dcairns Posted October 28, 2009 Report Share Posted October 28, 2009 (edited) I have decided to bite the bullet and spend some $$$$$ on my 64 Impala and get it back in shape for driving so I can enjoy it rather than have it just taking up space in the garage. It will probably take me a year to get this all done, lots of stuff to clean and repair. Starting with the underside, rust removal and painting. Then the engine compartment cleaning and painting. I will farm out the exterior paint and body work, since I hate sanding and a professional paint job is so much better. Then the interior gets some extensive replacment. The photos tend to wash out the surface rust in the paint, so the photos look a lot better than it is. It needs paint and body work (strip to the metal and start over) as well as some rust repair work. The first quote for that work was $10k +, second shop said $6k-$7k. This is the first car I ever owned. Got it for free from a relative back in 1982 Started life with a 283 engine and Powerglide transmission. I upgraded the engine to a 327 and TH350 transmission, then broke the crank on the 327 ; and (perhaps foolishly) decided to put in a 350 bored and stroked to 383. I guess the quest for speed is never ends Now I wish I had the 327 (or a 409 ) in there. Yup, there is a 64 Impala 4 door sedan in there somewhere.... Interior needs fresh carpet, upholstery and headliner. Then a new stereo to replace the dead Alpine. They make some cool stuff now, from retrofiting a modern stereo inside your old stock radio, to new radios that just look more like the belong there, though not stock. Needed 2.5 quarts of transmission fluid and several glugs of power steering fluid!! I guess I have a few leaks to fix. I manually pumped gas into the dried out carburetor bowl to minimize cranking time, and it started right up. As you can see I have some work to do painting and cleaning under the hood as well as fixing some mechanical issues. I also want to get this back to a more original looking configuration. Right now it has a 350 small block bored and stroked to 383 and a TH350 transmission (replacing the old 2 speed Powerglide). I want to try and dress it up to look like a 327. That means changing the valve covers to the ‘no holes’ version used back then. This means the oil fill and PCV get relocated from the valve covers. So that means getting the oil fill tube located on the front of the intake manifold, near the thermostat, so that means a 327 intake manifold with the hole for that. Also need to change the intake to get a period carburetor in there to replace the Quadrajet I have now. Not sure which carb to use. Probably the Rochester 4GC, I had one of those on the 327 and it worked well. The other choice is a Carter AFB, but the old 64 models seem to be more expensive. Freed from the junk! After 3 years of not having run, it still runs. I think those tires are 15-20 years old, so they are not going on the freeway Some dust in the air caught the flash from the camera, making a weird kind moon in the sky. Edited January 21, 2010 by dcairns (see edit history) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hankg42 Posted October 28, 2009 Report Share Posted October 28, 2009 Looks like you have a real good starting point there... nice solid car. Good luck with the resto. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fireman31 Posted October 28, 2009 Report Share Posted October 28, 2009 Sweet, bringing her back to life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delay18 Posted October 28, 2009 Report Share Posted October 28, 2009 I agree with Hank. Looks like a good starting point for what will sure be a killer ride when its done. Best of luck with the build and keep us posted! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rays B4U Posted October 28, 2009 Report Share Posted October 28, 2009 Nice project, I love old iron. My first car when I turned 16 was a 62 Bel Air Bubble Top. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackbeast ss Posted October 28, 2009 Report Share Posted October 28, 2009 throw a lq9 in that bitachhhh!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaymz Posted October 28, 2009 Report Share Posted October 28, 2009 nice, good luck with the restore Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcmahan Posted October 28, 2009 Report Share Posted October 28, 2009 nice car looks like its gonna be a fun project G/L Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
70chevy03ss Posted October 28, 2009 Report Share Posted October 28, 2009 My buddy has the same exact car 327 with a powerglide same color and everything Don't see to many 4 doors around. Hes going to do rear suicide doors. Have fun with the project.. Post pics Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcairns Posted October 28, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2009 (edited) I love those bubble tops, and I actually like the 62's looks better than the 64. The arrow shaped body crease makes it look sporty. As for an LQ9... well, got one of those already Part of the fun of an old car is the old engine and stuff. Although it can make you feel old. I went to the auto parts store to get a new dwell/tach meter. Looked around a bit, not finding one, I asked the kid behind the counter. He says "What's a dwell meter?" I guess the computers have been doing that job for longer than he has been around Strange as it may seem, it is a bit harder to find 4 door specific parts. Everybody is restoring the 2 door SS's, so that is where the reproduction parts action is. BTW, are there any differential experts hanging around here? The Chevy differential of this vintage is the weak link. I have gernaded one, and broke two axles in the time I have had it. I have heard that other GM full sized cars of this vintage (Buick, Olds, Caddilac, Pontiac) had a bullet proof diff that looks just like my Chevy diff. Unfortunatly they were pretty much used up in drag racing, and are scarce. Is is possible to beef up the Chevy diff? I need to change ratios, as the change from Powerglide to TH350 has changed my ratio out of the transmission (2900 engine RPM at 60mph). Edited October 28, 2009 by dcairns (see edit history) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hankg42 Posted October 28, 2009 Report Share Posted October 28, 2009 I still have my old tach & dwell... it hasn't been used in so long, I don't even know if it works! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SSplaytoy Posted October 28, 2009 Report Share Posted October 28, 2009 Awesome project car Looks like your halfway done....you got all the stuff off of it Good luck with the build and keep us posted! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueAKSSS Posted October 29, 2009 Report Share Posted October 29, 2009 Looks like a great project, restorations are fun I just got done with mine! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desrtrat Posted October 29, 2009 Report Share Posted October 29, 2009 it's to bad i still don't have my old stuff any more 327 intakes, 2BL, 4BL, duel quad, valve covers, ram horn exhausts, dampers, 2 blocks, 1 was a 61 the other was a 67, and a set of fuelie heads all gone now, so sorry i can't help with some spare parts.. i read somewhere that a company was coming out with NEW camel hump heads. if i remember right there aluminum, I'll see if i can find the info..BTW..my 65 Impalas that i had with the PG rears were i believe 3.36 gears. but good luck with the 64... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
12'SROCK Posted October 29, 2009 Report Share Posted October 29, 2009 I love those bubble tops, and I actually like the 62's looks better than the 64. The arrow shaped body crease makes it look sporty. As for an LQ9... well, got one of those already Part of the fun of an old car is the old engine and stuff. Although it can make you feel old. I went to the auto parts store to get a new dwell/tach meter. Looked around a bit, not finding one, I asked the kid behind the counter. He says "What's a dwell meter?" I guess the computers have been doing that job for longer than he has been around Strange as it may seem, it is a bit harder to find 4 door specific parts. Everybody is restoring the 2 door SS's, so that is where the reproduction parts action is. BTW, are there any differential experts hanging around here? The Chevy differential of this vintage is the weak link. I have gernaded one, and broke two axles in the time I have had it. I have heard that other GM full sized cars of this vintage (Buick, Olds, Caddilac, Pontiac) had a bullet proof diff that looks just like my Chevy diff. Unfortunatly they were pretty much used up in drag racing, and are scarce. Is is possible to beef up the Chevy diff? I need to change ratios, as the change from Powerglide to TH350 has changed my ratio out of the transmission (2900 engine RPM at 60mph). Just get a custom 9" rear end. My uncle has a 59' (355ci) impala convertable and a 58' (348ci) impala convertable both with Curry 9" rear ends.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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