INTO A HYBRID BUILD ARTICLE 1
WRONG!! I TOOK AN AMT ORIGINAL ISSUE PONTIAC BONNEVILLE
AND TRANSFORMED IT USING A AMT 62 CATALINA KIT FOR AN
UPDATED CHASSIS, TO GIVE IT THE RIGHT STANCE, THE BENCH
SEAT INTERIOR, BUT I RETAINED THE ORIGINAL BONNEVILLE
DASH, USING THE CLEAR CATALINA STEERING WHEEL. ON THE
BUSINESS END, I INSTALLED THE 421 SUPER DUTY AND BORG
WARNER T10 4SPD. WITH HURST SHIFTER.
AS I STARTED, IT DAWNED ON ME THAT THE CATALINA IN REAL
FORM IS ABOUT 1.5 INCHES SHORTER THAN THE BONNEVILLE.
THE SAME HOLDS TRUE FOR THE MODELS, NOTHING FIT!! THE
WHEEL BASE WAS TO SHORT, THE INTERIOR TUB WAS SHORT,
EVEN ADJUSTING IT, THE BONNEVILLE DASH DID NOT MEET THE
WINDSHIELD. I TOOK THE CATALINA DASH AND CUT THE PROPER
AMOUNT OFF THE FRONT TOP OF IT, AND GRAFTED IT ON TO THE
BONNEVILLE DASH. iT ACTUALLY LOOKED BETTER THEN THE
STOCK BONNIE DASH, BECAUSE IT ADDED THE DEFROST VENTS
TO THE FRONT, SOMETHING THAT WAS NOT PRESENT ON THE
ORIGINAL DASH.
WHEN I DETAILED AND FOILED THE BONNIE DASH, I ELIMINATED
THE AIR CONDITIONING VENTS, AS THIS WAS A CAR ABOUT
MUSCLE, AIR WAS OPTIONAL ANYWAY ON THE BONNEVILLE. THE
CAT BENCH SEAT INTERIOR WAS PERFECT FOR THE 4SPD, AND
TRADITIONAL TRI COLOR PONTIAC INTERIOR, AND THE STEERING
WHEEL WAS MUCH MORE CORRECT THAN THE ORIGINAL ISSUE
ONE. THE INTERIOR TUB HAD TO BE REWORKED TO FIT IN THE
BODY, AND ACCEPT THE CHASSIS.
THE FRONT SUSPENSION HAD TO BE MOVED FORWARD FOR THE
WHEELS TO LINE UP RIGHT WITH THE BONNEVILLE BODY. i COULD
NOT USE A METAL AXLE, AS I WOULD HAVE HAD TO DRILL
THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF THE ENGINE. INSTEAD I POSITIONED
LOWERING BLOCKS ON EACH SIDE BETWEEN THE UPPER AND
LOWER A'S, AND FASHIONED TWO SHORT METAL PINS, ONE FOR
EACH SIDE TO MOUNT THE WHEELS, SO THEY COULD STILL ROLE.
i THEN DRILLED HOLES IN THE CAT CHASSIS TO BE ABLE TO
SCREW IT TO THE BONNEVILLE BODY IF YOU LOOK AT THE SIDE
VIEW SHOT OF THE CAR, I NOW HAVE THAT HEAVY DUTY STANCE. I
RETAINED THE ORIGINAL 8 LUG WHEELS AND VINTAGE TIRES.
LOOKING AT THE BACK OF THE CAR, THE UPDATED EXHAUSTS
LOOK COOL PEEKING OUT THE BACK, SORT OF A GTO FLAVOR.
THE ENGINE HAD TO BE KICKED FORWARD A BIT, SO THE
DISTIBUTOR COULD CLEAR THE VINTAGE FIREWALL. THE ENGINE
WAS PLUMBED AND WIRED. ARROWHEAD ALUMINUM SUPPLIED
THE DIST. AND WIRES. NOTICE THE GOLD MAGNATRON, IT WAS
RESET ONTO THE NEW DISTRIBUTOR. I CUT THE FAN SHROUD OFF
THE CATALINA, RETAINED THE ORIGINAL RADIATOR AND SUPPORT,
AND MATED THE TWO TOGETHER. THE CAR BODY WAS
SMOOTHED, PRIMED, AND PAINTED WITH FACTORY PONTIAC
MAROON, AND CLEARCOATED. THE INTERIOR WAS WAS PAINTED
IN THE TRADITIONAL PONTIAC THREE COLOR SCHEME AND
DUSTED WITH SEMI GLOSS FOR THE VINYL LOOK.
THE CAR WAS FOILED IN AND OUT IN THE RIGHT PLACES. THE
GRILL INSIGNIA WAS WASHED IN THE PROPER GOLD COLOR. THE
TAILIGHTS WERE DETAILED WITH THE SMALL CHROME STRIPS,
THAT SO OFTEN GET OVERLOOKED. MIRRORS ARE VINTAGE AMT,
THE ANTENNA IS SCALE REPRO ALUMINUM. PLATES ARE 1962
MINNESOTA. I HAVE BUILT THIS CAR COMPLETELY BOX STOCK
BEFORE, AND COULD NEVER GET USED TO THE SAGGY LOOK IT
HAD WITH THE AMT STOCK CHASSIS. HERE I HAVE CAPTURED THE
HEAVY DUTY STANCE I WAS AFTER. IT LOOKS LIKE IF YOU
STOMPED ON THAT 421, THAT IT WOULD JUST LUNGE OUT AT YOU.
JUST A TIGER, BUT WAY BEFORE THE GTO CAME ALONG.
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