Thought you all would enjoy the attached pics. of my 14 yr frame off! http://good-times.webshots.com/album/567777670cBwYRW
Dave Beautiful car! I hope it doesn't take me that long to finish my car. I am only 3 1/2 years into my project but have owned it for 23 years! George
thanks guys. Reason I have been on this project so long was for various reasons, $$$$, time, a marriage gone to hell (lost a trophy wife to drugs), and the fact I will never do another F-85. Try finding the parts! Especially the vinyl flooring mats, not to mention the interior pieces. Of course after I had them specically made ($$$), Lendgendary now does the interior panels and seats. I am doggedly trying to finish this car as best as I can. The original owner ordered this car in Dec. of 1969 from Vet Nam. Came home to eastern Ohio at the end of Feb 1970 and picked up the car from the local Olds dealer. Drove the car for 4 months and went back to Nam in the first of July 1970 and was killed in action on July 30, 1970! As a Vet Nam Vet myself (two tours) is why I am doing a museum quality restoration to honor my fellow Nam Vets and fallen comrades!
Steve Gardner Exhaust: They have a CNC 3D Programed Lazer Duplicating machine that makes/bends/shapes a copy as it follows the lenght of an original pipe. They have the only NOS W-31 exhaust header pipes and dual exhaust tailpipes that I know of. The LH exhaust header pipe that bolts up to the manifold is a very unusual pipe and only came on a W-31 since the header pipes are 2 1/4' both LH and RH. The exit opening of the LH manifold is 2", so the pipe flange starts out at 2" and then a few inchs from the flange swedges out to 2 1/4" and out to the inlet of the LH muffler, which is also special on a W-31, as both mufflers are 2" shorter than a non-W-31 optioned dual exhaust system (19" verses 21" if I remember correctly). Both W-31 and non-W-31 dual exhaust systems have the same 2" tailpipes. BTW: there pipes are aluminized inside and out, so should last a long time! I bought there "show package" which included Jet Hot coated exhaust header pipe flanges, low gloss stainless clamps, and nickle coated rear muffler hanger hardware and tailpipe end hanger clamps. They even sent me a drinking beer glass with their name on it! Also called twice to tell me it was shipped and called again to see if I was happy with the systems and that it arrived in good condition. Nice service! Not cheap (paid $550 included shipping in 2002) but the best I have seen and very happy.
Good info, Dave. I recall when they started the unique LH headpipe for the W31 (1969) as the 68 was the same as any N10 (2 inch). I think that allowed the use of the Big Block mufflers, also. Don't have access to my info right now to verify that. I had the process engineering responsibility for UPC Group 8 (Fuel and Exhaust) and got to know the parts very well. (Also had UPC 2,3,4, and picked up 11 in my final 2 years). A set of those 1969-1970 W31 pipes with mufflers happened to drop into my garage and went on my car. Sounded a lot better, couldn't really evaluate performance increase since we weren't racing it back then (wife's summer car), but had to help. The 68 Ramrods were released very quickly in time for the SpringNationals and this was one thing they didn't worry about since the package was developed on the dyno with headers. For 69 they had a little more time and got it right for street use. Another anomaly was the lack of rear boxed arms and rear sway bar. I also "found" that setup in my garage and of course upgraded my car back in 1969. You're absolutely right about the aluminized parts lasting a long time. My car still had that complete 1969 system on my car in 1999 when we first set it up for Pure Stock racing. All looked great and very solid. Ended up putting them on another car. My LH tailpipe rusted through in the mid 70's, and had to be replaced. I think was due to that stupid heat riser valve in the LH manifold (which disappeared in later models, too.) The RH tailpipe was the original factory one that came on the car. That really is quite a detailed resto you're doing on that car. I know how difficult and expensive that can get...as well as the time required. Congrats on your tenacity to complete it, especially with the disruptions and upheavals you went to in your private life. I would imagine you and Patton are bosom buddies. :beer :beer
daveh Thanks dude, I am trying my best to NOT over restore this car, for obvious reasons, the Vet Nam thing and working at the Lansing Assembly Plant! At has been a challenge to say the least, but I enjoy it and keeps me away from BAD women! LOL Agree on the 68' ram rod option, the late approval for production in the model yr. and it was mostly an engine/rear end thing and they forgot about all the other HD stuff off the shelf they could have used in 68'. I remember in our Product Reliability meetings with Engineering and Style Group in late spring of 68' about the 69' model yr W-31 was going to get the FE 2 option, change the Ram Rod to W group listing, paint stripe, etc., and more advertizing about the small block W car. Plus the Smothers Bros coming on board which really boosted the Ram Rod/W-31 exposure and then of course other Hollwood actors started to race Olds products in other venues, which helped also. I do not think they realized that the Ram Rod/W-31 car would do so good at NHRA National Events and NHRA point meets like it did. Going to an over square 400 motor in 68-69 for the 442 and W-30 was a disappointment. The 66-67 ran much quicker than the 68-69 400, soooooo the Ram Rod/W31 was their shining car in drag racing for the 68-69 model yrs. BTW: Did you find any angled speedo adapters yet?
YUP, found one of them. Pretty cruddy, though. have more.......somewhere. I'll take a pic of the one I have after a can of brake clean, and also see if I can determine the ratio. Don't think this is the one you'd want as the in and out are parallel, not at right angles. Will shoot you a pic in a PM. Someday I'll find the right angle one (s)........ Neatest part about the ramrods were the way they were built in the engine plant with a lot of special parts that came in individual boxes from the suppliers. They didn't take any chances with production variances and, I think, had some very interesting stock looking parts in them......like the head castings. I think that was the trick.......It was an expansion of the 54 1966 W30 cars.
daveh- thanks for looking, but need the right angled style. Have plenty of the straight type. BTW: I have a copy in my files of the Engineering Change Order listing the approved parts for the Ram Rod buildup of the motor from the 310 HP to the 325 HP engine. It lists all of the part numbers to be replaced and the replacement part numbers to make up the Ram Rod engine and also with instructions. Do you have this document or do you want me to send you a copy? I would be glad to send you one, but could not right now as it is at my house in North Fla, about 500 miles away! Next time I visit up there I 'll get it for you, if you want a copy. Let me know.
Would love it, Dave. I have a copy of that Stempel letter trying to appease the masses somewhere, too. It's in a file with a copy of the dyno curve from my engine. They kept them on file in the engine plant for a while. One of my friends that also bought one of the ramrods went down and put aside about 4 sets of the 31 spline axles when he heard they were going to make the change for 1969. He got the dyno curve for mine same time as his. They're not 500 miles away, probably only about 20 feet away, but I bet you could find yours faster than I could mine. Numerous house moves in the last 40 years and lots of stuff "disappears".
