Just bought a '71 Grand Estate today

Brandon.......I got to say that's about as complete a set of as we could have possibly hoped for. I almost should have packed a sack lunch before I first started viewing those. Good luck with your project and keep us posted!

Oh..........for "New wagon purchase" thread pic rating! Great job!

 

Thanks for the GREAT set of pix, vette! I was going to say that I love that color combo ...but...guess that's changing. That car is a definite keeper! Looks solid and rust free. Nice score!

 

Yes, thanks for all the great pics. Looks like you got a terrific car with just about all options available for 1971. Do keep us posted on your progress with the wagon.

 

Hi Brandon...wow amazing pics and wagon.

 

I love the front end on that thing!

 

Thanks everyone. I started tearing the engine compartment apart today after work. I guess I'll start a thread in a more appropriate section of the website with pictures of the progress.


Brandon

 

Thank you for all of the photos.

A quick comment about the tailgate motor. It didn't work on my '73 Custom Cruiser when I got it, and it turned out the problem was in the rear key switch.

I'm sure I don't need to tell you this, but the first thing to do is to get the motor out and put power to it directly to see if it moves. I did that on mine, and it worked just fine. I also verified that power was NOT getting TO the motor, so the troubleshooting immediately turned to tracing the wiring.

I probably also don't need to tell you this, but factory service manuals for this car will be invaluable. Wiring for the tailgate and rear window and power seats, for example, is actually described in the body manual, not the chassis manual.


These are on ebay all the time. Here's a couple for sale now.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1971-PONTIA...anuals_Literature&hash=item46051117a0&vxp=mtr

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1971-Pontia...anuals_Literature&hash=item5d2fea7e46&vxp=mtr

 

Thanks for the suggestions. I did plan on bench testing the motors first. One thing I'm confused about. I've seen some youtube videos of the glass and gate going down separately and other videos where they open and close together. How is this achieved? I assume there are two settings on the switch.

The wiring isn't in the service manual?? Aw man, I was bidding on one on ebay. So now I'll have to buy TWO manuals???? Those things are pretty expensive, but as you said, a must have.

Thanks for the advice, I can use all I can get. These cars are all new to me.

Brandon

 

There are SIX positions on the rear key switch, assuming you have a power tailgate as a manual tailgate was standard equipment. Turning the key one way gives you, in order, window up only, tailgate down only, and both opening simultaneously. Turning the key the other way gives you the same three options in closing the window and tailgate.

Some electrical info is in the chassis manual, and the rest is in the body manual. It's actually a bit unpredictable what you'll find in each, so, yes, both manuals are a must-have if you're doing any serious work to the car.

GM put out a separate chassis manual for each division, so your chassis manual will be Pontiac-specific. A single Fisher Body manual was put out and covered the bodies of all makes, so your body manual will have Chevy, Buick, etc. along with Pontiac.

 

Trust me....get ALL the manuals....shop, chassis, body, Fisher, etc, etc. I don't know what manuals were printed for that particular model but research it and get them ALL. Try to find a complete set on eBay.

 

There are only two that he needs, the chassis manual and the body manual.

The term "shop" manual is tossed around casually, and people usually mean the chassis manual. The terms "body" and "Fisher" are used interchangeably to describe the same manual as GM called the body manual "Fisher Body Manual." All GM bodies at the time were made by Fisher Body division.

There are also things like assembly manuals, electrical manuals, part number books, interchange manuals, and so forth, but generally the chassis and body manuals, at least for GM cars, are all that are needed. A n assembly manual would be handy if, for example, you were doing a complete, off-frame restoration and needed to see how to put your car back together.


Also, I wouldn't bother with any of the aftermarket service books you might find, like Chilton or Haynes manuals. They're just condensed, abridged versions of the chassis manual. If you have the chassis manual, you have the most detailed manual GM put out, and the aftermarket books often use the chassis manual as their starting point.

 

Good to know. I know that I always get all the manuals for whatever car I have and there are often just one or up to 4 different ones.
Agree 100% on the after market manuals. Most are fairly useless or repetitive and some are just plain wrong in certain areas.