Thanks Jack. I have a GM replacement crate engine for this car too, and it's the last one GM made. The reason why it's the last one is because the part# was still good a couple years ago, so I ordered one. GM filled my order, then some bean counter noticed and said, " are we still making those??" Then they discontinued the part# for cost savings. Same with all those new structural body panels, most of them were not NOS, they were what GM called STO (stamp to order). I ordered almost everything I needed (couldn't get the last Item due to a GM quirk that P/N was already discontinued), they stamped them out to fill my order last fall, then they immediately notified all dealers that the STO program will be discontinued on 1-1-24, no doubt because some bean counter noticed my order, lol. I did the same level of restoration on my truck. The frame totally rusted out so I bought a new frame from GM, and miraculously they were still making those frames in 2018. I bought it in Oct of that year and the label on it had a manufacture date of May 2018, so it was factory fresh, lol. Even the dealer parts mgr was surprised about that. The restoration took 4 years. I had the body on a rotisserie, repaired every inch of it to like new or better and as far as the chassis is concerned it runs & drives like new because it practically IS 100% new. It's 22 years old and when you crawl underneath it's like going back in time. I'm the original owner of both vehicles, and they are not everybody's idea of what they'd consider for a restoration project. I understand that sentiment completely. They've been good vehicles for me and I reached a juncture in life where the decision had to be made, either fix them or replace them. Well, I don't want anything new so that left only one option, fix & hold what I've got. With cars, shit's gonna get like Cuba, man. There will be a lot of frugal, resourceful and self sufficient people hanging onto rides that are 40 - 50 years old and making the most of them in the not to distant future. (Especially with the stupid EV agenda.) Older trucks especially are going up in value. I've seen on RU-vid these big wholesalers have prices like $20K or more for 70s & 80s pickup trucks in used as-is condition with a lot of hard wear on interiors, patinaed paint, dents and maybe a little rust. I was around when these trucks were nothing special, now today they are coveted. I also have a '68 Camaro that needs restoration, it's out there saying, HEY, what about me?? (lol.) It's on my bucket list. I doubt any car dude on Earth will have issues with me making that one a keeper. The thing is I have to put the transportation ahead of the toys, so sadly the Camaro must wait its turn.
@@onemoremisfit I have an old Jeep that needs love. I also have a 79 k-5 that I want to do a complete tear down on. Time and money. But, that’s just an excuse. I need to do them both because like you said, it’s gonna be Havana in this country soon enough. Love watching a true craftsman at work brother. Cheers
