'67 Chevelle Frame Off Restoration

Don sand blasted the column parts but is unable to paint. Hurricane Earnest is coming through right now.

This evening he hooked up the gear linkage from transmission to the frame. Don also bead blasted the license plate light, gearshift and turn signal lever, trunk latch (2 pieces) , hood latch, and fender braces. Don installed the windshield washer squirters and hoses, emergency brake handle, and emergency brake pedal rubber as well.

Don got the steering wheel and column cleaned up and painted today. The red center says SS but the reflection from the flash masks it.

When we first started this project, It was going to just be a nice daily driver. As you can tell by the pictures, things have sort of changed. Don left some things unpainted like the factory did and they are already starting to develop the rust color. Don has decided to go back and correct this, starting with the power steering gear in these pictures.

Don chatted with me and we agree, no rust like the car originally had on some parts. The following two photos are of the steering gear painted rather than unpainted as the assembly was originally delivered on the car.

We needed a replacement for the lower bearing for the steering column. This part was unavailable from the suppliers we have been using. We did talk to a company that sells fully reconditioned columns and they said they did not have them either. Their solution was to buy a whole new column. They actually modify the columns they restore to use a currently available bearing assembly. Don, while searching on E-Bay found this NOS (new old stock) part that is brand new in a Saginaw Steering Gear Part bag! We got it for $21.05 if I remember right.

After all this I decided to have a floor shifter rather than a column one. Don will use this one on the other Chevelle he has for rebuild. He also has a El Camino that I think this would fit in. The column in the car now is a Ididit brand.