Projects 61 lesabre vs 61 impala differences

With both cars drive train gutted, how similar are these two cars.


I'm guessing they both are on the improved x frame chassis.
The Buick was know for great breaks, how about the Chevy?
Suspension? /interchange?
Rears?/ interchange?
Drive shaft?
When ordering parts for the Buick what can I order as a Chevy, and what cant I?
Front suspension?
Windshield?
Is their a good parts interchange website someone could tell me about?

I think that's all folks but I might have more questions?

 

Windshield is the only part you mentioned that would interchange.

 

Pretty much nothing will interchange between the two without a lot of work, very few things (if any) will just bolt right up. The front and rear window and trim is probably the only things that will swap. The thing to remember about GM in the 60's and older is that every brand was a sperate entity with blinders on. It wasn't really till the late 60's when stuff started to be swapped between the brands.

 

As mentioned, each GM division back then had their own chassis, suspension and drivetrain. Window glass and some minor odd end ends like door lock pushbuttons will interchange but that's about it.

 

Interchangeability got it's big start with the 1964 midsize GM cars. This ain't one of them.

 

I liked the differences in the late '50s to '60s before every thing started to look the same.

 

As mentioned, totally different frames and suspensions, no drivetrain interchange at all. But they are based on the same basic body shell, some lowrider guys will use a LeSabre convertible to convert an Impala and that works, also I've seen plenty of '61 Buick 2 door hardtop roofs get swapped onto '62 Impala box tops to make bubbletops, that also works. Window regulators and most glass interchange, some other stuff like that.

 

Ok thanks guys. I thought they had the same chassis for sure.

 

they look close and probably the bare rails might be the same but once brackets were added then its different between the two brands.

 

Thats what I was thinking. So grinding off the Buick brackets for the rear and welding Chevy brackets could get me more parts availability theoretically?

 

Wow , I didn't know buble tops could be made

 

Probably could use an Olds or Pontiac roof too.
Or actually a 1961 Chevy 2 dr. hardtop also. ;-)
Pontiacs used a perimeter frame from 61 on. Not sure about Buicks but quite possible.

Edit : It appears that Buick used an X-frame until 1964..Still nothing would be the same as Chevys

 

61's were "only" tops.

 

the frames don't look the same to me.

 

http://www.curbsideclassic.com/auto...2Wp5q_L6vukpmjLeFi99LnuGxfWweefR4XdJfpeQkTENQ

 

I been reading it, still ain't finished. Thanks alot.