Projects 1961 Impala drop top B/B found in (pole) barn

Bought some new points. Got the carb kit and pulled carb to install so I can get this car running again. What a bunch of crap was inside of it. Then I figured.... might as well paint the intake manifold while carburetor is off.


The paint was flaking off and somebody gave the engine a coat of paint over gunk. Oh yea, they also overshot paint on everything including the firewall, brackets, hoses, carb, linkage, coil, distributor, plug wires and wiring. I can't stand stuff like that, so had to clean it.

Well, sometimes I have a hard time knowing when to stop.

Ended up pulling everything off the top of the engine to paint it. The valve covers didn't look too bad but had painted over scratches and chips. Sanded them in place. Cleaned the inner fenders, firewall, front frame section and upper a-arms. Cleaned and painted the exhaust manifolds with 1200 degree VHT cast blast. Also painted some brackets black semi-gloss, then detailed all the small stuff.

I'm very lucky, this car has every clip, spring, screw and bracket it came with from the factory. Figured out the distributor, coil, voltage regulator and fuel pump are all originals.



Got new black heater hoses (not installed yet) so those should look way better. I'll use the factory routing with the clamp that holds them up on the inner fender. Still cleaning on the hose clamps, radiator hoses and plug wires so didn't get those back on yet either.

When I get around to pulling the radiator to solder a pinhole, I'll clean and/or paint everything else on the front of the engine including the pulleys, generator and fan shroud (needs stripped first).



Well, that ate up most of the weekend.

.

 

Nothing wrong with not knowing when to quit when you end up with results like that!

 

.........And one thing leads to another; isn't that just the way it goes??
Congrats on a great barn find; she's gonna be a real looker! (You may find the Fawn Beige?
color grows on you; was one of my favs back then..)

 

It looks like time well spent.
My OT car is a real mess under the hood from this sort of "work". Orange paint on the belts, pulleys PS pump etc. Hope to start on the clean up this winter. Meanwhile, the hood stays shut and the top stays down.

 

It looks like time well spent.
My OT car is a real mess under the hood from this sort of "work". Orange paint on the belts, pulleys PS pump etc. hope to start on the clean up this winter. Meanwhile, the hood stays shut and the top stays down.

 

Had friends up from SoCal from Thursday night till this morning so not much progress. I finished up my "heater core" job this afternoon I'd already started and installed the new heater hoses. What a goofy setup the stock hoses have with a crossover "H" pipe midway.

The joke was on me though. The car came with a new heater core in the box so figured I'd install it now. Pulled everything apart and found out the car had a new one in it already. I did pressure test it before reassembly.

Oh well... stripped and painted the heater box, detailed some stuff, lubed the Bowden cables and cleaned the firewall around that area.

 

Still not much time to work on the Impala but I did pull the American Torque Thrust wheels off my Nova wagon, got them dismounted and cleaned up to install on the Impala. Going to sell the Nova so trading to a set of 1980's Camaro IROC's I have. .... good trade huh?

Anyway the Americans are 15X7 rear and 15X5.5 front. Not crazy about the front width but they're 1/2" wider than the factory wheels with 1/2" more offset, so should look good. I'll save money to get new radial wide whites for the stock Impala wheels but they're in the $800-$900 range. (current tires have severe weather checking and aren't safe)

I can pick up some good used blackwalls for the Americans for less than couple hundred, mounted and balanced. Eventually I'll end up with two sets of wheels for two different looks. Hot rod and stock.

 

Cleaning the dash today and noticed a couple more options. A fader on the pushbutton radio, day/night mirror and a factory clock. The dash cleaned up pretty nice. Dash pad is perfect. Had to steal the cigarette lighter out of the Nova since it was correct for the missing Impala one.

Nova also has a factory power bench seat..... hmmm
I better get the measuring tape on those seat tracks.

 

Nice work.
My 74 ur old buddy calls me 'a polishing fool', but the difference between a dirty and clean car, are like day and night, and more people ooo and ah over a clean car, than a dirty one.
This is a great car.

 

Hi LowKat.Great score.A friend of mine had one back in the day,until a drunk truck driver parked his 18 wheeler on top of it in a parking lot.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

 

Oldwood, there's quite a few similarities there.
Here's the best of both worlds.
Plymouth roof on a '63 Impala.
~~~~KILLER~~~~

 

Very nice, what year is the Plymouth that had the chrome in the picture?

 

Don't know for sure but I'd guess 60-62

 

Saturday:
Installed new gas tank, sending unit and fuel lines in the Impala.

Sunday:
Got it running and it seems to run very good. Starts easy, charging system works, oil pressure light works. Maybe no water leaks, not overheating. No leaky exhaust. Ran it for an hour, off and on. Revved it good, opened the secondaries.a few times after warm-up. No ticks or knocks.

I'm so jazzed.

Gotta order some brake parts now.

 

happy to hear the car ran well. keep up the great work and updates

 

looks good, nice to see your progress.

 

Ordered brake parts today. Be here tomorrow.
Got the car jacked up and pulled the drums.
The brake shoes are like new.

Cleaned the drums up and painted a very dark bronze metallic.
(looks black if not in bright light)

Tried the American wheels on.
I think they'll look great.


Slipped on some chrome exhaust tips from the parts stash.
Do you vote yes or no on those?

 

Yes on the tips is my vote.

 

I like the tips, but think I'd consider running them to the rear bumper.

 

very nice, tips and wheels both.

 

no tips

 

Where are all the guys that thought you may have paid too much?
Around here if you can find an unrestored 61, its a Flintstones mobile (feet through the floor, hi torque would have Barney as a passenger.)
She's looking good. Hell of a job with the rattle can touch up.
Keep up the nice work!

 

Wheels look nice but I wouldn't put the tips on unless you change the exhaust to run to the rear bumper.

 

if you like the tips then yes if not then no and hell yes on the wheels

 

wheels yes, tips...nah

 

Tip don't do it for me. Like Magnaflow tips better.

 

The exhaust system is like new and in the factory location so I won't be changing that.
I'm still on the fence about the tips.

Thanks for the good words but if you want something to look better than real life, take a picture of it. It still looks better than having all of the primer spots.

 

Wheels, yes. Tips, baloney slice would look better.

 

Yes on the new tips. Looks like what the Chevy guys did back in the day in my neighborhood.

 

It's fun to check in on your progress. Looking great!
No tips is my vote.