The Rodding Roundtable
Motorhead Message Central => Rodder's Roundtable => Topic started by: Choptop on December 04, 2006, 10:56:41 PM
Hello Guys,
Haven't been here in a while. Been busy with other things.
A couple months ago, I bought a 1961 chevy belair bubbletop
(project car). The car was dismantled, and a full restoration
started by one of the previous owners. By the time I took ownership
of the car some of the parts were missing.
I need a 1961 chevy 2 door hardtop parts car.
Some of the parts missing are : All 4 headliner bows, all the channel
that attaches to the roof for the side glass to seal against when rolled
up, all heater components, wiper system, some of the window regulators.
I don't need any sheetmetal, bumpers, glass, engine, or trans.
I've been looking all over for a 2 door parts car in the midwest area.
I've been watching e-bay, looking in the auto-rv magazine, & looking
all over the internet. Nothing in the midwest.
Can anyone here please help me in my quest to locate a parts car
preferably not too far from northern Indiana? (One you may have
spotted sitting in an old salvage yard, or maybe behind a garage)?
I'll try to attach an image of my project below.
Thank you.
good lookin car in the photo.
i mentioned to Janice about a year ago that I wondered where all the 61 & 62 chevy cars went to. I owned a 62 hard top in 1970..... run the tar out of it with a 302 chev in it....
Maybe,......this man can help you.
He has dismantled over 60 '62 models and has or had '61 models and parts as well.
C.C. Antique Cars, Lenoir, NC
Mr. C.R. Coffey
Ph. 828-758-7069
blksheep...in Charlotte
Thanx, Tony.
I've had a few bubbletops in the past. Well, actually, waaaay back!!!
My 1st one was in 1969. I was 18, and bought a 1959 corvette 4-speed car
right out of high school. Had that car about 1 year, and traded it EVEN
for a hondourous maroon 61 Impala bubbletop 4-speed 348/350HP/solid
cam. The car was from California. I loved that car. I put a 4:88 in it and
had a blast(Sunoco 260) on friday night with a pocket full of gas money!!
About 5 years later, I bought a midnight blue 61 belair bubbletop 6 banger
3-speed on column. I put a 327/365HP, 4-speed, and a 4:56 in that one.
Had that one for a couple years.
I've had a couple others, but the two first ones were the most fun.
I really like these cars, they are big ol' boats, very roomy, comfortable,
big trunk, and no blind spots. Nice body lines too. Well, in my humble opinion anyway.
Choptop
There is a junkyard near Portland Indiana that had several 61 Chevys. It's on Indiana 28 about three miles west of US 27. Can't remember the name of the place. I haven't been there in a couple years.
Quote from: "blksheep"Maybe,......this man can help you.
He has dismantled over 60 '62 models and has or had '61 models and parts as well.
C.C. Antique Cars, Lenoir, NC
Mr. C.R. Coffey
Ph. 828-758-7069
blksheep...in Charlotte
Thanx, blksheep.
Choptop
Quote from: "enjenjo"There is a junkyard near Portland Indiana that had several 61 Chevys. It's on Indiana 28 about three miles west of US 27. Can't remember the name of the place. I haven't been there in a couple years.
Enjenjo,
I just looked at the map & see Deerfield & Ridgefield. Does that sound
like either place?
Thanx.
Choptop
It's out in the country. Hough Charles S Auto Salvage 2159 W State Road 18
(260) 726-2036
Quote from: "enjenjo"It's out in the country. Hough Charles S Auto Salvage 2159 W State Road 18
(260) 726-2036
Enjenjo,
THANK YOU !!!
I'll call him today.
Hello;
Nice looking Chevy. You could do as I do and go to EBAY and type in 1961 Chevy and see what pops up! You may be suprised
Bruce
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/61-impala-for-parts-1961-chevrolet-chevy_W0QQitemZ110062524143QQihZ001QQcategoryZ39405QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/CHEVY-CHEVROLET-IMPALA-1961-ENGINE-POWERGLIDE-NR_W0QQitemZ330057402559QQihZ014QQcategoryZ6783QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
i KNOW there was a perfect candidate for ya on ebay a few days ago but i can't find it now
I think if you can find someone with an interchange manual, that the '60-'61 Chevy, Olds, Buick and Pontiac "bubble top" sheetmetal, posts, glass and associated parts were all the same. Sure is worth a try.
All I can find are some pics in a book and they look the same. I am helping a friend on a '60 Olds hardtop and the '60 stuff is all the same.................EXSEDAN
I think I just saw the glass channel stuff in a Steele Rubber Catalog if it's the same stuff you need.
It is an insert thingie that probably goes into the channels you are hunting.
I've got a friend that's been working on a '61 for about 10 years and I thought he had a parts car. I called him to ask and he said "Yeah I've got a parts car....the red one. I'm getting tired of looking at it."
I think it's more than you're looking for :wink:
(http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL89/167432/4404976/210975373.jpg)
Enjenjo,
I called that salvage yard by Portland today. Fella I spoke with didn't know if he has a 61 chevy on site. Said he'd return my call tomorrow
to let me know.
Guy's,
I know about ebay. I'm all over it, every day. Mostly inflated pricing,
but even with that in mind, still haven't found anything close enough
to me (Northern Indiana).
Exsedan,
I like your idea of a "interchange manual". That thought never crossed
my mind. Don't know where I'd get one though. Have to do some checking.
Slick 50,
No one is reproducing (to my knowledge) this metal channel.
Thanx, everyone. Still looking..........
Choptop
Quote from: "Choptop"Enjenjo,
I called that salvage yard by Portland today. Fella I spoke with didn't know if he has a 61 chevy on site. Said he'd return my call tomorrow
to let me know.
Guy's,
I know about ebay. I'm all over it, every day. Mostly inflated pricing,
but even with that in mind, still haven't found anything close enough
to me (Northern Indiana).
Exsedan,
I like your idea of a "interchange manual". That thought never crossed
my mind. Don't know where I'd get one though. Have to do some checking.
Slick 50,
No one is reproducing (to my knowledge) this metal channel.
Thanx, everyone. Still looking..........
Choptop
Friend of mine is doing a 59 Cad. 2 dr ht. All the glass is the same from 59-62 for the bubble top style 2 dr. ht. in Cad, Buick, Olds and Chev. So I would think the top bows, window regulators and probably most everything you need would interchange
Quote from: "phat rat"Quote from: "Choptop"Enjenjo,
I called that salvage yard by Portland today. Fella I spoke with didn't know if he has a 61 chevy on site. Said he'd return my call tomorrow
to let me know.
Guy's,
I know about ebay. I'm all over it, every day. Mostly inflated pricing,
but even with that in mind, still haven't found anything close enough
to me (Northern Indiana).
Exsedan,
I like your idea of a "interchange manual". That thought never crossed
my mind. Don't know where I'd get one though. Have to do some checking.
Slick 50,
No one is reproducing (to my knowledge) this metal channel.
Thanx, everyone. Still looking..........
Choptop
Friend of mine is doing a 59 Cad. 2 dr ht. All the glass is the same from 59-62 for the bubble top style 2 dr. ht. in Cad, Buick, Olds and Chev. So I would think the top bows, window regulators and probably most everything you need would interchange
phat rat,
Thanx for the tip. That should open up my search for some of the parts I need.
choptop
George....Just curious,what's your buddy want for his car?I have an aquaintance looking at a restored one locally but the guy wants too much$$$.
Quote from: "40"George....Just curious,what's your buddy want for his car?I have an aquaintance looking at a restored one locally but the guy wants too much$$$.
I'm sure he's serious about selling it but I don't know how much. He's got everything for it and he's done an excellent job on it so far. It would surprise me if it's real cheap. I'll ask him at work tomorrow. I'll PM you with details.
Thanks George!
I talked to the guy and he will have to put together a price but it might be more than your friend wants to spend. Just to let you know a few things about the car, it has a fresh 500 Caddy engine built right (original 283 goes with it). It was a rust free Oklahoma body, 9 inch Ford rear with 4 wheel disc brakes, full mandrel bent Flowmaster exhaust system, paint is fresh urethane bc/cc Roman Red. The Caddy has mounts that bolt onto the original Chevy mounts and the 9 inch rear was mounted with original coils and arms so the car can be put back to stock easily. All of the parts are there to make a complete car and lots of other goodies. If he's still interested I can get a list of stuff and a price. I have a feeling it will be reasonable because he's got other interests, but not cheap.
Enjenjo,
Guy from that salvage yard down by Portland returned my call today.
Said he only has 2 61 chevy's. A 4 door belair, & a station wagon. He
told me he has a couple 62 chevy's, but they are all post cars.
So, I'm still looking for a bubbletop parts car. Thanks to the guy's here,
now I have expanded my search to include 59 - 62 GM bubbletops.
Still looking...........
Choptop Northern Indiana
I have a '61 impala bubbletop parts car that should have most of the pieces you are looking for. I am quite a distance from you in Southern Manitoba, but I could remove the parts you need and ship them, if that would work for you. If interested, PM me with a complete list of needed pieces and I will figure out prices for you.
George....I am not certain how serious this fellow is as I don't know him well.He is a co-worker of a buddy of mine and we went to look at a restored car that he was looking to buy.....It was a nice car,6 cylinder/3-speed.He wanted to buy it then hotrod it.....he thought it would be to costly with the initial cost of the car so he didn't buy it.
Hey Rick.....Good to see you're still keeping an eye on us from time to time!
Quote from: "40"Hey Rick.....Good to see you're still keeping an eye on us from time to time!
Somebody has to make sure you are behavin' :)
Quote from: "mrloboy"I have a '61 impala bubbletop parts car that should have most of the pieces you are looking for. I am quite a distance from you in Southern Manitoba, but I could remove the parts you need and ship them, if that would work for you. If interested, PM me with a complete list of needed pieces and I will figure out prices for you.
mrloboy,
You have a PM. :arrow:
choptop
was just over on the Hamb and there's a complete 61 Buick bubble for $1750 or obo in Alabama
Quote from: "phat rat"was just over on the Hamb and there's a complete 61 Buick bubble for $1750 or obo in Alabama
Thanx phat rat,
I'm holding out for something closer to northern Indiana.
I wonder if accessories (wiper system, heating system, etc.) are
the same? I'll bet the dash controls are different.
On this car, I want everything to look original.
choptop