[Loffen]

So now the time has come..
This spring I bought a 1971 Pontiac 455 Lemans sport convertible, just one of 50 made and what you could call a nice survior, however it is starting to show that it is 40 years old.

The paint is really thin and I got a coulpe of spots with surface rust, the weather strip is starting to crack and dry out and so on.

The interior has also signs of age and sun, a few cracks here and there, I would say pretty normal for its age.

The the suspension bushings where shoot, I changed all of the just to be able to drive it this summer, the same with the original (!!) exhaustsystem, all rubber gaskets on the engine are like plastic and there has not been done anything with with it since it left the factory, the same with the transmission.

[marxjunk]

they are only original once, and originals bring a premium..so...if it where me, id fix the stuff that needs attention and drive and enjoy the car as a survivor...i know many people that have had really decent survivors, restored them and regretted it for years...it takes the drivability away..and survivors are more and more rare....just a personal opinion, cuz it looks like a really nice car as it is..

[markjenks]

Originally Posted by marxjunk

they are only original once, and originals bring a premium..so...if it where me, id fix the stuff that needs attention and drive and enjoy the car as a survivor...i know many people that have had really decent survivors, restored them and regretted it for years...it takes the drivability away..and survivors are more and more rare....just a personal opinion, cuz it looks like a really nice car as it is..

I second this one. If you can get away with just general repairs to keep it on the road, I would go that route. Yeah, it's showing it's age, but just the same it's all things that can be dealt with. If it's not rusting away (which it sounds like it's not), clean it up good, take care of it and enjoy it for what it is.

Mine OTOH, needs to get cleaned up really bad from the last once over 21 years ago, so I'm doing mine once and for all with a frame off.

-Mark

[Loffen]

I agree to, but then you have that "do it once-do it right" thing, in my mind this one was taken just in time, a couple of yaers more on the road and you would really have some large rust problems, the engine had serious gasket/sealing problems, rust problems on brake/fuel lines, gone master and rear cylinders, all rubber bushings gone (I really mean all of them), the interior was really bad and the paint was so thin that you started to get flash rust....
Yeah it did look nice on pictures but that is about it.

I got one pretty decent driving season with it after I bought it and had a lot of fun after fixing the most critical issues, but was I proud of it ?, did I get any nice comments on it ? no..
I do not know what will happend to it when I am done, I will take it to a couple of cars show's just becouse I have not done that before, after that maybe sell it, use it or just keep it..

But I know the next one will be a restomod thing, I am thinking of a -70 body (becouse of the rules here) with a -71 or 72 front clip and a 6.0l with a six speed, we will see, but it will not be a nut and bolt job like this one, just something that handles good on the road and can take some abuse.

[Loffen]

So some updates again.. I got the rest of the missing parts for the engine, except for the rocker arm studs and the oil pump screen (so when you order Melling M-54F remember to order a screen for it)


And some more parts from PY sent express due to the transmission mount, which was of course wrong for the second time, it would have been perfect if I had a TH350..

[Loffen]

And last a package from sweeden...




Together with this kit I got from the bay


Makes a perfect date correct water pump, owe you one Peje, Thanks !!

[The Boss]

X2

Take care of maintenance issues and do one thing at a time. Like another member here said while grilling his lamb kabob's - "Once the doors come off, they're never the same!"

Personally, I'd throw a posi unit in it!

[Loffen]

Originally Posted by The Boss

X2

"Once the doors come off, they're never the same!"

By the way, I will try to do this without taking the doors and trunk lid of the car

Factory style, just depends on the paintboot we are going to use.

[Judge273]

I'm one of the few that say "go for it" as it is fun to restore a clean car. As they are only clean once too.

Grandpa did his 71 Judge vert and never looked back, and it turned out great.

Thanks for sharing those pix too!!

[bigborehunter]

'Fraser Products' I've never seen that supplier name before. I've seen Robbins from Georgia. I guess they used 2 suppliers for every thing to prevent strikes from cutting off materials. That is one amazing clean floor. What a treat it is to see this.

[Loffen]

Sure, I really do agree with you marx, and this has really been on my mind since I bought it.

And it has not been an easy decission, it looks really great from 30 feets away, but with the paint starting to be so thin that you can see the primer and the evidence of an earlier partial repaint (RH door and front fender, maybe the hood to..) did help to make my mind up.

[Loffen]

Ohh Yeah, there will be a posi on it Boss, belive you me

[Loffen]

And it is all ready to late now

My first find


I even got a little help on my budget


I did even find the missing screw

[Loffen]

I had the rear seats out earlier to replace the speaker, will try to make a new cardboard later




After taking the drivers seat out you could see the ground.. one of the things that was not so important I guess..


I have found a lot of different stuff that has not been fastened or just overlooked like only two screws on the shifter cable grommet and so on, was this normal ??

[Loffen]

The doorpanels had never been of



Both sillplates had this tape on then, why ?


From the rear left panel, any ides of what this means ?


No buildsheet, but I got my evidence that pontiac used Sienna colored carpets.


To bad no one makes them now..


Done for the day..

[Lloyd-TX]

Mr. Loffen:

You may have already answered this question - but did you buy that LeMans from Paul Stewart?

[Loffen]

Originally Posted by Lloyd-TX

Mr. Loffen:

You may have already answered this question - but did you buy that LeMans from Paul Stewart?

No I bought it in Norway.

But Paul sold it to the guy that sold it to the guy I bought it from.

[Lloyd-TX]

Originally Posted by Loffen

No I bought it in Norway.

But Paul sold it to the guy that sold it to the guy I bought it from.

OK, I thought it might be his old car.

VERY nice, and Canyon Copper is a striking color.

[The Boss]

Damn that's clean!

[Loffen]

Yeah, it is really clean, only some small amounts of surface rust so far, there where moist in the front erea so I am a little bit worried of what I will find under the asphalt mats..