Help Needed on 62 Strato chief from South Africa

SelimK · Newbie

Help Needed on 62 Strato chief from South Africa

427carl · A Poncho Legend!

Welcome

what parts are the hardest for him?

Ghost Post · Poncho Master!

Welcome aboard!.

First thing, get a hold of George or Frank at GM Canada Vintage services...click below..
Being a Canadian produced car they can probably supply you with documents showing information and original options shipped w/ your Vin..

http://www.gm.ca/gm/english/shopping/parts/vintage

Next, check in with Johann on this board as he may be able to help you?.
He's an ex GM S. Africa employee and a great guy too who has a Canadian car and lives somewhere in or around J'Brg. now I think?.

Last, there's lots of great fellas here that may have what parts you need and are probably willing to go through the pack and ship to S. Africa thing?.

-- Edited by Ghost Post on Tuesday 6th of July 2010 07:55:02 AM

eeluddy · Uber Guru

Welcome, and please post some pic's of the car.

SelimK · Newbie

Hi Friends,
thanks for the warm welcome and the suggetions so far.
It's going to take a while to take pics and contact the gmsa pro's since the car isn't mine.
I am helping out my pal and will have to address the questions to him.
But the main things to do now is to find what suspension parts to buy and what kind of engine is in the car.
since there is abolutely no option in the car there is nothing broken that might be rare :)))
The car is locatet in Dusseldorf/Germany now which is where I live also. My Pals dad bought the Strato Chief in Africa and imported it here. He passed away and his son wants to keep his daddies ride roadworthy...
The reason I am doing all the conversation and research stuff is that It took me half an hour of big talk about pontiacs and wide track and 389 and slim jim and interchangeability of parts and blah blah to realize that there was STRATO Chief written on the fender and that it was a RHD... :)))

Since this Forum is active and willing I am sure that Andre (Strato Owner) will get the infos he needs.

I'll get back to you with more specific stuff as soon.

a little Story in the meantime... I was dumb enough to let pass the opportunity to buy a 68 2+2 Catalina for only 8000 (which also was imported from South Africa but was a LHD). I was so sissy about rebuilding my 63 catalina which I crashed very bad that it took me to long to descide.
well the 2+2 is long gone and my 63 Cat not finihed the 5th year.

thank you all
Selim

Ghost Post · Poncho Master!

Here's a link to Johann's in SA's profile here w/ contact info etc..

http://canadianponcho.activeboard.com/index.spark?aBID=118110&p=20&memberID=999520

-- Edited by Ghost Post on Tuesday 6th of July 2010 03:00:55 PM

norontcan · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Welcome aboard.
You're in the right place to get help.
It won't be long before someone chimes in with what your numbers mean ( I'm travelling and away from my reference books )
Yes, we just love pics - from every angle. The RHDs are a little foreign to us ( pun intended ) so we can all learn about their idiosyncrancies.
Ted

Bassculture · Addicted!

My Dad had a 1964 RHD and it took Impala parts.
Hope this helps.

Ghost Post · Poncho Master!

While calling or visiting SA boneyards for parts, don't forget it's the pieces that fit you're after so be careful what make and model parts you're asking for..
The above noted Impala parts advice is good but don't forget some parts swap between other GM brands including Holdens also there's old AMC products w/ saginaw power steering boxes still around in SA that may fit these cars etc..

-- Edited by Ghost Post on Wednesday 7th of July 2010 09:01:08 AM

StratoChief · Newbie

So hello together

My name is André I am the crazy person how drives this car.
Please don´t laugth about my not so good english, its not so easy for me because i doesn´t use it every day in my work.

Allright here are some pics of the car, i hope i can load this here up.

Someone said that which parts i need, i need all rubbers from the chassi. They are all very dry from the African sun.

And actuelly i need the facts for the track adjustment because my car is not drive straight by the way ;)

Ok everybody see ya

eeluddy · Uber Guru

For body mount rubbers and steering parts any of the 61-64 Chevrolet stuff will fit. Probably a whole lot more interchange than that also. You can get a good idea and selection from ebay to start.

Pontiacanada · A Poncho Legend!

StratoChief wrote:

Please don´t laugth about my not so good english, its not so easy for me because i doesn´t use it every day in my work.

And actuelly i need the facts for the track adjustment because my car is not drive straight by the way ;)

Hi Andre! Welcome. You won't get laughed at for your English!
You have a great two-tone coloured car! Love it!
As for instructions for adjusting the tracking, I'm sure someone on here would know, and be able to advise you.
Is your car a RHD power steering car or a manual steering car?

Keep it straight!

Canadian Poncho · A Poncho Legend!

Welcome aboard Andre. I always enjoy seeing Canadian cars in far away places. Your Strato Chief looks great!

Todd

StratoChief · Newbie

Do you mean Ebay us!? Hav i that right understood, every kind of chevy from 61 to 64 is fit for my car!?

My "Moby Dick" is an 3 gear manual car with the shift @ the stearing wheel!

NOS · Poncho Master!

hi Andre; nice car. Like those right hand drives. We can most likely offer you most if not all the weatherstrip & body mounts for your car. Let me know your email & I will do a list of the available parts & cost for you.
www.dale@nosreproductions.com

thanks Dale @ NOS

SelimK · Newbie

Hi again,
Thanks for the offer Dale (I'll translate that for Andre).
Our main issue at the moment is to find out which parts will fit.
Since it's a RHD and a Canadian Pontiac from South Africa it is really is hard to
find definate infos about anything.

Lets start step by step:

Andre plans a complete overhaul of the front suspension.
Is it OK to buy the parts of a 62 LHD Impala?
E.G. will the tie rod ends fit?

And once done he'll need wheel alignment specs, where can we find them?
(62 Impala again?)

thanks
Selim

-- Edited by SelimK on Saturday 24th of July 2010 03:22:23 AM

427carl · A Poncho Legend!

SelimK wrote:

Lets start step by step:

complete overhaul front suspension.
Is it OK to buy the parts of a 62 LHD Impala? (yes)
E.G. will the tie rod ends fit? (yes)

And once done he'll need wheel alignment specs, where can we find them?
(62 Impala again?) (yes)

WM LES HALLES KOE AUTO 23 06 10096(1)_nf-vga.jpg

-- Edited by 427carl on Saturday 24th of July 2010 10:11:38 AM

craigd · Veteran Member

Hi there!!!

Welcome SelimK & Stratochief...

Look like you guys are sitting with the same problem as myself (regarding suspension rebuild parts).... My 65 Ponty is also a RHD....... but still being exposed to the african sun!!

I was also advised to order the rebuild kit as for Impala same year as my Pontiac..... (Classic Industries)

CdnGMfan · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

First of all, welcome Selim & André! Your Pontiacs are all Chevrolet underneath. All steering, suspension, bushings, frames, floor, firewall, trunk, engine, transmission, driveshaft, differential, brakes... I can see how it would be difficult for alignment specs & parts for a RHD car since it may be more than just swapping the steering arm & idler arm side for side. I really don't have the answer on that.

One thing I have noticed on so many overseas Chevrolet & Pontiac exports are those round rear reflectors out back. I wonder when they were made mandatory?

Both of your Pontiacs look really nice, guys!

StratoChief · Newbie

Hello Everybody

i hope that i understood this right!

My 62th Pontiac Strato Chief has some susspensions (front axle) from a 62th Chevi Impala!

Is this right!? Does everybody here know what it cost a complete susspension kit for this car in canadia or us?

When everybody post a price for a kit, please put here a link from this shop!

Thanks all

André from Düsseldorf (Germany)

craigd · Veteran Member

CdnGMfan wrote:

One thing I have noticed on so many overseas Chevrolet & Pontiac exports are those round rear reflectors out back. I wonder when they were made mandatory?

Those 'reflectors' out back are actually our reverse lights.....

-- Edited by craigd on Sunday 8th of August 2010 03:21:33 AM

SelimK · Newbie

craigd wrote:

CdnGMfan wrote:

One thing I have noticed on so many overseas Chevrolet & Pontiac exports are those round rear reflectors out back. I wonder when they were made mandatory?
Those 'reflectors' out back are actually our reverse lights.....

Well, not quite everywhere. Here in Germany reflecting rear light lenses are mandatory and need to have a "proven-sign". Since there ist no proven-sign from germany on the rear lenses there have to be reflectors mounted on the rear. Same thing with the front lights. the housing have to have a so calles "E" sign to be legal here in germany. In most cases the original lights have to be replaced. So you won't find selaed beam headlights around here often.

In fact, Andre's Strato Chief also has white round reflectors in the front, for whatever reason I don't know. Maybe that was because of some law in South Africa.

-- Edited by SelimK on Sunday 8th of August 2010 04:41:08 AM