Been a while since I have been able to do a lot on the 66. I have been collecting some parts and trying to get everything I need at least lined up. I do have my engine back, was into building it actually before the car purchase but with that it will go into this car. I did manage to get the new engine painted over the weekend. Still need to do the engine brackets and bellhousing, but at least some forward progress. Used the enamel paint from Roger Gibson, it’s a PPG shop line product.
Matt

Engine looks really nice. A few pointers should you care. The heater hose tubes were installed after paint, the fuel pump was not painted, the engine mounts complete with rubber insulators, were painted with the engine. The dip stick tube and clamp were also installed and painted with the engine.

Great looking car. Looking at your pics I noticed one similarity with my 66 Belvedere, the paint marks of the pass side engine mount. Engine gone on mine too. The engine was either painted in the car or the mount was still wet when installed. Maybe some on here can explain. Love to see how your battery + cables are routed, also the the connector for the alt-coil-water wires (my 4 way connector was cut off and I need one) keep the pics coming!

Thanks Scott I will try to pull the fuel pump back off and get the paint off of it at least. Will hopefully get me brackets, and bellhousing painted soon. Been dialing in my bell housing, what a pain.
Matt

Wish I could be of more help on the wiring, but mine cars engine was replaced with a 383 at some point fairly early on and the wiring has all be hacked around, so none of mine will be original. As for the mount leaving a paint mark on the K frame I think it was set onto the K frame while the rubber isolator was somewhat wet anyway.
Matt

Correct, Hemis were usually installed very shortly after being completed and painted, paint transfer to the K-member from the engine mounts was common. Bell housing was also installed on the engine when it was painted, usually a moderate amount of over spray covered the bell housing, complete coverage happened as well but was less common in my observations.

Couple items out of the evap-o-rust shock plates, u bolts, and front spring hangers.

Also got the bellhousing, inspection cover, and engine mounts painted today.

Looking good.
Im still working on the items we talked about btw ,,,but nothing new to report yet

A few things I noticed today while working on a few parts. I removed the transmission mount from the crossmember to get it cleaned up. The mount has a 6 in a circle which I would assume to be for the year, and the 3 dots inside the first quarter around the year, so I would assume March of 1966 for the mount? It is nice shape.
I also cleaned up the sway bar a little and noticed some black paint on it.
Matt

Blasted the transmission cross member. Found this date on it, unsure if it’s 3 month or what. I will paint this piece as it’s damaged and has been beat on and off at times.

K frame back from being cleaned up and blasted. Waiting on a few other items then we can start to reassemble the suspension.
Matt

A couple other items done. Sway bar redone and lower control arms rebuilt. Slowly but surely.
Matt

Cleaned the manual steering box up along with the drag link. The box appears to be maybe dated 3 month 66 as a casting date. Also an interesting thing the pitman arm and idler arm appear to have been painted black. The center link is just natural finish as best I can tell.
Or that’s how it appears when I got it cleaned up.
Matt

That idler arm looks replaced. No grease fittings. Any Ideas?

How is the tail finish panel? sure wish someone would repop...

no good, unfortunately I missed an NOS one on Facebook before I owned the car. Your correct most of these are not good. I'm also missing some of the trim around the tail panel on the trunk.
Matt

I have passed on a few cars over the last few years because on a 500 the tail panel stick out like a sore thumb the last NOS one that I bought was in 1986.

this is a beautiful car. my very first resto was a 500 383 conv. Your car is sweet and a four speed

I personally don’t think it’s been replaced, unless the idler and pitman were replaced together. Both have painted black, and both stamped the same type of casting numbers on them.
Maybe that will help to tell but I’m not sure.
Matt