Fixing up a '71 Grand Safari

lol Brandon you are gonna have a brand new clamshell now!


Take that transmission vaccum tube and see if you can blow thru it. I had shift probs with mine at one time and it was clogged(as was the vaccum modulator a bit). or could be to the wrong port(vaccum). 400's are a very stout trans did you change the filter too?

measure the 400 and then measure a 200r and 700r and see if either are close so you can use your driveshaft and get a 350 yoke that will fit either one of them.

ALSO the way you did those u joints is correct but DO NOT ever heat those things with your head anywhere NEAR it they will and I mean WILL explode and blow those caps right outta there and can in fact kill ya!

 

Great reporting Brandon! And the Clam looks absolutely magnificent. The mom to be April is absolutely glowing also.

I had the same feelings when I first heard about the plan to paint the car green, but held my tongue and man it looks really good!

I imagine folks around town will be thrilled to see you, Mom and the baby wheeling around town in it.

I'm on a long journey myself with even lees mechanical knowledge with our 25yo Trooper doing a lot of repair/maintenance work myself in the last year. So I can really relate to your issues/problems and appreciate your process in solving them. But its fun learning along the way.

 

I like the way it looks without the wood trim.

 

700 has ultra low first, both are capable.

 

That's going to be a beautiful Grand Safari again!

Thanks for keeping us updated.

 

when you measure those tranny's take into account the trans mount boss too.


also a 200r will bolt up to your bellhousing as it should be chevy bolt patteren AND Buick Olds and Pontiac(at least most were make sure a get a correct one).

700r's are chevy only they MAY have made dual bell patterns very early on however I do not remember any. In that case you would need an adaptor plate

 

Thanks everyone. I can't remember who said they may have an extra tailgate switch, but I'm going to be in the market for one. One of the prongs is cracked and there is no repairing mine.

Brandon

 

The 700R4 was supposed to be done today but I didn't get a call... no surprise there. I also called the powder coaters and they said they hadn't started my moldings yet, no surprise there either, but they hope to begin it this week. I haven't been able to go any further on the tailgate molding because my first step is going to be to take the original metal that was embedded inside the old rubber and use it to try to seal the tailgate with new rubber. David has graciously sent me the passenger side metal piece because mine was rusted beyond use, so I'm looking forward to try see if I'll be able to get good results from that effort. I've contacted BowTieOverdrives, a company that builds transmissions and builds parts, specifically for 700R4 and 200 4R transmissions. I've found that the TV cable for a 700R4 must be installed with exact precision concerning the geometry of the cable and bracket, so he is supposed to get back to me and tell me if he will have a kit that will work for a Pontiac 455 motor. I contacted him Monday and I'm not sure when to expect to hear back from him. He seemed the type that if I simply call to inquire about a timeline he could get mad and just stop trying to look, so I'll wait about a week.

Brandon

 

DUDE!(what I heard from Brandon)< Get yo azz down in the hell hole basement and search those buckets of death NOW!


ohhh alright!!

 

I can't remember who it was that said it. About once a week I search so many different places all over the internet looking for parts that sometimes I can't even begin to remember where I saw something. If I ever find a set of Rallye Gauges I'm going to pounce on those things like a lion pounces a gazelle in the sahara.

 

Sneak them out of your pop's Catalina?

 

Had those too
I'll try to get to finding a switch this weekend

 

Ha... my dad's car has warning lights too, but it does have some sweet 5x5 rallies. I wonder how long it would take for him to notice his car is on blocks?

You got sweeeches? We don't need no steekin sweeches. ..... actually, yeah, we do need sweeches. If you have a sweech, that would be cool. I thought since these switches were across all the clamshell models from 71-76 that they would be easier to find than some of this Pontiac only stuff I've been looking for. That's what I get for thinking.


Brandon

 

the power door and window switches are different than the power window only switches. I think I "THINK" I have 1 extra door only and should have 2 door/windows

I saved em cause I knew they were an item that was a problem because of their position on the car so many diff ways they can get wet


i'll see what I can find

 

You have done a fantastic job with your wagon. Plenty of pictures along the way keep us coming back to see whats next! That clamshell makes my magic gate look simple!