Today I installed an aftermarket HEI distributor to replace the Duraspark system. Didn't even loose the oil pump shaft but I will still have to remove the oil pan to fix the leaking dip stick tube. It goes through the pan and sealed with a rubber gasket rivited on. I will grind off the rivits, remove the gasket and weld it to the pan. The old distributor worked fine but had too meny components to worry with. HEI has one wire for ign. and one wire for tack. Got the power steering lines made up and mounted. Had to grind some reliefs into the frame to clear the P.S. line fittings. This means I will have to pull the engine so I can get at the frame in order to weld it back up. I may end up relocating the fuel pump from the frame, up on the inner fender. don't know yet...
After I installed the new distributor, which has a larger diameter, I found out that there is not enough room for the fuel line to make the tight bend around the dist. I have ordered a 1/8" npt street ell to run it towards the passenger side and then back along the carb. This means that I will have to run the fuel line from the pump up the firewall beside the brake lines and up over the left rear corner of the engine. These little things take alot of time to get right...
I finally got myself back under the floor pans and sanded, cleaned, and painted with rust encapsulator. Started raining just as I finished up. Now I can put it back on the frame.
I ordered another rebuilt rack last night from ebay...Chevrolet wants $80 for the 2 hard lines on the rack that I broke so I bought another rack and pinion for $55. shipped. OK!!! Y'all may think I'm crazy but I want full side windows in the doors without the vent windows. The upper door hinge was blocking the area where the front of the window will be running up and down so I started modifying the top hinge pocket to clear the window. I will cut the hinge and backing plate off short and drill 2 more bolt holes. I will use some rigid window channel behind the pocket. Hope this is understandable.... Years ago I did this to my 53 Chevy truck and used electric window rollers. I think someone makes them for VW's With a little adjusting I got them to roll up and down smoothly. Any thoughts on this mod?
Here is my 49 Wayfair convert. Built in 56 didn't have the expertise that you have today. but really wish I still had it.
Great work steze. I'm going to get rid of the vent window as well, so watching this one closely. Good luck.
The door glass and vent window are not on the same plane... The vent window angles in... so I will have to add and remove sheetmetal from the door at the belt and top of the door. Rear windows will be the same but will not roll down. One piece window there also... I will order some 18ga. brake formed angle to add into the door. I have been using sheetmetal from an old washing machine. I am looking for some Stanpro unbeaded flexable window run channel. I will need 2- 96" pieces for 1/4" glass. Ebay only has it in 60" and 72" lengths. Also will need 4- 3' pieces of belt "fuzzies"... Anyone on the H.A.M.B. selling weatherstrip products? Please let me know... Here's a simple drawing and picture of the door to try and explane.
Farmer, I have done this before but it has been about 20-25 years ago... I got the upper hinge pockets finished and need to cut the ends off the hinges and there threaded backing plates...drill and tap 5/16" fine thread. If I got my measurements right the front window run will set up against the modified pocket. The original window regulators will not be used so I will shoot for aftermarket power regulators.
As long as I had the compressor going I went ahead and cut the inner window frame. Now everything's cut ready to weld. I am going to make another window glass template out of 1/2" OSB. It will stay rigid enough to hold it's plane while filling in.
Well I have ordered 2 8' pieces of run channel and 2 8' pieces of window sweep. Some 1/2" angle iron to add into the door sills for strength. 2-4' pieces of window bottom channel. Some aluminum channel for the front of window glass run. A pair of Electric Life sizzor type window regulators. (Expensive!) Another gal. of Eastwood's rust encapsulator (Good stuff!) Due to the limited area the glass will be contacting the run channel when raising and lowering the window will flop in and outwards... I have drawn up a picture describing my fix for this. I will put extension guides attached to the bottom channel extending downward. The window guides need to be extended lower into the door. Hope this is understandable... Here's some pictures... I also found an ac unit that will fit in under the dash. Fits a VW Golf. 12"x12"x31"
Thanks farmer...I have put alot of thought into this and belive I have it figgured out. We'll see after all the goodies get here. I did get the 2 outside door sill plates made from an old comercial metal building wall stud. It is 16ga but I will add the 1/2" angle iron for strength.
I found the cheapest glass run and window sweeps on the net. $26.70 for 96" 5/8" channel ea. $16.10 for sweeps ea. http://www.perfectfit.com/15594/Glass-Run-Channels.html
While waiting on door materials, I cleaned up the inner fenders. Right is finished... left needs paint Welded up all the wiring clip and battery box holes on the left. (battery will go in the trunk) Trans dipstick and tube has been shortened...
Received the bottom window channel today along with the 3/4" aluminum channel which was 7/8" and not 3/4" Crap! wrong size! Lowes has what I need...Aluminum channel to cap the edge of 5/8" plywood. I'll run over this weekend and pick up 2 48" pieces. The sizzor type power window kit I bought off of ebay fell through...non working... got refund. So...I have a wrecked 99 Grand Am that has the sizzor type power window lifts in the front. I removed both and have mounted one in 1 of the doors. Going to work out great. Both motors are shot so I ordered 2 new ones off of ebay for $40. shipped. Time to have the glass cut.
After installing the Grand Am window regulator I found out that it sets too deep into the door towards the door skin by 3/4" The inside door skin has depressions 5/8" deep. I will have to cut out all the upper portion of this in order to get the regulator to line up with the window plane. I ordered 2 18ga. pieces to fill the door panal back in. The window wipes and flex channel came in yesterday from Perfect Fit. I believe that the door takes more attention than any other component of the car. I have Bear Claw large door latches to install and will have to re-locate the inside door handles so they will not interfere with the regulator.
Today I got one of the outside sills welded in... The 1/2" channel made it very rigid. Now I just need to figgure out how I'm going to pop rivet the window wipes in place when the time comes. May use some 440 or 6-32 flathead screws with nuts. Anyone have any ideas? Found this goat on a Plymouth picture on the net somewhere...LOL!!
ShoreZombie...Your Wayfarer looks great! Green is good. I am still desiding on black or light aqua for mine. I will have air so black will work but aqua looks more vintage. I had originally wanted to go back all original but the car was a rustbucket from the floor pans down!
After completing the welding on the sill I re-installed the window pattern. Looking up you can see where I will have to fill in for a straight plane. I will do the passenger door tomorrow... I am using a Clarke 125EN with .030 flux core. Lots of splatter with flux core but easy to clean up with a flap disc.
Well It has been raining all day here so I didn't get anything done. A garage would be nice. LOL! SO...I chopped my car....With MS Paint that is... Farmer, I think you put that idea in my to-do list. Here's a before and after picture.
The Jalopy Journal
