Thought I'd start a thread on all the work my 66 needs. I had hoped to just do any necessary brake/suspension/steering work it may need to be safe on the road and then drive it for a few years but it is a major case of "ghetto engineering".
I did drive it 12 miles when it first got here and decided I didn't need anymore of that. The upper control arm bushings are literally falling out and the steering is all original. It's amazing the ball joints are still pretty good but the idler arm flops up and down a good inch... The left front shock is so bad, it drips oil on the floor.
There was no interior other than the 2 bucket seats of unknown origin and the rear seat. They have new covers some rookie installed and don't look bad from 20 feet. It also is missing the entire heater system on both sides of the firewall.
It has a Gen V 454 truck engine in it and I thought the shifter seemed a bit far back...like between the seats, so I started looking and he left the truck pan on the engine and had to locate it almost 3 inches back for the pan to clear the crossmember. He had to bash in the firewall under the throttle pedal for the bellhousing/clutch linkage to clear and the tunnel is totaly butchered for the shifter to be where it is. The trans is a Borg Warner out of a 81 F-body and the shifter is really junky. I looked around to see what Hurst offered for that model and there isn't much available.
So, I started collecting parts. I had picked up a complete Moog front end rebuild kit at a swap meet last month, so I'm good there. I also want to swap in power steering and front disc brakes. I started looking at what I need for the ps and realized I had a remote set-up like it somewhere on my shelves. I had bought a 69 C10 for the 396/TH400 for my 70 Chevelle a number of years ago and the ps pump and remote reservoir were with it. It took a while but I eventually found it. I need a lower crank pulley because the one on the motor was bent from a front end collision. I still need to come up with a steering gear box. I have one for a Camaro but it seems to be seized from sitting and I haven't reefed on it much yet to see if it will break free. Another friend of mine from the Camaro club basically gave me a single piston disc brake set-up with the spindles a month ago after he installed a complete CPP system. I have a full set of KYB shocks I bought and I'll be getting a replacement left fender from Karl on Friday as the left fender is too far gone to save. I also got a restorable core support from Karl because the one in there now is junk too. The plan is to remove all the front suspension and steering. Then pull the entire clip and finally the engine/trans. I have a retro pan on the way to allow the engine to move forward into the original position. I will be selling the Borg Warner and installing an M20 that Steve (Bungy l-79) assembled for me. I'll need to sand blast and paint the core support and install lower patchs on both front fenders. I'm supposed to be getting a complete heater system from another 66 soon and that will go in before the clip is installed. Then, I will blast and paint the control arms, install all new bushings and the steering system and brakes. I also picked up a pair of correct 66 buckets today. They actually match the door panels I threw in just to have something in there but I like the panels so much I bought a complete arm rest kit with matching Parchment pads and all new window cranks and door handles. A few pics of what I've done so far. .. Here is what the interior looked like when it got here. 66 GTO door panels and all new arm rests.
Working on fitting the new carpet in the back.
The "new" buckets. All the metal trim pieces are in good shape and should look very nice with new paint.
Derek69SS said
Nov 17, 2010
Looking good!
Lost in the 60s said
Nov 20, 2010
My GM relocation oil pan kit came yesterday....
jim larson said
Nov 20, 2010
Good luck on your project Mitch. Love to stop by some time this winter and see how things are progressing.
Jim
Lost in the 60s said
Nov 29, 2010
Well, I hit the shop at 8:30 this morning... On the stands ready for surgery.
removed the hinge springs
lowered the hood onto a pallet and removed
next, the clip came off in 1 piece
gotta love having a forklift !!!!!!!
sway bar and entire steering system came off
shock worn thru from the spring not being clocked properly and original riveted ball joints
while holding weight on the lower a arm, I loosened the ball joint nuts. Then I let the jack down to hold spring tension on the joints and gave the boss on the spindle at the stud a firm whack with a bfh. Once the studs pop loose, i jack the arm up again and remove the nuts.
Once the nuts are gone, lift the upper arm off the spindle and then lift the spindle assembly off the lower stud. be sure to have the brake hose disconnected at this point and hold the spindle while lifting the upper arm
lower the jack to release the spring
and here we are, 3 1/2 hours later. I did have to use my 3/4 impact on one stubborn lower arm bolt but it didn't argue long with 650 ft lbs hammering on it !! I can't get the upper arms off until I pull the motor, as they hit the exhaust maniflds.
jim larson said
Nov 29, 2010
Keep the photo's coming. Can't remember the guy's name, something like Lemon, lives in Hudson area, He has rebuilt 2 66's. He has a black one and a red one that his wife drives. he also races a camaro. Now is rebuilding a Mopar product. He should be a valuable resource, Maybe you know him.
-- Edited by jim larson on Monday 29th of November 2010 0645 PM
Lost in the 60s said
Nov 29, 2010
Not familiar with him, Jim, but I'd like to know who he is. I only had an hour after lunch and I removed the driveshaft, shifter and all the bolts from the engine mounts, cross member and rear trans mounts. At this point all that is left is 4 wires to the engine and then bolt on the chains for the equalizer, mount the lift frame to the forks and haul it out... Should be swinging free in a half hour or so.
bowtie said
Nov 29, 2010
I wish I had your motivation.
and a forklift
SShink said
Nov 29, 2010
Mitch you are a one man wrecking crew! That's meant in a good way of course!
Lost in the 60s said
Nov 30, 2010
bowtie wrote:
I wish I had your motivation.
and a forklift
And time........I like not working in the winter anymore but I don't have any income either....it's a double edged sword. Not sure the forklift would fit in your garage very well....
Stan, as you well know, the teardown is the quick, easy part. I'll have around 6 hours to get it stripped and at least a week for every hour of that to rebuild and re-assemble. The goal is to have a safe, dependable, correctly built cruiser in 6 weeks.
-- Edited by Lost in the 60s on Tuesday 30th of November 2010 07:40:07 AM
67ss said
Nov 30, 2010
I can't believe with all the stuff you do mitch you have not installed a two post hoist in there.
Looks like the car was originally butternut yellow or cameo cream colored?
-- Edited by 67ss on Tuesday 30th of November 2010 11:38:25 AM
Lost in the 60s said
Nov 30, 2010
Chris, the shop is a business in the summer and I need to get my semi in for maintainence/repair, so nothing bolted to the floor.
Today hasn't gone as well as yesterday. I realized I forgot about the exhaust pipes and z bar. I crawled under to remove the exhaust nuts from the manifolds and as soon as I hit the trigger on the impact a piece of rust (imagine that) fell in my right eye and I thought I was gonna die from the pain. I can't deal with crap in my eyes. After a few minutes of digging around with a shop rag, I got most of it out and went back at it. This time with my safety glasses on... Anyway, here's a pic of the home made Z bar and pivot ball bracket. Also the clutch rod I assume out of the same truck as the engine/bell housing. The rod was so far to the right, it scraped on the steering column. Note the "remodeling" of the firewall for clearance.
I had to remove the mounts from the block to get it out of the frame. They bound up on the frame mounts with the bell housing wedged under the firewall and the truck pan hitting the frame.
Lazy mans coolant drain...
The firewall "modifications" and the distribution block he added for the dual master upgrade. The "neatly" bent u-pipe was rubbing on the exhaust manifold. All that will get relocated to the top of the frame rail. I am converting to front discs, so the distribution block will stay.
Truck frame mounts welded on...
Upper control arm bushings The right side was metal on metal.
Here's the shifter "hump" he built for the boot, since it was 3 inches too far back from the original location.
I kept wondering what the patch down the middle was for and finally realized that he cut the tunnel and spread it for the bell housing to fit !!! The hole under the throttle pedal is where the clutch fork wore thru, even after all the hammer bashing.
He converted it to a cable pedal too, which isn't all bad. I will most likely keep that for now, as a Lokar to do the same thing is $160 with a cable kit.
bowtie said
Nov 30, 2010
Did you know about the floor, etc beforehand or is this a "nice surprise"?
Lost in the 60s said
Nov 30, 2010
bowtie wrote:
Did you know about the floor, etc beforehand or is this a "nice surprise"?
I wasn't informed or aware of ANY of this crap. It's just the nature of doing business without looking at it. So far, I'm about 2k behind for fixing all his butchering in addition to what I knew was missing, like the heater, carpet and interior. He told me the frame was "really nice" too and it has a serious rust issue under the left door..... The upper dash at the windshield channel is really tough too and will be a challenge to get repaired. I have a floor pan and lower windshield channel on the way as well as a complete wiring harness for the entire car. All the engine wiring was home made and most of the circuits were from the same roll of wire.......all one color...
67ss said
Nov 30, 2010
Your car is a good example of why some people should not be allowed to own a welder.
Chris R said
Nov 30, 2010
Sometimes. I would much rather remove rusty metal then try to fix what someone else screwed up.
SShink said
Nov 30, 2010
Mitch, with all due respect... I think you should call this project 'FrankenVelle' after looking at that shifter hump!!!
I'm sure you will bring it back to life in fine shape.
Lost in the 60s said
Nov 30, 2010
I missed one of your earlier questions, Chris, it was Lemonwood Yellow. Pulled the left vent out.....packed full of leaves.
Pulled the entire instrument panel, wire harness and pedals out. Also removed the unsightly "hump".
Ten minutes of readjusting the floor/firewall with a bfh.
Actually came out really well. Most of it will get cut out for the replacement pan anyway. The pan was supposed to be here today but it never showed up.
Lost in the 60s said
Nov 30, 2010
SShink wrote:
Mitch, with all due respect... I think you should call this project 'FrankenVelle' after looking at that shifter hump!!!
I'm sure you will bring it back to life in fine shape.
I could've saved myself all this work by painting it flat black, putting on some spinner wheel covers and joining the Frankenstieners....
jim larson said
Nov 30, 2010
Looking good Mitch. Z bar/cross shaft repo are available. I had to relocate the arm however, to get it to clear the oil pressure sending fittings. I have photos of an original cross shaft.
Lost in the 60s said
Nov 30, 2010
WOW, FedEx knocked on the door at 8:20 with the floor pan and other parts !!!
COMPLETE seal kit, every piece of rubber seal on the car along with new fuzzies and a heater box seal kit. New heater core and complete front end bolt kit and inner dust shields....
Replacement lower windshield channel. I got lower front fender patchs too but they are going back. I explained exactly what I was looking for and the salesman swore these were it. They aren't even close to what's available now....
Lost in the 60s said
Nov 30, 2010
jim larson wrote:
Looking good Mitch. Z bar/cross shaft repo are available. I had to relocate the arm however, to get it to clear the oil pressure sending fittings. I have photos of an original cross shaft.
I won't be able to use a stock Z-bar as the block has no boss cast on it for the pivot ball. The bell housing has a boss for the ball at the block seam, so I will need to modify something to use that. I have a BB Z-bar for my 70 and will dig that out to compare once the engine is back in.
Chris R said
Dec 1, 2010
Lost in the 60s wrote:
WOW, FedEx knocked on the door at 8:20 with the floor pan and other parts !!!
COMPLETE seal kit, every piece of rubber seal on the car along with new fuzzies and a heater box seal kit. New heater core and complete front end bolt kit and inner dust shields....
Replacement lower windshield channel. I got lower front fender patchs too but they are going back. I explained exactly what I was looking for and the salesman swore these were it. They aren't even close to what's available now....
Lol, dude. 1979 called. They want thier couch back.
Sorry Mitch. I couldnt resist. For the record, when I get to that point, ill need that section of floor pan for my 66 as well.
Lost in the 60s said
Dec 1, 2010
Chris R wrote:
Lol, dude. 1979 called. They want thier couch back.
HEY, that couch is only 10 years old..... it just LOOKS like your Grandmothers... I take it you're not interested in buying it ? We aren't crazy about it either but we wanted a sleeper sofa for possible guests.
dashboard said
Dec 1, 2010
Mitch, check you PMs
jim larson said
Dec 1, 2010
You are probably aware of the fact that there were 2 different manufactures for the 66 doors and as a result the clips on the fuzzies may not be in the correct place depending upon who you got them from. Ausley chevelle has a good video clip on how to remove and adjust the position of the one clip. Just check their web site.
Lost in the 60s said
Dec 1, 2010
jim larson wrote:
You are probably aware of the fact that there were 2 different manufactures for the 66 doors and as a result the clips on the fuzzies may not be in the correct place depending upon who you got them from. Ausley chevelle has a good video clip on how to remove and adjust the position of the one clip. Just check their web site.
Nope, didn't know that. I got all this from Ausley's and they didn't mention it either. The left door is toast and I got a new repro shell with the car. Guess I'll make whatever I got work for that one. Thanks for the heads up on a possible issue.
67ss said
Dec 1, 2010
Mitch check out this link, this should fix your z bar issue.
THANKS, Chris......I figured there had to something like that and you saved me the time/frustration looking for it... Now I can look for an original Z-bar and be done with the linkage.
Dashboard came over for a few hours today and as long as I had help, we removed the junk windshield. Too bad the pic I took didn't turn out.....I'll get another later. After cleaning up the glass and loose rust with the shop vac, I put him to work disassmebling the inside heater box and commandeering the sand blasting cabinet. He's a quick learner and was doing good until it plugged up. I drained all the sand and we sifted it for debris, which there was a LOT, and he left right after that. It still wouldn't flow any sand, so I took the nozzle apart and there was a piece of debris stuck in there. It all works great again now.
I started the initial evaluation of how much to cut off the floor pan. The pan will eliminate all the rust and butcher damage in 1 fell swoop.....
jim larson said
Dec 2, 2010
Lost in the 60s wrote:
jim larson wrote:
You are probably aware of the fact that there were 2 different manufactures for the 66 doors and as a result the clips on the fuzzies may not be in the correct place depending upon who you got them from. Ausley chevelle has a good video clip on how to remove and adjust the position of the one clip. Just check their web site.
Nope, didn't know that. I got all this from Ausley's and they didn't mention it either. The left door is toast and I got a new repro shell with the car. Guess I'll make whatever I got work for that one. Thanks for the heads up on a possible issue.
On the Ausleys site they have tech tip videos, one shows the fuzzie issues.
dashboard said
Dec 2, 2010
Mitch,
Glad to hear the blaster is back up and running, next time we know to check the tip second. Don't forget, I did not finish the engine compartment heater box.
All the small parts are in your "don't forget were I put it box" including that nylon bushing.
Any up dates?
Jim, your the 66 expert, you need to make the trip up and spend a day with Mitch. He has a great setup. All the tools you can dream of in a large well lit warm shop. After working in my small shop I felt like I got my JFKs* yesterday walking from one end of his shop to the other.
*Some may not understand this term.
Lost in the 60s said
Dec 3, 2010
My wife comes home from work and walks in the neighborhood for exercise and gives me a hard time for not joining her. I tell her I walk at least a mile every day back and forth from the house to the shop and in the shop...
I cut out the floor yesterday and replaced the body mount cage nut. There are NO body mount bolts holding this body to the chassis !!! Most have been snapped off and some haven't had bolts in them for many years. The front two nuts are so rusted from being empty, that I will replace the ones I can get at.
New pan is in place and tack welded. Just need to finish welding it in and seam seal it...
67ss said
Dec 3, 2010
Does this phase of the project including painting the whole car once you get all the sheet metal fixed?
Lost in the 60s said
Dec 3, 2010
67ss wrote:
Does this phase of the project including painting the whole car once you get all the sheet metal fixed?
NO, I'm just making the car what it was supposed to be, safe, reliable and roadworthy.....
Lost in the 60s said
Dec 3, 2010
Wow, frustrating day. My Mig welder hasn't been working properly for some time and it came to a screeching halt today. Somhow the liner got kinked in the outer jacket and was pinching the wire. I took it back where I got the welder and they tried to remove the liner to replace it but they couldn't get it out !! I had to buy a whole new gun and hose assembly......aaaaaahhhhhggggg Anyway, I finally got to work on the floor around 1:30. I cut a piece off the old floor from the GTO to fill the last of the factory console shift hole and then welded it all in. I have some final grinding on the pan and to cut the hole for the shifter but for the most part, it's a done deal. There are still a bunch of extra holes someone made in the floor and old console mounting holes that I will fill too but I'm pretty pleased that the pan is now an integral part of the floor.
SShink said
Dec 3, 2010
Mitch that new shifter hump sure looks a lot better than the Frankenstein creation!
Lost in the 60s said
Dec 6, 2010
SShink wrote:
Mitch that new shifter hump sure looks a lot better than the Frankenstein creation!
Thanks, Stan. I really like it. I decided to stop before cutting the shifter hole and screwing down the "porch", as Pontiac calls it. I have a LOT of cutting, grinding and dirt involved with replaceing the lower windshield channel and dash panel repair. I didn't want all that crud going in the porch and trying to vacuum it out of there. Here's a few in progess pics of the lower channel removal ...
Lost in the 60s said
Dec 8, 2010
I had "hoped" to be welding the lower channel in today, but i am STILL going backward with this car !!! I need to weld a patch on the dash panel to weld the channel to, so I took the whole danged dash panel out so I didn't have to weld upside down in the car.
A pillar needs a patch too...
jim larson said
Dec 8, 2010
Looking like your doing things right Mitch. Keep up the good work
Bungy L-76 said
Dec 8, 2010
Lost in the 60s wrote:
so I took the whole danged dash panel out so I didn't have to weld upside down in the car.
So you didn't want to weld up under the dash and have sparks landing right in your face? You're taking all the fun out of it.
Nice job Mitch, keep going and you're gunna have a heck of a nice car.
Dave Seitz said
Dec 9, 2010
Many of us can feel your pain on this brother. In the same boat as you now doing many of the same things.
Lost in the 60s said
Dec 10, 2010
Dave Seitz wrote:
Many of us can feel your pain on this brother. In the same boat as you now doing many of the same things.
All too common, isn't it Dave ? You start out to do a few "simple" things and pretty soon you've got a full blown mess on your hands... No work on the car the last 2 days. Yesterday I had a seriously stiff neck and headache from crawling around inside with a wire wheel on the angle drill getting all the loose rust off the inner firewall. Today was spent cleaning, organizing and making room for tomorrows weather.
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow......
Lost in the 60s said
Dec 14, 2010
With the recent snow and cold, I haven't done a thing on the car but the parts keep arriving... I got the conversion bracket with pivot ball for the clutch yesterday. I got a box from Summit last Friday with a new short water pump to move the alt back to the left side. New valve cover and front timing cover gasket sets and 2 Global West off-set upper control arm shafts for better camber/caster alignment. I'm still waiting on a shipment from Ausley's with a complete coolant hose set and a few other trinkets. I also ordered a pair of front fender patchs from Dynacorn but they won't ship for a few days yet. Going to Auto City Classics this morning to get a windshield and picking up a bunch of parts from a sand blaster up that way. I'll get a couple pics later when it's all gather in one place...
Lost in the 60s said
Dec 15, 2010
Spent a lot of time running around yesterday but did get a little work time in. I found rust thru on the firewall where the e-brake bracket mounts so I cut it out and made a patch for it. There was also a 3/4" hole that I didn't know what it was for and was going to close it off with a patch but then got the bright idea to test fit the inner pad to see where the rubber plugs went. Good thing I checked because it was a plug location that someone punched out in the past. I found a washer with the right size hole for the plug and was able to file the hole to fit it. They will both get welded in today.
Lost in the 60s said
Dec 15, 2010
I MAY have finally turned the corner on this project. I haven't found anything else to cutout or remove for 2 days and am actually starting the repair/assembly process..... I finished welding in the patchs on the firewall and went over the pan for the final time. Then I made 9 small patchs to seal extra holes drilled in the floor over time and 2 to cover where the console once mounted. After all the welding and grinding were done, I vacuumed it out, washed it off with Eastwood PRE and seam sealed the entire pan edge and all the patchs. There's no way water is gonna get inside on my carpet.. I then started welding the new edge on the dash panel to mate with the new lower channel. I'm hoping by this time tomorrow, I will have the dash and lower channel welded on the body.
After taking a wire wheel to the rust scale on the underside of the cowl, I had pits showing thru to daylight. I sealed the entire area with the seam sealer too.
Patch in firewall for e-brake bracket. I still had pin holes after welding, so I sealed that too.
Lost in the 60s said
Dec 16, 2010
I forgot yesterday that I needed to get the lower channel in place before I could put the dash panel back. The channel isn't the best fitting piece I've had. I had to hold the center down with a couple pop rivets and then start surgically cutting out the cowl grille slots and bending the corners to get the grill to fit properly.
After 45 minutes of custom fitting, the cowl grill finally looked good. I doubt the guys on the assembly line spent 45 minutes fitting those 2 parts...
At that point, I test fit the new windshield. Everything looked pretty darn good ! Those cheap suction holders worked slick to carry the glass around and to be able to handle it easily alone.
I used my flat bottom spot weld cutter to mill holes in the channel .
Then plug welded them full.
I used the cut off blade on edge to knock down the high spots on the welds and then cleaned it all up with a flap disc.
Tony Hoffer said
Dec 17, 2010
Looking good.. Ive been beating on 37 year old snowmobile parts
Lost in the 60s said
Dec 21, 2010
Last week I finished welding in the dash panel. Same procedure as the channel to cowl.
The last couple days I finished scraping old sealer out of seams, wire brushing rust, cleaning with acetone, spraying with rust converter, then re-applying sealer to the seams and pin holes and finally painting the firewall and underside of the dash panel Charcoal Grey. What a time consuming, filthy, pain in the arse job. It will look nice when done and there will be NO bare metal to rust anymore. Too bad no one will ever see it once the car is together.
In between waiting for the sealer and sprays to dry, I started the same process of scraping old sealer on the outer firewall and finished blasting the inner heater box. Kevin had the box 90% done when he was here, but the blaster quit working and it was time for him to leave. It only took another 15 minutes to git 'r done. THANKS Kevin !!!
dashboard said
Dec 21, 2010
Mitch,
Great to see the Vell going back together. Need to get over there and check it out.
Kevin
Lost in the 60s said
Dec 31, 2010
Alright, bit of a delay with Christmas and my neighbor destroying his plowing equipment and wanting me to repair it.
Here's the interior heater box all painted, cleared and a spankin' new heater core installed.
I cut a big hole in the left cowl to get at the rust inside. I neutralized it with rust converter and then sealed it with rust encapsulator.
Started the firewall cleaning/sanding. I dug all the old seam sealer out and re-sealed most of it today. Still have some sanding and cleaning to do around the steering column hole and weld the access panel back in, but it's only a couple hours away from being ready for paint.
I did drive it 12 miles when it first got here and decided I didn't need anymore of that. The upper control arm bushings are literally falling out and the steering is all original. It's amazing the ball joints are still pretty good but the idler arm flops up and down a good inch...
There was no interior other than the 2 bucket seats of unknown origin and the rear seat. They have new covers some rookie installed and don't look bad from 20 feet. It also is missing the entire heater system on both sides of the firewall.
It has a Gen V 454 truck engine in it and I thought the shifter seemed a bit far back...like between the seats, so I started looking and he left the truck pan on the engine and had to locate it almost 3 inches back for the pan to clear the crossmember. He had to bash in the firewall under the throttle pedal for the bellhousing/clutch linkage to clear and the tunnel is totaly butchered for the shifter to be where it is. The trans is a Borg Warner out of a 81 F-body and the shifter is really junky. I looked around to see what Hurst offered for that model and there isn't much available.
So, I started collecting parts. I had picked up a complete Moog front end rebuild kit at a swap meet last month, so I'm good there. I also want to swap in power steering and front disc brakes. I started looking at what I need for the ps and realized I had a remote set-up like it somewhere on my shelves. I had bought a 69 C10 for the 396/TH400 for my 70 Chevelle a number of years ago and the ps pump and remote reservoir were with it. It took a while but I eventually found it. I need a lower crank pulley because the one on the motor was bent from a front end collision. I still need to come up with a steering gear box. I have one for a Camaro but it seems to be seized from sitting and I haven't reefed on it much yet to see if it will break free. Another friend of mine from the Camaro club basically gave me a single piston disc brake set-up with the spindles a month ago after he installed a complete CPP system. I have a full set of KYB shocks I bought and I'll be getting a replacement left fender from Karl on Friday as the left fender is too far gone to save. I also got a restorable core support from Karl because the one in there now is junk too. The plan is to remove all the front suspension and steering. Then pull the entire clip and finally the engine/trans. I have a retro pan on the way to allow the engine to move forward into the original position. I will be selling the Borg Warner and installing an M20 that Steve (Bungy l-79) assembled for me. I'll need to sand blast and paint the core support and install lower patchs on both front fenders. I'm supposed to be getting a complete heater system from another 66 soon and that will go in before the clip is installed. Then, I will blast and paint the control arms, install all new bushings and the steering system and brakes.
I also picked up a pair of correct 66 buckets today. They actually match the door panels I threw in just to have something in there but I like the panels so much I bought a complete arm rest kit with matching Parchment pads and all new window cranks and door handles.
A few pics of what I've done so far. ..
Here is what the interior looked like when it got here.
66 GTO door panels and all new arm rests.
Working on fitting the new carpet in the back.
The "new" buckets. All the metal trim pieces are in good shape and should look very nice with new paint.
On the stands ready for surgery.
removed the hinge springs
lowered the hood onto a pallet and removed
next, the clip came off in 1 piece
gotta love having a forklift !!!!!!!
sway bar and entire steering system came off
shock worn thru from the spring not being clocked properly and original riveted ball joints
while holding weight on the lower a arm, I loosened the ball joint nuts. Then I let the jack down to hold spring tension on the joints and gave the boss on the spindle at the stud a firm whack with a bfh. Once the studs pop loose, i jack the arm up again and remove the nuts.
Once the nuts are gone, lift the upper arm off the spindle and then lift the spindle assembly off the lower stud. be sure to have the brake hose disconnected at this point and hold the spindle while lifting the upper arm
lower the jack to release the spring
and here we are, 3 1/2 hours later. I did have to use my 3/4 impact on one stubborn lower arm bolt but it didn't argue long with 650 ft lbs hammering on it !! I can't get the upper arms off until I pull the motor, as they hit the exhaust maniflds.
-- Edited by jim larson on Monday 29th of November 2010 06
I only had an hour after lunch and I removed the driveshaft, shifter and all the bolts from the engine mounts, cross member and rear trans mounts. At this point all that is left is 4 wires to the engine and then bolt on the chains for the equalizer, mount the lift frame to the forks and haul it out... Should be swinging free in a half hour or so.
Not sure the forklift would fit in your garage very well....
Stan, as you well know, the teardown is the quick, easy part. I'll have around 6 hours to get it stripped and at least a week for every hour of that to rebuild and re-assemble. The goal is to have a safe, dependable, correctly built cruiser in 6 weeks.
-- Edited by Lost in the 60s on Tuesday 30th of November 2010 07:40:07 AM
Looks like the car was originally butternut yellow or cameo cream colored?
-- Edited by 67ss on Tuesday 30th of November 2010 11:38:25 AM
Today hasn't gone as well as yesterday. I realized I forgot about the exhaust pipes and z bar. I crawled under to remove the exhaust nuts from the manifolds and as soon as I hit the trigger on the impact a piece of rust (imagine that) fell in my right eye and I thought I was gonna die from the pain. I can't deal with crap in my eyes. After a few minutes of digging around with a shop rag, I got most of it out and went back at it. This time with my safety glasses on...
Anyway, here's a pic of the home made Z bar and pivot ball bracket. Also the clutch rod I assume out of the same truck as the engine/bell housing. The rod was so far to the right, it scraped on the steering column. Note the "remodeling" of the firewall for clearance.
I had to remove the mounts from the block to get it out of the frame. They bound up on the frame mounts with the bell housing wedged under the firewall and the truck pan hitting the frame.
Lazy mans coolant drain...
The firewall "modifications" and the distribution block he added for the dual master upgrade. The "neatly" bent u-pipe was rubbing on the exhaust manifold. All that will get relocated to the top of the frame rail. I am converting to front discs, so the distribution block will stay.
Truck frame mounts welded on...
Upper control arm bushings The right side was metal on metal.
Here's the shifter "hump" he built for the boot, since it was 3 inches too far back from the original location.
I kept wondering what the patch down the middle was for and finally realized that he cut the tunnel and spread it for the bell housing to fit !!! The hole under the throttle pedal is where the clutch fork wore thru, even after all the hammer bashing.
He converted it to a cable pedal too, which isn't all bad. I will most likely keep that for now, as a Lokar to do the same thing is $160 with a cable kit.
I wasn't informed or aware of ANY of this crap. It's just the nature of doing business without looking at it. So far, I'm about 2k behind for fixing all his butchering in addition to what I knew was missing, like the heater, carpet and interior. He told me the frame was "really nice" too and it has a serious rust issue under the left door.....
I'm sure you will bring it back to life in fine shape.
Pulled the left vent out.....packed full of leaves.
Pulled the entire instrument panel, wire harness and pedals out. Also removed the unsightly "hump".
Ten minutes of readjusting the floor/firewall with a bfh.
Actually came out really well. Most of it will get cut out for the replacement pan anyway. The pan was supposed to be here today but it never showed up.
COMPLETE seal kit, every piece of rubber seal on the car along with new fuzzies and a heater box seal kit. New heater core and complete front end bolt kit and inner dust shields....
Replacement lower windshield channel. I got lower front fender patchs too but they are going back. I explained exactly what I was looking for and the salesman swore these were it. They aren't even close to what's available now....
I won't be able to use a stock Z-bar as the block has no boss cast on it for the pivot ball. The bell housing has a boss for the ball at the block seam, so I will need to modify something to use that. I have a BB Z-bar for my 70 and will dig that out to compare once the engine is back in.
Sorry Mitch. I couldnt resist. For the record, when I get to that point, ill need that section of floor pan for my 66 as well.
Nope, didn't know that. I got all this from Ausley's and they didn't mention it either. The left door is toast and I got a new repro shell with the car. Guess I'll make whatever I got work for that one.
Thanks for the heads up on a possible issue.
http://sdparts.com/category/sdpc-clutch-pivot-ball-brackets
THANKS, Chris......I figured there had to something like that and you saved me the time/frustration looking for it...
Now I can look for an original Z-bar and be done with the linkage.
Dashboard came over for a few hours today and as long as I had help, we removed the junk windshield.
Too bad the pic I took didn't turn out.....I'll get another later.
After cleaning up the glass and loose rust with the shop vac, I put him to work disassmebling the inside heater box and commandeering the sand blasting cabinet. He's a quick learner and was doing good until it plugged up. I drained all the sand and we sifted it for debris, which there was a LOT, and he left right after that. It still wouldn't flow any sand, so I took the nozzle apart and there was a piece of debris stuck in there. It all works great again now.
I started the initial evaluation of how much to cut off the floor pan. The pan will eliminate all the rust and butcher damage in 1 fell swoop.....
Glad to hear the blaster is back up and running, next time we know to check the tip second. Don't forget, I did not finish the engine compartment heater box.
All the small parts are in your "don't forget were I put it box" including that nylon bushing.
Any up dates?
Jim, your the 66 expert, you need to make the trip up and spend a day with Mitch. He has a great setup. All the tools you can dream of in a large well lit warm shop. After working in my small shop I felt like I got my JFKs* yesterday walking from one end of his shop to the other.
*Some may not understand this term.
I cut out the floor yesterday and replaced the body mount cage nut. There are NO body mount bolts holding this body to the chassis !!! Most have been snapped off and some haven't had bolts in them for many years. The front two nuts are so rusted from being empty, that I will replace the ones I can get at.
New pan is in place and tack welded. Just need to finish welding it in and seam seal it...
Does this phase of the project including painting the whole car once you get all the sheet metal fixed?
NO, I'm just making the car what it was supposed to be, safe, reliable and roadworthy.....
Anyway, I finally got to work on the floor around 1:30. I cut a piece off the old floor from the GTO to fill the last of the factory console shift hole and then welded it all in. I have some final grinding on the pan and to cut the hole for the shifter but for the most part, it's a done deal. There are still a bunch of extra holes someone made in the floor and old console mounting holes that I will fill too but I'm pretty pleased that the pan is now an integral part of the floor.
Here's a few in progess pics of the lower channel removal ...
A pillar needs a patch too...
No work on the car the last 2 days. Yesterday I had a seriously stiff neck and headache from crawling around inside with a wire wheel on the angle drill getting all the loose rust off the inner firewall.
Today was spent cleaning, organizing and making room for tomorrows weather.
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow......
I finished welding in the patchs on the firewall and went over the pan for the final time. Then I made 9 small patchs to seal extra holes drilled in the floor over time and 2 to cover where the console once mounted. After all the welding and grinding were done, I vacuumed it out, washed it off with Eastwood PRE and seam sealed the entire pan edge and all the patchs. There's no way water is gonna get inside on my carpet..
I then started welding the new edge on the dash panel to mate with the new lower channel. I'm hoping by this time tomorrow, I will have the dash and lower channel welded on the body.
After taking a wire wheel to the rust scale on the underside of the cowl, I had pits showing thru to daylight. I sealed the entire area with the seam sealer too.
Patch in firewall for e-brake bracket. I still had pin holes after welding, so I sealed that too.
After 45 minutes of custom fitting, the cowl grill finally looked good. I doubt the guys on the assembly line spent 45 minutes fitting those 2 parts...
At that point, I test fit the new windshield. Everything looked pretty darn good ! Those cheap suction holders worked slick to carry the glass around and to be able to handle it easily alone.
I used my flat bottom spot weld cutter to mill holes in the channel .
Then plug welded them full.
I used the cut off blade on edge to knock down the high spots on the welds and then cleaned it all up with a flap disc.
The last couple days I finished scraping old sealer out of seams, wire brushing rust, cleaning with acetone, spraying with rust converter, then re-applying sealer to the seams and pin holes and finally painting the firewall and underside of the dash panel Charcoal Grey. What a time consuming, filthy, pain in the arse job. It will look nice when done and there will be NO bare metal to rust anymore. Too bad no one will ever see it once the car is together.
In between waiting for the sealer and sprays to dry, I started the same process of scraping old sealer on the outer firewall and finished blasting the inner heater box. Kevin had the box 90% done when he was here, but the blaster quit working and it was time for him to leave. It only took another 15 minutes to git 'r done. THANKS Kevin !!!
Great to see the Vell going back together. Need to get over there and check it out.
Kevin
Here's the interior heater box all painted, cleared and a spankin' new heater core installed.
I cut a big hole in the left cowl to get at the rust inside. I neutralized it with rust converter and then sealed it with rust encapsulator.
Started the firewall cleaning/sanding. I dug all the old seam sealer out and re-sealed most of it today. Still have some sanding and cleaning to do around the steering column hole and weld the access panel back in, but it's only a couple hours away from being ready for paint.