1961 Impala 2 Door Sedan - Let's Get Started...
- Thread starter tcb-1
- Start date
Progress. Got my fender back from the body shop. Looks great! The rust around the headlight bulge, the non-factory radio antenna hole, and a decent size dent is gone. Yes I spent a small fortune on getting it perfect, but I’m ocd. Next stop is to another body shop for a color match. I love solid body panels....
Started on the restoration of the steering column. New seals, new paint, clean, degreased, and adjusted. I always like to find part numbers or factory applied decals on items. This one hasn’t seen daylight since early ‘61...
Lastly, I’ve been working in the trunk. The old splatter paint was still there, but very dirty. I’ve got the first coat of primer in and will be ready for another layer after this one cures. So in my quest for a clean and tidy, factory appearing trunk, I found a product that I’m going to use to replicate the factory splatter paint. A product called Zolatone. This product is said to lay down nice and doesn’t need a clear over it for protection. So I guess I’ll buy a cheap Harbor Freight lvlp gun and experiment. I’ll be sure to post pics after the trial run...
Started on the restoration of the steering column. New seals, new paint, clean, degreased, and adjusted. I always like to find part numbers or factory applied decals on items. This one hasn’t seen daylight since early ‘61...
Lastly, I’ve been working in the trunk. The old splatter paint was still there, but very dirty. I’ve got the first coat of primer in and will be ready for another layer after this one cures. So in my quest for a clean and tidy, factory appearing trunk, I found a product that I’m going to use to replicate the factory splatter paint. A product called Zolatone. This product is said to lay down nice and doesn’t need a clear over it for protection. So I guess I’ll buy a cheap Harbor Freight lvlp gun and experiment. I’ll be sure to post pics after the trial run...
Trunk primed and ready for splatter paint. Note, I am leaving all the original tuxedo black paint just as it was, chips and all. I'm addicted to the original paint 
Bought a NOS bumper end, the only bumper piece I needed to find. Mine peeled over the years (only piece of chrome on the entire car I needed to replace). Less than $100. Score!!!
Bought a NOS bumper end, the only bumper piece I needed to find. Mine peeled over the years (only piece of chrome on the entire car I needed to replace). Less than $100. Score!!!
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We usually use gray prime under the spatter paint. I think we use less spatter paint to get good coverage that way. Just my two cents.
That's how I did it, grey primer underneath and clear coat on top to protect the splatter. I went with a Satin Clear.
TomK
TomK
Yep, that’s what I’m doing as well. The factory primary coat from firewall to the trunk latch was red oxide primer. When I get ready to splatter paint it, I’ll go over the red oxide with a gray overcoat, then the splatter. I found a good photo of a ‘63 with 21 miles on it to do research. This pic was from one of the cars sold in Nebraska a few years ago. Note the, “I don’t give crap about where the trunk paint goes” an employee had in ‘63 lol 
Doug:
You have a PM
.
TomK
You have a PM
.TomK
Brodie, this was apparently one of the cars that was stored indoors so it wasn’t crusty...
https://www.oldcarsweekly.com/blogs/under-the-hood/ex-lambrecht-1963-impala
https://www.oldcarsweekly.com/blogs/under-the-hood/ex-lambrecht-1963-impala
sycsteve
Well Known Member
I found a repaired set of fenders at Jefferson Wisconsin swap meet for $400 each and a fiberglass set for $200. I was looking for other things though.
Looking good so far. Dont see many post impalas.
Not a crazy amount of progress this week. I’m waiting on a few vendors to get things completed, so in the interim I got all the interior trim off and blasted. The steering wheel had more small cracks than what I thought, so that’s now in the queue to be repaired. (I’ll do a write up on it when I start). So, now off to the paint booth....
Well, it’s not a W, but it’s a .030 over ‘61 283 with all new internals. Once I get it from the builder, I’ll detail the build. So looks like I’ll be looking for intake and stock exhaust manifolds as well as generator brackets. Heck, I might even stay with a points type ignition since I still have all the tools to maintain them. We’ll see. As you can see from the photo, a stock 283 was the lowest horsepower engine he’s built in a LONG time
Last, got the entire floor pan covered with alkyd primer. I wanted to get the floors completed for the sound deadener that’s on the way.
Always like finding original factory stamps. This one was on the passenger side foot well, next to the drain hole. Hand stamped at Fisher I’m presuming. WA6 2
Oh and lastly, I’m going to pick up my Christmas present to myself tomorrow. Remember a few posts back I said how much I’d like a sand blasting cabinet? Well I pulled the trigger and got a 60 gallon Dewalt compressor and a cabinet. No more waiting a month to get a handful of items cleaned!! Can’t wait
All for now...
Well, it’s not a W, but it’s a .030 over ‘61 283 with all new internals. Once I get it from the builder, I’ll detail the build. So looks like I’ll be looking for intake and stock exhaust manifolds as well as generator brackets. Heck, I might even stay with a points type ignition since I still have all the tools to maintain them. We’ll see. As you can see from the photo, a stock 283 was the lowest horsepower engine he’s built in a LONG time
Last, got the entire floor pan covered with alkyd primer. I wanted to get the floors completed for the sound deadener that’s on the way.
Always like finding original factory stamps. This one was on the passenger side foot well, next to the drain hole. Hand stamped at Fisher I’m presuming. WA6 2
Oh and lastly, I’m going to pick up my Christmas present to myself tomorrow. Remember a few posts back I said how much I’d like a sand blasting cabinet? Well I pulled the trigger and got a 60 gallon Dewalt compressor and a cabinet. No more waiting a month to get a handful of items cleaned!! Can’t wait
All for now...
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Yep Don, I’m just trying to get a good, reliable little engine. Been looking at a few Edelbrock manifolds that are cast for the oil fill tube (this engine retained its Chevrolet script valve covers). I’d like to go with a Rochester due to originality, but I’ve had so much good luck with the Edelbrock 1406.
I’m even rebuilding the original 3 speed that in it now. Need to do my homework on what it will take to switch it from the 235 in the car now to the 283.
I’m even rebuilding the original 3 speed that in it now. Need to do my homework on what it will take to switch it from the 235 in the car now to the 283.
sycsteve
Well Known Member
Here is the website and company I found that has the fiberglass 61 parts. Advantage Fiberglass.
They sell a bunch of stuff.
http://advantagefiberglass.net/Pages/Chevy61Fender.html
They sell a bunch of stuff.
http://advantagefiberglass.net/Pages/Chevy61Fender.html
sycsteve
Well Known Member
I have a cast iron 4 barrel intake with the filler tube but I think it came off a gm 302 I had and regretfully scrapped.
sycsteve
Well Known Member
They use to have hoods, bumpers, trunks and fenders. Might still be able to have them make some.
Well,the Edelbrock Performer EPS would be perfect when paired with an Edelbrock performer AV-2 500 CFM CARB.To bad you can't scare up a 3 speed O/D transmission and related parts for this car.On your transmission ,the ones in the 235 equipped pick ups had the lower two of the trans to bellhousing bolts go in thru the flywheel side of the bellhousing,the v8's all went in from the outside.I don't remember if the cars were the same.