Do you also have 1:1 project cars?

[RSchnell]

55 minutes ago, espo said:

Great find and you have some work ahead of you. Seems to have some of the hard-to-find trim parts. The hood does look like it is from a '56 model but not to hard correct if that is important.   

That hood is actually pretty rough, We just threw it on the car to keep help keep water off the motor.

[RSchnell]

5 hours ago, Zippi said:

That is a good looking project.  The body looks to be in really nice shape.  

The right quarter needs to be replaced. When this car sat in a field, someone got sassy with it using a front end loader! LOL There's a full original rust free convertible quarter stuffed inside the car. This is my next to last full all out resto project and wanted to use my metal working skills one last time! While I was out here I picked up the front end, a nice rust free tail pan, rust free decklid & other stuff that is hard to find in FL. 

[espo]

2 hours ago, redscampi said:

Thank you! As far as I can tell this is a "Classic" model. The passenger side is missing the front dog leg of the trim . The one I had was mangled. The original color was a two tone brown and tan. I'm happy that the color was changed, just wish they'd spent a bit more time and money on it, but that was years ago. At least it's shiny!  Fun fact: It already has a 74 grille in it. The previous owner broke the 77 grille (plastic I think). The 74 grille is all some kind of pot metal, including the surround. The surround on the 77 is aluminum. 

The classic with the two-tone option would have had another chrome strip along the upper body line from the door and wrapping around the tail gate and acted as a defining line between the two colors. You might look and see if there is any sign of body work in that area. That mangled trim part, if you can't find it locally there are a couple of suppliers that offer real good reproductions for all of the trim. I like the Rally wheels with the small '67 only hub caps, it makes the wheels look even deeper.  

[espo]

2 hours ago, RSchnell said:

The right quarter needs to be replaced. When this car sat in a field, someone got sassy with it using a front end loader! LOL There's a full original rust free convertible quarter stuffed inside the car. This is my next to last full all out resto project and wanted to use my metal working skills one last time! While I was out here I picked up the front end, a nice rust free tail pan, rust free decklid & other stuff that is hard to find in FL. 

Reproduction floors and the trunk floor are available in the aftermarket. We used to call this color combination a "Hony Bee Car". I knew a guy that had one with the same colors but with the 3-speed and overdrive. As I recall it didn't look a whole lot better than this one and it was about a 10-year-old car at the time.  

[redscampi]

9 minutes ago, espo said:

The classic with the two-tone option would have had another chrome strip along the upper body line from the door and wrapping around the tail gate and acted as a defining line between the two colors. You might look and see if there is any sign of body work in that area. That mangled trim part, if you can't find it locally there are a couple of suppliers that offer real good reproductions for all of the trim. I like the Rally wheels with the small '67 only hub caps, it makes the wheels look even deeper.  

I am sure you are correct. I don't see signs of body work, but that doesn't mean anything really. I am aware of that trim being correct, but honestly, my eventual goal is to remove the existing trim in favor of a pinstripe of some kind. Although, in the meantime if you could let me know who might have the trim, I'd be grateful. My searches have been unsuccessful. I also really like the low profile hub caps! The originals protrude way too far for my taste. I was under the impression that the small hub caps were an option on 6 cylinder cars only, but I may be mistaken. Another item I am going to add is 10" tires in the back. Those wheel wells will swallow a lot of tire!

[espo]

4 minutes ago, redscampi said:

I am sure you are correct. I don't see signs of body work, but that doesn't mean anything really. I am aware of that trim being correct, but honestly, my eventual goal is to remove the existing trim in favor of a pinstripe of some kind. Although, in the meantime if you could let me know who might have the trim, I'd be grateful. My searches have been unsuccessful. I also really like the low profile hub caps! The originals protrude way too far for my taste. I was under the impression that the small hub caps were an option on 6 cylinder cars only, but I may be mistaken. Another item I am going to add is 10" tires in the back. Those wheel wells will swallow a lot of tire!

On the hub caps, they were first offered on the '67 Camaro's with the disc brake option. I still have an original set that I traded from a coworker in '68. He got the "hat" style caps, like your originals, from my '68 Bel Air and I got his caps. For any moldings and other miscellaneous parts look at Classic Industries online. They have catalogs for many GM products and year models. 

[Ace-Garageguy]

Walking out the door on the way to the shop to start rebuilding the junkyard head for the little Neon in the relative cool of the morning.

Pretty exciting, huh?

The earlier idea was to engine-swap it with something interesting and make a sleeper, but at this point I don't have a long-term plan.

Still, I like it, it's fun to drive, and it handles better than many "sports cars".

https://www.facebook.com/thedrive/posts/it-wasnt-even-an-srt-4-just-a-four-cylinder-with-a-three-speed-auto-httpstribala/1021378313196748/

It gets great gas mileage, is comfortable, and has a huge trunk too.

It may see some long road trips later in the year.

Edited July 5 by Ace-Garageguy

[stitchdup]

57 minutes ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

Walking out the door on the way to the shop to start rebuilding the junkyard head for the little Neon in the relative cool of the morning.

Pretty exciting, huh?

The earlier idea was to engine-swap it with something interesting and make a sleeper, but at this point I don't have a long-term plan.

Still, I like it, it's fun to drive, and it handles better than many "sports cars".

https://www.facebook.com/thedrive/posts/it-wasnt-even-an-srt-4-just-a-four-cylinder-with-a-three-speed-auto-httpstribala/1021378313196748/

It gets great gas mileage, is comfortable, and has a huge trunk too.

It may see some long road trips later in the year.

If dodge had got a neon into fast and the furious i reckon it could have been more popular. there were some good builds based on them back in the max power days and if the dealers had spares in europe it would have sold better. all the basics for a vtec beating hot hatch are in the rt versions, they just need a little more refining and a decent air filter. for an american car there were a few in my area but none were rt's, just granny shopping cars

[Rob Hall]

Haven't seen a Neon on the road in many years it seems like.  They seem to have all rusted away here.  

[Ace-Garageguy]

12 hours ago, Rob Hall said:

Haven't seen a Neon on the road in many years it seems like.  They seem to have all rusted away here.  

OMG!!! OMG!!! OMG!!! I guess I better sell it or better yet scrap it ASAP because...why?

What killed the Neons and most of the PT Cruisers (down here in the sunny South too) wasn't rust.

They got so cheap that the inept dregs that bought them second-or-third-or-fourth hand couldn't or wouldn't spring for the kinda spendy timing belt replacements.

The belts stripped, the engines stopped, they went to the crusher.

This illustrates the fallacy of "the repair or maintenance procedure costs more than the car is worth".

Well suh, replace that ol' timing belt before it fails and does catastrophic damage, and the car will most likely run another 80,000-100,000 miles (the factory recommended interval is 102.000 miles) with only minimal other maintenance and repairs required. Then replace it again.

I have a PT with well over 250,000 on the clock because I made the previous owner do the timing belts as recommended, before they failed and cost a LOT more to put right again. Whole lot cheaper than buying multiple used cars to get the same travel distance.

You can lead used-car buyers to logic, but you can't make 'em think.

Edited July 6 by Ace-Garageguy

[Rob Hall]

10 minutes ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

OMG!!! OMG!!! OMG!!! I guess I better sell it or better yet scrap it ASAP because...why?

What killed the Neons and most of the PT Cruisers (down here in the sunny South too) wasn't rust.

They got so cheap that the inept dregs that bought them second-or-third-or-fourth hand couldn't or wouldn't spring for the kinda spendy timing belt replacements.

The belts stripped, the engines stopped, they went to the crusher.

This illustrates the fallacy of "the repair or maintenance procedure costs more than the car is worth".

Well suh, replace that ol' timing belt before it fails and does catastrophic damage, and the car will most likely run another 80,000-100.000 miles (the factory recommended interval is 102.000 miles) with only minimal other maintenance and repairs required.

You can lead used-car buyers to logic, but you can't make 'em think.

Ah..interference engines.   The one Neon owner I have known IRL had a first gen he bought new and put about 450k on it over 20 years commuting in the SF Bay Area.   I saw it when it was about 15 years w/ over 300k at the time.  It had held up pretty well, other than peeling paint.  He traded it about 10 years ago on a Mini Countryman when he moved to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. 

[Ace-Garageguy]

1 minute ago, Rob Hall said:

...The one Neon owner I have known IRL had a first gen he bought new and put about 450k on it over 20 years commuting in the SF Bay Area.   I saw it when it was about 15 years w/ over 300k at the time.  It had held up pretty well, other than peeling paint...

Exactly. They were really pretty good little cars, and with the mission-critical timing belts seen to as recommended, they will just about run forever.

[89AKurt]

I didn't know about the Neon's popularity, Honda was my import, then MINI.  Had a '91 Jetta GLi with the twin cam, non-interference belt broke, stopped on the highway, rebuilt but the shop screwed up and didn't do the crank, that ground to a halt a month later after I forced them to fix it, never was the same again.  MINIs started breaking gold-plated BMW parts.  Now with this car..... brakes are still an issue. 🤬

[Ace-Garageguy]

9 minutes ago, 89AKurt said:

I didn't know about the Neon's popularity...

The SRT-4 version was a screamer. With 230 HP it was good for about 150 MPH on the top end, turning a 13.8 second quarter mile.

If I come across a totaled one, I'll swap its guts into mine.

https://www.motortrend.com/features/dodge-neon-srt-4

[peter31a]

11 hours ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

Exactly. They were really pretty good little cars, and with the mission-critical timing belts seen to as recommended, they will just about run forever.

Back when Neons were current models, we had a small fleet of Neons and Chev Corsicas for use by nurses and social workers but we occasionally had to use one. All the other drivers in our department gravitated to the Corsicas but I always went for the Neons as they were fun little cars to drive and not heavy boats like the Corsicas.

[espo]

Have seen and heard of many cars and trucks that the owners would delay even the most basic maintenance such as regular oil changes and filters. Then they bad mouth the vehicle when they have an issue because they failed to do what anyone with any common sense would do to keep a vehicle running. Outside of your home vehicles tend to be your second largest investment and to not care for that investment shows a lack of common sense.  

[Tabbysdaddy]

I've moved the van to a more convenient "it's still not going anywhere for a while" parking spot. It fit with two inches to spare. 

[89AKurt]

⬆️🔼⏫  That right there, a sign, that you might need help. 😜  "No not me, Kurt says to himself."  🤫
I never knew Shipping Containers are controversial.  Got it for the little sports car, top down is the only way to get in and out of the car.

Back to carports, as you can see I *need one* behind the Honda, bike is a friend's who kinda needs to take it away.
For this:

Wait, you already have a pickup.  But .... but I always wanted a Task Force era GM pickup.  I blew the chance to buy a really nice, all original, white/red '55 Chevy Cameo last century, because there was an ugly hole in the fiberglass, and I thought "how cheap" and instead got a '48 Chevy 5 Window money pit.  I never restored it.  This '56 had the rust repaired, and the body is straight as can be for a 69 year old truck.  Lived in Clarkdale/Cottonwood working with an ambulance company, was painted white over the best color for these.

It's a Long Bed stepside.  Look at that tailgate!  The wood appears to be in decent shape, I would just put diamond plate in it's place if needed.  All the junk is free.

Everyone wants to see the engine..... owner said the original 265 Pontiac engine is out back, needs a rebuild, a 283 in place now.  After my experience of dropping a crate 350 H.O. into the '68, I don't need to hot rod this (much) if I keep it.  No power anything, love simple.

Same 4 on-the-floor Saginaw transmission (I think) as my '68.  Hasn't run in 20 years.  Look at that gauge cluster, and dash pad!

It was this, or the Reo.

[Mattilacken]

On 7/4/2025 at 6:41 PM, redscampi said:

Thank you! As far as I can tell this is a "Classic" model. The passenger side is missing the front dog leg of the trim . The one I had was mangled. The original color was a two tone brown and tan. I'm happy that the color was changed, just wish they'd spent a bit more time and money on it, but that was years ago. At least it's shiny!  Fun fact: It already has a 74 grille in it. The previous owner broke the 77 grille (plastic I think). The 74 grille is all some kind of pot metal, including the surround. The surround on the 77 is aluminum. 

Nice looking Elco! I have a complete ‘74 front laying around exept doe lights and surrounds. But the cast corners for the round headlights. Was planing to put it on the ‘77 which had its front converter to 1973. But I never bought the car.

[restoman]

On 7/5/2025 at 9:45 PM, Ace-Garageguy said:

Exactly. They were really pretty good little cars, and with the mission-critical timing belts seen to as recommended, they will just about run forever.

My sister's west  coast of Canada Neon held up well. 

From Vancouver, to Calgary and then all the way back home to Cape Breton Island.

East coast weather did some rust damage, but she drove it everywhere. Regular service from Day 1, like all her cars.

I drove it a time or three, Fun little ride. Not a ton of power, but the stick made it seem faster than it was. 

It died when the Chevy van ran the red and took the back end off it. She said it had over 300k kilometers on it. 

She replaced it with a Caliber... and hated that thing till the day it croaked.

[espo]

16 hours ago, 89AKurt said:

⬆️🔼⏫  That right there, a sign, that you might need help. 😜  "No not me, Kurt says to himself."  🤫
I never knew Shipping Containers are controversial.  Got it for the little sports car, top down is the only way to get in and out of the car.

Back to carports, as you can see I *need one* behind the Honda, bike is a friend's who kinda needs to take it away.
For this:

Wait, you already have a pickup.  But .... but I always wanted a Task Force era GM pickup.  I blew the chance to buy a really nice, all original, white/red '55 Chevy Cameo last century, because there was an ugly hole in the fiberglass, and I thought "how cheap" and instead got a '48 Chevy 5 Window money pit.  I never restored it.  This '56 had the rust repaired, and the body is straight as can be for a 69 year old truck.  Lived in Clarkdale/Cottonwood working with an ambulance company, was painted white over the best color for these.

It's a Long Bed stepside.  Look at that tailgate!  The wood appears to be in decent shape, I would just put diamond plate in it's place if needed.  All the junk is free.

Everyone wants to see the engine..... owner said the original 265 Pontiac engine is out back, needs a rebuild, a 283 in place now.  After my experience of dropping a crate 350 H.O. into the '68, I don't need to hot rod this (much) if I keep it.  No power anything, love simple.

Same 4 on-the-floor Saginaw transmission (I think) as my '68.  Hasn't run in 20 years.  Look at that gauge cluster, and dash pad!

It was this, or the Reo.

Like the GMC. Hard to find any vehicle this age in this condition let alone a pickup. You mention the bed floor maybe being an issue. Your idea of a diamond plate bed floor sounds good if you're going to do a lot of hauling. Reproduction wood kits are available if you wanted to go with a more "Pretty Truck" look. The basic Chevy Create 350 Motor is hard to beat for the dollar spent. 

[89AKurt]

10 hours ago, espo said:

Like the GMC. Hard to find any vehicle this age in this condition let alone a pickup. You mention the bed floor maybe being an issue. Your idea of a diamond plate bed floor sounds good if you're going to do a lot of hauling. Reproduction wood kits are available if you wanted to go with a more "Pretty Truck" look. The basic Chevy Create 350 Motor is hard to beat for the dollar spent. 

We have become conditioned to "put an LS in it".  This pickup deserves the original treatment, the original Pontiac engine needs rebuilding, would rather sneak in today's technology there.  But need to see how the Small Block does, and go from there.  Challenge is how to get that engine into the bed, truck has not run for 20 years.  Blue Cloud pulled it out to get washed, his Jeep got it back under the roof.

Got the air compressor for dirt road camping, tires were still holding air!  Blue Cloud has a 350 H.O. crate engine, so I'm set with POWER. 😁  The load of ABC and flagstone had to be over half a ton, no problem.

After it's first bath in decades.  Grey primer are the usual rust areas fixed by a bodyshop decades ago, in trade for a vehicle.  Driver door has a little dent.

I have the AMT '57 Chevy Cameo kit, is there a transkit for doing a GMC?

[espo]

12 hours ago, 89AKurt said:

We have become conditioned to "put an LS in it".  This pickup deserves the original treatment, the original Pontiac engine needs rebuilding, would rather sneak in today's technology there.  But need to see how the Small Block does, and go from there.  Challenge is how to get that engine into the bed, truck has not run for 20 years.  Blue Cloud pulled it out to get washed, his Jeep got it back under the roof.

Got the air compressor for dirt road camping, tires were still holding air!  Blue Cloud has a 350 H.O. crate engine, so I'm set with POWER. 😁  The load of ABC and flagstone had to be over half a ton, no problem.

After it's first bath in decades.  Grey primer are the usual rust areas fixed by a bodyshop decades ago, in trade for a vehicle.  Driver door has a little dent.

I have the AMT '57 Chevy Cameo kit, is there a transkit for doing a GMC?

I remember when you were fixing up Blue Cloud some time back. That is the engine I was think of. I know GM and others offer a wide variety of engine mounts and ancillary hardware to put an LS engine in there as well, it's just money after all. With the original Pontiac engine idea, you could use just about any displacement Pontiac engine since they pretty much look alike on the outside. One very big advantage with this truck was that the GMC's used the Hydromatic instead of the Powerglide of the day. Even there so many late model transmission options are out there, again it's only money. Don't rule out a late model LS and trans. takeout from a wrecking yard. See a lot of happy owners with the 5.3 LS and trans out of a late model pick up or Suburban. I like the wraparound rear window on this truck.  

[redscampi]

On 7/7/2025 at 6:50 AM, Mattilacken said:

Nice looking Elco! I have a complete ‘74 front laying around exept doe lights and surrounds. But the cast corners for the round headlights. Was planing to put it on the ‘77 which had its front converter to 1973. But I never bought the car.

Like this? :)

[redscampi]

Transformation has begun!