Pontiac Paradise Shop Talk

In The Repro Pipeline……….

admin — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 03:37:00 +0000

What is ahead for PontiacParadise.com? Here are the following projects in the pipeline…..

1961-64 Transmission Crossmember Brackets (due Apr 2012)

1965-68 Transmission Crossmember Brackets (due Apr 2012)

1966 Battery Trays (due May 2012)

1964 Tachometer Mounting Bracket (due June 2012)

1963-64 Bellhousing Clutch Fork Boot (due Oct 2012)

1963-64 Clutch Rod Firewall Boot (due Nov 2012)

1962-64 Clutch Rod Firewall Boot Retainer (Jan 2013)

1962 Clutch Rod Firewall Boot (due Dec 2012)

1961-64 Gas Tank Filler Neck Rubber Grommet (due Feb 2013)

PontiacParadise.com is working hand in hand with Classic2Current on the following reproduction items:

1963-64 Lower Quarter Panel Repair Panels (due in 2012)

1965-66 Lower Quarter Panel Repair Panels (due in 2012)

These will be for Catalina, Grand Prix, Star Chief, 2+2 and Bonnevilles, left and right sides. Stay tuned for more info.

We are currently searching for a NOS 1961 or 1962 two door rear quarter panel so we can do the same for 61 and 62 Pontiacs. Would like to either purchase or borrow and return. We are also looking for a nice 65-68 two door Bonneville trunk floor and a nice 65-68 Catalina Convertible or four door trunk floor to use as a pattern. Your pattern would be returned to you along with a new reproduction. Please contact Les at 651-280-9681.

If you have an idea for a needed reproduction part, please feel free to either write or call with a suggestion. Some parts are not in enough demand to do at this time. Please keep this in mind. LMK 4-4-2012

Want Disc Brakes? Here you go……..

admin — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 00:06:32 +0000

Lately, I have recieved a lot of requests recently for help with putting disc brakes on your 61 to 68 full size Pontiacs. Oh, there is a lot of talk of finding some 69 or 70 full size car and hopefully that stuff will fit. Forget it. Pontiac first put disc brakes on full size 66 Pontiacs. I have seen two in my entire life. I don’t think you’ll find that prestine set sitting in some bone yard. Well, time to solve your problem. You want disc brakes? You want four wheel disc brakes? These guys have been doing disc brake conversions since long before I ever got serious with big Pontiacs. Please go to http://stores.ebay.com/Scarebird-Classic-Disc-Brakes The company name is Scarebird. For what ever reason, they seem to not like talking on the phone right out of the gate. The prices are very fair for the equipment you’ll get and they have done the research for you. BIG TIP: If you are thinking of going to disc brakes, DO NOT go out and buy those bitchin’ 14″ wheels and/or plan on losing your 14″ wheels and tires. Everything I’ve seen will not accept 14″ wheels. Be sure to figure this into your budget when doing a conversion. Please email any experiences you have with this company to us. Thanks! LMK 2/28/2012

Tachometer Wiring Harness Reproduction plus MORE GOOD INFO!

admin — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 16:13:26 +0000

We ALWAYS recommend you replace that old cut up, nasty tachometer harness when going thru your car or when adding a factory tach. The harnesses are available thru OPG and are cheap…..$34.99. The part numbers are as follows: 62: #04001, 63: #04250, 64: #04605, 65-66: 06245. If your car has factory transistorized ignition, (yuck!), they also stock those harnesses (which are different) as well. Also, did you know that you can run your factory tach with HEI? yes you can! The center tab on the HEI plug is a tach wire and works with our old tachs.

Is your tach face faded and your needle not the bright orange or yellow it should be? Tired of seeing nice tachs hit $700+ on eBay? Well, cheer up! PontiacParadise.com will repaint your tach face to original for $260 plus return postage. We also offer lens replacement for $75 plus return postage and an full electronic conversion for your tach for $275 plus return postage. We are not able to repair broken off tabs on the outer stainless retainer ring. Sorry. We have just three reproduction 65-66 tachometer cups (done in brass and plated to perfection) left. When they’re gone, you’re bummin! Call us to discuss.

One more tip……A lot of people have put HEI ignition systems in their Pontiacs and said “Man, something’s wrong here” as they did not perform the way they thought they would have. REMEMBER, the power wire going to your old distributor was a resistance wire and cut the voltage down to 9 volts for points. Your new HEI requires 12 volts to operate. Take a test light and poke the old wire back until it lights up bright. Cut there and add some new wire to your HEI and problem solved! LMK 2-2012

CLUTCH FORK PROJECT CANCELED

admin — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 00:27:49 +0000

After years of prep work, PontiacParadise.com is stepping down regarding 61-62 and 63-64 clutch forks. This is a “bad news-good news” thing. Tooling costs will exceed $13,000 per piece and that is just too high. We have been working with Brad at FabCraft and we both agree that it is too much. Now the good news, apparently Barry Martin from Sonic Motors is going to pick this up. he can be reached at 810-750-1421. We wish Barry the best of luck in this project. LMK 2-12

8 LUG BALANCE PLATES

admin — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 19:39:46 +0000

A lot of you have written about where to find 8 lug balance plates. This the plate that allows you to have your 8 lug wheels spin balanced like real people do! Toss out the bubble balancer! I know of two people making these. #1: Todd Zimmermann in Greenbush, WI. Email is tazimmy@aol.com Phone is 920-526-3454. #2: Larry Groskopf in Peotone, IL. Email is lgto67@yahoo.com Phone is 815-735-4002. Both of these guys are true Pontiac people. The MOST important thing to remember about these plates is to take with you on a road trip. Forget it and you’ll have a bad trip. Trust me, I know! LMK

PontiacParadise.com to do two rubber projects

admin — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 18:40:08 +0000

Meetings are set for next week with 6 Twin Cities molded rubber companies to discuss the reproduction of the 63-64 bellhousing boot AND the 63-64 clutch rod boot & metal retainer. It should be noted that these pieces will also work on 61 and 62 models. These have been out of the parts books for 40+ years and are severely needed. Watch this blog for updates. LMK

Clutch Fork Update…..

admin — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 18:36:22 +0000

After trying to figure out how to eat TWO $13,000 tooling charges for 61-62 and 63-64 clutch forks, the choice was made to drop the project. However, Brad from Fabcraft has informed me that a person named Barry from Sonic Motors somewhere in the midwest, is apparently taking on the project. We wish him well on this project. We will post any updates on this as they come in. LMK

Beware of Michael Karpinski in Illinois-BAD PERSON ALERT

admin — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 20:18:32 +0000

Once again, we have a BAD PERSON ALERT to share with all our friends in Pontiac-land. The above person who goes by “mikey68″ on eBay recently hosed off a good friend of mine down under. He sold him a complete rust bucket 64 Grand Prix, lied about and then refused to do anything to straighten my friend up. I have seen photos of the car and it is no more than a rusty parts car. My friend Steve Dickson paid $10K for the car PLUS had it shipped to Austrailia. Of course, by the time he recieved the car, it was too late to file anything with eBay as far as feedback. The car needs a new frame and body. The trunk is nothing but fiberglass. The holes on the underside are enough to make you cry. Steve does not have the money to repair or replace the car. He is heartbroken. So, this is warning to ALL to steer clear of this jerk. He lives at 263 Dobega Drive in Romoville, IL and his phone is 815-886-8969. It should be noted I gave this clown the oppertunity to straighten this out with Steve BEFORE added this to my website. He did not reply. As always, what I have stated here is in my own opinion wihich I am entitled to under the First Ammendment. If you have been severely screwed by someone in the Pontiac hobby industry, please contact me. BTW, Steve’s email is stevesin30@hotmail.com should anybody care to write him. He will share the photos of what he bought.

1965 Battery Trays Are On The Way!

admin — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 20:40:24 +0000

PontiacParadise.com is pleased to announce our first of two different battery trays. First up is the 1965 full size Pontiac. The prototype shown in the photo does not have the nut needed for the battery hold-down however it will. In stock the week of Feb 13th. Cost is $79.95 plus $10.00 USPS Priority in the US. World-wide at cost. Replace that nasty, rusted tray! Our thanks go out to Bob Munson for providing the mint original sample. Next up will be 1966 battery trays. Call 651-280-9681 to order.

Reproduction 65-66 Tachometer Cups!

admin — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 23:58:24 +0000

I have three or four reproduction 65-66 tachometer cups that are BEAUTIFUL! These were done in Austrailia and done in brass. They were show chrome plated. Very expensive. They have all mounting hardware and I am including our reproduction 65-66 tachometer inside mounting bracket with each cup. Nice cups are next to impossible to find and having your re-done at the chrome shop is very expensive. I have been told by my friend in Austrailia that he will not do these again, so once these are gone, they’re gone. Price is $359 each delivered in the US. These will be listed on eBay as well. First come, first served! Photo to follow. Les