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Sounds like you found the Man. Good re-builders are hard to find. Now with all the fancy double clutches and 9 gears set with electric activation, no one wants to do the old ones any more. Still got to take it apart, clean it and put in new packs and bearings but can't get the bucks for the old rebuilds.
Sound
s like you found the Man. Good re-builders are hard to find. Now with all the fancy double clutches and 9 gears set with electric activation, no one wants to do the old ones any more. Still got to take it apart, clean it and put in new packs and bearings but can't get the bucks for the old rebuilds.
Hasn't been much to report on as last week was busy with Scouting activities and this weekend is too.
Last Friday we did bring the car back in the shop and worked on it Saturday. We removed the hood and fenders and set the motor in place to check clearances and the trans linkage. (the trans shop gave me the empty housing back with just the lever installed so we could easily lift it into place).
We found the shift lever would hit the floor pan, so we are going with a Lokar shift lever and removing the stock one.
I made the boy get everything set up to install the motor while I assisted him. After all it is his car and he needs to know how everything goes together that way when something happens and dads not around he should be able to remove and repair it. Key word there is Should.
Removed the hood and fenders to not damage them putting the motor in.
After attempting to set the motor several times and modifying the motor mounts and driver side manifold, then diggin in my shed to find and older passenger side manifold because the one from the Ranchero was to fat at the flange and hit the frame rail. We finally got a good fit (tight but good).
Didn't have any pics of how the tranny fit, but that wasn't very exciting anyway.
So at this point the motor is still in the car, the hood and fenders are back on to save shop space, and the tranny is back at the trans shop awaiting it's turn in the build process.
This weekend I've been working on the 69 Scrambler and setting up the 55 Chevy on the rotisserie, while the boy is off camping in the woods with the Boy Scout Troop. He may make some progress this week after school as some more new parts came in Friday. The new rear air suspension arrived along with front gas shocks, new coil springs with progressive load dampening, HEI Distributor so we can go to One wire electronic operation and discard the Duraspark II system, and the Lokar shift lever and cable set.
He did mention putting most of the Motor components on this week too. The big question is " How bad does he want to finish the car" to see how much actually gets done this week.
Really wish my dad was around to have a father son project (he was working all the time). I got a chiltons manual and 99% of the projects were done by myself. My dad did help me re-skin my seats. That was a good bonding experience. Now that he is a bit older and retired, hopefully we can make up for lost time.
Originally Posted by SSRFUZZY
Hasn't been much to report on as last week was busy with Scouting activities and this weekend is too.
Last Friday we did bring the car back in the shop and worked on it Saturday. We removed the hood and fenders and set the motor in place to check clearances and the trans linkage. (the trans shop gave me the empty housing back with just the lever installed so we could easily lift it into place).
We found the shift lever would hit the floor pan, so we are going with a Lokar shift lever and removing the stock one.
I made the boy get everything set up to install the motor while I assisted him. After all it is his car and he needs to know how everything goes together that way when something happens and dads not around he should be able to remove and repair it. Key word there is Should.
Removed the hood and fenders to not damage them putting the motor in.
After attempting to set the motor several times and modifying the motor mounts and driver side manifold, then diggin in my shed to find and older passenger side manifold because the one from the Ranchero was to fat at the flange and hit the frame rail. We finally got a good fit (tight but good).
Didn't have any pics of how the tranny fit, but that wasn't very exciting anyway.
So at this point the motor is still in the car, the hood and fenders are back on to save shop space, and the tranny is back at the trans shop awaiting it's turn in the build process.
This weekend I've been working on the 69 Scrambler and setting up the 55 Chevy on the rotisserie, while the boy is off camping in the woods with the Boy Scout Troop. He may make some progress this week after school as some more new parts came in Friday. The new rear air suspension arrived along with front gas shocks, new coil springs with progressive load dampening, HEI Distributor so we can go to One wire electronic operation and discard the Duraspark II system, and the Lokar shift lever and cable set.
He did mention putting most of the Motor components on this week too. The big question is " How bad does he want to finish the car" to see how much actually gets done this week.
Got the call today that the trans was done, so when the boy got home from school we stopped at the Bank to get some money from his savings account to pay for it (yep, Dad's making him pay for stuff for his car. what a concept) and headed over to pick it up. I even made him talk to the Builder to make sure he understood just what needed to be done so he didn't wreck something installing it. My guilder even gave him a typed out sheet to help if he forgets something and told him to call with any questions he might have.
Then it was time to pay the bill, and Dad made him pay the cash out so he understood what kind of money went into getting this built for him. We got the receipt and the trans and headed back home.
We put it on a rolling cart to move it around till he's ready to put it under the car.
Yes we got a new torque converter too. Just a stock one for now. When the boy decide he has enough play money to build a big HP motor like he plans (with dad's money) to he can put in a stall of whatever he wants.
Since I'm so busy in the shop we went out and got him a new portable garage and put it up Monday. It took the place of the garden that nobody would tend to and it became a weed garden instead of a food garden.
After getting the 69 Scrambler smoothed out, epoxied and primed tonight, we moved his Mustang into it's new home where he can work on it without being in dad's way. Now I can move vehicles in and out of the shop with out having to push his around to get them in and out. Wish I could put up a bigger building, but that aint happenin till momma gets her new house. You know how it goes fellas " If momma aint happy? Aint nobody happy".
Yep she's a little dusty from setting in the tent by the shop door. Just another good reason to move it out in this one. Should stay pretty clean and dry in there.
The boy is zipping down the door and tucking her in for the night.
He said he plans to get the car back up in the air tomorrow and get the trans ready to install and maybe the rest of the fuel and brake lines.
He sounds pretty ambitious right now, but we'll see when it comes time to work on it tomorrow.
Mean while I'll be moving the Scrambler out and the 56 Chevy in for final blocking before paint on Friday.
With the 56 delivered I ordered up all the new weatherstrips Friday. Some of them shipped out but the main one's, (rear window and felt kit) are on back order.
I guess when they arrive we'll just put in what we have and wait to put the glass in till the other stuff comes in.
I also ordered a C6 trans mount cross member instead of making one. It's also on delayed shipping.
The trans mount finally arrived, but unfortunately we're gonna have to do some modifications to get it and the trans to fit better. The lines out the side of the trans are hitting the floor pan. We'll drop the tranny a bit and install 45 degree fitting to clear the floor and hopefully be good after that.
The boy has been tinkering with other stuff on the car, but it won't be ready in time for graduation (which is this Thursday night). He's kinda bummed about that, but understands that good things take time and Money.
The last project brought in enough funds to have finished it, but the House I bought in the KC, MO area took those funds. We are supposed to close on it the end of this month. At least Momma will be happy again for little while.
Meanwhile I'm eating PB&J's and drinking water.
Anyway, When we get some better updates will post some pics.
These projects have amazing extra value. We did similar projects with both my grandsons, maybe not as complete and beautiful as yours but good drivers, an 88 Firebird and a 67 Mustang. When they applied to college, I was amazed at how much interest their auto activities created to the Interviewers. One is now at West Point and the other at U of Penn.
They both know how to arc and gas weld, re-upholster, re-wire and tune carbs and TPI fuel injection along with driving stick and some body wotk. The effort put in by their father and myself and you will reap rewards all our children's future life. More parents should spend that quality time with their kids.
By the way, don't let your father off the hook, I am turning 71 and still working but really enjoyed the projects.
Good luck and congrats on bring back a beautiful vehicle.
Since the boy isn't working anywhere right now, I talked with my regular interior guy and he said he'd teach him how to do interior work if he wanted to do his own seats to learn on. So the boy got all the seats out and took them over last Monday. Figured out what they needed for materials and began making patterns.
By Friday he had the Back seat done.
We're going with Red hot red marine grade vinyl with red hot red Carbon fibre seating areas and Quick Silver carbon fibre piping and the stripe in the back of the front seats for the Mach 1. The head rest area may also get a little custom embroidery if we can find someone willing to do it this week.
The boy has been steadily working on his seats this week learning the trade with a local guy. He seems to like it so far and may just take up the trade as a business.
From what I've seen him do so far it looks pretty nice. We did find a lady locally to embroider the design we wanted in the head rest area of the front seats and the boy and my interior guys got the front seats stitched up and most of them installed.
He's got one seat bottom left to finish and install, so they should be done early next week.
03-24-2016, 10:23 PM
