Better safe than sorry, does anyone think that if I drop the rear end and springs onto a tranny lift or similar that the rear weight loss would jeopardize the "teeter totter"? Don't want it nose diving off the lift ! :scratchchin:
For step 4 or 5 later, I already tried my K frame bolts and they'll all turn out easy (at least with my 3/4" ratchet). Pretty amazing after 36 years, I changed it out in '79 to fix my father's earlier damage to the passenger side lower control arm.
sit the car almost on the floor, back out the bolts for the rear springs, and let the car set almost on the floor as you drop the rear end. That way if anything gets out of balance the car will just settle on the front tires.
Thanks, kind of what I figured I should do, but my back works so much better standing upright. L4/5 are f'd and my back locks staying bent over. I'll drop the drive shaft, shocks out, brake line, make sure the 4 x 2 front spring mount nuts will all come off, get them loose and then lower it down to pull out. Makes sense and then just roll the assembly around to the other car bay.
Then I'll drop the exhaust and start getting things ready to drop the engine / trans on the K frame.
:popcrn: :2thumbs:
Guess I'd better get my butt in gear.... shop of my choosing had a year or so wait list I was told, but turns out one of my long time airplane customers is the shop owners sledding partner! He wants the car by the first week of February! :2thumbs:
Moving along. Exhaust is off, fuel tank is out, front bumper removed and I guess I should have hit that shock nut with heat first. Can the stud be replaced or do I need to find a new lower shock mount? :shruggy:
Post up in the parts wanted. I got mine from another member when the exact same thing happened to me.
I should have grabbed the ones posted yesterday, along with the rear shackle mounts instead of pointing caveman to the advert!! :yesnod:
you can buy those in the help isle at the parts store.
Really... it looks like a swagged or welded in stud.
:popcrn:
Maybe you should have soaked everything with penetrant the night before starting disassembly
Try one of these. :cheers:
http://www.rosevillemoparts.com/product_info.php/p/replacement-shock-stud-for-rear-shock/products_id/7564
Quote from: BLK 68 R/T on January 05, 2016, 01:16:02 AM
Try one of these. :cheers:
http://www.rosevillemoparts.com/product_info.php/p/replacement-shock-stud-for-rear-shock/products_id/7564
Wow, $25 for one stud!! I bet someone on here has a spare they'd be willing to sell, just put a note in the parts wanted section.
Quote from: JB400 on January 05, 2016, 01:03:07 AM
Maybe you should have soaked everything with penetrant the night before starting disassembly
I did, at least 3 trips around the car in 2 days. My K frame bolts will turn at least! :yesnod: Bumpers came off no issue, etc. This certainly wasn't the stud that I though would snap so easily. I heated side two's nut first before turning!! :2thumbs:
Glad to hear everything else went smoothly :2thumbs: There's always has to be one stubborn one though. :P
Thanks guys for the links and tips.... I have a couple months before I'll get the car back for reassembly and by then I'll get it sorted out.
Fuel line, brake line to rear, emerg brake cables, shocks, drive shaft etc all out of the car ready to drop the rear axle and trans is drained of what looked like fresh 80W90. Torsion bars loosened right off, clutch torque bar removed etc.
Need to pull the radiator, steering column, upper ball joints and torsion bars out and then I can drop the K frame and put her on rollers.
That's a nice looking Bee ! :2thumbs:
Mancini carries the shock stud :yesnod:
http://www.manciniracing.com/shstnutas.html
Ron
:scope: :coolgleamA: :2thumbs: :popcrn:
Thanks and thanks!
K frame, engine and trans should be on the floor (roller unit) before noon tomorrow, as well as the rear end. Down to the 4 K frame bolts and two pins that I set through the trans bulkhead holes. Then I can make some rollers to bolt to the frame and start stripping out the interior. Already have the grill and headlights out.
Cool ride ! :2thumbs:
That car looks rather clean as is :2thumbs:
All the best with it :cheers:
That's the shame of it all, it looks good in pictures... but the paint adhesion has let go from it's 1989 paint job. :brickwall: No option but to go to bare metal and back, but if I'm going to do it I'm doing it correctly one last time. My son is going to get a better car than I did from my old man!! :yesnod: Mission accomplished today, pictures after I eat supper.
Pictures of the roller frame I made from silent beams and a 4' x 2' rolling board. Dropped my K frame complete w/ drive train and suspension out this afternoon, as well as the rear end. Frame is in pretty good condition. Needs a couple spots fixed, main spot being the rear passenger K frame bolt area. Quite possible it was cracked way back when, after my father ditched her in '69 and I put a replacement K frame in her in 79 to put back on the road.
Tomorrow I hope to have a roller frame built and under the car and will pull the front windshield and start stripping the interior out. :laugh:
:icon_smile_big:
:brickwall:
Another productive day! :yesnod: Braced to the K frame bolt on the drivers side, but since the frame needs to be repaired on the rear passenger side K frame bolt location I pegged a bolt into an existing hole to brace that side.
:icon_smile_cool: Was always pissed the last body shop in '89 never fixed that "wow" above the rear bumper on the passenger side before paint. :brickwall: When you work alone for over 20 years you get pretty good at "helping hands"! :2thumbs:
Me trying to get some "fresh air"!
Trunk gutter hidden VIN. Wish my 'Bird's had of been this easy to find.
Factory trunk seal (unfortunately has lived it's life). Thought some might like the "survivor" part number.
Shows factory didn't center the seal overlap.
Upper ball joints were fun!
More "survivor" factory clip on frame rail area.
Factory wiring, speedo clips on frame rail and inner wheel.
Air box out and on floor. Didn't know it was three pieces..
Scoops off.
Front seat out.
Dash shot.
I can't go back to B5.. just can't do it. Maybe something between it and my current blue. :scratchchin:
I think I'm doing pretty good. Have had zero help and as of now I have 29 hours into total tear down. Still need to get the front windshield out, dash out, carpet and headliner pulled. Wife's Birthday tomorrow, so that leaves me 4 days next week to accomplish it. Gone for two weeks as of Friday and Resto shop wants the car Feb 1st.
coming along great :2thumbs: no help on the colour as b5 is fine with me :whistling:
Great looking project!
I too can't fault the color... It looks so good.
I'm sorry if I missed it, is it originally b5?
Thanks, yes and no. Yes it's an original B5 / B5 / X9 car. No, I repainted it in '89 a bit darker.
Now that I have the windshield out, here's a great comparison in the two colours. Think I'm going to shoot for something in between.
25 year old paint held up rather well IMO :2thumbs:
Quote from: 6spd68 on January 11, 2016, 08:52:04 AM
25 year old paint held up rather well IMO :2thumbs:
It did, except for all the places that have bubbled and / or totally lost adhesion.
PS, if interested in selling those seats... :wave: (I'm also in Ontario)
Sorry, not a chance.
When I was young and foolish (1979) I took the front seat out and put buckets in it. Then my bench seat disappeared, along with my magnum 500 wheels, from my mothers garage sometime over the next decade. It took me a long time to find the correct bench seat to put it back original.. almost a year between '88 and '89. I found one in a Coronet 500, 3 cars down in a pile and they wouldn't unstack the cars for me at Tracy's in Barrie. I had to cut a hole in the car roof below to get at the seat bolts above. Totally reupholstered in '89, front and back seats. Wasn't done from a "kit" either, was all done by hand from pictures.
Ha! All good, I know that feel :cheers:
Was ever so careful and managed to get the entire headliner out without ripping or deforming and she would have gone right back in.. WELL... if it wasn't for finding where all the mice I could never track had been going for years.
Headliner looks absolutely perfect underneath, not so much on top! :brickwall:
Panic mode now, resto shop called me at 5:20 and wants to pick the car up on Thursday morning instead of Feb 1st. That's really gonna cut into bikini shopping with the wife tomorrow! :yesnod:
Think I can do it, all I have left is the entire dash assembly, heater/defroster box, master cylinder and windshield wiper system.
Nothing like a moving deadline to help get you motivated! I'm fast at taking stuff apart. Getting it back together is a whole different matter.
Troy
Call me paranoid but I'd put a solid bar connecting the front and back on both sides. Just being careful is all. You can make it where a bolt or pin just holds it in place so it's easily removed when needed. Just pop out the pin and swing it out of the way or remove it when not moving the car around.
Probably not necessary, just a safety thought. :Twocents: :cheers:
Thanks Skip... it's going straight from the hoist bay into the back of an enclosed on Thursday and then they have another contraption once at the resto shop to lift it up to blast the underside. This is what they wanted for hand rolling in their shop and what I built is pretty much identical to what the 6 Daytona thread shows under their cars, although I have better and larger diameter caster wheels. :2thumbs:
:2thumbs:
Wow, what a day. 3 hours plowing snow, as many hours getting the wife looking smoke'in for the beach in Curacao and I managed to get the rest of the car stripped out before calling it a night. :cheers: Tomorrow I can pull my old bumpers off the brackets so they can blast, prime and paint those and get everything else ready for pick up on Thursday. Then we're off for two weeks and I should come back to a stripped, blasted and primed shell to discuss what needs to be fixed up before repaint.
Amazed at how good the firewall insulation still is and I expected to find a mouse nest in the heater box or cowl. Both spotless with not even a piece of mouse poo. Cowl I expected to be rusty.. no such deal.
:popcrn:
Wow. Looks like the sea container is a great way to preserve a car. :2thumbs:
Good thing my wife let me work all day on her Birthday, Sunday! Get a call at 2pm, "coming to get your car, as I can't do it tomorrow, I'll be there in about an hour"! :brickwall: Considering it takes over 1.5 hours to plow my 1200' laneway and shop area it was a good thing he didn't get here for 2 hours. We had a foot of snow fall overnight and I wasn't going to plow until tomorrow morning.
She's gone and will be stripped, glass media blasted on all sides and zinc epoxy primed by the time I get back on the 29th. Then we'll see what the metal looks like and decide what needs to be replaced in the rear frame rail / trunk pan and I think we'll do that drivers floor pan to make it all pretty. Torn down this far no point skimping now. :rotz:
I sure wish the paint looked as good as it does in the picture of her in the trailer! :yesnod:
Some days you just ask yourself, why the hell did I start this??!! Easy to forget all the back yard patching as teenagers, improperly overlapped seams on quarter panel installs, bondo filled dents and such some 35 years later hidden under some shiny paint. But have no fear, full stripping and media blasting brought it back to reality really quickly for me today! Everything shiny in epoxy stays, the rest goes. New inner fenders, upper cowl, full floor pan, torsion bar crossmember, trunk pan, rear leaf spring shackle mounts, rear bumper bulkhead, both rear inner and outer wheel wheels, passenger frame rail, new door skins, etc. There goes the first 10K (cdn) in parts and probably 3 weeks work for the metal man. Better start cleaning up Leah's 'Vette to sell so I can pay for this! :2thumbs:
While the body shop works on my shell, I'm working away at restoring the driveline, suspension etc so it's ready when I get the body back.
Think I caught the LCA's just in time... :yesnod:
your doing a great job. wish I was there to help.
I could send you an airline ticket! ! LOL
Thankful today that an understanding wife of almost 34 years has had no issue with me moving my spare parts collection, that I've had since I was 17, from house to house to house over the years. Went through it today to find my original VIN match 833. Way back in the day I'd put it in our '69 Fury II behind a 440 and before Dad had noticed I found another in a junk yard Road Runner to put back in the 'Bee. That trans has been in there to date since 1979, but when I reassemble the car it will be back to all numbers matching. Brought back a lot of memories going through my crates. Spare 383 magnum, a 383 and 440 crankshaft. Nice pair of 906 magnum heads, two 383 x 4bl intakes, spare 8 3/4" pumpkins, axles, pedal assemblies and lots of other "trinkets"!
I guess I could pack my bags. could use a vacation. working on mopars would be just the thing. sunny and warm there right? have beer?
going good ! :coolgleamA: great stuff ! :yesnod:
love looking at this kind of thread :yesnod: :popcrn:
Coming along nicely :popcrn:
Thanks guys... at this point I probably should change the title, as it's no longer just a strip and paint but like all things good has turned into a total restoration. :scratchchin: Spent part of the morning heating and massaging some dings out of the bottom of the K frame, probably from an old chain tow back when. Have the sway bar mounts off, K frame done, LCA struts, trans (x2), Lakewood scatter shield and a few other parts all ready to load and take for media blast, zinc epoxy and paint where required. Trans of course stays bare, scatter shield I'll have primed and then paint to match the engine when I get to that.
Have my LCA's in solvent, soaking the grease off and then I'll put in my blaster to clean and then weld the PST lower reinforcing plates in place before adding to the pile for the restoration shop to blast properly, epoxy and paint. Pretty certain mine were always black...
Heading back out to the shop shortly to finish pulling the rear axle assembly down, so it can get blasted and painted. Still waiting for someone to answer my spring colour thread... I've read they stay bare, but see everyone painting black?
Why you never give up your spare parts stash until it's your kid's problem!! :2thumbs:
Casting dates even work for my car and the passenger side has a working heat riser valve. Broke an ear on the drivers side, when I removed the exhaust last month. I'll have both pairs media blasted and get the broken one welded later for a set of spares again...
Looking great there man :2thumbs:
Thanks HH.. snow plowing has been getting in my way of progress, but today I got the LCA pivot shafts pressed out and both arms blasted so I can weld the PST reinforcing plates onto them.
Starting with a nice tight set of LCA's, compared to a lot of others I've seen. Almost zero slop in the TB adjuster assembly.
Really looks like a great project. Looks like you are doing it right!
KID
Thanks KID! Been one of our family cars since '69. I started as just wanting to get it back on the road as a mental diversion after loosing a daughter and then found the '89 paint job was bubbled and of course once you start something it just steamrolls! :brickwall: OH well... no turning back now!
Realized it was dumb to pay the restoration shop to blast a few of the smaller items. Figured I could at least do the cleaning blast and then let them touch up, zinc epoxy prime and paint as needed. Then I realized I could get my exhaust manifolds in my little blasting unit, so pointless to pay someone else considering they won't be painted and man what a difference!!! They certainly don't make exhaust parts to this quality anymore!! Amazing for 47+ years old.
Drivers exhaust cleaned up as good as new. Ran out of energy but got the passenger side started. Looks like it will clean up as well.
Went to pull the rear axle assembly down today and realized it would be easier to change the pinion seal now, so I did. I media blasted the yoke before reassembly and polished the seal mating surface. Tomorrow I will pull the axles and the pumpkin, then cover the pumpkin innards and blast it clean as well. The axle housing will go to the resto shop for media blast, prime and paint in semigloss black.
I also rubbed down one of the blasted LCA strut rods (the lower one in picture) with 80W90 gear oil to see what it looks like. Think it came out pretty nice and should deter rust since they went in bare.
Also loving this Evaporust. I've cleaned up a lot of bolts... my torsion bar adjusters that took a lot of muscle to disassemble now turn easily together by hand. Today I tried it on a rusty rear drum and it's amazing stuff.
Still can't get over how well this Evapo-rust works!
Axles out, pumpkin pulled and thankfully I found no metal, a wonderful wear pattern on the gears etc. So the housing will be blasted, epoxy primed and painted semi gloss black for reassembly.
Found a perfect sized bucket for the pumpkin so I can media blast it without worry of anything getting in the gear set.
Quote from: birdsandbees on February 13, 2016, 05:50:06 PM
Then I realized I could get my exhaust manifolds in my little blasting unit, so pointless to pay someone else considering they won't be painted and man what a difference!!! They certainly don't make exhaust parts to this quality anymore!! Amazing for 47+ years old.
Possible to spray them with some high-temp rust paint? Or not worth it? :scratchchin:
I figure if that's all the "patina" they have after 47 years, I'll start with them clean again and they'll look fine for the rest of my lifetime! :lol:
Well 3 weeks later and our metal finally came in almost a month after it was promised and my over the axle pan is back ordered "maybe sometime this month" from AMD is all we can get. Looks like my Bee might go on the trammel rack by next Friday and they'll start with the front floor pan, inner wheel wells and right frame rail.
In the mean time I made up a make shift blast cabinet a few weeks ago and glass media'd my pumpkin. Came out nice and I rubbed it down with 80W90 to keep it from rusting again.
Keep forgetting to update this, if anyone wants me to continue.
Last week or so I rebuilt the entire heat box, all new flapper seals etc and a complete clean up. Pictures of the old and the refurbished. I left it bare metal as per original, but wiped it down with gun oil.
Still hoping someone can tell me what the two decals may have been beside the speed resistor.
6 weeks late coming in, but we finally got our AMD metal.. other than the over the axle pan is back ordered. This was my body getting set up for the jigging rack on Tuesday morning. Going to start with the front inner fenders, upper cowl and right front frame rail in hopes by then the missing pan is in to complete the full floor pan front to back and both inner and outer wheel wells.
Car was completely hand stripped of 3 paint jobs and then glass media blasted, before being zinc epoxy primed within 2 hours of the blasting being done.
:popcrn: definitely continue, really enjoying this.
Thanks, started on the dash yesterday and at first was just going to give it a good scrub and clean.. but that quickly escalated ! :lol:
Going to pull my "modern" cassette deck and reinstall the original AM radio. Being the pack rat I am I still had the original.
My ash tray was well used and abused, was able to get a nice fresh one from a member here. (thanks "White and Red 69"!)
Also found out why the girlfriend / wife had to sit so close when touring, found the heat control cable bent and only getting about 1/2 cable travel.
I noticed in a thread about restoring the dash someone asked if the builder had used primer... and I can definitely tell you based on spray pattern that Dodge certainly didn't on mine. One quick shot of black and bare metal still showing in the heat control area.
coming along :2thumbs:
What gauges did you use in your cluster?
I will just be cleaning up my existing gauges, although I did order a repro tic toc clock and tach in case I need it. Remember mine having issues, but it could have just been wiring. I also ordered a set of gauge face decals when I was ordering my new 'Bee trunk stripe from PCG the other day in case I need them. What I don't use will either go back into my spares or be offered for sale here.
:2thumbs: :coolgleamA: :popcrn:
Great progress!
Thanks !
Todays progress..
Found a spot broken in my dash frame, between the cluster and radio area. TIG'd it up and ground smooth again.
Thanks to Troy's post this morning on his 'Bird resurrection I built a quick couple of brackets to hold my dash for refurbishment. Just screwed the posts to the table. My dash pads are in great shape, but letting go in spots, so I tugged..pulled and contact cemented them back in place.
Paint is pretty good on the top, but rust on both ends so may as well do it right. Lower section showing rust. Chrysler never even primed these, one quick shot of satin black.
Ash tray area dash pad has shrunk, pulled away, deformed so it's not square with the tray. I made a wood block and jammed it in and then reglued the back. I don't expect it to come back 100% but hopefully it looks a bit better on final assembly.
:popcrn:
Also broke the law and pulled my VIN tag. With over 75,000 avex rivets in my shop there is no way I'm paying $50 US for a pair of flower head rivets to put the tag back on after repaint of the dash. Took my time (probably 30 minutes per rivet) and just reshaped the stems back until I could pull them through the dash. Will steal a couple new mandrels out of my rivet stock when it comes time to put the tag back on.
Received a few shots this morning from the restoration shop, as my metal begins to be replaced on the jig rack. They had just started putting the car on the rack on Tuesday morning so this is just a few days work.
Up front both inner fenders and splash shields are being done, top cowl (vs fixing the windshield edge rot) and either the complete or a partial right frame rail replacement due to the rear K frame bolt area being pretty much cracked off. Once that is done, the complete floor is being replaced firewall to bumper, including wheel wells.
Seeing some very nice metal work here with the S shaped insert on the firewall. Was the only place that it media blasted thru, where crap sat in the corner of the splash shield area.
I'm going over on Wednesday to see her in person and of all things on my birthday bringing my account up to date! :rofl:
Did the $65 paint quest yesterday, to see what matched the old hidden out of sunlight spots on my dash assembly the closest.
Rust Check Flat Black won.. not what I expected. Duplicolor Trim Paint is a close second, duplicolour semi gloss is way too dark a black and Krylon Satin and Semi-gloss same deal.
I'm going to let the Rust Check Flat and Duplicolor Trim Paint cure for a few days and see what scratches / mars the easiest and go with the other. In the mean time I'll be doing corporate tax returns.. :brickwall: :brickwall:
A removed VIN tag !! (http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z72/kentaaros/emoties/runaway.gif) :icon_smile_big:
Can't wait to see this car completed !! :coolgleamA: :coolgleamA:
Dropped by today to check things out. Metal is moving right along, but I have a feeling that's gone to come to a screeching halt by weeks end with no over axle pan (B/O), no passenger door sill (lost in shipment) and I decided we should be putting rear rails in in conjunction with the new rear leaf spring brackets and AMD is showing the left rear rail out of stock. Oh well, it'll get done when it gets done.
Happy Birthday and good luck! :cheers: Your moving this all along at a remarkable pace!! :2thumbs:
Thanks!
I got lucky and beat a 1 year wait to get into the restoration shop because they had a lull in the action (and the owner is the sledding buddy of one of my long time customers / friends). He's kicking himself now I think, with over 7 Ferrari's suddenly in the shop, a 68 Cuda, Eleanor Mustang build and a few others. Luckily the custom Eleanor build was able to come off the jig rack last week to get mine on it. He has one dedicated metal man that does all this kind of metal work and they leave him alone in a building strictly to himself without distraction.
The stuff I'm doing, I try to put in at least 4 or 5 hours a day to keep my mind moving forward.
Got my brand new seat belt set today... nice for 600 bucks :rofl: My original 46 and 47 year old belt ends, in both cars, aren't this crusty! Guess they pack some nice salt air in every sealed assembly bag!
Been following your thread and noticed that you're replacing the torsion bar cross member. Take a hard look at the sockets for the TBs. I replaced the same with a AMD piece and found that the sockets were not parallel. I found out when I put the torsion bars in and let the LCA end hang loose (not inserted in the LCA socket.) You could see them hang at different angles. Hope yours are better than mine.
Thanks will have a good look next time I'm over... actually I'll ask the guys on Tuesday morning (long weekend here) to see if they are indexed identically, but of course clocked opposite. I am having them weld some channel inside the beam to the TB "shaft" so there is no way it can let go in my life time.
Very nice work and happy birthday! :cheers:
Thanks Dino... AMD has no rear B Body frame rails available, but I was able to get a pair that were in stock from Classics in California this afternoon, they ship tomorrow.
Still haven't heard back from the seat belt vendor, but I'm sure not eating these pieces of crap.
Lynch Road must have been running to capacity when my car was built. Scheduled build date on my fender tag is Feb 25th, 1969. My left exhaust manifold was cast on Feb 27th and my engine pad "E 383 2 28 HP" was stamped on Feb 28th. Just a tidbit for those that question casting / stamp dates on correct restorations. :yesnod: I know that they are all original and this is the numbers matching engine that came in the car.
Got my dash frame cleaned up and painted today. Ended up going with the Duplicolor Trim Black (CTP700000) on the outside and used up the can of Rust Check flat black on the back side. I started out with the dash pad taped off, thinking I was just going to blast the outer ends and a bit of the bolt flange, but that quickly escalated :brickwall:. As I blasted I continued to see brown under the black as I worked further and further inbound.. so it was all rusty even though it looked quite good. I ended up removing the dash pad and blasted off the remaining bit. Blasted the rust out of the back side and sprayed it with the Rust Check flat. Then scuffed the front with 320, cleaned up and sprayed with the Duplicolor Trim Black. It should dry a bit duller than the pictures, or so I sure hope! :yesnod:
Started to pull my engine accessories off, in between paint coats on the dash, so I can get the engine ready for blast and paint as well.
:cheers:
:popcrn:
Kept the heat up in the shop last night for the paint to set up and it dulled down really nice. Happy with how close it came out to original.. now to resist temptation to start assembly too soon and let the paint cure instead. Cleaned, prepped and painted my glove box hinge / spring assembly as well.
If you can set it in the sun for a few hours the paint will be baked. Let it cool down and you can start assembly. :yesnod:
Thanks Dino.. lots of other things to work on while I wait and it's about 85 in the shop with the stove stoked so won't take long anyhow. Hung the glove box hinge to bake! :yesnod:
Finally got an RMA for those miserable seat belts so I could return and started pulling my engine components off for media blast and repaint. Figured at this point all frost plugs should be replaced, the water pump inspected as well as the timing chain and gear. Would suck to find out after reassembly that the plastic coating on the cam gear was all in the pan.
Interior of the pump impellor, housing and all the water jackets is amazingly clear, considering it's all been together since '78/79 after a rebuild in that era. Back when I stored the car in '82, after getting married, I had added about 1/8th of a quart of oil to the radiator fluid. Not sure that was the ticket, but the block passages are incredible clean.
Timing chain, can someone tell me the normal deflection. With a straight edge across the chain and it pushed back I get 9/32nds of deflection at the mid point. Time to replace or is it fine?? :shruggy:
Looks really nice but I would not trust old nylon or rubber seal on the pump just due to ageing. Again your making remarkable progress! :2thumbs:
Pump seal spring isn't even rusty and spins as smooth as can be. Water pumps an easy thing down the line if need be, but considering I had it running before pull down I think it's fine. It's the timing chain I'm worried about..
Awesome thread and great progress! I'd throw a double roller in there and be done with it.
Quote from: birdsandbees on March 31, 2016, 07:31:25 PM
Pump seal spring isn't even rusty and spins as smooth as can be. Water pumps an easy thing down the line if need be, but considering I had it running before pull down I think it's fine. It's the timing chain I'm worried about..
I agree, while my car sat for about 5-6 years I've had it "in service" the rest of 20 years for the most part. Early on I was accused of doing "10 year fixes" to every problem that involved more time and money. I knew I was buying mechanical service time, the car had to earn it's keep or I'd be forced to sell it. Your cars are at a level I can't even dream of (My 70 Charger's body is kind of a hot mess but it runs good. :lol: ) so just considering how beautifully done it will be soon I cringe at any engine/transmission repair later! :2thumbs:
Quote from: igozumn on April 01, 2016, 07:06:46 AM
Awesome thread and great progress! I'd throw a double roller in there and be done with it.
Thanks! Cloyes or Edelbrock?.. I can get either easily. Even though the slack is apparently normal, I figure it's time for the old "silent chain" OEM to go.... before the plastic teeth let go.
My old chain had more slack than that and the new chain is way tighter. But I guess it'll develop slack once it has been running for a while.
Whatever you do, don't rely on the marks on the timing gears and degree that cam! ;)
Yah.. but you were on drugs at the time!! :lol:
Hopefully I can lock things down so nothing moves.. but probably won't get that lucky! :rotz:
Well..yeah...but it wasn't my fault! :lol:
It'll be hard to have it not move at all, not to say you can't make a mark somewhere but I'd still degree it!
I take it you're leaving the engine pretty much alone then?
No reason to pull it down, runs smooth, no smoke or knocks and all exhaust ports are nice and dry. Guess I should have done a compression test before pulling the starter and bell housing, but I could do that by spinning with an impact gun on the harmonic bolt I guess.
Quote from: birdsandbees on April 01, 2016, 10:01:58 AMThanks! Cloyes or Edelbrock?.. I can get either easily.
I'm sure either would be fine. I have a Comp Cams in mine.
Thanks, I ordered the Cloyes double roller last night so it has the weekend to travel. Want to get the covers back on and a new oil pan, so we can hopefully blast, epoxy prime and paint the engine next weekend.
Good call on the new timing set ! :2thumbs:
If that has the stock cam I'd be inclined to degree it in @108-109 to help with torque and throttle response. ;)
Ron
Thanks Ron, pretty sure it was just a stock cam on rebuild in '79. My cam is a single bolt cam gear.
Man I wish I could paint my engine but it's too damn cold!
I was going to do it myself, but the resto shop owner convinced me to bring it over on a Saturday and we'll blast, epoxy prime and he has about 1/2 a gallon of some $$$$ helicopter paint already mixed the correct orange (or close enough). Stuff takes 14 hours to dry. Says it's my Birthday present... that I'm sure will fit in on my bill somewhere later.. :lol:
Well that's cool! Especially if it doesn't show up on the bill!
Helicopter paint huh? How many HP does that add? :lol:
He does a lot of Ferrari and Lambo restorations, where customers have to have their car and 'copter paint match. The thankful side is that Aviation paint is still not legislated to water base thanks to these guys with $$$$$'s keeping it available. My car even got ZINC epoxy primed... :icon_smile_big: As I build aircraft I can still get zinc epoxy chromate as well, but it's getting damn hard to obtain.
Found you, will be following along. Beautiful Bird you have there as well. :drool5:
It's an '88 or so repaint as well (I bought the car Fall '89).... and while it could probably use a full restoration, it ain't gonna happen on my dime. Supposed to be an EW1 Alpine White car. I'd sell it and buy someone else's hard work for 10 cents on the dollar first! :yesnod: That said, I do have about 3 grand worth of "trinkets" that I bought over the winter for it, to clean it up back to somewhat presentable. Bought a formed hood pad, new steering wheel, NOS tail light lenses & front signal lenses. Battery tray, proper battery cables, nose jack and a bunch of little things that add up quickly. Doesn't take long to spend money these days as I'm certainly finding out with the 'Bee.
Time to shine up the wife's '64 Vette and get it sold so I can pay for all of this!! :yesnod:
My rear frame rails finally showed up from California today and I ran them right over to the resto shop just in time. Drew's been busy!
Front passenger rail, both inners, upper windshield cowling, main floor, passenger inner sill and cutting out the rear wheel wells and floor as I arrived. Our over axle pan is still undelivered, but it's supposed to ship out of AMD tomorrow and our missing passenger outer sill is to be delivered tomorrow.
:popcrn:
Got some decals in the mail today from the great folks at PCG !! :2thumbs: David even threw in the safety standards decal for the drivers door frame, that goes above the dome light switch and the correct part # air cleaner sticker for my Ramcharger hood, realizing that was all to complete my car and I hadn't ordered them.
Great folks to deal with. Now all I need is a painted car....... :yesnod:
Now your rockin, puts my minimal metal work to shame, lol.
Did you consider Pheonix Graphix at all? Just curious.
Both PCG and Phenoix get good reviews here. Not sure what the real reason, but I guess PCG's site seemed easier to click, add to cart and buy. (and the stripe was 10 bucks cheaper.. that'll buy me a Ramcharger hood decal! LOL) Looking at Phenoix's site just now, realized they have a complete "technical" decal kit that is supposed to have everything but I think I have most of it covered already anyhow.
Thanks for the answer, I've been going back and forth between the two, haven't ordered anything yet.
If you ever need an extra Ramcharger decal let me know, I accidentally bought one from Year One about 20 years ago, lol.
I love the PCG decals, did my instrument cluster with those a few years ago and it looks perfect! :yesnod:
Your car is sure coming along nicely! :2thumbs:
Quote from: CDN72SE on April 07, 2016, 03:36:20 PM
If you ever need an extra Ramcharger decal let me know, I accidentally bought one from Year One about 20 years ago, lol.
Thanks, I just bought one from David.. think I bought one from someone else a few months ago (and it's on the shelf somewhere) and I think I have a Year One decal in my file folder as well from 1989... but if I messed them all up I'll come see you! :icon_smile_big:
..and Thanks Dino, she's a couple months behind what I wanted, but at least we're making progress. Hoping I can get my rear axle housing back soon and start assembling the rear end, but he doesn't want to bother blasting and painting it until the metal man is done with my K frame holding the front frame rails in the correct place so he can paint it same time.
Project will go back burner within the next month, as I need to be North shortly after Mothers Day to open our flyin camp.
Getting my water pump, timing chain cover etc all cleaned up and ready for my new double roller chain and gears to arrive on Monday. Then I can button the motor back up with a new oil pan and get everything blasted, primed and painted.
Cleaned up the harmonic balancer lip seal surface in the lathe.
Also popped my rocker covers for the very first time since 1989... amazingly clean and as noted in another thread ZERO leakage. Looks like I siliconed them to the cover and nothing to the head. Regular cheap $3 cork gaskets from back in time. Wish I could find them, all I've been able to buy is those hard $30 things. OH well.. those gaskets will do for now when I throw an old set of covers on for media blasting before paint.
Flipped the motor and pulled the pan and windage tray. Everything looks super clean in there, cylinders still have x hatch, no ring wear step, cam and lifters look pretty clean.... and then I went looking for trouble.
Stuck a piece of 1/8" wire into the sump pick up screen and gave it the full circle sweep.. these popped out. Figure the two hard plastic/rubber pieces are part of a valve stem seal. I have on exhaust seal that is split open. The metal piece appears to be part of an oil control ring, but I can't see anyway how such could get out of the grove.. between the piston and cylinder wall and down into the pan.. .keeping it's cylinder diameter and proper shape. It must be from way back at engine rebuild time or before rebuild and just residing in the back of the intake... or at least I hope.
Finally got my replacement seat belt set, these ones being nice and shinny and not crusty like the first set I was shipped. Figured while they were paying the shipping for my belts I'd splurge the 300 bucks and buy a new dash pad. Very disappointed in the lack of detail in the reproduction pad and giving serious thought to sending it back. No sharp edges or detail at the heater / defroster control area, 45 degree chamfer is missing on the pad to dash transition and the dash pad end angles are not even close to the original.
:popcrn:
Yay on the belts but :down: on the dash pad. I'd send that back without thinking twice.
Does anyone make a dash pad that is OEM correct?... before I try to return this one.
Who made that dash pad? (If you don't mind sharing?) The side by side photos really are striking just how "off" the repop is! Not much better than a "Coverlay" cap!
China #1888-70 B. Bought it from PG Classic Restoration Parts in Ottawa. Web description is "THIS NEW REPRODUCTION 69-70 Mopar B-Body Charger, Roadrunner, Coronet, Gtx,Super Bee. Reproduction vinyl covered dash pad features all the details as original. Includes a Metal core and pre-installed studs with factory attaching point locations. These pads are assembled by hand"
I presume you'd get the identical pad from B/E&A, as they use the same part numbers and in the seat belt box there was a notice paper that said "B/E&A and PG Classic sells this seat belt set as decorative and not DOT approved".
I just looked at Classics in California and see they sell what appears to be the exact pad, but scrolling some more I see they sell another for $200US more that is made by Legendary. The icon picture states that both are OE Style, but when you click for full description the Legendary one says "Correct contours and dimensions". Issue with Classics for me is while there is no reason this size of an item can't go courier they show it truck freight as they did with my rear frame rails that could have easily gone on the brown truck.
Does anyone know if Legendary's pad is truly correct to OEM details???
Picture I just got emailed from the shop. Subject title was "Flintstone car". :lol:
Entire trunk, wheel wells and frame rails out. Cleaning up, drilling holes in quarter lips, etc, ready to install and weld in new metal.
Quote from: firefighter3931 on April 01, 2016, 01:31:22 PM
Good call on the new timing set ! :2thumbs:
If that has the stock cam I'd be inclined to degree it in @108-109 to help with torque and throttle response. ;)
Ron
My new gears and chain arrived. It's got three key ways, I can install it OEM straight up, or 4 retarded for more high RPM HP, or 4 advanced for more low end torque. Suspect going with the 4 advanced is the smartest thing to do, or should I just stick with factory setting on this stock 383 magnum?
What cam do you have in there? Mine had 4 degrees ground in. I set mine at 108 for more torque. It makes sense on a street car. Most fun from light to light and less importance what it does up top.
Degree that thing, don't trust the markings on the gear. I have experience in this matter.... ;)
As noted it's a bone stock 383 magnum, just the way it came off Lynch Rd. I can lock things down so nothing moves and then make sure zero/zero works on the gear/chain assembly the same as the factory set up, then go with the 4 advance keyway location instead.
Starting to realize the difference between a tremclad overhaul and a restoration is the 100's of hours of media blasting!! :rofl: Got all my pulleys, alternator brackets, bolts, water pump, etc media blasted today and the stuff that needs to be black painted into semi gloss.
In between paint coats I located my stock timing chain gears to 0 - 0 and then removed them. Temporarily installed my new double roller kit on 0 - 0, to make sure the marks were indeed correct vs keyway position, and then re and re'd it on the 4 degree advanced keyway for a little more low end torque. Timing chain cover seal and gaskets in place, installed and then the dual gaskets on windage tray and my new 402 oil pan torqued down into place.
Found a perfect sized spray can lid that fit nicely in the lip seal, then later put a bead of sealant around it, so media blasting the engine won't be an issue of anything getting inside. All I need to do now is temporarily install an old set of rocker covers and make some block off plates for water galleries and exhaust ports. Then I can take the engine over to the resto shop for proper media blast and engine paint.
:popcrn:
:popcrn:
Ha! I did the exact same thing to my engine yesterday and today. Just finished installing the parts. Feels good to make progress doesn't it? :2thumbs:
:2thumbs:
Lots of work getting a motor sealed up for media blasting... but it's done and ready for blasting and painting.
Also found my, long thought lost, visor mount seat belt brackets today while rummaging through my oldest roller cabinet looking for something else. Wondered where they had gone, been there since 1988!
3 mornings later and it looks like I have frame rails in, all wheel wells, rear valance panel and trunk pan. Friggin over the axle pan still hasn't shown up. :brickwall:
:2thumbs:
Father in law pulled up today.. made it across the border with my stash! :2thumbs:
Might have to have an LCA dipping party in Ontario for the local guys, to pay for this $400 jug! :yesnod:
Well hallelujah, I now have a full new floor, new frame rails, new leaf spring mounts, wheel wells, etc. The guys figure two more days of welding to put everything back in place and then body work can start. :icon_smile_big:
Be sure to check the inside edges at rear 1/4 windows. The factory seemed to never get any paint up inside there, mine had really crappy rust issues growing hidden!
Not much happening on my end, but the resto shop has the majority of the metal work done and it's starting to look like a new car. A few small items to put in place after I left at noon, like the Ebrake cable guide, speedo clip, tunnel seat belt plates and the dual exhaust hangar. Once they are in and a few welds cleaned up and finished off she will be totally media blasted again and everything into zinc epoxy primer tomorrow or Wednesday.
Also got my K frame back epoxy primed and painted, so I can start building the front suspension back up.
Well pulling my hair out trying to get the final pieces I need for the assembly puzzle when I get my shell back. Dash pad sent back, 5 piece bezel kit that has three pieces in gloss and the two end plates in flat :brickwall:. Figured I'd bite the bullet and order a "proper" double the price dash pad from Legendary and then while on their site figured I may as well order headliner, some new arm rest bezels, etc figuring it would be shipped right out. When I asked for a tracking number on Monday it was "sorry 6 to 8 weeks to build the order" ! WHAT...
Oh well, like the Resto shop owner keeps saying to me "it's the norm of the industry unfortunately, they tell you a week and 3 months later you get the stuff"... "it's supposed to be fun restoring your car, don't lose any sleep over these things and go with the flow". Great advise, but it sure makes it hard to accomplish anything on a schedule.
All my major metal work is now done and all the new AMD was media blasted clean on Friday and everything epoxy primed over the weekend ready for body work. Door shells media blasted and epoxy primed inside and new door skins going on. Going over tomorrow to see the progress and go over the car again with the lads so nothing gets missed on body work.
:coolgleamA: looks good :2thumbs: :popcrn:
Thanks Tan Top!
Visited the shop today to go over the past 2 weeks progress and get all the pictures of the metal work to date. Put my bill back into the credit stage and came home to work on my heat / defroster control refurbishment.
Here's a teaser shot from the resto shop showing my "new car" !
Milling for the replacement lower shock mount studs picture one.
Replacement studs ready for Loctite and tightening picture two.
No matter how many times I washed these plastic defroster vents, they still looked brown in the grain.
Old can of the Tannery (as you can tell from the price tag). Amazing how well it works.
Cleaned up vent picture one.
Going into dash two and three.
Broke off a "stud". Pen cartridge is the perfect size for the internal hole. Loctite super glue, pen cartridge left in place and then cut off. Worked like a charm
Defroster controls. Bought an extra from B5blue to use the best parts of two.
Coming apart for full cleaning, switch clean / test etc and so I can repaint the lettering.
MAAS is great stuff for polishing up the shiny stuff.
The Tannery, lol. I think my parents have a can of that stuff in their basement which still has the wood panelling on the wall. Made me smile when I saw the can.
Nice work, I'm kind of at that stage as well as far as the dash and vent controls. Enjoy watching your project. :2thumbs:
Thanks, did a test run over the weekend on my spare heat / defrost control. Out of the 8 different blacks that I have, the SEM trim paint seemed to be the closest in color and gloss to OEM. Cleaned, prepped and painted with the SEM and let dry for an hour or so while I did something else. Then made a make shift dabber with a plastic cork screw and a shop towel. Dip in paint (sprayed from can onto paper), blot and then dab on lettering. Worked pretty good, other than on the real run I need to find a better dabber material, as the shop towel gig had me picking fibers out with tweezers. I had the last F in OFF fill in between the top to lines and I used a jewellers screw driver to clean out the white and dab in some black successfully. At least I know I have a process that will work and looks pretty clean.
Very nice! :2thumbs:
That looks great!
I did my bezels with a white paint pen. Got it at Walmart and I think it was Elmers. It works real nice!
Thanks Dino and B5.. like I said this was the trial run. Maybe I'll see if our Canuck Walmart has a paint pen. I had no idea how I was going to make the TEMP and FAN look nice, so I ordered a new reproduction set of levers, only to have them come back today and say "no longer available". Nice.. maybe update your friggin on line catalogue! Don't want to use decals...
I dabbed a toothpick in white paint and carefully applied it to the raised areas. Worked well, just took a long time to finish.
From Resto Rick's site:
I use an old fashioned pencil... eraser end used like a stamp...
smear out white One shot brand enamel in a thin layer on a palette of some sort... I use a plastic mud mixing board...
then you can pick up the paint with the eraser dabbing it. Then use it like a rubber stamp on the letters.
Rick
Thanks, I get to try it again as I messed up the spare anyhow trying to clean up some lint spots. Going to have to media blast it bare, paint black and start all over.
Spent almost 1/2 an hour in Walmart this morning, looking for the paint pen and final found it with no help from any of the employees. Tried using it to do the FAN and TEMP letters and finally said $%*($%)@ it and ordered a couple of decal sets from David. Unfortunate that I couldn't get those replacement levers that I tried to order for the cleanest look.
birdsandbees,
If you don't mind me asking, how much is the body shop charging you to pretty much replace the back half of your car? I need the same metal replacement on my 70 charger and I'm trying to get a ball park figure on how much it's going to cost me. I know how much the metal is but I don't know what the going rate is for all of that metal replacement.
Thanks,
Marshall
:2thumbs: :coolgleamA: :popcrn:
Quote from: marshallfry01 on May 10, 2016, 10:57:59 PM
birdsandbees,
If you don't mind me asking, how much is the body shop charging you to pretty much replace the back half of your car? I need the same metal replacement on my 70 charger and I'm trying to get a ball park figure on how much it's going to cost me. I know how much the metal is but I don't know what the going rate is for all of that metal replacement.
Thanks,
Marshall
Pretty hard to break it down Marshall. As of my visit last week I've forked over about $32K Cdn (plus tax) to the resto shop @ $65/hr. If you look thru my pics you'll see they pulled the body down, removed all the glass, media blasted the entire car inside and out. 3 frame rails replaced, upper windshield cowling, inner wheel wells, full floor pan from front to back, new torsion bar cross member, wheel well tubs, leaf spring attach, rear bumper mount etc. Pulled my door skins off to blast the shells and ready to reskin (have new AMD door skins) That $32k includes the $9800 in AMD metal that they got in on my behalf. It does not include the two rear frame rails that I bought myself from Classics and had them shipped from California. Was the last set available in NAmerica at that time, looks like AMD is still back ordered on those.
Still have to do the doors, hood, repair the front fenders (as you can't buy Coronet fenders) and then all the body work. Long shot is figuring July before paint, so another 2 months or 20 to 25k before it has paint on it.
It's crazy money and not a hope in hell I'd spend it if it was just a "car". I already know that I could never sell the car now and make a dime. My father bought it new, I raised hell in it as a teen in 79/80/81, got laid in it, got married in it in '82 and took my 3 kids for rides in it... so it's priceless.
Put my original cleaned up AM radio back in the dash, along with the wiring harness. Note the Chryco radio.. showing it was a Canadian sold car.
Round two on the heat / defrost plate. Media blasted with glass and repaint in SEM. Will give a day and then stamp the white on, hopefully cleaner this time.
And the amazing thing of the day... My "6 to 8 weeks to build your order" from Legendary is shipping in the morning, just 9 days after they told me 6 to 8 weeks. Hmmmm.... Sure hope the dash pad is correct in every detail... :yesnod:
Looking mighty fine. :coolgleamA:
And worth every penny. :yesnod:
Looks nice. Congrats. :2thumbs: LEON.
Thanks guys, it's an emotional rollercoaster for me.. between why I went back to my cars to stay sane and then the sticker shock on where it's gotten to after media blast. Thankful, at least, that I'm spending a life insurance policies payout without guilt, as Jen loved the car from an early age.... :yesnod: I'm sure there are better things I could have done with her policy payout, but at least this one offers no gain for me and that I can at least live with.
My resto shop guys said more than once, "once you start it will never end". Here's proof again... proper correct exhaust hangars. Loops for the '69 Bee and while I was at it straight flaps are for the '70 Bird.
David at ECS has my original head pipes and is making me a correct OEM exhaust system from after manifold to bumper!
Some days you just want to give up and :brickwall: :brickwall: :brickwall:
Sent the other dash pad back to PG Classics, don't even know if I have been credited my $300 US or so yet and today I get my $500 US pad from Ledgendary. Visually and dimensionally 10x more correct than the Chinese POS from PG, but at least theirs had close to correct grain on the covering material. Legendarys is smooth... Enquiry into them right now as to whether they used the wrong bolt of material.
SURELY, someone has gone this route before and can tell me where to get a 100% correct dash pad.
OEM from my car top, repro bottom.
Repro... no grain will stand out like a sore thumb.
OEM.. grain to match the side panels and the other dash pads.
Got two coats of white on, using the pencil eraser trick. Worked VERY well, but I still have a few pin holes. Going to let it set up for a couple of days and then give it one more shot.
Also cut out my control plate for the wires on the light bar that I got off B5Blue. To show how involved you can get with something I asked him if he had any pictures of the install that I could go by, when my 'Bird that's sitting right (like 6") behind my ass at the work bench has one in it! :hah:
:lol:
Quote from: birdsandbees on May 14, 2016, 12:33:52 PM
Got two coats of white on, using the pencil eraser trick. Worked VERY well, but I still have a few pin holes. Going to let it set up for a couple of days and then give it one more shot.
What's the eraser trick? Just sorta dab it on? It looks really great, by the way. :cheers:
Thanks, one more coat will hopefully fill the little pin holes that opened up as it started setting up.
Was suggested to use a pencil eraser, similar to what I did with the shop towel and flat face cork screw I had. The towel left lint behind, the eraser did not.
Sprayed paint out onto masking paper... dab eraser in.. dab once on bare paper and then dab the letters and line. Each dab gets you about 1/2" down the line or two letters.
One last coat of white today... we'll call it good and move on! :yesnod:
My complete 383 magnum exhaust system shipped out of Missouri today.. pictures when it arrives, or I'm told I'm allowed to show it still in the jig.
NICE! Looks like new! :2thumbs:
Another milestone today. Got my "first off" 383 magnum exhaust system, off the FedEx truck, from the lads at ECS. Wish I had the car back to put this on. Will be coating it in their RPM before hand and just happen to have an annealing oven big enough to do so at my disposal.. but I guess you could just start the car and heat up the pipes. Easier to apply before installation though so that's what I'll be doing.
As noted elsewhere I sent David, Steve and Tom at ECS in Missouri down my original 383 magnum head pipes, and my tail pipes that are circa 1979 replacements, and they made templates... set up the bender and necessary quality check fixtures to get it all correct for future buyers.
I need to get over to the resto shop tomorrow or Tuesday (long weekend up here) to get an update, direction on my car and write them another cheque and then the wife and I are off to our Northern fly in camp for the summer. Be back a few times to check in, but the resto isn't going to progress any further until Fall unfortunately on my part. Hopefully the car shell will see paint in July and be ready to bring back home.
Resto shop owners cell shot to me a few minutes ago. Drew making sure the re-lip on the original trunk lid, that I got from oldcarnut, is coming out correct before my 'Bee heads for "body work".
:2thumbs: :popcrn:
Home for 2 days from camp, to cut grass and check the house, so I swung by the resto shop to see progress and grabbed a few pictures. Door shells have been blasted, epoxied, reskined and while doing so lined up on body lines before committing to skin position. Drew has patched paneled the bit of rott on the otherwise good front fenders and put the body lines back properly (in comparison to the CF from 1989's body work). We're close to heading to the next building for final body work, "tweaks and massaging". :yesnod: Thank god 'cause my wallet is getting dusty.
Home made metal patch's on original sheet metal is better then any aftermarket, I do it all the time. LEON. :2thumbs:
Any up dates? :popcrn:
Mike
Been away at our camp / cottage all summer and haven't made it back over to the resto shop yet, but I have been sent pictures of the work since my last quick stop on August 9th. ALL metal work is done, door jams cleaned up, hood has been back on along with front fenders, front valance / headlight sockets etc to make sure everything lines up perfect, all dings have been massaged out, trunk lid fitted after some minor repairs and a new rear lip built, all panels blocked and as of 12 days ago it was shot with two coats of epoxy primer after disassembling everything. Hoping that within the month I have the car back in paint, but I know they like to let the primer cure / shrink for sometime so I may be optimistic.
Sweet! I was waiting for this one. :2thumbs:
"Let the paint cure/shrink"...I've wondered about that time frame myself? I see TV shows where they "do a car in 10 days" and how it will look in a year. :lol:
Finally got over to the shop. Everything is fitted, gaps are perfect, from the windshield posts back has been blocked out since the primer coat in my last post and repeated a few times. Fenders and hood gap are set and very even and clean. Fenders still need some work and the hood needs a bit more clean up of pits underneath.
Looks like it's going to be longer than I expected before I get her back, but not surprising. Back to work at my end on suspension rebuild and the dash while I wait for her return.
:coolgleamA: :2thumbs: looking good :yesnod: :popcrn:
Looking great
It's going to be a beauty! :2thumbs:
THANKS Guys ! :icon_smile_big:
Thought I had better get my ass back to work! Was going to start on the front suspension assembly but then decided I should be getting things ready in the order they need to go back in. E brake pedal assembly was about the last thing out.. so it has to go in first.
If you've never bought a bucket of Evaporust... DO IT NOW !! About 4 hours in the bucket, with only a few light scrubs with a small brass brush.
Never heard of that stuff. Is this something that you can buy at a store, or have to order?
Seems to be readily available these days. We can get it in Canadian Tire and Princess Auto. The 4 gallon bucket is $75 Cdn and it comes with the dipping basket. A gallon jug is 25 bucks.
You can find it just about anywhere. I love the stuff. Safe on paints as well in case you have something you want to preserve the paint on.
Quote from: Dino on October 17, 2016, 08:02:27 PM
You can find it just about anywhere. I love the stuff. Safe on paints as well in case you have something you want to preserve the paint on.
I was going to say, it looks like it did absolutely NOTHING to the paint on that pedal arm. Thanks for the tip :2thumbs:
Nope, it did nothing to the paint... but I did clean, sand and respray in Duplicolor Semi-Gloss black. Currently doing the clutch and brake assembly.
One warning... I soaked my LCA's last night as they had started to rust again since I blasted them 5 months back. The Evaporust sediment stained them black and I had to scrub the crap out of them with scotchbrite to get it off. Going to have to media blast them again before I dip them in Rust Vito.
Time for me to get a new clean bucket of the Evaporust, but thinking the old bucket might be good for making bolts black! LOL
You need to rinse the Evaporust unless you want it black. It's real easy to take off when wet. I had been doing that forever until I was told the black protects the part and I could leave them that way. Soooo, if it's something I'm going to paint, I rinse then epoxy prime (or sometimes leave bare or coat with Picklex). Otherwise I leave it alone.
Troy
You can reuse the stuff for a long time as well. Just filter it with some paint filters.
Quote from: Troy on October 18, 2016, 02:22:30 PM
You need to rinse the Evaporust unless you want it black. It's real easy to take off when wet. I had been doing that forever until I was told the black protects the part and I could leave them that way. Soooo, if it's something I'm going to paint, I rinse then epoxy prime (or sometimes leave bare or coat with Picklex). Otherwise I leave it alone.
Troy
This was way beyond rinsing.. something about the metal of the LCA's really took the black, like they'd been painted... yet my pedal assembly metal cleaned up nice.
I need my LCA's clean metal as I have a $400 bucket of Rust Vito here to dip them in and want proper colour or the effort is wasted. Should have just painted them black! LOL
Think I'll get a new clean bucket for some parts and will coat some bolts black for other spots with the dirty bucket. I've tried filtering it, but I guess I shouldn't have done my rear brake drums as one of the first "tests". They look like new!
Pedal assembly bushings, etc all nice and tight... so just some rust removal and repaint. If you look you can see a solid line on the frame where it had soaked in the bucket longer one way than they other. Even with scrubbing still there. After paint I hung this and the Ebrake assembly upside down and coated the bare metal with gun oil.
Random Question. Does the clutch pedal unbolt separately? Like if you ditched the manual and went auto, could u just unbolt that clutch pedal and linkage? :coolgleamA:
A Yes and No situation. The clutch housing bolts to the side of the main brake housing and the firewall...it can be removed BUT the clutch and brake share a common long pivot bolt.
You could just remove the bolt.. drop the clutch pedal and install a spacer sleeve in it's place, then reinstall the bolt.
You can also buy a body plug for a few bucks for the clutch rod hole and remove the boot.
Just when I thought I was done buying parts!! :lol:
Near mint headlight bezels and a perfectly straight grill in need of a bit of touch up. Bezels from MN and amazingly the grill out of Belleville, Ontario!
And NOS tail lights lenses and bezels from Nacho in Venezuela, shipped FedEx this morning. Now of course I'm searching for a mint tail light cover panel.. :brickwall: :yesnod: :scratchchin: :scratchchin: :scratchchin:
Hey those are nacho tailights ! :icon_smile_big:
Looking forward to seeing this car done. I love me some Super-bee
LOL...
On the grill, any R/T or Bee experts care to chime in. I always had my horizontal "webs" showing as chrome and the verticals black to give it some "pop". Looking at a lot of resto pics and dealer brochures am I only supposed to have the larger, outer, horizontal webs chrome and everything else blacked out. Argent between there and the obviously chrome outermost ring/rib of the grill?
Thanks!
i can look at my grille and see.
Luke
I notice you use gun oil as a rust inhibitor. Have you ever tried Boeshield T9?
I too keep the natural finishes and I have tried almost everything available. Gun oil is a great choice but I have found Boeshield to be the best. The Corvette guys swear by it....so naturally I tried it and haven't changed since.
Just what I happened to have on hand and figured if it protects a gun in the rain it should do the trick. Figured the pedal frames had barely rusted in 47 years so it was probably enough. Will see if I can find Boeshield locally. Thanks!
Quote from: birdsandbees on October 25, 2016, 02:41:37 PM
Quote from: lukedukem on October 25, 2016, 02:18:24 PM
i can look at my grille and see.
Luke
THANKS!
Ok, so my grille is worse shape than I remember. But it looks like the one in your pic.
Luke
Quote
Ok, so my grille is worse shape than I remember. But it looks like the one in your pic.
Luke
I have two things going on in that pic. The center section is totally blacked out except for the upper and lower horizontal web and what I think from looking at pictures is correct. The headlight bezels are showing chrome on the smaller "webs". Presume I am to black those out as well???
Finally got around to pulling out the TIG and installing my PST reinforcing plates on my LCA's this afternoon.
Glad I threw the torsion bar adjuster in to center the plate hole... as if you clamp the two halves of the LCA too hard the adjuster block won't slip into place on it's groves! Just an FYI !
Generally in my line of work, aircraft, you don't grind the welds... but thought I'd smooth these all out before I media blast again and then dip in my jug of Rust Veto 342.
While I do want to do stuff correctly.. I'm still somewhere between premium driver and concurs on this build. So, for now, I media blasted and painted my wiper motor today. Found some Duplicolor that is darn near close to the zinc plating and did my brake res cover the same so they match. Also remembered why I may have possibly stopped buying stuff from Year one 25+ years ago... spot rusted tail pipe clamps on receipt of them. Shouldn't have to media blast before installation.
Media blasted my LCA's again today (after welding the reinforcing plates on earlier this week) and dipped them in Cosmoline (Rust Veto 342). Took 8 dips to get them the colour I wanted... and I dipped them to duplicate the fact that my original arms went down the conveyor dip line when the cosmoline tank was FULL ! :lol: This way I only have to RPM the ball joint attachment.
How it dried overnight. Think I'll press the bushings and pivot shafts in (after coating in RPM) and if I scuff anything I'll dip one more time. Happy with the colour and coverage at this point.
Finished up my 3 speed wiper motor this afternoon. I had broken one wire off the park switch from handling it too much and one wire covering was in rotted tatters. I cut a piece of ground wire off a cord, stole the insulation and rolled one end over itself (over a precision screw driver shaft) and then slide down the wire and unrolled the end over on top of the old insulation just before the motor housing. When all done gave it another test run on a charger pack.. runs and parks properly :2thumbs:.
Coming along nicely...love the updates...
5 gallon bucket of Cosmoline gotta love that! :2thumbs:
:cheers: :popcrn:
If I remember right the cosmoline dip line is suppose to end just under the strut rod hole opening. LEON.
Quote from: hemi-hampton on October 30, 2016, 12:38:09 AM
If I remember right the cosmoline dip line is suppose to end just under the strut rod hole opening. LEON.
Depends on whether they had just filled the dip line tank or it was late on Friday and low! :yesnod: I'm pretending it was Full as noted..
Was pretty stupid when you think about it that they only half dipped some of them. Chryslers only concern was no comsoline in the ball joint hole, so the stem didn't spin on the assembly line.
Any of you Ontario guys that want to drop by for an afternoon and dip yours let me know... so I can "water down" the cost of this $400 can!! Not sure what a fair price would be, but I'm open to the idea...
Quote from: birdsandbees on October 29, 2016, 01:29:01 PM
How it dried overnight. Think I'll press the bushings and pivot shafts in (after coating in RPM) and if I scuff anything I'll dip one more time. Happy with the colour and coverage at this point.
So did the cosmoline coating come out soft? I tried Resto Ricks cosmoline and it was really soft and a little tacky even after a couple of weeks. I sprayed it with some clear enamel to reduce the tackyness.
What's RPM?
Seemed pretty dry yesterday, I could stick a finger on it and get no residue on me. Haven't hit the shop yet today to check on it.
RPM.. Rust Prevention Magic from David at ECS.
Coated my new LCA pivot shafts, washers and nuts with RPM today. Also did the torsion bar adjuster plates and bolts. Cleaned up my old adjuster bolts (which are about 1/2" shorter than PST's repro's) to keep the proper head markings. Pressed the shafts into the bushings and then into the LCA's. Loosely installed the LCA's, installed their new rebound rubbers and got the strut rods ready. Blasted and painted the bushing washers with the same "zinc" resemblance that I used on my wiper motor for installation tomorrow. Found the PST strut rod bushing inner sleeves appear to be a press fit.. .which I think is odd as they should slide on. NO?
:coolgleamA:
Did you ever get that grille paint figured out. Sorry I couldn't be better help
Luke
Quote from: lukedukem on October 31, 2016, 08:07:26 PM
Did you ever get that grille paint figured out. Sorry I couldn't be better help
Luke
Looking at numerous 'Bee and R/T pictures I think it's all supposed to be blacked out (like the center section I pictured), except for the one perimeter "ring" in chrome, as well as the outermost edge in chrome.
Quote from: birdsandbees on October 31, 2016, 08:13:17 PM
Quote from: lukedukem on October 31, 2016, 08:07:26 PM
Did you ever get that grille paint figured out. Sorry I couldn't be better help
Luke
Looking at numerous 'Bee and R/T pictures I think it's all supposed to be blacked out (like the center section I pictured), except for the one perimeter "ring" in chrome, as well as the outermost edge in chrome.
I also have been looking, I will hopefully be tearing my 69 bee down next winter for a restore.
Luke
Quote from: green69rt on October 31, 2016, 08:00:27 AM
So did the cosmoline coating come out soft? I tried Resto Ricks cosmoline and it was really soft and a little tacky even after a couple of weeks. I sprayed it with some clear enamel to reduce the tackyness.
What's RPM?
So Day 2... while it does feel similar to a candle it isn't overly "sticky". Wrapped that plastic bag around them to install the pivot shafts and the bag didn't stick and I was out in the shop a few minutes ago and they're even drier. Possibly the difference between something "similar" in a rattle can and the real deal at $400 Cdn for 5 gallons. :shruggy:
Quote from: birdsandbees on October 31, 2016, 10:16:48 PM
Quote from: green69rt on October 31, 2016, 08:00:27 AM
So did the cosmoline coating come out soft? I tried Resto Ricks cosmoline and it was really soft and a little tacky even after a couple of weeks. I sprayed it with some clear enamel to reduce the tackyness.
What's RPM?
So Day 2... while it does feel similar to a candle it isn't overly "sticky". Wrapped that plastic bag around them to install the pivot shafts and the bag didn't stick and I was out in the shop a few minutes ago and they're even drier. Possibly the difference between something "similar" in a rattle can and the real deal at $400 Cdn for 5 gallons. :shruggy:
You're probably right.
Didn't accomplish much today as I had to tear the cylinders off an aircraft engine, but went into the shop for an hour or so after supper to get my LCA strut rods in place.
Pressed the bushing sleeves into place with some scrap 4130 tube, place everything loosely and then tightened the rod nut to LCA at 100 ft-lb (found a small punch inserted in the front nuts split pin hole is all you need to keep it from spinning!). Snugged up the LCA pivot to about the last 1/16th of an inch and can still turn them by hand. They'll be tightened when the car is at ride height, along with the strut rod bushing nut at the front that is called out at 50 ft-lbs. Now to clean up my steering box and coat all the steering link parts with RPM so I can build up the rest.
I don't remember if you painted your strut rods? Everything looks really good!
I media blasted them and had coated them with 80W90 back in the spring. I grabbed the heat gun and brushed on a coat of RPM the other day right over top. Seemed to flow out and cover... time will tell. The rubber bushing washers... while they look gray in the picture... I blasted, primed and painted the same goldish "zinc" colour I used on my wiper motor. That colour BTW is Champagne Pearl by Duplicolor. It's a Chrysler colour.
Got my manual steering box mostly cleaned up this afternoon, but looks like I need the input seal... so I ordered a kit from Firm feel tonight. Guess I'll get all my new steering link components coated in RPM while I wait for the seal kit and if need be get back on my dash restoration.
Edit.. Added the best shot I could get of the colour contrast on the washer to nut. The washer in person is actually a bit darker.
great to see the lenses are going to the correct car!
I'm going to keep you updated about... You know! Have to call them again on friday per their instructions
Quote from: Nacho-RT74 on November 02, 2016, 08:04:24 PM
great to see the lenses are going to the correct car!
I'm going to keep you updated about... You know! Have to call them again on friday per their instructions
:2thumbs:
You are doing a great job :cheers:
Looking great :2thumbs:
Thanks guys... if my updates start to get boring just let me know! :2thumbs:
Hat's off to Matt at Firm Feel... I sent him an email at 7pm last night.. so 4pm their time. This morning he sent me an email to apologise for the delay in responding, as he wasn't in the office yesterday afternoon. Seal and bearing kit is on it's way already !!! :cheers:
BTW.. the wife came out into the shop this afternoon and I asked her to put her finger on the LCA's. She verifies they are no longer "tacky" !! :yesnod:
Waiting for my steering box seal and bearing kit (shipped from Vancouver WA.. all the way to California and then back to Vancouver Canada! Took 8 days for that to go 355 miles!!!), so worked on getting my dash assembled. After all the BS of buying and returning two dash pads that first had no original detail and then Legendary's that had no grain... I ended up cleaning and reinstalling my original pad. New glove box insert and the ash tray assembly I picked up from a member here over my well used example! New dash bezel kit installed above glove box and on radio and the gauges thrown in for a look shot. Still need to refurbish all of them and install the new bezel for the cluster. Remainder of dash pads are just cleaned up originals, using the "tannery".
Finished up the heat control "plate" and reinstalled it to the dash. Was skeptical about PG's graphics, but have to say David does some wonderful work. They look great and installed better than I thought they would. First two pics show how I pressed the snap rings in place. Works great if you use JUST a big enough socket. Too big and they'll split in half. :brickwall:
Gives an idea of the originality of my car. 3 tower castle nuts still on the inner tie rod ends!
Rebuilding my master cylinder... if I can just get the push rod from vacuum booster to principal piston to let go! Amazed I found a complete kit from Raybestos for $32!
Do you have power drums?
Luke
Yes..
Got the piston rod to let go today. Pulled the reservoir check valves, honed the bore, sanded the cover seal surface true and then taped off the cover and bore, capped the ports and media blasted the casting. Then heated it up and coated in RPM before installing new check valves and inserting the new secondary and primary pistons. Ready to bleed and mate to the vacuum booster.
Tomorrow I head to the restoration shop... time to pick out my blue and car shell should be in paint and home by the end of the month / first week of December. ;D
:popcrn:
Very nice! You're doing an awesome job! :2thumbs:
Thanks Dino! Hope school and some time on the car are going well for you!
School's going ok. No time for the car unfortunately, or anything else for that matter. But it's alright, my time will come. :yesnod:
So close! Should be shinny blue by months end... :icon_smile_big: :icon_smile_big: :yesnod:
Al that white stuff is urethane? They even shot the grill/headlight frame!!
This good or bad what you're saying?? It's actually light gray.. just looks white against the darker gray primer in the engine compartment. Almost 160 hours of labour went into making my front fenders perfect, fixing old repairs, getting body lines back and hand dollying dings. Almost zero filler.
Considering the shop does 1.5 million dollar Ferrari's and Lambos I have to trust their body work skills, but I'm open to being educated. :2thumbs:
Edit.. just looked at my bill from today. Using lots of "Quantum". The entire car, after media blast, was immediately sprayed with zinc epoxy chromate primer before any metal work or body work had even started. And as things progressed was blasted again and epoxied again on all new metal and work.
Quote from: birdsandbees on November 15, 2016, 10:40:13 PM
This good or bad what you're saying?? It's actually light gray.. just looks white against the darker gray primer in the engine compartment. Almost 160 hours of labour went into making my front fenders perfect, fixing old repairs, getting body lines back and hand dollying dings. Almost zero filler.
Edit.. just looked at my bill from today. Using lots of "Quantum". The entire car, after media blast, was immediately sprayed with zinc epoxy chromate primer before any metal work or body work had even started. And as things progressed was blasted again and epoxied again on all new metal and work.
Looks great, just noting the color change from the engine bay so it looked like they had moved onto the next step. Looks like they know what they're doing. Moving fairly fast.
Okay, yes the fenders and nose are a primer coat ahead of the shell. The headlight buckets had some fair hidden damage that was long forgot about.. :angel: and they had to disassemble the entire buckets, cut / weld and get the nice clean "pinch" line back around the edge. A before picture.. about 1/4 way thru the repair on the drivers side, showing how crude an old repair had been done and the perfect and clean look in the picture above.
Quote from: birdsandbees on November 16, 2016, 10:13:41 AM
Okay, yes the fenders and nose are a primer coat ahead of the shell. The headlight buckets had some fair hidden damage that was long forgot about.. :angel: and they had to disassemble the entire buckets, cut / weld and get the nice clean "pinch" line back around the edge. A before picture.. about 1/4 way thru the repair on the drivers side, showing how crude an old repair had been done and the perfect and clean look in the picture above.
That old repair may have been good enough for a driver I wouldn't want it on your car for sure!
Edit: I take it back, I wouldn't want that bad a repair on any car.
It actually looked pretty good before media blast.... below paint and bondo! :hah:
Got my Firm Feel bearing and gasket kit today. Can't believe I found said kit, let alone for only a 100 bucks. Have the box all torn apart, no real wear but that 47 year old oil, that has turned to grease, is pretty nasty! lol. Glad I had a torn seal or I may have put it back in as is. Media blast tomorrow, then figure out how I'm going to protect the natural aluminum finish and then install all the new bearings and seals. :yesnod: BTW.. the spanner wrench from my 4.5" angle grinder is perfect span to hold the "adjuster" while removing the lock nut. :2thumbs:
Found that my vice handle off my milling machine was the prefect size to knock out the bearing.
Found the time today to get the steering box all plugged / taped off and media blasted with glass dust. Also found a can of Tremclad Clear "to prevent tarnish" on my shelf. Been there for awhile with a $4.88 price tag on it. Gave the box three coats. Cleaned up the steering shaft in the lathe, ready for new bearings and reassembly and my recirculating ball worm gear assembly has ZERO wear. Amazing stuff after 47 years. They don't make stuff like this anymore...
Also got my "new" jack from the post office. Picked up the correct jack assembly for only $130, in reconditioned shape c/w lug wrench. The reproduction hook I got from Megaparts for $100.
:popcrn:
:popcrn:
Is that jack same for all b bodies except chargers?
I hope that's not a dumb question
Luke
Jack is for B bodies.. hook is unique to the Coronet and a few other models.
:2thumbs:
It was the hook that threw me. Mine for my bee is missing.
Luke
Quote from: lukedukem on November 17, 2016, 09:29:24 PM
:2thumbs:
It was the hook that threw me. Mine for my bee is missing.
Luke
Got it from Jamie at Megaparts. $100. Probably one of Tony's since the part number starts with a T.. :yesnod: Licenced Mopar reproduction with the correct part number stamped in it. #2856116
:o $100 for just the hook? I'm always amazed at how much we're willing to spend on these things! Me included.
LOL.. yah $100. The one for a '70 Roadrunner / Bird is $110! BTW, there's a beat up original 6116 hook on ebay and it's $90. Should only take about 6 hours of hammering, welding, media blasting and paint to make look good! :hah: If we had only known, as teenagers in the 70's, when we'd just throw the POS into the ditch after changing a tire... We should have grabbed every one we could from the junk yard and held them like commodities! :lol:
F'd up the worm shaft adjuster seal pressing it in today. :brickwall: First time I've ever wrecked a seal in my life. Usually they go in metal side in and the round edge guides them square. Service manual says metal side out .. and it cocked and bent. Now to wait another 2 weeks for a new one to come from FFeel. Screws up me getting the front end built up this weekend. Guess I can work on the front spindle assemblies while I wait.. :-\
Thinking to tires. .. When I had GG do a report on my #3 of 6 Canadian Bee's in his registry a dozen years ago :lol: he stated the standard T83 tire for the Super Bee was the Red Streak "Speedway-Early" GOODYEAR F70-14. Is this correct, or should it be Firestone??? :shruggy:
Wow, the grease in the gear box was definitely nasty! Good thing you decided to take it apart. Your resto is coming right along, nice work! :yesnod:
Quote from: Charger_Fan on November 19, 2016, 01:04:38 PM
Wow, the grease in the gear box was definitely nasty! Good thing you decided to take it apart. Your resto is coming right along, nice work! :yesnod:
Thanks ! Trying to do something each day, but I may have to get back to some real work to cover the expense of this restoration.. it has got out of hand! :yesnod:
Quote from: birdsandbees on November 19, 2016, 05:35:07 PM
Quote from: Charger_Fan on November 19, 2016, 01:04:38 PM
Wow, the grease in the gear box was definitely nasty! Good thing you decided to take it apart. Your resto is coming right along, nice work! :yesnod:
Thanks ! Trying to do something each day, but I may have to get back to some real work to cover the expense of this restoration.. it has got out of hand! :yesnod:
That's what I alway tell people, if you do a little almost every day it can't help but get done.
Cleaned the steering box out good and put the new steering shaft bearings in the other day. Had really hoped to have it all back together but I messed up the worm shaft seal pressing it in. Still waiting to hear from Matt at Firm Feel... and then realized they were probably at SEMA on the weekend. Hopefully he gets back and mails me new seals before Thanksgiving shut down.. :-\
Heated and coated all my suspension parts with RPM today. My toaster oven wasn't big enough for the center link so I thought I'd sneak in the house while the wife was figure skating and heat it up there. How do they know... she came in the door just as the oven preheated buzzer went off! :rofl: Starting to look like a front end, wish I had the steering box ready to put in place! :brickwall:
Found an allen key is perfect for plucking parts out of the toaster and holding nuts to coat in RPM.
Making the resto shop a weekly Tuesday visit now, trying to push them along (or should I say supplying cheques! :eek2:) . A week or so before the '68 Cuda's paint job is done and the mine should be right in behind it.
Took my new to me grill, tail lights and tail panel over for test fit today. Everything fit perfectly with nice even gaps, so I gave them the green light for final block sand, prime and get it painted! :yesnod:
:popcrn:
How can you not love that "ass" ?
I love it.... of course I'm a little biased, i have an ass like that as well. Butt, it is in need of some attention. :D
I'm learning a lot from this thread. :2thumbs:
Luke
Today I got more of the front end together, just wish I had my steering box done. At least my seals are on their way from FFeel.
1 out of 3 upper spindle to backing plate bolts came out with some persuasion, after 3 days soaking in penetrating oil. Guess it's torches tomorrow for the other three, so I can get these spindles and backing plates cleaned up (c/w all new brake pads and hardware) to install to the lower ball joint.
Well I figured out how to hold the steering knuckle / brake assembly and with lots of heat I got the two passenger side bolts out. Snapped off the drivers side bolt. Took 11 tons in the press to break the 47 year old rust bond to push it out. Now to get it all cleaned up, ready to assembly again.
Great work as always...coming along nicely :2thumbs:
Realized I'd forgot one of the first things that needs to go back in on assembly... the windshield wiper arms. Needed to clean up the mess of paint the last lazy paint shop got on them in '89 and make sure they were ready to go the next 50 years. Was trying to figure out how to bend all 4 tabs back on the plastic bushings without breaking them, when I realized the answer was in my pocket. Sharpie marker cap. Cut the top end off until I got the correct diameter to slip between the metal post and the plastic tabs. Bonus was the other end was the exact size to compress the tabs to slip the bushing out of the metal arms.
Cleaned everything up on the wire wheel and coated the arms with gun oil. Drilled the pivots for press in bushings. Note that the upper pivot in the picture is a good location for the fitting.. the lower one I hit the bronze bushing, but still worked out okay. After drilling I repeatedly sprayed multi lube in to flush the rust etc out and then pressed the fittings in and greased.
The water seal kit states "do not use a mechanical spreader"... but there was no damn way those things were going over the arm mount head. A silicon tube nozzle worked perfect with the "ribs" ground smooth. Slipped right over in 2 seconds. :2thumbs:
:popcrn:
Believe it or not but they will go over w/o a spreader but its a Royal PITA......works wonders on your finger tips
I am glad you posted the pic with the spreader, great idea :2thumbs:
Thanks! .. and I thought the sharpie cap was the best part! :rofl:
Not much done today, but spindles and backing plates are soaking in degreaser. Actually have the spindles clean and in Evaporust to clean up a bit of rust at the base of the spindle. Don't want to hit that with the media blast gun, but will be cleaning the knuckle up with media blast, same as the backing plates. Still haven't decided whether to cosmoline them, RPM or paint. :scratchchin:
Saved myself $4us + postage and made my own spindle seals from some packaging foam.
Final shot has the bolts out of the wheel cylinder... means only 4 bolts left to go and EVERY bolt has been removed from my car. Just the rear wheel cylinders still on their backers and when they're off EVERY piece has been removed. How did I get here ??? :lol:
Glass media blasted the knuckles today. Wasn't going to get caught in the house using the wife's stove again so I brought that bugger out to the shop so she couldn't catch me again! :lol: (actually a spare). Coated the knuckles in RPM after warming up in the stove. Gave them two coats for good measure. Hope to get the backing plates done tomorrow. Can't decide whether to RPM them, clear coat or dip in Cosomoline.. :scratchchin:
Looking great....
I got my backing plates black zinc plated, similar to the factory black phosphate but more durable...
I'm starting to like that RPM more and more. I think I'll order a can to use on some stuff, like my front suspension parts. I like the natural look. I might have to use the oven when the wife is away.. :lol:
Quote from: moparnation74 on November 28, 2016, 09:00:17 PM
Looking great....
I got my backing plates black zinc plated, similar to the factory black phosphate but more durable...
Other places I've read and seen that the backing plates were bare.. or cosmolined... like in Gino's thread. But as I degreased them, mine certainly looked like they where factory painted? black. Not sure what to do with them.
Have an airplane engine cylinder to get back on tomorrow on a rare 11C late November day, so I have a day or so to think about it (or take suggestions).
Quote from: birdsandbees on November 28, 2016, 09:55:31 PM
Quote from: moparnation74 on November 28, 2016, 09:00:17 PM
Looking great....
I got my backing plates black zinc plated, similar to the factory black phosphate but more durable...
Other places I've read and seen that the backing plates were bare.. or cosmolined... like in Gino's thread. But as I degreased them, mine certainly looked like they where factory painted? black. Not sure what to do with them.
Have an airplane engine cylinder to get back on tomorrow on a rare 11C late November day, so I have a day or so to think about it (or take suggestions).
It was not cosmoline....it was a coating that had a slight green tint. The guy who is doing my plates, remembers that coating back in the day but had no idea how to create that today. He also said GM used it as well. I have also pulled plates off that were black phosphated. As far as bare steel, the few true survivor cars I have seen did not have bare steel...they had one of the two above...
This topic will always be debated between phosphate or the other "unknown" coat......on 68-70 B I have yet to pull a plate off that was painted.....
This is one of those few grey areas on these cars for correctness
Okay THANKS!
Almost sounds like a really flat black (like high heat stove paint) would simulate black phosphate better than the semi gloss seen on so many?
Quote from: birdsandbees on November 29, 2016, 01:09:51 PM
Okay THANKS!
Almost sounds like a really flat black (like high heat stove paint) would simulate black phosphate better than the semi gloss seen on so many?
Correct!
Thanks.. lunch is over, back to the airplane engine. Should have it running by supper and then I can get back to what I really want to work on.. :lol:
Airplane running and flight worthy again ! Wish it had of been a paying job... :brickwall:
While we're on backing plates... so the rears, where they phosphate as well or painted semi gloss like the rear axle housing? :shruggy:
This about what we're shooting for??? :shruggy: :scratchchin: It's a bit darker in person.. flash lighted it up to look gray.
Got my new seals out of the mail box today, so it was time to get the steering box back together. All new bearings and seals and I even managed to keep it clean during assembly. Generally there should be some aviation gasket sealer smears on it somewhere, but I pulled it off. Yes I know the pitman arm should be bare like the rest of things, but can't bring myself to strip that nice black paint.. same deal with my idler arm so at least they match! :yesnod:
:popcrn:
Steering box bolted in place and torqued down to 80 ft-lbs. Tomorrow I'll torque all the link / tie rod nuts and then install the brake backing plates and front spindles.
Note the steering box mounting bolts. 12 point and I can guarantee they are original to the car. All resellers, and there are many, show "original" steering box bolts have a thick head and are 6 point. May be true for some, but apparently not '69 Lynch Rd cars...
Backing plates and spindles installed today. These pictures give a better "look" as to how my backing plates came out color wise. Pissed off that I went to install the brand new wheel cylinders and the bleeder screws are so damn long they hit the knuckle and I'd just been to the auto parts store this morning. Oh well, I guess another trip into town on Monday.
Looking damn good! :2thumbs:
Thanks Dino!! Was starting think I was talking to myself in here.. LOL.
:lol:
I don't post as much as I used to because I'm usually doing something school related, but I'm always looking at the progress you're making. :2thumbs:
You are doing an awesome restoration job sir! :notworthy:
Thanks Lennard.
So far into this $ wise now that I thought I'd better pull up my socks and do it all right. Not going to be concurs, but I'll sure sit and smile in the lawn chair while sitting beside her! :yesnod:
Quote from: birdsandbees on December 03, 2016, 11:43:01 PM
Thanks Lennard.
So far into this $ wise now that I thought I'd better pull up my socks and do it all right. Not going to be concurs, but I'll sure sit and smile in the lawn chair while sitting beside her! :yesnod:
It always cost way more than you initially thought it would. I see the same thing happening with my '68. :yesnod:
Looking GREAT! Like the look on your backing plates and fantastic job on the manual box :2thumbs:
THANKS!
Got lucky and found a pair of correct length bleeder screws in town today. RPM'd the castings and installed the wheel cylinders and hoses. Scuffed and painted my front shocks semi-gloss black today as well.
I'm also a VERY lucky man, wife told me she was going to visit her dying aunt in Sarnia this weekend (and did).. but also had an ulterior motive in mind. She knew I needed a bigger blasting cabinet and had bought me one off kijjiji and picked it up in London on her way to Sarnia. :2thumbs: :icon_smile_big: Cabinet was used to blast 3 items... guy sealed it while putting it together and also has an optional rolling unit.
Awesome Wife! :2thumbs:
Here are my backing plates done in base and flat clear. trying for durablity.
Nice! Thanks. :2thumbs:
Great thread.
On your manual steering box, is there a reason you cleared it instead of using RPM? I'm planning on doing my manual box in the near future.
I think it was bumping into that old can of tremclad clear that swayed me. It's specifically to prevent oxidization on copper / aluminum etc and with the box being aluminum I just felt it was the way to go and be done with it. The cover retaining bolts, cross shaft adjuster bolt & lock nut and the big adjuster lock nut were all RPM'd.
Great to finally find someone that sold a correct... EXACT.. reproduction of the '69 sway bar links. I compared it in detail to my originals, right down to the washer profile, and it is correct! Unfortunately I snapped one side of mine on strip down, so needed some replacements. Thanks Jeff Brown (521 reproductions) for selling it and if not you to whom ever is producing it. :2thumbs:
Another tray into the "easy bake oven" for preheat and coating with RPM.
Not a lot accomplished today, but even a bit each day will get me to the finish line.
Tore the rear backing plates down and have them degreasing so I can paint them like the fronts. Wish they still made stuff like this today... original Ebrake cables in both rears not seized! Can pull the cables easily by hand. I bet the replacements I got to be new and "shiny" won't last 2 years. :yesnod:
Also ticked off that my new brake hardware, nor the new adjuster kits have the rectangular springs for the end of the upper ebrake strut plate. Something else to find... :brickwall:
30 years later and I now understand why my drivers side rear brake use to hang up.... need to get my TIG out and rebuild the lower two wear pad spots.
Finally got my engine, scatter shield and rear end housing back today. Engine is painted with helicopter paint.. impervious to fuel, etc. Unfortunately I may be done for now and can't even unload it. Stopped to push a soccer mom out of a snow bank and on the third push I felt a huge POP as if my left bicep muscle popped off my inner elbow. Arm in a sling.. just great.. one hand typing sucks tooo.... :yesnod:
Also pissed off car still isn't in paint. Promised it needs one final sanding and it will be in pre-paint primer before Christmas so it can sit and then be painted in January... I'm at the point I'm not holding my breath. Wanted my car back together by my 55th BDay in March, looking like it's going to be 56th.
Remember, quality takes time. And get well soon!
When you say Helicopter paint do you mean IMRON Polyurethane or something else? LEON.
I know it's not Imron... I'll have to have a better look next trip over. George does a lot of Ferrari's that owners want painted to match their copters and they lobbied to keep solvent based paint available and not water base.
Car is being painted with solvent base as well, from House of Kolors.
Wife's sister brought my two nephews over last night to unload my truck for me... now if I could just get back to work. One arm just don't cut it, but I guess I'd better wait and not screw myself permanently.
Transmissions blasted and done in "Twinkle Dinkle". I was willing to leave them bare as original.. but resto shop owner would have none of it. Tempted to blast them clean again and coat in RPM.... :scratchchin:
Rear axle housing in semi gloss... multiply coats and lots of sanding to remove all pit marks. Lakewood scatter shield all pretty in orange..
Engine all painted up nice. Water pump housing and impellor were just set in place for transit.
nice work , good stuff :2thumbs: :coolgleamA: :popcrn:
It's a joy following your progress. I can only imagine how stoked you are! :2thumbs:
Baby that arm. Mess it up now and it'll haunt you forever. What news on that front? Your buddy doc look at it yet?
Partial distal tear of my bicep tendon off my elbow. Currently black / blue and beige swollen from the center of my bicep to my wrist. No surgery for us old guys... should be 80% again in SIX MONTHS! :brickwall: :brickwall: :brickwall:
Surgery is the last ditch effort. Too much can go wrong. Time is the only medicine here unfortunately. Oh and when they say 80% that actually means 80% of what your best effort is so it's plenty for daily activities. Don't worry about that part. You'll also be able to regain plenty use out of it long before the 6 month mark but be careful. Tendons don't get a lot of blood supply which is why it takes a while. They are also easily re-injured so once you feel it's doing well, take it easy still.
Being a good boy and putting my arm in a sling before I venture into the shop. Keeps the ambidextrous in me from kicking in. Not accomplishing much, but I did get my rear drums painted so they can sit in front of the heater to bake and then I can RPM the bare casting around it. No matter how I take the picture, it looks orange.. but it is Ford Red engine paint and in person it is Red! Just couldn't bring myself to play sloppy line worker with a brush, so I sprayed it. Also knocked my rear yolk seal out of the transmission, I have a new one to put in but I can't reach the box down that it's in with one arm! :brickwall:
Any Canucks will notice those drum part numbers. They're from CTC, 1989, when we still had good steel ! Both had never been turned until last week.
Decided to tape off my newly cut brake drum surface and clear coated the bare cast and over the Ford Engine Red.
Hoping to let my arm rest a bit and then get my distributor and a few other things installed to my engine, so I can start getting it ready for flywheel / scatter shield and transmission installation. Also have to change my valve seals.
Made it back to the shop for a few hours. Was poking around the internet while taking a rest and noticed the rear wheel cylinders are supposed to have a gasket to the backing plate.. so I made a pattern with paper and tape and transferred to some HD foam.
New distributor, complete with rotor and cap, that I picked up for 37 bucks! :yesnod: Mine has needed a rebuild since 1979 with a slight miss from a flat point lobe... can run this one to get me going and then worry about rebuilding the OEM unit later.
Got my harmonic balanced bolted into place, belt pulley on, engine mounts on and of course the distributor indexed back in place before I did the balancer in case I turned the crank. Tomorrow I hope to RPM my new dipstick tube, install same, install the oil pressure sensor, water pump, fuel pump, etc... but we'll see how that goes pending arm ache when I wake up.
Was looking for something to put my axle housing on to roll around... and low and behold the set of leg exercise boards I'd made for my daughter to build muscle in her unattached leg where in the corner. Work perfect.. .Velcro already there to lash it down and just the right length for the backing plates to bolt on and clear. Just need a "sling" to hold the pumpkin up when I install the sure grip unit.
As they say, the Turtle wins the race. Sure hope this arm comes on line soon. Had the wife hold the water pump housing in place while I turned the bolts. :yesnod:
4.5" grinder wrench works perfect for putting in heater hose nipples!
Had to set the exhaust manifold in place for the "look". Proper '69 dipstick tube in place after coating in RPM.
I don't know if your car uses a fuel vapor separator, but if it does does it mount on one of the fuel pump bolts?
Nope... 383 magnum, 5/16 single fuel feed line. :2thumbs:
Quote from: birdsandbees on December 30, 2016, 05:33:26 PM
Nope... 383 magnum, 5/16 single fuel feed line. :2thumbs:
Brain fart, forgot they only were used on 440's and Hemi's.
Yep... I have one here to install on my 'Bird when ever I get this car done. Was removed by the previous owner in the '80's and they squashed the return line end and removed the canister.
Quote from: green69rt on December 30, 2016, 05:31:45 PM
I don't know if your car uses a fuel vapor separator, but if it does does it mount on one of the fuel pump bolts?
Yes it does, to the most forward bolt.
Quote from: Dino on December 30, 2016, 08:19:24 PM
Quote from: green69rt on December 30, 2016, 05:31:45 PM
I don't know if your car uses a fuel vapor separator, but if it does does it mount on one of the fuel pump bolts?
Yes it does, to the most forward bolt.
Correct, but not on this one. My Bird yes, with the 440.
Quote from: birdsandbees on December 30, 2016, 08:28:19 PM
Quote from: Dino on December 30, 2016, 08:19:24 PM
Quote from: green69rt on December 30, 2016, 05:31:45 PM
I don't know if your car uses a fuel vapor separator, but if it does does it mount on one of the fuel pump bolts?
Yes it does, to the most forward bolt.
Correct, but not on this one. My Bird yes, with the 440.
Right, I was just making sure he knew the separator would go on that bolt...when your car has the separator. ;)
Quote from: Dino on December 30, 2016, 08:31:50 PM
Right, I was just making sure he knew the separator would go on that bolt...when your car has the separator. ;)
:2thumbs:
I just had to count, 6 reply's on one small item. It shows how many details are involved. Keep on!!
The details become nuts... I had my thermostat housing sealed and bolted down, came in the house and the wife said "didn't you buy a full set of spark plug wire brackets that bolt on there somewhere? "... and I ran back to the shop, found the box they were in.... painted the thermo bracket and carefully put it in place and re-torqued the housing before the sealer dried! :lol:
Yah, I know... you all wish you had one like her!! :pity:
I have one like her. ;)
I was just going over this thread again, you've done some outstanding work there my friend! :cheers:
I wish I had known about this RPM stuff before I painted all my parts. I probably should have boughta 69 dipstick for mine. I have a '71 engine and kept the original dipstick. Oh well, not much original left in my engine bay anyway.
Pardon me if I missed it, but what's the plan for the valve covers?
Timely question... just can't decide if I want to go this route again with my Blue DC covers. They're still in pretty nice shape and if I return to OEM I'll have to give Dixie some money and get a pair of OEM (repro) '69 covers and then take them over to the resto shop for orange paint.
Also tackled the broken off bolt that's been there since 1979. Ground an AN bolt to a point and TIG'd it to the broken piece without f'g up the engine casting. Amazed that it easily turned right out, considering it had been drilled and snapped off an EZout previously.
I like the DC covers.....
You can always paint them to match the engine.........
Great job on the bolt removal
Thanks!
My arm is starting to come back on line. Plan today was to pull the rocker shafts and change all the valve seals, but then I got to thinking it would be a good idea to check all the lifters for spalling and leak down. Probably the only tool I don't own is a lifter puller, so I compromised and with the wire and a magnet I managed to pull all 16 out and put them back in.
This engine was rebuilt in 1979... obviously by someone that knew what they were doing. I stored this car in my Mother's garage (beside the furnace) from 1982 until 1987. It was then under a drive shed roof at my F-in-laws for 2 years before running again. Then stored the past 12+ years in a marine container. 15 lifters immediately pumped back to solid, I disassembled one and cleaned it, blew through the check valve, reassembled and it then pumped solid immediately.
Zero pitting, spalling, etc on cam lobes or lifter bodies!
What a GREAT way to start a New Year ! :2thumbs:
Need to lower the stereo volume in the shop.. wife snuck in and caught me in action today! :yesnod:
:popcrn:
Excellent!
Any news on the paint job? :popcrn:
With my arm messed up I've left the paint shop alone. It was supposed to get final primer before Christmas shut down so the primer could set nice and then commence painting this week. I doubt it happened, but hopefully it starts soon. Based on the '68 Cuda before mine, it will be a full month process for paint and getting my glass back in.
Well, at least they're doing the job right. Glad to hear you're getting the strength in your arm back. :2thumbs:
Thanks Dirk... still pretty useless, but I can hold it up and even open a door with it. Tendon definitely pulled off my elbow as I'm missing about 2" of bicep there if I flex lightly compared to my right arm. At least it's starting to work again.. something I highly feared. Now not to over do it ! ! :P
It's going to take a while unfortunately, but at this rate you'll be able to do what you need to do soon enough. You may not be entering any power-lifting competitions for a while though. ;)
Made a bit of progress today. Got all 16 valve stem seals replaced, with the new style P4120492 seal kit. Captive on intake, umbrella on exhaust. Was doing them because I noticed one of my exhaust valve heads was wet with oil when I pulled the manifolds last year. Good call, 2 were cracked right in half, the other 14 were hard. Motor has never smoked and found ZERO valve stem / guide slop while removing all springs and putting them back using the good old rope trick! :2thumbs:
Cleaned up the rocker assemblies and inspected for wear or galling. All looks good and used a TIG filler wire to hold the push rods in place on reassembly. All torqued down, lubed and engine rotated a couple times to see everything move properly. No "soft" rockers / lifters.
Got the engine off the stand, back on the crane and my Lakewood block protection plate in place and the flywheel bolted and torqued ready for the clutch assembly, scatter shield and transmission.
Been feeding the wife regularily so she can lift that A833 up in to place for me!! :angel: .. and then I can get everything in place on the K frame for reinsertion into the car. :yesnod:
Also.. I posted a picture of the transmission input shaft bearing for the crank flange, if any of you have an undrilled crank. Or are in the situation that I am where back in 1978 I cut off 3/4" of the #'s match input shaft so I could put the 4 speed in our '69 Fury II behind a 440 with an undrilled crank. Now I need the bearing in my #'s match engine to reunite it with it's #'s match trans.. as the input shaft is too short for proper engagement on the bronze bushing.
:popcrn:
Didn't have a dummy shaft, so 3/4" pipe, some tape and me will have to do. Better than I ever had as a teenager!
Installed the new Hays street / strip disc and the McLeod pressure plate today. Was a proven set up for me in the late 70's early 80's and NEVER slipped like the factory clutch so I'm sticking with it and was able to get a new disc off Ebay for a song. Guy thought the 11" disc was for a truck.
Scatter shield bolted in place.
Pressed off the old and installed a new throw out bearing.
Used a dolly cart to get the trans over to where I needed it one handed and managed to get it on blocks and move the engine back to it to mate them.
Re-uniting drive train to K frame!
It's a wonderful day in the neighbourhood ! :yesnod: :icon_smile_big:
OH YEAH! :2thumbs:
:coolgleamA: nice :scope: , looking good :yesnod: :2thumbs: :popcrn:
Thanks guys! Thinking I might be going overboard with daily details, but hoping it will help someone along later! :shruggy:
Arm hurting today, after wrestling that transmission, so not much accomplished.
New trans output seal installed, got the original Hurst shifter out of it's box for inspection (bought it from "ernies" here) last year. Zero slop in it, but was missing a x bolt in the handle socket (that luckily I had one on a spare worn out unit I've had for 35+ years, along with the rectangular washer / plate and nut). Quick clean in Evaporust and a relube and it should be good. Even the shifter linkage bushings look tight. Will know when I bolt it in place and set the throws.
Yes I know that's not the full length rubber yolk seal that would have come with the trans in '69.. as I found an NOS one for only $129.99 US vs the $9.99 Cdn for the one I installed. I think they'll both hold the oil back the same!
Some nice new NOS aircraft bolts painted up pretty and backed by CAD washers and nytrol nuts for the lower scatter shield. Will coat the nut side in RPM for insurance when the paint has cured nice enough to tighten the bolts up.
Todays work... checked the reverse switch on my numbers match trans. NFG. New one ordered so I have before I install and fill with oil.
Starter is less than pretty after 28 years since it was probably installed, so I tore it down (without breaking anything) and have the housing in degrease and steel parts in Evaporust.
Will paint the magnet housing and backing plate.. and clear coat the aluminum housing (as I did for the steering box) after I media blast both.
Have you decided on wheels. i saw the first post of your car on the lift you have those snowflake wheels, are you staying with them?
No paint pics yet?
Luke
The honeycombs are probably going back on. I like them.. bought them with my hard earned money in 1979 when I was 17.. making $2.15 an hour. :Twocents:
Had some magnums lined up from a fellow here but shipping was going to kill the bank.
Will clean up the honeycombs and see how they look with the new paint. Considering the tires on them were bought in '89 I probably need new anyhow... so they'll go on, we'll see where I'm at and possibly go with some new magnums and some reproduction red lines.
As for paint... don't raise my blood pressure any higher! It's in final primer... I'm going over tomorrow to supervise or spray the correct sound deadener pattern on the inner rear quarters and paint should start on Friday. $5800 worth of paint ordered yesterday.. and he thinks we'll be a bit short by the time we do underneath and in the trunk.
10 inches of snow and then pouring rain... not much accomplished today other than 5.5 hours of plowing snow, but I did get the starter parts blasted, clear coat on the brush plate, clear anti tarnish (same stuff I used on steering box) on the aluminum housing and the magnet case primed and painted black.
Caught the owner hard at work this afternoon! Gonna have to get him a Dodge sign for the wall so they remember what a real car is like.. not them short little European things they can push through in a 1/4 the time! :lol:
On the home stretch.. in the booth by Friday afternoon so he can start shooting colour on Monday morning... and shoot .. and shoot for a couple of weeks. :yesnod:
Poor lad sanding out my hood webs has bandaids on every fingertip. Told him not to bleed on it as it's a blue car, not a red one like the last one out of the booth.
Everything is in final primer (other than the hood underside) and blocked out, just about ready for the booth. 5 grand worth of paint and supplies delivered today so he's ready to go at it.
Did I tell you it's gonna be BLUE!! :yesnod:
:popcrn:
5K!!!! OMG
Quote from: green69rt on January 11, 2017, 07:27:45 PM
5K!!!! OMG
Well those are Canadian Dollars! :lol: MSRP is $475 / gallon US + all the additives and clear coat... and we may be short about a gallon and painting the bottom of the car last to see where we're at and not run out on top. I noticed the can label says quart.. they are gallons, 4 of them at this point. Also requires a coloured base coat first, so the blue comes out the colour it's supposed to.
Starter all finished up and test run today. Shifter all cleaned up, RPM'd, mechanism cleaned and lubed and installed to the transmission. Set all the linkages up and threw it through the gears. I think it's the best shifter I've ever had on the car... bought here used from "ernie". ZERO slop.. works perfect.
Guess tomorrow I'll do a final media blast on my manifolds and decide if I want to ceramic coat in Cast Iron or Clear and then bake'm.
Quote from: birdsandbees on January 11, 2017, 07:29:18 PM
Quote from: green69rt on January 11, 2017, 07:27:45 PM
5K!!!! OMG
Well those are Canadian Dollars! :lol: MSRP is $475 / gallon US + all the additives and clear coat... and we may be short about a gallon and painting the bottom of the car last to see where we're at and not run out on top. I noticed the can label says quart.. they are gallons, 4 of them at this point. Also requires a coloured base coat first, so the blue comes out the colour it's supposed to.
Sorry, just my first thought. Now I'm remembering that I used about 6 quarts of SS color to do the underside, trunk and engine bay (plus catalyst) so 4 gals of color may be what it takes to do the whole car. Then add clear, it really adds up fast.
Made sure I could get both manifolds in the oven and sitting on just their mounting faces before a final media blast and coating with VHT Ceramic paint.
Tacked the heat riser fully open so there's no chance of me cooking my right bank exhaust valves if it sticks closed.
Back in '79 when I originally installed this scattershield I stripped the threads when the stud bottomed out. Had welded it in and retapped, but forgot to hog it out behind before paint. Oh well... she's done now and I found some paint in the shop to touch up the bare spots.
Got the manifolds blasted one last time and coated in VHT Cast Iron 2000*F paint. In front of the heater and wood stove for the night and then I'll put them in the oven and bake at 250.. then 400 and then 600 for 30 minutes at each temperature tomorrow.
The automotive industry now operates on a "just in time" schedule. I thought that the guys that follow date codes and the worries that go with them would be interested in the "just behind" schedule the industry use to work to! My car fender tag says car was to be built Feb 25th, 1969. My exhaust manifolds weren't even cast until Feb 27th and my engine was built on Feb 28th!
And my wife says I never bake!! Don't do this one in the house... as it was I had both man doors open in the shop and a fan running air through. VHT ceramic bake, 250, then 400, then as high as the oven would go (around 600). 30 minutes each temp with a 30 minute cool off in between.
Also pulled a left and right cyl head bolt to install an often missed spark plug wire bracket, installed my new plugs and 5 new exhaust studs. Ready for exhaust manifold installation when they cool off.
Also requires a coloured base coat first, so the blue comes out the colour it's supposed to.
Curious what color base coat is going under the blue color?????? LEON.
Will get that for you when I'm back over, probably Wednesday, Leon. Suspect it's just a sealer / primer coat of a specific tint..
I also read that right on HOKolors website, most of their paints have a base coat first based on final colour and then colour coat and then clear coat.
BTW.. turns out the "aircraft paint" on my engine is as you suspected, it's just PPG Delfleet Evolution Poly.. :yesnod:
..at least I know guys are still reading my "off model" post here ! :lol:
Tried a fair number of different things to try and clean my alternator casting today, without tearing it apart and media blasting. Tried the MAAS I used on the heater control.. useless... Cameo.. useless.. aluminum wheel cleaner.. nope... FINALLY found a use for WD-40, as it certainly isn't a "lubricant" by any stretch of the imagination, but it sure is a good cleaner!!! WD-40 and scrub with a tooth brush for close to 3 hours, followed up by a rag soaked in carb cleaner. I think it came up pretty spiffy!
Exhaust manifolds in place with proper hardware for the first time since '79 when the correct stuff got tossed during a header installation.
Glad I used Cast Iron VHT and not clear on my manifolds. The heat bake turned the heat riser plate black that I had cleared. Gives it a good look though..
Need to bolt my starter on, carb in place and plug wires and I can move on to rebuilding the rear axle assembly.
You sure have patience!
Very nice work as always. :2thumbs:
Thanks Dirk! The weird part is I usual don't and never have. Kind of a spiritual thing goin on I think... :P
Quote from: birdsandbees on January 15, 2017, 04:37:46 PM
Thanks Dirk! The weird part is I usual don't and never have. Kind of a spiritual thing goin on I think... :P
Maybe it's the whole "aging wisely and slowing down to take your time" thing. You know, that happens when you get to be in your late 40s. ;)
Think it has more to do with the past 6 years or so and learning to sit quietly in a hospital room corner. Got to the point I didn't even need a magazine.
I think it's just Jen looking down :angel: over my shoulder and making sure I'm getting it right! :yesnod: :rotz:
.. and yah.. I'll be 55 in March! :lol:
Bee hits the booth in the AM !!! :yesnod: :popcrn: Did I tell you it's gonna be Blue?? !! :lol:
Starting with the trunk and then the engine compartment and then the body from there. I can't get there until Wednesday... so pictures as I have them! :icon_smile_big:
FINALLY!!!!!!!! :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
Quote from: birdsandbees on January 15, 2017, 05:05:57 PM
Think it has more to do with the past 6 years or so and learning to sit quietly in a hospital room corner. Got to the point I didn't even need a magazine.
I think it's just Jen looking down :angel: over my shoulder and making sure I'm getting it right! :yesnod: :rotz:
.. and yah.. I'll be 55 in March! :lol:
Yeah I think you might be right. :yesnod:
55 is the new 35. Rock on! :punkrocka:
Quote from: Dino on January 16, 2017, 05:02:47 PM
Yeah I think you might be right. :yesnod:
55 is the new 35. Rock on! :punkrocka:
:lol:
Well with the ice storm yesterday George was hesitant to start in case the power went out... and if that happened it could have cost us a couple of grand. They used the day to do another full once over of the car and I was on site today as the painting began.
Leon.. yes.. as I suspected the "base coat" was a sealer coat of Gray, followed by the blue.
Hood as straight and smooth as it's NEVER been.. ready for sealer and paint.
Note these pictures are just one coat of FOUR that are to be laid down before the Klear coat goes on. Hard to catch the colour on the camera, but I think I hit it pretty good at picking a colour that's damn close to B5, but has life! :coolgleamA:
$500 US a gallon.. I'm not wasting it painting under the carpet! :pity:
:popcrn:
Love it!
"Leon.. yes.. as I suspected the "base coat" was a sealer coat of Gray, followed by the blue."
When I think of base coat I think of the color before the clear, Blue in your case, Alot of people, including House of Color in there old days would refer to the sealer or primer or any other coating under the base or color coat as a Ground Coat. Not a term I use to often though. The way you phrased it made it sound like a Candy was going on? The blue looks nice. Congrats. :2thumbs: LEON.
Oh yeah! Now we're talking!
THANKS Guys!!! Also got our latches back from the plater. Door strikers as well in natural Cad.
Wow! That colour really pops!
*I spelled it colour, because the car is in Canada. ;)
Quote from: darbgnik on January 18, 2017, 11:12:27 PM
Wow! That colour really pops!
*I spelled it colour, because the car is in Canada. ;)
LOL !!! :lol: :2thumbs: Thanks!
Can't wait for 3 more coats of blue and then clear coat! Be a few weeks before it's all painted.
Quote from: birdsandbees on January 18, 2017, 11:17:03 PM
LOL !!! :lol: :2thumbs: Thanks!
Can't wait for 3 more coats of blue and then clear coat! Be a few weeks before it's all painted.
Yeah man! I know the excited feeling you have right now. My Avatar pic is from when mine got sprayed a few weeks ago. The icing on the cake really is the paint! So says the painter at the shop I used..
SWEEEEEEEEEET !!!!!!!
:coolgleamA:
Thanks CRJ !
4 coats of blue and the clear on.... booth on "bake"!
WOW, BEAUTIFUL! :2thumbs:
Thanks.. now the long 2 week wait to see it all in paint!! :popcrn: I figure if the engine compartment can pop like that I'd better bring my sunglasses.. :lol:
That's beautiful! I can't wait to see it finished. You'll have some serious sphincter contractions when you're reassembling the car though. :lol:
I'm getting car back with fenders and hood off Dirk. Clear coat not sanded or buffed out. That way when she's all assembled they can cut and polish, install the trim chrome and we slap the white strip on. Not quite how I wanted it to go.. .but it makes the most sense!
Yeah I guess it does make the most sense. :yesnod:
When you restored your dash, How did you do the bezels?
especially the chrome revel edge?
I like to sand and buff right away. Get the bulk of the mess from it out of the way, then jus hit a few detail spots later. It. Can be a bitch to clean sanding scum and compound out of some stuff
Thanks CB... what I thought was going to happen, but was given the "we'll do it afterwards in case your scratch it.. etc" line yesterday. I'll discuss it again when I'm back over next week. I'd really like the thing buffed out, stripe and chrome back on so we're done with it and the car looks complete while I sit in a chair drinking beer! :lol:
I get it, it's how I used to do it as well. But I have to admit that their way is a tad safer because scratching it is a very real risk and if it hasn't been cut yet there's a much better chance of making that scratch go away.
Good and bad with either method I suppose. If you use lots of protective measures while assembling and you have a helping hand for the larger parts then I guess cutting it first is the better way to go.
Quote from: mopar4don on January 19, 2017, 01:09:31 PM
When you restored your dash, How did you do the bezels?
especially the chrome revel edge?
I cheated Don... bought a new 5 pc bezel kit for $800 CDN ! :brickwall: My old one had already been "touched up" back in the 80's and figured it wasn't worth the effort to try and make it correct.
Dino has a nice thread on restoring his and how to do it. Easy off and LOTS of work.
Quote from: birdsandbees on January 19, 2017, 02:43:47 PM
Quote from: mopar4don on January 19, 2017, 01:09:31 PM
When you restored your dash, How did you do the bezels?
especially the chrome revel edge?
I cheated Don... bought a new 5 pc bezel kit for $800 CDN ! :brickwall: My old one had already been "touched up" back in the 80's and figured it wasn't worth the effort to try and make it correct.
Dino has a nice thread on restoring his and how to do it. Easy off and LOTS of work.
Thanks for the lead..... off to find Dino's thread
Another day of progress... Front drums media blasted and the Red band painted, then cleared, like the rear drums I had already done.
Installed a new reverse switch and tested it's function, then installed a new factory correct reverse switch wiring harness... both I got from Brewers.
Repaired the cut out that we had made in my Ramcharger hoods lower filter pan... that we made to clear the 2 speed wiper motor after "borrowing" the hood from a buddy's 'Bee in 1978. I cut it clean, made a pattern.. then a patch panel and TIG'd it in.. ground smooth. A bit of primer and some sanding and I think it'll blend in nice.
:popcrn:
Today I got the air filter base media blasted, primed, painted and cleared. Need to buff some dirt out of it... but the best it's looked in 40+ years.
Also great that we're +5C up here in the great white North.. and the resto shop owner couldn't go sledding this weekend so he called in his right hand man and they painted (4 coats) and cleared the underside of my hood, trunk lid, doors, my battery tray and misc parts and taped off the car ready for paint on a Saturday. :yesnod:
Also talked with him late this afternoon. The car is now taped off for paint on Monday.. and then of course the top side of what they did the bottom of today. It will then sit a week +.. they will sand all the clear at 800 and 1000 and then it will all get another 2 coats of clear. Then I get the car back for assembly and once all is assembled it will get sanded and buffed the final time.
He also has to paint my door insides gloss black, along with my door panel and headliner trim but it's all finally coming together. :2thumbs:
Also learned he sent my vent window frames, rear window flip out latches and all trim to the chrome shop.. along with my rear bumper. Can't wait for that bill.. :eek2:
Can't wait to see it together. That colour is gonna really pop!
It may end up costing a million bucks, but at least it will look like it! :2thumbs:
Thanks guys! Today I reblasted the pumpkin. I guess being behind is a good thing as it showed clean and coated in 80W90 won't stop rust. So she's clean again and clear coated. We'll see how that goes. Time to start re-building the rear axle and getting it on it's springs.
I have a new ratio tag and "sure grip lube" tag to put under the nuts. I've seen them different places but would I be correct in assuming that they counterbored two nut faces back bigger as this is where the 2 tags go.. OR?? Thanks!
Ordered a 24 Yellow cap and 5 x "T83" Goodyear Speedway Redstreaks this morning.
Also forgot that I had thrown my K frame / strut shields into my 100LL degrease tray. Went to move it today and they'd been in there for a week. They had been coated in undercoating and crap.. I had scrapped some of it, but the AV gas soaked it right off. Picked them up and the coating slid off!
:popcrn:
I would say the 2 bigger holes is where the 2 tags went. I only had one tag on this rear but it did go from the factory on the bigger hole or bigger area around head of nut. Pic below.
THANKS Leon!! What I thought. Ratio there and the Sure grip lube round tag on the passenger side above the filler. I've seen supposedly original ratio tags on the passenger side upper nut and why I asked for clarification. :2thumbs:
I'm sure my tag in pic is in it's right location as the car (69 Roadrunner) was a original car & original owner. LEON.
Quote from: hemi-hampton on January 23, 2017, 10:41:05 PM
I'm sure my tag in pic is in it's right location as the car (69 Roadrunner) was a original car & original owner. LEON.
:cheers:
:cheers: :cheers: :2thumbs:
:2thumbs:
Just had a chance to read the entire thread. Great job, looks fantastic! :2thumbs: :2thumbs:
Thanks guys!
Got the $5000 surprise this morning when I learned that the shop had sent all my chrome out for replating and the stainless window trim for polish. Not what I planned for as I figured I could do most of it myself.. but a done deal now. I knew my rear bumper was going out ($1400 of that), but not all the trim.
Got the new leaf spring bushings pressed in place, the old inner seals knocked out, the housing totally cleaned inside and starting to put together.
Tomorrow I'll install my sure grip pumpkin, cut / press the old (still good, but at this point why chance) old bearings off both axles and install all new Timkens from Dr Diff. and hopefully get the rear axle assembly all together ready to put back into the body.
:popcrn:
Started on the axle bearing removal this morning and then headed for the resto shop. Got there just as the body and doors were coming out of the booth after 4 coats of blue + 1 clear... and the fenders, trunk lid and some misc were going in and should be all in colour and clear by now.
Like watching TV in the paint... and it still has to be sanded, then 2 more coats of clear and then the final cut and polish! :yesnod: :icon_smile_big:
That looks sooooo good! :o :2thumbs:
So...when it's all done...will you be driving it?
I might have to wrap it in bubble wrap Dirk!! :lol:
:lol:
:2thumbs:
Looks purty :drool5:
MNa, that colour pops in that side shot of the quarter with the doors hanging in front of it!
Quote from: birdsandbees on January 24, 2017, 07:13:35 PM
Tomorrow I'll install my sure grip pumpkin, cut / press the old (still good, but at this point why chance) old bearings off both axles and install all new Timkens from Dr Diff. and hopefully get the rear axle assembly all together ready to put back into the body.
I didn't see the bearing adjuster/retainer in the Dr Diff kit you bought ($130!!!) Old one OK to use? I ended up buying a NOS one on ebay for about $35.
Quote from: green69rt on January 26, 2017, 08:53:57 AM
Quote from: birdsandbees on January 24, 2017, 07:13:35 PM
Tomorrow I'll install my sure grip pumpkin, cut / press the old (still good, but at this point why chance) old bearings off both axles and install all new Timkens from Dr Diff. and hopefully get the rear axle assembly all together ready to put back into the body.
I didn't see the bearing adjuster/retainer in the Dr Diff kit you bought ($130!!!) Old one OK to use? I ended up buying a NOS one on ebay for about $35.
Nothing wrong with my old adjustable retainer plate. Turns easy and is straight. Was surprised to see it didn't have a lock tab on it the past 40+/- years though and it never loosened off! Have a new lock pawl for installation. Time to hit the shop and get at it again.
Bearings and retainers off both axles today and all cleaned up.
Slugged away on the left collar yesterday with a chisel until it opened up enough following the service manual and then cut the bearing open.. pulled the rollers out and then tried to press the bearing collar off. Couldn't find an adjustable pressing collar anywhere in town and after the edge cracked off I gave up and went to the Resto shop.
Today I did the right axle... took 4 minutes.. drill two holes.. one hit on each with chisel and collar off. Found bearing lightly loose and moved just enough that I could get 3/16 plates behind the entire bearing to press off easy.
With the left bearing I put a protective sleeve over the axle shaft and a plate clamped to retainer and cut it about 60% thru with a cut wheel.. then gave it two wacks with a chisel and it split and fell off.
..and if you ever wonder how to get an axle in the cabinet to blast it.. here's a hint..
Pumpkin installed ready for axle installation and I will put new seals in the retainers and press the new bearings and collars on tomorrow to do so.
:popcrn:
You're making my car look bad... :lol:
Looks great- ! :coolgleamA:
nice work ! looking good :2thumbs: :coolgleamA: :popcrn:
THANKS Guys!!! :cheers:
Sorry Dirk... :hah: :lol:
Quote from: Dino on January 26, 2017, 06:08:24 PM
You're making my car look bad... :lol:
That's how I feel about all the cars on here....oh well. :cheers:
Quote from: crj1968 on January 26, 2017, 06:43:49 PM
Quote from: Dino on January 26, 2017, 06:08:24 PM
You're making my car look bad... :lol:
That's how I feel about all the cars on here....oh well. :cheers:
Nah, our cars our pretty much complete, running, and in good condition for their age. Plenty people here have cars that resembles debris. :lol:
......oh...you've seen mine then...lol!
This mornings work. Retainers degreased, Evaporusted, new seals put in, bearings packed and both assemblies pressed into place. 5 tons to move them and set with 10.
Axles in, retainers torqued. Adjuster tighted right up to set bearings and then loosened and tightened (and axles smacked with a 5 lb .. with wood between hammer and axle) until I got a consistant .012 of end play (spec is .008 - .018).
Don't forget your lock pawl. Something my car hasn't had on it apparently since 1978 at least and I had to buy one. Amazed that it never loosened off over time.
Wheel cylinders and brake lines up next.
Hoping the detail I'm going into helps some other "builders" get their project moved along in the future.
Rear brake cylinders and stainless lines (from Right Stuff) installed this afternoon. They are done and my arm is done.. but the rear end assembly is ready to install to the car body when I get it back in the next week to 10 days. :2thumbs:
Gasket I made previously for the wheel cylinder.
Rag in place in case the cheap Dot 3 or 4 comes out and removes my paint (I'll be going Dot 5 Synthetic).
Vent stud is RPM'd and the Brass Y is clear coated in the same tarnish preventer I put on the steering box.
Don't forget that using DOT 5 in a DOT 3 or DOT 4 system without proper flushing and removal of all traces of the old fluid will cause damage to the seals and cause brake failure. DOT 5 brake fluid absorbs a small amount of air requiring a lot more care and effort care when bleeding the system of air. Also anyone reading this and considering putting it in a modern car...DONT....it's not compatible with abs systems. I'm sure birdsandbees knows all this...but some readers might not. Carry on!
Yah.. well there's no ABS on my car! :lol:.. and I already paid 80 bucks for enough to hopefully fill my system.
Funny that it's the only fluid, that the resto shop doing my body, puts into every vehicle they do without issue so they don't have to worry about paint loss from leaks or spills. Dodges, GM's, Ferraris, Lambos.. many have ABS.
Thanks for the warning Alf...
Not much accomplished today after 4 hours of plowing a foot of soaking wet snow on unfrozen ground, but I did get my starter bolted in place and new + / - cables installed.
I show two pictures of the starter... just for those guys that like to pick on cars and colours that are "wrong" based on a photo on the internet. First shot is no flash.. second shot is double "red eye" flash. Neither show the actual colour of my engine.
Negative cable installed under the throttle return spring bracket. Both the bracket and intake cleaned of paint, coated with dielectric grease and all bolted together. Starter / + cable installed to starter solenoid.
:popcrn:
Just woke up and realized that this starter harness I bought for ridiculous money ($140) from Brewers isn't actually correct. It has a black solenoid wire vs the correct brown colour. That said, their cable has the best battery terminal end I've seen to date. I have a reproduction cable set for my 'Bird that has correct brown wire, but an undersize red + cable and a cheap swagged deformed battery terminal end.
Too bad the two companies couldn't combine and get it RIGHT! :brickwall:
Well now they went and done it... they scratched up all my clear coat... :eek2:
Almost everything has been interfaced as of noon... a bit of the body and the hood scoops to do, but then she's ready to clean up and hit with 2 more clear coats, then tape off the car and paint the bottom.
I REALLY like this car !!!!! :2thumbs:, in the late 70's I had a white 69 Bee, they are one of my favorites .
You think that black trigger wire insulation may turn brown if you rub it with bleach? :scratchchin:
Worked on my wife's dress pants. Oops. :lol:
LOL.. Thought about vinyl and fabric paint, not bleach! :lol:
Hey what do you have to lose by trying? :lol:
Will grab my old harness and go colour matching..
..and Thanks CDR ! Maybe Luke has your old car ... :shruggy:
I know this is a Charger site, but having the Bird and the Bee I figure I can sneak the resto of the 'Bee in here without having to put up with multiple forums. A GREAT bunch of guys seem to hang out here...
Looking really good- I'm digging the Direct Connection valve covers !
Quote from: birdsandbees on January 31, 2017, 05:30:15 PM
Will grab my old harness and go colour matching..
..and Thanks CDR ! Maybe Luke has your old car ... :shruggy:
I know this is a Charger site, but having the Bird and the Bee I figure I can sneak the resto of the 'Bee in here without having to put up with multiple forums. A GREAT bunch of guys seem to hang out here...
No its not my old one, he would not sell it to me :'(
Quote from: cdr on January 31, 2017, 06:05:39 PM
Quote from: birdsandbees on January 31, 2017, 05:30:15 PM
Will grab my old harness and go colour matching..
..and Thanks CDR ! Maybe Luke has your old car ... :shruggy:
I know this is a Charger site, but having the Bird and the Bee I figure I can sneak the resto of the 'Bee in here without having to put up with multiple forums. A GREAT bunch of guys seem to hang out here...
No its not my old one, he would not sell it to me :'(
I have to agree, this site, it's great. I too will hopefully have a build thread for mine. Or Charlie's. :D
Luke
Code readers please.... is this my correct original spare??? I think it's been in the trunk during my life time..
14 x 5 1/2 JK
B MADE IN CAN 830
A 1 4 19
Had my tires removed from rims today, getting ready to clean and install my Goodyear Speedway Red Streaks, and the tire shop thought I was nuts. Perfect Michelin radials. Soft, pliable, full tread, installed in 1989 ! :lol: 5 guys + the owner and all said they'd run them.. :yesnod:
no part number - but what dates/info is here by the valve stem hole? what your car's SPD?
M5
7 4 19 55
So I guess it's a 1967 wheel.. april 19 th
The 55??
Must have been just something I grabbed to have a spare a few decades back... :scratchchin:
M = manufacturer - Motor Wheel Corp.
5 = plant - Chatham, Ontario, Canada (opened in '66)
5.5 = 5.5" wide (probably from a c-body built in Windsor) :shruggy:
here's a typical ('68 &) '69 b-body 14x5.5" US made steel wheel - I don't think this wheel design will fit the '70 & newer sliding caliper
Thanks.. got it all blasted up, primed and painted ready to put my Goodyear Speedway Redstripes on it that FedEx dropped today from Universal Vintage Tire in PA (freshly ordered from Goodyear). Just have to get my other 4 wheels cleaned up first then back to the tire shop. :yesnod:
I have the bestest wife in the world!! :yesnod: I sure hope that she doesn't get home for awhile, as I have 3 more to go!! LOL
.... seriously, she helped me bend the plate pegs so I could get it in! I want to see if it will clean the dirt out of all the webs.
Enjoying your thread, curious to see what the wheels look like after they come out.
I actually forgot that our water / dishwasher turns the old aluminum pots bronzish... so I washed the other three before I started sanding and polishing. Dishwasher did a good job cleaning 39 years of dirt out of the webs though!!
What's happening with your car CDN??
Almost 1.5 hours a wheel. Was able to turn and sand the back side in the lathe, but could only reach in as far as the web on the front while being very careful not to catch my hand. I couldn't turn the wheel around as the rim in that position sat over top my chuck keys. Webs and hub face all done by hand pretending I'm going in circles.
Still need to hit the fronts with 600 / 1000 and then 2000 and then I'll clear coat.
They're not actually California Wheels.. just a cap I have. Wheels were bought at Canadian Tire in 1978! :yesnod:
Wow excellent job! :o
Those are going to look a-ma-zing on your popping blue ride! :2thumbs:
Awesome job on the wheels. Looks better than new! :2thumbs:
Thanks guys.. still need some work and then I'm going to clear them with the same tarnish preventer I put on the steering box. Still not sure the Raceway Red Streaks are going to look right on them... but early next week they'll be mounted. Pending that.. I'll be looking for Magnums I guess.. :Twocents:
I think they'll look just fine. :yesnod:
You could always try to add a thin red stripe on the rims with removable vinyl paint. It should make for a better match. A red center cap wouldn't hurt either.
I have a pair of similar wheels in 15x8.5" - a buddy had them on a '73 Charger - I've had them on a few cars
yours must be MOPAR parts - complete with PENTASTAR!! :2thumbs:
:lol: :2thumbs:
68 and before steel wheels have only 3 ribs for the dog dishes
One of the KEY differences and there are other subtle differences
69 and above steel wheels have 4 ribs to grab the dog dishes
Rims can be a PITA.....I just went through this with my GTX. I had a heck of a time finding four not beat up, rusty etc... I have someone that welds the dated area and restamps the codes you want.(PM me if you need to know)
Steel wheels got pitched back in the date and are very difficult to find good ones...
Great progress as always... I love the fact your have a washer and a oven in your shop! :2thumbs:
Nah.. the dishwasher is in the house!! :yesnod: So was the first oven run with my center link.. :icon_smile_big:
Spare steelie only has 3 tabs for dog dish attachment.. 4 flats welding center to rim... so I guess it is a '67 wheel. It's in good shape and once the tire is on and jack base plate and hook is on top no one while know any different (other than the 1000 people here!)
Quote from: birdsandbees on February 03, 2017, 08:44:11 PM
Nah.. the dishwasher is in the house!! :yesnod: So was the first oven run with my center link.. :icon_smile_big:
Spare steelie only has 3 tabs for dog dish attachment.. 4 flats welding center to rim... so I guess it is a '67 wheel. It's in good shape and once the tire is on and jack base plate and hook is on top no one while know any different (other than the 1000 people here!)
They beauty of your car will cloud that 1k crowds focus!
Quote from: moparnation74 on February 03, 2017, 08:23:03 PM
68 and before steel wheels have only 3 ribs for the dog dishes
One of the KEY differences and there are other subtle differences
69 and above steel wheels have 4 ribs to grab the dog dishes
Rims can be a PITA.....I just went through this with my GTX. I had a heck of a time finding four not beat up, rusty etc... I have someone that welds the dated area and restamps the codes you want.(PM me if you need to know)
Steel wheels got pitched back in the date and are very difficult to find good ones...
Great progress as always... I love the fact your have a washer and a oven in your shop! :2thumbs:
that's some incorrect info :slap: thanks for sharing!!
You saying that steel wheel info isn't correct 6bblgt? Also remembered that I have other steel wheels out in my highway trailer beside the hangar... should dig though it. :yesnod:
Got all 4 wheels sanded out with 400 today and then two of them done with 800. Enough arm therapy for today. Will do the other two tomorrow to 800, then maybe all in 1000. Then maybe 2000 before clear coat of tarnish preventer.
BTW.. these are flashless photos, just the shop lights reflecting off of them... ;D
:o :2thumbs:
George came home from a week of sledding and used a nice quiet, dust free, employee free shop on a Sunday to work his magic on my final 2 coats of clear. Just wish he'd learn how to take pictures... :yesnod:
Painting the bottom of the car tomorrow or Tuesday after they get the upper all taped off.
WOW!! I bet you'll need to wear shades to look at your car in the sun. :coolgleamA:
Nice Blue, Looks Good. :2thumbs: LEON.
:scope: looks good :yesnod: :2thumbs: :coolgleamA: :popcrn:
Friggin' stunning that is! :2thumbs:
Thanks guys!!! :yesnod:
Fingers are about f'd.. but I got all wheels done in 800 and then 1000 today. Cleaned and cleared in tarnish preventer.
Unwrapped my tires enough to see FedEx bounced and messed up 2 of 5 stickers. Saved two good ones as spares and left the best one on the tire for my spare wheel in the trunk.
Also found another use for my engine stand.. :yesnod:
original spare tires didn't have a label on them
You sure know how to bust a guys bubble.. :lol: Can't believe someone took the time to peel stickers.. but then again I guess they probably never had them in the first place being bought in bulk!
Quote from: birdsandbees on February 02, 2017, 01:46:43 PM
I actually forgot that our water / dishwasher turns the old aluminum pots bronzish... so I washed the other three before I started sanding and polishing. Dishwasher did a good job cleaning 39 years of dirt out of the webs though!!
What's happening with your car CDN??
Waiting to get in the paint booth, one car ahead of me. :2thumbs:
Wow Canadian Tire wheels, lol. Look good.
Loving the Blue. :2thumbs:
Was requested to get to the resto shop pronto this morning... not what I had planned on a freezing rain day but what can you do? Heck, they had it all gift wrapped for me when I got there! :lol: George wanted my approval on the undercarriage before they started spraying.. good thing I guess. I wanted a few plug welds smoothed out to look more like spot welds and with that underway I gave them the 'Blue" light to proceed. Should all be in paint by now.
Hood covered in dust... you wouldn't know it! ;D
Got my carb cleaned up, spacer hogged out previously and all set in place to make sure the spacer is enough for the carb mechanisms and that everything moves smoothly. Had to set my cleaner in place for the "look". :yesnod:
:paintingpink: No Rotisserie to paint Undercarriage. I hope he has a Pressure Pot. LEON. :paintingpink: :paintingpink:
He refuses to put unibodies on a rotisserie "from seeing too many horror stories". Same deal as doing ALL my metal work with the car bolted / welded to a solid jig frame bigger than the car and not sitting on some axle stands.
If he wants to roll around on the floor at 63 years of age.. more power to him :lol:
And of course yes to the pressure pot.
I agree with him about Metal work on the rotisserie but painting them doesn't hurt anything
Quote from: birdsandbees on February 08, 2017, 09:23:49 AM
He refuses to put unibodies on a rotisserie "from seeing too many horror stories". Same deal as doing ALL my metal work with the car bolted / welded to a solid jig frame bigger than the car and not sitting on some axle stands.
If he wants to roll around on the floor at 63 years of age.. more power to him :lol:
And of course yes to the pressure pot.
I agree 100%. thats why I weld in lots of reinforcement metal brackets & or use frame rail/sub frame connectors. I've painted undercarriage's on jack stands just like that. Not fun. Did this 70 T/A Challenger like that 20 years ago. LEON.
Last purchase from Jegs.. $40 for 20 chrome "big block rocker cover" bolts... at minimum a 1/4" too long (that I had to cut wheel off and thread chase) even using a lock washer, flat washer and load spreader plate. Their listing picture showed washers came with them.... they did not and then no reply or care from Jegs to my inquiry as to why. Luckily found some stainless in town to keep the look and get the rockers installed.
PCV and breather (after clean and paint) installed, as well as the plug wires. All that is left is a fuel line from carb to pump, the fuel filter in between and to paint and clear the filter lid.
Was to get my car shell back today, but blizzard conditions here. Maybe tomorrow or early into next week..
UPDATE... Jegs is refunding my money on the rocker bolts! :2thumbs: :2thumbs: So I guess we're friends again! :yesnod: :lol:
Not much done this weekend, thanks to continuous snow fall and countless hours in the plow truck, but I got my fuel lines all on. Inlet hose for frame rail line to pump, pump to filter and filter to carb lines.
Didn't want the filter sitting boiling on the manifold again, like the past few decades, so I grabbed some random aircraft tube clamps from my parts shelves and made a holder and stole the rubber cushion from another to make it a clean install. Filter is now up in the air, not touching anything or in the way of anything.
K frame, engine and trans now ready to stuff back into the body shell. Hopefull I see it Monday or Tuesday so I can start installing the other stuff that needs to go in first.
Looks very clean... as does all the work you do. :2thumbs:
THANKS Lennard... it's sure come a long way from a "scuff and paint" !! :lol:
Do it once, do it right. :cheers:
Picked up my wheels / tires today. Open to honest opinions on what you guys think of the look??!!
These wheels owe me nothing... bought 39 years ago I've certainly got my money out of them and it cost me a whole 60 bucks cash to de-tire the old michelins, mount the Goodyear Raceways with new stems x 5 and have them all balanced. Great using the same tire shop for 32 years!
Pending another blizzard up here, I get my car shell back tomorrow afternoon! :icon_smile_tongue:
Love the steelie! The other 4 look like a truck rim to me......
What do the center caps look like or does it have those?
Yah.. I should go snap a cap into one and lug nuts for the true look!
I love the retro look! :drool5: As a personal preference to compliment the vintage wheels, I would like to see period correct raised white letter tires but I don't even know if they even exist.
They sure did clean up nice though. :cheers:
You can buy any "period" tire you desire these days, some from Goodyear and another that refaces BF Goodrich radials. Mine are right from Goodyear.. Bias Ply SPEEDWAY Red Streaks that are what originally came on the car.
I had someone else tell me to get the "2nd day" wheel look correct he would have gone with raised white letter Wide Ovals.
Not buying new tires, but if it doesn't look right on the car I'll have to find some Road Wheels I guess. Don't want the steelie dog dish look... but I do have 3 correct '69 Dodge Coronet / Charger hub caps though and would need a 4th, but not to sure on that look either.
Gonna go put a cap in and lug nut up a wheel for pics.
Quote from: birdsandbees on February 15, 2017, 02:26:22 PM
You can buy any "period" tire you desire these days, some from Goodyear and another that refaces BF Goodrich radials. Mine are right from Goodyear.. Bias Ply Raceway Red Streaks that are what originally came on the car.
I had someone else tell me to get the "2nd day" wheel look correct he would have gone with raised white letter Wide Ovals.
Not buying new tires, but if it doesn't look right on the car I'll have to find some Road Wheels I guess. Don't want the steelie dog dish look... but I do have 3 correct '69 Dodge Coronet / Charger hub caps though and would need a 4th, but not to sure on that look either.
Gonna go put a cap in and lug nut up a wheel for pics.
Now the wide ovals would be a nice addition......
The cap might make or break it for me but that is just my opinion btw.....no offense meant....
I am picturing these in my mind on the Bee and not just based on the rim only
SPEEDWAY
while they wouldn't be my first choice - their history with you & the car would keep them in place :2thumbs:
I like them. :yesnod:
When the car is done and you don't like them it's an easy fix, but I think they'll look great on your car.
Quote from: 6bblgt on February 15, 2017, 03:50:15 PM
SPEEDWAY
while they wouldn't be my first choice - their history with you & the car would keep them in place :2thumbs:
YAH.. LOL.. that's what it says on the tires! :yesnod: :icon_smile_big:
New center caps that I just got last week (only 3.18" caps I could find and darn near identical to the 40 year olds) and new lug nuts in place.
Bolted a front drum in to see how the factory spec'd red face looks behind the wheel. I think it works with the red stripe tire.
Should get to see how it all looks against Blue shortly... I'm worse right now waiting for my car delivery than I was waiting for the Wife to pop out a kid !! :icon_smile_big:
OHHH .. I think they may just work !! :yesnod: :icon_smile_big: More pictures at 11 .. :lol:
Oh heck yeah! :cheers:
Do bees have the ss trim around the wheel wells?
Was an option.. but not on mine.
As you may note... I got my shell back today!! :icon_smile_big:
Wife holding the old trunk lid.. I think I hit the Blue about dead on where I wanted to be between the old and B5.
:popcrn:
:popcrn:
It even matches her shirt! :lol:
The car looks amazing. Now get to work! :2thumbs:
Beautiful! :2thumbs:
Thanks guys.. she's not even cut and polished yet! ;D
Can't wait to see it with the chrome and stainless back on!
Quote from: Dino on February 16, 2017, 08:40:45 PM
Oh heck yeah! :cheers:
Do bees have the ss trim around the wheel wells?
Quote from: birdsandbees on February 16, 2017, 08:53:31 PM
Was an option.. but not on mine.
M26 - "WHEEL LIP MOULDINGS" were
STANDARD on all 1968-1970 Super Bees :slap: :cheers:
Quote from: 6bblgt on February 17, 2017, 01:41:01 AM
Quote from: Dino on February 16, 2017, 08:40:45 PM
Oh heck yeah! :cheers:
Do bees have the ss trim around the wheel wells?
Quote from: birdsandbees on February 16, 2017, 08:53:31 PM
Was an option.. but not on mine.
M26 - "WHEEL LIP MOULDINGS" were STANDARD on all 1968-1970 Super Bees :slap: :cheers:
Is that M26 suppose to be on the fender tag. Cause my 69 bee doesn't have it.
Car looks good, that blue is deep.
Luke
That wheel moulding information for Hardtops?.. or Coupes. Which assembly plant? So Standard instead of optional, but I presume like a stripe you could get wheel lip moulding "delete". M27. Knowing how cheap my father was.. it was probably an $18 savings to have them deleted! :lol:
I do not remember this car ever having wheel lip mouldings :scratchchin:
There are no mysterious holes drilled in the front fender lips or signs of any being welded in. Fenders are original to the car..
not a fender tag code, they used self taping or drill pint screws - fenders & quarters should have holes if original pieces
STANDARD on all non-delete-able - it was part of Dodge's one-upmanship over the Plymouth Road Runner, along with a-pillar mouldings on the coupes
Well I'll go have a better look at the fenders for signs of hole fill in, but as I said I do not remember the car ever having lip trim. Full rear quarters were replaced in '79 with NOS metal.
Either way.. they're not going on my car. :rotz:
That's a nice bright blue, looks good :2thumbs: LEON.
Thanks Leon... it's a different colour every way you look at it, even almost purple at times. Wife loves it, I'm still wondering what I did! :lol: HoK403 if you want to use it some day.
Morning shot.. no lights on in shop, no flash, just the light through the garage door upper windows.
Fender tag back where it belongs and a shot to show how clean they media blasted and perfectly painted to show the "hidden" VIN so well on the radiator support.
Can anyone tell me if there is supposed to be a "body plug" in the single big hole in the trunk lid??
Not getting much done, just staring at parts.. sorting bolts that need painting, etc and deciding how to proceed. I have the headliner laid out upstairs on the wood floor to "de-crease", so I can install it first when I get back from 10 days of ice fishing.
Got my decals out, to lay them out on the pool table to flatten before install when the car is in final cut and polish, and had to put one in place on the car ! :yesnod:
..anyone help on that big trunk lid hole, does it just stay open or is there a plug???
Beautiful blue, looking forward to your progress going forward.
If you don't get an answer about the trunk hole by Monday I can look at mine when I get over to the shop.
Luke
Still wondering about that big trunk hole and whether it gets a plug??
Made a run to pick up my new Coupe door glass and windshield today. The body shop in 1989 sandblasted my passenger door key hole with the window down and I decided it wasn't worth trying to polish their screw up out now that repro glass is actually available. Back then you couldn't even get new door felts for the Coupe. My drivers side window has had a little dish/chip at the upper lock pin for a long time, that you can just see, so they'll both be new.
Dropped by the resto shop on my way back and they had my hood all cut and polished so I can mount my scoops permanently and install my ramcharger air box without worrying how to buff it out later.
Arrived home to my new script battery on the back step via UPS. No acid, but an Odyssey AGM inside the script case. :2thumbs:
:2thumbs:
Quote from: birdsandbees on February 20, 2017, 02:57:58 PM
..anyone help on that big trunk lid hole, does it just stay open or is there a plug???
The "big hole" stays open.
The smaller hole nearby at the "bottom" corner gets a plug, which is part number 2094984 for anyone keeping score (you already have it installed).
THANKS Geno !!!
Car looks mighty sharp in that color :drool5: :coolgleamA: :popcrn:
THANKS!
Got my foil backed insulation in today, dome light wire in place, headliner teeth and bow clips installed as well as the front windshield trim clips.
Ready to install my headliner now..
:popcrn:
Quote from: birdsandbees on March 08, 2017, 07:16:52 PM
THANKS!
Got my foil backed insulation in today, dome light wire in place, headliner teeth and bow clips installed as well as the front windshield trim clips.
Ready to install my headliner now..
Did you do anything to the trim clips to prevent corrosion? I remember taking mine off and they were in pretty sad shape.
No I didn't, but good point with the new ones I probably should have RPM'd them or something. My old rear windshield clips are still green and pretty much like new, but of course they don't make steel like that anymore! :rotz: My front clips are AWOL, so not sure how they looked, the lower ones were rotted I know that, but I wish my old upper ones weren't missing so I at least had some spares. Kit was 2 clips short..
Got my upper firewall "blanket" insulation glued in place and the main part of my firewall pad in place with the plastic pins.
To add to the crap / bad reproduction parts thread. While the die cut insulation pad from REM is spot on, they then supply cheap generic push pins to install it. I had to buy the correct OEM pins from elsewhere and I should have bought 2 packs... as what pisses me off even more (as the co owner of a plastic injection moulding business) is the cheap soft plastic crap the "correct" pins are made of. After breaking a few I got smart, reamed the holes a tad and pushed them in my hand on a punch. Between the new junk and the old ones I didn't break when removing I got them all in place.
:popcrn:
looking good :2thumbs: :coolgleamA: .. I had the same trouble with the OEM type repop firewall pins :brickwall: , i found warming them up a little first with a hot air gun & smearing greese on the point , worked for me ,
Thanks TT ! Those are the kind of tips that add to the thread for anyone down the road. Hopefully once I have my car back together someone can follow a lot of this to get theirs back together if they didn't take detail pics on tear down. I have thousands, and even that isn't enough some days! :brickwall:
Fighting the flu, that my wife was nice enough to bring back with her from Cuba, so not getting a lot done. Should have listened to my Father when he said "always wear a condom and never kiss them" ! LOL
Got my restored wiper arm assembly bolted into place and snugged up. Terrified with the harder foam in the gasket kit than stock that I'll crack the housings. Going to let them settle for a few days and see if they need another turn of the nuts.
Steering column plate loosely in place, along with a new clutch rod boot.
Can anyone tell me if the foam gasket should be in the open that much, or was the original trimmed back closer to the openings edges?? :shruggy:
.. can anyone help with the steering column foam gasket question above??? :shruggy:
Still basically couch bound with the flu, but had to take the resto shops pads back that I brought my hood home on. Picked up my rear interior trim panels and headliner channels, as well as all my bolts blasted and painted. I still have to paint some of the tips where they'll show, but glad to pay vs me doing all those bolts. Just really glad I convinced one of the shop workers to do them one week that the owner was away, as the resto shop owner wanted nothing of it and wanted to black zinc plate all the hardware sighting we'd just chip the paint tightening. Light on the paint, a good 6 point socket and a piece of plastic wrap between bolt head and socket and "Bob's your Uncle" !
Managed to sort enough bolts and clips to install my battery tray.. and back to the couch :eek2: . Still need to drill for the tray brace... one step the shop missed as the inner fender doesn't come drilled. Makes sense since the '70 uses a different battery tray.
Hoping to be healthy enough to get the headliner in tomorrow, then Ebrake pedal assembly, clutch/brake pedal assembly, brake booster/master, front brake lines, heater box, wiper motor etc so I can put the dash back in and stuff the engine back in place on the K frame in the near future.
I don't have the answer to your gasket question, but I gotta say that you're doing an outstanding job! :2thumbs:
Quote from: birdsandbees on March 10, 2017, 01:23:31 PM
Can anyone tell me if the foam gasket should be in the open that much, or was the original trimmed back closer to the openings edges?? :shruggy:
Here's what we did on my car...
Thanks Geno.. guess it stays as is! Just seems like a lot of foam to simply get dirty. :shruggy:
Well this flu is certainly kicking the shit out of me. Going to get Trump to impose a travel ban on the wife.. :lol:
Almost forgot I bought the kick panel insulation kit, got the uppers glued in place.
Dollied my front headliner attachment clips back into shape, ready to install and marked their locations so once the headliner is pulled onto the teeth I can easily burn the holes and install them.
Put some small head screws in every mounting location.. mirror, sun visors, coat hook, seat belt snap, etc. so once I have the headliner in place I can easily find and exacto knife a x and remove the screws.
Also decided to use some HD Tarp tape to block all the C pillar holes, so hopefully the mice never get to my headliner again.
Got my headliner bows all wire wheeled and clean, ready to install to the new headliner. Need to clip all the bow pockets to length by transferring measurements from the old one as it fit well. Also note my old headliner.. had a liner, unlike Legendary's repop. Did the originals have a liner??? My "old" one was put in in 1989.
:popcrn:
Coming along nicely. :2thumbs:
Quote from: birdsandbees on March 10, 2017, 01:23:31 PM
Thanks TT ! Those are the kind of tips that add to the thread for anyone down the road. Hopefully once I have my car back together someone can follow a lot of this to get theirs back together if they didn't take detail pics on tear down. I have thousands, and even that isn't enough some days! :brickwall:
Fighting the flu, that my wife was nice enough to bring back with her from Cuba, so not getting a lot done. Should have listened to my Father when he said "always wear a condom and never kiss them" ! LOL
Got my restored wiper arm assembly bolted into place and snugged up. Terrified with the harder foam in the gasket kit than stock that I'll crack the housings. Going to let them settle for a few days and see if they need another turn of the nuts.
Steering column plate loosely in place, along with a new clutch rod boot.
Can anyone tell me if the foam gasket should be in the open that much, or was the original trimmed back closer to the openings edges?? :shruggy:
I will be one of those who uses this build thread when its time to do my 69 super bee. I need to finish my boat this year, Hopefully next winter i can start on it. I have followed this thread from day one and it has been great and informative. :2thumbs:
Luke
Thanks Guys! Just got off my ass and went at it this morning.
I think the headliner is similar to us lads that build airplanes working themselves up for weeks, if not months, on doing a wet wing fuel tank using some nasty PRC two part compound. I have just under 2 hours into what I accomplished in the next 16 pictures. Zero glue at this point, but will need a bit around the B post and a few other places.
Marked a center line on all 6 bows and did the same on the headliner loops. Placed each bow.. curling it along the loop and then cut the loop about 1.75" shorter than the bow on each end.
Put the rear two bows in place and then installed the rear tensioner clips. Next bow up into place and pushed the material taught to find the spot to make a small hole for the dome light socket to come out. Final 3 bows in place and then pulled taught and tacked on the middle two windshield teeth. Tacked on a couple rear window teeth and noted how tight Legendary was with material to make it to the sail panel teeth.. so tacked a few of those to make sure I didn't pull too far forward. I then worked from center to sides on the front windshield teeth to peg the headliner in place.
Mother is the need of all invention. Cut this "fork" on a piece of scrap strapping to push the headliner onto the rear window teeth.
Used the clips that I ordered, along the window sill at each bow location, after giving the material a good pull straight in the direction of the bow.
Like everything... you do stuff better either left or right. I got the rear window nice and taught on the drivers side, but the passenger side has a few wrinkles that will hopefully come out with steam or hair dryer.
Think she looks pretty good for only 2 hours work, no glue, no real fuss or curse words. Still needs some work, but it's time for a nap !! :eek2:
:popcrn:
:popcrn:
:popcrn:
Looks really good....I have never tried the no glue aspect....Are you going back and applying glue to some of the edges?
If you don't mind can you post the same relating to the sail panel boards....
:cheers: :cheers: nice work! Brings back memories of when I did mine a few years back.
Keep up the great work, love this build! :popcrn: :popcrn:
Quote from: moparnation74 on March 16, 2017, 01:40:31 PM
Looks really good....I have never tried the no glue aspect....Are you going back and applying glue to some of the edges?
If you don't mind can you post the same relating to the sail panel boards....
I asked elsewhere.. did the factory actually use glue, like everyone does now, or did they just use the clips I ordered via Legendary and then the additional 4 clips inside the side headliner trim held everything in place? I've seen so many headliners with so much extra glue under them wrinkle and crinkling that I thought I'd give it a go this way. Definitely need a bit of glue around the B post.. rear end of the back window and just to tack it in place on the A pillar (gets hidden by Plastic trim anyhow). I may take the contact cement brush and glue to the outer upper window lips as I trim the material off, but no spray can or gun of glue is going to hit this.
Too stuffed up to continue today, hope to be back at it tomorrow. Will definitely show the sail panel going into place. Looks like fold the front material under.. tack the upper to the rear window teeth and leave the bottom flap for the package tray to sit on.
Quote from: birdsandbees on March 16, 2017, 01:56:22 PM
Quote from: moparnation74 on March 16, 2017, 01:40:31 PM
Looks really good....I have never tried the no glue aspect....Are you going back and applying glue to some of the edges?
If you don't mind can you post the same relating to the sail panel boards....
I asked elsewhere.. did the factory actually use glue, like everyone does now, or did they just use the clips I ordered via Legendary and then the additional 4 clips inside the side headliner trim held everything in place? I've seen so many headliners with so much extra glue under them wrinkle and crinkling that I thought I'd give it a go this way. Definitely need a bit of glue around the B post.. rear end of the back window and just to tack it in place on the A pillar (gets hidden by Plastic trim anyhow). I may take the contact cement brush and glue to the outer upper window lips as I trim the material off, but no spray can or gun of glue is going to hit this.
Too stuffed up to continue today, hope to be back at it tomorrow. Will definitely show the sail panel going into place. Looks like fold the front material under.. tack the upper to the rear window teeth and leave the bottom flap for the package tray to sit on.
I appreciate you posting this...Looks really good and like how you approached it!....
Had a nap and went back out and installed the dome light. Sun had finally lowered enough so I could get a good flashless shot, without the sun reflecting through my door windows off the galvanized ceiling.
Also put the trim up with a clip in it and it seems to hold it good. Still figure I'll need some glue on the outer side of the lip to hold it all in place though.
Woke up this morning and decided to trim and glue to just the outside of the side window lips. Nothing on the interior side to bunch or mess with the natural contour of the headliner. Carefully trim, applied contact cement, waited about 10 minutes and pulled / pressed into place.
Trimmed along the front windshield frame and glued it, as well as installing the trim clips.
Back window used a screw driver to hold the headliner back so I could get the glue in on the metal teeth plates, then flipped the headliner back in after it tacked and smoothed it all out.
Fitting sail panels and making sure they sit back just far enough that the interior metal side trim panel clears / captures it and that it doesn't protrude into the window area.
Glued the front flap back into place and installed the velco patches that came with the panels... and if St Patrick's Day doesn't kick in for this Irishman I'll go back out and fit them into place. If not it will be sometime tomorrow afternoon!! :cheers:
:popcrn:
:popcrn:
:popcrn:
Get some Guinness down ya boy...and enjoy the craic! We are in a good old fashioned English boozer (pub!)in Bognor Regis West Sussex UK (Google it!) helping the Irish economy as I write this! Mines a pint mate. :cheers:
12 pictures.. pretty much self explanatory.
Main headliner pulled taught and pegged onto sail panel area teeth. Then trimmed back so the cut edge sits in the indent and out of the way of the sail panel sitting flush.
Left and right panels in place. Test fit on both to make sure they sat back far enough for the interior trim strip and rear seat panel to sit correctly. Once I knew they were correct I peeled the tape off the Velcro pads and stuck in place. Trimmed the lower flap as needed and glued, then pegged the upper on the teeth, trimmed for about 1/2 extra and glued it back onto the teeth plates.
Why I put screws in all the holes first... find, stick Phillips head in tight, it cuts an x and then work the material around the head. Remove screws and install coat hangar and shoulder belt snap. Will do the same on mirror and sun visors, but going to leave those until the windshield is in.
Installed the rear window "lace" rubber strip. Easier now then when the glass is in.
A VERY few wrinkles to work out with the heat gun.
For me this is my BIGGEST most satisfying accomplishment to date on this rebuild.
:popcrn:
:popcrn:
Nice job! :cheers:
You'll be driving that thing soon!
I wish chargers had that style sail panel boards
Quote from: Dino on March 18, 2017, 02:59:06 PM
Nice job! :cheers:
You'll be driving that thing soon!
Thanks Dirk! Amazed myself on this one.. after a LOT of procrastination to get on it. I have FOUR minor wrinkles and I already took one out very easily with the heat gun. Gonna leave it for now, get onto other stuff and come back to the headliner once I've put the mirror and visors back in.
Quote from: birdsandbees on March 18, 2017, 03:33:38 PM
Quote from: Dino on March 18, 2017, 02:59:06 PM
Nice job! :cheers:
You'll be driving that thing soon!
Thanks Dirk! Amazed myself on this one.. after a LOT of procrastination to get on it. I have FOUR minor wrinkles and I already took one out very easily with the heat gun. Gonna leave it for now, get onto other stuff and come back to the headliner once I've put the mirror and visors back in.
When it's time to replace mine, I'll give you a call! :2thumbs: :lol:
Four wrinkles, Where? Under the trim, lol...
Fantastic job!
THANKS! As I said, getting this behind me is the most satisfying accomplishment to date on the rebuild!
Admiring the talent here! :cheers:
Thanks Brent.. my mother named me Wayne (wagon builder in the Scottish handbook apparently) and I just make it up as I go along! :lol:
Not much done today. Got out my new bulkhead and wiring harness connector kit and transferred over my 4 wiper motor wires (cleaned up the male ends) and the reverse light connector wires got 2 new male ends before snapping into the connector block.
Pissed off that I went to put my heater box back in and found all the foam had let go from my rebuild just 6 or so months ago. DO NOT use Elmers spray adhesive!!! Ended up taking a lot of it apart to re-glue using 3M adhesive and then put my $13 rubber stamp to use with some yellow paint I had under the bench. It's not perfect, but of course it never would have been originally! Paint sprayed on some paper, rubber stamped dabbed in it, first stamping done elsewhere and then the 2nd stamping was done on the heater box plate.
My order from Year One came in today.. new engine, headlight and tail light harnesses (figured why play with old hard and crusty stuff for the little money it cost for repros with a 25% off code), new wiper fluid lines and squirters, headlight adjusters and a few others. While I was ordering I figured I'd treat the old girl to a new back window trim. $32 US bought me a nice little POS that is nowhere near the original trim piece on the left.
Installed my wiper motor and did a continuous run test and park test. Both successful !! :2thumbs:
Can anyone tell me what is supposed to mount / go into the hole between the wiper motors head and the bulkhead connector hole. Looking back though my pictures I don't see anything that was in that hole.. and if left open it would then just let water/etc drain directly onto the firewall insulation pad.
Doesn't look like factory hole to me.
Maybe I did it 35 years ago to run an oil pressure line??.. but it looks just like the ground wire bolt hole between the ballast and regulator. Haven't seen that hole in any other pictures I can find of other cars, so I guess I'll put a rubber plug in it. Should have something that'll work on my hangar parts shelves. Wish I'd done a "hole count" before body work, could have welded it in before paint.
It is a Factory Tach hole....Measures 7/8.....My unmolested 4 spd GTX I am restoring has that exact hole in that location...
That's the hole to the drivers side of the bulkhead square.. single tach wire with grommet. Talking about the 1/4 to 5/16 hole between the wiper motor head and the bulkhead hole.
Didn't see that in the other pic....your current pic shows a non factory hole...I agree with CB....
Okay.. what I feared, probably punched it in the early days for some gizmo or oil pressure line. Will find a plug for it, or seam sealer and the touch up gun. At least it will be hidden pretty much behind the wiring harnesses.
Heater box into place today, with what the consensus says is the correct yellow/zinc nuts.
Had snapped the studs off on the ebrake assembly when removing, best I could find to duplicate was some 5/16 bumper bolts I massaged a bit, then TIG'd them in place. Painted so they don't rust.
DO NOT install your Ebrake cable grommet before it's on the cable. Don't ask how I know that they cable head won't go through! Luckily the metal tabs played nice and will allow me to do it again shortly. Back to the shop to install the Ebrake assembly and drivers vent box.
:popcrn:
Great job and great pictures! I see one thing you may need to address. You bolted the steering column plate to the firewall. You may find like the E-brake grommet, you need to install the plate to the column first. The plate needs to move freely to adjust the column so the shaft is centered in the tube once the column is bolted at the top where it meets the dash. :Twocents: Keep up the good work! WINGNUT
Thanks! White grease under the bolt washers so they don't gawl the paint, plate is sitting loose! :2thumbs:
I'm lovin' this build.
Quote from: CDN72SE on March 22, 2017, 03:57:13 PM
I'm lovin' this build.
THANKS.. hopefully you have yours back soon and can start the same assembly process!
Got my ebrake cable installed to my assembly. The Ebrake assembly installed into the car. OEM grommet through the firewall and I couldn't leave the lower hole bare so put an open style grommet in it as well. Cable is run ready to hook up the rear ebrake cables.
Drivers side vent stack installed, as well as the clutch / brake pedal assembly. New gasket on the vacuum booster and it installed. Tested out the booster function (before I installed the master cylinder) by pushing the pedal fully in and it returns fully out. Was hard to push the first time and after a loud POP it worked fine. Was the plastic plug I put in the vacuum port hole shooting across the shop.. so I think I'm good!
Had fun getting that brake pedal to booster linkage in. Finally found you need to lift the brake pedal right up level.. then turn the rod end so the hole faces down.. insert linkage.. insert bolt and then turn into place!
Measured the piston rod length before installing the rebuilt master cylinder, per the shop manual. Ready to bleed when I have the lines in place for quick hook up..
About ready to put the dash back in!! :yesnod: :icon_smile_big:
:popcrn:
:popcrn:
Great progress...looks amazing!
How tough was it putting the e brake grommet on?
Quite easy... once I took it back out of the firewall !! :hah: Gave the three metal tabs a hard pull with a good pair of pliers to pull up tight. Thinking I should have put some glue or RTV on the back side before doing same, but I'm not removing it again!
..and looking at my own pictures... I think I turned the linkage plates around when getting it in place. Picture of the linkage before installation has the "reliefs" forward, based on the pedal large bolt. Is there a reason for those "cut outs / reliefs" in the area between vacuum booster bolt and brake pedal bolt? Do I have it backwards.. is it going to bind on something?
I can look at my car in the morning to see what goes there.
looks like i missed the other hole, but the guys are right, it is not factory. i snapped a pic
Luke
Disregard the hole question Luke... brain fart!!! It's for the speedo cable! :2thumbs:
:2thumbs: :coolgleamA: :popcrn:
Quote from: birdsandbees on March 10, 2017, 01:23:31 PM
Thanks TT ! Those are the kind of tips that add to the thread for anyone down the road. Hopefully once I have my car back together someone can follow a lot of this to get theirs back together if they didn't take detail pics on tear down. I have thousands, and even that isn't enough some days! :brickwall:
Fighting the flu, that my wife was nice enough to bring back with her from Cuba, so not getting a lot done. Should have listened to my Father when he said "always wear a condom and never kiss them" ! LOL
Got my restored wiper arm assembly bolted into place and snugged up. Terrified with the harder foam in the gasket kit than stock that I'll crack the housings. Going to let them settle for a few days and see if they need another turn of the nuts.
Steering column plate loosely in place, along with a new clutch rod boot.
Can anyone tell me if the foam gasket should be in the open that much, or was the original trimmed back closer to the openings edges?? :shruggy:
i'm a bit late on this , have a look here ! unrestored low mileage 68 ... looks to be like the new repop except old :shruggy:
, also from memory think mine was trimed right to the edge or what was showing had decomposed :P :shruggy:,
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,128129.0.html
THANKS! She'll get left full size then and since my foam kit was the denser less bubbly foam it should stand up well. :2thumbs:
Quote from: birdsandbees on March 22, 2017, 06:33:47 PM
..and looking at my own pictures... I think I turned the linkage plates around when getting it in place. Picture of the linkage before installation has the "reliefs" forward, based on the pedal large bolt. Is there a reason for those "cut outs / reliefs" in the area between vacuum booster bolt and brake pedal bolt? Do I have it backwards.. is it going to bind on something?
Anyone on the pedal linkage??? :shruggy: I tested it and the pedal can go all the way down to hit the floor, so it's not binding up top on anything! Maybe I should just turn it around before I go putting the dash in and then it's a none issue.
I was referring to getting the new grommet onto the parking brake cable. I should have clarified earlier...
Quote from: moparnation74 on March 23, 2017, 12:11:46 PM
I was referring to getting the new grommet onto the parking brake cable. I should have clarified earlier...
The firewall grommet went over the head of the cable fairly easily.. took a good push but not as tough as I thought it would be. The non factory grommet that I added to the lower hole.. I had to put it on the cable first as well and then put it into place.
My 55th Birthday today.. and a treat out of the mail box. Dodge specific mirror base and stem. Mine the plating is peeling and I was going to paint. Not no more... :icon_smile_big:
Happy birthday Wayne! :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
Thanks Dirk !! Wanted my car done for the big "I can drive 55" !!! but happy enough that I have my headliner in! :lol: Cleaning up the shop tomorrow so I have a clean bench and then can rewire in a new dash harness bulhead to get rid of the old crusty connections and then hope to install the dash over the weekend. Still have to restor my cluster, but that can be done later. Want to get the shell on the hoist, get my brake and fuel lines in, the engine / K frame and rear axle assembly. Fuel tank, exhaust, etc...
You're moving along just fine me thinks! Set a new goal of driving it before you turn 56 and you'll find you can take it easy all of a sudden! :lol:
Not a lot done today.. wife went figuring skating yesterday and fell during a figure 8. Been up all night and through the day checking on her hourly with a mild concussion.
Installed my new Speedo cable and was glad when I took it out of it's cardboard package it had a grommet on it. Looks like a bitch to install and I was one of these grommets short for my fuel tank vent line! Now I'm good!
From yesterdays Top Tan post of the '68 Belvedere... I noticed the brake master cylinder reinforcing plate was held by a gold / zinc nut and I happened to just get 4 extras from Jeff Brown! :2thumbs:
New dash to cowl clip nuts in place, ready to bolt the dash in place.
A reminder that I need to put the inspection # back on my passenger door. Wish my graphic artist daughter was still with us, but I bet her little sister can pull it off for me! :yesnod:
Passenger vent control hooked up before dash goes into place and uncovered my dash so I can clip and crimp 22 new female connectors tomorrow into their new bulkhead connector. No need for an electrical fire this far in...
:popcrn:
Moving right along B&B!
Hope your wife is doing well also!
May I ask where you got your speedo cable? I reviewed thread a ways back but didn't see that.
Thanks, Brent :cheers:
Pretty sure I got if from National Moparts here in Ontario. Will look for you tomorrow, both through my bills and I also didn't burn the cardboard box yet.. so it probably has their part number on it and the distributor / mfg they got it from as well.
Thank you :2thumbs:
Just looked in my bill stack beside my computer.. AT0024 Speedo Cable All 68-74 $111.95 Cdn from National Moparts.
I will look tomorrow at the packaging, as I'm sure it had another number / mfg on it and there is no doubt in my mind you can get it cheaper!
Wayne
Sorry Brent.. the only packaging they actually took the time to strip the original part number sticker off of, so all I can offer is what I already did. I bought it from this side of the border, but I know I saw it available many other places in the USA.
Today I got my dash harness bulkhead connector wires all transferred over to the new block. Can anyone guess which terminals are the in and out to the Amp meter??? :scratchchin:
A note of interest, to any that have also bought this kit for $200 US, it does not come with any female spades with tabs large enough to take the red and black wires that feed the amp meter. I ad libbed using some spade connectors I had in the drawer. Took two shots with the dremel, but I got the lock tabs in the right location to work and the better crimp barrel worked very well for these larger wires.
Dash is now ready to put back in the car!! Tomorrows work...
:popcrn:
OK, thanks! What caught my eye was grommet pre-installed. Looks like a lot more progress there! :yesnod: :cheers:
Holy Crap! Doubly Sorry! Wish I could attribute my brain fart to something but I cannot, lol
I will start back....Sorry about that previous reply Wayne!
Sounds like you and the family had a great time :2thumbs: Congrats....Heads all clear, love it! Looking forward to your progress, nice job all the way around...
###Your inbox is full###
Thanks.. will clear some stuff out!
Dash still on it's refurb "rack" and lifted into car.
Hooked up the heat / defrost and temperature control cables.
Test run on the cables actuation.
Dash assembly up into place and bolts in place.
Dash installed, ready to tighten bolts. Thankfully what looks like a scratch is a piece of lint on the dash pad!! :2thumbs:
Dash harness bulkhead locked into place and wiper motor / reverse light switch harness snapped into place. Single wire and grommet to the right is for the tach hook up to the - lead on coil.
Put the new windshield rubber into place so it can straighten out, ready for windshield installation.
Making progess.. next will be voltage reg, coil ballast, starter relay and front brake lines.
:popcrn:
It's coming along!
I went back through your rebuild and didn't see what you painted your dash with. Any specifics available? I'm close to doing mine and more info is always appreciated.
Post 94 on page 4. Dupicolor Black Trim (not bumper and trim..just trim) CTP700000. I probably should have cleared it with flat clear, but I didn't.
Funny looking back.. just over a year ago when I did the dash and I was doing tax returns.. same deal today and tomorrow! :brickwall:
Quote from: birdsandbees on March 27, 2017, 08:36:09 PM
Post 94 on page 4. Dupicolor Black Trim (not bumper and trim..just trim) CTP700000. I probably should have cleared it with flat clear, but I didn't.
Funny looking back.. just over a year ago when I did the dash and I was doing tax returns.. same deal today and tomorrow! :brickwall:
I guess taxes and dashes just go together, maybe it's fate..... :eek2:
Coming along ncely
Finished up the taxes and got back to the shop this afternoon.
Made sure my windshield seal is perfectly centered so the top corners are sitting nice and weighted down a couple spots at the bottom by the drain "tabs" hoping it straightens outs.
Got out the old, never removed (before I did) seal, and checked it out for where the factory put sealant.
Went over to the local NAPA and ordered the correct 3M08509 setting and glazing BUTYL to use and will have it on Monday.
Started putting my brake lines in place. Need to clean up my splitter block tomorrow and get it cleared ready to install.
:popcrn:
.. and for the "CORRECT" crowd, note the "S" clip on the master cylinder to splitter lines. Amazed it's still there 48 years later! :2thumbs:
Minimal accomplished, wife still not doing well.. but I got out to the shop for about 2 hours today.
My 1989 paint shop were absolute idiots with a lack of tape it seems, and got blue on the interior plastic trim pieces that run up the A pillar, as well as some other places on lace trim.
Searching with Google, I found that the plastic model guys are stripping paint with Castrol SuperClean degreaser. Test spot after 24 hours and it certainly works! Now doing another test to make sure it doesn't fade the black before I soak the entire part.
Media blasted my brake line splitter / brake failure switch block
Cleared it with tarnish preventer.
Disassembly of the throttle actuator / cable assembly so I can degrease and restore same. 510 hours in my log book to date..
Roller wheel and how it's retained for reference. The throttle pedal itself runs against this wheel.
The little things that tick you off. A perfect reproduction of the speedo cable, starter wire and brake line clips for below the master cylinder. Even made of stainless so they won't rust and they supply regular steel screws and an incorrect bolt. Deciding whether to use them or blast and refurb the OEM parts. I have boxes full of #10 stainless screws on the property, but not the point!
:popcrn:
:popcrn: :2thumbs:
Thanks Bill !
Still watching the wife most of the day, but we went for groceries and I picked up my old school Butyl (3M08509) to install my front windshield.
Throttle assembly out of degrease and heading for the Evaporust bucket.
Got my new stainless brake lines in place, with my cleaned and cleared splitter block, and reinstalled the OEM "S" clip.
Also installed the new speedo / brake clip and starter wire clip using stainless screws. Have the bolt for the clip that mounts to the frame rail soaking in degrease so I can use it with the correct washer installed to it.
BTW.. if you look closely, at the picture above, you will see that the very tip of the throttle cable attach was dipped in black rubber like the wiring clips were. I presume to cushion the cable end and hold it tight.
Best shot I have at this point to show coverage ..was pre-degrease. Can get a better shot tomorrow for the concours guys if anyone cares?! :scratchchin:
Ignition ballast resistor needs a bit of TLC.
Carefully disassemble.
Media blast and paint mounting clip with Champagne Pearl to match the wiper motor. Should be yellow zinc, but not paying for plating.
Resistor terminals cleaned up and ceramic soaked in Superclean degreaser to remove the old paint overspray and grease.
Not bad for an hours work.
Throttle pedal cable grommet, just happened to be an exact match for a tray full of new ones I have!
Throttle pedal ready for a wipe down in preserve oil and then installation to the car.
:popcrn:
Another slow couple of days.
New gasket on the throttle bracket and it into place.
Got the new AMD windshield out of it's plastic and ready to install, which included trimming a few spots where they missed cleaning off the oozed out material from between the two glass layers. Don't want anything hanging the glass up as it goes into the rubber seal.
Chrysler pentastar on the AMD glass... that BTW is the same just a hair over 1/4" thick as the OEM windshield.
My fancy suction cup holders. Lucked out yesterday.. wife let me drive her new car and we went to Princess Auto 50KM away. These were on sale for $9.99 CDN each !
Car taped and covered ready for windshield install. Now if my L5/S1 would just cooperate! :brickwall:
:popcrn:
What a wonderful thread! Sorry, I have to keep referencing this....
I do hope your lower lumbar ad sacrum can hold up!
Have you put your rear glass trim clips in yet? Any chance of pictures of the hole placements? My X the sides on the sales the holes are at the bottom, was wondering what yours looked like..
All my rechrome and polished stainless apparently just came back from the Plating House of Canada and I'm hoping to go pick it up along with my cleaned up rear glass on Thur or Friday.
I have my old rear trim clips and two new sets now that I've since bought and they all look different. Want to try the clips for hold on the trim first and then I'll put them in place once I'm sure one of the new sets fits correctly.
Can actually stand up today, hopefully this pinched nerve or what not lets me get at the front windshield install tomorrow or later tonight. Nothing new for me.. had a 3 story building fall on me back in '80.
As for the thread... I keep thinking I'm overdoing the posts, but it's just habit from 25 years of building airplanes and sending customers updates for what they're paying for... or when I'm putting together "how to" DVD's for others to follow step by step.
Quote from: birdsandbees on April 04, 2017, 10:38:15 AM
All my rechrome and polished stainless apparently just came back from the Plating House of Canada and I'm hoping to go pick it up along with my cleaned up rear glass on Thur or Friday.
I have my old rear trim clips and two new sets now that I've since bought and they all look different. Want to try the clips for hold on the trim first and then I'll put them in place once I'm sure one of the new sets fits correctly.
Can actually stand up today, hopefully this pinched nerve or what not lets me get at the front windshield install tomorrow or later tonight. Nothing new for me.. had a 3 story building fall on me back in '80.
As for the thread... I keep thinking I'm overdoing the posts, but it's just habit from 25 years of building airplanes and sending customers updates for what they're paying for... or when I'm putting together "how to" DVD's for others to follow step by step.
This is an awesome thread!
You are posting lots of helpful info and photos. please don't post less. I wouldn't mind if you post more, if possible.
Thanks for posting this thread!!
Quote from: 66FBCharger on April 04, 2017, 11:42:59 AM
Quote from: birdsandbees on April 04, 2017, 10:38:15 AM
All my rechrome and polished stainless apparently just came back from the Plating House of Canada and I'm hoping to go pick it up along with my cleaned up rear glass on Thur or Friday.
I have my old rear trim clips and two new sets now that I've since bought and they all look different. Want to try the clips for hold on the trim first and then I'll put them in place once I'm sure one of the new sets fits correctly.
Can actually stand up today, hopefully this pinched nerve or what not lets me get at the front windshield install tomorrow or later tonight. Nothing new for me.. had a 3 story building fall on me back in '80.
As for the thread... I keep thinking I'm overdoing the posts, but it's just habit from 25 years of building airplanes and sending customers updates for what they're paying for... or when I'm putting together "how to" DVD's for others to follow step by step.
This is an awesome thread!
You are posting lots of helpful info and photos. please don't post less. I wouldn't mind if you post more, if possible.
Thanks for posting this thread!!
:2thumbs: x2
Quote from: birdsandbees on April 04, 2017, 10:38:15 AM
All my rechrome and polished stainless apparently just came back from the Plating House of Canada and I'm hoping to go pick it up along with my cleaned up rear glass on Thur or Friday.
I have my old rear trim clips and two new sets now that I've since bought and they all look different. Want to try the clips for hold on the trim first and then I'll put them in place once I'm sure one of the new sets fits correctly.
Can actually stand up today, hopefully this pinched nerve or what not lets me get at the front windshield install tomorrow or later tonight. Nothing new for me.. had a 3 story building fall on me back in '80.
As for the thread... I keep thinking I'm overdoing the posts, but it's just habit from 25 years of building airplanes and sending customers updates for what they're paying for... or when I'm putting together "how to" DVD's for others to follow step by step.
Glad to hear you are doing better. Back pain is a bear to deal with I know....
Post More!!!
Thanks guys.. I know it's not a Charger, but for the most part a B body is a B body. :yesnod: and with a wing car as well this seems like the best place to hang out and share this rebuild.
Wayne, how did you come across The Plating House of Canada?
Where George (Body by Biggs) sends everything. My rear bumper was to go and before I knew it everything had been shipped, so with it already there I signed off on it. George says he's the best in the country and where they send all their Lambo and Ferrari stuff ( I bet David uses the same place). You have to reserve a "time slot" (even though mine is a month +late) and it ain't cheap! :brickwall:
wow, thanks for posting :o :o
After seeing the quality of aftermarket bumpers and trim that are available, I see why folks go this route.
Just wish while stuff was getting sent out they had of remembered my mirror.. but think I can buff it up good enough so it doesn't stand out beside the brand new show chrome on the vent window! :coolgleamA:
My front bumper was damaged when the old man ditched the car in '69 and I always considered it "patina"... but I bought a new AMD replacement for the car considering how far I've taken it. It's about 1/2 the thickness of the original. :hah:
Thanks for the info, yes and wow! I think my trim is good enough, lol. I did have my front and rear bumpers re-chromed back in the late 80's so I think that's as far as I will go.
$1400 to re-chrome 1 bumper? Holy sh!t!!
Yah... but those are Canadian pesos Lennard! :lol: $1045 US right now.
I paid $550 for an AMD repro front bumper... and considering it's 1/2 the thickness, you can't tighten the bumper bolts fully without pocketing it, needs to be fully waxed before installation or it will surely rust.... I think $1400 to repair and rechrome the heavy OEM rear isn't too bad a deal. Definitely more than I figured, but this guy has a captive audience and works on time slot reservations for the high end restoration shops. If it's not prefect... it goes back! :yesnod:
Platers are few and far between in Canada now.. the MOE have shut 90% of them down.
Blimey....was that chrome plate .....or gold!? It's a lot cheaper than that in the UK......at least something is!
Quote from: birdsandbees on April 04, 2017, 05:08:23 PM
Yah... but those are Canadian pesos Lennard! :lol: $1045 US right now.
I paid $550 for an AMD repro front bumper... and considering it's 1/2 the thickness, you can't tighten the bumper bolts fully without pocketing it, needs to be fully waxed before installation or it will surely rust.... I think $1400 to repair and rechrome the heavy OEM rear isn't too bad a deal. Definitely more than I figured, but this guy has a captive audience and works on time slot reservations for the high end restoration shops. If it's not prefect... it goes back! :yesnod:
Platers are few and far between in Canada now.. the MOE have shut 90% of them down.
Yeah, it's also a supply and demand thing. I paid $350 U.S. dollars per bumper for straightening, welding a few cracks and re-chroming 2 months ago and they look better than new.
Quote from: alfaitalia on April 04, 2017, 05:15:37 PM
Blimey....was that chrome plate .....or gold!? It's a lot cheaper than that in the UK......at least something is!
A 6' long x 10" wide bumper, go get a recent quote! Straighten, tweak, repair typical end flange cracks, strip and chrome.
Like I said, the Ministry of the Environment has shut down most every plater in Canada. The remaining ones are either jumping through government hoops or moving every few months. The one we had here in town, that use to do TRW's seatbelt work, is now nothing but a paved industrial lot with remediation vents and a security fence... building torn down.
BTW.. $1400 for the bumper didn't get to me.. $250 for EACH rear window latch did!! :yesnod:
I had no idea, your car will look stunning that's for sure.
Thanks I just wish I could get it to the point it needs to be at quicker to install all the shiny stuff and admire it!!
Long way to go, even before it's ready to put the fenders and hood back on. Need to get the engine / K frame assembly in, rear end assembly installed, brakes all together, exhaust installed, fuel tank, etc and running... then I can take it for an alignment and once that's done the fenders, grill support and hood can go back on. Then it needs to have it's final cut and polish, put the stainless and bumble bee stripe on along with lots of other stuff.
I would not align it until all parts are installed so the suspension is loaded or your alignment will be off once assembled. Great job by the way I check this thread every day.
I figure the alignment should be fine with about 200 lbs of weight set across the rad support / inner wheel wells. Have easy access to 4 bags of plastic pellets to do so.. and a lot easier to do and not scratch anything with the fenders off.
That said, the resto shop owner has done numerous both ways and told me the difference weighted and unweighted isn't even worth resetting.
When the time comes I'm going to weigh the hood / fenders / bumper and load the nose accordingly.
DISCLAIMER !!!! This is my first windshield installation of my life, so your mileage may vary!! :yesnod:
Tools for windshield installation. Paint brush set on sale at CTC for 7 bucks, a couple of plastic putty knives and a grout cleaning tool.
Flipped the lower portion of the rubber seal back.
Light bead of 3M08509 Butyl across the bottom and part way up the sides, being sure to keep it behind the tabs and drain holes.
Seal back in place, making sure it's sitting correctly on the three tabs and drain holes.
Pulled back 1/2 the top and then the side and put a small bead of butyl there as well. NOTE: the factory only sealed the bottom and a few inches up the sides! Maybe they expected the rest to just leak and drain?? Like I said, my first windshield.
Passenger post being sealed.
Passenger side roof pinch being sealed.
Windshield across the inner fenders, ready to lift into place. No two man show here!
DO NOT just shove the seal back onto the pinch weld, roll it on from behind. This allows the front lip to sit high and then flip down ONTO the Butyl and not just shoving it out of the way and making a mess.
Rubber lubed with Glass cleaner.. don't try this on your rubbers at home! ::) LOL
Windshield into place, sitting in lower edge of rubber seal.
Now the fun begins. Lube with window cleaner and use plastic paint brush handles to work seal over glass edge.
Push seal back on inside and up and over on the outside.
Grout cleaner works good (sand the sharp corners off first so you don't cut the rubber) to lift the rubber up and around.
Upper seal being pushed out onto the edge of the glass. This is step one, all the way across.
Rubber pushed up and against top edge of glass.
Gang of brushes to keep the rubber from slipping back.
Grout tool again works perfect to lift and roll the seal up and over the glass.
One corner in without breaking it.
Folding in the lock tab. Again more window cleaner and some finesse. Found starting in the middle and working to both ends was best.
Lock tab in place.
Why can't someone make a caulking tube that doesn't do this?
All locked in.. no cracks! 3.5 hours start to finish including the lock strip in place and windshield cleaned.
Windshield 101 in the books. Rear glass will be next.
Rear window clip holes... this what you were asking about '74??
A bit of "seal technique" for ya..
https://youtu.be/SLNNeQ48vwA (https://youtu.be/SLNNeQ48vwA)
...and BTW... I can't imagine doing this job with the engine in place, or even the fenders for that matter!!! So nice to stand on top of a flipped over Coleman cooler in the engine bay and fit the rubber, etc without reaching 3+ feet from the outside.
Nice job on the windshield. Good reference for those that need to do it :2thumbs:
Good job but.....! A lot quicker method is to seal the rubber in like you did then lay string into the channel the glass goes in. Make sure the string is right in the channel with at least a foot of string overlap....put the ends of the string at the bottom. Spray the rubber with silicone lube .Lay the glass on the rubber as central as possible and, whilst a helper pushes the glass firmly against the rubber, start pulling the string out at about a 45 degree angle up and away from the glass. This will pull the rubber up and around the glass and the pusher will feel the glass slowly sinking into the aperture as more string is pulled out and more rubber is pulled up over the glass. Always worked for me. Takes about 5 minutes after fitting the rubber.
Yah, considered that but I work alone... that way there's nobody to blame but me when the top corners snap off like the "Pro's" did installing the glass to the Superbird on Grave Yard Cars! :smilielol:
Also not so sure how you can rope in contoured glass that the rubber goes on the pinch seam first and then the glass gets installed to the gasket. Easy on an old Bronco that the rubber goes on the glass first. :scratchchin:
I did consider installing the glass up into the rubber top channel first and then "lip" the sides and bottom into place, but I would have needed the wife's help for that and considering we've been married for 34 years - 8 months I thought it would be great to make it to an even 35 years! :lol:
BTW.. the windshield rubber seal I used was Precision's WCR D715 to replace the OEM Chrysler 2811 263. National Moparts inventory number FWG16
Quote from: birdsandbees on April 06, 2017, 12:55:44 PM
BTW.. the windshield rubber seal I used was Precision's WCR D715 to replace the OEM Chrysler 2811 263. National Moparts inventory number FWG16
So no type of sealant between windshield and gasket, only between gasket and pinch weld? Nice job! :yesnod:
Chrysler didn't do it, so neither did I ! Factory install, as shown on my original rubber gasket was across the bottom and 3" up the sides, no where else.
I don't plan on driving this in the rain if I can avoid it at this stage, and personally I think rubber on glass with no sealant will be good and will also dry out if water does get up in there, but I have seen a few installation notes where guys ran the butyl around the seal and then clipped the lock seam down.
Windshield gaskets I've removed have commonly had a tan colored putty to seal it to the pinchweld .
Just going by my never before removed gasket CB... shown a page or two back. Sealant (black Butyl) along the bottom and 3" up each side only. Lynch Road car..
I sealed all the way around the pinch weld on this install, but nothing in the glass channel.
Sure. I usually lock the strip. Mask the windshield all the way around,unlock the strip.layna very small bead of sealant,then relook the strip. Unmask to remove most of the ooze and clean up the small remainder,and viola its sealed.
Picked up my back glass, old door glass and my nicely polished stainless and rechromed parts today. I now have everything belonging to my car back home, except an AWOL hood latch release connection rod. They're still looking high and low but worried it wasn't returned from the platers with the door, hood and trunk latches.
My stainless has never looked this good and was beat up pretty good before being sent out. All dings removed, even welded in two holes that a glass installer put in the lower corners of the rear window trim back in '89 to get the trim to sit down with screws. :brickwall: Can't tell they welded at all and all polished out nice.
The bumper.. "can you see me now" ! :coolgleamA:
:popcrn:
At this rate you could be driving it again this summer! ;D
Might have the drive train back in and front end aligned, maybe fenders and hood back on but I'm running out of time before the "silly season" starts here in the next few weeks and I'll have to work on airplanes again and then head North to camp for the summer.
Had to set the trim in place, just to have a look!
Sanding the epoxy primer on the air cleaner lid.
3 coats of Orange and looks like I'll be letting it sit a week and sanding it once again for another spray session
Oh the things the piss you off. One of the oldest restoration part suppliers.. Year One.. and they supply generic hose with their windshield squirter kit (they also supplied #10 vs correct #8 screws). Fortunately I'd previously bought a hose kit from National Moparts with the correct ribbed hose.
Generic hose from Year One.
Correct Chrysler hose via National Moparts reselling another vendors WH5 kit.
Ballast resistor, voltage regulator and new engine wiring harness into place.
New repro pedal and what I had removed. Head scratching, but looking at the one in my Superbird it matches the new one. Maybe the "old" was borrowed from somewhere else during my last clean up in 1988.. I don't know or remember.
So glad I pushed for a solvent based paint and not water. Used a brush to touch up the bare bolt ends on the battery box installation.
Bolt ends touched up to look right. All this stuff was originally bolted together BEFORE the factory painted a car... but I wasn't going for the tremclad overhaul look.
Your new pedal is right. The other is a c body part.
Quote from: Charger-Bodie on April 11, 2017, 06:50:14 PM
Your new pedal is right. The other is a c body part.
Thanks, must have stole it from the '69 Fury II before it went to the bone yard! :2thumbs:
Realized I'd forgot a few clips.. another 40 bucks US..
Not too happy to realize I have to darn near remove the vacuum booster to install the headlight wiring harness clip though.
Even at this point I had to clip the lock tab a bit to get it in.
Wiring clip in place, reinforcing plate tightened back up ready to tighten the booster back up.
Comparing new headlight harness to the original.
Only difference, the new one has pigtails for fender mount signal lights.
Harness loosely in place.
Always wondered what that hole was for in the inner fender! New harness came with the locator clip on it.
Brake warning switch wire run through the clip that was still on the car some 48 years later.
Windshield washer squirters and hoses all in place
Almost forgot I have a manual choke on my carb that I'd never hooked up and when needed had to get under the hood and flip it. Perfect hole in lower dash for the control knob for a "hidden" installation.
Tried every auto parts store in town, and then the small engine shops and equipment supply houses. Nobody had a black covered cable.. so we improvise. Brought the choke cable out through the same grommet as the Ramcharger hood control cable.
Slipped about 20" of 1/4 heat shrink tube over the cable.
That cleaned it up so it blends in. Need to cut the cable to length once the engine is in.
Transferring the original reverse switch wiring plug over to the new Brewers harness I bought. Brewers didn't bother to get the wire colours correct, but one wire not being purple won't change anything.
Orientation of the single and the pigtailed wire with respect to the shape of the connector. The extra wire jumpers to the very bottom drivers side spot on the firewall bulkhead connnector (the one open spot in the headlight harness). From there it goes to the reverse light on the lower dash.
BTW.. last two pictures show why you should never question colours in pictures!!! .. especially Orange !
Bought two rear windshield trim clip kits as the first one looked like they forgot step three to make a lock tab... second set I bought not much better. Original in middle, with tab to actually hold the trim.. Megaparts clips on the left.. zero lock tab at all. Original with full tab.. Year One's offering with a HINT of a tab that still doesn't catch trim edge.
Cleaned up the old clips that were good.
..and modified 4 new clips to complete the set, by using a punch to make a tab.
Clips all in place on the rear frame.
Clipped in trim and making sure it fits correctly before window install. Edit.. a nice clear view of the headliner install as well ! :yesnod:
Windshield smells nice.. didn't do any good scratch wise.
Polishing compound helped a bit.
Polishing compound took out a few minor imperfections.
Getting close to good enough to put it back in the car.
Hey... let's try this. Aircraft acrylic scratch remover. Works better than polishing compound. Will be spending a few hours tomorrow with this I suspect....
Cerium is what you need to rub out glass scratches. LEON.
Thanks Leon.. read that. Need to see if I can get some locally.
Found my car polisher and a fresh bonnet and tried the scratch remover.
It did a nice job cleaning up the inside, but I still have what appears to be major scratches on the outside. Looks good on the blanket though.
1/4" spacers as per the factory service manual. (weren't enough as the glass barely caught the upper lip... need 3/8 to 7/16 spacers to center the glass)
Put some rubber blocks in place to simulate butyl sealer thickness.
And did a dumb thing and flipped the glass into place solo!
NOPE.. can't live with these scratches at this point of the rebuild. Need to find a local glass shop with an old master or order new back glass, but it's $542 + tax. Almost twice a windshield which makes little sense as it's single layer glass.
Door glass guide pins that run up and down the vent pillar. Repo on left.. original on right. No wonder everyone is complaining their windows are toooo tight to crank.
New guide pins need a good 40 thou ground off them to work correctly.
Yeah, those scratches in the one pic look pretty nasty. Good luck. LEON.
I think I've puttered long enough, time to put the engine / front suspension and rear end back into the car! Just afraid I won't get it rolling again before heading North and then the hoist is tied up into late Fall if we need it. Down to 4 weeks before heading for our camp and many other things to get done before hand.
Waited a week and sanded the air cleaner lid again to get some imperfections out.
3 coats of "Fram" Orange and 1 clear. All it needs now is the Chrysler instruction decal put into place.
New reproduction upper control arms. Bushings so cheap one fell out, the others I could remove with a light tap. Should be press fit.
Thankfully new bushings were part of my PST super front end kit. These are definitely a press fit... so at least the UCA's are correct and it was just undersize bushings.
Pulling the bushing into place. Make sure if you have one of these Mancinni tools that you lube the hell out of the cheap low grade steel threaded rod or you'll seize the nuts :brickwall:
Bushing set into place.
Video of the wonderful UCA bushings and how good they fit! https://youtu.be/RjVy4lGHXzw (https://youtu.be/RjVy4lGHXzw)
All four bushings done, time to swap out the cheap upper ball joints for my good PST ones.
Takes a special socket..
Crap ball joint out, ready to put new ones in.
Drivers side UCA in place.
Read here that a good starting point for alignment is front all the way in and back all the way out. True?? EDIT... I did it backwards, should be all the way OUT at the front and IN at the rear!!
Passenger side UCA in place. Now ready to put engine/ K frame / front suspension up into place!!
What vendor shipped you those repro UCAs?
Quote from: green69rt on April 19, 2017, 05:49:09 PM
What vendor shipped you those repro UCAs?
tomsclassic on ebay... Auto City Classic, Inc.
Can't complain too much I guess.. he took my offer at $85US and with shipping they cost me $128 US / $185 Cdn.
Had intended on swapping out the bushings and ball joints from the get go...
Quote from: birdsandbees on April 19, 2017, 05:36:26 PM
Read here that a good starting point for alignment is front all the way in and back all the way out. True??
Passenger side UCA in place. Now ready to put engine/ K frame / front suspension up into place!!
You want the opposite. for more caster
Quote from: cdr on April 19, 2017, 07:25:16 PM
Quote from: birdsandbees on April 19, 2017, 05:36:26 PM
Read here that a good starting point for alignment is front all the way in and back all the way out. True??
Passenger side UCA in place. Now ready to put engine/ K frame / front suspension up into place!!
You want the opposite. for more caster
THANKS!.. looks like I got it backwards!! Just want a starting point, have a good guy willing to do my alignment on all 4 to get the front end right and rear axle bolted down straight. EDIT.. and just looked at my own disassembly pictures and about where mine were.. full out at the front and almost full in at rear! :2thumbs:
Great way to start a Thursday! :brickwall: Snugged up the cam bolts and a crack appears. Wish it had been noticed before paint!
Jammed a screw driver in it before removing the cam bolt.
Ground the crack with a little spherical ball in the dremel and then TIG'd the crack shut.
Repainted and we're back on track to get the "heart" back into this car.
I got that same cheap front end tool kit from Mancini 10+ years ago. I remember my tools threads constantly stripping out & having to buy new long stronger bolts all the time. LEON.
Quote from: hemi-hampton on April 20, 2017, 09:23:22 PM
I got that same cheap front end tool kit from Mancini 10+ years ago. I remember my tools threads constantly stripping out & having to buy new long stronger bolts all the time. LEON.
Seized it on the first bushing as the rod threads broke off! Had to heat the nut and moved it just enough outward that I had the length to JUST get the nut on the other end to do the other three bushings. The tool ends themselves are well made and fit nice, just needs some grade 5 or 8 threaded rod and not Home hardware crap.
Realized I could leave the rear end on the engine hoist to roll it under the car...
... just had to remove the post!
Doing the shop shuffle. Have a LOT of respect for guys that can do a resto in a single car garage! I certainly couldn't!
Hope it works, because going outside's not a good option on dirt.
Gonna just make it around the loop.
Successfully in the hoist bay.
Belly shot.
Lookin spiffy, first time it's been high enough for a good shot.
Almost a shame to hide that with a fuel tank!
Waiting for my 15 year old nephew to get out of school and give me a hand putting the rear end in.
Wow :o
Passenger side shackle bushings went in easy.
Drivers side some worker in Taiwan forgot to bore the sleeve to size and I had to sand down the OD of the bushings to get them in.
Easy way to get the inner bushing in.
Some counter weight before the rear end gets hung.
15 year old Nephew absolutely thrilled to death I asked him to help!
Front hangers in place.
Jack under pumpkin to get springs up to shackle distance.
Great helper he is. Taking auto shop at school and ecstatic he's getting to help on a "real" car!
Not f'n happy and I can't blame it on offshore steel.. as they're supposably ACDelco "made in the USA". And it snapped before I'd even snugged it. Had tightened the other 3 first and harder than this one.
Rear end is in.. other than I have to replace the broken shackle.
Doesn't look happy at all, when I said "you want to help put the heart back in as well?"
Down she comes. Trans bracket slid right over the crossmember and minimal wiggling to get the K frame bolts to line up
Lovin it!
No flash for some true colour.
Front view.
Had to set the air cleaner in place!
B&Bs your car looks really sharp. Is that a Fram oil filter I see? :o
Quote from: dual fours on April 22, 2017, 12:00:25 AM
B&Bs your car looks really sharp. Is that a Fram oil filter I see? :o
Thanks.. and YEP, all I've ever run on it is a FRAM, can't be a bad thing IMHO considering how clean the engine internals are after 29 years since the engine was overhauled. Besides.. it's the correct colour!! :lol:
Video of the car coming down onto the engine assembly.
https://youtu.be/Jqis0bmBeX4 (https://youtu.be/Jqis0bmBeX4)
Quote from: birdsandbees on April 21, 2017, 10:13:29 PM
Passenger side shackle bushings went in easy.
Drivers side some worker in Taiwan forgot to bore the sleeve to size and I had to sand down the OD of the bushings to get them in.
Easy way to get the inner bushing in.
Some counter weight before the rear end gets hung.
Spreading a thin layer of oil on bushing with finger can sometimes help it slide in easier. LEON.
P.S. Car looks nice. Congrats :2thumbs:
Yah I put some super grease on them Leon. The drivers side bore was a good 3/32 smaller in ID than the passenger side.
Someone forgot step #3 on the assembly line in Taiwan!
Pointing it out so others might want to check their repro steel with bushings BEFORE they weld them up into the car! :yesnod:
Gotta love it when the big pieces start going back in! :2thumbs: That's great that your nephew is enjoying helping you on the car. Does he want one of his own now?
BTW, I thought the same as Dual Fours when I saw the Fram filter. ;D Of course it's your own choice, but man, there's no way I'd run a Fram on anything I cared for. I used to be in the auto parts biz & I've cut many filters apart, the filter media and other pieces used in standard (non-HP) Fram was among the worst.
It's been around 15 years since I've cut any apart, but back then, Wix & Hastings were the best. Motorcraft filters rank right up there too, but that would be sacrelige on your car. :lol:
Thanks CF !.. and on the Fram, like I said all I've ever run and the engine is clean, full compression and blows no smoke after 39 years since overhaul. Considering the majority of the aircraft engines I work on don't even run a filter and just a simple coarse screen on sump input and fine screen before the oil hits the cam I don't get to excited about meticulous filtering. Put in good oil.. don't leave shit in your funnel to find it's way into the engine and drive it.
As for the kid... this is what he's got that he's getting ready for his 16th Birthday. Some abomination that his father got him onto, but I'll fix him of that stupidity!!! :lol:
Oh dear.......nothing more to be said really....and that from a guy who used to run a 600 brake Mitsubishi GTO turbo. At least it looked stock....and the doors opened correctly!
Lazy day today while watching Ottawa take Boston out..
Manual choke hooked up to carb.
Reverse light switch hook up. Plastic connector goes to switch on trans for back up lights and jumper in my hand feeds the warning light on the dash.
Shows where the reverse light "pigtail" wire goes, bottom drivers side on the block.
Upper ball joint connected and shock going into place.
Great Work as always! Valve cover look SWEET!
Is this an original mopar clip or something that was just jammed in to retain the brake line over time. Was mid span along the rocker where it's too tight for the regular push in clips.
New fuel line and rear brake line. Now to unbend from the box pack.
Glad I kept the originals to use as a template, to fix the box squash.
Fuel line before straightening.
Close but no cigar. This bent section being 3" short of original screws up where the 2nd fuel line frame clip can hold it correctly.
Both fuel and brake lines bent pretty close to correct and ready to install.
This stuff better work David @ ECS!! Fuel and brake line clips coated in RPM.
Fuel line going into place.
Rear brake line hooked up and clipped.
Rear end U bolts torqued, etc.
Yep, just needed another shot of the belly! :icon_smile_big:
Looks fantastic! Great job documenting and taking the pics, great reference for all :cheers: :cheers:
THANKS! :cheers: :cheers:
The brake line clip with the jagged teeth is available as a reproduction piece.
Quote from: 69bfan on April 25, 2017, 08:35:14 PM
The brake line clip with the jagged teeth is available as a reproduction piece.
Was it originally used on the mid span is what I'm interested in??? THANKS! Wasn't sure if it was just something thrown in over time to hold a sagging line up. Still in good shape, just needs a dunking in Evaporust..
Most of the jagged clips that I recall were basically pretty much in line below the area where the door meets the quarter so mid-ways is pretty close.
Still stuck on the line.. so thanks, know where it goes and just found this kit with it in it. Suspect the same was used on the fuel line as well?? These guys have the (semi)correct bolts as well, although I can clean up my originals..
(https://www.picclickimg.com/d/l400/pict/160939885461_/62-70-MOPAR-BRAKE-LINES-CLIPS-SET-B.jpg)
They are selling the Inline Tube product line.
The brake and fuel line had that push in clip. They typically in several inches in front of the front shackle area for the springs. Bend the grabber tabs out a bit on the repro clips so it can grab better.
Held my old line up and the existing clip is about a foot forward of the door to quarter seam. I ordered a few of the "J" clip only from MotorCityMuscleCar. Postage 5 times the price of the clips.. :slap: Just carrying on with other things and I'll go back and slip them in when I get them in the mail.
Body plug in and fuel line clipped along passenger side.
Rear brake line bracket bolted on, hard line hooked up and retainer clip in place.
Brake line clamp clip at drivers frame rail, waiting for correct bolt.
Fuel line clamp clip in place on shock bulkhead. Mine was originally bolted to the hole closest to the passenger side. A second hole is hidden under the tube.
Fuel line clamp clip in place waiting for correct bolt.
Front passenger side brake line hooked up and retainer clip in place.
Drivers side brake line hooked up.
New Spicer U joints for the drive shaft.
Pressing the old U joint out of the yolk and then threw the yolk in degrease solvent.
Replaced the rear leaf spring shackle that broke on installation. Starting to wish we'd taken my springs all apart and done them completely, but not happening now.
Why your write yourself notes and a snag list. Almost forgot to torque the pinion nut before drive shaft installation. This was fun at 230 ft -lbs!
Dick I bought Spicer U joints from put the retainer clips on.. too pissed off to figure it out today. Thinking dual channel locks tomorrow to get them off..
Degreased drive shaft yolk into the Evaporust bucket. Once clean it will be coated with RPM.
Drive shaft yolk out of the Evaporust.
Cleaning up the transmission seal surface on the yolk, 80 grit then 150 to get most of the imperfections out.
In the toaster for some heat and a coat in RPM. The other metal plates are jack hold down plates for both my cars. They were rusted when received..anyone heard of spraying some oil in the zip lock bag?
..and THANKS Wes !!! For a near mint headlight switch connector / wires to replace my burnt crusty one. :2thumbs:
Looking good, gotta love being at this stage of the restoration, installing clean parts :icon_smile_cool: :cheers:
Not sure I'll get much more done until Fall. Time to switch gears, look after a few airplane customers I still have and get my own airplane ready for another season, as I need to get my wife up North to our Fly-in Camp for the summer in the next 3 or so weeks. I'd love to get the car finished up and driving, but keeping my Honey's lungs working in the Northern fresh air is more important! :yesnod:
...........
Rear end got 2 quarts of this limited slip fluid and 2 quarts of 80W90 gear oil. Glad I hung onto these 1980's CTC bottles as I trust nothing on the shelves these days with "dinasour blends" or synthetics. My rear end gears are 51 years old (66 charger) and mint, I'll stick to old school oils.
Still pissed the guy I bought the drive shaft U joints from put the clips on so they wouldn't get lost. Finally figured out how to get them off clamped in the vice and the cheap shit still deformed. Had to go to Carquest and buy some new clips for installation.
Yolk to drive shaft assembly done.
Drive shaft in with new U clips to attach it to the rear pinion flange.
Trans filled with 20W50 engine oil. I've researched and researched. We always used 80W90 gear oil, but nobody seems to sell any that is non Hypoid these days. Synchro gears won't work right with hypoid -5 type oils. Redline sythentic MT90 is what a lot of guys are using, but I'm not spending $120 on oil to fill a transmission. Service manual says Dextron II is allowed.. right up to SAE140 gear oil, so with 20W50 (100 weight like booze "proof") I'm good .... I hope! :scratchchin:
That driveshaft is definitely looking good. :2thumbs:
Twinkle dinkle we call that colour! :lol: Numerous coats of epoxy primer applied and then sanded down until we got the pit marks to disappear and then a couple coats of Twinkle Dinkle. I think it mimics bare cast pretty good, my pumpkin is media blasted and clear coated to see the reference. Figured it was better than the shaft rusting again.
:popcrn:
Quote from: timmycharger on May 17, 2017, 03:15:40 PM
:popcrn:
LOL Tim! Yah it came to a screeching halt... life got back in the way and we're off to our Northern Ontario camp in the AM. Probably no updates until October on my rebuild. :brickwall:
October!!
Now wait a minute! How vital is that camp thing? :lol:
As much as I'd love to get the car back together and running, the wife's breathing and staying alive comes first. Need to get her to fresh air for the summer.
Be back in a few weeks to cut grass and a few other things. If we get stuck here for a few days I may just get the torsion bars back in, fuel tank, etc..
Oh man! At least you got a big chunk of it done so far :2thumbs:
Home for 2 days to cut grass and clear up a few things and I of course checked in on my sleeping baby. Hopefully I can wake her back up in early October! :yesnod: It all depends on when the weather turns as to when I'm allowed to come home and get back to work.
I've been waiting for this thread to kick back off. October isnt to far.
Luke
Ditto, glad to see you got a chance to do some work. :2thumbs:
Well still a few things left to take care of on the "ta du" list around here before I can get back on the car, but at least one of the "ta du" items was cleaning the shop up somewhat and I have that almost done at least. A few more things to get ready for winter and then I can get to work. First items will be torsion bars back in, bump stops, shocks tightened up and fuel tank in place. Or that's the plan anyhow...
Todays score from a young lad, about 24, that was plugging away on a 70 Dart in his parents Burlington garage.
Not a scratch, Pentastar logo and date code is for '69 showing it's original and not replacement glass. Well worth the 6+ hours on the road, 50 bucks in gas and only $80 :icon_smile_big: for the glass.
Takes a load off my mind no longer needing to worry about somehow getting the scratches out of my back glass! :2thumbs:
Good deal! :2thumbs:
:popcrn:
:icon_smile_big:
Varsol'd the butyl off today and one cleaning with glass cleaner. It has a few light scratches I can probably buff out, but it's 1000% better than my original!
Quote from: birdsandbees on November 16, 2017, 09:36:48 PM
Varsol'd the butyl off today and one cleaning with glass cleaner. It has a few light scratches I can probably buff out, but it's 1000% better than my original!
Be careful with it!
:2thumbs: :popcrn:
Still have the best wife in the world.. 35 years and going ! My early Christmas present came Purolator today. Gal has a heart of gold (to put up with me and my toys).
Very nice, a great wife is a blessing! :cheers:
She even got it in blue to match the car!!! :lol:
Quote from: birdsandbees on December 17, 2017, 05:54:58 PM
Still have the best wife in the world.. 35 years and going ! My early Christmas present came Purolator today. Gal has a heart of gold (to put up with me and my toys).
:2thumbs:
Quote from: VegasCharger on December 19, 2017, 08:49:47 AM
Quote from: birdsandbees on December 17, 2017, 05:54:58 PM
Still have the best wife in the world.. 35 years and going ! My early Christmas present came Purolator today. Gal has a heart of gold (to put up with me and my toys).
:2thumbs:
Got one of those. Wife, not plate. :icon_smile_big: :2thumbs:
Finally finding a bit of time to get back on the Bee.
How hard can it be to put the torsion bars back in.. just remember that there is a Left and a Right !! In my case 779 is left.. 778 is right. On my Superbird 781 is left and 780 is right.
Some cardboard to protect the paint.
Would be so nice if restoration parts suppliers took the time to use the correct durometer of rubber, instead of just making things look correct and taking our money. Warming the torsion bar covers up in hopes I can get them over the hex end of the bar.
Wasn't a hope in hell by hand, so looks like I have to sacrifice my favourite funnel.
Funnel wasn't quite large enough, so I had to make a cone from some aluminum tube.. the 2 step program.
In place and..
Presto.
Some white grease in the lower control arm socket
Same on the other end and gently PERSUADE the bar into place.
Torsion bar in place on the drivers side, just needs lock ring that I forgot to RPM so it was ready.
And progress stopped right there. Do you know how pissed off a guy gets, that's been in injection moulding for 33 years, when this shit happens on a cold flow line!!! Now to figure out where to get another set and wait a few weeks to put the other torsion bar in. Just hope the next guys seal looks the same, as the other isn't coming back out!
Little wax and grease remover makes the boots slide right on. Even the poly ones.
These weren't sliding onto anything without the effort I went through. Searching through my parts purchases, these came from PST with my front suspension kit purchase. I won't be ordering from there, as someone got into their files and scammed my entire M/C information and put me through 7 months of hurt chasing and reversing all their website registrations on my monthly bill (even after M/C issued me a 3rd new card!). We know it was there as they tried to register their domain purchases using my business name as the "name on the card" and not my name. Was only place I ordered from that way for tax saving at the border.
EDIT: also looking at PST's website, I see they're not selling this style in poly anymore.. and are offering a cone in poly or regular OEM rubber ones. I wonder why... :scratchchin:
Ordered a proper part number and logo set from Greg at Oldsmoky's a few minutes ago. Guess I'll be pulling the installed bar..
Wow, a few minute job turns into another waiting game... :flame:
Thanks for the heads up on PST :2thumbs:
I recently had my CC info scammed at local gas station. Fortunately Bank stopped my card when I tried to purchase locally while someone was buying gas in Florida!!!!
The thing is that in my case it may not even be gas attendants as scammers can install the reader /copier on the back of any CC machine. One giveaway is when there is a label indicating "Pin not working, slide card".
More parts in the easy bake oven.
RPM'd the fuel / brake line clamp bolts & clips, torsion bar clips and rear axle bump stop attach plates.
Verifying from the old brake line that I put the retainer clip in the correct spot.
Takes a bit of twist and deform to get them to stay in place.
Brake line clip in place.
Fuel line same deal on the other side.
Drilled and tapped the new rear frame rail holes for 5/16-18 to mount the axle bump stops (to match the bolts I had).
Retainer plates slid back into the rubber after being RPM'd, ready to install.
Axle bump stop and fuel line loop clamp bolt in place.
Brake line loop clamp bolted in place.
Fuel line loop clamp bolted in place on upper shock mount. There are two holes there, mine was originally in the one closest to the passenger side.
Just read about your problems getting the TB boots on. I used deep well sockets to stretch them out enough to get them on. Get a socket that's just a little bigger than the hole and use soapy water to help slide the boot over the socket. My sockets have a nice smooth finish so went fairly easily. Next get a socket just a little bigger and put it end to end with the first one. Slide the boot off the smaller and on the bigger. It took me a couple of tries to not just push it off the smaller and push the bigger away.. Keep doing this with increasing size sockets till the socket is about the same as the end of the TB and then place the socket against the end and push the boot off the socket and onto the TB. I wish I had taken pictures or the process but my hands were a little busy. I think that on each socket-to-socket push, I pushed the boot backward so that it rolled inside-out. This made the following steps easier for some reason. Each socket transfer was part slide and part "roll", this made things go a LOT easier. After the boot was on the TB it was easy to just turn it back to right side out. A little tricky but after I did the first one and learned the trick the second one went on in minutes with no cussing!
Looked back thru my pics and found a couple! First pic is getting it on the final socket. Pic 2 is transfer from a smaller to larger. Hope this helps.
Edit: keep remembering stuff. In the pic you can see I started with a spark plug socket then put the hex end of the spark plug socket into the next socket, that helped keep them lined up.
Good deal. The "funnel" way worked fine, well other than the crap cold mould line that split wide open on the 2nd one! Have a proper OEM set coming from Greg @ partsmix, but of course now I'm going to need to pull the torsion bar without screwing up the paint so I have set of boots that match. Hoping removing the LCA pivot nut and giving that a wack back will get it started out, I drove it in good :brickwall: !
I've done over 50 sets of these over the years with nothing more than wax and grease remover solvent and my bare hands........ just don't understand why so many struggle with them so.
I'm no weakling and no way they were spreading over that hex with one hand holding the bar and other working the boot. These PST things are as hard as hockey pucks and you can see one ripped open on a smooth tube spreading it!
Another crack that should have been tackled before paint and when the inner fenders were off! Clutch z shaft pivot mount on the drivers frame rail.
Dollied flat, back into place and the crack ground for welding.
Hopefully this is the last time I have to set my paint on fire !! Maybe if I had of used water based paint it wouldn't burn!! :lol:
All TIG'd up. Burnt some paint and almost my clutch rod boot, but I had the air gun ready!
Ground fairly smooth.
Repainted on the inside.
Repainted and cleared on the outside. Back to plowing $(*%**!!$ snow !
New Spectra fuel tank, tank outlet/sender from Right Stuff, filler neck, R.E.M. tank mat, ground strap and filler cap.
Got a lock ring with the sender and the tank. Think I'll go with the tank mfg's on the right.
Cleaning the mfg oil and wax substances off the tank.
Now I know why body shop workers are always so happy! All cleaned up with reducer and I'm pretty much tanked!
Tank on my "rottisserie". Bottom clear coated.
Top clear coated. Probably should have bought a stainless tank, but it is what it is!
Reducer buzz don't last long....
Quote from: Charger-Bodie on January 09, 2018, 07:05:55 PM
Reducer buzz don't last long....
LOL.. I know. Not my first buzz, but got to thinking about the guys that live in this stuff 10 hours a day.
Quote from: birdsandbees on January 09, 2018, 07:08:21 PM
Quote from: Charger-Bodie on January 09, 2018, 07:05:55 PM
Reducer buzz don't last long....
LOL.. I know. Not my first buzz, but got to thinking about the guys that live in this stuff 10 hours a day.
I'm prettt well used to it. Only time it hits me is if I'm out of the shop for a week or so.
2 sets of fuel tank strap J bolts / nuts / washers (that I don't think were originally used) and fuel line ground strap RPM'd.
Fortunately I accidently ordered a second pair, as I didn't realize the tank strap kit came with J bolts.
The bolts that came with the straps are 40 thou larger in head diameter, heads are thicker, no chamfer and they don't fit into the trunk floor slots!
The ones I accidently ordered from elsewhere do fit fine.
That said, both are longer than originals and came with thin, incorrect nuts. Guess I'm either cleaning up the old or finding some new tall nuts somewhere.
Started bending up my tank straps to match the old. The end section is welded on one side of strap and prebent "T" ends.
Got around to the other end and something is obviously wrong! Why do I get the shit made by hung over employees on Monday mornings..
Original fuel line vent retainer clip.. currently in the Evaporust bucket. A new clip didn't come with my fuel line kit.
Frank Badalson has the tall fuel tank stud nuts, if your originals can't be re-used. He also has the studs too, probably in the right length. He could fill you in on the details to compare with what you have already.
Thanks Geno! Took my old ones off the old straps and they're in the Evaporust bucket. I think they'll clean up fine. Also checked my Superbird and my old Bee ones match it's J bolts and nuts so I think the old (or Frank) is the way to go. I always seem to forget I have another car for some references! :slap:
Straps originally bare steel or painted black?
Quote from: birdsandbees on January 11, 2018, 01:22:09 PM
Straps originally bare steel or painted black?
Bare... galvanized??
THANKS again! Mine got painted black over time I guess (by probably me as a teen), the new ones I bought are stainless... that some ass welded and formed the T end the wrong way! :brickwall:
Fortunately the hung over monkey did a shit job of welding. When I bent the first straps "T" back the other way, so the strap will work, the weld broke.
The second strap I had to cut the weld.. so the doubler could pull forward as I rebent the "T". Good thing they didn't actually spot weld them like OEM should have been!
Break out the TIG welder again and a stainless filler rod. Feel sorry for the guy working with basic tools in a single car garage that got a set of these straps.
Doubler is still on the wrong side, but at least I can use the straps now... and nobody should have their head up between the tank and rear bumper support anyhow!
I'm enjoying this great build, thanks for sharing.
Too bad about all the crap parts problems but sure looks like you are overcoming them all!
:cheers:
:popcrn:
Thanks Brent!
Nothing accomplished today, other than beating a sled trail through 3' of soaking wet snow to my son's wood pile.. so he can load some more firewood into his house! I left him the sled and 6' toboggan so he can do that himself and I walked the 4000' home! Had nothing left in me for the workshop after that and slugging on the stuck sled numerous times until I got a trail packed. :P
Quote from: birdsandbees on January 12, 2018, 07:44:52 PM
Thanks Brent!
Nothing accomplished today, other than beating a sled trail through 3' of soaking wet snow to my son's wood pile.. so he can load some more firewood into his house! I left him the sled and 6' toboggan so he can do that himself and I walked the 4000' home! Had nothing left in me for the workshop after that and slugging on the stuck sled numerous times until I got a trail packed. :P
Ok, I have to say that I understand nothing of this post. What's all this talk of beating a trail in snow!!! It was 48 in Houston today and We took the fragile plants into the garage, just in case!! Firewood????? What's that??
:lol:
Wife and I did ours on Wednesday. At least I put my piles where I plow!!
Not many wimmin would do this on their birthday! She's a true Canadian gal..
Cool pics. Which came first, the sled or the jacket? Cool that they match. :2thumbs:
LOL.. never even noticed. I picked the sled up second hand last month for $1500, it's a showroom condition 1995 ! The wife.. well she's a 1964 model ! :icon_smile_big: Married and doing this stuff together for over 35 years.
Guess if you want it to look OEM.. use the original parts! 49 year old J bolts and nuts cleaned up nice in Evaporust. Amazing how "new" that old fuel tank vent clip cleaned up as well. All RPM'd ready to install.
J bolts set in place with some white grease on the heads.
Prebent the tank straps to match the old profile and put in place, again with a bit of white grease.
Straps ready for tank install. Just need a helper or my drywall lift back.
Dual fuel vents. Important you hook these up correctly.
One tube (the one closest to the sender hole) only goes back about 6". This one gets connected to the long vent line that goes up into the trunk.
The other vent line goes all the way up by the filler neck hole. This one gets connected to the short little tube that goes up into the upper shock mount area.
Here's a shot from the other end.
Couldn't find my fuel lube, so I used some PST592 to lube, help seal and give a bit of tack to the sender gasket.
Lightly coated.
Fuel sender into place
Making sure gasket is perfectly centered.
Dab of white grease at each of the three lock tabs.
Nice thing about the rear filler tank.. you can check the fuel tank outlet position. Too high in this case.
Outlet corrected by lightly bending the tube, but sender float is not parallel to the tank bottom.
One more out and back in. Lightly twisted the sender rheostat housing to get the float and it correct.
Turned the lock ring to the start of the detents with a paint brush handle.
Angle grinder wrench worked nice from there to lock the ring into it's detents. Turning allows you to keep everything centered, unlike using a punch on a single tab that will drive it.. and probably the gasket sideways!
Lock ring fully turned into it's detents, nice and centered. Going to pressure check the tank tomorrow...
Vents joined together, outlet connected to a well tank snifter valve.
Great that when #1 son left home he left everything behind!! Time to find out if his old GF pin pricked them.. LOL
Condom in tank and elastic band around neck. How I check all my "wet wing" aircraft fuel tanks that I build.
Add air slowly through the snifter valve and hello baby.. no leaks !
Blew air through the fuel line from tank to the engine as well. Don't want to find out it had a caterpiller or dabber wasp in it when I'm trying to start the car.
Clutch Z bar and a rebuild kit with new pivots and "bearings".
Kit also came with pivot shaft seals, that I didn't even know existed (never seen them on my car). They are in the service manual though.
More stiff rubber to spread. This worked good. Silicon tube nozzle with the bumps ground off and a piece of tubing to push.
Pivot, seal, bearing. Little bit of grease on things. The acetal with self lubricate.
In place and snap ring holding the bearings outer grove
Nylon wear washers for each rod attachment pivot.
Pivot and bearing in the bellhousing end of the Z bar and then put up in place. Tight fit with the Lakewood scatter shield vs the OEM bellhousing. Started turning the pivot into the bracket with channel locks and then wrench.
Z bar in place.
Outboard washer and nut tightened down.
Clutch pedal rod attached to the Z bar arm.
All in place, except I have been missing the "isolator bushing" that goes between the washer and clutch throwout fork. Never had one.. but I'll have to source one. FSM shows the spring on the clutch fork goes to the arm pivot, but I've always had it on the bellhousing since the Lakewood went in.
Safety First :icon_smile_big:
A bit of cheating while working alone. Little blobs of butyl to hold the tank mat (from R.E.M. through National Moparts) in place.
Ready to install tank to car... I think.
My helper for today. Hope he's got the right stuff !
Box working good and clamps + plates to bring the rear up into place.
Hand formed the bend so the strap doesn't bow out from the tank.
J bolt in place..
Pull strap around and hook the J bolt. Repeat for other side.
Making sure the tank is centered between the frame rails so I have equal clearance for tail pipes.
Close... that tank edge is sharp when the wrench slips off the J bolt nuts!
Tank tightened up into place !
Fuel tank vent tube clip installed to shock mount. Checking the factory service manual I found I needed to turn it 180* so the line clips DOWN into it.
Vent tube in place.
Parts to do the longer vent line up through the trunk. Vent line, grommets, 5/16 and 1/4 hose, keystone clamps and ground strap for sender.
Vent tube and grommets in place. Found that the body shop forgot to transfer my retainer clip to the inner wheel well side.
Drive Inn anyone? lol Figured as good a time as any to throw the new tail light wiring harness in and hook up the fuel sender.
Tank outlet hose hooked up, ground bonding clip in place, fuel sender wire and vent lines needing 1/4" hoses and clamps.
Either I was sold too small of keystone clamps or Chrysler used some light walled 1/4" hose on the vent lines. Something else to figure out.
EDIT: I have since learned that Ma Chrysler indeed used a light hose on the vents and I could have gone with the correct smaller Keystones I had by sourcing some lighter hose.
Checking for continuity from fuel senders base to car body ground. 00.0 Ohms... gotta love it.
Finished the day by giving my baby a cold water bath!
Emergency brake cables from Right Stuff. Kicking myself I didn't order stainless, but these like the front cable will just have to be RPM'd.
RPM'ng the E brake cables.
Rear passenger side Ebrake cable in place.
Both cables in place, just need clips on the attach plate.
Ebrake loop clamp and bolt on the axle hump.
I promised myself I wasn't going to get "OEM Phobic" on this restoration. How's that going for me so far..... Ebrake retainer loops, Left to right..Megaparts, cheap tin from Right Stuff and Original.
3 clips on the left came from Jamie at Megaparts. What I used on the front brake hoses and they matched what I took off originally. Someone elses gold zinc and the two shiny ones that came with the Ebrake cables.
Then I had to go dig out my old adjuster and nut... it's now in degrease and will be RPM'd and used vs the shiny ones Right Stuff sent. Now I'm scratching my head on the Ebrake retainer clips !
Rear tail pipe hangers. The original hangers have a recess so they sit flat over the clip U nut in the frame rail and a shorter location hook. Also sad that I need to throw new parts in Evaporust !
Originals have dual rivets on the tail pipe mount. 95% certain these hangers are original to the car... but they could have been replacement parts somewhere between '69 and '80.
The other side, showing the differences and the narrower strap on the reproduction.
Hoping these muffler clamp / hangers Frank Badalson sold me are correct for my '69. The service manual shows an open rubber strap (even for the Hemi). Frank sold me closed loop for my '69 and open strap for my '70 bird. If anyone has input.. let me hear it as I have both on hand and can correct with no wait.
I can't say it enough times... Evaporust is amazing stuff ! Just throw them in, doesn't hurt the rubber. Hangers RPM'd after this shot.
AMD's stamped hole for the U nut on the exhaust hanger isn't as big as OEM. Had to slip it up underneath and then down.
Exhaust muffler hangers loosely in place.
Just had to "test fit" a tailpipe.
Remember those longer mounting tabs on the reproduction tailpipe hangers... they won't go in the hole!
Had to cut off a 1/4" or so and touch up the RPM treatment.
Tailpipe hangers in place.
Went with the Megaparts clips on the Ebrake cables. #1 they match the rest I've used and #2 even they needed some reshape to firmly retain the cables. My "as removed" were useless.
I've got to publicly thank, once again, Dave Waldon, Steve and Tom at ECS for making me factory duplicates from my original 383 head pipes and tail pipes FOR FREE and covering the shipping to them of my originals so they could make jigs for the headpipes!
Unfortunately the guy I know with an annealing oven that was big enough for heating my pipes is away for the winter... so heat gun it is to lay on the RPM.
New head pipes ready to be RPM'd tomorrow.
Date coded (Jan 27, 1969) mufflers from ECS. My car was built Feb 25th or so..
Using the old parlour stove to warm up the mufflers to coat them with RPM.
Coated one side and the ends on the stove, and then onto the "rotisserie" to do the other side.
RPM'ng the head pipes.
Both pipes done ready to install to car.
Glad I decided to clean up the original Ebrake equalizer from my car. Note the "center" front cable pull location is NOT centered (like the reproduction is!)
Reading the service manual.. "install equalizer matching the smaller cable end to the smaller slot. HMMM. reproductions have both end balls the same. Looking at removed cables, the drivers side is smaller. So the equalizer gets installed with the front cable pull location closer to the upper PASSENGER side cable.
Drilling out the equalizer hole one up size to fit the reproduction cable end.
Specifically ordered, from to date a 100% as promised supplier, OEM part numbered and Mopar symboled torsion bar boots and 11 days later generics show up. Working with Greg to get me the correct ones Fedex .
I just had to drive that torsion bar home! 3 vise grips locked down and a large 1 3/16" wrench to pry it back. Worked good with minimal marking.
Cleaning up the minor vise grip marks.
Using my "colour chips" to determine which "black" I have that matches the body shops paint the best.
Bar repainted and baking.
Warming up my Cosmoline to touch up the lower control arm socket.
A little dab'l do yah !
Drive shaft and rear axle bubble wrapped for exhaust installation.
..and the second piss off of the day. Exhaust gasket kit has the wrong size head pipe gaskets in it! I really should start drinking again...
EDIT: did the loop around town to all 5 jobbers this morning. Last one bailed me out while I held a spare manifold and he went bin to bin comparing gaskets. Felpro 60025 is a correct number, but they had no stock. Walker 31311's that we found in an unmarked bin are correct size as well !! :2thumbs:
Wow, you're really moving again. Keep it comin'. :2thumbs:
Quote from: darbgnik on January 21, 2018, 12:49:13 AM
Wow, you're really moving again. Keep it comin'. :2thumbs:
Thanks, was starting to think I was talking to myself again!! :lol:
Exhaust hopefully going on this morning before I sit down to watch the final day of BJackson and this years low car prices.
Ebrake equalizer cleaned up nice after a few days of Evaporust and lots of scrubbing. It and nut RPM'd. Note the little bumps on the (what I have to assume is an) OEM nuts flange.
Correct exhaust flange gasket. Walker 31311 (or Felpro 60025).
My "helping hands" for today, while I install the head pipes to the exhaust manifolds.
Passenger side muffler set in place. Green tape is so I know how far the pipe is inside the muffler.
Tailpipe in place to check fit, clearance etc.
Everything together and still loose.
Nice even muffler clearance. Up tight the way it should be.
Both sides all slipped together and evening out everything so the tips are in exactly the same positions.
All together and I wasn't happy that the passenger side sat just a bit lower than the drivers.
F'd with fate and put a bending mandrel between pipe and body. (should have put a heavy metal plate between it and body as I dented the floor slightly).
Bottle jack under the pipe further back (centered under the car so I don't lift car off the arms) and jacked it up almost tight to the floor.
..and I didn't break anything!! Pipes perfectly even !
Now I'm HAPPY ! Very happy...
Beautiful fit on the tail pipes.
Exhaust all done and you can see the proper style clamp ring on the tailpipe hangers. They should have a welded nut and a bolt, mine have bolt and loose nut.
Thanks Dave, Steve and Tom at ECS for giving me a happy day in the shop! Absolutely perfect...
Great job! Great to see you back at it! :drool5: :cheers:
Thanks Tim !
Speedo cable clip from Megaparts. These 5 buck parts add up... :yesnod:
Speedo clip installed to frame, just aft of the clutch z bar.
Ebrake equalizer installed. Note the offset front cable hole is closer to the top (passenger) rear cable.
Had a hell of a time finding the anti-rattle springs for the Ebrake cross lever, so posting for part number / mfg.
Rear brakes laid out to install. Sad when the new ones have thinner lining than the old removed! Note that I also have regular "hook" style auto adjuster cables. My rear axle (with 10" brakes) is from a '66 and not a '69 that would have the spring style adjuster cables.
Going with the original rear adjusters that I cleaned up in Evaporust, they're a little more robust than the new ones!
DON'T make this mistake. I knew better, but still somehow managed to install an Ebrake lever to the wrong shoe. The partially lined (primary) shoe goes towards the front. The fully lined (secondary) shoe is the rear that takes the lever.
Rear brakes installed.
Front brakes laid out to install.
Fronts installed. Bottom spring different than original, but seems to work as intended. I have the originals in Evaporust in case I change my mind before I get bearings in the front drum assemblies.
Rear drums in place, ready for brake adjustment.
Had to throw a wheel on..
All I can say is WOW and that this thread deserves to be a sticky for references and such, since many parts are the same as a second generation Charger and there must be at least a thousand pictures in it. :2thumbs:
Thanks Lennard! :cheers:
Like I have said many times on this thread, "they're all B bodies" and most info is interchangeable whether it's a Bee, Charger, RR, etc. I've also asked many times for any info I put up that is questionable to correct it for me and I'll edit as needed so I don't lead anyone down the garden path. :scratchchin:
Wayne
I notice that there are no self adjusters on the front. Was that a common thing? I really sure that my old charger, with drums all around, had adjusters on all four wheels.
Quote from: green69rt on January 23, 2018, 09:23:44 AM
I notice that there are no self adjusters on the front. Was that a common thing? I really sure that my old charger, with drums all around, had adjusters on all four wheels.
11" heavy duty's. No adjusters. My car had the extra sleeve on the upper control arm bushing like the taxi HD's as well. The spring across the bottom rubs on the adjuster wheel to keep it from moving after you manually adjust them.
Set up my rear brakes and also snugged up the Ebrake cables. Not sure if it's supposed to sit cocked or the upper aftermarket cable was done a bit long.
My old 49 year old front hub bearings and the new. Almost afraid to replace them.. they've made it this far! Can't say that for any of the junk shit today.
Was lucky on Ebay one day a year back and was able to get real OLD NOS inners. LM67048 cone and LM67010 cup and not so old (bar code) outers LM11949 cone and LM11910 cup. Seals are SKF 17110.
I always like to use the old cone to push the new ones in square. Pressed in until pressure JUST starts to show on the gauge.
Tapped the outers in with old cone and brass mallet.
Took a break and started reading some of my notes. One being "torque pinon arm nut to 175 ft-lbs". Would have forgot without that note. Why when doing airplanes nothing gets finger tightened, it's either completely on or off!
I have one original drum with the Pentastar and 531 beside it.
Part # 36855A
Now what's he up to.....
Cut the rim off the bucket and slotted it slightly so it would fit over the drum.
Coping saw to remove the reinforce ring.
Smoothed out.
Forgot to install the harmonic springs before I clear coated the drum... don't wanna scratch it.
Rolled the spring down the bucket and right into the groove on the drum ! Work smarter.. not harder!
Video of how quick and easy this makes spring installation... https://youtu.be/FLsmkZYWzt8 (https://youtu.be/FLsmkZYWzt8)
FSManual says you need a special tool to install the inner seal. Don't have said tool, make one!
Perfect fit into the seal grove.
Hub filled to the cups with wheel bearing grease (per the FSM :yesnod:, this makes them about 1/3rd full)
Hand pack the bearings.
..and Bob's you uncle.
Carefully putting seal into place. Go slow and don't cock it !
Seal in place. Manual said "flush with hub" and it has to be the outer ID as you can't drive it far enough to make the dust skirt flush.
Hub retention hardware (less cotter pins).
Both front drums in place and hand tight. FSM says 90 in/lbs (7.5 foot pounds) while rotating drum. I've always set bearings by tightening 'till they start to load and then backing off. Still need to adjust the brake shoes.
Hard to find, proper depth, dust caps and the tool to put them in place. Need to RPM them first and will leave off until everything is ready to put the wheels on.
That bucket idea for the springs was awesome. :yesnod:
Luke
Thanks Luke! :icon_smile_big:
..........................
Front brakes adjusted and the dust plugs in.
Fuel filler neck gasket.
A light coat of fuel lube.
Gasket in place and a light coat on the ID to install the neck.
One tight fit and comparing it to the old for depth before I go too far in. Oriented the neck so the wings on the cap sit horizontal when tight..
Had to loosen the keystone clamp and move it and the mounting bracket forward to bolt to the bumper support.
Got my 1/4" keystones from Megaparts.. and they fit the 1/4" hose, so I can finally install the vent tube joiners.
EDIT: I WISH SOMEONE HAD COMMENTED when I asked previously, I have since learned that Ma Chrysler indeed used a light hose on the vents and I could have gone with the correct smaller Keystones I had by sourcing some lighter hose.
Vent tubes joined, so all tank work is done.
I'm my own worst enemy, but everytime I look at a picture of under the car I think "why did we blast and do the "Tremclad overhaul" on the leaf springs".
First I was just going to pop the plastic wear plates and put new leaf retainer clips in place to make it look right. But then I thought hell, all I have to do is pull the U bolts and turn the nut to take the leafs apart. Yah right..
Leaf retainer bolts just spun, so I had to lower the car down so the axle was on THREE stands so I could get at the bolt head.
Now I can get it apart.
SO glad I did.. the galvinized wear plates are pretty much done.
I guess there was more galvinized sheet available in '66.. as the '68/69/70 rebuild kit sure comes up short. Will have to go find a full sheet and sheer some matching length strips.
One retainer bolt is stripped.
Have no fear, I have a hangar full of NOS hardware. Some 160,000 psi NAS bolts should work perfect.
Perfect length match and just enough thread.
Playing it safe... can't lock the lift down this low.
I just caught up on this build and you are going to town now!
I really like the turn downs :coolgleamA:
:popcrn:
Thanks Brent ! :cheers:
I've always preferred the look of my Bee's turn downs to the Birds chrome tips ! :yesnod:
..btw, there'll be no update or work tomorrow... I've got a 9 hour round trip to pick up my new trailer that just came in ! :yesnod:
What temp. is the RPM good to? What will happen to it when the exhaust pipes get hot?
I have been thinking about using it on my bare metal parts in and on my heater box. I was worried about what would happen when the box is hot. I'm not sure if using RPM is a good idea or not.
It'll probably get too hot and melt off the forward section of the head pipes where temps might hit 1000 for the first foot or so, but from what I've read mufflers only get to about 90/95C (195/203F) on the outside and tail pipes would be cooler yet. Using my toaster oven I need to get it up to about 275/300F for the stuff to flow on to metal smoothly. Not too concerned if it all melts off in the end, just trying to preserve it as long as I can, but it is aluminized as well.
As for the countless hours I've spent coating all the suspension parts, bolts, clips, clamps etc. I'll just have to take Dave Walden's word for it that the stuff works ! :shruggy:
:coolgleamA: :2thumbs: :popcrn:
As disassembled. Anyone that's taken (what I believe is) a '66 set apart, can you confirm the passenger side had the 23.5/24" long zinc interleaf between the 3rd and 4th leaf?? The drivers side had it between the main and 2nd leaf where it makes more sense. Kit I ordered was 68/69/70 and had much shorter interleafs. Hopefully someone knows before I assemble tomorrow! (Hell by what I think is a date code on the bottom 1/2 leafs... "0117" ...they may be '61's!)
Marking the ends of the lower 1/2 leaf interleaf for trimming of the taper to match the spring. (ACCORDING TO DIRECTLY CONNECTED.. I should have left them hanging out! :brickwall: )
Now it won't stick out. (ACCORDING TO DIRECTLY CONNECTED.. I should have left them hanging out! )
Picked up some 0.025 galvanized to shear my own interleafs to match the 18" and 24" lengths of what I disassembled.
All interleafs sheared, edges filed smooth and bolt hole unibit drilled.
Old plastic wear pads removed.
I'd say they were well used!
Found the best way to remove the zinc interliner scale was tapping a dull cold chisel through it.
Lots of wire wheel work to clean up, while trying not to hit the paint.
Everything cleaned up, plastic wear pads installed and ready to reassemble on the car. Passenger 1/2 leaf goes forward, Driver rearward (or at least that is how they were when removed.. now concerned about this as everything I read says they both go forward!)
**UPDATE.. found some Mopar Direct Connection spring pictures of P4120863/4 that show left spring rearward, right spring forward to control spring wrap.. so which ever way yours came off, duplicate it! :lol:
Why I went with "twinkle dinkle" for paint vs black as most do. It's darn close to the original bare steel and I understand at Lynch Road the '69's where not painted black from the supplier. (Directly Connected specifies Stainless Steel colour paint, or 20% Black)
Well over 65 views and no comments as to why I have longer interleafs than come in kits or the correct placement of my 24" long ones, so I did a bunch of Googling, without much luck, and threw caution to the wind and installed the 24" ones between #3 and #4, seeing #4 doesn't have plastic wear pads it made the most sense to give them some. I also found that my one 1/2 leaf forward and one 1/2 leaf rearward is how some Direct Connection springs come "to stop wrap", so again possibly how they should be. Also found my part # 2539214 springs showed up a few places on '69 x 383 Roadrunners, so I guess these springs are original to the car and we only swapped out the rear axle back in '79 ! Getting old.. memory sucks! :P Anyhow, todays work:
I put Krown on all the mating leaf spring and interleaf surfaces to hold off any rust and stop squeaks.
Everything set together and almost ready to install back to car.
Then I found the lower 1/2 spring interleafs a tad short as they didn't make it to the spring ends or cover out to where the original interleaf covered the non-painted.
So I sheared up some new ones a 1/2" longer!
All ready to put back under the car. Decided that both springs should have the full 24" interleaf between # 3 and #4 spring since #4 doesn't have plastic wear pads. Also with a lot of Googling found that these are indeed '69 springs part #2539214, so back in 1979 we must have only changed the rear end.. not the springs. Memory sucks...
Prebent the lock tab on all the clamps so they weren't tight to the spring. A tad ticked that all 4 are the same depth from the kit. Ended up being a tad too short for the 4 leaf spots and too long for the 3 leaf spots.
Clamped from the top and sides to peen the clamp sides under.
Added another clamp to get the springs nice and tight.
All peened into place. As I noted, just a bit short for the 4 leaf spot but it'll work and she's TIGHT.
Certainly looks cleaner now.
Rear 3 leaf spot the clamps a bit long and I peened the tab tight in the lock hole so it hopefully stays tight. If not I'll redo them down the road.
Car lifted back up, axle in place and U bolts and lower shock attach plate going back in.
U bolts all torqued again to 50 ft-lbs (well ready to be.. wrong picture)
Now I'm happy. Clean black plastic tabs sticking through, bare (RPM'd) leaf clamps in place and shiny interleaf's showing between each leaf.
Torsion bars going back in. These boots slipped on without effort in about 3 seconds. Cluster F on trying to get the proper part # ones I ordered, so I ended up getting these for free and can't wait to move forward so on they went.
Torsion bars in and lock wire in place on each one.
Just about ready to put the wheels on this thing! Down to rear shocks I think.
Snugged the torsion bar adjusters up a tad. Need to find my notes as to where they were set before, for a good starting place for ride height.
Got my clutch fork / rod "insulator" from Jeff Brown / 521 Restorations. He's been great with parts and always correct. Got my OEM sway bar links from him and many other things.
Insulator being installed to throwout fork.
Clutch throwout rod all assembled. Note factory spring position is from fork to the hole in the arm above the pivot.. not the bell housing. Mine's been this way since 1980 and will stay that way.
OEM correct upper shock bolts/nuts and lower washers. Bolts part # is Partsmix, can't remember on the washers.
Some will cringe, but going with air shocks again.. just in case I have 4 in the trunk going to the Drive-In.
Upper bolts in place and not quite long enough to make it to the bottom mounts.
Carefully lifting the rear axle without taking weight off the frame pads.
Rear shocks in.
Trying to keep the air lines neat and up into the axle hump with the fill valve.
Filler on the hump behind the rear seat, using an existing body plug hole. I will drill the plug for the valve.
Wheel time..
Almost forgot the spindle caps. Grease smeared inside and installed using the special tool.
Nice and clean, no dents!
Old trick I've been doing for decades, so you don't scratch the lug chrome or washers.
Back on her own wheels after 2 years and 2 weeks.
Ready for the stock car races !
I think I'm in love all over again. Still need to torque the LCA pivot nuts and the brace strut front nuts. That and an instrument cluster to restore, steering column....
Turned out wheely nice !
Dammit Wayne that is looking fan-tas-tic! :coolgleamA:
What a journey!
Thanks Dirk !! :icon_smile_big:
Not much today, but important stuff.
Car now loaded on it's wheels and pretty close to acceptable ride height, so I torqued the front strut nuts to 50ft/lbs. Also snugged up the upper control arm alignment adjuster cam bolts.
and while I should have tightened the LCA pivot nuts to 130ft/lbs... thankfully I slowly worked the torque limit up as I went and PST's replacement shafts machined threads started to give in at 100 ft/lbs so that's where they've been left.
Also installed the upper bump stops, lifting the car back up to hold the rubber tight as I installed the nuts.
Time to tackle the instrument cluster and it's 49 years of abuse.
I have a new bezel for it, the set cost about 1/4 the price of the car when it was new!
Making sure my gauges work. 2nd pin from the left is 12V in and ground to housing. The silver box to the left of the red aligator clip is an electro-mechanical voltage regulator that takes the 12V down to (a pulsing/cycling) 5 volts for the fuel, engine temp and oil pressure gauges. I've ordered an RTE-IVR4 electronic regulator to replace it for complete protection.
Grounding each gauges sender terminal briefly to make sure each gauge is working before I start. Fuel good!
Engine Temp good !
Oil Pressure good !
49 years of dirt !
Wishing I'd just sent this down to David Patik at PG Graphics, but I've come this far I can restore this.. sure I can, what can go wrong?! LOL
Original tach in dash is orange above 5000, hoping that's just faded Red. More to investigate.
New "OEM" tach has Red above 5000.
Really? Air shocks? Seems odd with all the other attention.
Quote from: Charger-Bodie on February 01, 2018, 09:46:09 PM
Really? Air shocks? Seems odd with all the other attention.
Why I kinda made the joke about the Drive-In. Ordered them 2 years back when I was tearing down the car and matching part for part at the time. Couldn't remember if they went on for the " '80's look" or the springs were weak and the air shocks made up for it. Considering how it's sitting now, after taking the springs apart and putting them back together, I'll wait for it to settle in with fuel in the tank / etc and see how it sits. Easy removal and replacement with some regular shocks.
This is moving right along, keep up the good work :2thumbs:
Quote from: BDF on February 01, 2018, 10:09:51 PM
This is moving right along, keep up the good work :2thumbs:
^^^ What he said. :icon_smile_big: :2thumbs:
Thanks Guys !! :2thumbs:
Well those 7 "Blacks" don't match the face decals... off to find some more variations of paint.
Also need to match colour to the slight shine of the 'OEM" replacement tic tock clock / tach so it all looks the same.
Great to have an old broken panel to practice on.. melting the plastic tabs for disassembly. Very little heat and you can push the metal off and keep the posts.
Enough playing.. time for the real deal.
When you take your speedometer needle off, make sure you hold the metal wheel back or you'll destroy the needle shaft bearing and be looking for a new speedo or lots more work.
While holding the metal wheel, pull the needle's CENTER and twist below Zero and it comes off. Again practicing on my spare.
Car's original metal "hoods" to plastic faceplate apart and not looking too bad.
Thought I was going to get away without painting these, but then noticed the mold / corrosion on the tach hood.
Don't want to fart around with trying to paint and decal around a delicate needle, so I'm drilling the rivets out so the faces come off the fuel / oil pressure / temp and amp gauges.
Practiced on a spare and all is fine. This also lets you see the adjustment arms for calibrating the needle.
I have no shortage of rivets to put things back together. Anyone want to buy an 1953 NOS fix penetration tail ski for an Otter, or a metal mesh cargo net for a C-47/DC-3??
One of my dash light hoods melted after 49 years. Removed it and pulled the matching good one from my spare.
Good and melted.
Heated the tabs and removed the brake failure lens.
Popping the signal lenses off.
Haven't busted anything yet..
Finding a White that works for the housing interior, almost as fun as the Black.
Thrown in the sink for a soak to get 49 years of crude off of it.
Factory markings... Red X.
I think it's a fancy 3 in Black.
Factory part numbers and date code, for my Feb 25th, 1969 car.
Paper tape on the tach housing area
Don't forget to paint the mounting screw areas black or the white ring will show through on final install.
White cleaned up good in the tub, so I'm not going to strip and paint. Just a spot to spray that's under the tach housings location and good to go.
What I use on aircraft windshields, so giving it a whirl on 39 years of scratches.
I find the paste works best with your rough fingers vs just moping it up with a cloth. Won't work for office types.. lol
1 hours and 45 minutes, we'll call it good !
My FAVOURITE plastic cleaner. BBQ lighter fluid. Harms nothing, removes most everything.
800 paper.
BBQ fluid and sanding the old Brake Failure off the lense.
Clean, washed with soapy water and ready for decal.
Even attempting the gauges.... good man!
Still unsure if I will, or send them out.....
Melted in some old panel to put tabs on the bulb hood I swapped out.
Cleaning the circuit board with cleaner and a BRASS brush.
Good for another 5 decades.
Squeezing the voltage regulator tabs together slightly so the regulator will have good connections.
Cleaned the lights / 4 way / wiper switches with BBQ fluid and then buffed up with rouge polishing compound and a buff wheel. Go light, it's only plastic. Before doing so I of course did a continuity check on them all after spraying contact cleaner into them anyway I could get it in. Some through gaps, some down the actuator shaft that the rocker pushes. This cleaned up any "scratchiness" or dead spots in all of them.
My dimmer roller has a chrome chip, so disassembled everything so I can reorient that spot to behind the housing over it's travel.
CAREFULLY twist the swagged in housing track so it's open.
Slide the terminal block out and clean everything up.
Detail brush soaked in BBQ lighter worked perfect to get 49 years of finger grub out of the ribs.
All clean and going back together with a bit of dielectric grease.
Verifying a linear ohm sweep on the dimmer and that when full on it switches the blade to ground for the dome light to work.
Decal back sprayed with Windex original and put in place
That worked great.. wiped out with a clean cloth to remove extra fluid and bubbles.
Melting the lense back into place.
Gasket for brake system lense.
We're getting there! Stuff going back in and note that I remembered to paint the screw tab areas Black.
Signal light lenses and gaskets.
The left signal lense gasket needs to be pulled to the right a bit or you'll see it through the bezel.
Shine a light up through the signal light tube and make sure you can't see the black gasket. EDIT: I FOUND THE NEXT DAY.. that they fell off. Had to use Contact cement to put them back on. Not enough tack to the peel and stick gaskets.
Starting to look spiffy.
Quote from: darbgnik on February 06, 2018, 09:45:29 PM
Even attempting the gauges.... good man!
Still unsure if I will, or send them out.....
Cheaper than a Psychiatrist and I'll have something to show for the outlay when all done! :lol:
Can't imagine having a panel done is cheap, LOTS of hours by the looks of things.
So much cool stuff in here! I literally read it every day (which means you kind of need to post every day). I made this a sticky.
I am reminded all the time when I try DIY projects that the people who have success usually have a lot of similar experience in other areas of their lives. Which means they also have tools, parts, and "tricks of the trade" that normal schlubs lack. Last weekend I made 4 trips to the store for broken hardware (bolts snap if you look at them wrong here in the Midwest) and commented to my dad that people who do this all the time must just buy fasteners in bulk!
Troy
THANKS Troy, Honoured to have this stickied on a Charger site.. :yesnod: :lol: :2thumbs:
Quote from: birdsandbees on February 07, 2018, 11:04:33 AM
THANKS Troy, Honoured to have this stickied on a Charger site.. :yesnod: :lol: :2thumbs:
Well deserved! :2thumbs:
THANKS Lennard !!
Picked up the instrument circuit board lamp sockets today (and new #194 bulbs) that I ordered on Monday. They are the correct size and fit, but NOT OEM correct in some details... but they fit nice! Cost $5Cdn each because the box they come in would hold 50 of them!
My "Hen's Tooth" arrived today from New York State. Thanks Steven S. for selling it to me!!
Not in bad shape really, but going to see if they'll modify the tanks and do 3 cores instead of 2 when I drop it off tomorrow at the old school radiator shop.
2949053 seems to be one of Chryslers rarest (or maybe only because that's the one I was looking for!)
4 more Black's... I think I'm up to 13 total now looking for just the right shade. We'll see how these dry overnight, but one of the bunch is getting used tomorrow!
LIGHTLY sanding the gauge hoods with 800. Just enough for adhesion and making sure they're smooth. If they were rusty I would have glass media blasted them.
Gauges drilled apart and odometer (56694.1 miles) out of speedo, ready to lightly sand and then paint faces.
To show the difference in the gauge movements, in case you mix them up.
Also note the stud lengths.
Woooo that's some nice work there!
Thanks Fella ! How's yours coming along? :shruggy:
Today so far:
Winner Winner, chicken dinner! Last can I bought !
Tape rolls hold the speedo perfectly. Tape under odometer and high beam indicator holes. Be VERY careful putting the straw over the needle peg.. as the spring and bearing is under there.
Glued some 800 to a couple of pill bottle lids.
Makes sanding idiot proof ! Make sure you also use a little piece of sand paper around the face rivets as that needs perfect paint as it'll be seen as decal is cut out there.
Just the right size for the gauge plates.
Pencil wrapped in 800 for the sides.
Note how Chrylser did this. Painted white first and then stencil painted with black.
Faces cleaned with reducer and then everything painted with 3 very light coats of paint.
All painted and on "bake" for a day or so.
I'll save you from $150 worth of cans! Nice that it's the best one, as it's a paint and primer + a rust paint all in one! Sold at HomeDepot... don't run out just yet 'till I see how the decals look ! :scratchchin:
I have 6 gauges on the table, everyone one of them has it's needle pointing exactly at the corner between rim and bolt flange. Something to consider if yours are anything other..
No point in watching paint dry, so we'll do the Odometer. Clean all the number wheels with Rubbing Alcohol and those cheap hard tipped Q tips you bought by accident, that hurt your ears if you use them. Not the nice fluffy original Q tip brand that would leave lint.
Peel the label backing part way back and use it as your handle DO NOT touch the label. Place the Zero below where it needs to be and gently slide it up until it matches the existing zero shape exactly and press into place.
Tweezers keep things from rolling as you start the label at zero. Then you'll need to remove, pick up spool and afix label. Do not use your fingers.. smooth it into place with the Q tip.
Notice the white line at the end of the wrap.. $*(%@$( !!
We'll fix that with some sharpy marker.
Didn't look like it was too faded when I started...
Kinda like a Rubick's cube, but I figured out how to get the mileage back to correct. Start at the left and get your number and "cog" wheel correct, then move to the right while holding the set wheel and cog and rotate until the next one is correct. Hold those 2 sets and rotate the 3rd.. etc. Or you can do like many and make it all Zero again.. not my cuppa tea.
That is some nice work!!
THANKS Ghoste ! :laugh:
What an excellent thread!
This is the best of the net, when someone takes the time to take so many pictures and go through the process in such detail!
Gonna take me a while, but I intend to go through it start to finish!!!!!!
Thanks Shadow, just habit for me as I do exactly what I'm doing on every aircraft build or repair that I've done for 25 years. Even when I was it was film only.. :yesnod: Part is proof for customers as to what work was done, some are for complete "how to build" CD's that I have produced and mainly it's for me so I remember wtf I did last week!! :lol:
BTW, there won't be much happening today. I'm starting to think I live in Colorado and should move to Arizona! 45 CM / 18 inches of new white stuff last night is keeping me a tad busy.
The GOOD NEWS today, radiator shop just called and they were able to source a new core for my 053 rad and I should have it back by next Wednesday! :dance:
Clean plastic and repainted "hoods" ready to reassemble.
Melting some scrap and original location posts together.
All posts melted down tight and it's an assembly again.
Gauge faces in paint and decals ready to install.
Face wiped with a windex wetted cloth and back of decal sprayed.
All decals in place after carefully placing with tweezers and then using both thumbs to slide into exact location. Be sure to trim your nails before you start. Once in place use a clean soft cloth (not paper towel) to wipe from center out to remove windex.
Ready to do speedometer
Decal on and needle back on. REMEMBER to hold that metal wheel from moving on the back. Install needle at ~20MPH and turn to 0.
I took this picture to show where the odometer "cogs" lock in... but now that I have it on a computer monitor it also shows I'm opening up my finished work, as the center decal isn't down tight by the looks of things!
Odometer back in ready to install to housing.
Took the speedo for a test drive, using the old cable and a drill IN REVERSE!!
Ready to rivet the faces back on. Be careful, if you bend a needle use tweezers to gently fix it.
Some perfect length AD3-3 rivets.
Face plates riveted back on.
All gauges / instruments / switches back in housing.
The new RTE- IVR4 regulator has a blinking Red light !
RTE was also nice enough to save me from digging through my electronics drawer. They included the correct resistor to use in the "sender" to ground line, FOR TEST PURPOSES, that should have your gauge show FULL. If not, adjust your gauge needle using the adjuster holes in the rear of the gauge.
All tested and plastic / hood cover in place with the original push pins.
New bezel in place and impossible to get a good shot... I took at least 60 with different lighting. So here's a couple that don't show how nice it came out.
Another shot with different lighting. Still not great, you'll have to take my word for it. It looks brand new!
Took my electric car for a 0.4 mile test drive tooo...
https://youtu.be/gO2FlLyGmCg (https://youtu.be/gO2FlLyGmCg)
Your dash cluster looks fantastic! Nice work :cheers:
Quote from: BLK 68 R/T on February 11, 2018, 01:32:12 AM
Your dash cluster looks fantastic! Nice work :cheers:
:iagree: beautiful!
THANKS guys. Gotta open it back up and fix that odometer wheel this morning.
I've had a camera in my hand since I was 10 years old and the wife couldn't take a good picture if she tried, but it appears she bettered me this round! LOL Just glad she's part of the excitement in this car. It's part of her too, as it's the car I had when dating and we drove away from the Church in it as well when married in '82!
That's looking great!
:coolgleamA: :2thumbs: :popcrn:
Looking good. :2thumbs:
THANKS guys!
Was out playing real Canadian for 11 days!
Came back from 10 full days of ice fishing and my 053 radiator was ready for pick up.
All the little dings removed and recored, looking like new. Not too shiny, not to dull, think it looks correct.
The 2 row core for the 2949 053 radiator if anyone is interested, to cut your search time. I've never had an issue with the Bee overheating with the stock radiator.
Today would have been my Daughter's 33rd Birthday, so just puttering in the shop. :-\
Radiator bolted in place so it's safe and off the shop floor.
Using the heat gun to straighten out the 49 year old LCA strut shields.
I think the rear licence plate holder needs a bit of work.
Disassembled for straightening and all hardware dropped in the Evaporust bucket.
Looks like I can use the 6" vise as my anvil for this one.
Most of the "body" dollied flat and fixing the edges.
Close enough for me.
Ready for media blast, prime and paint in semi gloss black.
More puttering..
New lower radiator hose Dayco 70592
It didn't come with an anti collapse spring, so I carefully spun it out of the old one.
..and installed the spring into the new hose.
Hose clamp kits I've had since 1990.
The 1990 kits have the correct finish.
Current day kit I bought, forgetting I had some, is a bit dark to OEM standards.
Hose clamps and licence plate parts RPM'd.
Easy way to measure for heater hose cutting, for a one shot no screw up deal!
Lower radiator hose in place. I probably should have trimmed a bit off it's length, but it's on there now . Yep, it's a Fram oil filter.. get over it. (all I've run since this engine was rebuilt in 1979 and it runs perfect and is clean inside)
New upper hose. Dayco 70369. Would have fit my old incorrect radiator perfectly as the hose spout on it is closer to the cap. Took some twisting and massaging but I made it work for the correct 053 radiator.
All ready to fill the radiator, once I'm closer to first start. Still need to install the heater hose "straps" to join the two hoses.
Beautiful :2thumbs:
But, the heater hoses are supposed to cross.
Been up and down that road and sideways CB... I was set to cross them and was swayed that it wasn't necessarily correct.
Quote from: birdsandbees on March 03, 2018, 07:58:47 PM
Been up and down that road and sideways CB... I was set to cross them and was swayed that it wasn't necessarily correct.
How do you mean? Everything I've seen over the year shows crossed.
Was informed that numerous true survivors were never crossed. Makes more sense than crossing them, but who knows for sure. Certainly neater running parallel... and I have enough "extra" at the front in both hoses that I can cross them if someone convinces me that crossed is truly correct.
Like the Fram comment, was looking at the pics and thought oh no he's got a Fram people are going to go nuts. :icon_smile_big:
Repop wing nuts that came with the battery hold down kit. Close, but not exact.
I'm looking for someone that has some spare wing nuts! Would like two (or more) of these OEM ones for my oval cleaner if someone has some kicking around.
Orange has to be THE worst colour to try and get a true "as viewed" picture. Bought a "hen's tooth" last month, that being an ORIGINAL 1969 Fram CA-332 air filter.
Jen's view !
#57 bulbs for the instrument housing lights. Need 7.
Headlight switch harness has run a BIT hot over the years!
Luckily Blk68RT sold me (almost gave me) a beautiful replacement.
All spliced in ready to install the instrument cluster.
A LOT easier taking it out, than hooking up the short wires and getting it back in! Dash complete, just needs a steering column.
Hooked up the battery and everything seems to work. Glove box light on.
Radio light on
Hit the Ebrake and the warning light works.
Dome light on.
Reverse light works!
More brand new junk... do manufactures even check that their shit works. Supposed to be variable resistance... shorted to ground! .. and a bitch to change out back there.
Sender shorted to ground makes the meter go full with engine off.
Videos of success... :yesnod: :icon_smile_big:
4 ways
https://youtu.be/tyO_Ba8fsHM
3 speed wipers
https://youtu.be/1i8chbmprmo
Engine crank
https://youtu.be/eE80zn_1wcE
Pretty soon you'll be cruisin'! I hear you were watching drag boat racing while tinkering with your car. ;)
Thanks Lennard!! Yah.. it was background noise, came on after Bitch'n Rides! :lol:
Needed the tach wire from the coil - to the firewall pigtail. Grabbed a plastic end from the old engine harness, a new connector and some black wire.
Finished tach wire.
Wire connects to the single firewall pigtail, that was an optional mod by the factory for the dash tach. Some cars only have a clock...some like my Bird have neither.
I imagine this is the way the factory added it to the engine harness.
Time to tackle the steering column restoration.
Horn pad and ring in good condition, steering wheel severely heat cracked. Marine container storage wasn't kind to it.
Note the tab at 3 o'clock when you go to pop the center plug so you don't break it. Pry it up from 9 o'clock. (I got lucky!)
Horn pad while still in good condition needs some contact cement help.
Pulled the old wheel.
Found why my signals didn't cancel after turning right. %(*@($
Note the retainer "spring" also has a stub sticking out. This is what cancels your turn signals, and this one is in the correct location on the old wheel..
Reproduction wheel came with the "stub" oriented wrong. A little tap with a hammer moved it into place.
Simple way to remove the retainer pin on the steering knuckle. Wrench into place and pry it up.
Knuckle apart. Minimal wear and a good thing, as the repro rebuild kit is CRAP !
Repro rebuild kit gasket is wrong colour, wrong profile, missing the side tabs.. but I either have to use it or source a better one. EDIT: Just ordered the correct black gasket and good cover from DMT.
Original hardened, clean ground ends, press fit pin from the end of the steering shaft vs the repro CRAP that is machine chopped and undersize. I can throw it through the shaft hole. I'll be reusing the old.
Repro knuckle retainer on the left, original on the right. Repro is about 75% the thickness of the original.
Picture to note the OEM black tape on the wiring harness coming out of the wheel.
OEM part # label and noting the green Quality Control (I presume) paint on the inner tube
You have to remove the 7 wires from the connector to pull it through the steering collars.
These have dual tabs.. one on each side.. of each connector. Pry one side while pulling lightly and then do the other and out they pop.
More mfg markings.
Outer and inner snap rings removed from the upper steering shaft bearing. Using a tight fitting wrench jammed in a hole in my bench and a brass hammer to remove the bearing. Thankfully both my bearings are still good and can be reused.
Steering column totally disassembled.
Guess when the old man ditched the car, way back in it's early life, he hit the wheel a BIT harder than he ever claimed! LOL Looks like a bit of stretch needs to happen and some TIG welding.
He also sheared the plastic "shear" pins in the main shaft as well, that I will have to reset into place and retain again by injecting epoxy or some soft rivets.
Thankfully the plastic shear pegs are still in the inner tube's slip joint.
Video of the crap rebuild kit knuckle pin. Not even close to a light press fit, and the pin ends are machine sheared.
https://youtu.be/UrtYnFVmPLA
(https://youtu.be/UrtYnFVmPLA)
Most likely made in China. :down:
Quote from: Lennard on March 06, 2018, 11:08:46 AM
Most likely made in China. :down:
YEP... gotta look through my paperwork to see whom I bought it from, so I NEVER buy another item from them. Ordered the correct black seal and retainer from DMT last night. Will use my old pin and slider blocks on the reassembly.
Ordered this Chrysler service part for 10 Bucks US + postage, hoping it will work to repair my broken one. I'm not paying $300 US for an OEM replacment assembly to keep it original (not if I can help it anyhow..)
Inner column tube and the green paint on the upper section between the plastic telescopic pinning and the tooling hole. Possibly QC to confirm the pinning.
Lower green QC paint.. maybe to say the spring is on? Also noting the tube was wiped / smeared with Cosmoline.
Plastic crush zone cover, to show the tape used to secure it.
Interesting it's 9/16 wide on one end.
..and 7/16" wide at the other end.
Some steering columns were dipped in black paint from the knuckle up to the lower bearing. Mine was not. It has no evidence of that and was obviously left bare. Lynch Road car, built last week of Feb ' 69.
Lower steering shaft is clean metal, no evidence of black paint or dipping.
Using a hose clamp to pull the "swelled" and cracked area of the crush zone section back into shape for welding.
All cleaned up ready for welding. Also rolled the tube on the panel stand to make sure it's straight.
Knuckle and lower spring into the Evaporust, along with the original seal retainer.
Carefully placed the horn ring in another bucket of Evaporust and topped it right up. Don't want the "silver" ring turning black.
Made an Evaporust soak tray for the inner tube out of a cardboard box and poly.
Drilled out the remnants of the plastic "shear pins" on the telescopic shaft with a 3/32 bit. Will inject with Epoxy on reassembly or use a soft rivet to restore the intended function.
Not taking any chances with the oil pressure sender I bought today at NAPA. Pressure test and ohm check for correct function of the variable resistance before I install this one.
20 psi = 41 ohms
40 psi = 31 ohms
60psi = 26 ohms
80 psi = 19 ohms
New sender installed.
Put about 3.7 gallons of distilled water in the radiator / engine for test runs. When all is okay I will drain 1/2 and top with Antifreeze.
..and the floor is dry!
And so is the cabin below the heater box. Great start.
Went back out to the shop after supper. Horn ring cleaned up very nicely in Evaporust and some light scrubbing.
Steering shaft also cleaned up nice, ready to coat with RPM.
Knuckle still needs a bit of cleaning before coating with RPM.
Filled my "trough" with Evaporust to soak the inner tube overnight.
:2thumbs:
Wayne you're moving along at the speed of light! It's an absolute joy to follow this thread. You must be getting real antsy to get her back on the road. :2thumbs:
Thanks guys!
Dirk, I keep thinking to myself..... BUT IT ONLY TOOK 32 HOURS TO TAKE IT ALL APART!! :yesnod: :lol:
Still have the ramcharger hood air box to rebuild and install to hood.. bumpers.. all the glass to redo and install.. fenders and hood install.. cut and buff.. tail stripe.. carpet.. seats.. seat belts... door panels.. DANG... :P
In other words, you're almost done. :lol:
Quote from: Dino on March 07, 2018, 09:59:46 AM
In other words, you're almost done. :lol:
:smilielol:
I want it at least running by my Birthday and I've got 16 days to do so... but will be away for a week in there, so I'd better get my ass out to the shop!
Go go go!
Quote from: Dino on March 07, 2018, 10:01:55 AM
Go go go!
I'm on it! Forgot I still have to put the sway bar back in as well.... rubber bushings should be fun! :yesnod:
..and restore the horns, install the headlight buckets, washer reservoir, repair and paint both the front grill and the rear tail light trim panel, restore the tail lights... hell, now I don't wanna go to the shop! :eek2:
Ground wire from column to dash... for the concurs part # watchers.
Crush zone damage all welded up.
There Dad... nobody will ever know about you hitting that wheel !
Column, wire cover and both collars painted in Duplicolor Trim CTP700000 to match what I used on the upper dash.
Retainer bracket and flange painted in gloss black .
Turned the paint booth on "bake" for the night.
Inner column tube cleaned up really nice. Of course I can't find an old shop can of green paint to replicate the markings. Why do we do this stuff for things that will never be seen? Because we can...
The next car.. this stuff is going up on a table. So tired of being on a knee, degreasing and Evaporusting parts.
Accidentally painted the steering column retainer plate to correct factory standards! The run will stay...
Washed horn pad with soap and a toothbrush last night. Then noticed it was covered in blue fleck from a previous sloppy paint shops work.. either 1988 or 1979. Daringly used a worn green scotchbrite pad while wet and it cleaned up nice without scratching. FInished it off with an old '80's can of the Tannery.
Pliobond, used to glue aircraft crankseals into the case. Only because I have it... and couldn't find my regular contact cement.
I know myself too well, pad totally covered with tape.
One side of each spoke and the center hubs glued and clamped.
RPM'ng the steering shaft section that protudes from the column.
Knuckle and roll pin RPM'd. Pin started.. as you'll have fun trying it once on the car.
Mixed up some plastic welder and sucked into a syringe.
Injected the shear pin holes, with a scrap of aluminum blocking the other side.
Looks just like original.
Not that I plan to be judged, but if you are (and I don't know which is correct) here is the 11/32" PVC/booster hose I removed from days of old (slightly bigger O/D than repro), the Gates date coded (Jan '69) hose from Year One and the same date coded hose I got from National Moparts yesterday. Shows slightly different letter font and spacing
Hoses installed.
Just another engine shot... :yesnod:
Love that you are using that can of Tannery. :lol:
Quote from: CDN72SE on March 08, 2018, 11:13:54 PM
Love that you are using that can of Tannery. :lol:
Wish I could find a case!! LOL $5.99 for the can gives a hint of it's age.
You are moving right along here!
I have not been on this site much lately, have you fired it up yet?
:popcrn:
If I had there'd be video !! :lol:
May happen tomorrow if I get into town for some Shell premium. Wanna do so soon, as I want it running for my Birthday on the 23rd and I'll be away possibly from the 13th to 19th so better get my ass in gear.
Inner steering column tube "QC" painted and coated in Cosmoline to duplicate what I found from the factory.
Rummaging though my 4130 scraps for the correct diameter to make a bearing installer.
My "tool" to reinstall the upper steering shaft bearing.
Glued the final three spoke sides today on the horn ring cover.
All ready to see if I can bring this baby back to life. Just need gas...
And a short video verifying I have spark after rechecking my points gap, plug wire firing order, etc.
https://youtu.be/3EHKFcRRe7s (https://youtu.be/3EHKFcRRe7s)
Four gallons of Shell Premium and a gallon of 100LL AV gas for the boost and lead. Fuel gauge is working and just above empty with that fuel put into the tank. So lets give her a crank ! Fire in the hole...
https://youtu.be/21nnkVWnBk4 (https://youtu.be/21nnkVWnBk4)
Thankfully, just about the time I was done cursing about it, the rocker/lifter knock went away!
I'll take door number two for $100,000 dollars Monty !
https://youtu.be/SJg67ttJw9s (https://youtu.be/SJg67ttJw9s)
Setting the timing. Set at 5* BTC for now and vacuum advance on new distributor working great. Looks like about 35* total at 15" vacuum.
https://youtu.be/7Wc81uKIXzY (https://youtu.be/7Wc81uKIXzY)
More music from underneath by the ECS OEM correct mufflers.
https://youtu.be/8H5G_GoUGoI (https://youtu.be/8H5G_GoUGoI)
Great stuff...she looks and sounds great...can't wait until I'm in that position!
So nice and quiet with a factory exhaust system. :yesnod:
Thanks guys! An exciting day for sure. I had convinced myself I had the distributor 180* out and almost pulled it and turned it before I hit "start". Sure glad I didn't and amazed how quickly she fired.
Parts all ready to assemble the steering column. Shrink wrap works nice, so I don't scratch the paint.
Disappointed that the Precision Gasket's firewall kit didn't include the rubber seal, so I had to use the old one. Still in nice shape anyhow.
Inner tube with it's spring on the lower end and the steering shaft inserted into the main column.
Wavy washer in the main tube and a bit of grease on the collars. Realized this is really unnecessary as none of these collars or tubes turn on a floor shift car. Looks like I need to get a Q tip out and get that blob of grease off the outer collar ring before it drips on the column tube on a hot day.
Column collars both in place, bolted to the outer tube. Went together very nicely.
You have to put the mounting plates on before you install the lower bearing retainer bolts.
Using the "tool" I made to press the upper bearing into place using the nut.
Could have just stood the shaft up and used a longer piece of tubing to tap it into place. Picture shows the lock ring in place.
Everything together, waiting for signal light switch to arrive so I can install it, the steering wheel and horn ring.
Was nice of David Patik to suppy a roll or tape in with the door vapor barrier kit. Darn near perfect..
Looks just like original.
Drained a gallon and a half of water out and refilled with antifreeze. If you've never done it... there's your perfect funnel lads!
Horn ring medallion. Face polished and rim being repainted argent. I noted they are $60 US for repops and a guy claiming he has OEM for $92 US but "the box in the picture is for show".. yah okay!
And a word on shop safety !! :yesnod:
I walked into the shop today and it smelled kind of like electrical fire vs the day before it had smelled of reducer. Mystified what the cause was, but as I worked I realized my lungs were killing me, was getting light headed and had to go outside. I opened all the shop doors to clear the place out.
My conclusion is it was either the vapours from all the RPM burning off the exhaust system, or thinking some more it was similar to when I baked the ceramic paint I put on the HP manifolds. Either way, be sure to ventilate your shop WELL after running your fresh set up!
And a video from today. Started just like days of old. Hit the key, tap the gas and VROOM !
https://youtu.be/f7NAW6K3N6s (https://youtu.be/f7NAW6K3N6s)
Purs like a kitten. :2thumbs:
Quote from: Lennard on March 11, 2018, 06:22:30 PM
Purs like a kitten. :2thumbs:
Thanks Lennard!! Not bad for an engine that was overhauled in 1978/79 ! I think it cost me about $450 bucks back then and has never skipped a beat. :icon_smile_big:
Since I checked my cam lobes and lifters for wear, and installed new valve stem seals, my only real concern was that I had installed that new timing chain / gear correctly when I decided to move it from straight up to the 4* cam advanced position.
An engine overhaul for $450! That's what just the materials will cost you nowadays. :lol:
Sounds great, you are just flying along, this weekend I was able to install my trunk lock, lol.
:2thumbs: Well there's something I haven't done yet! LOL
You're on a roll now B&B! :2thumbs:
Thanks Brent ! Need to get the brakes bled so I can arrange to have the front end aligned by my old friend that passed his auto shop onto his son. My buddy is now working way up North in the diamond mine and is on a 2 weeks on.. 2 weeks off schedule and about a 3.0 hour haul for me each way to get the car to his son's garage. A lot of effort for the job, but someone I trust that understands "old school" !
All I got done today. Put another quick shot of Argent paint on the horn medallion and I threw fate to the wind and tried "Wipe New" on the horn pad. Looks great and ready to install. Just waiting on my signal light return mechanism to show up.
Sourced the correct looking / shaped steering knuckle seal from DMT (Detroit Muscle Technologies).
Repro seal has the correct bumped out shaft sealing area and even has the correct middle tabs.
On the steering shaft c/w the DMT stainless steel retainer. Still considering using the original removed steel one, as the tabs are nicely shape formed to lock in place.
Don't waste your money buying a rebuild kit for $20US from Partsmix. Turns out I'm using NONE of it as it's all junk. Seal is totally wrong, cross pin is junk, wear blocks are porous. Even the spring clip is wrong and formed too narrow to fit the blocks. Repro top, OEM bottom. Take yours apart and see what you really need, then order it from DMT or track down some $$ NOS.
Shows correct alignment for assembly and how it will sit in car with wheel centered. Small hole in shaft, small hole in knuckle and alignment notch in knuckle all up.
Untoothed "key" in knuckle matches steering box shaft for wheel centering.
Hot out of the mail box. My signal light cancel mechanism. $10 bucks and hope it works vs $300+ for a complete NOS assembly.
Another week shot, but like they say "a happy wife equals a happy life" ! :yesnod: She wanted to go up to our Northern island camp for a week and try out the "new" sled I bought her and do some fishing. Hard to beat -4C days, sunshine and no wind on top of 24" of ice in late March.
BTW.. she's building a girlfriend for my buddy that was dropping by! :icon_smile_big:
Numerous car parts arrived in the mail while we were gone, so hopefully back in the shop tomorrow to get a bit done before I start the yearly ritual of corporate tax returns :P
Alternator +, horn and windshield washer pump wire holding clip.
It's the little things.. lol
Radiator overflow hose retainer clips. Stupid money! Should have taken them off my old radiator.
Clips in place.
Radiator overflow hoses. One is thicker with 6 light ribs, the other thinner and 3 large ribs. Which is correct for my 22" radiator???
Another view of the two hoses. I know the 6 rib is supposed to be corrrect for the 26" radiators, which is correct for the 22"?
Comparing the $10 replacement signal light plate to the old broken OEM that would have been $300.
Carefully prying the shaft out of the signal plate.
A bit more careful wiggling and prying.
Original signal plate apart, ready to clip the wires and clean the original base plate for reuse.
Wires clipped.
Make sure the contact wires are the correct length compared to the old and if need be carefully bend them for even pressure / contact on the base plate.
Dielectric grease on the contacts.
Squeezing the two plates together at the shaft and testing for continuity. Turn to left and right postions and check the green pair and the brown pairs for zero ohms in each of the positions (that is to say one pair only has continuity in each direction)
A bit of white grease in the signal shaft hole.
Signal plate in place and bearing / plate retainer going into place.
Signal arm being installed with the large head screw. This screw holds the plastic plates together as well as retaining the signal arm.
Once again testing left and right signal function on the green and brown pairs. Better to find out it doesn't work now than after the wheel is on!
Dielectric grease on the horn contact roller.
Wiring cover going on.
Why you make notes. Colour codes and postions for those that didn't. This is the WIRE side of the connector.
You'll need to tweek the lock tabs and then put each wire end into the plastic block. Note the orientation of the sloped ends to the round hump on the connector. Only way they'll mate with the dash harness.
Column retainer plate loosely in place c/w ground wire.
Horn "button" going into place.
Reproduction wheel was tapped a tad tight, redoing at 6-32.
Repro wheel didn't have open gaps behind for screw clearance. Drilling away PLASTIC with a 3/32 bit.
Horn "button" in place.
Testing the horn ring function. Continuity from the black harness wire to column ground when depressed.
Wheel end all done !
A bit of wheel bearing grease into the steering knuckle housing.
Knuckle shoes and retainer spring clip greased.
Shoes/clip inserted into knuckle housing and retainer pin going into place. The ONLY part I used from the rebuild kit I bought from Partsmix.
Holding the seal retainer in place to bend the tabs over.
A quick hit with a hammer and screwdriver to lock the tabs down.
Worked pretty good and seems to be tight.
Ready to install to the car.
Best to check the signal light auto return before getting to far into assembly !
https://youtu.be/VI9EjZ7o1ZI (https://youtu.be/VI9EjZ7o1ZI)
Better than new! :2thumbs:
Thanks Lennard! Great to have at least one groupy!! :lol:
Repro kits incorrrect length and material split pin on the left vs the correct original steering knuckle retaining split pin on the right.
Steering box shaft showing the female "keyed" area that you line up with the knuckles male key, thats location is indicated by the notch. The grove between the teeth is what the split pin goes into.
Knuckle in place and split pin tapped into place to retain it. Note the shaft teeth still showing, don't try to hammer the pin in with the knuckle too far onto the shaft.
Steering column up in place, showing correct bolts and ground wire installation.
I can steer this machine again !
Realised that 49 years of tightening had bent my air clearer bases attachment bracket down so much that the two bolts for lid attachment were tipped towards each other.
Wish I'd noticed before I refurbished it.. but here we go in the press.
Success, perfectly straight again and no extra dents or paint damage.
Getting close buddy. Couple questions
Is the floor not suppose to be body color, mine is white like the car?
Are you gonna put any sound deadening insulation material down?
Will you do a video of a burnout, or at least a driving video?
Luke
Wasn't wasting $725cdn / gallon paint for under the carpet! That black is zinc epoxy primed and epoxy paint on top. It's harder than rinoliner !
Carpet has sound deadner on the back and noise and heat was never a real issue before. Not sure if I'll bother covering the floor with insulation.
Not gonna smoke those $550 Cdn each ($300US plus shipping to Canada plus 13% tax ) Goodyear tires for long.. BUT you know it's gonna happen! :lol:
Other than a trip for alignment before I put the front clip on, it's not gonna be driving or get done until next year by the looks of things. I only have about 7 weeks left until we're back to our flyin camp up North.
Spent from Saturday until Tuesday doing 3 sets of corporate tax returns and finally got back to the shop this afternoon.
I had an old rotted washer fluid reservoir I've been toting around since 1980 or so that I've kept because it had a complete pump on it with correct wiring still intact. Carefully drilled the one piece rivet / wire connector off from the back.
My original pump, bottom, with wiring broken off and the spare all apart. Using the best parts of two to make one for the car. At least that's the plan.
Both motor magnet housings into Evaporust to see which cleans up the best.
The spare wasn't running, brushes are good but pump was tight. Poured some washer fluid in the pump housing and sprayed gun oil onto the shaft to free things up. Slipped the magnet housing on and it runs again! Plugged the outlet and blew in the inlet and it doesn't appear to leak at the shaft seal.
Cleaning up 49 years of grime in soapy water first.
Then the brass brush in the dremel.
And it almost looks new.
Cleaned up the wire connector end with the brass brush as well. Once installed it will look like it's still crimped to the reservoir.
Spare reservoir I grabbed back in the early '80's from Ma Fitzgerald's in Jasper, my original front and reproduction rear. I'm guessing it's cap is correct for '69. Pretty sure my '70 in the 'Bird has script on it...
A repo with the correct script even and part numbers. Part # WAS -005 (concurs) from National Moparts
Off shelf screws / washers on the left that came with the reservior of course are incorrect. Fortunately not knowing it came with screws I also ordered a pair of screws and they have the correct head shape and captive washer. # WAS-39A Got those from National Moparts as well. Suspect they are really supposed to be black oxide though... so they'll get a good long soak in my dirty Evaporust to darken them up. I have learned they are correct as is
I had a fair number of people tell me you can't get scratches out of tempered glass. Sounded like a challenge to me! Don't show the wife, she might expect the house windows washed.
Great core workout, that's for sure. Asked the wife to get me a straw for my drink glass..lol.
At this stage I was just polishing out some heavy haze someone else had put on the back glass, from what I think was a failed attempt at polishing. This is the back glass I picked up to replace my heavily scratched one, so I do have a spare it I blow it. After this I got really brave and ground down scratches on the back side of the glass and polished them back out. I'm about 8 hours into this glass so far, I figure 14 or so hours more to get the major stuff and it'll be presentable... and be OEM original with correct date codes!
https://youtu.be/AYDrNvZc2to (https://youtu.be/AYDrNvZc2to)
Glass Scratch Removal / Polishing kit I bought off Amazon awhile back. Decided to give it a try.
Did a test run on my passenger window that I'm replacing. F'Tards at the body shop in '88 blasted my key hole with the window down. Figured I had nothing to lose. Started with the coarse Red, then Green and then the Blue. I wasn't trying to completely remove the sandblast, but more wanting to see if I could get the clarity back after grinding with the sandpaper.
I'm on the right track.. onto the cars back glass !
This cloudy look was on about 1/3rd of the back glass. It wouldn't clean or scrub off, so I figure someone failed at a polish job... and I may too!
Figured I'd start by seeing if I could get rid of the haze. Numerous passes with the polishing compound and numerous wet downs to get slurry going.
Multiple passes in every direction for a good 3 hours on one half. Remember to let your drill gear box cool down from time to time.. and your arms!
No more haze and minor scratches are gone. The "lines" are the galvanized ceiling reflection!
Looking pretty good, but now I just had to get brave.
Flipped the glass over and started grinding down some deep scratches. Used the Green to start.
Scratch gone using the Green pad.
Ground again with the Blue pad and later water added and it cleaned up even better.
A long scratch right up the middle ground with Green. Must have been some wild nights at the Drive In with all this interior scratching.
Smoothed out with the Blue and water.
On to polish.
Once it dries out.. sprayed with water to get slurry going again. Too expensive to just keep adding more compound.
Getting pretty clear. I figure another 4 hours tomorrow just to clean up the stuff I ground and another 4 or so to buff everything out. Then I'll probably get stupid and flip it over and start on exterior scratches.
22 hours of polishing! I admire your determination. :2thumbs: My glass had some deep scratches so I just bought it all new from AMD.
Hey.. I'm outta the wife's hair! :smilielol:
I was told AMD's back glass curves weren't correct and don't fit correctly so I didn't buy one. Looking at my OEM that almost hits the Dutchman in the center with both ends 3/8" up to simulate the sealer "tape" I doubt AMD could have it any worse.
:lol:
Spent another 3.5 hours today getting these three spots polished out and a complete once over of the entire surface.
Working on three spots.
And the spots are gone! Lines are the ceiling reflection.
Total glass surface coverage. I've found that one "out of the bottle" coverage, then misting water on surface and pad as you progress numerous times. Final buff is dry and removes all the compound (some goes back into pad). Just be careful on heat generation!
We'll call the back side a wrap ! Note the curved reflection of the ceiling and the yellow power cord that hangs from the ceiling.
Now to get a few major scratches off the outer side. I found a razor blade knocks some of the "visual" off some scratches. Don't want to over do it, but I'll be lightly grinding and buffing out the major ones.
Outstanding work.
How did you store that glass when not in use. Mine is out of my car and I hate having laying flat in the way. I'd like to stand it up, but not sure if or how to build something to hold it.
Luke
This one I picked up over the winter from a kid for $60 I think it was. Also cost me $62 in road tolls to get to his house.. :slap:
He just had it sitting on the garage floor leaning against his Dart ! :rotz:
My original was removed by the body shop, they just had it leaning against the wall in a Sea can.
I probably would have done the same if I'd had it here.. but a fingered holder would be the smart thing to do.
Quote from: lukedukem on March 30, 2018, 06:21:16 PM
Outstanding work.
How did you store that glass when not in use. Mine is out of my car and I hate having laying flat in the way. I'd like to stand it up, but not sure if or how to build something to hold it.
Luke
Different ways to store auto glass:
https://www.google.com/search?tbm=isch&source=hp&ei=U3K_WvWRI-3m_Qbb05TYBQ&q=auto+glass+rack&oq=auto+glass+rack&gs_l=mobile-gws-img.3..0j0i24.5135.14975..15037...1....424.2946.0j5j3j3j1..........1..mobile-gws-wiz-img.....2..41.u9cTRX47nEk%3D
Day 4 on the scratch removal and polish. That's probably why people say it can't be done.. lol My abrasive pads are just about toast and polish is running low.
My body had 3 hours in it today, to work on the outer face. Who needs to go to a gym ?? !! Probably the same tomorrow and then we'll call it good, I hope!
About 2 hours today working the final area some more.
Looks pretty good in the sun. Guess the only thing to do is pop the OE off the car and set this in place, then decide which looks better.
If you stare for a minute you're realize this is a shot through the glass looking into the shop. Ticked off I must have picked up a bit of grit on the 2nd to last polish as I put some new swirls in it! $(@*%
So that's what you look like! I often wonder what members on here look like! I started a thread over on the Jeep forum for people to put a face to the user names.....went well.....might do it here too. BOT ...you have way more patience than me. As careful as I am with Charger fund cash I would have conceded defeat and got another glass before I had got anything like those sort hours into it. Good work as always...still one of my favourite threads on the site. :2thumbs:
THANKS! Pretty sure I posted a pic of me here before, but here's another if you're collecting faces! :lol:
Two reasons I went through this arm killing week of madness.. and may not be done just yet thanks to my new swirls I created today.
1: Both my OE glass and this spare back glass that I picked up have date codes that fit my cars birthdate.
2: I was warned that AMD's replacement glass didn't fit correctly curve wise.
Mind you worrying about the date code thing is pretty dumb anyhow since I put a repop windshield in, which was a step up as the removed was a no name replacement from the '70's but at least I now have a Chrysler etched symbol on my new one.
I'm also replacing both doors main glass as well, with logo'd AMD glass, as my drivers is chipped at the upper guide pin / vent track and the passenger glass was sandblasted when the shop in '88 blasted my key hole with the friggin glass down!
I've got to stop with the "challenges". Been told and read that 95% can't get the rubber in the sway bar mount without cutting the metal strap off, putting the rubber in and then rewelding. That's how they were built at the factory. And to add to the challenge, I'm using PST's harder Polyurethane bushings. Make sure you understand final assembly and have the mounts on the correct side and direction. You're not going to do this twice!
I spent about an hour and a half trying different things with no success, realized part way through that the mount has to be on the bar first, then the bushing, so you can use the hole in the base to help pry the bushing into place. I started out protecting the paint with a rag, but gave up on that. Anyhow, start the center in with channel locks. Squeeze, rotate the pliers around and down to force the bump in under the strap.
Once the center is in, lock it with vise grips... or it WILL pop back out. I lost ground many times stopping to grab the camera!
Use the BIG channel locks to start each end/corner of the bushing into the mount.
Once you get it in a bit, with the big channel locks, reclamp QUICKLY with welding vise grips. This is where the hole then comes in. A bit of prying..
Some squeezing lower down with the welding clamps and one corner pops in.
Lots of glass cleaner for lube and you can make the rubber "flow" if you hold it long enough.
More squeezing..
A bit more prying with a round punch for no tearing..
And the bushing is in ! 20 minutes on the final attempt, with arms aching and hands about done.
I then took a two hour rest and figured "I've got this" and went out to do the second one. Thought this will be quick, 2 hours later I threw the tools on the floor and gave up for the day. Next day 1 hr -50 minutes had it all in except I couldn't get one hung up end to go across fully into the mount. I lubed the shit out of it, clamped two pairs of vice grips on and hoped it would flow in by itself overnight. This morning I found it had done just that and it just needed a bit more leverage to push it in completely. Clamped the grips on for a pry spot and done.
Taped up the rubbers, after sanding out all the scratches and repainted the mounts and the bar area between them.
All painted, ready to install to car once the paint cures. Next time... I'll cut the f'n straps off the mounts!! I'd hate to be the customer with the 9 hour labour bill to install two pieces of rubber!!!
Don't forget your parts in the Evaporust, they may be a bit lighter when you find them next! But there is evidence of that OE gold zinc plating!! lol
Reading for the past 2 years how all the repop window seals / slides, that goes on the back of the vent frame, are junk and too tight I splurged for some OEM ones that are formed with the curve and correct dimensions. $260 friggin CDN dollars delivered for two pieces of mylar and fuzz. It is what it is...
At least the guide pins that came with them are almost correct to OE and not enormously oversize like the repops!
I had the same tight fit problem with the window seals. I used ArmorAll to lubricate the seals and they worked much better. Made a tiny mess but cleaned up ok after it dried. And yes, bought the NOS pieces, $100US per seal, crazy!
I have two sets of repop seals and they are definitely heavier and not preshaped in the curve. The slider pins that came with them are at least 15% wider and thicker than OEM. One set is to cut for the rear pop out windows, so when I'm done I guess I'll at least have a set to sell to someone else with a Coupe / Post car for theirs! :yesnod:
Quote from: green69rt on April 07, 2018, 07:18:49 AM
I had the same tight fit problem with the window seals. I used ArmorAll to lubricate the seals and they worked much better. Made a tiny mess but cleaned up ok after it dried. And yes, bought the NOS pieces, $100US per seal, crazy!
I've lubed them with silicone spray , lighuid graphite. Tons of tries. Jus keep in mind that you want to do all those attempts before installing the cat whiskers.
Quote from: Charger-Bodie on April 07, 2018, 09:13:13 AM
Quote from: green69rt on April 07, 2018, 07:18:49 AM
I had the same tight fit problem with the window seals. I used ArmorAll to lubricate the seals and they worked much better. Made a tiny mess but cleaned up ok after it dried. And yes, bought the NOS pieces, $100US per seal, crazy!
I've lubed them with silicone spray , lighuid graphite. Tons of tries. Jus keep in mind that you want to do all those attempts before installing the cat whiskers.
Exactly, I think Armor All has silicone in it, and yes don't get on the whiskers. Still need to put those in on my car. I get the impression that the NOS seals are now all used up.
No.. well maybe on the NOS. The OEM just got expensive as others have bought them all up to resell. As I noted, I bought direct from a mopar dealer this time around and am not using the thicker heavier repop seals that I bought 2 years back for the door glass. I am using them for the flip out coupe windows though.
..man and nobody is impressed that I got those sway bar rubbers in.. my hands are still aching! :lol:
Sway bar mounted and the bushing mount bolts tightened to 200 in - lbs. Now's the time to swing it back and forth and get the squeaks out!
After lots of playing and finding a mix of white spray grease and Krown rust and lube was the best to remove the squeaks. Bar link and rubbers swung back ready to be put in place. Ready to lower car to floor.
Car back on it's suspension, link moved into place and tightened to 100 in- lbs. Actually bottoming the threads and why many snap on removal.
Why bleed the master cylinder on the bench and drip fluid everywhere, when there's less mess to be made just doing it in the car.
Absolutely dry brake system, you bet your ass I'm going DOT 5 and not worrying about paint loss!
Master partially filled and ready to bleed.
My helper for today..
Tiny bubbles, in the wine. My back locked up shortly into this, so as far as we'll get today!
When you're done with that thing, can you come and finish my car for me? I have food and beer!
LOL Dirk !! When I'm done with this thing I need to start on cleaning up the Super Bird for Talladega 2019. That and I need to get the wife's '64 Vette cleaned up and SOLD to pay for some of this nonsense! :yesnod:
Now where are your priorities! :lol:
Excellent work as always my friend! :2thumbs:
Last time I try to bleed a master on the car. First 5 minutes air was gone from front reservoir, 4 hours in and still air on the rear I thought the plastic fitting must be sucking air so put a metal line on. Nope!
Not good for the hoist, but, lifted the ass end to get air trapped in front of master bore. Air came out of front and rear reservoirs on the first few strokes.
Then lifted the nose, same deal on air. Back to level and a few strokes showed I was clear. Who the hell needs to go to the gym! Almost 6 hours of leg and arm work.
At first I couldn't get the rear to draw any fluid down and wondered WTF was plugged or possible wrong with the master. Went around to all my stainless line connections and gave them a snug. Found the two lines off the axle Y went 1/2 turn and then no issues quickly bleeding the rear lines.
These nice line fittings made rear bleeding easy.
Now the front bleeder screws, if the Chrysler designer wasn't probably gone already I'd kill him for burying them behind the knuckle.
Wrench bent to get on bleeder and swing almost a 1/5th of a turn.
Fronts bled easy and I have a firm pedal! Time to get the rear bumper on and finally get her out of my hoist bay.. when the snow stops!! $(@*%$
This has inspired me to tackle my 69 bee this winter. Good job.
I'll be referring to this thread quite a bit. Glad it's a sticky :2thumbs:
Didn't know it wasn't good to do that with the lift. I've done it with my charger before. Lift the front to help purge air out of cooling system.
Luke
OE rear bumper attach brackets. They were media blasted and sealed / painted with epoxy paint.
Drivers side bracket 2856 631. Also has 72780 on it, but so does the passenger side so I presume they were stock #'d as a set.
Passenger side. Believe it is 2856 630
First time I've totally unwrapped my repaired and rechomed OE bumper. So this is what $1400cdn gets you. Looks damn good.
Pretty close to a mirror.
Looks like they put a lot of work into the passenger side straightening before rechrome
My front OE was in pretty bad shape, thanks to Dad's ditch run, so I bought an AMD reproduction.
Looks pretty good. I was told it would be thinner, but it's the same 0.95" thickness as my OE rear one.
Picked some loose spots off on the back side of the rear bumper.
Everything loose picked off.
Was suggested by the shop that did my body work and paint to seal the back side of the bumpers, so rust doesn't make it's way through and around to the front.
Bumper holes taped off and ready to paint the back sides.
Both bumpers sealed with 2 coats of Tremclad.
Went to mount my rear bumper and opened my mounting bolt kit. WTH.. 8 bolts and 2 nuts. Unless I'm seriously missing something I require 8 bolts and 6 nuts to install the brackets as only two mount spots have nuts welded in the frame. All bolt kits I can find are being sold this way... 4 nuts short!
Installed my drivers seat, as I needed the hoist bay to work on the wife's plastic thing.
Guess "Therapy" will sit for a bit while I work on cleaning up the Vette.
First time I seen a seat having a seatbelt to save seat :lol:
Didn't want it sliding back when I pushed in the clutch ! :o
Update on my bumper bracket "missing" nuts. I talked to Jeff Brown today at 521 restorations and asked if he could sell me just 4 nuts as all the kits seem to be short 4 nuts for installation. Instead of doing what he could have done and sold me 4 nuts + postage, etc.. he asked what happened to the captive / welded on nuts that should be on the brackets for the horizontal attach bolts. Low and behold I looked at the brackets and can see 4 weld spots around each hole, so somewhere in time those nuts disappeared. I don't remember it happening or when.
So despite the brackets being nicely epoxy painted, I guess I'm breaking out the welder to tack 4 x 7/16 nuts in place, then blasting and repainting to touch up.
I have a lot of respect for Jeff. It wasn't clear if he gave you good advice or not, Things end up ok??
As I said, in Irish.. lol, he COULD have just sold me the combi nut / washers that I thought I was missing, took my money and carried on. Instead he asked me what happened to the nuts that are welded onto the brackets, sold me nothing and we shared pictures back and forth instead.
any udpates :scratchchin: :shruggy: LEON.
:popcrn: Yea and while were waiting I'd like to point out my AMD rear bumper (on my 70 Charger) is pitting and getting crappy from mostly just sitting around neglected on my carport a few years. So wax the heck out of bumper, and keep it well waxed cuz your car is much nicer!!
Well Leon :rotz:, nothing to update unfortunately. I'm at our camp in Northern Ontario for the summers, only home for 2 days every 3 weeks to cut grass.
B5, why I was told to paint the back of even the original OE bumper, to help with the rust and yes she'll be waxed to death on the other side before and after install.
Missing the updates. :'( Hope you are enjoying your time up North.
:cheers:
Same here, love this build!
THANKS Guys!! :cheers:
I'll be happy to get back on it come Fall myself, but I need to get my ass back to camp in case I need to water the island down again. Still about 60 active fires in NE Ontario. On July 8th we thought we were gonna lose the place and all I had was the garden hose to wet things down so blowing embers didn't catch us on fire! Spent 9 hours on the roof that evening and night. I know have 5 rain bird impact sprinklers to run off a 1.25" diameter manifold from a 1HP pump in the lake to keep the place soaked down.
Our biggest fire right now is Lady Evelyn Provincial Park that is beyond 27,000 hectares at this point. That's about 67,000 acres and not under control by any stretch of the imagination.
Picture is the fire coming straight at our place with a 40 gusting 60 SW wind on July 8th. Fire moved 4 miles in 2 hours, with 6 water bombers and ground crews on it. Thankfully that one is now under control..
Glad your safe!
Wow! Kind of puts a perspective on things besides a COOL hobby! Hope you win the battle! :cheers:
That's scary. Stay safe!
Thanks guys! BTW, there's no zoom use on that last picture! I waved while on the roof and the captain waved back !
Wow! When you see that wall of fire then look down at your garden hose it has to get your attention! Hope everything goes all right.
Troy
:o How is the situation up there now?
We have fires close to us again now... :o
Stay safe!
:o, Hope everyone stays safe.
Quote from: 69rtse4spd on August 03, 2018, 06:46:02 PM
:o, Hope everyone stays safe.
Me too, he was last active in July. Been awhile
Luke
Still alive guys! Just got home from camp Friday night.
I am hopefully taking the Bee to an "old school" mechanic friend of mine, that's three hours North of me, for front end alignment in the next couple of weeks. He does 2 weeks on, 2 weeks off rotations at the diamond mine North of Attawapastat and comes home in a couple of days. Then he has to see what his son's have scheduled in the garage, as he left it to them to run when he went North. Hopefully we can gitt'r done soon and in the mean time I hope to find time to rebuild the ramcharger hood components so I can get them and the scoops installed back on the hood. That way once the car is aligned I can get the resto shop owner over to my place to help me put the fenders, center section and hood back on the car.
Woohoo!
As a TV season ends, a message board season begins! :lol:
Welcome home Wayne :cheers:
Damn, that fire photo is too close for comfort! :o Glad you were spared, whew!
The Queen Bee is in her hive! Now if I just had somewhere to take her, as understandably my buddy is too busy on his 14 day work turn around and all my back up garages say their mechanic isn't comfortable working on her. The search continues next week for a facility to get the front end aligned, so I can continue to put Therapy back together again! At least I've got the tie downs sorted out and with the tracks off to the sides all I have to do is loosen the ratchet and pop the hold down loops off the tires and lay the assembly to the side. Reverse to tie her down, no removal from tracks required or crawling around on the floor! Not a lot of room in a trailer when the gal has hips like this, but the side door I ordered is almost perfect to get out of the car after driving in, otherwise I'd have to winch her in and out. Should have had the door put about another foot forward, but would have made the trailer side look out of wack.. lol. I could move the car back about 6" on the next load and probably be able to open the drivers door full. I currently have about 14" between trunk lid and trailer back door.
Looks good :2thumbs:
:coolgleamA: :2thumbs: :popcrn:
Every local shop I'd almost trust to have my car on their equipment will not do a preliminary alignment for me. Some are terrified to touch it and those that MIGHT say I have to have it ALL together before they would. Absolute nonsense, so guess I'm looking further out into the Province again. Have a lead for a shop in Peterborough that knows mopar and have fired them off an email. At least if I end up there I can visit my Sister and see if she'll buy me supper! :scratchchin:
Quote from: birdsandbees on October 24, 2018, 07:23:25 PM
Every local shop I'd almost trust to have my car on their equipment will not do a preliminary alignment for me. Some are terrified to touch it and those that MIGHT say I have to have it ALL together before they would. Absolute nonsense, so guess I'm looking further out into the Province again. Have a lead for a shop in Peterborough that knows mopar and have fired them off an email. At least if I end up there I can visit my Sister and see if she'll buy me supper! :scratchchin:
If you are coming this far have you ever talked to Dwight ??
Not sure if he does front end alignment
https://www.google.ca/search?rlz=1C1FGGD_enCA501CA504&tbm=lcl&q=Rice+Lake+Auto+Repair&rflfq=1&num=20&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAABWQvW0DUQyDcU2Q_oIUV3kEUf_aIisYgYMUBi6wF8tcmSJ81QP0PlEkX1-ON1TUCCKrUQKTaBx7RUgnBDNlgFYlUddChHlOwUqRMKIiUgAmCx5RoUKUQuik6vRwrxtUtSjpoIRIeMWYgqh1k3UEeeSo2XAapbqO-EQVd2yWrHqT7ol2mW6TzGMH2hxpzMFD6abLrJalpag2zUdltnIqYpnqCuUz1Z5y7BGUtUoG0gxVnT72kTaoDfeKn2DqY29V4dFOBQimKhvgyrT7rOi-rmEFKMmIZExhgKI_oWiaqyx9hDutjcUyFawvFlLZaMZdAixExukzWtkj--7fbfvb3j9u58_9drnen-flebs-Pr8vX-fjH422DX7NAQAA&ved=2ahUKEwjKwpzHtqDeAhUih-AKHQatCqoQjHIwG3oECAoQaQ&rldimm=17579015678170130581&tbs=lrf:,lf:1#rlfi=hd:;si:17579015678170130581;mv:!3m8!1m3!1d189717.4299622306!2d-78.41600715462647!3d43.98249671419504!3m2!1i955!2i793!4f13.1
Man that's toooo close, my Sister lives in Bailieboro.. she'd expect me to drop in at her house and eat her cooking instead of me making her drive into the City and buying me supper! :lol:
Quote from: birdsandbees on October 24, 2018, 08:31:54 PM
Man that's toooo close, my Sister lives in Bailieboro.. she'd expect me to drop in at her house and eat her cooking instead of me making her drive into the City and buying me supper! :lol:
I am about 15 minutes from there south and west
Just west of Welcome on #2
Wow , your doing amazing work . Your rebuilding one of my all time favorites . I'm in Ontario hope to see you on the road when it's completed .
Pete
Thanks Pete! :2thumbs: I'm in Penetang if you're around this area.
Peterborough alignment shop said they won't touch it unless assembled completely as well, so it's lock the current full in and full out cams and use a tape measure to set 1/8 toe in for now. Need to get her back together so I can have enough time left to clean up the Bird for Talladega.
I think I'm 3-4 hours away from you here in Oakville depending on the route we take . I hope you are ok with the fires that were up your way .
It is hard to find alignment shops for older cars .
Your car looks great your very skilled .
As I cruised back home yesterday morning from a 3 hour round trip, with these mint 14" road wheels, I was watching the time on the dash clock as I entered town at 10:59. My mind was reminded of the freedom that was so bravely fought for that allows me to do such crazy things.
Saw an advert on Kijji Saturday night for 4 original road wheels, c/w trim rings and tires for what was a steal. Not even sure I want to put them on my car, but I wasn't going to ignore the opportunity being presented. Arriving early this morning and talking with the seller for an hour or so we then loaded the 4 wheels into my truck after I handed him some cash. He then asked what was I using for a spare and even though I told him I had a mint painted steelie he handed me another road wheel c/w trim ring from behind his garage door. Then as I was three pointing the truck around in his laneway to leave he ran out with 2 more MINT trim rings and handed them to me gratis. The only thing that would have made the deal better would have been the trim rings being "hens teeth" '69's... that can sell for a grand each. Not to be, but they're close enough '70's. Wheels are original, never been repainted!!
Great score! :2thumbs:
Definitely! $450 CDN for everything! :icon_smile_big:
Quote from: birdsandbees on November 12, 2018, 04:27:19 PM
Definitely! $450 CDN for everything! :icon_smile_big:
Sounds like a great score !
Before your post I had no idea the '69 Trim Rings were so hard to find ?
And I had long since forgotten the nuances, so had to go check/read up on the internet about the differences, then go out and check mine to make sure, and luckily they are still there.
Quote from: birdsandbees on November 12, 2018, 01:41:49 PM
The only thing that would have made the deal better would have been the trim rings being "hens teeth" '69's... that can sell for a grand each. Not to be, but they're close enough '70's. Wheels are original, never been repainted!!
OK, I have to ask. What's the diff between '69 and '70? You said '69s are scarce so I immediately jumped up to see what I did with my old rings. They where setting outside, behind my garage. Maybe I will bring them inside the garage now :lol:
'69's only have 4 retainer clips and they never stayed on. Also have a round valve stem hole vs the squarish oval hole of 70's and up. And '68 down had no trim rings.
You just dashed my hopes of fame and fortune! Slot for the valve stem and fingers all around to hold the ring on. Mine probably are aftermarket. Back outside they go!
Now I will have to go check my pile of trim rings
LOL.. if you happen to have a good 15" one (or two) for original '70 Rallye Wheels I'd be interested sublime.
Quote from: birdsandbees on November 12, 2018, 05:36:02 PM
'69's only have 4 retainer clips and they never stayed on. Also have a round valve stem hole vs the squarish oval hole of 70's and up. And '68 down had no trim rings.
And with the '69 Trim Rings:
The finish is brushed, the inside lip is
pronounced,and the exterior lip is polished.
As far as staying "on" ?
IMO, the '69 trim rings are a P.I.T.A. to get on
evenly with only the "4" mounting hooks, as they always seem cock-eyed until a guy gets them down fully/evenly, but with a little time & effort they will stay in place.
just say'in...
Mine are original 4 hook design and still there 50 years later. Mind you the Car still had 1979 tires on it until 3 years ago, and never having been "beat on" or abused very much may have helped.
First, just came back to this thread and saw the pictures of the fires.. As a Southern California resident, those are some scary pics.. I stood in my Dad's driveway once and waived at the pilots as they buzzed his house on a drop run..
Second, I like he wheels on the car now, maybe I am strange..
Like I said, not sure I'm actually going to put these road wheels on her.. just wasn't going to miss the opportunity to buy them.
I like my current wheels as well, lots of memory there as I saved all my pennies back in 1979 to buy those at Canadian Tire!
Yes, here is my car around 1980 when my Brother and Sister owned it.. Those were 14x7 Western Lattice wheels.
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/M2LFWa4XfR5c7FsKfemwHrdzuNtJ5_E5sGDt3Fd9NwNybpCucOBVlYXkNaSAXwJCnFy2ytn2xoJiXN1jYa0xyrAzMkQTpmsb86f1Sv8Llkm3r4IV7Gs4cNgU5qg2_mLNgjoWVggRB4qMVO3nIblP03kfcEVbY7rzU-bezaKOHPMjIsvaHxR-lFr1eAZj6tO4zrHsK_POQO5O4exBsH2EWCdEXwdA5LITlSgPOShj3UCF5XSSfJXSKSKpsMifQhWjsY16vNFVBp8RkXAmBlxvbk23y25pitoVw3VfHKxRv1fRvyBJ3T1RSkDhKoDN4mDr7k7yKbs8U5-aA46rOx8tDQh0MAqbEHsxGvpr4XUS7BrVI7CWqT9FBH92ULtZEZ8geSL6Zy8k-4_0qFfkWZnltXwT3sItcy1EUFKjTS7a-rWubtQzf_mTCHuAGDKj6HFHI70wmwXlUX1GEMQVhZ-Tm2jYHxJF-z_6aUXRBieRaMwNFaMk2Sm_1J8EHF5k1OB1AbqLak9vtFSASll_m1FPTeoKLFw5kRa6xiKAObLLMQBTfG7F-8MmP50hDpLlZnAgLzgenSPajD-n7XlUxkCRsu69uS9g5jPKJCHiBdZbgKkl3yt54j7k03VxVDuKL48XPNoff5UiXDrT_XDJjqAbLAkAd01nrBO4oq_Qx_RHq7r5cItVFFIBeFmuICQ_uGB_ZQQVETF30P_r=w800-h471-no)
Here is my Car today with the wheels I saved for and bought from a place in Van Nuys California in 82 or 83..
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/PglPA8Izz1jQtSdO1DpJPJNwV3sSnFVdwZFYeTKcJ9b2mgHIy7bM0c_HbUBm03XmWFWz0o__-arhj_7NS4ignWNRxX0ZQAWhH4hjb35Hut8Hb40gxNzrOt686SZqdZ4SvVrtOLsxC6b5yxkwVjHBLla4xEEu7WYSALrLIXPYcMUouolPij0OPmQyBVvb952eOAatHHps5I_4XQd96m50KXe6LQ30goDVYjKJHgfgjieid0OiUPWtOKat-LzyicUocBKrJxLhwbSktdFxiYNRsS-37cBvnMAGsoP7ZSfNxrWws-OuO1ePvZ4C-Lz3svypX4WItRIueU1rSnmJra8GL5lpwwQgEWH_FJfFgj6mmOICH5FmQ3dVrnBwO_Ure7qkZPE17ReqfS4EzOI1Gto_woPwAC9W2wHp5qRcE9IYhoftMpXK6MJx4HkVrQuz-SqydtHoUoEf4sl4BTcfZkRHT3NmRFHnXcpZNO7AWTLurDyjk8uOj8I76lpeHJ68nLUjvl8kq2mvE3qx1TDgKUhPs_66RIHvoxlTROejQPAAdDP-PZk9cEn_5FPJ5DgXBtNVnhQgFXYcbOH-XT0bJH5GcyNq7-2WrI-dqpJaClnRoDC9yFlC9p1ZCRn3CxDlW8HS-aQBN1SaNSOOpRlNWIGBo39X2-93XIRm30BS9HEuoaKPzvNSdM0YByDTRhsm88k2eP7i5NO4p4VF=w1668-h938-no)
Well I haven't been so determined to finish something since I was trying to get the first airplane that I built completed and test flown before Oshkosh 1995 !
Our youngest Daughter announced she was engaged two weeks back and yesterday while going over what she wants to do for a ceremony, here at our house, she asked to be driven to the "alter" by me in the Bee and her Mom or Brother to drive her Brides Maids out in the Bird. Kristal knows I'm restoring the Bee in her Sister Jen's memory, as my therapy, and she's good with that and wants to make it part of her day. The Bird I need to get cleaned up and roadworthy for Talladega 2019 anyhow so a win win in my books. Gonna be a blur from here on out to get this all done!
Pics of unloading the Bee out of the trailer today and into the shop, along with the Bird that I'd moved to the house garage so I was ready to go on it. Both in the shop now and ready to get to work. Third picture of the engine /etc finally showing the Blue very close to as see by the naked eye.
https://youtu.be/uSSuJ88V7tA
:popcrn:
Guess I was the only one excited the Daughter wants to use my car! :lol:
Between plowing snow, splitting firewood, putting the dedicated snows on the truck, etc, it didn't leave much day to work on the Bee... but I gotta get at her and gett'r done!
Thought the bumper bolt kits where short 4 nuts, but then was enlightened to the fact the factory nuts where welded on and had left this car sometime in the past 50 years!
Acquired 4 x 7/16 washered nuts to weld in place.
Nuts welded on and of course messing up my epoxy paint from the resto shop.
Fortunately with 18 different blacks, from doing trim and colour tests for my instrument cluster, I had a good match in Krylon Semi-gloss.
Realized I'd better get going on my Ramcharger hood box first so I can get it restored and attached to the hood, so we can get the fenders and hood back on the car asap.
Biggest job is going to be figuring out how to fix the broken center "ring" that was cracked from people doing the "Leno" hood drop!
Also have this corner of the outer box, eaten by the battery post I believe.
Anyone know if this "caulking" strip between center and outer boxes is factory or just something one of two previous paint shops put on here in '78 and '88?
Shot to show factory foam seal on outer boxes, where it seals up to the hood holes.
Foam seal on center box.
Don't get in a hurry pulling nut plate / clips off the Ramcharger hood box. More to fix.
Pry up on both sides of the clips and make sure they are fully released before trying to get them off the 50 year old brittle fiber filled plastic.
Hood mount tab that broke off when I was drilling the rivets out of the hood 3 years back. Another spot to fix.
Appears the real colour on these "black" factory boxes is Brown. I know I painted it once back in '88, but was pretty sure it was black before that. More to research. The brown isn't consistant between sections, so maybe Ma Mopar painted the final assembly??
Detail shot to show the recessed section on the foam box to hood seal for the center section. Need to look at hood to see why this was done....
Original scoop feed holes foam seal.
Tried powerwashing the paint off. Removed some, but not the solution. Paint stripper or maybe glass media blast?
I carefully pried up the 6 tabs on the rivets shop end and tapped it out into a socket with a punch (mould ejector pin actually).
I did both of them on the cable bracket plate, as the plate gave a solid backing to negate any damage.
I wanted a complete rivet or three so I could get true dimensions for replacement rivets.
The rest of the rivets I CAREFULLY drilled partially to weaken and then before they spun I punched them out. I've replaced over 1/2 a million rivets in the past 25 years repairing aircraft, these were removed more carefully than ANY of those. One spin of those 6 tabs is like blasting a milling cutter through the air box material.
Both side boxes all apart to repair and then we'll have to put Humpty Dumpty back together again!
What should have been a 15 minute job! 3 cans of paint stripper in the shop and I used about 25 old spare nozzle tips to try and keep them spraying. I gave up with one part not totally stripped and will get a jug to brush on tomorrow. If you're gonna sell something, design the f'n can to work!
Shot shows the box is definitely brown, as the black paint comes off.
Not sure what to do on the repaint once repaired. Center section is definitely darker than the sides boxes.
Shot to show while both are Brown (and not Black) the center section is darker than the outers. Kinda like Belgian chocolate and cheap Dairy Milk!
Inside a side box showing how water is kept out of the air cleaner. It can come in the scoop, then into the "tray" and drains out the side holes through rubber flaps.
I hate using fiberglass resin with a passion, and considering that the OE box isn't fiberglass but an old style plastic I thought I'd do some experimenting with a newer technology plastic bonder.
Some wax paper and borrowed some sculpty clay of my Daughters to build a dam.
Filled the broken off section with the JB Plastic Bonder.
Let it sit in place all night without disturbing it.
Today I peeled off the wax paper and then the clay
Looking good so far.
I filed it out pretty close to the original, pre-broken shape.
Cleco'd to the other half to get my rivet hole position back and drilled it out.
I bent and twisted this pretty darn good and I can't snap it off ! So I'm proceeding with the JB to fix the other broken edges and cracks.
Grinding out the cracks for a larger bonding surface
Hood mounting tab snapped off on box removal from hood.
Ground out the mating surfaces
Bonded in place. Once it's sets up I'm going to grind a U from the box onto the tab and then back to the box to embed a piece of wire into it with JB as well to add strength.
Most of the cracks and oval rivet holes filled. Still have a huge section to fill on the drivers front corner. For that I may have to get the glass fiber cloth out to complete.
Great work as always...still one of my favourite threads.....and I've never even seen a 'Bee in real life!! Must be one in the UK somewhere I guess!!
Thanks! Was starting to think I was talking to myself again, glad someone's following along! :lol:
Quote from: birdsandbees on November 22, 2018, 08:21:39 AM
Thanks! Was starting to think I was talking to myself again, glad someone's following along! :lol:
Lots following along, just tough to raise our jaws enough to comment, your work is outstanding :2thumbs:
I'm surprised no one has ever made an attempt in repoping these 14'' trim rings !!!!!
i just spent the last 2 days in my spare time at work reading through this.
Thank you so much for all the work and picture going into this. your explanation are also fantastic, as i start into my charger, it give me great reference points for what the body /chassis needs to look and function properly.
11/10 mate, keep up the good work!
Thanks Armor64. It's not "concours" level, so don't follow it totally if you're going that direction. I want to drive this thing, but I took it a bit far so it will be pavement only! ... but I do have 3400' of gravel from the garage to the first paved road to do so! I figure after I chip it up a bit, the undercoat will stick better in the wheel wells!! :lol:
Todays acquisition ! Thanks 6pktgo (Fred). Now I can get the 12YC's (or what ever they were) that I bought last year out of my engine.
Also picked up a gallon jug (ouch $72) of paint stripper and what I think will be a perfect deep Brown paint for the ramcharger air box.
I liked that plastic repair!
Quote from: AKcharger on November 23, 2018, 01:01:05 AM
I liked that plastic repair!
Thanks AK, still have a lot of them to do. That hood tab, I cannot snap it off!..but I'm still going to embed a wire into it for more strength.
Quote from: birdsandbees on November 22, 2018, 03:16:38 PM
Thanks Armor64. It's not "concours" level, so don't follow it totally if you're going that direction. I want to drive this thing, but I took it a bit far so it will be pavement only! ... but I do have 3400' of gravel from the garage to the first paved road to do so! I figure after I chip it up a bit, the undercoat will stick better in the wheel wells!! :lol:
definitely not for mine also, the floors/quarters/inner fenders are already done, but alot of the welds on the front are edge tacks, so didn't have a good reference on what to fix to make it look better.
I'm mostly going budget restomod, EFI/AC/4 wheel disc/17in magnum 500s.
Anyway, again, amazing work here.
This is looking great & SO close now! I have mixed emotions reading the thread now, condolences for loss of daughter prmarliy, relief that you survived the fires. Then congrats for the upcomong nuptuals & enthused to see car on road agian. Keep on persevering. I too was interested to read about the '69 x 14" road wheels as I have a nice set in the garage now (with a pack of NOS J11Ys) :cheers:
Thanks guys!
Put another patio heater together (got 4 on sale 75% off for my daughters wedding next Fall). I figured I may as well use it to warm up my work space... NOT under a heat sensor like I did with the first one yesterday and set off my shop fire alarm. Monitoring didn't find it funny...!
All remaining paint stripped, power washed and drying off so I can grind cracks and repair.
Thought I'd try to remove the 50 year old wave in the air box mounting edge.
Lots of heat and a flat board. Worked great.
Here a crack.. there a crack.. everywhere a crack crack! Everytime you look at a piece you see another one. This one was barely evident and I touched it and the piece fell off.
Notched up hard wire set into the grove I ground out.
Tools of the trade!
Wire embedded for added strength on the hood attach tab.
Rubber air box flaps. I never even noticed until I took the boxes apart that they're different lengths. I was actually marking one as to which side it fit, when I noticed there was no need.
OE part number of one flap.
OE part number of the other.
Rubber overmold was peeling along the steel shaft, so I cleaned them up on the wire wheel and then used liquid rubber to recoat around the shaft to seal them up.
Plasti Dip rubber coating.
A couple of coats of rubber and good to go.
Reminding myself of what will be visible and what will not in case I can build up some repair areas thicker than OE.
Made a "mould" on the outer show face with wax paper clipped tight in place, for the large broken out areas on the drivers side front of the box.
Cut some fiberglass heavy cloth to fill the large broken out spots.
Added a layer of JB on top of the wax paper and outward onto the air box (like doing gel coat), then laid in the cloth and squeegeed in another layer of JB. Sitting for the night and I'll see what I have tomorrow.
Now to make the center box one piece again.
Has a twist to it and I can only join one break cleanly at a time. So I clamped one side down with a perfect fit on the break line.
Ground the crack to half part thickness, added some "branches" and some groves to embed wires.
Coated with JB and left for the night. Many hours into this now and having flashbacks back to doing an instrument cluster and why I didn't just "farm" it out! LOL
Wax paper "mould" worked great!
Getting the thumbs up!! Well except for the air void I somehow managed to trap in.
Before I went to the dentist at noon I got the other side of the center ring clamped in place, ground and sealed together so it could set up while I was gone.
Crack ground and groves for metal "stitching".
JB'd and off to the dentist.
Back in the shop about 4 hours later. Cleaned up the missing flange area.
Built a dyke to replace the flange.
Flange "poured" and set enough to peel the clay.
Top section set up enough to flip and do the other side. All ground out and ready to seal.
All parts firmly back together again. Tomorrow is sanding to shape and probably filling some voids.
(to think I could have just bought a repro for $700 US.. LOL... 20 hours of labour so far)
Is everyone tired of airbox pictures yet?? LOL I'm sure tired of working on it. Repair areas sanded down to find low spots in the JB where it sunk into the broken / ground out areas.
Same deal here and ready for a skim coat to fill the depressions.
Drivers box end almost there, just needs a skim of JB
Skim coat of JB makes it look pretty good.
Center ring all skim coated.
Driver box skimmed.
Then I had to switch uniforms and play "Mr. Plow" before I couldn't move this potato snow.
3 hours later and the skim coat sanded out quite nice.
Center ring just needs some finer finish sanding and everything scuffed for priming.
Drivers side box looking good.
Great work as always....you have way more patience than me...especially on a part no one will see!! On my car that would have been glued back together and put into service!! LOL! How ever my wife did laugh at me spending many hours painting and detailing my calipers , brake disc hubs and edges and even polishing the rubber brake hose unions!.....well its all very visible with an open spoke wheel design!!
Quote from: alfaitalia on November 28, 2018, 08:52:31 AM
Great work as always....you have way more patience than me...especially on a part no one will see!!
LOL, well if I was never going to open the hood in public I wouldn't have bothered with all the engine and suspension detail either! :icon_smile_cool:
...........
All five parts scuffed, wiped, hung and ready to prime and hopefully paint.
Primer on and some days I just amaze myself, it covered all repairs good enough for paint!
Paint going on.
Everything painted and most important I used a flashlight to look in all the tab areas to verify coverage and get the spots I missed !
About an hour later. I couldn't have hit that colour better if I'd tried. No runs even, what happened to me...
Now to see if I can get the boxes riveted back together with out breaking humpty dumpty again!
:2thumbs:
Great work!! love the repair method! :cheers: :popcrn:
Thanks Guys! 28 hours into the Ramcharger box at this stage. :P
Slow day today, but every little bit moves me towards the goal.
Paint "booth" set on bake and RPM'ing bumper attach and Ramcharger hood hardware.
Looking good, lots of work on that air box ducting. :cheers:
Quote from: BLK 68 R/T on November 29, 2018, 05:39:50 PM
Looking good, lots of work on that air box ducting. :cheers:
Thanks. Gonna let the parts sit for a few days for the paint to set up on the plastic and then attempt to rivet them back together. With luck that's successful and then I'll be installing it to my hood so I can get the front clip back on my car.
If anyone has followed the entire build, you would have seen where I was a bit pissed the resto shop that did my car shell sent all my chrome and stainless out without telling me, to the tune of 5 G's +. The only thing I'm ticked about now is I wish they'd had ALL the pieces when they sent it out!
................................................................
Trying to sand out pits on the hood scoop bezels. 400/800/1000/2000 and praying I don't go too far !
Polishing time. I ended up having to use the courser green (stainless) vs the Red rouge to get some marks out, but at least got things presentable.
Did my final buffing by hand using MAAS.
Getting there..
Good as they're gonna be, unless I send them out for rechrome.
Next up the drip rail trim rear corners that they forgot to send out. One on left almost there vs "as removed" on the right.
Both pretty good, could use a bit more work.
One door key tumbler almost there, still has a bit of scratching I need to sand out, vs the "as removed" on the right that the previous body shop in '88 just sanded right across. Scoop bezel sanding to here is 5 hours of hard work!
Looks Good :2thumbs: LEON.
Quote from: hemi-hampton on November 30, 2018, 07:28:23 PM
Looks Good :2thumbs: LEON.
Thanks Leon! Was waiting a few days to rivet the Ramcharger boxes together and then realized I need to get the scoop bezels on, then scoops, then the Ramcharger air box...... and it was then I realized the scoop bezels weren't part of the trim sent to the chrome shop! They also forgot my door mirror, so it's another thing to tackle.
Media blasting the rear licence plate holder and the ramcharger airbox cable brackets.
Plate holder in primer.
I wasn't happy with a couple repair spots that go under the Ramcharger sticker, so I smoothed them out so that the label will sit nice and repainted.
Quick repaint
Booth on "bake" again. At least I know how many hours a 20lb tank lasts now, so I'm ready for the Daughters wedding!
Ramcharger hood cable brackets lightly blasted to get incorrect paint off them and coated in RPM ready for assembly... if my rivets ever show up (they sat in Montreal for over a week, now Barrie for over a week.. f'n posties!)
My OE licence plate light bottom and one I bought from a DC . com member a year + ago to combine the best parts. Looks like it will be all his.. lol.. and mine didn't have this "shield". Probably discarded during a bulb change?
OE part number for reference and determining what the correct OE finish was. Almost looks like it was painted black.
Cleaned up by hand to this point, till I determine correct finish.
DO NOT forget that you put parts in the evaporust bucket. They may not be there when you remember. 3/16" bolts are down to 1/8" diameter. Guess they're not much use as spares in the glove box now! Been in there since Spring!
CAN ANYONE HELP WITH THE LIGHT HOUSING FINISH??? Looks like galvanized in some respects on the show side, but not the back and there it definitely appears to be OE in black???
Also I cannot find a single picture of a licence plate light with that deflector plate on it. Is it correct on a '69 Bee?? or no plate?
I have pictures of a n.o.s. one. Just can't post pictures here.
I'll p.m. you my cell phone number if you want them.
These are photos of an NOS assembly I found and used with my Daytona's restoration. The parts book says there are distinct/different assembly part numbers for Chargers, other Dodge B-bodies, and Plymouth B-bodies respectively. What those distinctions are, I don't know.
It would appear that the stamped part number on the assembly I found ended in "297" like yours, and the lens has "L65P" markings as does yours. I think those are both correct for a Daytona/Charger, so perhaps the distinction with the remainder of the '69 W models is in the pigtail, or it could be in the finish applied to the housing itself, or...?? John Borzych / MoparJohn has done more research on this topic than I have, so maybe he'll chime in?
(http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=48725.0;attach=143549)
(http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=48725.0;attach=143550)
THANKS Geno! So the plate is definitely galvanized (and mine looks that way as well) and your housing bright zinc? Mine appears that the lamp area was masked off and the mounting tabs and back were painted black. Scrubbing with a brass brush didn't take the black off either. That said, it's my replacement I bought from someone here... and my OE is rusted which would lead me to believe it was bare originally, so maybe I'm answering my own question. :yesnod:
THANKS Lennard as well, pics he emailed me of an NOS match Geno's. Bright zinc housing and galvanized shield. :2thumbs:
Quote from: birdsandbees on December 06, 2018, 10:26:52 AM
THANKS Lennard as well, pics he emailed me of an NOS match Geno's. Bright zinc housing and galvanized shield. :2thumbs:
I'm glad I could return the favor, I've learned a lot from following this resto topic. :2thumbs:
Quote from: birdsandbees on December 06, 2018, 10:23:44 AM
THANKS Geno!
:cheers:
Glad to help out.
Was the part you got from a DC.com member taken from a Charger? The '69 Parts Book shows that the shield is on Charger license lamp assemblies, but not the B-body ones.
I honestly don't remember, but considering I got it from a guy on here it was probably Charger.
Your timing is great, I was just heading to the shop and was going to make a new clean shield from a sheet of galvanized that I have to make it look NOS! :yesnod: Saves me that work! Now to see if I can clean up the housing and figure out how to make it look okay. Not paying $350 US for a new one.
While my obtained replacement used OE licence plate light housing is black, it was determined through a couple helpful individuals this morning that it should be bright zinc and the shield galvanized. ALSO, notice how both the OE's I have have square corners and the "NOS" or Repops for sale are round!?
I determined I'm too far into this car $ wise to spend more money replating, or buying an NOS one for $350US or a cheap repop for $75US + shipping for something that isn't really seen. SO the lamp socket was covered and wire taped off for media blasting.
Broke out my mini blaster and my bucket of glass powder, dawned a respirator, eye protection and a full face shield and gave the parts a light blast.
All cleaned up and it was also determined this morning that the "shield" is a Charger and Stationwagon only item. Not used on other B bodies, such as my Coronet - SuperBee.
I coated the housing with RPM, reassembled with a new gasket, tested the light and then installed to my rear bumper.
Installed the nylon plate "nuts" to the plate holder.
DO NOT install the lower ones, like I did, before you get the hinge together as the pin head won't slide by them!
Little trick to hold the spring ends in place while you get the pin in.
Pin into place and just needs the push nut installed onto it's end and then the spring hooked behind the tab in the square hole. Note the attachment bolts are NOT OE and are a size bigger. Somewhere in time they got upsized and holes drilled accordingly (bracket and bumper) so no going back to correct.
Licence plate "stop" rubber. Two required.
Stop rubbers installed to bumper.
Licence mounting plate assembly installed.
View from behind. Looks clean and I'm satisfied.
My "held hostage by posties" rivets finally arrived yesterday... only 2.5 weeks late.
Based on careful extraction and measuring of the OE rivets this was what I determined the OE's were.
I've set over 1/2 a million rivets in the past 25 years, none have terrified me as much as the next 33 to be done. Practice run on some fiberglass scraps.
Go big or go home, here we go! So nervous I almost forgot to put the air flapper inside! That wouldn't have ended well...
ONE... .. Thirty Two to go !
One end, of one air box, done.
Hard part is staying creative to get every rivet sitting flat on the bucking bar.
Another end done!!! Yahooo....
Drivers side air box together.
Passenger side air box together.
I was just going to cut some rubber from a roll I have and reuse the old clips that I'd already cleaned up. But I already needed something from Jamie anyhow. What's another 30 bucks at this point.
Drain flappers ready to install.
All parts laid out for a photo shoot, ready for foam seals and the Ramcharger decal.
Neat thing about Pliobond, it's the same brown colour as the factory glue residue I cleaned off the box during restoration. It's also a GREAT glue.
Foam in place and "clamped".
Gonna get one shot at this, better make it straight.
Success. PITA with RAMCHARGER a clear decal to show the box colour through it. Spent 30 minutes coaxing the hazy spots out (air) to get it to look consistant.
Center box and foam glued up. Same Pliobond.
In place and will trim the passenger side detent in the foam once it's cured in place.
So this is why they call in Cement board!
Had my faithful assistant (of 36+ years) help me carry the hood from a marine container to the shop. One of the few that has ever sat on that hood, laying back against the windshield at the drive-in! The only one that's ever married me and went to and from the chapel in this car in 1982!
I'd say body man Kenny did a damn good job of getting it straight.
Scoops off for bezel install and then proper installation.
Scoop bezels installed and ready to put on the hood. Paint is like a mirror.
Scoops set in place ready for gaskets and nuts.
Install kits nuts and gaskets. Studs were bonded into the scoops before paint.
Make sure you keep the gasket centered and don't just blindly install the nut
If you don't pay attention and the gasket cocks this is what you'll get!
Told her I'd buy her a beer if she came back out to the shop and helped me flip the hood over!! :yesnod: Best nickle I spent all day! :icon_smile_big:
Hood wiped clean and ready to install the Ramcharger airbox.
Center set in place to see why the OE foam was trimmed back in one spot.
Answer is because the box actually sits to the passenger side of the hood and sits over a reinforcement panel. Foam marked for trim.
Foam trimming.
Now it sits perfect.
Center ready to close my eyes and pull the 4 rivets.
Outer boxes have both rivets and clip nuts with screws on the outer edge.
Laid out a strip of cord seal on each outer box where it overlaps the center, to duplicate the OE installation.
All pegged in place ready to pull outer box rivets and tighten screws.
Slowly pulled the outers down with wing nut clecos to squash the cord seal before riveting.
Almost done, but thanks to an issue that I wish we had of thought of before paint I stopped for the night. Three of the holes are oversize from multiple air box removals over time. Rivets won't expand enough to hold and I can't get a keeper washer behind the structure in these spots. Will work on a solution tomorrow and then install the filter seal, cowl and radiator support seals.
Why you walk away when things go South and sleep on it. My brain never shuts off. How to install a backing washer, to correct the oversize hole. Piece of aquarium tube threaded in and out of the hood.
Work boot lace with an AN960-10 (3/16) washer threaded on and a knot in the lace.
What ever quick drying glue you have around the shop to coat the washer face and pull up into place in the hole. I had some china bonder that dries in 2 minutes.
One hole fixed.
Hood web holes required a wire fed down and out, and then the lace taped on and pulled in.
Carefully sliding the washer under so I don't lose the glue. Pretty tight pulling the knot through, but doable.
Ready to do the other side, with the other end of the same lace.
Bob's your uncle!
Final three rivets pulled to complete the box installation.
Purchased my new air filter seal from Dales Cuda Shop.
EM number from the removed seal. Think I bought this one in 1988 from the Chrysler dealer at the corner of Wilson and Keele in Toronto.
DCS has no part number in the same location as the OEM part number.
DCS part number at the back of the seal where nobody will see it.
Excellent reproduction, but they certainly need to work on their bonding system.
All screws in loose before tightening them up.
Drivers side cable locked in place and push nut installed.
Cable installed to passenger side, making sure both flaps are tightly closed and work smoothly.. open / close.. open / close.
Bought my radiator seal and cowl seal from two different suppliers but both obviously came from the "same" place.
Not too happy that one is a deep black and the other is almost gray, even after cleaning. Ended up breaking out my "Wipe New" to get it to darken up somewhat.
Time to call my paint man and get the nose back on the car. Hopefully he has time before Christmas.
So pretty! Like new! Did you paint or seal inside frame/hood sandwich of assembly? :scratchchin:
Thanks!
All I can tell you for sure is poor Tom was sporting a bandaid on EVERY finger and thumb before he was half done in this picture.
Hood was media blasted with glass, zinc epoxy primed and spray wand inside webs as best they could with encapsulating DOM16. Then totally sanded, primed etc just like any other exterior body part prior to paint. A LOT of hand work that I'm glad I wasn't doing and just writing cheques! :yesnod:
Fenders wiped down ready to sort out correct hardware for install by reading the shop manual and comparing to the hardware kit I'd bought. After 50 years and three paint jobs it's needless to say most body shops don't care and just use nuts and bolts.
Upper rear of fender to outer cowl stud in place. Short thread section in, long out.
Short stud in place at upper cowl.
Two long studs in clip nuts at front of door sill. Long thread section in, short out.
Long stud under the radiator support attach bracket. Long thread section in, short section out for the washer nut.
Four clip nuts down the fender edge.
Clip nut in the inner fender for the hood hinge.
Two clip nuts, each side, on the radiator support.
Car has just crossed the 2000 hours of total labour to this point with the body shop and my time added together.
so it looks like you had the nuts on upper portion of the studs when it was painted?
Did you paint the clips on the car?
Any tricks when tightening down painted bolts and minimizing chipping?
Don, all the hardware was media blasted and painted off the car. Bolts and studs stuck in cardboard with the nuts on the studs bottomed to the short ends stop so they should present fully painted as if the car was painted assembled. If not, it's solvent based paint so I can touch up with an artist brush.
Clip nuts where all threaded on a wire and painted to get full coverage.
No primer was used, just a light coat of paint to minimize thickness and possibility of it cracking off during tightening.
I have installed all the door hinge and trunk hinge hardware that was painted this way without cracking any paint off so far. I use a piece of plastic bag material between the bolt head and the socket for protection and seems to work good.
thank you sir
Nice job on cold air box, looks like new. :2thumbs: LEON.
Thanks Leon ! :2thumbs:
..................
Was sitting on my ass, feeling a little overwhelmed at how far I still have to go and just scrubbing up the old package tray trim for the rear window while I gathered my wits.
Correct OE profile, at least from my car.
Thinking back to how pissed off I was when I paid good money to Year One for this (on the right) absolutely incorrect / useless / "OEM in every detail" / POS that I bought last year.
I then decided to get off my ass and do something WITH THE CHAIR ! Rear bumper on same and attach brackets installed.
Quick check, with a length of angle iron, that both brackets are in alignment and sitting straight.
Chair is the perfect height and the "hump" at the front made it even better to slide up into place.
Couple of bolts in to hold it.
Shot to show attach hardware on one side. Three bolts into threaded holes and one bolt / nut combo.
First shot and I'm centered and it's looking great on the drivers side.
And this is where I just wanted to lie curled up on the floor with my thumb in my mouth and make baby sounds! %($$!!!***. I was asured that it was test fit, etc before being sent out for it's $1400 re-chrome job!
Pin profile off the drivers side that looks perfect.
F'd up Passenger side. Guess the bumper's coming back off! Just shoot me now...
HO Crap! Ya know I fudged my repop 70 Charger rear bumper and brackets being the valance and corners under it were an unexpected nightmare. So when the transmission shop slammed a golf cart into the valance and six months later I noticed rust spots all over the bumper....I just gave up. :lol: (I can feel your pain!)
What's that funny Tool you have on rear Bumper. LEON.
I the last 2 pictures Leon? If so, it's a pin profile'r. All those pins slide back and forth, so you can duplicate a shape perfectly. I generally use it to make transitioning parts on airplanes so they blend perfectly. Here's another that I made for doing pipe fishmouths to multiple pipes, for when I'm making or repairing engine mounts...
That tool is brilliant! :2thumbs:
Quote from: b5blue on December 12, 2018, 12:01:58 PM
That tool is brilliant! :2thumbs:
It certainly makes life easier. I made the round one with a brass bushing, a bunch of TIG filler rod cuttings and a rubber hose sleeve.
Need is the Mother of all invention !
Quick flux MIG weld.
..and yah gotta do what yah gotta do !
Out with the top, in with the middle.
Didn't really think I'd get away with it with out this happening, but it is what it is and at least the bumper is the correct profile now. I'll hash it out with the plater later.
Drivers side..
Passenger side. I'll call that close enough!
A bit of fiddling and shimming to get the bumper top the exact same distance to the quarter panel tops on each side.
Tightened in place and spot on.
Passenger side gap even.
Drivers side even. A bit more gap but as far as I can pull it in and bumper looks even across the tail light panel.
What the Ford drivers will see! I also see body man Kenny didn't get all of the wow out of the passenger side tail panel from an old hit. Doesn't really show looking at it in person but the flash sure picks it up.
Went back out to the shop and thought I'd end the day on a brighter note! My OE tail lights front and another pair, rear, that I scored at Tracy's junk yard West of Barrie Ontario back in 1988.
Now while my OE tail lights aren't really bad, I couldn't resist a deal a year or more ago for factory NOS lenses still in the box, from a Natcho-RT74 in Venezuela of all places!
I'm always terrible with the many ways Chrysler date coded stuff. I believe this is Jan 2 1969.. or Feb 1st or December '69. I don't really care they're 49 years old and NEW !
Shipped from the parts depot in August of '79 (along with 5 others). There is currently a SINGLE NOS tail light lense on Ebay right now... $500 US! I paid a fair price for the pair, but not that crazy.
The line up! Plan is to disassemble and pick the best two housings and install the new NOS lenses to same.
Purdy.
A little closer look, my OE.
The NOS !
Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't there is an 'early' and 'late' version for both the '69 Super Bee and the R/T. I think the changes took place approx 1/1/69.
Reason I'm asking is that I have two different styles, one of each, for my 69 bee. Can't remember which one I need for March 26th build date.
Yours look great.
Luke
Would be later. Raised lenses, 3 bulbs. 2 brake/signal and one reverse.
Believe the early flat lense light was '68 build dates up until Jan 1/69 give or take a week.
How many bulbs do you have in the trunk?? ;D
Never knew that about the lenses. My car lesson for the day (or at least the first one of the day)
We're all learning Ghoste.. and that's a good thing! :yesnod:
....................
Interesting that my OE tail light housings (lower) are flatish black and the set I got out of a Coronet 500 back in '88 are quite light. OE's are the same colour under the lens attachment so not over spray from anything.
Picking the best set came to a quick end today, as the spare sets rusted screws are a no go. Amazing that plastic can hold something so tight and strip the heads out so easily. Even my stripped screw extractors wouldn't work!
Hold the plastic web below the screw REALLY tight before attempting any turning.
If you don't... this happens on the initial screw "crack"!
OE's apart. Housing reflector surfaces are very good so I'm not going to repaint and possibly mess them up.
Shot to show Dodge used some sealer/glue on the housing to lense gaskets.
Glue dribble across the face. Also note that the signal/brake housing pocket is fully painted argent/silver and the reverse light is only painted in the dish and not top/bottom.
Quick wash in the laundry sink.
Not sure how to proceed on the housings. Don't want to lose the blackish finish by media blasting but have a few corrosion spots to treat. Might just wipe them down with Krown.
Always amazed at how "pot metal" seems to get bent over time, but you don't dare try to bend it back!
Quote from: birdsandbees on December 12, 2018, 03:28:36 PM
Need is the Mother of all invention !
..and yah gotta do what yah gotta do !
I absolutely love how you toke that bull by the horns and got it done! :2thumbs:
Quote from: mopar4don on December 14, 2018, 10:15:58 AM
Quote from: birdsandbees on December 12, 2018, 03:28:36 PM
Need is the Mother of all invention !
..and yah gotta do what yah gotta do !
I absolutely love how you toke that bull by the horns and got it done! :2thumbs:
Thanks Don! Didn't sleep much the night before and just figured it made more sense to correct the shape ON the car than taking it off and expecting the chromer to match it side for side. I could actually live with it by putting a bit of JB weld in the crack and a touch up, but when I have time I'll get it redone, hopefully at their expense.
Pretty sure that is where it was originally cracked and based on the wrong shape I suspect the dummies pushed top and bottom down to get the crack together and welded instead of filling the void.
You certainly can't walk into a service station and buy a new bulb these days. Not nearly as easy as you'd think to source a set of matching GE hi and low beams.
Chrysler OEM 4001 Hi beam bulbs.
And some old stock GE 4000 Low beam bulbs. Not totally correct, as OE in '69 was the 4002. These cost me enough thanks...
Wiped the housings down with Krown Rust prevention. It cleaned up the white corrosion spots fairly well and gave the housing a nice look. Left side as washed, right side coated.
Reproduction stuff really pisses me off, can't even get gaskets correct. Old sitting on top of the new, which is too wide and it makes the gasket hang over the edge into the reflector housing.
Gasket trim with sissors. What really ticks me off is when I bought the NOS lenses they came with NOS gaskets and Customs lost the gaskets somewhere when they opened and resealed the packages both in Venezuela and the USA (looking for dope I presume).
Ready to put the new NOS lenses on my OE housings.
Set into place.
Had to grab a shot to show they are NOS virgins...never screwed!
The OE's showing the screw threads.
When they go together with 8 screws, be sure to put in the two that are the locators first.
The other 6 holes are slots to cover manufacturing tolerances.
One assembly all together and the other will have to wait until the screws come out of the evaporust bucket.
New foam gasket.
Slipped into place.
Looks pretty good. Waiting for the acorn nuts in the evaporust bucket as well. Everyone sells "tail light nut kits" that are not correct and are washer head nuts. Not acorns.
For the crowd that likes to stamp things. OE hood to cowl seal. Washed off some dirt and this appeared on the drivers side end on the side that attaches to the hood.
PART NO: 2736142
SUPPLIER CODE NO: 82682A
Passenger side tail light assembly together and set in place.
Pulled my OE rear glass out, that was just sitting on dust patrol, and gave the rubber headliner trim one last chance to sit in place.
Even after all the hours I spent polishing a spare back glass I was never satisfied with it's clarity, and in May bought a new AMD repro back glass through National Moparts. $541Cdn + tax and a 2.5 hour trip to pick up!
I specifically asked Scott and Nigel if AMD had corrected the curves of the backglass, as I had been told they were wrong. They assured me all was good so I ordered one and heck the bottom edge fits the contour better than the OE !
I spent 1/2 an hour spacing the glass out nicely with rubber spacers to get even overlap onto the metal edges.
Put some "alignment" tape in place to be sure I hit the spot when dropping it in onto fresh butyl.
Stood back and thought, why the F does this look like a windshield? It humps out like one, or similar to the Superbirds back glass.
The OE glass sits cleanly down in.
The AMD repro is convex at the top and I have been lied to !
OE is concave at the top and around both sides.
AMD repro is convex all the way around.
OE glass is almost flat from top to bottom in the middle, with a concave area at the top and around to both sides. This shit could drive a guy to drink! Not sure how to proceed now... anyone close have a good scratch free OEM back glass??
SO, Your saying the AMD Back glass is junk, or inaccurate not correct aftermarket? LEON. :scratchchin: :shruggy:
The bottom profile is perfect and it's nice and clear! But that's where it ends! Optically incorrect, physically incorrect. Look at the pictures. OE glass is concaved at the top and down both sides and almost flat across the middle span from top to bottom. The AMD is all convex with no concave sections where it should be (top and sides), other than the turned out lower corners and there the optics are very visibly wrong from twisting the glass out and not having the concave sides to blend that into.
Not what I needed to find when I'm on the home stretch. Wanted the glass in tonight, so I could start on fenders and nose tomorrow. Car's supposed to go back to paint in early January and I don't want to be doing the back glass after she's had her final cut and polish. :brickwall:
Back glass install on hold, so carry on! Making sure my AMD front fender splash shields are correct, compared to the OE's. I don't need anymore surprises...
Checking fit, drivers side needs a little "adjustment".
Adjustment performed.
Passenger side fits perfect, but my upper mounting hole on the body is AWOL.
A couple of holes got welded up and / or covered during repairs and body work. Making sure all the holes are ready to go so not fighting when the fenders are in the way. Tap is 10-24 BTW.
Acorn nuts out of Evaporust for tail lights. Most cleaned up pretty good. Will keep an eye out for some more clean ones to swap out a few at a later date.
Tail lights lightly tightened in place to start squashing foam and will wait for final tightening and alignment once I have the rear trim panel restored and in place.
You can teach an old dog new tricks. Cut a dull point onto a piece of maple dowel rod and hammered out a dent in the drip rail trim.
I had already started on this piece previously. but couldn't get one spot to clean up due to the dent. Dent taken out and part way through the "cut and buff" process with green compound.
About 45 minutes of work on that little piece. Have both sides done now.
Great work as always. :2thumbs:
Thanks guys! Off on a 7 hour drive tomorrow for another OE back glass. Hopefully out of the three that Fred has one is perfect or close to it. :yesnod:
I had some time to catch up and dayum! Fantastic work as always Wayne. :2thumbs:
HI DIRK ! :cheers:
Can't wait for my paint mans schedule. Fenders out and ready to go on.
Thought I'd mount the headlight splash shield rubbers first, but found I am obviously missing something. Guess there's a metal shield I need, long lost.. probably Saunders body shop in 1978. More parts to hunt down..
Bird moved and the Bee turned across the two bays ready for fender install.
Tape, because I know myself ...
Realized there's one more 5/16" clip nut that goes on the fenders, to mount the rear splash shield. You can see a bit of fender repair as well, can't buy replacements for a Coronet.
So much for those countless hours applying RPM ! Shop set at 35% humidity and still rusted in 9 months. Should have listened to the resto / paint shop and painted everything.
Fenders set in place and bolts in loose to set gaps and mount front grill cross / support pieces.
Hinges ready to install.
Note that the upper rear bolt has a larger washer than the other two bolts on each side.
Fenders and hood hinges on and lightly tightened.
Temporary bolts to get everything in place and then one time only with the painted ones to cut paint chipping.
Bolt count on the 1/4-20's. Different lengths and counting where they all go to keep it uniform looking.
Almost missed the 1/4-20 clip nuts on the headlight buckets, to mount the upper grill support.
Clip nut in place.
Grill supports in place. Upper loose until I line everything up and bottom one tightened in place.
Goodnight sweetheart !
:2thumbs:
Are you going to black out the Radiator Core Support or no? LEON.
Quote from: hemi-hampton on December 23, 2018, 01:58:24 AM
Are you going to black out the Radiator Core Support or no? LEON.
Factory did not do that on a Blue car as far as I know. Did they? :shruggy:
Quote from: birdsandbees on December 23, 2018, 07:59:36 AM
Quote from: hemi-hampton on December 23, 2018, 01:58:24 AM
Are you going to black out the Radiator Core Support or no? LEON.
Factory did not do that on a Blue car as far as I know. Did they? :shruggy:
I would Guess this blue would have it done. Maybe b9 wouldn't. But even most black cars I've seen have had it.
Looks far better looking through the grille imo.
B5 Blue is OE and I'm a tad darker. Thought they didn't black out the darker colours? Picture in my post above makes it look a lot lighter blue than it is.
This is how it was when I tore the car down and I know at some point in time I spray bombed the lower rad support. The grill support brace is also sprayed black, not sure if this was me or factory?
Precious cargo loaded at destination, approximately 300 KM from home. Hard to clean and inspect glass on a -4C day in an non heated, non lighted shop to see what I was really getting, but I certainly tried my best. Glass cleaner freezing as I wiped. (Thanks for the glass, yack and trip down memory lane Fred. Now go catch some fish!)
So of course I bought two, so I can pick the best one. I'll be having a back glass sale in the near future!
And as fluke would have it, all the glass in my car, except vent windows, is dated November 1968. My "wing" vents are dated January 1969. One back glass I obtained today is dated December 1968. "128"
The other, and better one I think, is amazingly dated "118". November 1968 like my OE ! Tomorrow will be spent carefully cleaning glass.
Quote from: birdsandbees on December 23, 2018, 07:59:36 AM
Quote from: hemi-hampton on December 23, 2018, 01:58:24 AM
Are you going to black out the Radiator Core Support or no? LEON.
Factory did not do that on a Blue car as far as I know. Did they? :shruggy:
Quote
As far as I know they did, I read somewhere many years ago, I don't know if it was a TBS or what but they said dark colors like Black, B9 & another color or 2 did not get the core support black out treatment. But I know when I restored my Buddy's 1 of 1 Black 1970 T/A Challenger I was very surprised to see the core support Blacked Out. LEON.
As far as I know they did, I read somewhere many years ago, I don't know if it was a TBS or what but they said dark colors like Black, B9 & another color or 2 did not get the core support black out treatment. But I know when I restored my Buddy's 1 of 1 Black 1970 T/A Challenger I was very surprised to see the core support Blacked Out. LEON.
Thanks for pointing it out Leon! Looks like I have something else to do before I get too much further. Google has brought up a lot of previous discussion on this subject!
I usually use ppg's dp90 epoxy primer for the flat black out look. But any flat black should work. LEON.
Glass I picked up yesterday has heavy filth along the lower edge from leaves and gunk, and then sitting in an attic for 30 years to bake it on.
I tried everything I had, acetone, reducer, gasoline, varisol, WD-40, Windex, glass cleaner, even the cerium polish with the buffing pad. None even touched it after 2 hours of farting around.
Went in for late lunch and complained to the boss that I was getting nowhere. And she handed me this.
Cook top cleaner, a bit of water and the scrubber + a bit of SOS scrub pad lightly.
10 minutes later we have the cure and next time I'll just ask the boss first! Still needs lots of work, but I at least have a method to clean it right up.
When you think it's clean.. clean some more. Straight back and forth rub with cleaner and you can feel it glide or drag when removing some hazy spots.
As good as it's going to get, or that my arms are going to give!
Two recent acquisitions cleaned.
And now 4 originals and 1 AMD to choose from. Enie, meany, minny, Moe.......
Was originally pissed my paint man couldn't work to MY schedule for front clip install, but I'm now ecstatic that I got to spend 4 hours taking my time and setting the fenders and doors perfect vs "wam bam thank you man.. I gotta go"!
Plastic paint brush handle for a "gap feeler". Notice the "mirror". Maybe I should skip cut and buff! :rotz:
Door to fender gaps set up perfect. Rear of door just slightly high in anticipation of glass, vent frame and interior panel weight.
Passenger inner fender had a small wow in it that didn't sit flat against the fender. I have the fix for that.
Passenger side body line is amazing.
My drivers side was never as nice and crisp for body line as the passenger. Body shop had it better, but never really bolted stuff tight to get it right. They welded my spacers to the fender bottoms when they were fitting the car. To get things correct I had these nice stainless washers with ears on them that I use for hard to reach places on aircraft. Fender bottom spaced out another 3/16" was the ticket to fit properly to the sill plate contour.
Gap perfect, but binding a piece of paper at the lower detail when the door is opened. Door needed to go in ever so slightly at the bottom and out at the top and that issue went away.
Adjustment so minor on the door side of the hinge I couldn't really see that I moved it, but bottom out.. top in and I got it spot on after 20 minutes.
Drivers side body match has never looked this good in my memory.. back to 1978 anyhow when I was 16.
Something else I've never seen, a perfect upper body line front to back on the drivers side. :)
Everything done on the door to fender gap and making sure I have the same distance from cowl to fender nose on both sides for hood fit. Amazing that it's within 1/32" !
I could stare at this thing all day!
Drivers side as nice.
Just another shot.. :yesnod:
All bolts tightened on fenders, inner fenders and grill support centered and tightened.
I'm a happy camper. Hood time, if I can find a couple of helpers. Then the new POS x AMD glass gets removed and the recently acquired 50 year old back glass gets lined up and installed.
Car and hood both ready for hood installation.
Quick thread clean first, so not fighting with bolts.
Daryl and I standing the hood up to flip.
Daryl and Holly putting it in place while I get the "easy" job of installing bolts.
Hey... just stand there and hold that while I pose for a picture! lol
Drivers side went perfect on the second adjustment, passenger side a PITA.
A bit more playing.
What do you think Son??
My helpers.
I'd say I had the fenders darn close. Perfect passenger side gap.
Drivers side I of course had to re-play with the aft end of the fender at the cowl..... which of course lead to playing with the door again. 20 minutes and we're good and still have a nice crisp body line.
Filter assembly back in place to make sure the air box doesn't hold the hood up.
Yep, just another shot!
.. and another shot.
New rubber bumpers for the cowl bolt area.
Bumper installed.
Bumpers for hood to fender.
Two bumpers each side and a new grill support hood stop / bumper on each side.
Back glass tomorrow (this afternoon actually)!
About those hood-to-fender bumpers, I've noticed that on a lot of old MOPARs that those bumpers are missing. I suspect they get old and hard and fall out or are knocked out by accident. Regardless, they seem to go missing a lot. I got a piece of stiff wire and put thru the hole that's in the rubber that sticks out into the wheel well, this locks the bumper in place. It would take something really strange for mine to come out.
Good idea. I've never had mine fall out, but have seen them AWOL on a lot of cars.
Hood catch and safety latch. Another paint shop error when they didn't listen to me. Catch should have been on the hood (like the trunks was) and painted with it (and then maybe my OE bolts wouldn't be AWOL as well!). Latch should have been plated Black phosphate AFAIK. Both got clear cad and will be corrected later.
New 1157 bulbs for the tail lights and 1156 for reverse lights. It took three stores to get these + one more pack of 1157's for the front signals.
M & H reproduction harness sockets not quite correct with these extra ground tabs on them.
The OE harness to show they don't have the tab.
Installed the sockets so you can't see the incorrect tabs when looking in the trunk.
Running lights work!
Signal lights work!
Reverse lights work... after an hour of trouble shooting as they were blowing the fuse. M & H left 2 strands of wire on the socket center connection and when the bulb was inserted it grounded out! $%*($!
Now I remember why I had these "spot lights" on a switch, so they didn't come on when backing out of a farmers laneway! :coolgleamA:
From the days of when style was in style !
Starting to think 1/2 my restoration time has been spent cleaning glass. Carpet knife blade does a nice job of taking the burr off scratches making them less visible.
One more buff, on both back glasses.
Now we're getting there and I hope to never clean a piece of glass again in my life!
Neither are perfect and there's only one way to see which looks the best, put each one on the car and have a look.
A view of a correct back glass shape. Lifted the AMD out, put in another, lifted it out and then this one into place. Thankfully it's the one I'm using. Do yourself a favour, have a helper! lol
Best looking of the two back glass' in place and taped for location. Tomorrow my lovely assistant gets to help lift it out and then back in onto butyl.
The assembly line used auto caulking guns with Butyl, but this is a nice clean answer for one off's to install the back glass.
3/8" is the correct thickness for the Coronet / Bee.
No point reaching in and scratching quarter panel paint when you can just sit on the package tray to install the butyl!
Almost all the way around.
My lovely assistant of 36+ years. We took this car to the chapel and back!
Checking trim depth / fit before I get too carried away seating the glass into the butyl.
VERY light heat trying to soften up the butyl a tad so I can get it to come down a bit into the lower spots and seal.
Finally I just put the heat gun in the car and let it run until the car was up to 95F, then pushed the glass down. Still took a LOT of force, one arm hooked in the back window hole the other pushing down on the glass. No other way to get any leverage. Watch out for the hot brunette...
My last entry on back glass.. I promise! :icon_smile_big: . I wish it looked that perfect in person.
Don't forget your rubber spacer blocks so it doesn't slip down over time.
That looks awesome!!
Great job! Getting closer to completion! :popcrn: :drool5:
Quote from: Dino on January 04, 2019, 07:28:15 AM
That looks awesome!!
Stop looking at my wife Dirk ! How's the car look.... :cheers:
Thanks Tim!
Not sure why but "Gotta long way to go and a short time to get there" kept playing through my head today. Lucky me... my car has stainless interior trim as well for the door panels.
I don't remember any high heeled guests in the back seat, so it must have been Gordy trying to throw beer bottles out the window that put the dents in the trim.
Did some thinking and came up with this "tool" to work the dents out. Made from an aluminum tube clamp strap.
Slip it in the open end and work it down to the dent.
Tool in place for dent removal.
Rock and wiggle until you're satisfied! Goal is trying to make dent slightly proud.
Fine file on the now proud dent, then 400/800/1000 and 2000. Then Brown compound on one buffer wheel and then Green on the other. Hand wiped with MAAS polishing compound and the restored on the left compared to "as removed" on the right.
My OE grill assembly top and another that I picked up from two people buying the center from one and the headlight rings from another last year.
Checking fit of all parts to pick the best components to restore while my car is hopefully at the paint shop for it's beauty appointment. Of course I can't find the guy.. hopefully he's taken his wife on a nice vacation with my money! [IMG]
This one has me baffled, so more research required ...or if someone could help me out! Both the ones I bought and my OE are factory blacked out. One is blacked out right out to the center grill and my OE makes more sense only blacked out in the fender area with the rest polished to blend into the mating area of the center sections top edge.
Quote from: birdsandbees on January 04, 2019, 08:47:37 PM
This one has me baffled, so more research required ...or if someone could help me out! Both the ones I bought and my OE are factory blacked out. One is blacked out right out to the center grill and my OE makes more sense only blacked out in the fender area with the rest polished to blend into the mating area of the center sections top edge.
Well I've looked at a zillion pictures and it appears pending which assembly line, time of production, etc they may have been done both ways. Both of the center grills I have are black on the hump where they attach to the grill support and clean between the hump and the front face... which matches my OE headlight eyebrows where they are clean and just blacked out under the fenders. Others I've found are black all the way across on the top face and probably a better look. Some more to sleep on before I proceed...
Decided I'd start on the tail panel trim first as a learning curve, as it SHOULD be easier to do than the grill. As per usual.. I have two to work with. My OE and another I got from a guy in California.
The tail panel being aluminum and my 26 years of building and rebuilding aircraft, I have a few tools up my sleeve for this work. Grabbed a few of my bucking bars that looked useful.
I also get to use the tool I made for the interior trim! Works great as a twister hooked into the back flange on the panel.
This wing stringer bucking bar is the perfect back up bar to fit the detail of the panel so that I can flatten the "black" area.
Panel sits perfectly in place. Just remember that what ever you use to tap away at the panel to straighten it with... MAKE SURE IT'S POLISHED.. or you'll have a lovely pattern in your finished part.
A plastic zip tie slipped in between the back surface of the panel face and the folded over edge. This is to keep it from going flat / cracking when straightening the panel.
Zip tie is in behind this ugly "jog" in what should be a straight panel. Ready to hold the panel in place on a radius'd bucking bar and gently massage things straight.
Almost there and zip tie is still in there.
It's pretty close to straight so I'll move on to the show face of the panel and flatten it before getting too carried away.
Long flat bar beneath and another shaped bar for the top that will clear the edge detail. Shaped bar held in place and the back tapped with the hammer. 2 hours was spent taking the majority of the jogs and wows out of the entire panel using the tools shown and some old fashion bending with bare hands. Still needs minor details fixed up and another screwed in place check fit on the car before stripping paint and getting everything polished out smooth. Then prep, tape and paint.
Tail panel screwed in place for a fit check after all the dolly and straightening work.
A couple spots not quite shaped right and marked for tweaking.
A couple of small dents pushed up.
And then a screw driver handles curved head used to smooth the area back out.
Acetone and 0000 steel wool to remove all the paint
Try to have lots of ventilation. I was stupid and forgot I have a fresh air pump and hood! 2 hours = good buzz.
Almost done. The corrugated area in the center and especially around the DODGE letters hard to get clean of all paint.
Ain't that purdy... only to repaint it after I smooth, blend and polish the outer perimeter and letters. 5 hours into this tail panel at this point.
Thanks to moparsaver on fbbo for directing me to this wonderful find !! Used, blasted and primed and they look brand new. Couldn't have been on a car for long that's for sure.
Thanks to the Ebay seller using the Global shipping system they ended up costing double, but it is what is is, another 150 bucks in the car. WSL05 and WSR05, headlight shields, for the part number collectors.
They go at the front top of the fenders, as I showed earlier on with the rubber seals and nothing to attach them to. Now I have the steel shields, the rubbers attach via the holes.
This tail panel trim plate is in very good shape. Thought I could just give it a buff and I'd be satisfied with it ready to repaint the black areas.
Too many scratches that are through the anodizing, so I guess I'm stripping it clean and polishing it out to remove them.
Thought I'd practice on something less valuable. The grill out of my '78 Ramcharger.
It's not just for ovens! And you'll see why you don't get it on anything else!!!
Quick spray on a corner of the grills anodized aluminum.
30 minutes later and a water rinse. The bright anodize is gone.
Sanded with 150/320/400 as shown here to get the pits and divets out and then 800/1000/2000 wet sanded. Probably should get some 3000 or 4000 as well before I do the Bee panel.
Cut and buff with "stainless" green and then rouge.
Hand polish with MAAS.
Came out not too bad, it's sure brighter and more reflective than the old pited bright anodized area.
Not brave enough to try the trim panel I'm using first, so I tried stripping the anodize from my original OE off of the car to see how it went. I left it almost an hour with multiple reapplications and covered with plastic to cut evaporation. Not happy with the spotty results. Looks like I have to find some lye locally to make a solution to soak it.. and of course I have a 25 lb bag for the outhouse but it's 4 hours away at the lake!
While the Easy Off was eating away I thought I'd try the highly recommended SEM trim paint on the back of the panel I am using. I bought multiple cans of this overpriced paint in anticipation of doing the grill and tail panel.
The SEM just runs off the peaks of the corrugations. It took NINE mist coats x 5 minutes apart to get reasonable coverage.
The Rust-Oleum that I used on my instrument cluster.
It took a SINGLE spray to cover better than NINE of the SEM. Either I'm doing something really wrong or Rustoleum makes damn good paint!
WOOO HOOOO ! Paint booth reservation for Jan 21st... to get a few required things touched up and my final cut and polish done that week!! :icon_smile_big:
Interesting regarding the SEM paint, I used that everywhere in my Charger and had no problems with coverage but in my case, I don't recall painting over anything shiny.
Even though I had great results in the past using easy off to remove anodizing, I didn't have any success with the trim around my grille. I tried removing it with the Easy off but it just left the surface rough and spotty with black stuff everywhere. What a mess.
I just ended up buying aftermarket trim which of course, needed a bunch of tweaking to fit properly.
Great job! :popcrn:
Thanks Tim.. gonna try soaking in lye solution next. Looks like our Home Hardware still carries it, at least shows online. Home Depot / Lowes / all other lumber stores / Canadian Tire / etc do not carry it anymore.. so hopefully when I hit a store tomorrow they actually still have it at Home Hardware.
AMD's response to National Moparts on my back glass!
QuoteThe B-body back glass we sell has always been shaped that way. They aren't 100% like the original in the curvature, but we rarely get complaints.
Un F'n real... knowingly selling something that is wrong and no care to make it right. "Not 100%".. how about they're 10% correct at best, as it fits the hole! At least Nigel is refunding my $611.27! Doesn't cover all the other BS to get a back glass into my car, but at least I recoup some money.
Seems like when some one complains about a aftermarket part some one sells the routine response is something like "REALLY, Your the first one to complain" :scratchchin: :shruggy: :brickwall:
Yep, even from National Moparts I first got "we've sold and installed lots of them with no complaints". I told him to open his eye's as he's been at this longer than I have, knows what a B body back glass should look like and assured me that the "glass is now being made correctly" before I ordered it. After I gave him pics he went after AMD and at least they were honest... typical repop assholes, but honest.
How many are going to complain after they've paid to have the glass shipped half way across the globe and already stuck it in place before they notice it's wrong. Are you going to cut it back off of the buytl and mess up your brand new paint? I still question how ECS is getting correct glass and apparently it comes out of the same mfg facility?!
Quote from: birdsandbees on January 10, 2019, 05:13:49 PM
Thanks Tim.. gonna try soaking in lye solution next. Looks like our Home Hardware still carries it, at least shows online. Home Depot / Lowes / all other lumber stores / Canadian Tire / etc do not carry it anymore.. so hopefully when I hit a store tomorrow they actually still have it at Home Hardware.
I found a plastic bottle of lye powder at Ace Hardware for a few bucks. I bought a plastic wallpaper basin that fit the trim and soaked them in there with the lye powder mixed in cold water. It didn't take long to remove all the anodizing. It's in my grille repair thread if you can find it.
Thanks Dirk, not sure why I have to try and reinvent the wheel all the time :brickwall: and so I don't have to search for it again.. lol.. http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,121524.0.html
Soak box made from a propellor box and a roll of vapour barrier. If we're going to make hydrogen gas we may as well have some more flammables to help with the BOOM! (My OE panel shown, in just water... I only did the replacement in Lye).
8 gallons of water and a volume measured 48 ounces of Lye crystals. You can see the gray and shiny spots as the anodize starts to come off. Only place I found Lye available was Home Hardware in the septic department. $30 for 3 kg.
Boil and bubble..
Almost there after 25 minutes. Still some anodizing to come off. A light scrub with green scotchbrite and back into the soup.
Nice and clean of all anodize.
The wife caught the nut with the power washer from the kitchen window. -20C outside. Power washer not only rinsed, it took the blackish/gray sludge off from the process.
Ready for a LOT of nick removal, sanding and polishing. I ended up leaving it soaking for 45 minutes. I should have pulled it at about 35. The extra 10 minutes was when it really started to fizz. I should have known better and it added some minor pitting in places as it started to eat the aluminum.
Mr Eraser foam block makes a good sanding block that will conform to the panel profiles.
Looks like I'm wasting my time starting with 150. Coarse #60 it is. Just gotta be careful with only .040 thickness to start with.
Honing stone works nice to return the sharp edge from profiled to flat sections.
Riffler files. Don't start without a set! The riffler file allows you to quickly remove any dents you've pushed up, while maintaining the profile.
Small file being used to correct the detent area (that gets black paint) in the "E". Almost absent on this tail piece and my OE barely had it there, so an original pressing issue that I am correcting.
Pill bottle has correct profile for the end sections concave area. Easy to hold and works well.
That $3000 US NOS tail panel is starting to look good right about now! Pull up a bar stool and make yourself comfy as you'll be doing this for a LONG time!
All pits removed, dents pushed up as I went and smooth. Todays work was 4 hours and 45 minutes of filing, minor dent clean up and sanding to this stage. 11 hours and 45 minutes to date on THIS tail panel for paint removal, dent removal, shape correction, anodize removal and todays work! Now you know why the NOS seller has a market at $3000 ! Still have to sand 320/400/800/1000/2000, cut and polish on the wheel, tape and paint...and try to wipe the DODGE clean without f'ng it up.
You definitely have too much free time! You need a job!!
LOL, I do... I just keep calling in sick! Now sooner or later I'll need to walk another 70 feet each morning and get some airplanes done or Spring ain't gonna be pretty! :P
Realized the E was not only missing the lower indent, they also missed pressing part of the end tip. Upside down on a block of wood and using an old ejector pin that fit the exact width to tap in the shape.
About an hour and a half just spent on letters with the pin and riffler files. Sanding out pits on the letters = less indent for paint and some needed to be added, especially on the D's.
Sanded to 150 and then 320 dry.
So it doesn't look like you pissed your pants wet sanding with 400 and up.
400, then 800, then 1000 and then 2000 wet done. (note outer profile is the "show" inner gets painted black)
Dino's restoration comments had me remember to do this! Rubber cap on threads of the polisher.
Then electrical tape. On the very first buff I hit it and DIDN'T have to start over with sanding!!
A quick 5 minute hit with green on the one wheel and rouge on the softer wheel just to see how it's going to come out. Still a few little pits, but better than it's EVER looked on my car. Today adds 5 more hours to this tail panel ! Still needs the remainder cut and polished and then taped and painted.
Tail panel power polished on the harder wheel with green compound.
You'll wanna sit down for this and hold on TIGHT. No way I could keep 6' running through the wheel standing up. Lost some gray hair through the day, all the black shit flying off the wheel is on my head!
Power polished with Rouge on the softer wheel and then realized I had forgot to do the upper and lower corrugations as they don't get paint.
Hand polish with MAAS. You can see both the ceiling corrugations and the blue of my car reflecting.
Trying to get a good shot and almost impossible. Looks like chrome in person.
Another try for a good shot here, with Jellybean! Is it perfect.. No.. is it better than when it came down the Lynch Road assembly line.. probably.
Rubbed down with corn starch and then almost an hour to get it cleaned up, to no black on cloth, with wax and grease remover.
Everything taped off except the lower corrugation. Enough for today. Wish I could find the daily drinker with steady hands,from the paint line, that would have just wiped the details clean after being painted! Ma Mopar sure didn't tape them off... 21 hours - 45 minutes to this stage!
It's a lot of work, and it's a mess. But it sure is worth it when you're done. Looks phenomenal! :2thumbs:
Thanks Dirk ! Just sitting here procrastinating about getting out there and grabbing the paint... :scratchchin:
Lower corrugation taped off and a quick scuff with 400 to put some bite back in where I polished paint areas while doing the profiles.
Cleaned up with wax and grease remover and sprayed with etching primer.
Two light coats of etch primer, that I wish I had of gone with my first thoughts and omitted. Made it impossible to do a quick wipe on the letters.
While waiting for the primer to tack up, made my letter swipers. I'd tried them on my OE panel and they worked good.
More to do, so I don't paint too soon. Needed some more spacer rubbers for the mounting screws on the panel.
No need to buy stuff that is easy to make.
Now I'm good for the install and 30 minutes has gone by, time to paint.
Tail panel painted with Duplicolour CDA1603 (DA1603 in the USA). Note to self, never paint acrylic against plastic again.
First clean up I got the first D perfect, O and D dragged the cloth in the centers and part of the G. E good.
Pill bottle wipers caused me issues, so a wood dowel it is! Just a WHIFF of lacquer thinner.
Respray...
D O G E good... Respray the D again (SEVEN TIMES!)
Had to use an exacto knife to "cut" the paint along the masking tape for a clean line.
What a mear 27 hours and 10 minutes can do! Jesus I wanna build a resto mod next.... all black tail panel.
All my life's a circle, sunrise and sundown...
https://youtu.be/Ns4xf-bRNjw
Finished tail panel looks great. :cheers:
Quote from: BLK 68 R/T on January 17, 2019, 11:55:52 PM
Finished tail panel looks great. :cheers:
I'd say better than it has ever been. Great job Wayne! :2thumbs:
:cheers: Great work as usual!
Thanks guys! Now we can all see why the NOS guy has a market for the one he wants $3000 US for ! :yesnod:
Now I get to tackle the grill.... :P
Your attention to detail is amazing. This thread...and Keepats Bullit Charger are two of my favourites. Both of you are detail fiends! Luckily, due to my highly modified car, even though I spend time getting parts to look like I want them (spent ages shaving the bumpers to be right into the body) at least no one will be saying mines not correct..there is no "correct" on a protour type build. Keep up the good work.
Thanks Alf.. ! :2thumbs:
Tuesday morning I load the car, to arrive 10 to 11 AM in Warminster, for my passenger side missed roof rail seam sealer, paint, a few touch ups and then a total cut and buff on the car. George answered his cell phone with "Thank you for calling Body by Biggs, we are on holidays until Spring and you can bring that Bee then". I responded with F you and some laughs. He said NO WAY he was opening the shop door Monday am in -28C. What I wanted to hear.. as I don't want to open mine either! :rotz:
Making sure she's ready for the beauty shop on Tuesday.
Finally getting some true blue shots in the shop.
Turned around and ready to take Therapy off of her rollers.
Ready to load for her cut and buff..
Found a new lower drivers seat and strapped it in.
I can't imagine how it's going to look AFTER cut and buff.
Yep.. that deep!
Then I just sat in a chair and stared at it for an hour.
Was it ever cut & buffed before after painting it? how long ago was it painted? LEON.
Hood was done pretty well before I brought it home, as the scoops etc had to go on, but it still needs a final shot. The body itself had just enough done so, as my painter said "guys don't point out the dirt in the clear while it's in your shop being assembled". Fenders haven't been touched yet. I can't believe it, but it'll be 2 years next month since paint was finished.
That said, the first coat of clear on the entire car was infused/sanded out before the next 2 coats of clear went on.
Light dirt removal any time in the paint process is what some people call de nibbing. After 2 years I just hope the paint is not hard as a rock & impossible to sand. As some paints will still be easy to sand & rub after a week or 2 & some others can be difficult to rub & sand after a week or 2. Like Polyurethane like Imron for example. Longest I ever waited was 6 months on one of my own cars. Best advantage of that is no die back or dulling gloss or sand scratch swelling or shrinkage as everything has had adequate time to dry. LEON.
It's House of Kolors Shimmrin and their Klear. It still scratches easy enough so I'm sure it'll sand and buff just fine. My painter doesn't seem to have any worries, but we'll know full well next week! :lol:
Out you go..
The big 35 foot drive.
Lots of White "Smoke" this morning. -22/23 C outside. Still trying to find my finger tips after strapping her down.
Strapped in ready to roll.
Winter mural scene on the fender.
Two shots the wife grabbed from the kitchen window.
Made it to the beauty shop on time. Can't wait to get her back.
Also, seeing I was already half way there I took my AMD Back Glass back to National Moparts in Gamebridge and Nigel gave me 100% of my money back.
What a beautiful job you are doing!
I don't know if I missed it or not, did you do anything with the coupe window assemblies?
John
Thanks!
They have been rechromed, but I still have to redo the "hinge", polish the glass and reassembly the rechromed latches , etc and install to car.
The glass "hinge" uses the same "slide" seal that the door glass to vent frame does, so a good place to use my repops and their slider pins and my OEM's will get used on the vent frame so they slide correctly.
Quote from: birdsandbees on January 23, 2019, 05:16:51 PM
Thanks!
They have been rechromed, but I still have to redo the "hinge", polish the glass and reassembly the rechromed latches , etc and install to car.
The glass "hinge" uses the same "slide" seal that the door glass to vent frame does, so a good place to use my repops and their slider pins and my OEM's will get used on the vent frame so they slide correctly.
I either got this tip from you or else where, spray those "slide" seals with Armour All". It has silicone in it. Let it dry thoroughly. Made mine work really good.
Fender has been hand sanded of "nibs" and George now wet sanding with 3000 infusion paper.
Ken wet sanding a few spots by hand that he doesn't like on the roof before he lets George (the shop owner) loose with the orbital and 2000 then 3000 infusion paper.
Both guys in action. They've been a "cut and polish" team for almost 2 decades. Ken has actually moved on to another shop in the past year, he came in just to do my car!
George on the roof, you can see the passenger side hasn't been done yet. It's showing Ken's hand sanded spots still.
Ken polishing the fender and a long way to go to get around the car from there. Just above the wheel well done so far here.
George on the passenger side of roof with 3000.
Gonna be gorgeous.
Roof in 3000 only, hasn't been polished yet.
Therapy is having a great time at the health spa. I know a few gals that would enjoy the same service..
https://youtu.be/wf1WtihA5XU (https://youtu.be/wf1WtihA5XU)
https://youtu.be/zVBVnl3npJY (https://youtu.be/zVBVnl3npJY)
https://youtu.be/GGfqJbcK7oc (https://youtu.be/GGfqJbcK7oc)
Curious, Did they sand all the orange peel off or leave some on? LEON.
There's no real orange peel on the car Leon, some runs down low where the clear dribble out corners or blobbed on lower flanges. Some dirt nibs and some poc mark/pin holes where the clear didn't flow out completely in the center of the roof. Remember the car was painted with 4 full coats of blue and then cleared. That clear coat was completely infused / sanded out before they put two more full coats of klear on the car. George figures when done buffing there'll be about 1.25 coats of the clear left for any further "touch up" work. Both guys REALLY happy I actually took 2 years to get it back to them for this stage as it's sanding and buffing out perfectly for them.
Are they done rubbing it yet? LEON.
Not sure where they're at and the wife's kept me too busy to check. As noted Ken works for another facility now (after 18 years with George) and was sneaking in on Saturdays just to do my car. George is doing all the other stuff through the week. It'll have to be done this week, as I leave for 2 weeks the following week and the shop owner, George, leaves for a month of skidoo touring on the Gaspe Bay Pennisula.
Hey Wayne, the Bee is looking great! Your mailbox is full, so I will ask you here. What vendor did you use for your Right Stuff brake lines? Not looking forward to the S&H changes, but just wondering who you used. Mine don't look too bad but then again they are 47 years old. Alan
Thanks!
Pretty sure I bought them direct and it was fairly painless... I'll dig through my paperwork tonight.
Thank you sir, don't want to make you dig though, I know how that can be.
Ordered direct from rightstuff.com It came UPS and I got lucky on their crown and anchor wheel for brokerage. They only charged me $10 and of course collected the HST on value.
Thanks for the in for Wayne, much appreciated.
Getting her hot towel therapy at the Spa.
All cut and buffed.
Looks like she came out nice.
Look at them hips.
Shinier than the top of my head.
Time for antenna mount and some trim.
Still clean, that was my biggest fear of all.
A few things yet to "touch up" and I pick Therapy up next week.
Beautiful! :2thumbs:
Thanks Lennard! Still lots to do.. :brickwall: :yesnod:
Out of "house reno hell" I visited the Church of the Seventh Day Aviationist today, my workshop. I've had the tail panel under the heat output of the furnace for 4 weeks now baking.
Gave it another polish with MAAS before I install it this week when I get my car back.
Really happy with how it turned out after numerous hours of work.
Starting on my front grill now and taking reference pictures for OE history. This is a never touched OE center section I picked up from a guy in Belleville.
OE clip nut hardware.
Back of the grill is not painted, nor is the underside of the upper and lower flanges.
Black center, bare outer raised sections, black and argent on the underside of top "flange" .
Side view, showing polished (but still a ridged/extruded looking) front edge, argent, black, bare wide ribs, black center ribs.
Top flange is a brushed/extruded looking finish and the black was obviously sprayed just holding a "mask" in place.
Drilling out the rivets on the mounting brackets.
Socket underneath and tapping out the rivets so I don't distort the aluminum casting holes by drilling right through.
Steel 1/8" diameter semi-tubular rivets.
All 4 brackets off for media blast and black paint. Both end brackets are the same, but the lower brackets appear to be bent left and right hand.
Brackets off, showing OE finish.
One heavy dent in the top flange being dollied out.
CAREFULLY bending the entire front flange on one side out a bit and straightening the little ribs at the same time. Remember, you only get ONE chance to break the ribs before you swear, so go slow!
A few knicks and scratches on the top. Cleaned up keeping the same look with 60 paper on a block.
I'm not going to "de-anodize" the grill, as the OE paint is still nicely in place for a scuff and repaint. Going to make an attempt at cleaning up all the bare and polished areas without stripping any significant OE material.
Headlight eyebrows I got from someone else. Only one real dent to remove. Also another Ma Mopar design that makes no sense, as the eyebrow front edges are polished and the center section is semi polished and ridged.
Grinding a punch the correct shape to get in behind the dent, something to finish tomorrow.
Well the Argent that was recommended for the grill, and I bought a year or so ago, is no where close. OE is a "dirty" grayish silver similar to '70's rallye wheels.
Test spray of 4 Argents or Aluminum that I have. Tremclad Aluminum looks close, but I know it never stops rubbing off on your hands. The Titanium Silver metalic is pretty close, but too much metal flake. Probably paint hunting tomorrow.
Restoring the top flange while trying to keep the ridged/extruded look. Probably hard for some to do, but all strokes have to be one direction only! 60 grit paper.
Top flange all done with one last long stroke, with 60 paper on the block.
I tried cleaning up the "show" face that is ridged with a wire brush to retain OE surfaces.
Power polished after the brush clean up and just can't make it shine. So it's either OE ridged and look like crap or on to sanding all the detail and nicks off.
Same deal as the tail panel, 60/150/320/400/800/1000/2000.
Top and bottom "show" faces sanded out to 2000.
A quick hit on the power polisher (green on yellow wheel) on the left vs the sanded finish on the right.
Power polished with Green on the Yellow wheel and Rouge on the soft wheel. Lookin spiffy.
Quick scotchbrite clean up on the back side. Even with it on a rag I scratched my power polishing! Clean the back first!
Quick repolish and it's 1000 x better already than the one I took off the car. Still need to do the painting.
View of the polished face, and the simulated ridged/brushed finish upper flange.
Another view, hard to show the detail of how nice it's coming out. On to the eyebrows next, so that I'm doing paint on all three pieces at the same time.
Beautiful attention to detail! :2thumbs:
Thanks! :cheers:
Nice job!
Thanks! On to the eyebrows and then prep and paint of all three pieces.
Ready to strip someone elses attempt at an Argent repaint, as well as the Black. Acetone and 0000 steel wool.
Soak the steel wool with acetone and scrub, paint comes off easily.
Shot to show OE black out (and associated overspray) on outside of the eyebrow.
Plastic bristle brush works good in the tight corners.
Both ready for ding repair, front edge polish and then tape off and paint. If I was going custom this would have been a perfect set of eyebrows to just be polished vs the work to reproduce the OE look. Thankfully no need to use lye and take the anodize off!
Etch primer to fill some scratches where I took the dent out.
Sanded out and then primed the entire top mounting flange.
Duplicolor CDA1603 Semi Gloss Black. Next figuring out how to tape or mask for the main grills black and argent colours.
My hands and forearms ache just looking at this! Great work
:lol: Thanks! Bought $100 worth of spray bombs a few minutes ago, there'd better be one close enough for the darkish argent!
Another $100 to the colour match cause. Paint is getting nuts, $16/can for perfect match and they're not even full size cans. The regular size can of metalic specks cost $20, get it home to find that someone stole the nozzle off it!
Now I have nine versions of "Argent".
We'll call this one the winner, I'm not buying anymore paint. Volkswagon Reflex Silver Metalic. CBVW2039
Had this ugly defect on one of the eyebrows and some deep scratches through the anodize on the other one. Deep thought last night on how to do a smoke and mirrors repair on same.
Wanted some liquid aluminum, but all I could find was an epoxy putty stick in the marine isle.
Knead the putty stick together to activate and force into the ugly void.
Light sand and power polished. It's not perfect but a success on the smoke and mirrors. No more dark hole that stands out like a sore thumb. Actually came out pretty damn good.
Both eyebrow "leading edges" and other accents that stay bare all polished up, ready for tape off and paint.
Eyebrows masked off for paint or at least etch primer. Still deciding how to do the black and argent.. what order, taping or making a paint mask as I know damn well the tape will peel paint on me.
Got the center grill all taped off for paint and then remembered I have to media blast, paint and rivet the attach brackets onto it first!
Rag stuffed inside each horn so I don't fill them with media.
Horns and grill brackets ready for media blasting.
Horns and brackets blasted, etch primered and painted with CDA1603 Semi-gloss. Painted the horns heavy hoping for the odd run, as they were dipped originally.
Headlight eyebrows taped off on the polished parts and etch primered.
Black painted on the eyebrows, now to wait for paint cure to tape/mask and paint the argent.
Grill brackets cleco'd on ready to rivet in place.
Don't have any 1/8" steel tubulars so using some soft A4-4 aluminum rivets instead.
Brackets on and grill ready for painting.
Two coats of black and after it's cured will be masked off for argent.
While I had the paint flowing, headlight shields painted as well.
I think the most dangerous thing I've polished so far, headlight rings. Leather gloves on and I still checked to see if my fingers where gone! Watch those screw tabs as it leaves your hands.... and sure glad my car wasn't in it's usual assembly spot!
My four OE rings looking like new, they were so beat up looking that I had actually bought some used replacements a couple years back.
Door locks that a previous body shop beat up, instead of removing, during a paint job in '88.
Same gig... up through the sandpaper grits and then power polish.
Both door locks and the trunk lock ready to install, if I only had a car.. maybe tomorrow!
Rubber spacers and glue for the tail light panel.
Spacers in place, ready to install when I get my car back.
Almost forgot about the front headliner trim. Painted with same paint as the upper dash board and steering column, CTP70000 Duplicolour Trim. It's not supposed to have gloss, just like the dash board.
Took 154 pictures yesterday.. I'll bore you with 20 of them! :icon_smile_big:
...................................................................................
Time to bring Therapy home from the beauty shop.
Cut and buffed and lots of klear remaining for future touch ups.
Out in the snow with a 4 gear on bias plies. Reminded me of a simpler time, but driveable.
Ready to load.
Next trailer mod... some grit mixed into some clear. I "drifted" the car up the loading door and almost got the rear quarter on the cable.
Just an easy to grab shot while in the trailer.
Fender art.
Daughter Jen talking to me. Is it Purple or Blue?
Reflection of Therapy's home showing in the door.
Mopar in the snow..
Yah.. I think I took 154 pictures today alone.
Gorgeous. Reflecting the big Oak tree that's 75 feet away.
Snowscape reflection.
Canada Eh !
Sun shining through the garage door.
Reflections of my mess.
I hid a car in the trunk.
Now that's straight!
Lights out and time for me to get some house renos done. Back tomorrow to blacken her eyes!
Freshly painted rear marker bezels to match the stripe.
Great shots! Great shop! Looks like lots of room. Yeah I know never enough room. Waiting for my shop(garage) to heat up. -16C with the chill. Time for a tidying up.
-27C here this morning and the wife has me on renos. Not too upset about it, don't want to walk to work in that even if it is only 30 feet! :lol:
Hood lip extension screwed into place.
Painter George would probably kill me if he knew what I was about to do!
All taped and covered to give Therapy her black out treatment. I've lost a lot of sleep over this decision myself but it is what it is, correct. I didn't think B5 cars got it, but the consensus and Chryco literature says it does.
Scuffed all that pretty paint with 320 and wiped clean.
Painted with Duplicolour CDA1605 Flat Black, from the bottom upward.
Passenger side I did about correct keeping the spray shooting upward only as was done on the assembly line. Drivers I got a bit heavier, but still looks okay.
All the tape and masking off.
Ready to do headlights, bumper, grill, etc.
Headlight pots painted as per assembly line spec for easy ident without trying to read the position stamps. Passenger side Hi/Low = Black, Pass Hi = Blue, Driver Hi = Orange and Driver Hi/Low = Red.
New headlight adjuster kit. You need two kits to do a car.
They come assembled backwards, don't let that confuse you.
The plastic snaps into metal housing.
Push into hole and give a good smack to lock in place.
Adjuster in place.
Wish they'd taken my old ones out before paint and body work, but a pair of 90* needle nose or similar is what you'll need.
In through the hole beside the adjuster socket and use the hole as a pivot point to pop the old ones out.
Marker reflector bezel backs painted with etch primer to simulate factory colour for final assembly.
Looking real sweet! You do know you did the right thing. I felt the same way when I had to black out my Roadrunner. A no brainer when the car is white.
So how do you like the quality of the headlight retaining kits? Happy with them? I just took mine out a couple of weeks ago. Managed to save all of them but with the fresh paint I'm going to get a couple of new sets I guess. You say you need two sets?? It looked like one set did both sides. But I never read the description. I'll check that out later.
Are you happy with the quality of the stuff from Year One? Right now at this stage I'll be getting everything else out of the States.
Can't wait to se her with the grill and lights in. :drool5:
Awesome work as always Wayne. :2thumbs:
Do mine next!
Thanks guys!
Kent, each kit only has 4 adjusters and 2 springs and screws... so one side. I hate buying stuff from YOne with a passion, but I'd ordered some stuff only they had and threw in the adjuster kits at that time. I suspect Jamie at Megaparts or Jeff Brown @ 521 Resto would have them as well and are much easier to deal with.
Thanks Wayne. Never heard of 521 Resto. Going to check them out right now.
Do you mind me asking why you don't like dealing with them? I dropped some change there this weekend with the 30% discount. I have only ordered from them on the 30% promos.
Once more thank you for your insight.
YOne use to be the only game in town 30 years ago ( I still have a 1988 Catalog) and they still treat you like they think they're the only game in town. Them, like Classics, also won't use the mail and always use Fedex or UPS which just adds to the $$$'s getting across the border. I think the only time guys shop there is when they have a discount code.. :lol:
I hear you Wayne. Always a little extra waiting for you at the door eh? Can never just pay the bottom line. Thanks for the response.
Headlight "bucket" spring. Screw goes through the spring to retain same to mounting frame.
Adjuster spring installed.
All 4 buckets are marked for location. Hi-Lo RT, Hi RT, Hi-Lo LT and Hi LT.
All four buckets in place on their adjuster screws and springs.
The OEM style bulbs I bought from a guys collection a few months ago. 4000 and 4001's, all General Electrics
All 4 bulbs in place.
They even work... well after I remembered to put the dimmer switch in the wiring harness.
Still need to aim them all of course. That can wait for a warm day outside to use the white door.
Reproduction signal lights. My "OE's" weren't from my car anyhow, something I picked up in 1988 at the Oro Flea Market and they weren't in the greatest of shape. Would be nice if the repops came ready to install.
Taped off and painted with Flat Black Rustoleum Primer and Paint.
Carefully taped off the center grill with some 3M fineline 1/4" tape on the fresh black and no other tape touching fresh paint for fear of it peeling.
Three light coats of the CBVW2039 Reflex Silver Metalic
Carefully peeled all the tape and amazingly all clean crisp lines.
I stared at it for some time! Absolutely amazed at how it came out.
Now the eyebrows were another story. Terrified paint would peel on the anodized finish and I wasn't disappointed in that! Knew I should have tried to construct a painting "mask". How Chryslers supplier would have done it. Paint the Argent, drop a mask over it and paint the Black.
A few coats of the Reflex Silver and I was quickly reminded that just because it's the same brand of paint... it doesn't mean it's compatible.
The Black was Acrylic Enamel and I let it cure for SIX days under the furnace outlet. The Silver is Acrylic Laquer and it crazed like hell.
I managed to save it by sanding out the lizard pattern.
Sprayed a light coat of Hi Build Primer and then waited an hour.
While waiting I got the freshly refinished horns ready to install. They get their own Brown colour coded bolts for some reason, with serrated tooth washers to bite in for a better ground.
Horns and horn relay installed.
An hour later, a few coats of the Silver over the Hi Build Primer and success with a smooth flow out.
Of course my expected nightmare happened and now I get to hand paint the black. I'm not taping it again...
The Silver/Argent came out nice in the end though, now to see if I can save the Black.
Oh man my heart would of been in my throat when I seen the cracking. So did you paint the brown bolts or purchase a kit with new ones in them?
I'm going to have to go back and read your whole thread to see how you did it. One of the best out there. Right down to the spay bomb paint #'s. You being from Canada helps me out immensely.
Going to take me a bit. Super work!
You could paint a couple old hood hinge bolts, but for $3 bucks US each I just bought them from Jamie at Megaparts. I have him on speed dial .. :lol:
Thank you. Good to know.
PM sent
Quote from: birdsandbees on February 20, 2019, 10:09:01 PM
You could paint a couple old hood hinge bolts, but for $3 bucks US each I just bought them from Jamie at Megaparts. I have him on speed dial .. :lol:
Jamie rules!
Trying to hand paint the Black. Went on not bad, but just can't get a flow out that would look as clean as spray.
And then it curdled. Fun place to sand. Gave it another coat and the bastards can sit in the corner for awhile. Time to move on.......
New side marker retainers. One missed the stamper!
New reflectors and gaskets.
Tried a test fit before peeling the two face tape, thankfully. Snapped the locators off.
Found that the reproduction bezels from PG Classics only have a 1/4" long slot and the OE's are 5/16, so I filed out the holes an equal amount in each direction.
Corrected left, as received right.
Didn't break the second one.
Reproduction bezels and reflectors ready to install.
Rear install view of side marker.
Front marker bezels/reflectors installed.
K frame to radiator brace being installed. Note clip nut on K frame end.
K frame to radiator support brace installed.
Getting headlight water shields ready to install.
New grill Bee installed.
Tail panel installed.
looks nice :2thumbs: leon.
I really appreciate all the work and you sharing it with us. I sometimes have to read several pages at once and forget to post anything.
Troy
Thanks guys.
Troy I started this and sometimes question my sanity. Becoming a lot of work downsizing and posting, but I started it.. I'll finish it. Both the car and the thread! :lol:
Quote from: birdsandbees on February 25, 2019, 12:26:09 PM
Thanks guys.
Troy I started this and sometimes question my sanity. Becoming a lot of work downsizing and posting, but I started it.. I'll finish it. Both the car and the thread! :lol:
:lol: :2thumbs:
I just finished the whole thing. I also would like to thank you Wayne for taking the time to post such a great read with such in depth detail with amazing photos to boot. I wish I could go back when you asked three or four times if anyone thought this was helpful and if it was too boring. Helpful? Hell yes! Boring? Most certainly not. Found quite a few tips that I have never heard of before. Thanks! The time and money you went through just to find that certain shade of paint to make things appear to be fresh off the line. I being colored blind found these tips were simply amazing. Not to mention RPM. Never heard of it before. Ordered a couple of tins this morning. Too much maybe but I will pass this along and share that tip.
I realize this project is coming to a end and would just like to add my appreciation for your efforts.
Thanks Wayne.
Great car!
Edit...
Wayne just reread the part about the RPM. Have you lost faith? Did you happen to check any of your other coated parts? I wonder if maybe the steering knuckle and shaft got hot from the exhaust and ran off? Just a thought? My RPM should be here next week. Did I screw up??
I haven't seen rusting anywhere else that I RPM'd, including the front suspension center link, tie rod ends, sleeve, etc. I may have noticed a patch on my steering knuckle while I was blacking out the grill. Will have a better look later into the week. Going to swap garage bays with the cars and get the Bee back on the lift to install the headlight and fender shields + front bumper assembly.
Justin swears by Boeshield T9 as a rust preventative, probably my go to for maintenance coatings from here out.
I read this evening over on the Moparts site that it doesn't like getting hot once applied. So I was thinking since they were in close proximity to exhaust manifold it might have melted off??
Anyway Wayne I'm going to sit down again and watch the show. Carry on my man.
Never even dawned on me what the wiper motor covers redish/orange "smear" was until someone asked about it on the FBBO forum.
Recoated including touching up the factory drips and blobs. I have enough left to do another 1000 wiper motors!
Something I haven't done to a car in 31 years, this one to be exact. Practicing for a part in The Karate Kid.
My painter told me to get some wax on it, so I'm listening.
Wax on.. wax off. Hand rubbed out. Next time I might get brave with a buffer.
I'd say we've got the panels lined up pretty good.
Drivers side..
It never gets old..
Drivers quarter panel.
Time to put some bling on this thing.
Hood scoop bezels back on.
One of my bigger fears taken care of. The back glass trim went on perfect! The last "pro" I had install my back glass had to drill and put a screw through each lower corner to hold it down.
Looking good...
3/8" butyl tape was the perfect thickness for the back glass install and the stainless trim sits beautiful .
Windshield top stainless in place. Sits on rubber PERFECT !
Passenger side stainless on and sits perfect.
Driver's side adds another reason not to seal the rubber to the glass during windshield install. 3/16" gap to where it needs to be.
That's where it needs to be.
2 x 2 and a clamp to pull the rubber over without popping the lock strip.
Trim in place but still not happy with the drivers side. I walked away before I did something stupid! Need to remove the trim again and try to get the drivers side of the rubber seal to move over on the metal opening. I must have got the windshield about 3/32" off center on install.
Wow!! Great job putting on that trim, that was a huge pain for me, I still need to warm up the vinyl around the top corners to get trim to sit flush on mine.
Great work and attention to detail as always. :cheers: :cheers: :popcrn:
Thanks Tim, I'm glad I'm not fighting a vinyl top to boot! I have to re and re the rear glass trim on the Bird to fix some dents before the 50th Reunion and not looking forward to that attempt.
Lower windshield trims retainer "tab" slid into place and then screwed to the A pillar. Screw hole is slotted so you can pull the trim down tighter and then tighten screw.
Windshield trim installed and sitting nice on the passenger side.
Drivers side, still a work in progress. Cut a board the exact length to pull the rubber over even and not pop the lock strip.
Trim slid into place and snapped down. I've left it clamped for now to hopefully take a set.
A bit of manual manipulation with a plastic handle to get the rubber seals corners all nicely into place.
Drip rail trim going on. The rear window "curl" has to be in place BEFORE the rear swing out window frame goes in. Then the rail trim is hooked over the metal drip rail and starting at the front snapped over the metal rail and into place. Went easier than I expected, body shop told me it was a three person job.
Front drip rail trim installed and joiner angle piece in place.
Drivers side drip rail trim in place, other than the A pillar.
Stainless adding to the bedtime "pop" !
Great work...as always! I love this thread....but I'm not sure if it's inspiration to get mine done to the highest standard I can.....or it's just demoralizing due to the fact that mine will never be that good! :lol:
Thanks and Sorry.. all in one! :lol:
Not much done today, was up 'till 3 AM messaging a fishing buddy back and forth that lost his young Brother to Cancer yesterday. Only 25 years old with what started as colon cancer a few years ago and spread to most of his insides. "Over 50" is a myth guys... :P
......................
Needed to install the proper oval head screws and realized behind the trim curl was just a wide open gap for water to run down the drip rail and right into the quarter panel. Sealant and reinstall trim piece. I may be blind, but I could find nothing in the FSM on drip rail trim install needing sealant here.. maybe they let it run inside the quarter panel. All I know for sure is the curl has to be on first, then the roof rail seal channel, then the pop out window assembly.
Sealed up tight, ready for upper trim rails, their seals and the swing out window assembly.
Antenna assembly installed and actually straight.
Don't forget a drip loop in the antenna cable and I still have to seal the grommet hole so mice can't crawl in . It's not the OE grommet, not even sure if one was originally there, I added it.
Quote from: birdsandbees on March 08, 2019, 07:23:42 PM
Needed to install the proper oval head screws and realized behind the trim curl was just a wide open gap for water to run down the drip rail and right into the quarter panel. Sealant and reinstall trim piece. I may be blind, but I could find nothing in the FSM on drip rail trim install needing sealant here.. maybe they let it run inside the quarter panel. All I know for sure is the curl has to be on first, then the roof rail seal channel, then the pop out window assembly.
Oh oh, now I need to check mine. Thanks for the observation!
I'm sure it was probably just left to leak Mitch.. no different than less than perfectly sealing window felts/cat wiskers. Just figured I'd seal it up so it didn't..
Clamps off and final drip rail trim pieces in place. Windshield rubber is still not totally where I want it, but I'm getting it there a bit at a time. Wish I could just work with the "care", fit and timeline of the assembly line, but that's not me.
Almost have the rubber in the bottom drivers corner into place.
Upper drivers corner still off, but slowly getting it there.
Passenger side upper corner was perfect right out of the gate.
Nothing like drilling two holes in your car on the lower passenger fender, where we had to put some new metal in. Thankfully zero filler ! Locator pin 3/32 and retainer pin 3/16".(I did it the easy way, locator straight up, not 72* clockwise!.. I probably should have just glued it sans tabs)
Can't go without the Pentastar.
Hood release latch. Believe the bolts should be black phosphate, but I only have two blue ones left. Will correct later, but I want to get this latch on the car. Date code 0319 = 31st day of 1969, 25 days before scheduled car build.
Latch installed under the grill support.
Latch and hood "lift" spring installed.
Had a "Wayne" moment today, when my mind registered that a $200 NOS Pentastar had been listed in the classifieds last night and got to thinking.. where did mine go. The $10 reproduction plastic looks so fake beside a real die cast one.
It's not perfect, and the body shop lost my retainer speed nut it seems, but a quick polish and it already looks 10x better than the repro.
Repainted the perimeter black, that was missing, and retouched the interior lines.
I couldn't find some stuff, so I cleaned up my work bench. Just a BIT of the research I've printed out that I still need to use and the box is full of "done".
Found what I was looking for, almost panic'd because the plating house had already lost my OE and thankfully I was able to obtain this latch rod for a few bucks from the same lad (Steve) in New York State I'd bought my radiator from vs $300US for the full set in the picture. It had been the ONLY set I'd been able to locate and he would not separate and sell just the rod. My new friend in NY bailed me out, basically for postage costs.
Cool that you were able to use your original pentastar.
It's actually a used one I picked up at, I believe, the Oro Automotive Flea market in 1988 to replace my then beat up OE. Has a couple scratches on it that I don't dare try to sand out, but MUCH better looking than the plastic repop!
The Sounds of Spring... well actually I had to swap car bays to get the Bee on the hoist, but the sound of music to me!
https://youtu.be/qsik1PVO6xY (https://youtu.be/qsik1PVO6xY)
Vehicle bay swap so I can put the Bee on the hoist to do front fender shields and front bumper installation. Looks like I have more work in line.. Bird shut off everytime I let go of the key, until about the 10th start. Sounds like I have a ignition switch going.
Bee fired right up with choke on and one tap of the pedal, just like it always has for 40 years.
But we don't want to go out in the snow...
Nice snowscape..
..and another.
Carb rebuild kit and some smaller jets to try are on order for my 750 Holley. Idles way to rich and the idle mixture screws are almost all the way in.
Back on the hoist, so I don' have to slide around on the floor like a Harbour Seal.
Did a bit of dusting..
Why you never let your kids out of your sight. Paint shop jack standed the car to polish it and peeled some of my cosmoline off the LCA's. A bitch to try and duplicate my original dipping...
Headlight water shields and rubbers.
Metal shield in place. I had to drill the fender hole. It was either welded up somewhere in time, or the car never had shields on it to begin with. If it was welded, they did a good job hiding it.
So happy that I left the bumper off to do the shield install ! OE Pentastar looks so much better than the reproduction.
Rubber seals all in place with the stainless "snaps".
You might wonder what the "electrical marr connector" is for in the install kit.
The shield attach screw goes into the area between the grill support and the radiator support.
Fender splash shields ready for rubber seals and installation.
Frame rail and splash shield seal kits and hardware.
Splash shield vertical seals. There is a left and right, so before you start snapping them on verify hole location.
Where I purchased the fender splash shield seals, with GREAT service. I got the headlight shield seals from Classics in California, but wish I'd bought them elsewhere that didn't use UPS as their only shipping option.
My OE's to compare and get seals in correct directions.
Vertical rubber seal in place with it's attached push "pins". Shorter edge goes onto the shield, longer to fill the gap to fender.
Top rubber seals use plastic push pins. Surprising for the time period and considering all the other spots have metal retainer pins. When I first saw them I thought another repro "good enough". But they're exactly as per my OE.
Fender splash shield ready to install to the car.
I'll be watching to see if you can get those rear splash shields in place with all the gaskets attached. I couldn't make it happen. Struggled and struggled. I had to take the top gasket off, mount the shields then attach the gaskets. On the bottom gasket, I ended up making a little hook out of some spring wire to pull the rubber into the correct position.
Fender rim taped off and scuffed the clear coat on the tab that attaches to the splash shield.
Painted Black with some semi-gloss. Factory wouldn't have been this neat...
Ready for splash shield and it's black phosphate body bolt.
20 years from now, when the next round of restorers come on board they'll think they have all OE parts with these licensed reproduction bumper brackets. All part numbers and Chrysler logos stamped in by AMD, identical to my OE brackets. Not a good thing AFAIConcerned.
Inner brackets in place first.
And then the outers. Also installed the joiner bolt loose in each as there's not as much "play" in the mating holes as in the bracket slots.
All four brackets loosely in place.
AMD reproduction bumper ready to go, I previously painted the back, to prevent rust through, with Tremclad aluminum.
How to work alone. Two bolts taped in place so I could hold the bumper and get a nut on each bolt.
Safely in place with two bolts.
Flat washer, lock washer and nut. Item count is correct, but not OE correct for colour or quality. Don't crawl in there and look... [IMG]
What worked for me... I snugged each of the inner brackets down to the frame rail... with them slid out full so I wasn't worried about the bumper hitting the nose of the car.
I centered the bumper to get even "overlap" on each side of the car. My buddy lined it up perfectly!
Pretty darn close. I then snugged up the bumper to bracket bolts on the inner brackets ONLY to keep the bumper on center.
I then played a bit with gap distances using my fingers as a gauge (there's a joke in there somewhere). Once fairly happy I snugged up the bumper to bracket bolts on the outer brackets. Only then did I snug up the rear bracket bolt that pulls both brackets to the frame. If I had of tightened the bracket to frame first, I could have bent the bumper as the bumper bolts pulled it back to the bracket.
Checking for even bumper distance out from headlight buckets. I'm not measuring, I'm seeing where the ruler hits vs the bumper detail. A bit of playing on the left and right bracket assemblies "in and out" and I called it GOOD and tightened everything down!
Doesn't get much better than that, not on this car anyhow!
Reproduction signal lights that I painted the housings flat black previously.
Bit of dielectric grease on the connectors.
Had to tweak the mounting ears just a tad so the signal lights would sit correctly. Very slightly I must add, amazed at this AMD bumper so far.
Bumper on, signal lights in.
Clip nut on outer bumper bracket to attach the fender brace.
Fender brace in place.
Rock shield hardware and I found that there's four extra bolts there. Perfect, as I need two for my hood latch!
Rock guard. Another AMD reproduction that we stripped and painted with Black epoxy semi-gloss in the paint shop booth.
Four clip nuts go on the rock guard, where it attaches to the bottom of the bumper.
One clip nut goes on each of the inner bumper brackets, for a total of six.
Rock guard in place.
Down to rear fender well splash shields and LCA strut shields to install.
The only thing I'm not happy about on the AMD bumper. They punched the licence plate screw holder holes the same size as bumper bolts. Too big for the nylon screw retainers, they just fall out. Guess I'll have to do some shopping to see if someone sells a larger size.
Drivers side splash shield up into place.
Top bolt in first, then work your way down.
Glad I fitted the shields before the fender was on, as I still needed a helper to coax it up to get the lower bolt in.
Now we're where we need to be.
And a bit of cushy hammer work to get the fender "boss" over into place.
One down and 20 minutes gone.
Passenger side went similar but no way I was getting the lower bolt slot in place without pushing the fender out and no way I was doing that.
Marked the distance..
..and marked the shield accordingly.
Unibits rock!
Passenger side in place.
I previously cleaned up my OE K frame / strut shields by soaking them in 100LL Aviation fuel. It took years of goo, undercoating and the likes off of them and then I used a heat gun to reform them straight.
Interesting thing on my car, the passenger side was riveted on and the drivers side was bolted on with factory self taps. They are usually one or the other, but not BOTH! Head markings are correct for factory install. I found that my E track bolts, from my enclosed trailer, were as close to correct as you could get without waiting for reproductions. Head marking, from a distance, even looks right.
Passenger side and drivers side installed.
Looks like Steve at ECS missed a spot, but I can fix that...
Quick hit with the MIG and we should be good.
Had oldbee on FBBO ask me if my new signal lights worked before I buttoned everything up. Why wouldn't they, I had rears working previously with the harnesses all in place. All that is new is the installation of two reproduction signal light assemblies. Park lights worked, left signal fine, hit the right signal light and it blinked quickly and blew the fuse. So I disconnected the light from the harness and blew another fuse.. both lights disconnected and blew another fuse. Time to start looking around...
That can't be good, headlight adjuster spring screw right into the harness.
Right into the signal feed wire, missed the park light wire.
I get that fixed and now I have no signal lights at all, yet using the switch I can make the rear brake lights alternate from side to side. Can't be the switch... so time to trace for power. Power to the signal flasher unit and out the other side of same. I then found power at the red feed wire on the steering column.. on the column side, not the dash harness side and that only meant one thing.
One step forward.. TEN steps back. Pull the steering wheel to get at the switch assembly.
Popped apart and I can make the signal lights work by jumpering power to each contact.
The wire popped off my $10 repair plate.. . that'll teach me to save $250 on a mega dollar restoration. Can't believe it would decide to fail, right after it was working before I blew the fuses. I thought maybe a wire blew apart.. but no, the switch fell apart.
FAAWWWKKKKK !!!!
Ah too bad Wayne. You'll get it. Lucky no other damage though. Great detail! Love it.
OE hood latch that was cleaned, blasted and plated. It was built about 9 months before car build date. Assume same latch was used on '68's.
Release to latch rod and it's two retainer clips.
Latch installed and all hooked up. Always mystified at how Chryco painted the bolts loosely in place for the trunk latch, yet not the hood latch where they got plain black phosphate bolts.
Spent a bit of time and got the latch set just right..
Installed the trunk lock tumbler assembly. You can see the mess from where THREE body men in a high end shop, with a picture in hand, still installed my trunk seal in the wrong place AND upside down!
Trunk latch already in place with body colour bolts.
I learned years ago, if you've got a stickly latch/lock this is the answer. NOTHING else works like Gun Oil. If you own a Chevy Trailblazer, you should know that already!
Cleaning off the black goo that the guys used to install my trunk seal upside down with! Not sure what it was, but thankfully it didn't stick worth a damn and the seal peeled right off and goo came off easy with laquer thinner. Pointing to the "hidden" VIN stamp.
Hidden (by the seal) VIN stamped on the trunk gutter.
Detroit Muscle is generous... 6' extra.
Scuffing the clear coat so the adhesive can bite.
Adhesive I used, but I think it's just contact cement in a tube. Same process, same yellow colour.
Apply to both surfaces...
Let dry for 10 minutes
.. stick together. You get one shot and it's STUCK. Couldn't figure out why other guys were using clothes pins in their resto threads, it's not going anywhere.
I did a straight stretch and then a corner. Repeat. Be careful not to stretch the seal as you work.
Corner bonded in place.
Spreading an even layer of glue with finger. Same deal on the rubber seal.
Rounding turn 3.
Seal first cut clean for a nice tight fit.
I then carefully trimmed a little channel out of the bottom. This is incase water does get in behind the seal, along the rear of the trunk, it can drain out.
Last section tacking up, ready to put in place.
Seal totally installed.
Fit is beautiful.
Shows the overlap and the drain channel out the bottom. The factory did not do this.
Rear trunk lip to tail panel bumpers. About 7/8" in diameter and 3/4" high.
Drivers side in place. My car hasn't had these bumpers in place for over 40 years.
How to get them in.. punch inside to stretch the lock tab into the hole.
I had to take about 1/8" off the passenger side rubber to get a nice even trunk fit.
I need to make one final trunk lid check and a minor in/out adjustment prior to floating the stripe decal into place.
Washer pump that I'd cleaned up way back to install to a new reservioir. Installing in correct orientation, with "lock tab" into tank detent. I've seen many with the pump turned 180 degrees!
Sliding the inside washer in place
7/8 deep socket to put the strainer/nut on.
Tightened snub by hand.
Brown wire from the harness and the correct ribbed tubing to the windshield squirters.
Tank fastened in place. Filled it with fluid and it leaked out through the pump shaft seal. I quickly siphoned the contents back out. Back to square one, I need a new pump. Pressure check yours before you get this far!
I'd dropped the weatherstripping adhesive cap yesterday and of course it went right down the fender extension! Figured I'd vacuum it out and see what else I could find.
Only way to see in while moving the suction hose along.
Got my cap and a few extra trinkets that the paint shop dropped, I guess while test fitting my quarter panel rear escutcheons / caps / end pieces.. what ever you want to call the finish pieces.
Spare tire bolt installed with it's original OE hardware.
Figured it was time to wipe 2 years of dust out of the car before doing the body plugs.
Ready to sort out plug placement.
I see these missing on so many cars. Don't forget your fender extension plugs under the car. Great place for mice to crawl in.
Plug in place
Never thought figuring out plastic vs rubber plugs, even using Justin's pictures and Top Tans lay out diagrams would take so long. Had to do some juggling on rubber to plastic plugs due to part count in the kit. My OE's were beyond reusing, except for 2 of the smaller rubber ones (thankfully) as the kit was 2 short
Trunk plugs all in. The small rubber ones will test your strength!
I now know why AMD stamps bigger licence plate holes in their bumpers... it matches current day repair kits. Wish they weren't beige colour, but they'll have to do.
They snapped in nice and tight, unlike the "proper" sized reproductions of the original equipment. You can also see the rubber bumper that holds the plate off the steel bumper.
Always hated the trunk arms hitting steel on steel. Fixed that today by gluing in a rubber spacer or each arm while I still had the weatherstrip adhesive out
Taking rebuilding every piece of this car way too far....
If you've been looking for the date code on a windshield washer pump, it's on the end of the motor.... between it and the pump housing. 285th day of 1968
I've changed a few impellor seals in my life, but none this small ! Looks like a water tap washer.
When you can't get the correct Black zinc phosphate bolts you make the shiny ones you have look like so. Quick dusting of flat black so they are different than the semi gloss black grill. That way it doesn't look like I painted everything in place.
Interesting tip for the "steel on steel", back when I treated my car as just a car I had a lot of that banging going on. I would always cringe just a little bit.
Funny what we didn't care about before being $150K + in.. :lol:
Gray day so thought perfect to align my headlights. Tape height a bit optomistic, not thinking how far the car was going to sink in the mud.
Still gave me the correct verticals to get them close enough to put the grill in, as once I put the interior in and the spare tire in the trunk the ass end will come down a bit.,, I hope.
Thought I should get rid of the masking tape in the safety catch hole. Replaced it by bonding in some rubber edging. No point in chipping the paint..
Center grill section all ready to go into place.
Both ends the same, the two small clips with the screw thread side in / aft, two large clips threads out / forward.
Two small clips on each headlight bucket stand off.
How not to peel the paint on the screws and washers. Plastic between bolt head and a SIX point socket.
Center section in..
A bit of adjustments and a bit of grill twisting to get perfectly even gaps top and bottom.
Contrast between grill and bolts to give it that factory look.
Time to revisit the headlight eyebrows that I set to one side a few weeks ago. First I used some 320 around a ruler end to sand out the ridgy hand painted black that I just couldn't get to lay down smooth.
Going with my first idea, build a mask. Two flower pot tops and a few rounds of tape, slid in from the back with a tight fit.
Carefully taped off the argent edges by basically standing masking tape on it's edge. For the end "horseshoe" I formed a piece of cardboard so it sat right on the edge of the black / argent transition and propped it into place.
Everything taped off, without really sticking tape to any paint, and resprayed with CDA1603 Semi-Gloss Black.
Quickly removed the tape and also the tape I had covering the lone "chrome" detail rib, along with the tape that had been protecting the outer "chrome" ring.
Not perfect, but I'm finally happy with them. Still have to take an exacto knife and clean off a bit of black on the detail ribs but I'll be able to install them tomorrow. Excuse the workbench... it's a bad habit with flat surfaces!
A little bit of dental work to clean up a bit of bleed out
A little polish and touch up on the "Argent".
Headlight eyebrows installed to the car.
Looks pretty spiffy..
Front end of the car all done, other than alignment, adjuster hole shield install and undercoating in the wheel wells. Oh and wiper arms and blades, I have some nice NOS ones for that!
Yep.. DADS BEE ! Couldn't believe that plate was available when I ordered it 2 years back.
:coolgleamA: looks awesome ! :2thumbs: :coolgleamA:
THANKS T T ! :cheers:
Looks nice, Take it to the next Woodward Dream Cruise :scratchchin: LEON.
Beautiful Wayne! Well done! :2thumbs:
Thanks guys, still lots to do! Roof rail seals, Door glass, flip outs, interior, tail stripe, replace my turn signal switch, seats.....
Thought I should tackle the rear flip out windows first. I didn't pull any of the glass, other than the windshield, so been a tad apprehensive as to how this is going to go. Why I wanted to remove all the glass and trim, but the paint shop moved the car pickup forward by a month and wanted the glass left in. Wish I'd said "no I'm taking it out so I know where everything goes and can take pictures".. but I didn't want to miss my chance since I'd jumped their wait line by over a year.
Something I've always hated, the passenger side latch has never gone over center to lock. So I bought a spare set for parts and guess what ! I wonder how many thousand were done wrong before anyone noticed.. or if they ever did.
Knocked the pivot pin out on both spare latches to see how far off they have the pivot pin hole.
Yah.. that might do it. NFG location on the left.. good on the right.
Cut a piece of 1/8" drill bit shank to fill the hole.
Put the filler pin in place and drilled a new 1/8" hole beside it to move the pivot point.
Worked good on the spare, time to do it on something expensive in fresh chrome.
Success, other than some dumb ass with a grinder just had to lick the filler pin.
Didn't want to pound on the good one, pin pressed into place with channel locks.
Now both Preying Mantis' sit the same height and will actually lock the window.
Drivers window assembly apart by removing the tubular rivet at each end of the hinge channel.
Removed rivet.
The "hinge" is just the same mylar type seal and slider pins that are used on the door glass on the front edge. I had hoped a single strip would be just cut in half, so I'd have a spare, but nope gotta use a set as they're a few inches too short to get two from one.
Carefully seperating the two sides of the OE guide sliders ( glass retainer in this case) so I can use them in the front door glass vs reproductions. Repros are good enough for these windows as they don't slide, but are too thick for the door glass to work correctly.
All the parts laid out.
OE hinge / seal with one side torn off, showing the punched hole top and slot bottom that the slider pins go through and then the holes in the glass.
OE left, properly shaped and curved Chrysler OEM middle and reproduction right. Both expensive as hell and getting worse. As much or more than $300US a pair now I hear for the OEM, if you can find a set. The Repro is no where near correct and over $100 for two pieces of mylar, but will be used in the flip out windows. The OEM on the door glass.
Testing the repro seal in the hinge channel.
Doesn't fit too bad, but needs that incorrect edge trimmed off the curl to sit correctly.
It's looking sweet! Home stretch!
Thanks! :cheers:
Old turn signal assembly, ready to pop the wires out of the connector so that I can get the ribbon cable up through the collars.
NOS turn signal switch assembly slid into place. Don't ever want to have to buy another of these.. $430CDN and the border police missed me for tax!!
New wires snapped into the OE connector. Note the orientation as they only go one way so they mate with the dash harness plug that also has male pins that angle up against each other.. man that doesn't sound right...
Bit of white grease in the turn lever shaft hole.
New switch plate screwed down. Pic shows metal plate + 3 screws to do so.
Turn actuator lever going into place and showing the correct bolt it mates to.
Lever tightened in.
Joining the switch plug to the dash harness plug and then testing the signal lights before reinstalling the steering wheel.
Video showing turn signal auto cancel test before fully seating the wheel into place.
https://youtu.be/UXIl5YoAWEM (https://youtu.be/UXIl5YoAWEM)
Figure I may as well show how it all buttons up for those that have a box of parts. Ribbon cable is hidden with the metal plate shown.
Then the column support plate is put into place with plastic sliders, funky washers, nuts and don't forget your ground strap wire. 4 bolts from the plate to the column, tighten those first.
Wheel goes on lightly first and test your turn signal auto cancel to make sure they work before going any further. Then put the washer and nut on and tighten the wheel down into place. Horn actuator switch is next with 3 x 6-32 screws and then hook up the output wire to the tab. This sends a ground signal to the horn relay when you hit the horn pad.
Next the horn pad frame goes into place with it's three 8-32 screws.
Then the horn pad goes on with it's single washer and bolt.
Pad installed.
Center cover has a tab on the right side, that goes into a pocket and then it pops into place. Remember where this tab is for when you are removing it. Pry it out from the left side!
Wheel all back together and I can get back to glass...
That a reconditioned wheel? Sure looks good. And thanks on the tip on the center medallion. I'd forgotten about that.
No it's a repop wheel Mitch from PG Classics here in Canada.. well china really ! I rebuilt the horn pad from a mess as you can see way back in this thread. I had to re and re the wheel to replace my turn switch that fell apart...
Can't believe the chrome and polish shop actually polished these and never removed the weatherstripping gooo.
Goo all off and I repolished the hinge channel with green and then rouge on the softer wheel.
Repro "slider" material cut to length of the glass.
I trimmed off the incorrect "turn up" on the edge of the curls.
Right side trimmed, left to do yet.
Used a hole punch to make the holes.
One end pegged and the other marked for a slot to duplicate the OE.
I can't caution enough how EASY these things will rip on the sharp edge of the channel going in. Go SLOW and work them in carefully.
Glass, hinge channel together and ready for mating to the frame.
OE had a single long semi-tubular rivet, but I'm using some Avex I have on each side to put them back together.
Assembly all together, time for a new rubber seal.
Precision QWP 3411 68 seal kit. This is the part number for both left and right gaskets.
QWL 4111 68 is the left seal and QWR3411 68 is the right side.
At about this point I was glad I used some of my Avex rivets to put the hinge channel back on. No way I was fighting the seal into place assembled and I drilled the hinge channel rivets back out.
Seal pressed down tight into the latch end first.
Seal then worked into the channel from the latch out to the ends.
Seal perfectly in place. You will see the relief in the rubber where the joiner rivet would pass though, so you can make sure you have it in the correct place.
Glass in place and hinge channel cleco'd into place.
Lets rivet this bugger again.
All riveted together and seal sits perfect still.
Latch hardware. Outside chrome "nut", long wall rubber washer, thin rubber and screw.
Outer "nut" and rubber washer in place.
Rubber, latch and screw from the inside.
Top of the hinge channel sealed with some Butyl.
Couldn't find a spec but I grabbed this foam a while back as it looked similar in size to pictures of the OE I had when I was taking my interior out. Unfortunately the paint shop toasted all that foam and I never got to see it to be 100% sure.
Foam is 7/16 thick x 3/4 wide. It goes from the bottom of the hinge channel, over the top and around to just past the latch plate. Ready to install to car.
NOTE: DO NOT USE THIS FOAM! YOU NEED AN OPEN CELL approximately 5/8 to 3/4" wide x 1/2" thick.
Passenger side coming apart ready to rebuild.
This side the hinge material wasn't as busted up and I noted that on the inside it is trimmed back to about the same width as the rubber seal for a better mating I presume. This shot is the top.
This is the bottom end showing how it is trimmed back.
Passenger side rear window assembly with new rubber seal, hinge material, etc and ready to rivet the hinge channel in place.
All together and foam on. DO NOT use this weatherstripping foam as I found it won't compact enough to install the window. Needs to be cheap open cell foam from the days of old...
Rear window "roof rail" trim with show side all polished up and the foam seals cut to length. Make sure you cut a piece from each roll or you won't have a continuous piece left for one of the front doors.
Weatherstrip adhesive applied to both parts, "flashed off" and then the foam seals stuck in place.
Correct #10 screws to install. I believe the three longer ones are for the "B post" where there is a deco trim and the weatherstrip holder overtop of each other.
Installing the roof rail trim. Make sure you install the rear most screw first as it's a fixed hole for postioning. The other three are slots.
Both rear roof rail trim pieces in place.
Fighting to try and get the window to go high enough to clear the quarter panel. Appears I can't compress the foam enough to do so, so need to remove and replace the foam with some cheap open cell style foam. The stuff I used is beyond "1969" standards apparently.
I wasted the entire morning trying to find some open cell foam. Nobody sells it anymore.. not even in White. I went to EVERY hardware and lumber yard in town as well as CTC. Thankfully I had a package buried in my stash, but a size smaller than I really wanted. I would have prefered 1/2" thick x 5/8" wide but the 3/8 x 1/2 I had seemed to do the trick. "New age" weatherstrip removed and open cell installed, ready to hopefully put the windows in.
I've had the windows in and out more times than my favourite hobby by this point. Still can't get the rear end to come in against the quarter panel so I'll do the other side and see what happens there.
Upper seal lip sits inside on it's own most of the way and the rear is sitting out. I presume, as the FSM detail pictures suck, that it's supposed to be tucked up inside.
All tucked in pretty...
Drivers side window went in fairly nice. The lower seal is not quite touching the quarter panel, but I'm thinking they probably never did and just leaked into the quarter panel like window whiskers would have with roll downs. That said I am going to take some 1/8" or so cord material and jam it up under the the seal into the V between the frame and flap, which should force the seal out tight to the quarter panel.
Finally some glass in the sides...
Mind boggling why the trim polishing place took it upon themselves to remove the joggle in the roof rail trim (pass side only), cracked it and welded it straight. Part of the reason my passenger window won't sit out against the quarter panel. So I put the joggle back!
Now the roof rail trim can come out to where I think it belongs and hopefully the window assembly agrees. Saving that swearing for tomorrow..
Roof rail inspection before installing sealing foam.
B post section slips onto the roof rail.
Roof rail foam glued in place and it also seemed fitting to add the same open cell foam, that I used on the rear window assembly, to the B post piece . Roof rail foam NOT glued at end of channel so B post piece can move to final location in door frame. FSM is totally useless when it comes to how Post cars go together.
Stainless trim piece for the B post. Some post cars didn't get this piece and just stayed painted on the B post.
Trim piece loosely in place.
Roof rail and B post seal channels screwed into place.
Passenger side. You can see where I left the rail seal loose at the end so the B post channel can find it's place.
Passenger side roof rail screwed into place.
Roof rail seal that I bought and I'm using. Metro SuperSoft # RR 4001
A quick straighten before install.
Working the seal into place. To avoid stretching I started at the B post corner as it was the most positive location. Then tucked the A post corner in place and the lower end on the A post where there is a location tab . Then worked the seal in between all locations.
Roof rail seal pegged in place.
Again with the plastic brush handle soaked in window cleaner. Without the "lube" it's VERY easy to mar the surface of this seal material.
Drivers side roof rail seal in place.
Passenger side in place.
Door seals that I used # LM 23. They have been on since paint, but thought prudent to show part number and install.
Door seals fit VERY well. No glue on them, even though Metro states to use same between "pins".
Front "wing" window seals. # WR 2308 for the pair.
Wing window posts that were rechromed.
Now to put the puzzle together. Didn't even realize that the chrome / stainless polisher vendor didn't put them back together again.
Was about to head to town to go see the glass guy when my brain said "go check your own shelves in the hangar". Call it NOS glass setting tape, probably older than my car but still as good as the day it was made.. PPG even!
My OE mirror missed the "ship out for chrome" box, so we'll have to pretty it up the best we can.
Lots of tiny pit holes, but we'll see how well it cleans up. Have to be carefull not to go too far and have a copper looking mirror instead.
White cutting media on the yellow wheel and Rouge on the soft wheel. A bit of 2000 sand paper in a few places to boot.
Rubbed down with MAAS
Dremel to get into the tighter spots.
FINALLY, a reproduction part that is spot on with correct details, other than part number! :rolleyes:
Mirror installed to car with new gasket, captive washer 1/4" nut on the stud inside the door and oval head philips screw from the top.
Making sure I've located all the parts for the puzzle to get the door glass done. Gotta thank the dozen + guys before me that documented at least part of the assembly and it's parts... as the FSM is lacking to say the least.
More chromer BS. Driver's side pin left jammed into swivel head and chromed. Pin is suppose to be mounted in vent frame.
Pin clamped in vice and crow bar to remove, of course damaging the new chrome on the swivel head because it slipped.
On the other side, they left the pin in and it got chromed, so is now larger in diameter than the hole in the swivel head it mates to.
Had to ream that swivel head out to #12.
Installing the drivers side pin with some JB weld to keep it in. It's been rotating improperly there for 40+ years.
Special screw that holds the post and vent window frame together. 10-24 flat head with threads cleaned up.
Cleaning out the threads after chroming with a 10-24 tap.
Common failure, the bottom "hook" breaks off the window track. I remember brazing this one back on, in the car, back in '88. Since it was crooked, only being welded on one side (and didn't appear it would fit through the door slot ) I cut it off and cleaned it up.
Then MIG welded it back into place straight and then cleaned up the OE spot welds inside the track that sat proud, so they don't catch the door glass slider material.
Cleaning out the track with a rag stuffed tight and acetone. Checking for any places that catch and carefully filing them smooth with a riffler file.
I learned today why the chrome and polishing specialist didn't put the window frame back together, after his $415 PER side cost even though it was quoted as Re and Re. Not sure how big a pry bar they used to take them apart, but the swage ring was still on the old bosses and the frame wouldn't fit back over them. Dremel to clean off the "ring".
I actually had to open a few holes a size up to get the vent frame sitting tightly to the front post.
Not a great start, first hit and a swagging nub snapped off. Good thing there are two. I HIGHLY suggest to anyone else, clearance the frame holes.. test fit to make sure everything sits right... pull apart.. apply panel bond adhesive and then clamp the frame back into place over night. DO NOT attempt to swage the nubs to hold it together.
Should have experimented on the passenger side first, since that door will be seen less! :P I did manage to put both frames together with only this one casualty because it moved on my bucking bar as I hit the swagging nub with the punch. A helper today would have been swell...
Chromer also increased the size of the pivot shafts so big they won't even consider going into the holders. Had to take the belt sander to them and bring them back down to size.
I cut the 0.060" thick glass setting tape 9.5" long to match the glass & holder frame length. Not sure why "Tony's Parts" install information calls out only 8" as it will leave 3/4" of bare spot on each side/end of the glass, the other end detents get filled with black RTV to simulate the OE gasket shape.
Setting "tape" ready to lay over the vent glass holder.
Tape in place and glass pressed into same, making sure it's center in the casting.
I couple good taps of persuasion to fully seat the glass.
Trim the excess tape off.
Glass nicely in place. The open end on the right gets filled with black RTV, as does the one on the left on the other side to finish it up. OE style gaskets don't seem to be reproduced.
New Precision gaskets cleaned up with glass cleaner and lubed with same during install.
I started in the sharp corner at the top. I had a bit of a bump in the gasket along the A post and then noticed there is a "nubb" to locate at the top, about an inch before the top corner. Needed to force the seal up slightly and all went into place.
After the top corner the A post was completed next. Lots of lube and the paint brush handlle to force rubber into front bottom corner and then across the bottom making sure pivot hole is centered. Up the window slider post last.
Test install had the top of the glass out onto the frame a bit.. shown by my finger.
I used one of the lower frame holder pins to give the pivot mount a little tweek to bring the glass top forward.
Upper pivot ear and gasket.
Bit of grease and ear/gasket put into place.
Inside gasket, bezel and screw. Story of my life, screw just a bit short, won't catch enough threads.
Almost done. Needs a longer screw, retainer split pin on lock lever installed as well as the split pin on pivot shaft that restricts the rotation travel.
Very nice. Getting close to being done, seems like they are they never "done" though :lol:
Thank! Almost there.. but the list still seems LONG...
Need to get her done and the interior back in for Daughter's wedding first of all, but I need to get onto the Bird so I have it roadworthy for Dega as well and with Spring here friggin customers are bugging me about their float planes.. :lol:
Wavy spring washer goes on lock post first, a bit of grease on the post and then the knob.
Lock knob in place and split pin ready to install using channel locks to push the pin into place.
Rotation stop pin installed to pivot shaft.
Other than finding a bit longer screw for each upper pivot bezel the vent frames are ready to move on to door glass installation.
Lock side window channels. This is a post car and channels are unique for it vs hardtops. New guides are Cat Wiskers # AS2001 or National Moparts # WS302
Drill out the two rivets that hold the rubber/felt guide in place.
Repro rivets on the left.. OE on the right. Time to look through my rivet shelves for something with a similar small flat head as not using those big things.
Reproductions are VERY close to the OE's. They are the right shape, size and interior felt like material. OE guide rubber/felt part # 2860398 for the OE crowd.
Well I found a "few" rivets that should work to duplicate the fit of the OE ones. AN442-AD4-3
OE / AN442 / Reproduction. 442-4-3's have the correct head diameter and length to work perfect. Afraid those big head suppled semi tubulars will sit proud and be a rub spot.
New rubber/felts slipped into place leaving about 1/8" proud at top of channel.
Back drilled through the rubber for the rivets.
I drilled a piece of scrap wood and put all 4 rivets into same and ran them on the belt sander to half thickness.
They now match the OE rivets head thickness and I gave the new surface edge a quick sand to round off.
Rivets into place with tweezers and then pushed through the rubber and metal channel.
I used an old mould ejector pin the same diameter as the rivet head as my bucking bar and a ball peen to set the rivets.
Perfect, nicely down below the felt surface.
Cut off the excess leaving a bit of overhang.
I slipped both lock side channels onto my new glass. Drivers side runs smooth, passenger not so much. Leaving them this way to see if it's just from "packaging set" before I open up the metal channel slightly.
Go big or go home.. I read enough warnings to not use the repop vent window slider material and bought OEM's awhile back. Somewhere around $300 for these two pieces of mylar/felt. Proper shape, curved to match the glass = no jamming.
Lock pin/sliders that go through the glass and inside the slider felts. OE left, OEM middle and repop right.
OE lock pin/slider center hubs touch when in the glass. OEM hubs will touch, but gap is not enough for glass and slider felt thickness. Repops are terrible in all regards, worked well in the rear flip outs, but not for the door glass. It's been long documented they are "too thick", but in reality it's the inner (glass side) faces that need to be relieved to match the glass/felt thickness and not reduced on the outside edge to make them work if you have no choice.
Test "slide" of the mylar felts.
I found on both vent frames that the felts catch the stainless as they go up the channel. Probably not an issue once all together, but I'm not taking that chance.
Just a few licks of the file and everything slides smooth.
OE passenger glass ready to remove old mylar felts, slider pins and raising/lowering bracket.
The plastic "peg" is actually a "rivet". Give the center a light rap and if it won't move in this direction hit it from the other side. This one went out this way and the drivers side wouldn't budge, but just a light tap from the other side and it shot right out.
Bracket off ready for clean up and then install a new gasket between it and the new glass.
New Repop rivet top, OE bottom.
Reference dimension from top corner of glass to start of mylar felt = 11/16". Checked my SuperBird and its are at 9/16". Spec is probably a 5/8"..
Door glass up stop at the bottom rear of the glass. Remove screw and carefully push it out of the glass. I made the mistake of squeezing it and snapped a tab off.
Attention body and paint people. When you're done all your skim coat blocking and filler priming, clean up the lock tumbler holes with clearance before paint! These are brand new door skins, I shouldn't be doing this.
10 minutes to a nice smooth fit and of course I have to touch up the paint so it doesn't rust out from the hole.
Then the dilemma ! Sealing gaskets...
I have this complete kit. Black for handles, whitish gray for locks.
And I'd bought others.. Gray, beige, clear, mystery black o-ring I tried but won't work cleanly. Why not BLACK FFS !?
Magic in a can! Key locks have never turned so smooth.
I was scratching my head for a bit. Both of my locks had the arm pointing the same way, which is impossible to install or hook up. Looking at the ends I noticed a brand new C clip on the drivers lock. Guess it fell apart when removed and they put it back together backwards. Drivers side left, passenger side right.
New door handle that was installed by the paint shop. I kept meaning to get around to installing the reinforcing plates I bought over a year ago. DON'T WAIT.. do it NOW!
This is my drivers door, just from closings to date. I pushed the dent out the best I could with a rubber covered hammer handle.
Door reinforcement plates and 5 minute GAP FILLING epoxy.
Test fit before install.
About 1/2 the syringes of epoxy mixed up and buttered on.
Quickly put into place and the nuts just finger tight so the epoxy can take the shape of the door.
Looking good at this point.
Fortunately my window regulators are in great shape, even the plastic rollers. Removed them from the doors to be sure no glass media is inside them and to lube ready for install.
Krown in the drive gear bushings and pivot, wheel bearing grease on the teeth and guide surfaces.
Interior door handle to door latch release rod. Thought I had some of this cloth sheathing to re and re, but size I had was too small.
Some heat shrink tube will clean it up and keep the anti-rattle desire intact.
Passenger side.
Shot to show the correct clip to hold the rod to the inside door handle. The latch mechanism end just sits in a hole with no clip.
Retainer clip for the key locks.
Key lock in place and hooked up, showing proper retainer clips for it and for the door handle push button to latch mechanism rod.
A few hours later I tightened up the door handle nuts. Beauty is back and dent is gone!
How the "lock side" glass channel sits.
So glad to say... we're ready for glass!.. and I'll be so happy to be past this stage if all goes well!
Vent frame channel up stop / rail cap.
Installed. There is a left and a right.
I'm so sick of AMD glass and wish I'd bought it all from ECS, not AMD through National Moparts.
This is nobodies fault but my own. I picked it up in person and should have inspected it on site before leaving. Scratch right in the center of the door glass. That and finished shape compared to OE is sad workmanship to say the least.
Lift channel attached to new glass with "gasket" and new plastic rivet. Pin on rivet not set yet.
Just happens that is the exact distance the hole punch will reach from an end!
Showing this "mistake" so nobody else makes it! Hole is too close to the bottom of the felt / edge of the glass.
Test fit shows the hole being where I punched it puts the felts about 3/32 too far out from where they should run in the channel.
Also appears I have a burr somewhere and shows how easy these felts tear.. break out the riffler files. Fortunately I hadn't cut the felt to length yet and had enough left to redo the end.
Felt cut off and repunched, dead center this time.
Hole punched dead center = slider pins fit perfect. Fortunately by using my old rear flip out window slider pins, I had 4 sets of OE's that weren't cracked to reuse and didn't have to modify the repros to use.
Felts cleaned and lubed, again just using window cleaner, and THE VENT CHANNEL carefully slid onto the glass / felt assembly. It's easier to slide the frame onto the glass, while holding the felts, than trying to slide the glass into the channel.
Drivers door glass assembly ready for install.
More AMD glass BS on the passenger door glass.... Slider pin hole is almost 1/8" too far from the edge of the glass!
This is the felt shoved on as far as it will go.
OE over AMD.
Fortunately the hole is in the correct place, the edge of the glass is 1/8" too long compared to the OE.
Go big or go home! At this point I really didn't care of it shattered into a million pieces. Took my time to keep the heat down and kept the 40 grit flap disc moving along the edge and removed that 1/8" of glass.
Same deal as the drivers side on the slider felt / pins and assembly and the passenger is ready for install.
Door gap taped off to hopefully avoid any chips or scratches.
Light coating of grease in the lift channel.
Used some felt strip I had for anti-rattle and then put the mounting pin into place.
Entire assembly set into place. Despite what the FSM says I found I had to remove the regulator, install the roller to the lift channel track and then bolt the regulator back in place.
Tried twice and kept getting the vent rubber hung up at the A pillar. Couldn't hold it in place and the window at the same time. Chipped some paint as well...
Fortunately the wife appeared in the shop and while she held the lock end of the glass I held both sides of the vent rubber with thumb and forefinger and lowered the assembly into place with success.
Long bolt goes in the top door hole, through the A pillar frame and into a captive nut in the door.
Everything sitting loosely in place. I found if you put the window full up (without the lock end glass up stop in place) it will tip the vent frame forward and make it easy to set up.
Found eyeballing the vent frame gasket for parallel to the door panel worked perfect and then snugged up the A pillar top bolt and the fork nut.
Allen head bolt tightened up.
Nice even gap up the A pillar and across the top of the roof rail.
Up stop installed to the lock end of the glass.
I set the lock end guide channel up so that the glass sat centered in the door gap. Then checked how it closed against the roof rail seals and all looked good.
Door glass seals / wipers. "Cat Whiskers" Part # 990828
Note there are lefts and rights, the clip spacing is not even.
With the glass fully down you can just get them into place. If you don't have enough room adjust your down stop on your regulator to give you more room.
Seals in place. Love the Catwhisker design as an "eavestrough".
SIX hours. Two door glass assemblies together and one installed.
Door end seal that came off the car left and new repro right. Not sure if the removed was OE with the glass slot or something "borrowed" through the years from a hardtop.
Without glass slot seems to work just fine.
Passenger assembly in place and I'm taking a rest after struggling to get it to go in. Found that my allen head bolt area wasn't opening up for some reason. Gave it a little twist from below with a flat screwdriver and success there after.
2 hours on door #2 ! All set up, tightened up and whiskers in place.
So nice to have all the glass in!
Taped off all the ends of the wing windows.
Filled that void with some Black silicon sealant and then immediately peeled the tape.
Almost looks like a factory gasket now.
Looking great!! So many things here I wish I saw before attempting mine which would have saved me time. Thanks again for posting all of this stuff in detail.
Getting so much closer! :cheers: :cheers: :popcrn:
Quote from: timmycharger on April 11, 2019, 07:40:19 AM
Looking great!! So many things here I wish I saw before attempting mine which would have saved me time. Thanks again for posting all of this stuff in detail.
Getting so much closer! :cheers: :cheers: :popcrn:
Hey, yours is one of the glass installs I had printed out on the bench amongst the others... trying to get a full "picture" before I started. :cheers:
Re and re'd the passenger rear glass a few times and while I made it better, this is the closest I could get the rubber seal to the quarter panel. There's been seam sealer in there since new quarters went on in '78, which suggests us teens didn't get it quite right back then!
My solution, some 1/4" diameter rubber I have on hand.
Jammed the round rubber stock up between the glass frame and the rubber seal to force it out against he quarter panel.
Worked very well and stayed in place.
Seal pushed nicely over to the quarter now.
Silicon RTV smeared across the seal, 1/4" rubber and quarter to hold everything in place and water tight.
Managed to get the drivers side rear window assembly sitting very nice, the seal just a hair shy of the quarter panel.
This rubber edging that I use on airplane fairings was perfect to slide in place.
The U shape makes it perfect to push up into place between the metal window frame and the rubber seal.
Better view of the rubber gap filler going into place.
And a smear of RTV and it's water tight.
Bit of a gap in both back corners, so taped them off and filled.
Black silicon into place with finger.
Tape peeled and looks nice and clean. Without a light, you don't even see it actually.
INTERIOR HERE I COME!
New trunk divider panel for behind the rear seat from Legendary.
New package tray.
Some of the interior parts. Rear trim panels and roof rails painted TX9 Gloss Black, door panel trim polished, window trim cleaned and wiped down a few weeks ago with Transmission fluid. That returned the darkness to the black.
Some of the interior parts. Rear trim panels and roof rails painted TX9 Gloss Black, door panel trim polished, window trim cleaned and wiped down a few weeks ago with Transmission fluid. That returned it's darkness to the black.
I removed the headliner install clips I used, since it's now glued along the pinch weld. Now I have them for the next job.. lol
The rear window package tray and it's trim. Supposably this trim piece is Plymouth, the Dodge is supposed to go on the pinch weld before glass install to hide the butyl. All I know is this has ALWAYS been in the car.
Trim gets stapled to the package tray.
If you just slide it back you'll be stuck in the butyl and it'll look like....
Start in one corner and "pie" lift it into place so the trim sits above the butyl sealant.
Package tray and trunk divider in place.
Package tray retainer brackets. I rebent them for a better fit than stock.
I installed them to check shape and then took them back out for paint.
Nicest thing about the package tray, it's little "push" made my headliner sail panels fit perfect.
Drivers side.
Gotta love it..
Don't forget your water deflectors.
The deflectors clip onto the interior panel of the rear window "well".
Need to clean up my A and B pillar covers.
Shape of the B pillar trim. Don't lose it, apparently it's not reproduced.
Such detail Wayne! We're all watching. Thanks
Just like a good paint job, interior installation is all in the prep work. I have soaked and scrubbed these trim pieces for hours and see why guys give up and paint them.
Wet they look shiny, but always return to looking gray in the grain.
Based on me using it for other stuff and how it worked, I soaked the A pillar trim pieces in Easy Off oven cleaner for 20 minutes, scrubbed with a brush, then lightly with some green scotchbrite.
Rinse and wash with soap... and look at that!
Did the same with the filthy B pillar "windlace" that is not reproduced. They cleaned up nicely as well and then I wiped them down with "Wipe New". Outers done, middle not.
A pillar trim, left coated with Wipe New and right not.
All ready to install, like new trim!
B pillar windlace in place.
A pillar shown in installation postion.
Make sure you watch that the tab goes under the metal in the dash area so it fits into the corner up against the windshield gasket correctly.
A pillar trim in place.
Drivers side showing the correct #10 washer head screws. The ones in the repro kit had the wrong heads, but you can buy correct ones at NAPA.
Don't miss the screw up under the dash.
Hope you put these windshield trim retainers in before you installed the windshield! (you could get them in now, but wouldn't be fun)
The windshield to headliner trim was previously painted the same flattish black as the dash. It does not get painted gloss TX9 like the other interior trim pieces. #8 x 5/8" oval head screws x 6.
Windshield to headliner trim in place, over top of the A pillar trim pieces.
Headliner to roof rail trim uses 6 of these clips and one screw.
Clips slide it place like so. This is the the drivers side, picture taken from the front looking rearward.
3 on the front door section and three on the rear seat area. I used a bit of butyl to hold them in place so they didn't slide off while installing.
Screw goes about 4" from the front end, into the roof rails screw slot. Rubber hammer used to knock the trim clips tight onto the headliner mounting edge.
One side in place!
Detail of how the trim fits around the B pillar windlace. Why the lace goes on first.
Sail panel sure sitting nice now! I put the last clip on the headliner/roof rail trim about 1" from the back.
Door panel vapour barrier. I told Patik I had a coupe and didn't want crank holes in the back... he gave me no arm rest holes either.
Mind you, same thing with the panels. No crank holes and arm rests not punched out either. Don't think any car came without rear arm rests...
Arm rest screw holes. I cut out the plugs and carefully cut the outer material.
Windlace for the lower rear door openings.
My old ones are pretty beat up and grungy, but thinking they're going to get the Easy Off treatment as well to see if I can use them.
Generic braided repro on the left... and OE GRAINED windlace on the right.
My back locked up crawling out and thought I'd grab a shot from the floor!!
Figured as good a time as any to put some wax on the rear trim panels. Again painted TX9 Gloss Black.
My door windlace was covered in paint from a poorly taped off paint job in '88 and 50 years of grime. Didn't want to use the incorrect reproductions so I coated these with full strength paint stripper for 15 minutes, gave a quick scrub and a rinse. Absolutely beautiful, even before a wipe of Wipe New.
Checking for location with trim panel. Windlace goes inside about 1/2".
Windlace in place, looks brand new.
Rear seat vapour barrier installation. Cord seal (draft caulking) put around top and sides, as well as arm rest screw holes. (I also misted some Krown rust inhibitor into some seams before I closed this up)
Vapour barried pressed into place.
At the bottom you flip the barrier into the slot at the bottom of the frame so any water drains into the quarter panel.
Then you tape the bottom.
Passenger side trim panel all in place, with the stainless "door" panel retainer.
Drivers side all together. Everything fit very nice. Panel is tight to window rubber seal, headliner install undisturbed.
The parts just keep coming! Sorting out what OE and what Repro parts to use for arm rests, door handles, etc.
One rear arm rest needs a bit of help, but other than that a good cleaning and they're all usable.
Clamp and rulers to have a workable part, then contact cement and spring clamps to get the vinyl back into place.
Door panel clips, what came with the reproductions top and OE's bottom.
Do NOT knock the cut outs in the panels (PG Classics) out to install the clips!
Use a screw driver and remove about 1/2 of the cut outs thickness.
Then use a sharp screw driver to split the panel mid way to make a pocket for the clip.
I'm using the repro clips in the back, so I have enough good OE ones for the front door panels.
Drivers side panel in place, you can see the bump from me removing the panel plug. I put part of it back, but still a bump. You don't see it without the flash.
Passenger side panel in clean.
Arm rests repaired as needed, cleaned up and ready to install. Ash tray retainers polished up.
Ash tray lids polished up. I spy an old airplane rudder stashed up on the garage door tracks.
I guess after 2 years my few wrinkles aren't coming out on their own. Medium heat so you don't darken the fabric. It's not necessarily the wrinkle itself you need to remove. Push a finger into the headliner in various places and see if the wrinkle disappears. Some spots it was about 8" away from the wrinkle that needed a little shrink to make it disappear.
Note the wrinkle does not always come out while heating. Heat your spot and let cool to see what changes. Fold lines in the headliner from shipping came out easily by just running the heat gun down the fold. Still a few spots to touch up later, but it's better than factory already hands down.
Cleaning up my back seat with Scrubbing Bubbles. Still in great shape! Had it recovered in 1988 ! ?? Did it originally come with a seat emblem in the middle? :shruggy:
Seat back in place, sits nice on the hooks and package tray. Realized it needs to come out to make life easy for seat belt install. At least I didn't put in the 2nd arm rest before I realized that!
Sorting out my seat belts for install. Almost thought I was missing a front belt set.. but all there.
Back seat sorted out, ready to bolt in place.
Looking real great Wayne as usual. Kudos to the details!. Did you ever use a mist of water then the heat on the wrinkles. Slightly better shrinkage in the liner. Just like steaming the material. But you are right you headliner looks great! Not worth the effort on yours. Pretty tight.
Thanks for the easy off tip. How did you hear about this? I don't know if I would of tried that with plastic. Turned out great! Do you think it slightly melted the panel to turn out like new? I heard that heat does the same thing. Just the same I have the same look on my pillar panels and will be trying it.
I have your show on two channels now. Carry on! :popcrn:
I only have two real wrinkles Kent, from day one. Pulled that one bow hoop down a bit more than I should have when installing. Never done a headliner before, think I did pretty well! :icon_smile_big: As for the A pillar trim, it didn't melt it... it just got under the dirt and lifted it off like it does removing paint and anodize. Figured it was worth a shot. It did however soften up the rubberish B pillar and door seam windlace from it's hard state, and that's a good thing!
Oh yes, I guess you did pretty well! You sir are a perfectionist in every sense of the word. I'm glad your doing this resto. With all of us ducklings following along. Lots to learn from you. So glad with your documentation. So thorough in every detail. With very little questioning.
That is all.
Kent, I've learned immensely from others threads here and elsewhere.. I'm just trying to fill in the gaps with pictures, cause they're worth a 1000 words each! :lol:
..........
FSM calls for no washers on the single seat belts, but I had these steel "hat" bushings that worked perfect to take up the slop when using a C10 bolt. I don't think there's been back seat belts in place since '78
Center doubles spaced perfectly with just enough free shank left on the C12 bolt for them to swivel if needed.
Back belts all in.
Rear seat back in, passenger side arm rest installed and belts bagged for now.
Refurbished mirror post that I picked up on Ebay for less than I could buy materials to refurbish one. My mirror was borrowed from a C body so needed replacing.
2765577.. don't come nicer than this.
Why you put screws in all the holes BEFORE you install the headliner. Jam the driver in and rock it back and forth to cut the liner.
Roll the cut headliner around the screws and then remove the screws.
Mirror post installed with 2 x 5/8" and 1 x 1" #10 oval head screws.
Sunvisors all cleaned up and ready to install with the shoulder belt clips.
How they go together.
Temporary screws popped out of headliner and clip shown in correct orientation
Clip screwed in place and time to get serious.
Hole melted and sealed with the soldering gun. Hole is for the visor spring and base to go in.
Visor / clip assembly.
Don't forget to buy a couple new Barbie size dildos!
The metal end of the visor shaft is adjustable in and out to get the correct position to fit to the mirror "sockets". Then install a new rubber tip.
Visors and shoulder harness clips both installed.
Leave it to Chrysler to make a C11 bolt shorter than a C10 bolt. You'd think an 11 would be between a C10 and a C12, but it ain't! Thank god they weren't in the aviation industry. C11 is for the shoulder belt mounting.
Find the hole with your finger and press to make a mark in the headliner, then burn the bolt hole with the soldering gun and then install the shoulder belt. No washers.
Shoulder belt in place. These stupid elastic snap ends are the reason they went to two storage clips and just folding up the belt in '70.
Plastic plugs for the allen bolt hole in the door panels. Only place I found them.
Plug in place.
Polishing up my mirror housing. Believe it to be a C body part, but I like it... other than it could use a new mirror.
Need something in there that shines, with all that black interior!
Just in case the next owner wants speakers in the back! Ran some 14/2 down the passenger side before the carpet goes in.
Carpet vacuumed waiting for the wife to demonstrate how the carpet cleaner works.
Nice backed formed carpet that I bought in '88. Still in great shape.
Was hoping for a live demo, but was advised how to work it myself! LOL
Might be a bit of dirt in there after 31 years!
Came out looking pretty nice. Now to see how well it still fits.
Must be getting close, the empty box collection is getting out of hand!
Honouring inspector # 47 ! :2thumbs:
New package tray and back seat in place.
Carpet, gas pedal, front seat and a white stripe.. oh and an alignment and then we're done! oh and wiper arms and blades.. and a carb rebuild.. and ....
Wife helped me get the front seat out of the marine container. Top side is still looking good after 31 years since recover.
Bottom side, looks like I have some track / adjusters to restore and I want to firm up the springs somehow as well.
Need some new plastic hinge covers.
Yes.. I was / am a Redneck. Guess they didn't make washers and cotter pins back when...
Need a pair of these.
New seat spacer blocks and correct nuts for under the car. I grabbed some new 5/16 x1.5" carriage bolts when I went up town after this shot.
Lookin' good Wayne, and it is nice to see those empty boxes piling up. :2thumbs:
Thanks! :cheers:
.........
Front seat separated to repaint some sections.
Seat tracks removed for clean up and a quick repaint. Mechanically sound, just need some TLC.
Upholstery clamped back out of the way to prep and paint the seat back swing arms.
Seat bottom prepped, taped off and painted where I could.
Mice will appreciate the new shine, nobody else will see it. I need to wipe the springs down with Krown and add a stiffener wire, if I can, into the springs.
Swing arms primed and painted.
Figured I may as well get the center hinge / seat back mount as well.
Would be nice if I had some seat mounting holes... metal man missed step 600, used the seat brace bracket holes to weld to the new pan instead !
Hopefully I have the tracks taped off good enough to keep the media out of them while blasting.. Doubtful, but worth a try as they don't come apart without drilling out rivets.
In the cabinet and ready to blast away.
Out of the blaster, tape taken off, wiped clean and primed.
Painted in 1603 semi-gloss and mother nature obliged for a paint bake with sunshine and 19*C !
Passenger side of the seat is nice and firm, drivers side not so much. Borrowed some of #1 son's election sign frames cheap spring steel and practiced my safety wire tying.
Good for another few decades.
Love the attention to details, this thread is a goldmine for reference pictures :popcrn:
Quote from: Hemidog on April 24, 2019, 07:06:10 AM
Love the attention to details, this thread is a goldmine for reference pictures :popcrn:
Best thread ever!
Thanks guys! I'll be glad when it's done... then I'm never downsizing a picture again!! :lol:
Figures that I'd find my window crank handle washers a day after Megaparts confirmed my order shipped!
Decided I'd hook up the dome light jam switches the easy way. Gave up long ago trying to get them connected installed.
Wire fed out, connected and threaded back in.
Drilling my front seat holes.. 44" across x just shy of 11" front to back. New floor pans got welded to the reinforce bracket holes instead of drilled out.
Rear carpet back into place and lining things up.
Burning the tunnel seat belt holes clean for an easy bolt install.
Rear carpet pegged in seat holes and all 4 seat belt holes.
New seat belt stowing brackets. My rear seat ones probably would have just cleaned up, but my front seat has had none since recover in '88.
Probably one of the first correct in every detail reproduction parts!
New brackets installed to rear seat, ready to put it in.
Using my head today...
Rear seat locked down into place and all belts stowed.
Front seat, carefully looking for bracket screw holes...
New brackets into place on front seat.
Front seat outer retractable belts installed with C10 bolts.
Front belts sorted out for correct positioning and new bolt covers ready to install with C12 bolts.
All seat belts now installed.
Front carpet thrown in to see how close old holes are for dimmer switch and throttle pedal... and to see how close my 4 speed hump got welded back into place.
Fortunate to have snagged this nearly new OE shifter boot back when I first tore the car down.
Part # 2950074 - correct rubber overmolded shifter boot to seal to floor, then carpet, then deco trim ring.
New reproduction gas pedal
Floor drilled to match carpet and pedal installed. I drilled about 5/16" forward of the correct measured position I had on the floor pan. Not bad considering the patched up mess the pedal was attached to when I installed this carpet in '88.
Similar deal with the dimmer switch that was also mounted in a patched up mess when the carpet was installed in '88. It should be on that formed boss about an inch to the right and up 3/4", but it'll live here!
Shifter boot installed with 4 # 10 stainless screws. Then the carpet put back and deco ring installed with 4 x # 10 oval head screws.
New shifter ball, that is correct for assembly line. I've always had a hurst T handle and have a date correct new one that will probably find it's way back into the car in time.
Getting there!
New Ebrake, clutch and brake pedal covers.
Pedal covers all in place.
5 lb fire extinguisher back into it's home.
The list is getting shorter....
Looking good Wayne!
In the UK, extinguishers in the car, whilst legal, is frowned upon. This is the governments official advice over here;
Car fire extinguishers usually come with a mounting bracket so that they don't roll around in the car. This helps prevent them becoming damaged or being discharged accidentally. They should be carried in the boot (trunk)because:
1. It forces you to get out of the car to operate it – encouraging you to get out of the car rather than stay inside to fight the fire is safer for you.
2. It's unlikely to be damaged in most serious accidents (e.g. head-on) with the only risk being another vehicle hitting yours from behind at speed.
Others say it should be in the car in case if a roll over or entrapment in the car. But fighting the fire from inside the car is the worst thing to do as most (along with the fire) will deprive you of oxygen very quickly and all the plastics will give off toxic gases at they burn. You should be putting all your effort into escaping the fire not fighting it.
Also....it isnt exactly pretty either!!
You're always such a ray of sunshine alfa !
I've had a 5lb extinguisher there for 40 years. It is in a metal bracket, right where I can grab it on my way out of the car. Not after fiddling around for keys to get one out of the trunk.
Extinguishers are mandatory IN the cabin of all aircraft, not stowed in the tail, something I deal with every day. I think I can handle one in a car that has over twice the interior space.
Finally found a use for my 1985 cell phone antenna. One of my springs was crusty but still working, I put it in Evaporust and it fell apart. MIG'd on a piece of my phone antenna and Bob's your uncle!
Seat tracks lubed and springs reinstalled, ready for floor bolts and spacers.
I swear these quick nuts are fluted backwards!
Quick nuts going into place! :D
Now the carriage bolt and spacer can't fall out.
My kick panels were a mess, just like my windlace and A pillars. Used the paint remover on the edges.
Used Easy Off again on the main kick panels to pull the dirt up out of them.
Learned what worked on the ABS "A" pillar material DID NOT work the same on the Polypropylene kick panels. It did clean them, but lightened them considerably. Clean on left, dirty on right.
Had to dig into my bag of tricks from 34 years in the plastics industry, from when trying to get initial run approvals while matching colour and gloss for about 65 colours for TRW and Bendix seat belt divisions. Tried numerous things on the panel and finished by finding Krown worked the best. Spray, short soak and wipe / buff clean.
Like new and not shiny.
New kick panel insulation and spray adhesive.
Insulation in place ready to install the panels. They slip over the door opening pinch weld and have one #10 oval head screw each.
Kick panels in.
I painted the seat latches with high heat BBQ paint, like I used on my brake assembly backing, to simulate a black phosphate coating.
There is a left and right spring. This is the passenger (right) side,
Spring, then latch, then nylon washer and snap ring.
Seat tracks installed to front seat bottom and latch connector cable/wire installed. Pictures shows passenger side hooked through the lever hole and then retainer (that looks like a spring) slid over the connection to lock it.
Wire goes across an eyebolt (attached to the inner frame front) that is adjustable to snug up the wire for even latch movement on both rails.
Wire to drivers side latch assembly lever, retained identical to the passenger side.
Front seat bottom set into floor pan holes.
Quote from: birdsandbees on April 28, 2019, 08:43:50 AM
You're always such a ray of sunshine alfa !
:smilielol: You're giving him too much credit!
LOL....fair enough to you both both....I wont be having one inside my car though! Did make me laugh the thought of have to get outside the plane to get an extinguisher though....not quite a like for like comparison. Ill stick on topic....promise!!!! :lol:
So tired of the reproduction follies. After sending the first, salt crusted and corroded, set back two years ago and getting a clean set in exchange I thought things were good.
Both belts should reach the dual stowing clip on the seats bottom edge. These two belts are sewn together at the attachment end so I guess I'm chasing PG Classics for a new pair that are both the same length.
You'd do good to get a 3 year old in the belt. It goes half way around me.
Not sure what the real OE hardware looks like, but this is what I'm using that gets hidden behind the cover. Certainly better than my nail that had been there for 30 years!
Seat backs in place. Cotter to be bent around when I'm certain they're staying on.
Polished up the seat release latch knobs.
Knob in place. Both sides are the same casting, one with set screw down.. the other up.
Passenger entrance view.
Driver entrance view.
Cross walk pedestrian view! :icon_smile_big:
Did a lot of searching, only to end up back in Canada getting new sill plates from National Moparts after being guaranteed in writing they were the correct dullish finish of OE's.
New correct finish reproductions vs the overly shiny set I had from '88. Many still selling the shiny ones.
The sills need a quick file to take some burrs off. A couple spots were like a serrated knife.
They also have the correct straight down edge to hold the carpet vs the other reproduction on the right without it.
Refurbished 1969 bumper jack and lug wrench. New reproduction hook from Tony's via Megaparts ($100US). My trunk mat all cleaned up ready to install. Jack not perfect date wise, but close to my build. It's a 9D so mfg in April.
Door plugs into vent frame mounting holes.
Big plug in the door bottom.
Plug in the end of door below latch.
Refurbished 15B wiper arms and new reproduction blades from Megaparts.
Ready to install to car.
Wiper assemblies in place.
Reproduction sills don't quite sit correctly. Needs a bit of trimming on the "triangle".
Repro to OE comparison. Also note the interior sides screw hole. The reproductions are a depression for the screw and the OE's are a formed raised area.
Trimming, then filing, about an 1/8" off the triangles for proper fit.
Make sure you get the front interior screw located before putting the outer sill screws in place, or you'll do some swearing!
Drivers side installed
Passenger side installed. Lost my extensions that hold the carpet from sill plate to rear seat on each side. Have a nice used OE pair on their way from the USA from Sal @Moparsal .
More reproduction part follies! Repro on the left, OE on the right.
Save a 1/4" of metal on each one and it adds up!
A tad different on the profile, but most wouldn 't notice.
Labels and part number both the same, different pack dates. Hmmm... what happens when you have no idea what you're actually packaging!
OE hinge cover left, repop right. Don't suspect that "cut out" is going to clear the lock latch stub, especially since my passenger side OE was broken in this location from hitting same.
OE attach screw left, generic that came with the repop right. Too long and bottoms in blind hole on the seat arm.
As suspected... cover hits the latch stub.
What dremels were made for, fixing repop shit.
If some poor bugger didn't have an OE seat adjuster knob he'd really wonder WTF he was supposed to do with this reproduction. Moulding sprue still attached.
OE left showing set screw that holds the knob on. Repop right that came with no set screw and a hole so big the OE set screw just drops in. I ended up just sanding and polishing my OE and throwing the repop in the junk pile!
Polishing up the stainless trim strips that hold the top of the door panels.
One done, one to go.
Cord seal on the door and ready to put the plastic vapour barrier in place.
Time to say goodbye to inspector # 47.
Vapour barrier on the passenger door.
Vapour barrier on the drivers door. I sign inside every aircraft structure that I build, before I close it, so figured I should sign this art as well.
On the drivers door I tried the repop retainers.
After seeing how the drivers door went I used the OE clips on the passenger door panel.
Repop clips hold the panel out too far, so I swapped out this end to clean things up.
Passenger side sitting nice on OE clips.
Window crank plastic washer, crank handle, allen head screw.
New bezel, cleaned up OE arm rest and the two large phillips screws that hold it all to the door.
Repop door release handles (OE's bottom) and the large phillips head screws that hold them on.
Passenger side door all done.
Drivers side all done, concluding the interior installation....other than I'm working with PG Classic to replace my incorrect center seat belt.
Guess it's time to tackle that White stripe!
Congratulations! :2thumbs:
Thanks.. but certainly not done yet. Stripe, misc decals, alignment, carb to rebuild, LCA strut split pins to source and install, radiator to swap out for the triple core I picked up.... but I'm close! :lol:
How come I'm not surprised the aftermarket knob was poor fit, like most aftermarket. Besides that looking nice. :2thumbs: LEON.
Oh I'm not surprise either Leon, just pointing it out in case someone has a knobless seat adjuster lever, orders one and wonders HTF it attaches. OE set screw is also too small, so you'd need to source the next size up.
................
What's in a font anyhow...
Decal on my Superbird (not certain it's OEM, but pre '89)
Firestone Collectibles
Performance Graphics.
Firestone Collectibles
PG
Superbird's
Tire air pressure decal in place.
Air cleaner decal in place. Debatable as to correctness as it has .. severe conditions.. on the last line and not just conditions. I've seen evidence, in Mopar John's Bird thread, that conditions only would probably be correct until late into '70 and the AAR cars introduction. So that would probaby imply that in '69 the sticker font would have had just conditions on the last line by itself.
Safety Standard sticker in place on the drivers A pillar.
Emissions decal in place.
Bumper Jack "how to" decal in place exactly as per OE location.
I used the Firestone Collectibles anti-freeze decal as it just looks nicer and I have two.. so I can make both cars exactly the same and claim it's correct!! :icon_smile_big:
Beautiful :2thumbs:
Thanks Lennard!
..........
Time to bring my stripe kit out from safe storage.
Trying to be absolutely sanitary. Clean sheet of aluminum from my materials stock rack and same grounded with a booster cable so no static is generated cleaning / peeling etc.
Rear marker bezels, NOS clamp brackets and speed nuts.
Test fitting the reflector bezels to be certain they fit and if any filing is necessary of the opening.
Bezels, repop reflectors, two face tape and bezel gaskets.
This tape backing is a PITA...
New reflectors taped and snapped in place.
Gaskets in place and ready for install. Precut the new speed nuts onto the posts as well.
Time to spend a good two hours test fitting the stripes for final install. I would have never made it as a line worker...
1 Teaspoon of dish soap to a gallon of water. Spec'd mixture for a good decal float out. Also used it to wash any wax off the back of the car.
Playing with stripe layout. Performance Graphics states 4.5" from the REAR of the quarter cap when measured along the quarter to trunk joint.
Marking center on the marker hole, with a little "wiggle room" for the stripe width.
PG sure doesn't waste material... #%(#@%*#. All that is left with the Bee centered on the body line.
At 4.5" , as per spec, I don't like the decals slant to the quarters end and it's of course a compromise top to bottom to have the marker hole centered and still keep the decal on the lower quarter as it wraps around the bottom.
Think I'm finally happy with line up.
PG's 4.5" from REAR of quarter cap is a NO... by this much.
4.0" from the END of the quarter panel, not the cap, seems to give a better flow to the trunk to quarter transition.
All marked out with tape for final install.
I think I'm ready, need to clean the paint with Naptha and then Rubbing Alcohol ... and see if my assistant is available tomorrow.
What it's hopefully going to look like!
Rear of car was first washed with dish soap and water, then wiped down with Naptha (Coleman stove fuel) and then 99% Rubbing Alcohol.
Don't forget the underside where the stripe wraps around and the quarter to trunk gutters.
As clean as she's gonna get.
Peeling the adhesive side protective cover while spraying with the soapy water mix. The aluminum sheet I have grounded worked perfect, no static and bonus was once wet you could peel the cover without holding the decal!
Decal in place on soapy water and sitting on it's marks.
Working out the bubbles and water. You can see the look of terror in my eyes...
One quarter decal on, almost wrecked it as I had air trapped on the upper body line and head to peel it. Was stuck pretty good, but lots of soapy water and careful lifting to remove and put back down.
Passenger side, wish I hadn't sent my assistance off to do yard work. Trick is to get the side fairly well stuck in place and then put the top section down.
Crude X cut just like the factory.
Almost an hour later and you can finally put the gutter section down into place and get it to stick. You need to cut the covering material between the center stripe and the rear stripe so it will go around the curve of the gutter.
Back side of the cut out. You can't fold it back until the decal cover layer comes off.
A tad pissed with the manufactures +/- 1/16" tolerance on decal width. The quarter's center stripes are 1/16" wider than the deck lids... so instantly make the stripe look off. Here it is lined up nice at the rear edge, not so much at the front. Had to bump the trunk lid forward 1/32" so I was happy.
About 3 hours later, peeling the outer cover off ever so carefully.
Using a sharpy to gently work the decal into the marker opening. Went back and forth between sides about 10 times until it stuck nice. DO NOT use your fingers.. unless you have no nails!
Decal just crudely folded back per factory "specs" and the NOS bezel retainer in place with speed nuts.
Drivers side marker bezel in place.
Passenger side marker bezel in place.
Trunk mat in.
Something I didn't even know existed, a jack hold down plate and wing nut, until I started researching my restoration. Never saw one in ANY Mopar in my life. Thrown away, with the jack, after the first flat tire! lol
Of course the factory wouldn't wrap it up. Jack in place with hold down bracket and wing nut.
Spare tire, jack base and hook in place with an NOS wing nut. (and a 2" black nylon washer so no scratches)
I couldn't get the speed nut to grab the single accessible post of my trunk Bee, and if it had I don't think it would have sat right anyhow. Fortunately I'd bought these 4 years ago to put the Road Runner emblems back on the Birds trunk lid. Only thing with these, once they're on.. they're pretty much ON. Drill a 5/32" hole, insert these locking rings and then the emblem.
Bee tapped gently into place with the rubber hammer. It's tight and not coming off.
An ass I've always loved! It's 50 years older and I love it even more!
Trunk adjusted 1/32" forward, which of course took about 6 tries. Now I'm happy.
That's a wrap ! Well not quite, still a few little things to finish up!
Congratulations Wayne!! :2thumbs:
Beautiful Job! And to pull such a great job off up here in Canada says something else!
Well done sir. She looks marvelous!
Beautiful job.....gotta say that stripe looks great....With the amount of work that went into fitting it I'm kinda glad my 69 stripe is being painted on.......someone else's worry that way!!! I just know id screw that up. You cant have much left to do before she's 100% done.
Thanks, the stripe was painted last time and I wasn't going that route again as it was a nightmare when it came time to add the "super bee" and the bee decal itself. Lost track of how many sets they ruined clearing over them. Also years later the stripe went yellow in places, or the clear did.
..................
Shop at 80*F and dehumidifier running full blast. Decal looking good!
About 1/2 of the deck lids small bubbles have disappeared in two days. Hopefully all gone over the weekend.
Finally got the O ring to stick to the original washer fluid pump seal and reassembled the pump.
All back together, runs and holds fluid this round!
My OE sill plate extensions, from Moparsal, showed up in the mail. They need a good cleaning but in great shape.
Awesome job on everything! Very much appreciate all of the photos. Had to order some parts I didn't know were missing :lol:
Glad I could help you spend money Jim !!
......................
Outside and ready to load her up for a front end alignment in Orillia tomorrow.
All strapped in and ready to go in the morning. Next road trip will be under her own power, as I applied for Hagerty insurance last night. Now to see if they'll cover me for my agreed value!
On the alignment rack at Jim Wilson's in Orillia, Ontario.
Many say they can't get their OE geometry past 2.0* Positive Caster for better handling. Passenger side would go 3.5* right out of the gate.. but of course we then couldn't get the drivers side there. It would only go to about 2.5* which is just fine on bias plies and then setting camber brought it down to just under 2.0. Factory spec is 0 to -1 (that I didn't want).
So great to see a young mechanic that understands old cars. Dalton is rebuilding a '66 Belvedere himself. This is BB BELLA's son. If you need your Mopar aligned in Ontario, give Jim Wilson Chev your business and request Dalton. He understands the work that's gone into YOUR car, knows to work clean with hand tools and most of all understands Mopar ....even if he is working for Chevrolet! Even the dealership owner came out to see a real car...
Some neat technology..
Just about done setting toe in.
My most important "want"! A centered wheel.
A bit more left side camber, just like factory spec, to keep you on the hump of the road. Car test run seemed to run nice, track straight, wheel is centered and it did a U turn really nice before I got caught too far up the street! :)
Came home to insurance slips from Hagerty! No issues, no questioning value, just took my money. I sure don't miss the days of having to get a $$$ photo appraisal done, with FILM! lol Now I can go get licence stickers and get her dirty !!!
I've waited about 15 years to power shift this bitch again! Just like riding a bike, but smoother!
https://youtu.be/hDVlOiWIw-U
:2thumbs:
Very cool indeed.....sound sweet too! :2thumbs:
Congratulations!! looks and sounds great! thank you for this detailed build thread, I know I saved many pics for reference! :drool5: :cheers: :cheers:
Thanks Guys! Still a few things to do. Carb rebuild, alignment hole covers, god forbid undercoating the wheel wells, clean up and install those sill plate extensions, swap out a new driver/center seat belt that PG Classics has on it's way to me and I need to figure out how to drain my steering box somehow and refill with John Deere Corn Head grease.
Looks awesome, Wayne. Very nice work and glad to see you are able to drive it finally :2thumbs:
Got a bit behind here with no time to downsize pictures...
........
Stickers for both cars and insurance!
New plates are on
Pick a filter.. which one do I want to get dirty, which for show only. All the lids supposably the correct colour! I think mine on the left is the correctest! Good filter in the trunk for shows, reproduction on the engine for sucking dirty air.
Installing new alignment / clutch pivot hole rubber covers. Drivers side hole before cover.
Cover in place on the outside.
Passenger side adjuster hole.
Cover in place on the inside.... someone had a screw loose at Chrysler...
AMD repro adjuster hole covers on the left, my OE's on the right. I had bought reproductions not thinking my OE's would clean up this nice, but they're going back on when I can source the correct screws.
Kinda miss working on the "old" car, when you just climbed right in! :rolleyes:
I'd say it was a BIT rich !
Accelerator pump jammed in probably isn't helping.
Holes so close to 3/8 thread size, I tapped them partially for legs.
3/8" bolts threaded in for legs to hold for rebuild.
3310-2 (4160 model) Holley with fixed secondary jet plate. Funky screws holding it on.
Ground a screw driver to fit.
Hole in a vacuum plug cap. May have helped it run by giving it some more air! Power valve is dried out and stuck in place, just like the accelerator pump. If it's stuck open would explain the raw fuel spitting out the tail pipes.
Remembering why I've always just bought a new one when they go for a shit. Took almost 30 minutes to get the metering block off, almost had to use a sledge!
Brown scum on the bottom of both bowls, that turned to dust when it dried up.
Accelerator valve dried out and stuck in this position.
Gaskets are stuck GOOD, after 30+ years. You'd swear they were glued on.
New accelerator pump diaphram going into place.
Only solution I could muster for final gasket removal.
Carb body ready for assembly. All ports checked and cleaned out.
So close to back together. Have metering block (and 3 UCA alignment cover screws I found) soaking in BBQ lighter fluid now hoping it will lift the final gasket by morning. It's been soaking all day in gas, which did little if anything and the lighter fluid seems to be softening it up. Want to go for a drive tomorrow...
Gave in this morning and then spent an hour going around town to every auto store, only one can of gasket remover in the entire place!
It took over a dozen applications and a lot of work with a piece of UHMW ice hut runner to get it all off.
Then back into my ultrasonic cleaner, after a lot of dental pick work cleaning out holes!
Going back together with new gaskets, a new 6.5 power valve, downsized the jets to #70's and don't forget the brass baffle.
No parts left.. must have done something right!
Back on the car, after prefilling the bowls with gas through the vent stacks.
It's running.. and note the lack of smoke!!! Amaze myself some days!
Left it running for some time and then set up the idle mixture screws, floats and idle speed. I can now kill the engine turning in the idle mixture screws! Hopefully tomorrow has some sunshine as I missed getting a tour in today!
More "cleaner" work after about a dozen coatings of gasket remover.
https://youtu.be/gMCQM_kfd9E
First start after carb rebuild. Prefilled the bowls through the vent stacks. Looks like I'm winning!!! Charlie would be proud, not my old man..... Sheen.. LOL
https://youtu.be/TaYfY3CIRdQ
Running, mixture idle, floats, idle speed, etc all set, ready for a tour! Hoping for sunshine tomorrow!
https://youtu.be/bXuoPjBGwJw
Ready to take my honey for a drive, Wife's coming along tooooo !
Some jackass built the house 1200 feet from the road... and it's gravel too!
5/8ths of a mile to get to pavement, and to think I use to run these roads at 80MPH +.. not 8.
It's still fun going into 2nd gear some 40 years later!
Yep.. she's always loved my mechanical side.
An hour into our cruise, all looking GOOD ! Temp sitting right on the stat and oil still 50psi.
1st gear cruise through Little Lake Park in Midland.
Put about 60 miles on the car, one rattle and it's the dash panel hockey stick above the glove box. Wife says it did that 40 years ago too! If we'd made it home just 3 minutes sooner we would have stayed dry.
The sound of music..
https://youtu.be/i8Uf0NjapPM
Well she had her test drive, thought I'd slap her quality sticker on.
After I'd bought some Blue ones I found out that Dodge used Red and Plymouth used Blue. Beavis, that sold them to me, was nice enough to send me the Red one for free!
Sticker in place and not sure I like it there. Blue would have looked a lot better. Thinking I may be doing like the dealers did and peeling it back off !
First paint chips, but at least they're inside. Both doors.
The culprit, aftermarket seat belt retractor. The door hits it when closed.
Cleaned up and straightened the OE sill plate extensions I bought from Moparsal and then fought to get them into place.
Drivers side in.
Passenger side in place.
Well I guess I'll conclude the restoration thread here. I know it's not a Charger and not up many of your "alleys", but she's done.... I figured 90% of what I did crossed over to your cars, it's now driving and the wife is happy.
It's been a great 3+ years for me, as I used this restoration and the hundreds of hours posting updates as a distraction to losing a daughter and she'd be happy. That's all that really matters to me, that and her Sister that's going to get driven to the alter in said car in September.
Be well folks, life is short and has an expiry date! :cheers:
:2thumbs:
Wayne, it's been great following along with your resto, looking forward to seeing pictures of the Bee with your daughter in the fall.
I'll be following the cleanup of the Bird. Alan
Wayne that was quite the ride and I have enjoyed every bit of it. Congrats and enjoy the next chapter! :cheers:
This has been a very informative thread for me being that I too have a 69 bee that needs to be restored. I appreciate all you've put into this and I'm sure I'll be asking you some questions later on.
Luke
Wayne,
Thank you so much for taking the time to share this journey with us. I enjoyed following along and learned quite a bit. I will definitely use it as a reference when I'm putting my car back together.
Thanks again,
John
Thanks guys! Hopefully there's something in amongst all those pages of bs that'll help someone along! :icon_smile_big:
Might be a couple small things to add here as I shake down the car, but right now I'm up to my ass in airplanes trying to get them serviced and out of here. Mother nature isn't helping one bit. Runway's as soft as a bog and we may just get desperate and select gear up on the amphibs BEFORE the taxi and take off roll. :P
I really like this car and enjoy the thread. I learned a whole lot (mostly about how I do things wrong). I'm sorry for the resizing headaches. Some day they'll be sorted. You have probably not been around long enough to see this picture from when my cars shared a hangar with an even older relic.
Troy
NICE.. that a 140 or 170?
Here's the only picture I have of both of mine "under wing", from back in 2001.
It's a 140. My friend let me use his hangar while it was being restored and that picture was right when it came home but before I got kicked out. ;)
Troy
I love this Beeee, thank you for taking the time to post all of this info on the resto.
Thanks for putting in all the time and effort to create this thread Wayne. I've learned a lot, following your restoration journey. You've built a beautiful high quality car, now it's time to enjoy the fruits of your labor. :2thumbs:
THANKS guys! :cheers:
Here's a few videos from yesterdays "shake down" drive #2. Just a bit more proof for the guy that lost and picked trailer Queen in the pool ! :lol:
https://youtu.be/DBelFiA-L-Y
https://youtu.be/hzzBGSF6IHQ
https://youtu.be/FvAJuPGigHo
https://youtu.be/S3Qnpb6NdyU
Nice videos. I can't believe how quiet these cars are in stock form. I'm used to be around the rowdy and loud ones.
Thanks Lennard! Video three shows the nice sound of factory as I shift up the street... before I start swearing! :lol:
Yeah, I heard you say some kind words to that guy towing the boat. :lol:
Why a 3000 hour restoration was well worth it... still a chick magnet after all these years! :icon_smile_big:
Daughters wedding on Saturday..
Thanks for sharing and best of luck! :cheers:
Looks like I missed the end of this story till now. Congrats :2thumbs: Car came out nice. LEON.
3,000 hours times $50 a hour, that's about $150k in labor.
1900 was me Leon.. and my wife won't pay me!! :lol:
:icon_smile_big:
What a COOL picture :2thumbs: :coolgleamA:
Thanks Charlie.. hoping we get a full CD of all the pics her photographer took during the wedding soon ! He sure knew how to run a camera !
Quote from: birdsandbees on October 25, 2019, 06:09:33 PM
Thanks Charlie.. hoping we get a full CD of all the pics her photographer took during the wedding soon ! He sure knew how to run a camera !
I love it, the door open,vent window open, front wheel turned to the right, it captures the special moment PERFECT !!!!
& the fact that I really love 69 b5 BEEEEEEE :)
Guy assembled the car pretty damn good too... !!! :lol:
THANKS!
You can see the reflection in the front fender of the happy couple and also maybe the photographer squatting down to take the picture :icon_smile_wink:
I'm glad it got finished (correctly) in time. Everything looks great!
Troy
Thanks Troy and everyone else! Still a few clean up items yet to do on her, but most would never notice what's missing. Still can't decide if I want the 383 emblems on the scoops or leave people guessing.
Photographer is working towards completing her album for her, for now I'm stealing low res pics by taking screen shots and cropping..
you clean up pretty good Hippie
LMAO !! :icon_smile_big: :yesnod:
So here it is a year later Wayne. Hope the daughter and her husband are fine, but just as importantly you haven't put the Bee in a ditch!!
Bob
LOL Bob, everything's good and I drive the shit out of the car almost weekly! I've added over 500 miles to the odometer so far, gravel road and all.
The sounds of music. Thank God I trained my wife well, most would just want to go the opera! Shows just how deep the paint is on the Bee. Just back from 70 miles of driving the shit out of both cars and getting groceries!
https://www.facebook.com/wayne.oshea.3/videos/3296236360461485/
Looks great
SOOOOO
Which one won the drag race when you were out driving ????????
Idling? Really?
I see a paved road behind the gate-use it. We need smoking tires, hole shots and at least 1 grabbed gear before the snow flies.
Looking good Wayne, hope you get to drive them again before weather turns.
Bob
LOL Bob, lots of video on Youtube out putting the cars through their paces. One day we'll get in some smoke show videos.. and that's a gravel road outside our gate unfortunately, we have almost a mile of it coming and and going out every time. So far I haven't chipped the Bee's paint..
Pictures from our 70+ mile cruise on Sunday and grocery shopping!
:yesnod:
AWESOME CARS, I REALLY like them both !!!! :coolgleamA:
Thanks Charlie, we've put about 700 miles on both cars this summer.
Really nice. I had missed the most recent posts (well over a year's worth) and just noticed the rock hammer for scale about a year ago.
Very nice cars, nice family.
Awesome!
Troy
Thanks guys. This Winter I need to drop the trans and replace the input shaft seal and 1/2 shift shaft oring as they are weeping a bit running 20W50. Not bad for an OE trans that is 51 years old and has never been apart!
Have a better mirror for her with correct date code and a few other small parts. I few rattles to clean up and after that, I bet my Son is pretty happy with his inheritance! :lol:
Thanks for sharing the resto with us!! :cheers: (How is that "Red Beer"?)
You are welcome! :2thumbs: The Red Brew is the best non-alcohol beer I've found so far. Good for keeping me out of the real stuff when I need too.. :yesnod:
:cheers:
Both cars look awesome. Love the body colors.
Another Spring and Summer of cruising on all of the cars. Another 60 miles on the Bee today. I have about 2000 miles on her since restoration. Still not a chip in the paint, top or bottom, living on a gravel road!
Just an update... I've passed the torch and have been letting #1 Son be the third generation to drive the Bee. I found something with a bit more pep and besides it was time. I was driving this car when I was 14.. #1 Son will soon be 40.
VERY cool !!!!!!! I really do like that BEEEEEEEEE :)
Thanks Charlie!!! Now if he only knew that he was conceived in the back seat... :icon_smile_big: :lol: :lol:
:o LOL, now that makes it even COOLER !!!!!! :2thumbs:
Quote from: birdsandbees on October 07, 2022, 05:46:11 PM
Thanks Charlie!!! Now if he only knew that he was conceived in the back seat... :icon_smile_big: :lol: :lol:
So it is his rightful car then! :icon_smile_cool:
Quote from: kent on October 08, 2022, 10:11:52 AM
Quote from: birdsandbees on October 07, 2022, 05:46:11 PM
Thanks Charlie!!! Now if he only knew that he was conceived in the back seat... :icon_smile_big: :lol: :lol:
So it is his rightful car then! :icon_smile_cool:
Maybe... but I'm not going to tell him that just yet. He thinks he was conceived on a picnic table.. LMAO.. :yesnod:
Quote from: birdsandbees on October 08, 2022, 01:36:54 PM
Quote from: kent on October 08, 2022, 10:11:52 AM
Quote from: birdsandbees on October 07, 2022, 05:46:11 PM
Thanks Charlie!!! Now if he only knew that he was conceived in the back seat... :icon_smile_big: :lol: :lol:
So it is his rightful car then! :icon_smile_cool:
Maybe... but I'm not going to tell him that just yet. He thinks he was conceived on a picnic table.. LMAO.. :yesnod:
LMAO !!!!!!!!!
Quote from: birdsandbees on October 07, 2022, 05:46:11 PM
Thanks Charlie!!! Now if he only knew that he was conceived in the back seat... :icon_smile_big: :lol: :lol:
Hi birdsandbees, 18 December 2022
Do you think he might know by now? If he does We're sure he's proud of Mom and Dad.
I'm sure who my mom is, just not sure of the other.
Best Always
Christine for the 426 Hemi Chicks
Still cruisin the thing...
Sad, but yep this place is dead. :2thumbs:
Quote from: birdsandbees on April 18, 2023, 10:13:21 PMSad, but yep this place is dead. :2thumbs:
Hi birdsandbees, 19 April 2023
We must have missed something along the way. We don't understand your comment quoted above.
Hope all is will up yonder and that spring is in the air.
Here in Phoenix we have 2 seasons: Hot and Not so Hot.
Best Always
426 Hemi Chicks
Quote from: 426HemiChick on April 19, 2023, 08:44:46 PMQuote from: birdsandbees on April 18, 2023, 10:13:21 PMSad, but yep this place is dead. :2thumbs:
Hi birdsandbees, 19 April 2023
We must have missed something along the way. We don't understand your comment quoted above.
Hope all is will up yonder and that spring is in the air.
Here in Phoenix we have 2 seasons: Hot and Not so Hot.
Best Always
426 Hemi Chicks
Think he is talking in the last month since he posted the pictures only 8 or 10 have looked at them where other mopar sites have that many views in less than an hour
Quote from: 70 sublime on April 19, 2023, 09:45:46 PMThink he is talking in the last month since he posted the pictures only 8 or 10 have looked at them where other mopar sites have that many views in less than an hour
Hi 70 sublime, 20 April 2023
Didn't think in that direction. Any idea what the problem is?
We don't go to other sites and don't know where they are. We did look around a long while back but found a lot of trashy posts so we just stopped.
We thought the new version of SMF would help bring in more folks. It sure is a lot nicer than the older version.
Thanks for the Heads Up.
Best Always
426 Hemi Chicks
Gotta love it! Nothing wrong with a little improvement. What are the chances of an NOS grill and bezel assembly popping up just 100 miles from home?!
beegrillnos.jpg
That's gotta be a rare find. Congrats :2thumbs: Leon.
5 hour round trip with a 1.5 hour yack... and in my grimmy hands today. I have never seen an NOS Bee grill assembly for sale in 40+ years. Cost me 2/3rds of what Dad paid for the car new, but it is what it is...
beenosgrill3.jpg
Very nice score! :cheers:
Quote from: birdsandbees on January 19, 2024, 09:21:31 PM5 hour round trip with a 1.5 hour yack... and in my grimmy hands today. I have never seen an NOS Bee grill assembly for sale in 40+ years. Cost me 2/3rds of what Dad paid for the car new, but it is what it is...
beenosgrill3.jpg
good find !! great stuff :coolgleamA: :cheers: :popcrn:
Wayne you must have been in my neck of the woods... Oakville, picking up those pieces, nice score.
LOL Alan, Ford Road. At Mauro Brocca's place.
Mauro's place is deceiving....looks normal until you get inside. :2thumbs: