to improve on the failed bushings, I found that 1/2" Pex waterpipe fits over the shaft. I slid 4 cut sections on, and retained them with pieces of 3/16 hard rubber sheet punched and cut to fit the OD of the pex. Used self drilling Tek screws to retain the rubber. The shaft turns smoothly inside the Pex, has zero play and in the end is actually now rubber mounted. Purists won't like the crude Tek screw approach, but it works and really isn't seen.

nnnn.jpgn.jpg

 

On the door stop bolts: I used sections of silicone plug wire boots to replace the failed bushings. Give a much softer cushion stop for the doors, and should eliminate any rattles.

nn.jpg

 

On the broken door tabs: I carefully epoxied the remains of the 3 broken tabs back on minus the speed retainers. I then made up small curved strips of aluminum with holes punched, and applied them to the flanges with epoxy, installed the speed clips, than painted it black.

Should provide a little more life to the doors as they were scattered with small random cracks all along those flanges.

I also repaired 2 broken upper grille mounting tabs with epoxy soaked cloth sections. I could have went all out and completely restored everything, but I'm just not into doing that anymore.

lk.jpg

ds.jpg

 

Also took the time to line up the doors (a must) with the grille sections. Looks better. Worth the effort.

donnne.jpg

 

Hopefully this might give some 67 GP guys some ideas should (when) they encounter the same issues.

Hope your summer is going well, Cheers, Mark

 



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65 Laurentian post, 67 Grande Parisienne 4 door HT. 
 


Canadian Poncho Superstar!

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Good job Mark. At this stage a person has to improvise and in your situation it is probably better than when manufactured.



-- Edited by jmont64 on Sunday 18th of July 2021 04:34:31 PM

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Jerel


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I like your approach. Get it working-drive it!

 



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ken from northern Alberta

38 Willys pickup electric

39 Buick (327 with 700 r4)

66 Beaumont 4 door hardtop

69 Chevy CST pickup

1976 GMC 23'  motorhome

1994 Impala SS (temporary, according to my wife)



Guru

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I LOVE THE LOOKS OF THAT FRONT END.   NICE JOB



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Canadian Poncho Superstar!

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It's a trick that the bumper assembly can be brought down pretty easily. Seems a lot, but it's not at all.

 

  • Disconnect battery
  • No need to jack the car up. Lower is better.
  • Remove the valence. 2 speed bolts each side, fender to valence, remove these first. Then 5 under in center. Two front just above the plate. Drop valence.
  • Laying on the ground, look up at the mechanism, find and disconnect door actuator vacuum plug. Dual line plug.
  • Unbolt the pull open spring lower mount from the bumper, drivers side center. Nut and bolt on this one, no speed retainer. Remove spring.
  • Remove L/R black plastic spacers from horizontal vacuum rod, they're side to side of the vacuum rod clevis.
  • Pull the C clip off the vacuum rod clevis pin. Push out the pin.
  • Remove the connecting "C" assembly from the L/R door rod ends. Ease it out of place. 2 bolts. This will Allow the bumper to come forward past the rad support to nose brace. Clever.
  • Trolley jack forward just under the peak of the bumper front. Place a board along and under the nose. Raise the jack just until it takes up. Make sure the floor is clean under the trolley wheels.
  • Unbolt the 4  3/4" hex bumper support bolts. Rears first. Side to side. Use a cordless impact gun on the outside of the frame rail, wrench on the inside. Keep any eye on the two burred washers per bolt. They roll.
  • Unbolt the 2 forward bracket bolts. Bumper will relax down on the trolley jack.
  • Capture and remember any frame shims. 
  • Lower, ease, pull and roll the bumper forward on the trolley jack. Keep it balanced. Go slow.
  • Have 2 sawhorses ready, just behind, far enough that you can swing up the bumper support legs and not contact the body, ask me how I know. Pad the sawhorse tops too.
  • Grab the bumper, lift and swing it back up onto the horses face first. It's not too heavy.


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65 Laurentian post, 67 Grande Parisienne 4 door HT. 
 


A Poncho Legend!

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Paint the bolts black and they'll blend right in. Good McGuyver.

 



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Prince Edward Island

'64 Parisienne CS "barn find" - last on the road in '86 ... Owner Protection Plan booklet, original paint, original near-mint aqua interior, original aqua GM floor mats, original 283, factory posi, and original rust.

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