Discussion Forum - Northstar Chevelle Club

BLyke · 1K+ Club

1952 Pontiac Catalina Hardtop

more ambition than brains · 1K+ Club

RE: 1951 Pontiac Hardtop

dashboard · 2K+ Club

You certainly did find a replacement, looks like fun. Great road car and looks to be in great shape. Your pass to Back To The Fifties!

Chris R · 2K+ Club

Nice looking car Bruce. Congrats on the purchase.

BLyke · 1K+ Club

Thanks Guys!

ghaasl · Active Member

Great looking car, Bruce!

Larry Lucast · Active Member

Beautiful! Looks like a fun project.

Derek69SS · Founding Member

cool looking car!

Jon H · 1K+ Club

Looks like less work and more fun that some of your previous projects.

BLyke · 1K+ Club

Jon H wrote:
Looks like less work and more fun that some of your previous projects.

That was the plan, had more "seed money" and time to shop.

Long to do list, will start with non cosmetics issues

BLyke · 1K+ Club

Jon H wrote:
Looks like less work and more fun that some of your previous projects.

That was the plan, had more "seed money" and time to shop.

Long to do list, will start with non cosmetics issues

BLyke · 1K+ Club

Looks like the car is a "2537SD" making it a Chieftain Super Deluxe Catalina Hardtop
One of 1382 made that year, so about 4X rarer that the 71 Convert.

Lost in the 60s · President

Dang Bruce, you came up with a super cool car...

BLyke · 1K+ Club

Lost in the 60s wrote:
Dang Bruce, you came up with a super cool car...

Thanks Mitch, looking forward to getting is sorted out.

Lost in the 60s · President

BLyke wrote:
Looks like the car is a "2537SD" making it a Chieftain Super Deluxe Catalina Hardtop
One of 1382 made that year, so about 4X rarer that the 71 Convert.

Starting in the very early 60's, the SD designation became Super Duty, for their new high performance program. Maybe keep your future options open to locating a Pontiac 389 engine and 400 trans and put 'er back to purebred...

BLyke · 1K+ Club

It is looking like the engine and tranny are from 1974 (still need to verify on the TH400) and looks like it was a "350 T400 police" Version
Still trying to spot the casting date on the 3970010 block, K1223CMJ
The rear brakes are done, so its on to the carb and vacuum lines, seems to be running rich and slow to warm up.
Got a gas pedal from a 1976 Monte Carlo at U-Pul-it that I can mount the kick down switch for the TH400, practically makes the car a club member

-- Edited by BLyke on Saturday 25th of September 2021 09:25:17 AM

BLyke · 1K+ Club

Looking for help on decoding this tag, not anything found on line yet to help with a "LRA" version

Lost in the 60s · President

Is there a number stamped on the left side of the case ? Should be a partial vin there somewhere.

BLyke · 1K+ Club

Lost in the 60s wrote:
Is there a number stamped on the left side of the case ? Should be a partial vin there somewhere.

tried but still cant find it

Lost in the 60s · President

Most commonly in the area in red above the pan, but some have been found on the bellhousing flange also. Either location may be difficult to see in the vehicle.

67ss · 1K+ Club

Being it has the electronic speedo setup I would have to believe that trans is likely going to be an 88-91 model year range.

Lost in the 60s · President

Yep, the "90" on the tag should indicate it's from a 1990 model vehicle. Other than that, I can't find anything else to help either. The "net" is letting us down.
It could, also, be named a 3l80, as GM changed the name in that are, but that designation has even less info.

BLyke · 1K+ Club

67ss wrote:
Being it has the electronic speedo setup I would have to believe that trans is likely going to be an 88-91 model year range.

Mitch = It could, also, be named a 3l80, as GM changed the name in that are, but that designation has even less info.

Thanks. think you guys have it right

"In the 1970s, the TH400 was used in heavier-duty GM trucks and it was available in 2wd and 4wd configurations. The naming of the TH400 was changed to 3L80 (3-speeds, Longitudinally positioned, 8000 lbs. GVW or Gross Vehicle Weight) in 1990 to make it easier for buyers to identify the transmission."

-- Edited by BLyke on Monday 27th of September 2021 08:26:09 PM

Lost in the 60s · President

Bruce, I've spent a couple hours over the past few days, trying many different search terms and formats to track down ANY help decoding the LRA on your tag. If the info is out there, I can't find it, good luck. I suggest calling John, the transmission expert and see if he has any insight on the code. I would, but we are out of town on a camping trip all week. I am sending his contact number via PM for you.

BLyke · 1K+ Club

Lost in the 60s wrote:
Bruce, I've spent a couple hours over the past few days, trying many different search terms and formats to track down ANY help decoding the LRA on your tag. If the info is out there, I can't find it, good luck. I suggest calling John, the transmission expert and see if he has any insight on the code. I would, but we are out of town on a camping trip all week. I am sending his contact number via PM for you.

Thanks Mitch,

guess I'm not the only one to strike out on the searching. for now its enough to know it was just a name change and that the 1990 TH400 was called a 3L80

BLyke · 1K+ Club

Lots of progress today. Went to replace the plugs, cap and rotor, which all needed it... only to discover that the distributor clamp was tight, but was not on the ring

It was easy to turn and suspect it had been slowly moving. running much better and sounds like a 350 should.

Still need to switch the plugs, but just had to give it a try, it needed almost a 1/4 turn, and from struggling to idle to a fairly hi RPM.

-- Edited by BLyke on Wednesday 6th of October 2021 09:33:34 AM

bowtie · Secretary

I'll check tomorrow to see if I can cross that LRA code for a 1990ish trans. If you can find the Vin from the case, that would be ideal. Should be "L" and then 7 more, possibly "LZ" and 6 numbers.

BLyke · 1K+ Club

Thanks Bryan,
think I'm good for the moment, took a ~5 mile drive yesterday. still a lot to sort out but much better than even when test driving prior to buying.

Need to change out the gas petal to one with a kickdown switch and get all the vacuum lines set up

-- Edited by BLyke on Wednesday 6th of October 2021 09:37:41 AM

bowtie · Secretary

0LRA transmission code is for a 1990 1500 Pickup, 2 wheel drive, standard cab, 6 foot box, with a 4.3L engine. It is option code M40.

I also checked up and down other models and 1989 and 1991 to verify. All had different codes.

What is that code? That's the specific "programming" inside the trans for the specific model and options of a vehicle. It's pretty much a designing of how the fluid runs through the valve body.
for example: option code 0HKA is for the same 2 wheel drive, 1500, standard cab, 6' box but with a 7.4 engine. Understandable, that's a 7.4L.

Here's where it can be a little goofy: 1990 1500, 2wd, 1500, 6' box but now EXTENDED CAB is code 0LFA.
Why? It has a different weight and the engineers actually take that into account.

Codes for a 1990 1500 2 wheel drive with the 3 speed auto: 0HKA, BA, HA, 0LFA, 0LRA, and 0LFA.

Same year, same model, GM also had the MD8 trans (aka 700R4/4L60) available and that had 15 programming version codes for that year alone.

BLyke · 1K+ Club

bowtie wrote:
0LRA transmission code is for a 1990 1500 Pickup, 2 wheel drive, standard cab, 6 foot box, with a 4.3L engine. It is option code M40.

I also checked up and down other models and 1989 and 1991 to verify. All had different codes.

What is that code? That's the specific "programming" inside the trans for the specific model and options of a vehicle. It's pretty much a designing of how the fluid runs through the valve body.
for example: option code 0HKA is for the same 2 wheel drive, 1500, standard cab, 6' box but with a 7.4 engine. Understandable, that's a 7.4L.

Here's where it can be a little goofy: 1990 1500, 2wd, 1500, 6' box but now EXTENDED CAB is code 0LFA.
Why? It has a different weight and the engineers actually take that into account.

Codes for a 1990 1500 2 wheel drive with the 3 speed auto: 0HKA, BA, HA, 0LFA, 0LRA, and 0LFA.

Same year, same model, GM also had the MD8 trans (aka 700R4/4L60) available and that had 15 programming version codes for that year alone.

Wow, thanks for the details on the tranny. with all that said, it sounds like it should be okay for the 51 and when the speedo drive gear is replaced i will be able to know just how fast its going

BLyke · 1K+ Club

RE: 1952 Pontiac Catalina Hardtop

Lost in the 60s · President

Dang, that's cool, Bruce. Looks nice.

BLyke · 1K+ Club

Thanks Mitch
I need to get better on taking the before pictures
here is a few on the badging

Went the $2 route (VS $500+)

-- Edited by BLyke on Thursday 11th of November 2021 08:13:26 PM

-- Edited by BLyke on Thursday 11th of November 2021 08:15:11 PM

Lost in the 60s · President

They look 1,000% better than all faded...

Larry Lucast · Active Member

Wow Bruce! Forming the trim is amazing, and the emblems look way better.

BLyke · 1K+ Club

Larry Lucast wrote:
Wow Bruce! Forming the trim is amazing, and the emblems look way better.

It was actually easy, once I figured out what to use and how to try doing it.

The first one didn't turn out

BLyke · 1K+ Club

Since it was time for washing the 71 to put t he cover on, decided to wash the Catalina for the first time too.

Lost in the 60s · President

Dang !! that is a nice looking car and I'm not much of a Green fan... You're going to get a lot of attention at BttF with it...

BLyke · 1K+ Club

Lost in the 60s wrote:
Dang !! that is a nice looking car and I'm not much of a Green fan... You're going to get a lot of attention at BttF with it...

Thanks Mitch,

I'm looking forward to next June, The 350 is now running pretty well, will keep up in traffic a lot better than the Nomad did.

BLyke · 1K+ Club

1- Need to get better on taking before pictures
2 - Since I am still trying to figure out the gas gauge wiring.... (gauge is good, stepped the 12 volt down to 6, checked the grounding, ran a jumper sender wire....)
3- Decided to rework the drivers side seat mount, which lets say was very strange. Also decide to work on the car during the Vikings game and not just sit on the couch for 3 hours

Happy with the choice, even though it looks like the tank may need to come out

-- Edited by BLyke on Sunday 28th of November 2021 07:12:14 PM

Larry Lucast · Active Member

Much better use of time. Your part turned out great, and the Vikings disappointed - again.

I have never remembered to take before pictures. Since my '79 Malibu will remain pretty much stock looking, I took a series of pictures of the engine compartment so I can get all the routing like it was. Since I have almost nothing else to do, I am having trouble finding time to work on either car.

BLyke · 1K+ Club

Tanks, but no Thanks?!
Since is is now December and winterish, and the sending unit seemed to be bad, it was time to pull the gas tank to figure out what exactly the PO had in mind

From what I can surmise, they either had, or inadvertently purchased a 1953-54 gas tank (which was identified while searching for the correct one).

The bad news is the filler tube would not clear the frame, so they installed some 1X4 wooden cribbing to lower the tank. hey also cut the tube and added a joint.

And yes, the sending unit is bad and seems to also be the wrong ohm range.

Sold the wrong one on Marketplace to a guy here in Lakeville

New tank is on order.

On deck is the rework of the Painless Wiring install and the conversion to 12 volt from 6 Volt. think it is still ~28-29 weeks to BTT50's, its all good.

-- Edited by BLyke on Thursday 2nd of December 2021 05:08:33 PM

-- Edited by BLyke on Thursday 2nd of December 2021 05:09:58 PM

Lost in the 60s · President

Well, you're dug in for a while now.
Good Luck with the Painful wiring. I'd be looking at an AAW or M&H replacement, but that's me.

BLyke · 1K+ Club

Lost in the 60s wrote:
Well, you're dug in for a while now.
Good Luck with the Painful wiring. I'd be looking at an AAW or M&H replacement, but that's me.

Since it was already 75% in and converted to 12 Volt, its what I'm going with

Lost in the 60s · President

I understand, you have plenty of time and patience...

BLyke · 1K+ Club

Finally "faced the dragon" of getting the TH400 converted to gear drive speedometer that will work with the 52 Catalina original dash.
After a lot of effort to remove the press fit electronic drive the plan is now to use the plastic gear and clip.
Seemed like a lot could go south with a ~500 F gear while trying to get it on to the shaft and in place.

BLyke · 1K+ Club

Got the new tank is and now have a functional gas gauge.
Also now have a filler neck that is where it should be and is not flopping around.

Lost in the 60s · President

Looks GREAT, now get going so you aren't late for the dinner tonight...

BLyke · 1K+ Club

Yep, I'm so late it will have to next December

Sorry we were not able to make it as we had planned

-- Edited by BLyke on Sunday 12th of December 2021 07:34:31 AM

Larry Lucast · Active Member

That is nice looking.
I am jealous that you are getting things done while I am mostly procrastinating. Whose fault could that be?