Pictures of Don's 62 Impala. ( Don from Portland, Mi.)

[Don Carvill]

I went out to the barn this morning to take some pictures and while I was doing that I noticed a good thing about the car that I had missed before.
It has transmission lines attached to the radiator!
Now I am not the most knowledgeable guy in the mechanical department, but even I know that powerglide transmissions do not use tranny lines for cooling.
I bought the car last March from a guy that was storing it in a barn owned by a friend of mine. I rebuilt the carb, installed new plugs, wires,cap, rotor, etc...
I planned on taking it to a body shop for body work and paint in the late Summer. In July my dog had a problem with his back leg. It cost me 4 grand and pushed back my plans. Now the plan is to do it this Summer.
When I bought the car my buddy and I assumed it was more original than it turned out. I knew the motor was not original because of the newer ignition and valve covers, but I assumed it had a powerglide because we had a conversation in which my friend said he liked powerglides and I said I did not. I had a '67 Tempest back in the Eighties that was a complete dog in the acceleration department. I blamed it on the two speed trans.
Long story short. I will be looking the car over more closely when it warms up out side. Maybe this weekend. We are supposed to get into the Forties. I may have some questions if I see something I don't recognize. I am assuming again that it will be a turbo 350 trans..... Here I go assuming again, and we all know what that can get us.

 

[bobs409]

Powerglides do use the cooling lines. Looks like you got a great builder there!

If you don't feel like crawling under it, you could work the shifter and count the indents. (I'm great at getting out of hard work) A powerglide is a 2 speed and th350 is a 3 speed.

 

[Don Carvill]

Thanks for the heads up!
I had never heard that powerglides don't use lines until yesterday. I read it and thought I could get out of changing the trans to get a three speed.
The indicator on the column still shows the original two speeds. and it feels like there are two positions. I was hoping there had been a change that was not completed with the change on the column.
If I crawl under it I am looking for a modulator on the passenger side, right?
Now that I think about it, there is no kick down linkage up at the carb either. I guess you all know how deep my knowledge runs. Ha Ha

 

[wristpin]

Get a pic of the trans pan. Shape of pan will tell you which trans it is.

 

[La Hot Rods]

Not sure what year the cooler lines where added to the power Glide.

 

[blkblk63ss]

I went out to the barn this morning to take some pictures and while I was doing that I noticed a good thing about the car that I had missed before.
It has transmission lines attached to the radiator!
Now I am not the most knowledgeable guy in the mechanical department, but even I know that powerglide transmissions do not use tranny lines for cooling.
I bought the car last March from a guy that was storing it in a barn owned by a friend of mine. I rebuilt the carb, installed new plugs, wires,cap, rotor, etc...
I planned on taking it to a body shop for body work and paint in the late Summer. In July my dog had a problem with his back leg. It cost me 4 grand and pushed back my plans. Now the plan is to do it this Summer.
When I bought the car my buddy and I assumed it was more original than it turned out. I knew the motor was not original because of the newer ignition and valve covers, but I assumed it had a powerglide because we had a conversation in which my friend said he liked powerglides and I said I did not. I had a '67 Tempest back in the Eighties that was a complete dog in the acceleration department. I blamed it on the two speed trans.
Long story short. I will be looking the car over more closely when it warms up out side. Maybe this weekend. We are supposed to get into the Forties. I may have some questions if I see something I don't recognize. I am assuming again that it will be a turbo 350 trans..... Here I go assuming again, and we all know what that can get us.

Looks like a good start ,decent interior. Barn looks kind of drafty!!!!

 

[Don Carvill]

Drafty is a good word for it. It is 133 years old. I think it was originally a buggy barn. I can't make myself insulate it and make it usable. It has too much "charm"

 

[Don Carvill]

I will get a pic of the pan. It is supposed to warm into the Forties this weekend.

 

[pvs409]

Your 62 has these factory items.
You have a original factory air 62 ( missing compressor and some of the factory air outlets on the bottom of the dash)
you have factory power brakes, factory 2 speed wiper washers ( as compared to single speed wipers without washers).
it looks lIke your car could have been a Nassau blue exterior ( repainted white?) with a factory blue bench seat interior.
All 62‘s had their firewalls in the engine compartment were painted with factory exterior body color ( Nassau blue firewall on your 62 and the jambs on the fenders are Nassau blue)
your cowl tag on the drivers side firewall will tell you the original interior, exterior color, and if the car came as a V-8 from the factory and what GM factory built your 62.

your power glide indicator on the top of your steering column is the factory 2 speed power glide indicator.
the motor appears to be a 350 later model motor ( vs a 327 or 283 factory size motor)

Paul

 

[Don Carvill]

Thanks for the info. You called it. It is a factory air and power brake car. The car was painted a darker blue after the original light blue. If I remember it correctly it is a code P17? It was a V8 car, but the stamp on the drivers side of the block behind the intake is 305. I was disappointed it was not the original engine, but I got it for what I think is a pretty good price. Not a great price, but ok. It does have all of the stainless and bumpers included. Nothing is in perfect condition, but it will work.

 

[RussC]

6 cylinder power glides are air cooled

 

[62bubble]

Could you post a photo of the cowl tag please. If the 2nd and 3rd digits of the VIN, are 18, it is a V8 car, if they are 17, it is a six-cyl car...

 

[pvs409]

Don,
The 6 pieces of side trim on the fenders, doors and rear 1/4's are anodized aluminum as are the taillights, trunk panel, trunk trim and rear 1/4 hooks are anodized aluminum (can't be polished except with very fine steel wool -to bring out some shine).
Also the grill hood, lip molding, and headlite covers are anodized aluminum also along with the valance panels on the bumpers are anodized aluminum. .
If these anodized aluminum trim pieces are not shiney now, they more than likely can't be polished because of the anodizing (without removing the anodizing) -its is lots or work or messy stripper to get the anodizing removed......to get to the aluminum to polish it and/then reanodizing to preserve the shine...

The only stainless (that can be polished) on your 62 is around the front and back glass(all sides), and above the door glass and rear 1/4 glass including the drip rail molding that is stainless.
These comments to help you evaluate what you have for condition and what its made off.

The factory paint code on the cowl tag is a 3 digit number.
Paul

 

[409gang]

Thanks for the heads up!
I had never heard that powerglides don't use lines until yesterday. I read it and thought I could get out of changing the trans to get a three speed.
The indicator on the column still shows the original two speeds. and it feels like there are two positions. I was hoping there had been a change that was not completed with the change on the column.
If I crawl under it I am looking for a modulator on the passenger side, right?
Now that I think about it, there is no kick down linkage up at the carb either. I guess you all know how deep my knowledge runs. Ha Ha

I know a Chevy II with a six cylinder the powerglides were air cooled but I thought all other powerglides used an external cooler (the radiator).

 

[RussC]

I had a 63 6 cylinder power glide Impala that was air cooled

 

[blkblk63ss]

I had a air cooled powerglide that was in the trunk of a parts car i had once. Thinking it was a 64 impala 4 door, But i could be wrong on the car year,or it may not have even cané in that car . Anyway it had a vented bell housing.

 

[bobs409]

My 63 still has it's original powerglide (has partial vin stamp so I'm sure) and it was originally a 6 cylinder. It's cooled through the radiator lines. I've never even heard of an air cooled until now.

 

[Don Carvill]

I parted out a '66 Corvair with a powerglide. It was air cooled, but that may be a totally different set up. I have only had 1 other car with a power glide, and changing the transmission was not considered. I bought it as a Winter beater and sold it before Winter ended. I will look at the trans this weekend and take a picture of the pan to identify it. Just to be clear though, powerglides do not have a modulator, right? There is no kick down or vacuum line running back to the transmission, so I think it is a power glide.

 

[Don Carvill]

On the subject of stainless trim, All of the trim around the windshield and back window is still in place on the car. I will let the body shop handle that when they take the glass out to do the body. If the other trim is not able to be polished I can see why these cars go well into the twenties for an unremarkable specimen. That will add up quickly. But at least an Impala has value when it is done, unlike most Corvairs.

 

[bobs409]

My powerglide has a modulator. It also has a kick down linkage.