Are there common places to look, like inside the doors or in the seats that you know of?
Thanks

 

 

Wow, just saw this thread, and in reading from the very beginning on not knowing what it was worth, to the excitement of getting a car, to working on it and finding all the little details that make these fun, looks like you've got a pretty nice car, and having fun (if there is such a thing) fixing it up. I wouldn't do anything with the paint for awhile, because once you start that, you won't be driving it, it will be down until complete, etc. Drive the car for awhile, enjoy it, and then figure out what you want it to be when it grows up. I had a '73 down for way too long because I decided to repaint it.

Great job, keep it up!

 

I had a C3 1973 that I restored and it went to "paint jail" for over a year. Not looking to repeat that any time again soon.

 

And yet another good week on ole Blue. Got the fans mounted correctly (in puller position) with custom made brackets. Turned out very well, but took longer than I thought it would. (doesn't it always)! Anyway, really opened up the radiator for air flow from the grill. Not sure if I need to seal the top and bottom to the core support. The sides are sealed really well. I'm thinking with the negative air pressure provided by the 2 12 inch fans there really shouldn't be much leakage over the top but not sure. Then I attacked the brakes. Found one caliper leaking and replaced it. Cleaned up the rotors and replaced the master cylinder just for good measure. New pads for fluid contamination. Flushed all the fluid and bled out the brakes and now have a good strong solid pedal. On to the next thing next week. Not sure what yet. Still waiting for the shifter to be returned from the rebuild.

 

 

Thanks, the seats are actually pretty soft, or at least not brittle. I was very surprised at their condition. The door panels are not bad either, just a couple very small cracks.

 

Well, just a quick update on the progress for the week. I got the shifter back from Hurst, rebuilt and the reverse rod problem solved. The bad part is it took most of the day today to put it in. I also got new rods, bushings, and spring clips, or as we used to call them Jesus clips, cause that is what you said when they flew off and you couldn't find them, but I digress. Anyway, for those not familiar, the old shifter would not work. The B/W reverse arm are comes straight down, and the Muncie shifter arm has a 90 degree dog leg going forward. The B/W one on the Muncie hits the cross member when you try to get reverse. That's how I started down this rabbit hole. Not a lot of room to work in up there, and then, wait for it, when I was almost done, trans mount all back in, I noticed I had not put the u shaped piece that holds the exhaust pipes from rattling back in. Arrrgh. had to backtrack AND take the pipes loose from the engine to fish it up in there. Oh well, looking and working good now.

While waiting to get the shifter back, I started working on electrical. First time amps have flowed through those wires in a long time. The good, surprised to find power antena and radio both work pretty well. Radio has a dead spot when you change from AM to FM on the slide bar but if you position it just right it sounds pretty good. The bad, headlights don't work. Surprised, not really. By wiggling the headlight switch I got them to come on and go out so new switch on order. The motors work a bit and stop. I worked the "wheels" (boy are those things slow) several times and they go a bit and quit. After several times, I got one to kinda open and close on it's own. The other one needs a lot of help to go up and down. I checked the switch for voltage drop and then by passed it, no difference. I guess it is just thick grease on the gears. I am hoping with a lot of cycling they will free up. There are 3 original working T3 headlights in there though!

Horns do not work either, nor the wipers but the tail lights, turn signals, and brake lights all work so that is a big + No back up lights as all that is missing from the trans. I guess I will be doing some gremlin hunting this next week.

 

 

I was hoping to have it on the road by Labor Day, but since that is next week, that is probably overly optimistic, or some might say, delusions of grander. HA.
I just missed a harness from Electric Ltd,. forward harness and engine on E Bay the other day, new for $260. Oh well, I'll keep looking. I now am hoping for a drive before snow flies. At least I have the heater fixed, or at least a new core.

 

+1 with the harness! I never knew all of the lights and features that worked after replacing the wiring harness about 12 years ago on my 65:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SP7VaUG8wKc&t=33s

https://youtu.be/SP7VaUG8wKc

 

Ole Blue is fighting back again. As I work around the car I change areas based on parts on order or other hangups. I got to trying wheel tire combinations this week, as I realized some time back the 7 inch ralleys with 235 60 15 were never going to work, just to wide. During the changes, I realized one of the RR wheel studs was stripped, probably from an overzealous person with an impact so I thought, I'll just pop it out and press a new one in, no biggie, right. HA. After two nights and most of one full day I came to the realization, (if you've ever done this you know and are laughing at me by now) that this is no small job. The service manual calls for complete disassembly, but of course I went to the forum, stickeys for information, and short cuts. (note to self, next time do this first) After I got the rivets drilled out of the rotor, no small task, I pulled the rotor off and a broken e brake spring and the star wheel fell out of the bottom, surprise. Then I could see how really little room there is to work, it made the shifter work look like a walk in the park. After some more struggles I got the old stud out, cut it, and pressed with a ball joint remover. I saw there is no way the new one is going in this way. Read up where someone had drilled a hole in the splash shield for extra room, and since I did not want to remove the spindle that is the route I went. Got her done, now just waiting for a new parking brake kit to arrive to put it all back together, really looking forward to that.

 

 

Don't forget to knock out the remainder of the rotor rivets. Dennis

 

 

When you torque the wheels that is sufficient to retain the rotor. But you need to be sure to take out as much rotor run out as possible. Run out in the rotors will cause cavitation. When the caliper pistons move in and out due to run out they will begin to suck air in. Resulting in soft brake pedal and perpetual bleeding grief.

 

I was worried about the rotor walking back and forth on the lug studs but seems that is not a problem. May still pin the holes with hardened cap screws.

 

If you do decide to use cap screws to replace the rivets, you'll want to use flat socket head cap screws. Chamfer the holes in the rotors so the screws fit flush.




I believe I used 3/8"- 16 X 1/2" in length. I used stainless steel that I purchased from Totally Stainless. about $.70 each. You don't want them to protrude beyond the hub much at all or they will interfere with the parking brake assembly on the rear.

GUSTO

 

I was thinking of using a stainless button head type cap screw that has about the same size as a rivet head, then I would not have to counter sink the hole. Do you think that would work or am I missing something?
Thanks

 

Chamfering the hole is not at all difficult to do, I've even done it with a hand drill. This will eliminate any possibility of the head of the screw interfering with the wheel. I realize the rivet heads are inset on most rotors, but the head of the button head screw may not fit inside the "inset" and even if they do, they may sit high enough to touch the mounting surface of the wheel.

I've also noticed that most of the OEM's that use cap screws to secure the rotor to the hub, also use the Flat Head screws with chamfered holes, probably for the above reason.

Good luck... GUSTO