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1952-59 Ford 55 Ford Fairlane Blogaroni

Discussion in 'Off Topic Hot Rods & Customs' started by danman55, Aug 7, 2014.

Page 9 of 13
  1. danman55
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    danman55
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    from Lancaster, California

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    danman55, Dec 27, 2016
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  2. Texas57
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    Texas57
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    from Amarillo, Tx

    Those look great, Dan. Is that chrome/rechromed or polished stainless?
     
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  3. danman55
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    danman55
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    from Lancaster, California

    Those eyebrows are chrome. I got these from Concours Parts out in Nevada. The back side of the eyebrows are cast "Bob Drake" so I am pretty sure they are reproduction. They do fit well though.
     
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  4. danman55
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    danman55
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    from Lancaster, California

    Round 2 with the Devilbiss FLG670 tonight in the "paint booth" ;) to shoot the white on both of the fenders.

    Things went pretty well. The Wimbledon White paint looks good - can't wait to peel back the tape and see the Red/White tutone combination on those fenders. I fiddled with the gun a bit more and dialed back the psi from the 23 I shot last time (lost of overspray but good coverage, etc) to just about 15 psi at the air inlet. PLENTY of pressure and volume to lay it out nicely and much less overspray this time in the booth. On the first coat on one of the fenders I thought I saw a small spot where the surface was contaminated, but on the second and third coat it disappeared. Not sure what that was. I went over the surfaces pretty good with Eastwood's Pre like I always methodically do... an hour later there were no signs of problems when I took the photos.


    the most rewarding part of all this is kind of reflected in this photo (sorry, my camera lighting was pretty dim but you can see the shine of course).


    This is the same fender that had the ugly antenna hole that someone had cobbled up. A number of posts back I had to weld in some metal in that area and make sure it was all "seamless" in that particular area. Glad it turned out nice... no sign of the original damage! :D

    The FLG 670 is a gun I am getting use to and enjoy spraying with it, but boy it takes a little bit to clean it up well after a spraying session. :mad:
     
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  5. guthriesmith
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    guthriesmith
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    from Guthrie, OK

    Looking great!
     
    guthriesmith, Dec 29, 2016
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  6. danman55
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    danman55
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    Boys I am back at it after having a long stint of illness and travel related to what I do for a living...:cool:

    At any rate here are some photos of progress. First up would be the AC/Alternator Bracket setup from Vintage Air. The plates used are near bullet proof and the hardware looks pretty complete. I have since painted the brackets and hardware with Black Engine Paint. More on that install later - the AC kit just arrived and I am looking at mock-up, routing, etc.


    A radiator catch can came in while I was down so I got that installed this weekend. Pretty easy to do. The kit came with pop rivets to attach the brackets to sheet metal up front, but I decided drill 1/4" holes in the radiator support and attach the brackets with bolts - the holes were tapped 1/4 - 20. Kind of think that will be much better than pop rivets and of course removable as well.


    The catch can is made of aluminum, has a decent cap on it, and obviously it has the tubes inside - one for intake/one for exit. Looks nice in the engine compartment. Keeping the brackets on the radiator support will also allow room for relays if I need them on the sheet metal panel to the left in the photo.

    I also removed the rear bumper brackets so I could access the body at the rear for sanding. Since they were off and handy I went ahead and blasted the brackets and coated them with Rustoleum.

     
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  7. danman55
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    danman55
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    And...

    I also decided it was time to remove the trunk so we could get that painted since the fenders turned out so well. I did make adjustments to ensure that the gaps were right on. After that I decided to drill a 1/4" hole in the middle of the plate that bolts to the trunk.


    I used those 1/4" pin clips (easily purchased at most hardware stores). Since the circlips are somewhat spring loaded, the pin will stay in its boss. As you would surmise, this was my idea to make re-installation much easier to keep my gaps. It may not be 100% spot on when I go back to install it after paint, but it will be very, very close. At any rate I don't think I will have an issue with an paint scratches.

    The trunk was turned upside down so the lip could be cleaned really well and primed. I did tape off the holes so that no sand and could get in the cavities.


    The lower lip has some corrosion, but not enough to warrant a trunk skin.

    Hopefully I can get the trunk sanded and primed a little more next week.

    Moving right along now...
     
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  8. bobss396
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    bobss396
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    from Long Island, NY

    I did the same thing with my hood and doors, drilled line-up holes to make fitting it back together a cinch. I use 3/16" holes since I had a bunch of that size drill rod around. Takes 1 hour door alignment down to 10 minutes.
     
    bobss396, Feb 26, 2017
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  9. mikhett
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    mikhett
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    from jackson nj

    Glad your feeling better ,Rev following your posts as my 56 Vicky is on the back burner for now until I finish my 62 Galaxie XL.DID YOU use single stage white also? Thanks Mike
     
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  10. danman55
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    danman55
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    Yes that is a mid sixties Ford Wimbledon white

    Bob, I was thinking that could save me some time too!
     
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  11. danman55
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    danman55
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    I was hoping to have more time to get things done but life calls and the work beckons - greater things to take care of at this time of year. Recently though I did have the chance to get a couple of things done (albeit late or night or early in the morning) ;).

    First up would be the trunk lock mechanism and chrome. It all needs to be replaced but I thought I would like see if I could not remove the keyed cylinder. The key has to be inserted and turned just so - that small pin at the back in the middle of the threads can then be pushed down and the cylinder slid out of its boss.

    Since I was able to do that I thought I would fit the old lock cylinder into a reproduction trunk lock ***embly, yeh right, it wouldn't go. Looks like the interior of the repro lock ***embly is chrome too where as the original sleeve was not chromed at all.

    I also removed the bezels for the windshield wiper pivots. They will have to be replaced as well - and those cheap paper gaskets too...

    Of course, I mark everything I remove. :D
     
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  12. danman55
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    danman55
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    from Lancaster, California

    Ever have one of those moments when what you thought you were going to do had to be changed because you really screwed up the measurements? :confused:

    the best laid plans of mice and men... anyway, on with our story here. So to introduce the idea of AC, which this car never had in its lifetime... a little background. The females say the car must have AC, so ok time to get to work looking at different kits, manufacturers, pricing, reviews, etc. Vintage Air and Cl***ic Auto Air at the top of the list of course (see previous posts about the Vintage Air brackets for AC Compressor and Alternator for the Y Block).

    My thought - "Wouldn't it be great to put the round, chrome, louvered vents in the dash?" In my mind video of Jay Leno's 56 Buick came to mind when I recall watching a show years ago that told the story of how louvers were put into that dash. Knowing I have like 5 extra 55 Ford dashes that are in great shape, why not take the chance to customize one? We also wanted to keep the original controls for the heat with the matching ductwork in the engine compartment. All of these things narrowed our options, so it looked like the custom route it was. A company named "Coldmaster" down in Florida, had good reviews from Bus Companies (basically people who run greenhouses on wheels) and people posting on 4x4 websites. And... what's this? they sell a kit to put louvers in your dash!

    So, I measured, measured again, looked at the specs, and I says to myself, "This will work just fine." So I ordered a custom kit that would give me an evaporator core under the dash with four exits for ductwork and louvers! :rolleyes:

    Here's the box:


    And here's my son getting in on the act as we laid out all of the parts on mama's kitchen table. :eek: Very good looking setup indeed. The kit came with full contents as listed, bagged, labeled, wrapped, protected, and secured.


    After the inventory was checked off, it was time to get to the install. First up, let's get that evaporator core in there so we can run the ductwork. By the way, this is the front face of the core...


    If you are looking at the photo and checking things out you can tell what's about to happen because there is regular vent face in the photo about to be installed! Yep - once I got that unit up under the dash the front plate where the ducting would begin was sticking out way too much. Seems I had not measured when the heater plenum was against the firewall...:mad:

    Once that was discovered a new face plate was ordered and quickly installed.


    The way the evaporator core is put together gives you three attachment points to hang the unit under the dash.


    The installation went reasonably well but my main concern was that shifter. As you follow along in the photos you can see it is pretty close up in second gear but there is plenty of room to spare. I did have to use my own bracket for the rear of the unit - what was supplied was way too short, but the other two were just fine.

    And one more final picture as it sits...


    While it certainly ain't the ductwork action we were planning to do, the unit fit pretty well even though offset and it the air handlers look pretty good. More on this install coming up...:D
     
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  13. danman55
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    Now that the evaporator core is hung, we will move on to the excitement in the engine bay. Vintage Air and their compressor/alternator bracketry that was expensive enough to be gold plated is up next. Very nice kit, bullet proof metal plate that will stop bullets and IED's ... I painted them with high heat engine paint and away we went.

    First a photo of the formerly used setup on the alternator -


    The plan is to add one crankshaft pulley before installing the bracketry though, so thankfully when I laid out the brackets and instructions I had an extra crankshaft dampener to help me mock things up.


    There was going to be interference if I was to use the old crank washer. Check this out:


    That shiny washer was just the ticket.


    I was glad I had an extra crank dampener to use on the bench! Ok, so we got the pulley installed, and things are looking good so far.


    According to the Vintage Air instructions, this will be the pulley that drives the compressor, so let's hope the alignment is ok with the bracketry and with the Sanden compressor from the kit I purchased.

    From here we will just say that the kit from Vintage Air includes quite a few spacers such as what is shown in these pictures:


    With the variance in Y block timing covers, several different spacers are included in the Vintage Air kit so you can get things lined up. After you remove the original generator bracketry or other custom bracketry, you are really just going to use the hole under the p***enger head, the two holes on the timing cover that seal one of the coolant p***ages, and then one hole on the lower side of the timing cover. The hole in question is towards the middle and upper portion of this photo:


    The original hole used for the tightening arm for the generator mount is not used.
    The first bracket to install is the one that bolts to the timing cover AND the original boss on the head. The instructions pictured above indicate the spacers needed according to your timing cover variance.


    After that I installed the flat plate that mounts a 10SI or 12SI alternator.


    Of course, don't forget the spacers. And of course you will want to use thread sealant on that one hole for the timing cover that is open to the coolant p***age.


    more coming up...the picture count is getting high :cool:
     
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  14. danman55
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    danman55
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    Since I do not have the correct alternator, I could only install the compressor today. Vintage Air has a good reminder here about the oil cap and making sure your compressor is oriented correctly.


    The compressor installation was pretty quick. Keep in mind that with the location of the compressor and the way these brackets are made, you are going to have to use a rear exit compressor as shown. (it's going to be tight enough as it is.)

    Next up was the condenser. Hey, check this out, it doesn't fit lol!


    Yep, the overall size of the condenser is great - lots of square area to cool the refrigerant down. But the horn brackets get in the way of mounting it near the radiator. So, we broke out the Dremel tool.


    After notching the frame of the condenser, I fabricated/salvaged a couple of mounts that worked great but we still had a problem - we needed room to make sure we could tighten the fittings to the condenser. A couple of spacers helped with that issue. Using a few self-tapping hex head screws the condenser was put into place.


    You can tell that installed the upright support that fits between the gravel pan and the hood latch panel. I thought that important to do since the electric fan was coming next.


    plenty of room...

    So the fan went on next


    The receiver-dryer came next and it proved to be a little difficult to find a place where it would be 1. not exposed to excessive heat, 2. installed upright, 3. good port access to the condenser/evaporator core, 4. not in the way of anything else. I really think that what I came up with is about the only place it would have gone. However, if I put it inside the engine bay maybe there would have been more options? At any rate, here are some photos:


    As you can see, another spacer was needed. But, everything is now installed and the AC lines and wiring are all that needs to be put into place before we charge it up! :p
     
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  15. danman55
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    from Lancaster, California

    Well, well, well... another story to tell about the new alternator and AC compressor mount that involves a lot of receipts, conversations at a parts counter, and chasing a s**** of part-numbered s**** of paper through a parking lot! :confused: Buckle up, time for the Ford Follies...

    Where do we start? Let's start with the front porch - after being out of town for a few days working with scores of people at a church hundreds of miles away I was looking forward to getting back into the garage to unwind and "rest" as it were. Thankfully, the new alternator had arrived, along with some other goodies, so in the afternoon we were all set to get a few things done.

    If you are working through a restoration for a car that will be as about as original as possible, usually things fit - FoMoCo saw to that years ago. For those types of cars and trucks it is just a matter of finding the right parts, or even period pieces, getting a hold of a good shop manual or Ford parts book with diagrams and away you go. If you are doing a restomod that will be a daily driver, then well, good luck. :eek: You guys that are experts know full well you have to plan, measure, research, plan some more, use some of your own sketches, think things through, etc.

    Ok, after thinking, "Yeh - it's a Vintage Air bracket, it cost quite a bit of money, they are bound to think through how this all fits together..." I went ahead and pulled the 10SI alternator out of the box. It looked pretty good since I went the chromed route and 120 amps no less. A 10SI or a 12SI is what the bracket calls for... so down we go.

    "Wait, what's this?"


    Yep - that long bolt cannot go into that hole in the bracket because it cannot clear the electric fan/radiator (that Vintage Air recommends...:D). Ok so now what? Time to loosen up the bracket and slide that bolt ever so gingerly into the hole, twist the alternator just so, get that rinky dink 1/2" spacer into position and... and... wait a sec... there! :cool: she's in!


    Looks good. Never knew there would be so much drama over getting an alternator into position. I purchased one that had the 2 wire socket at the 3 o'clock position, thinking that we would be ok on that side and thankfully it fits like it should - the position of that main battery hook up is close though!


    If you know Y blocks, by now you can probably tell that the dipstick tube is backwards. In other words, the main bend is oriented towards the p***enger side when it should be towards the driver's side. I am glad I did this. I really don't know how the alternator could have fit into position if the dipstick tube was in the stock position. Maybe a 12SI is smaller?

    Back to our story.....

    Now it was time to get some belts! Vintage Air had some suggested measurements in there instructions, but they did not seem to match what I was coming up with on the Y block. The instructions did say something about variances with pulleys and all of that so I decided it was time to take things into my own hands.

    I took some wire, placed it around the pulleys, twisted it together, and then cut it so I could measure it on the bench, adding a little bit of length to make up any difference in pulley groove depth.


    What happens next is an exercise in futility. I ended up going through these pictured belts lol...


    Let's just say I am glad that Autozone is literally 1.5 miles away from my house! What a fun time all of that was. You should have heard the wife when she found out I was going for the third time...:eek: "Are you kidding me? You gotta go back again? That don't sound like you at all, you usually nail this stuff..." Oh my, if she only knew! ;)

    One of the best parts was on my second trip the piece of paper with measurements and part numbers went flying out of my grip and across the entire parking lot. I waddled around trying to step on it, chasing it down. That was completely hysterical. I probably looked like I was chasing a $100 bill!

    Ok so, third time's a charm - these grooves look to be lined up really good, and the belts fit very nicely with good tension.


    After ***essing this alternator install a little bit however, I realized that the heater hose from the water pump is going to rest right smack dab on top of that alternator as it swings back to the heater core. Nope, can't have that.


    What I plan to do is make a sheet metal bracket that will come off of the alternator, placing both the hose from the water pump and the hose from the intake manifold above the alternator a bit more as they travel back to a spot on the p***enger side fender where the factory drilled two holes for a bracket.

    And, after reinstalling the aftermarket battery tray what have we hear?


    Looks like this tray barely rests against the Vintage Air bracket. It is a plastic tray, not a big deal, but I do wonder if I should not notch it or find something else. I would imagine that over time with any engine movement it will wear into the tray.

    If you want more Ford Follies, stay tuned. I happened to start looking at the RebelWire wiring harness tonight. Oh boy, we are in for some fun! :rolleyes:
     
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  16. danman55
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    danman55
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    from Lancaster, California

    On with the Ford Follies! :D

    Last night it was time to get the wiring harness going. If the weather is nice I try to get body work and paint completed. If it's raining then on with the things we can get done in the garage.

    What we have here is a RebelWire brand aftermarket harness. It is a Universal 14 circuit/Fuse Panel kit for just about any car running 12 volts.



    I chose RebelWire after looking at reviews, reading other forums, and checking out what they had available. I did not want to go with an original harness - too expensive and there would not be fuse panel, not enough circuits for what we are adding here, etc. RebelWire is made in the USA from what I am told, and from what I have read the customers who write on forums like this one appreciate the customer service with RebelWire in case there are any problems. Each wire is laid out with its intended use/circuit labeled every 6" along the insulation. The kit comes with the main loom and panel, is zip tied (color coordinated in that regard) per bundled use, a separate bag for the alternator and other accessories, and of course instructions. There are no terminals with the kit.

    Ok so first up was to choose a location for that fuse panel. You can see in the photo below where I chose to place the panel. It seemed reasonable enough and will not be too hard to read/replace fuses when needed. The only hitch was that ALL wires exited to the right of the loom - headed straight for the main pedal bracket! (more on that later).

    What a mess of wires coming out of that small panel!

    Time to take a break and get a Ford Follies story. Take a look at this photo and guess what happened...


    Yep, dufus me - while drilling the third hole to mount the panel to the firewall my drill bit came loose from the keyless chuck in my cordless drill! :mad: Nice. I will have to say that while I like the location of the fuse panel it was a joke with all of the contortions and octopus-like positions I had to be in to secure everything under there. A real show. Me and the 55 playing a round of "Twister" :eek: Thankfully this is not a reality TV show but I would bet people would pay money to see the unplanned goofs and what have you!

    Take a look at the following photo to see how I solved the issue of the wires exiting to the right...


    With that small piece of hardware, the wires were brought up and back to the left - especially those wires going to the ignition and headlight switches. Trust me, there was plenty of wire in there to reach to the steering wheel if needed, and the loom that ran to the steering wheel could reach the front seat easily.

    So what was it like at the firewall in the engine bay? Could we use the original rubber grommet and keep things pretty clean looking?


    I had my doubts - there were a lot of wires coming out of there!


    So, I started with one run of the loom and that fit pretty well. I looked at the other and noticed that there were splices to run through where the end of the run had two wires but that same line had one wire at the firewall. This.just.might.work.


    And so it did! Nice and tight too so that it held pretty easily at the firewall.

    But now look at this mess!

    Although it looks bad I really don't think there is going to be too much problem here. The instructions read pretty well and the lines are all marked every 6".


    This afternoon was very nice outside so I finished removing all of the paint (and a little rust) from the hood outside, and I cleaned up the shop for some friends coming over later on this week. (Needed to put new gloves in the blast cabinet and a new lens as well)

    More Ford Follies coming soon...
     
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  17. Rui
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    Rui
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    from Sesimbra, Portugal

    Lots of work getting put into the Ford Mr. Jessup. Thanks for sharing.
     
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  18. silverjk
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    silverjk
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    from Houston

    I've been enjoying this thread and I really look forward to more wiring pictures as I might do this to my car this summer.
     
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  19. danman55
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    danman55
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    As promised, the saga continues:

    With the good weather yesterday I spent some time outside removing all of the paint (and a little rust) from the hood. I have been waiting on the trunk lid for it's next coat of primer/surfacer just so I can get the guns out and paint at the same time since prep and cleanup takes a little bit to do. I did some sandblasting where needed, used some paint stripper, and then a plastic wheel that is made for removing paint.
    The pictures above show the underside before it was cleaned up. There were some small holes up under the lip, but there was not enough a problem to warrant breaking out a patch panel or what have you. The hood does has a few small dings here and there that I will have to smooth out. Some of the work I have already done with hammer and dolly - I didn't see much now but I am sure that once a guide coat goes down things will "pop up"! :rolleyes:

    Towards evening I decided to stay in the garage. I don't know about you fellas, but the garage is like a place of peace and satisfaction to me. Nice to get in there, turn some wrenches, get a few things done, organize parts and plans, etc. My attention turned to the blast cabinet again...it was already time to replace the lens. I guess I use that thing quite regularly to blast small parts and what have you. Hardware is especially easy to save and very quick to turn around.

    Would you believe I have owned this thing for 10 years and have never replaced the gloves? Check out these photos though:


    I had bought new gloves at the Carlisle, PA, swap meet a couple years ago actually (man, has it been that long since I have been out there? :() So, I quickly remembered where I had put them and replaced them without much fanfare. The SkatBlast cabinet I have is made pretty well and the accessories I got with the cabinet itself have held up well. Of course I use quite a bit, and I have gone through a lot of media and several of the replacement lens. Nothing beats tearing off the old foggy lens, removing all of the old goo from the plexigl***, giving it all a good cleaning, and then installing a new lens!


    After the move from a 40x24 shop I have a new appreciation for many of us that do not have much room. I am in a 19x18 garage that holds everything - tools, the car, parts, refrigerator, kids stuff, lawn equipment, etc. That may be larger than what some of you guys on the forum may have, I don't know. But man, trying to navigate the garage with body parts, stands, tools, other parts, benches, cabinets, and the like - just trying to keep a car door open can be chore!

    If any of you have space-saving tips or photos that show what you've got, let me know by all means. ;)
     
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  20. Texas57
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    Texas57
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    from Amarillo, Tx

    "If any of you have space-saving tips or photos that show what you've got, let me know by all means."
    When I had my car 100% apart, as you can imagine in a 1 car garage of sorts, I quickly ran out of room. I stored some stuff outside in large trash barrels for years. Looked like they belonged if you've got busy-body neighbors.
     
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  21. danman55
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    danman55
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    I'll bet it also fooled the would-be thieves looking for a quick score lol!
     
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  22. danman55
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    danman55
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    Didn't get too much done today, tomorrow is Easter and I spent most of the day running around with the wife and kids - including the "Crepe Cafe", antique stores, TJ Ma**, etc. How we missed Walmart I don't know! :D

    Looking forward to church tomorrow with all the kiddos and the wife. We are supposed to have some staff members over for Easter dinner - one of them quipped, "Will we get to see the car?" So I did a little cleanup today too.

    The hood was primed, and what will probably be the final two coats of primer surfacer were shot onto the trunk. It gets better with each session. I had to hang the hood in an interesting way on my panel cart so that I could paint both sides in one session.

    When I checked the mail today, what was this in the mailbox? :rolleyes:


    Now what can this be?


    Oh yes, an NOS find! A beautiful hood crown bezel with plastic insert... very nice - check it out.


    After looking at those pictures it seems like the color is off, but I ***ure you it is not. I guess the flash on the camera changes the color hue at different angles.

    At any rate, have a Happy Easter tomorrow!
     
    Last edited: Jul 14, 2017
    danman55, Apr 15, 2017
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  23. danman55
    Joined: Dec 20, 2008
    Posts: 1,011
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    danman55
    Member
    from Lancaster, California

    Why I get involved in little projects like this, I don't know. Maybe it is the satisfaction of fabricating something small that will be entirely functional and serve a purpose, maybe it's the OCD part of me that just can't let things rest, who knows? :confused:

    Take tonight's overkill for instance. Not wanting to have the heater hoses touch the alternator as they run back from both the intake manifold and the water pump caused me to come up with a simple way to make a bracket from pieces of s**** I had lying around. 1/8" flat stock and some 18 gauge sheet s**** and way we go! :D


    First up was to trim the flat stock:


    I drilled a 15/32" hole with the press, planning to make a slot that the bolt that tightens the alternator could use to keep the bracket in place. I also found a stainless bowl about the cir***ference of the alternator to give me the arc I wanted.


    (you can tell I measured this a few times to see what angle/distance on the arc I liked best off the alternator - crazy how much changing the attachment point of the upright to the sheet metal changed the angle of attack for the heater hose bracket I was fabbing up.)

    Next was to get a good rectangular shape out of that sheet metal piece that would essentially be rail for the hoses to ride on. About 6.5 by 4 or so...


    Then we judiciously fitted the sheet metal to the arc at the top of the upright (1/8" flat stock).


    and got them both cleaned up and ready for welding by using a magnet to give us a 90 degree angle.


    (the straight edge was used to check our distance on either side of the bracket, we didn't want to weld anything up without the two pieces being as square as we could get them.)

    A couple of tacks and then on the backside.


    We checked our welds and we had good penetration. I decided not to go too crazy since this was sheet metal and very easy to blow through.


    cleaned up the welds...and then into the blast cabinet...
    What welds? lol :rolleyes: Not quite perfect but good enough for what we are doing here.

    And here is the fitment before painting the bracket -
    If you know the way that the stock heater hoses run, they take this exact path as they head to the inner fender on the p***enger side just aft of the battery. There is a special FoMoCo bracket that keeps the hoses resting on the fender - I can only ***ume that this is to keep them from flopping around.

    I have more photos of the trunk and the hood but it is pretty boring stuff, just block sanding, more block sanding, and a little more block sanding! Although, the trunk is about ready for color! :cool:
     
    Last edited: Jul 14, 2017
    danman55, Apr 17, 2017
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  24. danman55
    Joined: Dec 20, 2008
    Posts: 1,011
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    danman55
    Member
    from Lancaster, California

    Got a little more done today - we will take some time to talk about a product I really like so far: TAMCO HC 2100 Clear Coat.

    Times have changed since the early 90s when I worked at a shop out in Man***as Park, Virginia. The helpful advice on this site, and others, has been invaluable. From some of you retired body men to the guys that make only an occasional post, I would have to say that this forum has been very helpful for keeping this project going in the right direction!

    My pieces don't look like professional panels but that's ok - I am satisfied with my build and getting oo's and ah's from the fellas that take a look at the work when they come by the house - they can tell I have put some quality time and effort into it. The car is going to be a daily driver and not a show car, but when I get ready to build a 60s Mustang for the wife on our 25th anniversary i will be light years ahead of the game.

    A while back I was introduced to clear coat. One of the old men at our church is a retired body man, having worked in the industry for over 40 years and built over 10 cars of his own. He recommended I go that route. On another site I learned about a Euro clear labeled HC 2100. Now remember when I say all of this I am a novice - if you look up the definition of the word there is a picture of me standing there grinning ear to ear with a paint gun in my hand lol. There are probably other clears that are better than this product at $130 a gallon. Today I shot three coats of this clear on the exterior of the trunk lid. While the pictures at this point cannot do it justice, when the Tamco HC 2100 clear says it is "self-leveling" it ain't kidding.

    Take this first example...


    Yes, that is a bug, and yes, that is picture of the two toothpicks I used as a set of tweezers to pull said bug from my freshly clearcoated trunk!


    It is difficult to see in the second photo but when that bug was removed the clear coat "leveled" out. 5 minutes later and I could not tell where the bug had been. Add to that my small mistake of having a one inch run during my 3rd coat (yes, I waited 30 minutes for the previous coat to flash, just got too close on my p***). I don't know if anyone would believe it unless I had a video but THAT RUN LEVELED OUT TOO. ;)

    Needless to say I am very happy with this clear - it almost seems like it was made for guys like me that are not that experienced, do not have a professional paint booth, and need a little "magic" from their products to get the job done. Just want to say again I am very grateful for the advice from you fellas out there who contribute your autobody knowledge. As we know, much of the work that goes into restoration includes body and paint!
     
    Last edited: Jul 14, 2017
    danman55, Apr 24, 2017
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  25. Texas57
    Joined: Oct 21, 2012
    Posts: 3,741
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    Texas57
    Member
    from Amarillo, Tx

    You did good, Dan, to only have a 1" run. When you think about it, self leveling also means it's gonna run easily.
     
    Texas57, Apr 24, 2017
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  26. danman55
    Joined: Dec 20, 2008
    Posts: 1,011
    Profile Page

    danman55
    Member
    from Lancaster, California

    Look what came in today!


    The AC kit I ordered some time ago has plenty of fittings/etc for a standard install, but this install is not going to be "standard". :cool:

    I wanted a clean p*** through the firewall, hence the bulkhead fitting. Also, since I am using a Vintage Air bracket that puts the compressor extremely low. I am going to use inline service ports for the HI and LO sides. I also ordered a small plethora (is that even a phrase?) :eek: of various fittings and sizes so that I won't be locked in to the fittings from the original kit (with the bulkhead I needed fittings anyway). I like where the condenser, drier, compressor, and evaporator are all sitting. It will now be a matter of plumbing all of this up while using the original heater parts and controls.

    I did plunk down some change for the Mastercool crimper. I did some research and read reviews - they all seemed to be pretty good on this unit. I will certainly let you know what we discover. When I found out how much places wanted to crimp hoses I just decided it would be good to get my own crimper. I have to make quite a few for this AC install, and of course Mama keeps talking about a late 60s Mustang she wants to have done for her 25th wedding anniversary. :) That car will have to have an AC unit as well. And.....that car will have to wait as well - gotta get this one done first. Anyone have a lead on a late 60's Mustang? :confused:

    I will be out of town again this weekend but hopefully I can get to some of this stuff. I did make myself a little diagram so that I can follow along as to how I am installing this system. Once I get the fittings chosen and the lengths of hose all dialed in I will add that to the diagram as well.
     
    Last edited: Jul 14, 2017
    danman55, Apr 26, 2017
    SHARE POST#266
  27. danman55
    Joined: Dec 20, 2008
    Posts: 1,011
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    danman55
    Member
    from Lancaster, California

    And some outdoor shots on this trunk... I got home tonight and decided to get it out, go over it with 2000 and then run the buffer real quick - still want to do one more p*** but my wife came by at the end and just dropped her jaw and stood and looked at the trunk and then looked at me. :clap:

    I just nodded lol!

    Take a look - hopefully I can continue this trend through the build.

    before cut and buff:

    and then after:

    Flat out - it's awesome stuff. Take away the amateur portion of this work and the products used would really stand out.

    Now where did my wife get off to? :wink:
     
    Last edited: Jul 14, 2017
    danman55, Apr 26, 2017
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  28. danman55
    Joined: Dec 20, 2008
    Posts: 1,011
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    danman55
    Member
    from Lancaster, California

    If you have been following this thread that seems to be 15 miles long:D, you know that I decided to plunk down some coin and purchase a crimping tool that would help me get the AC lines and fittings together. I figured it was a good idea since the wife wants me to start putting together a Mustang for her in a few years.

    The tool is from a company called "Mastercool" and seems to be very well made. It is designed to be placed in a vise as you crimp your lines.


    The main unit is heavy, and the tool comes with 4 different sizes of crimping inserts, 6, 8, 10, and 12. (did not need the 12 for this installation) The tool I purchased also came with a nice plastic, blow-molded case to keep the entire unit and inserts together.

    Basically the idea here is that you set your fitting in the crimper, insert your hose to the end of the fitting (each one has a sight hole so that you can be sure you have inserted far enough) and then use a wrench or ratchet to cinch the ends together - the inserts crimp the fitting and hose together.


    I made sure the fitting and hose were centered in the bore before I hand tightened the press, and then after doublechecking I used a 3/4" wrench to bring it all together. There is a mark located on the boss so that you know how far to go...


    The tool works as advertised and the crimps look to be even and of course that hose is very tight in the fittings!


    For some hoses you make you will end up with fittings that need to be oriented to a particular "clock" or angle. Of course, if one end is a straight 180 degree fitting then there is no issue. I marked my fittings and hoses by using a sharpie and making sure the fitting and hose were oriented correctly before I cinched them down.

    Of course, keep a little mineral oil on hand for those O-rings, and make sure you don't cut them as they go on the fittings/get connected to fittings in the car.


    I am pretty happy with the AC kit I purchased - although the price point seemed to make it a "budget kit" the hoses shipped with the kit are obviously name brand "Parker" - a well recognized name in the industry.

     
    Last edited: Jul 14, 2017
    danman55, May 1, 2017
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  29. danman55
    Joined: Dec 20, 2008
    Posts: 1,011
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    danman55
    Member
    from Lancaster, California

    Thought I would post some pictures of what I did to route the lines and how I situated the bulkhead fitting where the lines p*** through the firewall. At this point I am not finished with the plumbing since I want to get my heater sheet metal installed first and I am not 100% sure how I want to route in the engine bay itself, I am HAPPY that I bought a number of various fittings ahead of time. This is definitely a custom install and different bends/sizes are needed all over the place - especially with that bulkhead fitting. :cool:

    First up, the receiver/drier line... used one 180 and one 90 to put this together. This install was pretty straight forward. The size 6 line goes behind the horn on the p***enger side.

    Next up was to determine where the bulkhead fitting was going to go. I decided the best place would be on the same plane with the evaporator and the fortunate thing for me was that this placed the p*** through point directly below the heater duct that attaches to the firewall. If you are thinking, "Great, he is burying the fitting where he cannot reach it later on..." Just remember that the sheet metal plenum at the firewall is easily removed with the two levers on the heater core boss and the clamp that attaches the square duct.

    I placed the fitting plate on the engine side of the firewall and made a mark, then used a punch to give me a locating point. Next up was a step drill to give me the first hole (size 6 fitting).


    Then I attached the plate/fitting to give me a reference point for the larger hole on the bottom - this one needed a 1 1/4" hole saw. :eek:


    after a little clean up...


    Once I checked the fitment of the bulkhead fitting I used some 3M weatherstrip sealant on the back of the plate so we wouldn't get any leaks later on.


    and we attached the two fittings, plate, and the nut and voila!


    Back to the inside of the car now. I played around with various fittings - 90 degree, 45 degree, and 180 degree - to find out which orientation would work best.


    If you are paying attention you can see that the lines will criss cross as they p*** through the firewall. This is "by design" - this time I actually thought about this ahead of time since I knew where we were headed with the size 6 line and the size 10 line moving up front. I also had to orient the fitting in "portrait" and not "landscape" on the firewall so this configuration worked best. It really was not a big deal. However, if you look at the photo above you will see that the size 10 fittings are just not lining up. I did have work them a little with some judicious, altered, bends so that they would line up to each other.


    Since I was not dealing with any 180's on this evaporator hook up, the first fitting was crimped to the hose after a general measurement was taken. Then that fitting and the hose was installed. I then took the other fitting that the hose was connecting to and installed that with the hose in the final fitting "uncrimped". This made the jockeying around very easy and I just marked the fitting to the hose, pulled everything out, crimped, and reinstalled. I am not sure if that is the way it is supposed to be done but it worked for me and I am happy with the way it all went together. I am also very PLEASED I bought this Mastercool crimper. I could not imagine the multiple trips to a shop to have the ends crimped without being able to tell what I was doing. Some guys may be good enough to handle that but I am not. :rolleyes:

    Next up was the size 6 hose for the evaporator and by this time it was getting to be standard operating procedure, and then get the lines from the bulkhead to the compressor, condenser, and receiver/drier up front. If I can get as much installed as possible it should be easier to figure out where the ports need to go. With a rear exit compressor and the Vintage Air bracket that puts the compressor almost out of reach, I am planning to bring both the Hi and Lo ports over between the starter solenoid and the heater box somewhere.
     
    Last edited: Jul 14, 2017
    danman55, May 1, 2017
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  30. danman55
    Joined: Dec 20, 2008
    Posts: 1,011
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    danman55
    Member
    from Lancaster, California

    Between projects such as powerwashing the deck, repairing a water hose, hanging a window for the wife, painting hardware for the wife, and other Saturday busyness I did have a chance to get a few things done :D

    I installed the heater core and box since my new gaskets arrived yesterday. Even though they are Made in the USA, they leave much to be desired and are not the same thickness as the FoMoCo versions.

    Take these photos for instance. Notice the gap in each one as it gets a little tighter each time I adjust the levers on the Heater Core boss.


    We are sealed up but I don't think these are going to last near as long as Ford's original equipment.

    I decided to work on the Heater parts because the AC lines I am running are weaving in and around the units and I wanted to get an idea of where to put the Hi and Lo ports for access. I settled on the Lo port (which is a size 10 hose in this setup) to be just forward of where the squirrel cage boss sits. This should be accessible pretty easily and it is tucked out of the way.


    When the special AC grommets I ordered arrive, I will take some photos of how I plan to orient and install the final line from the compressor to the condenser (will also show the ports at the rear of the compressor - it is tight in there!)
     
    Last edited: Jul 14, 2017
    danman55, May 6, 2017
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