'66 Buick traditional 60s style

I've been on here for a long time now, but somehow I'm still not 100% on if there's a cut-off year... But hopefully since this will be as period as I can make it, you guys will let it slide??

Anyways, I scored this '66 LeSabre earlier this week for FREE! It has a seized 340 in it, but as luck would have it I also scored a freshly rebuilt 340 from a local shop that was clearing out all their junk (some guy totally paid for it in full, but then decided to sell the car it was going in or something). So this should be a pretty quick project to get back on the road!

I want to do this car very period. No muscle car-ness, no "low rider"... I'm thinking either bellflower style with Watson-esque panels, side pipes, lowered all around, OR street/strip look with mags or Buick rallies, California rake, and keep the grandma blue. I'm leaning more towards the bellflower style though....

Here's what I got so far though. Rebuilding all the wheel cylinders this week, and Friday I'm hauling the new motor in to do the swap. The goal is to have it road worthy and presentable in two weeks so I can drive my lady to prom in it!

Let me know what you guys think! I'll be sure to post pics as i go, too.

 

Period correct - check
66 4 Dr Buick - check
Custom treatment - fail

Ok now all that BS is out of the way .
Do it however you want, sounds like you have a handle on it.
Great score, she looks in great shape.
I'm sure you will enjoy it. Sadly the HAMB won't.

 

I like it! But you do realize Bellflower Style technically is early low rider.. Very thin and hazy line their.

 

I know it's early lowrider, I just know when people hear lowrider they picture 70s Monte Carlos with ugly rainbow paint jobs and Daytons.... And that's not what I'm into...

Is bellflower style not HAMB friendly? Id seen several cars done up that way on here before...

 

The car is a little new for the HAMB but i think it is still in that grey area their are others that are way more outaline than this.. Bellflower fits with the HAMB perfectly and this car!

 

check out http://www.losboulevardosmessageboard.com/
You'll get lots of love for it there.

 

Go mild custom. Remove all emblems, and those portholes. The door handles have to go.
A little tasteful pinstriping, hidden antenna, Of course, lowered.
Solid color paint job only. A nice tuck and roll interior. Skinny whites, traditional rim of choice.
But, No Bolt Ons! no bellflowers, side (lakes) pipes, or spotlights.
Just a clean ride, and you'll get respect for your restraint.
Nice score, especially for the price.
...

 

I like the subtle route a lot... If nothing else it will be a good challenge in holding back! I don't know if I could not do flake on the roof though....

Part of my inspiration will be that yellow and green '65 (64?) Chevelle that was in Rod & Custom a while back. I'll see if i can find a pic...

In other news, the motor is now ready to be yanked out. Just have to wait til Monday now...

 

Yes, flake the roof! And a candy, or pearl for the body would be perfect. Like Larry Watson did after he got tired of all that masking and taping off business.
You might even consider a couple of frenched/tunneled antennas like Bill Hines trademark modification.
Personally, I'd go with chrome reverse rims, spider caps, and skinny whites.
Keep the lower body stainless trim, and the hood centerline stainless.
...

 

http://www.rodandcustommagazine.com/featuredvehicles/1004rc_1965_chevy_chevelle/index.html
Okay, maybe add the Bellflower pipes...
...

 

Take the back window OUT and repair the rust-out correctly, or drill holes in the low points of the trunk and under the back seat and foot wells to let the rain out.

If you have to do anything, shave ALL the door handles and "badges."
I'd keep the portholes though.

Put Astros and skinny whitewalls on it and either lower it or bag it and that's it!

Keep the quiet mufflers on it!

Since it looks to have a good Blue interior, I'd paint it either all White or Midnight Blue body with a Silver flake top.
Even though it is "Bellflower/Lowrider" style I'd avoid the graphics you say you don't like anyway.

 

Here's the Chevelle I was talking about... But I'm thinking ice blue body with a slightly darker blue flake roof.

http://image.rodandcustommagazine.com/f/32154393/1004rc_06_o+1965_chevy_chevelle+taillights.jpg

 

Oops, you beat me to the link of the Chevy. Darn slow internet LOL!! Thanks man!

Yeah, that's totally what I'm thinking. I like that this car doesn't have that stupid colored plastic trim on the peak down the side like GM loved so much then... Right now I painted the stock steelies gloss black, but im thinkin of doing silver. One of my friends dads said that's what he did on all his cars in the 60s...

 

Got the motor and trans out today!!! Also got one of the wheels painted and tire mounted. Tomorrow we're gonna swap the trans and everything over to the new motor, paint the engine bay satin black, and hopefully have the motor back in after school. Thanks again for the kind words everybody!! Sure helps with motivation to hear good feedback. And as my fortune cookie said at lunch today, "feedback is the breakfast of champions". Not sure what that means, but somehow it applies here...

 

Good point man!! I hadn't thought about that... Definitely gonna get gloss! Does anybody know what stock Buick engine color should be? The old engine was red-orange, but the new motor is like a grayish blue-teal... I'm guessing the latter is correct?

 

depending on the car it came out of could be the Buick green or red, personally I'm a fan of the Green and usually get it from POR 15

http://www.por15.com/ENGINE-ENAMEL/productinfo/EEPA/

 

I would recomend looking through 1966 and 67 Rod and Custom Magazine to see what the styles were like to be true to that period (if thats what your shooting for) but I always say its your car, build it how you want. Looks like a clean car, its kool bone stock.

 

The painted wheel doesn't look half bad. Get your motor swapped, do all 4 wheels like that, lower it a bit with some cut coils and maybe some bellflower pipes, and just buff/wax/detail the rest of the car. Should look fairly respectable on an ultra low budget, and the less you stick into it, the better.

 

Zman- looks like it is the Buick green after rolling it out into the sun, or at least its sposed to be. It's actually pretty well cleaned up and painted. I don't know much about Buicks, what are the threaded holes above each exhaust port? They look to have an inverted flare in there and the hole goes about 2 inches deep... Never seen anything like it before.

Stephen- I'm all over the mags and photos from the period for inspiration. When it's done-done I want it to look like someone drove it to a kustom shop straight from the car lot.

Squablow- thanks man! If anyone's interested I used Ace brand "Chrome-Aluminum". I'm gonna try buffing it out for now just to bomb it around and enjoy it for a while. The old paint is cracking a lot all over though, so I'll see how it goes. I'll take so detail pics of it. It actually kinda gives it a kool old look, without being too much patina... Definitely gonna cut the coils, too. One of the springs looks messed up, it sits kinda funny. On the front, one side has two rubber blocks between one coil, and the other side has none and the whole spring curves. Not sure what's up with that yet, but I'll cross that bridge when I get there.

 

Look forward to updates. I like where this is heading

 

That's kinda what I figured... In that case I just need to put plugs in em?

 

New engine getting hauled to school in the morning!! Today we pulled the trans off the old motor... What a PITA it is to remove a torque converter from a seized engine!! But at least now I know. I also painted the rest of the wheels, mounted new tires and all balanced and everything. Would've got more done, but we ended up having a sub after 1st period...

Here's some pics!

 

Woo hoo!! Motor is in!!! Tomorrow I just gotta hook up the fuel lines and put the drive shaft back in. And then fire it up for break in!!! Some dill hole freshmen in the Auto 1 class jacked my black paint from my back seat, so I didn't paint the engine bay. I couldn't stand to waste a day of work to wait for paint... But hey, who's ever gonna see under my hood besides me, and now everybody on the internet?

 

Well, I went to fire it for the first time today, but alas, there was no spark. So now tomorrow I'm going to find the culprit, and if all goes well, drive er to lunch. Stay tuned!!!

 

Keep the updates coming, I'd like to see this on the road again.

 

Looks like fun and you cant beat the price

 

Got the motor running and broke in!!!!! But that's the only good part... When I put it in gear there's just nothin. Don't move at all. I revved it a couple times and it moved about 6 inches, and then nothing again. It's not a lurch, it's a fluid motion... Any ideas on what to check? I'm thinking torque converter...

 

About 11 quarts of fluid in the trans ?