I've been pretty bad about blogging this project. I usually do a quick post on my steemit page when I have a day of work in the books.
Here's the run down:
1. finished the rear drum assembly, though I had to use some parts from the new spring kit and some from the old set up because things weren't going smoothly. Plus, I really had to rig things up to act as a second set of hands. But I did it. And the drums seem a little tight, even with the adjuster at it's shortest setting, but I've moved on.
2. I had a set back with the front disc conversion, when I finally thought I could move on to that section. Pulling out the disc kit I bought 5 years ago, I found the rotors to be too big...wrong bolt size.
After some searching and waiting for backorders to ship, I now have the proper sized rotors. Unfortunately, I am anxious to install them, as I may need spacers to get the calipers to fit into my tiny 14" rims. So...I still have not started the front disc installation.
3. While waiting on working on the front, I decided my plan of attack would just be to finish up the rear, first. Oh, yeah...the fuel tank! I thought that would be pretty straightforward. (I was wrong, again.)
a. The 'J' bolt I had was the wrong style. which we realized as we struggled with the tank install
b. with new bolt, I managed to install the tank alone. but couldn't get the filler neck into the new gasket.
c. realized new gasket was also wrong, but this time I had the right one, which I had forgotten I had...which is what initially led me to ordering the wrong one!
d. with new gasket in the new tank, I was able to finish the tank install
4. With new tank and rear drums done (and the trunk patch done well enough for my purposes), the rear end needed
a. fuel line connected to sending unit on fuel tank :DONE
b. rear shocks installed
c. all rear end nuts torqued: I'd rather not talk about it but let's just say my torque wrench was out of calibration and I broke a nut...and have to go back and do it over after loosening all nuts I thought I had finished. So...still needs to be done.
5. Once I finish the list in point #4, I can move on to the front. My hope was to finish up and get the car on rubber and off the jack stands by winter so I could take down the carport and just tarp the car for the winter. But now I am considering just finishing up the brakes and such and wrapping the four wheels in plastic (as suggested by a member of a car group I'm in) and leaving it off the ground for one more winter.
And that's my summer in a nutshell. I'll bolt the bench seat back in and make sure my new door seals are in order and that will take care of all the cosmetic issues I was planning on addressing. The headliner and carpet are simply not in the budget.
I am putting a lot of faith in being able to get the engine running, since I've worked backwards, but when you're kinda flying by the seat of your pants, you do what feels right.
Sorry no pics...I just don't have it in me today.
Happy fall-into-winter!
Wednesday, October 24, 2018
Thursday, June 21, 2018
I've been working, I swear!
I've been getting a few things done, here and there. A friend told me about another blog 'venue' where you can actually get paid in cryptocurrency, for posting, so I've been putting my blogging energy in there, since I definitely don't have the time for double blogging. ( You can check it out here, if you want, but it's not just car blogging and I'm about to give you the abridged version of what I've been doing since the weather has turned from winter, to spring and to now, the first day of summer.)
Let's see, the last post was about how winter was cold and windy, though not terribly snowy overall. I had purchased a gator grip socket to try to get the fuel cap, and subsequently the filler neck, out of the car to make putting the new tank in a little easier.
That didn't work, so I decided to just struggle with it, with the filler neck still in.
Unfortunately, that plan didn't work, as i couldn't get the pipe to line up with the hole in the tank. It's just me, mind you, with the tank on a plank of wood, using a jack to raise the tank into place.
It was not working out.
I abandoned the fuel tank so that I could just bite the bullet and order the proper socket for the security screws and just take the neck out and do it right.
I did have to use a flathead screwdriver and a hammer to loosen the screws anyway, though, thinking 'why didn't I just do that in the first place!?' but also decided that eventually the screws would have to go back in and the socket would come in handy for that.
Let's see, the last post was about how winter was cold and windy, though not terribly snowy overall. I had purchased a gator grip socket to try to get the fuel cap, and subsequently the filler neck, out of the car to make putting the new tank in a little easier.
That didn't work, so I decided to just struggle with it, with the filler neck still in.
Unfortunately, that plan didn't work, as i couldn't get the pipe to line up with the hole in the tank. It's just me, mind you, with the tank on a plank of wood, using a jack to raise the tank into place.
It was not working out.
I abandoned the fuel tank so that I could just bite the bullet and order the proper socket for the security screws and just take the neck out and do it right.
So, again...raising the tank alone was just not working out. In the meantime, I also decided that I'd just go ahead and order a new collar for the filler neck to replace the cracked one I had. (not sure it's called a collar, but it's the part that seals the trunk where the filler neck goes through the trunk floor and into the fuel tank)
That should be here Saturday, and Hubby has agreed to help me raise the trunk since I have admitted I have too short a wingspan and/or not enough limbs to do it alone.
Besides that nonsense going on, I had a bit of a struggle with the rear brakes. It has been years since disassembling them and I had not taken (or could not find) very good pictures of the process. YouTube, my manual, and whatever pics I could find on the internet were the best I could do.
After stretching the whole process over a few weeks of working on my days off, I managed. Barely.
And there's some rubbing at the top of the shoes on both driver's side and passenger's side. I've not put the new drums on yet, and they seem to be quite a bit bigger (deeper) than the old ones, so I'm not entirely sure I won't just be using the old drums after all that.
Once I finally finished up the rear brakes, though, and hooked the brake pedal to the master cylinder push rod, I thought 'yes! the brakes are done!'...
...but I haven't even started the front disc conversion. I've finally got all the new knuckles and suspension pretty much squared away (I think...I hope), but the brake conversion is still in boxes.
And then the anxiety of that set in.
But that's where we are now.
Hoping to button up the fuel tank, and basically the rear end of the car so I can move up to the front brakes...
And after that, I start playing with the heart. The engine. The real test of the whole project.
Until next time...
Wednesday, March 7, 2018
Winter = a lot of down time
It hasn't been a particularly snowy winter, this year; but, it has been tremendously windy. Gusty.
Other than a couple very cold days, we haven't even had any real winter coat days. We are currently in the beginnings of another pretty bad wind storm, though.
As I said...tons of wind this year.
This past weekend we had a storm that didn't produce much more than a few hours of rain, but with gusts hitting mph in triple digits at times, I am thrilled to report that the car port is actually still standing.
For now, that is, as this next storm's gusts have started to blow. This one is only expected to produce 55mph gusts, but I don't count any chickens until they've blown out of the nest.
In the meantime, I have wasted yet another winter when I could've been working on indoor projects such as really getting that carb cleaned and getting the sending unit and gaskets on the new gas tank.
I blame the stress of dealing with getting a new roof, finding out that it was not the real cause for the leaky roof, then dealing with getting the chimney rebuilt.
Ah, home ownership sure does know how to make a person feel like they will never get ahead in life. I don't mean that to sound like I am not grateful to have the means to fix our leaky roof, which I know we are lucky to have over our heads, but I do feel like that carrot just gets farther and farther out of my grasp.
But that is just a moment in time, isn't it.
Looking ahead, we still have the fence to fix, now that it has gotten even worse with these wind storms...
OH! and the car, of course.
When I go through the list in my head, I see myself driving the car by the end of this summer at the latest.
Then when I put lists to paper, it is clear that I am putting a lot of faith in every thing on that list will just be a matter of execution, and move along with no problems or set backs.
And, if the history of this project...hell! the history of the world...has shown us anything, it's that nothing moves along without issue.
However, I do have faith. And with each tasks I've crossed off my list so far, I have gained the confidence to believe that it is possible, even with set backs, that this car could have me sitting behind the wheel and cruising the Cape at least before next winter.
I have not been keeping up here, mostly because I've not done much with the car, and I like to keep this blog devoted to just that; but, also because I've been blogging on a new site where I am making a little bit of cryptocurrency on a platform called Steemit.
Friends of mine told me about it and I figured, what the hell...doesn't cost me anything and if I can make a few cents here and there, it will add up eventually, right?
Anyway, if you're interested in the other bits of nonsense going on this winter, while the car sits waiting, here is the link to my Steemit blog.
And just so you're not subjected to an all text post, here is the last picture I took while 'working' on the car. We had a random day of nearly 60 degrees. I had the day off, but also little motivation since it was at the tail end of my bout with the flu. I have been trying to figure out how to get the filler tank out, so I could put in the new tank properly. Everyone said 'try a gator grip', since they are security screws and I was trying not to spend another chunk of money on another specialized tool for 3 screws. I found a gator grip, promptly went out to get the screws out...and discovered the socket was too wide to fit into the space where the screws sit. That part had not occurred to me, of course.
So...I can get back on ebay and order the $20 socket that I will use for this one task; or, I can try to just shove the tank with the new gasket back onto the filler neck while it is still attached. I will most likely attempt without the tool and if it's just too much work or just won't work, then I'll get back on ebay.
I have a feeling I will be using the hell out of the gator grip, though!
Wondering what my list looks like now?
Torque all rear bolts (axle, etc)
Fill differential
Assemble rear drum brakes and connect all rear lines
Install fuel tank and connect lines (plus close off vent line on sender unit)
Finish sanding, filling, painting drivers side floor
Find nuts for front seat and reinstall
Assemble front disc brakes and attach all front lines
Bleed brakes
Have tires mounted to original rims and balanced as best as possible
Torque all front suspension bolts
...Then all the engine stuff will commence...fingers will be crossed, prayers will be said, animals will be sacrificed (in the form of celebratory burgers, hopefully) and breath will be held...
Just a few more weeks and I'm hoping to have more to report and more pictures to share.
Other than a couple very cold days, we haven't even had any real winter coat days. We are currently in the beginnings of another pretty bad wind storm, though.
As I said...tons of wind this year.
This past weekend we had a storm that didn't produce much more than a few hours of rain, but with gusts hitting mph in triple digits at times, I am thrilled to report that the car port is actually still standing.
For now, that is, as this next storm's gusts have started to blow. This one is only expected to produce 55mph gusts, but I don't count any chickens until they've blown out of the nest.
In the meantime, I have wasted yet another winter when I could've been working on indoor projects such as really getting that carb cleaned and getting the sending unit and gaskets on the new gas tank.
I blame the stress of dealing with getting a new roof, finding out that it was not the real cause for the leaky roof, then dealing with getting the chimney rebuilt.
Ah, home ownership sure does know how to make a person feel like they will never get ahead in life. I don't mean that to sound like I am not grateful to have the means to fix our leaky roof, which I know we are lucky to have over our heads, but I do feel like that carrot just gets farther and farther out of my grasp.
But that is just a moment in time, isn't it.
Looking ahead, we still have the fence to fix, now that it has gotten even worse with these wind storms...
OH! and the car, of course.
When I go through the list in my head, I see myself driving the car by the end of this summer at the latest.
Then when I put lists to paper, it is clear that I am putting a lot of faith in every thing on that list will just be a matter of execution, and move along with no problems or set backs.
And, if the history of this project...hell! the history of the world...has shown us anything, it's that nothing moves along without issue.
However, I do have faith. And with each tasks I've crossed off my list so far, I have gained the confidence to believe that it is possible, even with set backs, that this car could have me sitting behind the wheel and cruising the Cape at least before next winter.
I have not been keeping up here, mostly because I've not done much with the car, and I like to keep this blog devoted to just that; but, also because I've been blogging on a new site where I am making a little bit of cryptocurrency on a platform called Steemit.
Friends of mine told me about it and I figured, what the hell...doesn't cost me anything and if I can make a few cents here and there, it will add up eventually, right?
Anyway, if you're interested in the other bits of nonsense going on this winter, while the car sits waiting, here is the link to my Steemit blog.
And just so you're not subjected to an all text post, here is the last picture I took while 'working' on the car. We had a random day of nearly 60 degrees. I had the day off, but also little motivation since it was at the tail end of my bout with the flu. I have been trying to figure out how to get the filler tank out, so I could put in the new tank properly. Everyone said 'try a gator grip', since they are security screws and I was trying not to spend another chunk of money on another specialized tool for 3 screws. I found a gator grip, promptly went out to get the screws out...and discovered the socket was too wide to fit into the space where the screws sit. That part had not occurred to me, of course.
I have a feeling I will be using the hell out of the gator grip, though!
Wondering what my list looks like now?
Torque all rear bolts (axle, etc)
Fill differential
Assemble rear drum brakes and connect all rear lines
Install fuel tank and connect lines (plus close off vent line on sender unit)
Finish sanding, filling, painting drivers side floor
Find nuts for front seat and reinstall
Assemble front disc brakes and attach all front lines
Bleed brakes
Have tires mounted to original rims and balanced as best as possible
Torque all front suspension bolts
...Then all the engine stuff will commence...fingers will be crossed, prayers will be said, animals will be sacrificed (in the form of celebratory burgers, hopefully) and breath will be held...
Just a few more weeks and I'm hoping to have more to report and more pictures to share.
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