sorry for the silence. on the trim removal. I was trying to remember more than Pry gently with a screwdriver, but its been to long. Looks like 59Bones got ya covered
I don't drink coffee and dislike cottage cheese, so I'll have to work something else out. But I'll get it done! No worries. 59Bones laid it out pretty well.
Started looking up info to decode my Vin and Cowl Tag. Anybody have resources to confirm/correct/add to what I’ve deciphered? Initially the Vin decoded with a build plant of Southgate, CA on one site. But then on another it decided to St. Louis, MO which makes more sense. I’ve been unable to decode any of the acc designations. I’m also getting conflicting information with the paint code. It states it’s a factory Horizon blue/Ermine white car, but the B in the code states Shadow gray for the two tone? Trim tag - Style - 1960 model year/original v8 2-door sedan pickup. Body - SL 5154 (5154?) Trim - 835 - vinyl (color?) Paint - 960B - Horizon blue & Ermine white (B-shadow gray?) Acc - B (?) 1B (?) 6A (?) Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
Try this site for your VIN and trim tag codes/decoding. http://www.60impala.com/ Go to articles and info tab on the LH side "S" factory = St. Louis Trim, paint, and accessory codes there as well.
It states its the two tone color but is usually redundant because the number denotes it. However, it doesn't match up with the paint code. This is actually one of the sites I used. They don't have any of my codes deciphered for the accessory codes.
My brother will be happy to see this thread and the information that is being posted when he is ready to start on his 60. Will keep a watch on your build, hope things go well for you.
Thanks! I'm anxious to dive into this project. It's going to be a hell-of-an adventure. Is your brother on the HAMB as well? I'd be happy to see another '60 build on here. Is it an Elco he has?
I'm more familiar with the '59 El Caminos, but the '60 is very similar. The "Trim Tag," which is found under the hood on the driver's side of the cowl, breaks down like this: STYLE 60-1280= 60 is the model year and 1280 is the series that is a V8 El Camino. BODY SL 5154= St Louis, MO is where the body was built and 5154 denotes the sequential number of that body built. TRIM 835= light and medium blue fabric colors and a Royal Blue interior paint color. PAINT 960= a two-tone exterior color scheme which is Horizon Blue on the lower body and Ermine White on the roof and B= a two-tone color combo on a specific body style. ACC gives the codes for the various accessories/options such as a padded dash or deluxe trim packages (for example: on a '59 that wud have included a second arm rest, cigar lighter, a second sun visor, and the rockets on the front fenders). I cannot tell you what "B," "1B," or "6A" on your tag means. Sometimes, different plants used their own codes and I believe St. Louis was one of those. Check out "El Camino Central" on the web. Someone on there was doing an in depth study of the ACC codes and yours may have been decoded. The VIN tag, which is located on the driver's side door pillar breaks out like this: 0= the model year, i.e., 1960 1280= the series, i.e., V8 El Camino S= final assembly plant, i.e., St. Louis 269557= production sequence number for that plant in that model year. Sequence numbers start at 100001, so that El Camino was the 169,556 vehicle produced in St. Louis that year.
Great info Bowtie Coupe! This confirms much of what I was able to find and provided additional info. I did not know that the production numbers started at 100,001. I did find the thread on El Camino Central about the accessory codes, and although they have found some information, the accessory codes are still a mystery. Would have been nice if the factories documented these things, and someone still had record of it. Hopefully one day we're able to decode those accessories.
Glad I cud be of some use to you. I haven't been on the El Camino Central site for quite a while, so I wasn't sure just how far (can't remember the person's name who was doing the ACC Codes study) he got with it. It wud have been nice if records were kept on that sort of thing, but that's what happens in big and widespread organizations like car manufacturers. Yet, with someone willing to do an in depth study of them and owners reporting their codes and what accessories/options they have on their vehicle, it is possible to figure them out. You might wanna check out Impala Bob's on the web for patch panels & quarter panels, etc. I haven't dealt with him for a long time, also, but he used to carry stuff for '59-'60 El Caminos. He's located at the airport in Mesa, AZ, so it shud be fairly easy and quick to get parts. Now, he wasn't the cheapest guy in town, but he did have the parts. He also used to have a lot where he kept "previously owned cars" from which he'd sell used parts for those who wanted GM steel. Just a thot. Best wishes on your build!
And I really appreciate the help! I think the guys name is John, on the site his name is "Mr. Fin". He hasn't been able to decipher the ACC codes yet. But he has determined that they are usually plant specific, in that each plant had it's own system of coding for the accessories. Which makes the decoding process that much more difficult. I took a look at Impala Bobs, he has replacement panels, but they are labelled for fitment as "EXCEPT Wagon and El Camino". It looks like he has a fair amount of stuff for the first gen cars, albeit pricey. But I guess it's one of those things, you get what you pay for right? He also has a link on his website for the used stuff, but you have to call to check availability for items as "once they're gone, they're gone". It would be nice to get GM steel though!
Not a problem, glad to help if I can. Yeah, Mr. Fin, that's him. Sorry Impala Bob's didn't pan out. It's been decades since I dealt with him. He used to carry new El Camino specific patch panels and 1/4 panels. I guess he wasn't selling enough to make it worth his while to continue that line. A call to see if that also applies to the used stuff might be worthwhile. When I was looking for my '59, I stopped there to look at a used '60 he had. It was too far gone and just not cost effective for me to buy it, ship it back to the East Coast, and bring it back to life, especially when it was a '59 I was really interested in building. Yet, if he's stocking his "used" yard with first gen El Caminos from time to time, it may be worth the effort to call once in a while if there is something you need, whether it's a specific part or even a whole parts car. I'm afraid that's the best info I can pass along now.
No worries about Impala bobs. I found lots of sheetmetal parts on Ecklers website, they have front and rear sections of the quarters, inner and outer sections of the rockers, patch panels for the front fenders, and all sections of the floor including braces. If I'm unable to source solid OE steel, I'll go that route. Unfortunately, although it's brand new metal, the aftermarket stuff never fits like you want it to. So it'll take some finagling either way. I will be calling Bob's to check on the used stuff. I'm sure he probably has a few things I could use. I'm hoping I won't have to buy a whole parts car, but if it comes to that I will.
Been some time since I've posted. Last year was a crap shoot as was the story with so many people. I was however, able to move the car to the garage and start pulling it apart. Got the front end sheetmetal (minus the inner fenders) pulled off, that was a bear. I knew bolts would be stuck, but I didn't count on them being stuck even after soaking them. I snapped a few off after lengthy struggles and got fed up. Decided to try heating them up and then loosening. That worked like a charm. I uncovered more rust than I would have liked to see, as well as some crappy repairs from the past. When I bought the car, it was while I was in the service in SC, and purchased it sight unseen. I decided to look for a more solid foundation that I didn't have to travel to get. As it worked out, I located an LA built car, still with some rust, less than an hour from home in Sun Valley, CA. Biggest selling point for me is that the rockers are solid, fenders seem to be the same, as well as the trough at the base of the rear window. All of that had me sold. Someone had cut the floors out. Likely to repair another car. There is evidence of a little bit of rust there. Biggest issue is that the under bed compartment is completely cut out, as well as the upper supports for the bed floor. There is not bed floor so I'll have to repair the one in my other car. I'll also need to remove ALL the interior and exterior trim to restore and install on the new car. I am still missing the LH front fender eyebrow molding and the LH rear fin molding. I'm debating on purchasing the full floor pan or sections. If I do sections, I'll need to locate a decent original piece to repair the trans tunnel. Also thinking about having the car blasted so I know exactly what I'm working with before I start the metalwork. I'd like to get the body done this year if at all possible and painted the first part of next year.
I have a 60 Bel-Air with a rusted out drivers quarter panel. I look forward to maybe getting some tricks when you fix yours. Mine has rusted out all along the wheel opening and into the wheel well.
The BelAirs are such cool cars. I'd love to get a 59 one day. They make some repo stuff to repair the wheel well area if you haven't looked.
Thanks for the update. Option 2 seems like a much better start. Any idea of the history of car number 1? It seems pretty rusty for Arizona. I wonder if somebody drove it out from back east at some point.
It certainly is a better start. I'm much happier with it. I was a bit uncomfortable with state of the other car. Car 1 was built in Missouri. Who knows how long it stayed there, but if I had to guess, it was most of it's life. The fenders had rusted and had old repairs, flat patch panel, mounted behind the original sheetmetal and brazed in place, then bondo'd over. It's my guess that it continued to live in MO long enough to introduce moisture into the repair and allow it to rust further.
Not much to speak of in the way of progress lately. But much more soon! Started pulling the front end off the car. I'll be dropping it off beginning of next week to be media blasted. Looking forward to a clean slate to begin metalwork. Trying to remove as much as possible to make sure it's nice and clean once I get it back. Front end will be off and disassembled. Doors will be off as well as the tailgate. The interior, exterior, bed area, as well as the frame will be blasted and ready for the next step. Came across an issue with the passenger door. Looks like someone cut the top edge of the inner structure. Maybe they couldn't get the door panel off and got frustrated? They also hacked the bottom of the door where the run channel secures at the bottom of the vent window. I'll be pulling the passengers door off the blue car to use instead. This car was also missing the passengers inner fender and the drivers had been cut up so I'll steal the inner fenders from the blue car as well.
I bet some tweaker did it to remove the window regulator. It's good you found another Elco with a good frame, any time I've seen a previous hydo X frame it was twisted. Even if it was reinforced, you bounce them too much and they twist.
Yeah i could use a set if you run across any. And a driver's window regulator! About the only thing i have extra is an ashtray if you need one lol
I'll keep an eye out for a regulator. I'll have to take a look and see if I have an ashtray. I honestly don't know. haha.
Made some more progress yesterday. Front end completely removed. Took off some odds and ends as well. Trying to strip as much off of the body as I can before media blasting. Fenders, core support, old wiring from the engine bay to the tail lights. Heater box, headliner tack strips, the tailgate hinges did not want to come off. All the bolts were seized and thus snapped off. Had to use an air file to grind down without damaging the surrounding metal just to pull the hinges out of the body. I'll be pulling the tank tomorrow, and grabbing the inner fenders, P/S door and bumper valances from the blue car tomorrow. Looks one of the cars owners had some sheet welded to the drivers side inner fender. Resembles a battery tray. Had to cut it just to get the fender off. Also found a plastic bag blogging up the drain port a the bottom of the cowl. There was so much dirt and debris in there.
The Jalopy Journal
