Classic/Antique Car Repair: 1966 Pontiac Parisenne, chevrolet powerglide transmission, pontiac parisenne

Question
Hi Dick
My name is Barry Countway,I am 45,and live in Saskatoon,Canada.I have never had the time or money(or a garage!)to work on a car.Now I do.
Anyhoo,I spotted a 1966 Pontiac behind a house in the country.Growing up in the sixties I am fond of that era and can distuinguish all makes and years.The owner said he would be willing to sell so I picked it up for $600. The body is very good-just one big rust spot,it has all the original chrome,hubcaps, and glass,and was actually being used until two years ago.The owner said the engine and drive train were ok,but it needed rings,and a few more things.
Anyway,it is in my driveway,and the idea is that it will be roadworthy-not car show worthy,in time for my sons 16th birthday(he is now 14).
I would appreciate any advice you would be willing to offer over the next while.I am not a mechanic but I am a quick study.I intend to use second hand parts and do the work myself with my son helping,a little at a time.It would be nice to get it running,and then work on the fine points.
Also,any books on car repair you coud recommend would be good.My email is bcountway@hotmail.com.Thanks!

Answer
The Canadian models are quite different from their US counterparts, so you need to determine what running gear this car has - much of it may be what in the US is used on Chevrolet cars.   Particularly the engine and transmission identifications are going to be critical.  If you get manuals for the car, you are going to have to be certain that they are for this car, or else that you have the ones for the US equivalent, whichever it easier to find (probably the US equivaltent).  I recall driving a 1959 Canadian Pontiac when it was a new car, as I was working at a DRTE research installation north of Toronto - I was astonished to find out that it had what in the US would have been the engine of a GMC truck, and a Chevrolet Powerglide transmission.  If, on the other hand, your car has the usual Pontiac 389 and Hydramatic transmission of that era, you can use the US manuals for Pontiac.

I think you should contact the auto literature dealers such as Ed Faxon, of Corona CA to find out what shop and owner's manuals are appropriate for this car, then get yourself a set of both manuals.

As for how to proceed, of course your first task it to get the car into safe driving condition.   The brakes need to be inspected by a qualified shop, but you need to get it to that shop.  If it is not in running condition, you need to find out why.   If it has only sat 2 years, there is probably not a lot that needs to be done to it, just new points, condensor, distributor cap and rotor, spark plugs, plug wires, and some fresh gas should get it going.  But change the oil and oil filter first - don't risk pumping contaminated oil through the engine by trying to start it with the old oil in it.  Don't be fooled by the oil in the engine looking spotlessly clean - dirt settles to the bottom of the oil pan, and thus the dipstick will show clean oil.  Don't you believe it - change the oil!

It is a good idea to run the engine on the starter with the spark plugs out just to get the oil circulating.  You can put a small amount of Marvel Mystery oil in each plug hole before you do this, to lubricate the cylinder walls.  If the car has an oil pressure gauge, you should see oil pressure on the gauge as soon as you stop cranking the engine - it will fade quickly, but if you see that, you know the oil pump is functioning, thus it is safe to start the engine.

The shop manual for the car will have detailed instructions on how to perform any repair or maintenance you need to do, no further books are really required, but if you want to look for a Chiton's or Motor Manual that covers your car, the best place to find one is from a literature dealer also.  These sometimes give some hints as to how to perform some repairs more quickly than the factory procedure.

If your engine needs parts replaced, don't bother with used parts, they are going to be the same or even worse than what you are taking out.  Rings and bearings are dirt cheap - new, it is false economy to put used parts in.  Before you start any major engine work, do a compression test on it to determine what the overall condition is.   These engines are good for at least 150,000 miles without needing any major repair, if they are cared for.  If you know what miles are on the car, you can guess what you need to do from that.

Any specific questions you develope, just post them to me here (or to another of the "experts") - any of us will be willing to help as much as we can.

Good Luck with the project.  These are very attractive cars (I bought a 65 GP new - I still remember how proud I was of that car!).

Dick