Colossus - the 1970 Concours frame replacement project

Hi Scary
Congrats on finding and securing your old wagon. That is quite a story. So far, I have not been able to go far afield and find any of my cars that I had in my misspent youth, because I still have them! Was able to hang onto them all these years.

You're in a good place for wagon info and help. Please let me know when you start your build thread so I can follow along as you build yours. I am looking forward to it.

Best regards,
Tom

 

OK, update of some dash stuff
last view behind dash




Dash in, was able to do it on my own, but took 4 tries to get all the stuff lined up



Pad sitting in place


Tackled the column


ugly


Bare...

more...

 

Getting paint




assembled


and in




Next is the motor/trans...

 

Cool pics. Are you gonna replace that dash down the road? With all the clean work you've done I know you will. But I understand the need to gear jam and burn rubber. Hell my rust bucket isn't even home yet and I already have 4 spreadsheets of resto and mods!. You have a BB for that Chevelle right?

 

Looking good!

 

Hi Scary
Yeah, as much as I don't want to "do like everyone else" and put in the gage dash, I have that kind of dash in my 3 First Gen Monte Carlos and my 70 El Camino, and really like it, so this car will eventually get one. Also, yes, I will be putting the 454 back in, unless I find something horribly wrong with it when I am prepping it for install. Then I will consider the 396/402 I have, or maybe one of a few 350's. But run it will.
Thank you all for the positive input,
Tom

 

Sure man I understand. My Tempest will get the full GTO instrumentation as I like all the dials and what not. Still trying to identify the current engine. It's a YA block and date coded L173 (December 17, 1973) so by my Pontiac stuff tells me it's prolly a '73 455. Good base engine to get some solid numbers from. I'll post more pics as the work gets underway and then start a build in the same forum as yours...

 

OK, minor update, been getting a lot of little stuff done, but no real pics. Trying to rectify that as I can. Mean time, some stuff I do have pics of...

My rear harness was really hacked, no window motor power plug, no key switch power plug, bypassed "window-down" switch, and after all of that, the part just outside of the gate, after the rectangular black plug, had obviously cut/frayed wires. Also, the keeper clips on the tail/brake lamp sockets were broken off. Had a nicer harness, but it was also missing the key switch plug, and both tail light sockets were cut off. Best harness I had was for a manual window car. Cut'em all up, mixed in some other partial harnesses I had, and built one...



Also decided I was tired of the car bouncing up and down at the rear while I was working on it. Time to put in the shocks. But I have always hated bolting in the upper mounts while trying to fight with the shock, bolt, nut and washer. So did like we do at work, and made some threaded steel block that replace the nut/washer and don't need a wrench on top for tightening. Shocks were a breeze.

Sample frame


blocks...


located on the frame...


shocks installed


gonna try to get some other pics tomorrow of bits that have been installed, and therefore are not in the garage or being tripped over! Getting near to working on the motor and trans...

Best,
Tom

 

I always thought those frames could stand braketorques delivered by those monster drivetrains. I was going to ask you where the frame was broken and if it would be easier to weld it. But, now that you mention the twist, I won't need to mention that a frame change would be like replacing someone's skeleton during surgery.
If you're going to keep that nice mill and continue taking your cute daughter on braketorque tours, are you going to re-inforce the next frame?

 

Hi Hans,
The frame was not twisted lengthwise, like wringing a towel, but had a pushed back section on the outside behind the right front tire. This had pushed back or twisted back the "dog leg" that goes from the engine side frame rail to the main side rail under the doors. There was cracking and collapsing of the box section. I was quoted $900-$1500 to pull, straighten and weld the frame, and I was going to have to remove the front clip, motor, and front suspension. Not faster to replace the frame, but was cheaper and better. Also, the frame on most GM A-body cars from 64 to 72 is C-section in the side rails. Convertibles and El Caminos have a full box siderail. And an Elco frame is the same dimensions as a wagon. So I will have a little bit stiffer chassis. I am also adding 2 more bolted bushings at the firewall as well as bolted bushings under the doors. Should tie things together a little better than a factory 68-72 midsize GM wagon would have been. Should be able to handle the mild big block I will be putting into it.

Last bits that have been done, but not logged.

With the rear harness done and installed, I was able to put in the taillamp housings and rear key control. I used blocks like I made for the shock mounts above as the threaded bits in the webbing in the rear quarters were missing and had been replaced with clip nuts. Glued in the blocks and the tightened in the housings. Would like cleaner one but these will work for now. Do need better lenses.


the gate I have was a non power gate, so I was going to weld in a key cylinder mount hole. But found this from a Suburban I parted out years ago. Bolted right in. A local locksmith got it rekeyed for $25. When I get the car powered up I will be able to install the motor and roll the window up and down per factory design. First time in decades I imagine...


Another step forward was the install of the right kick panel vent, left blanking plate, and the parking brake assembly. Didn't take a picture of the brake in its rusty glory or unpainted before install. Starting to rush some things...




searched here and other places for info on putty for sealing the vents, read about "G&B putty from Home Depot". Found it in electrical. Used it for the vents, rolled it out and slapped it on.



Found the Mortite in the Windows and Weatherstripping area, may use it on the AC suitcase...



That brings me to where I am now, more or less. Still a ways to go.

By the way, does anyone else dislike the new Photobucket?

Best regards,
Tom

 

Tom, I have just spent the entire morning going over your thread from start to now...I've been away from the forum for a while, and catching up on what I've missed. So impressed!
I love the way you have tackled this wagon and not let anything stand in your way. Love your metal work and meticulous fitting of each little piece. Nice welding...what kind of welding equipment do you have?
Also, you take really great pics. Enjoying them.

I also love the way your entire family supports and helps you with this project...very nice.

My condolences to you on the loss of your mom, and I hope your dad is feeling better from his illness.

David

 

My parents hardly got along with one another. But, stuck it out to the bitter end. My mom checked out first. So, your comment about dad feeling better afterwards would not have been a pun, in their case.
Yeah, the little ones are big help. Aren't they? Nothing like keeping an eye on them, so that the little girl doesn't get the evil idea of suddenly releasing the hydraulic jack while daddy's under there or the little boy suddenly gets the idea that those delicious looking rubber grommets might taste as good as Oreos.
Hey ChevyGOD almighty, Looks like you bought your wagon from someone who hit a curb right hard and didn't mention it when selling. Was the guy perhaps toothless or are there teethmarks on the steering wheel? You never know. Maybe, he wasn't wearing his seatbelt, afterall.
By the way, your engine is some nice eye candy. Are you planning to tweak it a bit?

 

My daughter (3yo) has to be watched as she wants to do everything the big people do. She loves handing me tools and helping me do small things. My son is 17 so he's pretty reliable. Acts like a teenager and seems very disinterested in what is being said or taught, then you find out that he can jump start other peoples car or change flat tires for friends or help install new faucets in the bath room. Tried and tried to give him some insight into writing papers for class (learned an easy format late in life that almost always works) and was told no way, found him getting A's on term papers that were written to that style(!). Where'd he learn that stuff? must have been listening after all. I am very proud of both of them.

From what I can tell and was told, the car was owned by an older gentleman, acquired the standard corner damages, and was run into something hard enough to damage the front end pretty substantially. I think this is waht killed the frame. The guy I got it from hung a different front clip on it (fender, hood, core support, bumper, no inner fenders), and replaced the original 350-2 bbl/TH350 with the 454/TH400. The 350 was supposedly hurt, so the car is now not numbers matching. Oh well... The frame damage may have been from the accident that caused the replacement of the front end pieces, or may have happened when the guy before me hit something again. I would hope he would have known about the frame damage and told me, but he didn't, so it gets fixed now. He may not have known exactly what was wrong with it, if so, he couldn't have been much of a "car guy". No matter, it's my car now.

Plans for the motor are a more stock intake and carb, I have a few mid to late 60's Big Block Chevy factory cast iron medium rise Qjet manifolds, was thinking of using one of those. The heads are probably the small port truck heads, so too much manifold would be wasted. Currently has some 750-800 CFM Holley with a GM highrise square bore manifold. Car had a 2.56 rear in it when I got it, so the low output 454 with the highout intake and headers was a very confused motor.

When I get into the motor I will look at cam and lifters, of they look OK they stay. Anything that looks serviceable for mild driving won't get replaced; really don't want to rebuild this motor. Cast iron log exhaust manifolds and a 2-1/2" dual exhaust. If the motor proves to be too hammered, I have a 396/402 I could use. Was supposed to go into my El Camino, but that one is running OK with a 350.

Best regards to all,
Tom

 

In any event, you could use the heads of the 396/402s.
When you drove it last, didn't the steeringwheel pull to one side?

 

Just saw this thread and congratulate you for a job almost there..... Best of luck!

Thanks for the great thread!!