History Anyone recognize this 60’s, Orange, Channeled ‘34 5 Window from New England?

The coupe is coming together nicely. Are you going to try matching the paint on the new metal or is a full repaint in the cards?

 

If you bring some pictures of your coupe to the final Orange Drag Strip Reunion held at the Orange, MA airport today June 18th, you might be able to meet some people that know about your coupe’s history.

 

Thanks, it is such a well built old rod.

Glad you like it too!!

Plan is to match the patina, at least for now. Someday I’d like to repaint it, but not anytime soon.

I wish I’d seen this earlier! I totally forgot about the Orange reunion… I’ve never been to it before. I hope they had a good turnout!

 

I could have sworn that I saw an online article about this car a while back

 

I like the moulding for the tail lights. I think it will look good on my 37 coupe. I'm going to try it I already have the caddy tail lights

 

Some more progress…

Rockers were a challenge. Where the rockers met the rest of the body had 4 layers of sheet metal. It seems like they channeled it once, then channeled it again, then unchanneled the front of the car an inch.

I tried to leave as much of the brazing as I could. I thought about getting rid of that bump out half way between rocker and top of floor, but after going back and forth i decided to make it how it was back then.

I originally used a rear quarter patch from SAR, but it was terrible quality, so I cut it back out and used a panel made by Don Smart. I guess the guy is a nut… But his panels are so much better then the other junk repop ones out there.

 

A lot more progress, haven’t had much free time to update!

Finished the body work, not perfect, but good enough for a brazed together car channeled 7”. Got so busy I forgot to take any pics of the passenger side being fixed!

Paint match wasn’t exact but it’s OK for now





Also went through the ‘64 Pontiac 9.3 rear end. Has 3.42 gears and Posi. Everything looked good, but put in in axle bearings, seals, and gaskets.



“Polished” the timing cover for the Poncho.





So engine had been as machine shop for about 6 months, started to get nervous. Want to have the coupe up at Pinetree jamboree in Winterport Maine. So I start buggin em. In the beginning, they said machine work only. Not enough help to assemble. Then I managed to talk em into doing a short block. Then I guess they changed their mind 2 weeks ago, and put the long block together for me. Maybe having my girlfriend bring donuts for the guys when dropping off parts helped? I’m just glad they assembled it, this thing has been a challenge for them and me!




So picked engine up last Friday at the end of the day, and I’ve been working non stop. Got hung up using a repop Flathead pressure plate. The “fingers” didn’t retract enough when torqued down on the flywheel. Luckily I had a spare 11” pressure plate (actually 3!) and got the motor set in on Sunday with the help of @rust abd his girlfriend Gabby!

 

So does real make smoke yet? I love your approach to this time capsule.

 

Great progress! Good luck lighting it off. Post up some pics of that.

 

May I suggest going to roller rockers soon..

 

Looks awesome Shaun I love the way you approach these capsules...did you ever consider switching between the deuce shell/grill and the 34...

It would be interesting to know if it ran a sectioned 34 prior to the deuce...the symphony of frogs mouths is a hard combo to beat...

 

Looking awesome man!

 

Haven’t checked in on this in a while...looking great!!!

 

Awesome progress, have fun , I‘m sure you are already busy driving this time capsule!

 

MINE IS CHANNELED ALOT, MAYBE 5-1/2", AND IT'S CHOPPED! AT LEAST YOU CAN SEE OUT OF YOURS. I HAVE TO CROUCH DOWN TO SEE. YOURS IS CHANNELED MORE THAN MINE. LOOKS GREAT. THE REAR RESEMBLES THE LITTLE DEUCE COUPE...KINDA.

 

Another update….

Well the Pontiac is officially running! I stuck a stock intake and a rebuilt Holley 500 2 barrel on it that I had laying around, and after advancing the distributor a little, it fired right up! Sounds mean!

Unfortunately though I have no idea how to upload a video!

But here’s some pics of the header rebuild that my friend Tom Clarke did:

 

That's a milestone for a big thumbs up...congrats...I was gonna say that's got to be loud and I'm sure it is but I see a side exhaust on the frame side of the collector... looking good...

 

Why were you trying to use a flathead pressure plate on a Pontiac engine with a GM transmission?

 

Man those pipes are sweet

 

Thanks Stogy! Yes they end up going under the car… I’m using some Porter mufflers, man those things are nice! Then they exit the back through scavenger pipes with chrome, flared ends.

Thanks! Yea I definitely wanted to keep them on the car… I hope the white fades a little, but that’s what they were originally and it was definitely the trend at the time.

Because that’s what GM did. Late 50’s GMC trucks had Pontiac engines, with Ford/Long style pressure plates. The old Trans-Dapt catalog specified Ford pressure plate, Chevy clutch disc, and GMC throwout bearing to make this combo work with their trans adapter.

 

That's awesome you were able to salvage the original headers, Thay look great!

 

The car looks great by the way! I love how you are doing it and not destroying it by modernizing it.

 

Channeled '33s & 34s are very difficult to get the right 'profile' on.
Your solutions with cross member relocating, spring over front axle, height selection and the radiator and grille shell?
Astronomical. This echos Tom Prufer's '34, and I can tell you that 'things got moved' on that one! Big job.
Kudos on a great job. Love this thread...

 

Yes I was happy to be able to reuse them! Can’t exactly go find another set on Speedway!

Thank you for the kind words! It wasn’t easy to decide to cut up part of the car, but I’ve tried to maintain as much of the original character as possible. You’re right on channeled 33/34, most of them are…. Not good, proportion wise. The 32 grille that everyone likes to use back in the day just doesn’t feel right to me either!

 

I WISH MINE WASN'T CHANNELED. THERE'S NOT ALOT OF ROOM IN THERE FOR SOMEONE MY SIZE....

 

I got ahead of myself, and skipped over some other progress….

After 3 trips (two in same day) to the State of NH DOT main office, I was finally able to finish registering it. The first two trips down there were a nightmare. The head lady didn’t know squat about the Street Rod plates, and had a fit that I knew more. Left me waiting in the lobby for 45 minutes, and after interrogating me on the car, finally said that my street rod certification was valid. There was another laundry list of other reasons they wouldn’t finish the registration, and I ended up leaving quite unhappy after I went home, made a trip back to my town office, and then back to the DMV to be turned down again. Ever heard of a bill of sale being rejected because it was two different colors of ink?

So I waited a couple months and then tried my luck again. I waited maybe 5 minutes to talk to a much more pleasant woman who couldn’t have cared less. She said “Oh wow, haven’t seen one of these in a while” sign, pay, stamp and I was out the door in under 15 minutes. Couldn’t believe it. Finally got my plate after about 6 weeks.

Need to find a cool old plate light. Maybe one that’s recessed into the body? Old chrome, of course.



You can also see I’ve got the old chrome scavenger pipes hung back up. I need the re-work the exhaust pipe between the header and the muffler, but then I’ll be ready to take it down off the jackstands!

I ended up using these stainless Porter mufflers….. I’m excited to hear how they sound, but they’re impressive just to look at! By far the nicest mufflers I’ve ever seen… Definitely way too nice for this old gal!

 

I disagree, those mufflers are just fine for that old gal!

 

What is the dimension on those Porters (overall length)

 

The overall length is roughly 25 and 1/2”, the body itself is around 20”.

 

I’ve been trying to figure what is missing on the rear of the car. In the cove for the tail lights and license plate it needs some type of chrome styled mesh and the cove blacked out where the tail lights are mounted with the mesh on top of it. Then a nice chrome surround nerf bar. Either way it is a beautiful car.