Got the transmission all buttoned up with new gaskets after I cleaned everything. Used the tricks I found on YouTube of chamfering the holes for the rods and smearing silicone around them to prevent any leaks. Do yourself a favor and buy the correct split ring pliers! Also got to use my snap on safety wire pliers for the first time. Wish I woulda treated myself to these when I used to safety wire my race bikes! They are so much better than the Chinese pliers. Trans looks good and will be mated to my engine soon then mounted in the car. Waiting on the clutch shaft as it was 40 thousandths out and sloppy.
Another big chunk handled yesterday on Sunday. I buckled down and got the flywheel torqued down, then the clutch disc and pressure plate, then transmission. I then set the toe, and buttoned up the remaining items on the front end- like welting on the front spring which I just learned was a thing. Then tightened everything up, cotter pinned, and dialed it all. I also bolted the engine and trans package in the car then added my new radiator. Gotta keep pushing!
Tore down the rear end to start cutting the torque tube and drive shaft. Tore into rear brakes to freshen up the moving parts, replaced e brake cable. Waiting on my press brake to come so I can heat up and bend my brackets for the over the axle spring relocator. Also had a huge day today. Lag bolted the body onto some 4x4s and got my buddies to help me lift it onto the frame so I can mock up the steering box, pedal placement, and e brake. Checked the firewall relief now that the engine is in its permanent home. Lots to do still but it’s a car again! Also scored another seat last week that is real leather and in the style I wanted.
Guess since I just commented on your FB post saying how I read this and didn't reply to this I'll go ahead and reply. So reply replied lol
The car is looking great! Seems like the progress is steady and satisfaction must be there as you can see it coming together. Thanks for sharing.
Yesterday I mounted the steering box flanges kit I make and tacked the steering box in place. I used a speed square clamped to the frame to get the shaft parallel. I pushed the steering box towards center of car since I had plenty of space in between engine to get my pitman arm away from the split wish bone. I will reverse taper the pitman arm as well to get the tie rod end on the inside and clear of obstructions. I also started drawing the new mounting bracket on the CNC for the e-brake. I laid the new rubber floor mat I bought last year in the car and noted the e-brake hole location (barely forward of centerline and to the right of shifter) and that’s where I was planning on putting it anyway! I’ll get more pics of that bracket I’m designing later once I cut them out. I’m planning on 1/8 plate for that bracket. Lastly I was playing with the new gauges and trying to figure out where I wanted them. My aristocrat dash might be out since I’m leaving my cowl tank. I may be able to make a spacer because the gauges are a tad long and will hit the tank. For now I have oil pressure and water temp mounted in a little chrome bracket and may end up mounting that under the lip of the dash panel. I kind of like the RPM gauge here vs on the steering tube/column.
My hurst mount was going to hit the timing cover first of all so I started with some spacers from McMaster Carr. I opted for the chrome ones. I then used grade 8 bolts, locks, and washers, and drilled the head of the bolts to allow for safety wire when the package was all modified and complete. I then drew some tabs on the CNC and cut out new landing pads and gussets to push the biscuit further away from the fuel pump. I welded them in, and accounted for that with my weld in motor mounts that I make as well. All fits like a glove now.
Thanks for the details! I have an old Advance Adapters one (for a long gone off topic project) that came with some spacers to where it bolts on. Not sure where mine will end up but I appreciate the response. Keep up the good progress!!
Was in Asia for 3 weeks so no progress until the last couple nights. Hand filed the double splines in the pitman arm. What a pita! Also started mocking up the 39 pedals in the 32 k member. Made a clearance hole for the brake pedal, and need to notch the k leg for the clutch and re strengthen it. Ready to drill the thru holes for the pedal bracket to master cylinder. Mapped out the bolt lengths and will safety wire the heads of those as well. Turned some thick tubing on the lathe for the spring perch mounts I will be heating and bending tomorrow, then welding, then hanging my rear end to start cutting torque tube and driveshaft. Also bought a bell for a steering column which I will weld onto my F1 since it didn’t have one. Ordering my new custom length drag link to complete the steering stuff, and stopped by the chrome shop to get a quote on 4 pieces. Steering arm, drag link, pitman arm, and steering column tube. While away I ordered new stainless engine lines for my 265. I got fuel pump to carb, vacuum advance, and heat choke tube. Also started fitting up the hood to see what she will look like since it’s been so long. Still making progress and it was hard to be on vacation and not think of my car!
Got the spring brackets bent and welded. Painted the reverse eye leaf spring too. Hoping to round up the hardware I need tomorrow and hang the rear end in the car, then work on mocking up the torque tube and cutting the driveshaft. I made no more progress yet on the pedals install, but that and the firewall/floorboard are the next things to attack before pulling the body for the final time.
Got some more updates. Been working all 4 jobs again lately and working on the hot rod until midnight so been pretty busy and not been updating too much here. I’ll catch ya up. I wanted to place the radiator in more permanently so I still had to address the harmonic balancer where someone smashed it with a hammer. My pulley wasn’t mounting to it. I put it on the lathe, and faced it a bit then removed a bit of material out of the bore. I was able to bolt it on with the new hardware I ordered. I then got some aluminum spacers to take up the slack in the spring bolts for the radiator and installed those.
Then came the rear end. I lopped off the old spring brackets, sanded with a flapper disc, then painted them. Will get more paint after I install a quick change. For now it’s all good. I then bought some chrome spacers for the offset in the upper and lower shock bracket bolt holes. I forgot about the radius rods entirely so added the 3/8 spring bracket as well as the 5/8 radius rod flange and got 1” spacers. Dummy! I then ordered 3/8 long chrome spacers haha. I painted the reverse eye spring and installed in the chrome shackles, and removed the second longest spring, then took 3 others and put on bottom of stack. I haven’t cut them yet or know where the final stack will rest so I have it bolted in and mocked up for now. I then cut out 3/4 of an inch out of the shock bracket and welded, blended, and bolted in after making them the same. That was fun! I cut the torque tube and bolted to transmission and bolted the other side to the diff and almost have my final measurement. I have the spring pre loaded with weight for ride height so I can cut and weld the driveshaft where I want it.
Then I started really figuring out pedal placement. I have a 39 pedal set and wanted to use them and mate to the K member leg. So lots of mock ups, including bench mock ups to make the hole for the pedals to clear was a lot of back and forth. On the tail end of it now. I tacked my steering box in my flange kit I make, and then heat up and bent the pedals to get them dialed. Few more little mods and some welding and this thing is going to be solid. I’m going to drill the bolt heads for the master as well for some safety wire cuz I don’t ever want those to back out.
I then tig welded in some bronze in the pitman arm since I was going to reverse taper it. I got that done and used my angled reamer to taper it. Lastly I heated up the end and twisted it towards the steering arm so it doesn’t max out my tie rod end. Much better now. This will go out for chroming when I’m done with the steering tube, drag link, and steering arm all check out good. it’s incredibly frustrating all my good photos in my phone are too big for this platform so I either took new ones for you, or some miracle a couple of them actually go thru. All the cool steps of heating up and bending pics didn’t upload at all.
Got the 12 gauge connecting tab designed, and bolted in. About to tack it in place then pull the assembly out for final structural mods and welding on the bench, then primer and paint and re assembly.
All wrapped up on the driver K member leg. I have a hole relocation to do on the passenger leg then they are going to get primered then painted. Next will be the hardware for the legs in my pile of stainless bolts. I started cutting out the ebrake handle bracket parts on the cnc as well so might be able to knock that out today.
Passenger side K member leg installed! Also picked up my drag link from an off road fabrication shop! More pieces to the puzzle!
The Jalopy Journal
