5000 pounds of metal (vintage wagon content inside)

Gasoline wrote:

That Fuel Economy gauge is poetry in the dash. I love it.

The gauge is sweet. My owners manual shows it, but sadly my car is not so equipped.

Oh, and update: The radiator is getting repaired as we speak.

The wagon is back in action and happens to be at our office today. I love it.

Needs a GRM DORK sticker . . .and less white walls. I love it, too. In fact, I'd love a ride in this as much as the 911. I suspect there would be way more nostalgia for me in this one.

Funny story -- we had a crazy Hungarian neighbour when I was growing up who had the Buick version of this -- probably a '75 or '76. He actually took it to Europe, and toured BEHIND the Iran Curtain with it in "the old country". Apparently there were several towns where he simply left it on the outskirts because it was too big.

Small wagon update:

While getting ready to head home, I opened the front passenger door so I could throw my computer and camera inside. When I opened the door, a piece of parchment floated out. Build sheet!! Why it randomly decided to break free at that moment I don't know. I grabbed it and safety got it home. It's already been scanned. Now, to find a safe place to keep it.

PS:

Tonight Mrs. Editor and I drove the wagon to DeLand to catch some jazz. It drives nicely. It definitely need those shocks, too.

David S. Wallens wrote: Small wagon update: While getting ready to head home, I opened the front passenger door so I could throw my computer and camera inside. When I opened the door, a piece of parchment floated out. Build sheet!! Why it randomly decided to break free at that moment I don't know. I grabbed it and safety got it home. It's already been scanned. Now, to find a safe place to keep it. PS: Tonight Mrs. Editor and I drove the wagon to DeLand to catch some jazz. It drives nicely. It definitely need those shocks, too.

Needs shocks? Without a doubt, get the Pleasurizers.

eBay Motors delivered. Yes, poverty caps. My dad had the same ones on his '67 GTO.

Yes! Now paint those wheels and lose the white walls! Dare I suggest red lines for the new tires?

You know, I'm debating the tires. My dad had those hubcaps paired with some very thin white walls. I need to play with Photoshop. Blackwalls? Redlines? I dunno. Right now, these are free but, yeah, that white wall is pretty thick.

And yes, the wheels are filthy. I just put the hubcaps on--more wondering if they'd even work with my wheels. My neighbor came by to see what I was doing, and we got chatting. So this is as far as I got.

Dismount tires, paint wheels, remount black-side out. Simple.

The next question should then be: body color with no trim rings, or black with trim rings?

Poverty caps. Full of WIN.

Wouldn't the white-wall be somewhat correct for the car? Not that I'm a big stickler for that type of thing.

David,

Timeline wise your wagon is too new for redlines. A 1" white wall (like what's on there) would have been available or a blackwall. I doubt the full size wagons were available with raised white letters. But that would give it some Trans Am flair.

If your existing tries are good, I'd do what Junkyard Dog suggested. Some semi-gloss black would make the rims look clean very easily. No trim rings. And put the weights on the back of the rim when you are done.

-Rob

Junkyard_Dog wrote: Dismount tires, paint wheels, remount black-side out. Simple. The next question should then be: body color with no trim rings, or black with trim rings?

I'm voting for black without trim rings. And I realize the redlines aren't period correct, but I talked to my dad tonight. Their GTO had redlines when new, but he replaced them with whiteline Uniroyals. The photo I have must be with the Uniroyals. The GTO was a piece of our family history, so I'm trying to capture a tiny slice of it.

Assuming the weather is decent, tomorrow I'll clean the wheels, get the other hubcaps on there, and see what we have. I'm just glad the hubcaps fit.

I say body color.

That thing is awesome!

My first five cars where Pontiac's built before 1980. Much love from me.

By the way, here's the inspiration for the poverty caps:

Pretty sure this was taken at the U.S. Grand Prix at the Glen. That's a family friend standing beside the car. I don't remember the car, but I do remember that tent.

David S. Wallens wrote: By the way, here's the inspiration for the poverty caps:

I love the missing front cap. I can just picture the epic chase scene that caused its demise.

Also I think that guy is peeing on your car.

True story: He's the one who introduced us to Konig. We were chatting during my grandfather's funeral and he goes, Do you guys do anything with Konig? Their office is next to my office. You should call them and tell them you know me.

So I did. Small world, huh?

bravenrace wrote: In reply to curtis73: I think they look too hard to see.

This better?

Take a T&C like this, slam it, flare it, strip it.

David S. Wallens wrote:

Junkyard_Dog wrote: Dismount tires, paint wheels, remount black-side out. Simple. The next question should then be: body color with no trim rings, or black with trim rings?

I'm voting for black without trim rings. And I realize the redlines aren't period correct, but I talked to my dad tonight. Their GTO had redlines when new, but he replaced them with whiteline Uniroyals. The photo I have must be with the Uniroyals. The GTO was a piece of our family history, so I'm trying to capture a tiny slice of it. Assuming the weather is decent, tomorrow I'll clean the wheels, get the other hubcaps on there, and see what we have. I'm just glad the hubcaps fit.

Radial Redlines are pricey. Before going that route, experiment with the white walls. Clean up the steelies and paint them, put the dog dishes on there, then take a photo. Photoshop the whitewalls red. Then stare at the photo for a bit.

I haven't tried it yet, but I've heard of guys successfully using vinyl dye to dye whitewalls red. I wanted to try it, but the sizes I wanted weren't available in white wall.

Buy this and get to coloring!

Red Tire Pen

Redlines are only a cramped hand and a sore wrist away. So's sexual satisfaction at any age or appearance!

I think painting the whitewalls red would look funny--too wide. However, I have some ideas regarding the wheels. Let's see how this weekend goes.

Also, Konis are on the way. Does a car need such good shocks? Don't forget, we're talking about 5000 pounds here. Yes, it needs good shock absorbers. There's a lot of energy to control.

Borrow a backpacking headlamp with a red LED in it. Go out at night and shine the red LED at your whitewall. You'll see exactly how good or bad the red will look.