77-L48

Persuader,

Thanks again for buying the brake and fuel clips off of me.

I was looking through the general forum and stumbled onto your thread. If you don't mind, I have a couple of questions:

1. Where did you buy your header bar and nose bar?

2. Why did you use Fusor 116 for bonding the header bar instead of Fusor 127EZ?

3. You may have gone over it, but what is VPA?

Thanks,
Joel

persuader

You can use either adhesive for the nose and header bar. Both can be used to bond steel to fiberglass, smc. The difference is in the prep that is required on the metal part that is to be bonded. I highly suggest that you read the labels on either one you choose.
I used the 127ez on my nose bar because I had some left over from another application and also because I glued the two bars on at separate dates. Otherwise I would have used the 116 on both bars if I were doing them both at once.

I bought both bars from Ecklers.

77-L48

Ok, I will look at the labels.

What is VPA?

Thanks,
Joel

persuader

Vpa is vette panel adhesive. Evercoat # 870. Its the best product to use on a vette body instead of other bodyfillers. It can also be used as an adhesive in fiberglass to fiberglass bonding. For smc to smc or smc to fiberglass you must use evercoat# 994. But only as an adhesive, not as a filler.

77-L48

Gotcha.

Thanks again,
Joel

persuader

I put my brake lines in and a few other parts, But I am not posting a picture because there really is not that much to see. I have the steering box completely apart and painted, Ready for new bearings and seal. I have my brake booster ready to install but I just realized that I am going to have to make a detour and start on the inner firewall and floorboards. No sense in bolting stuff up to a nasty looking interior so I covered the front of the car to keep the dust of and I started started removing what was left of the passenger compartment. The dash and the console and wiring was already out as was the HVAC system. All that was left are the seats, carpets and the brake pedal assembly.

Heres the interior. Really looks worse than it really is.



How can I bolt up my new brake booster to this nasty thing?



I've got a couple of rolls of dyno mat that I guess I will use here. I will have to search some of the threads on insulating the car. My main goal will be trying to minimize the heat in the interior.
Any feedback on products that work well in this area will be welcomed.

persuader

After scraping a ton of old dried and loose seamsealer I sanded the floorboards and trans tunnel. I then scrubbed everything down with a brush and some Spray Nine. I hosed it off with a garden hose and I dried it all of with a rag and compressed air. I let it all sit for a couple of days to make sure there was no trapped water in any of the joints before I wiped it all down with some prep sol.
Next I used some silver Pot -15 in a couple spots that had some pitting on the floor. I let that tack up and brushed on the black Por-15 on the entire floor and forward part of the birdcage. Once that got tacky, I followed with the seamsealer on all the joints. let it all dry overnight and in with the Dynamat Extreme I went.








For a big guy like me and with all the rheumatoid and osteoarthritis going on, This is all I can finish today as far as the Dynamat goes. I will try to finish up tomorrow.

persuader

I wish I was able to spend the time that I would like on my car but my health issues keep my enthusiasm at bay. Just installing the Dynamat Extreme and the Reflectix to the firewall while using a roller caused me to spend the next two days with the joints in my hands inflamed. And I still have the rest of the interior to do. I will just do it a section at a time. I would give anything to go back just 5 years, Before any of this crap just snuck up on me. Can you say Oxycodone?
Anyways enough of that feeling sorry for myself crap. I am posting some pictures of a few things that I have done since last time.



This booster is brand new but the the cad plating unfortunately looks like crap and I find it hard to justify buying a new one just so it can have the correct finish that it should. Sooo




I blasted it and primed and painted it.



I disassembled the shifter and I powder coated the base and the indicator brackets. And I polished the chrome.



I will probably replace the **** later. Maybe. I like that its made of bakelite not cheap plastic like the repos I am sure are.




Hood release



Powder coated and detailed.



I removed the vapor canister bracket and i blasted and powder coated it and i also detailed the canister itself. I just need to get a filter for it before I install it.




brake and gas pedal assemblies completely redone and powder coated. New pedals installed.




Now I don't feel bad installing a new booster into a nasty brake pedal assy.



I also made this bracket to support the nose to the front reinforcement.
I powder coated it and installed rubber cushions above and below the area the that mounts to the nose bar. I will fabricate some brackets later on that will support the right and left sides of the front fenders so the whole thing is properly supported without all that heavy stuff the 80-82 came with.

1965markaccount

If you want to keep that old **** instead of buying a new one might want to try something like a shoe buffer to brighten it back up. Looks like with very little effort you can make it new again.

persuader

Thank you! I will try that.

persuader

This will probably be the last update on my car for awhile since now that the weather is getting warmer I must turn my attention to some other projects that are patiently waiting for me to get them going. Finish building my engine test stand being one of them.
Here I am including a link to the procedure that I followed while I built my box. All I have read so far on the subject of steering boxes point me to this guy which I believe is no longer a member here GTR1999, But is supposed to be the guru on the subject.

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...ild+procedures




Ready with new bushings, races and seals already installed.



Packed with fresh grease




Ready to go back in.

RBrid

Your steering box looks top notch persuader. Nice work!

Johnnycyclone

I agree, nice job on the box rebuild, and thanks for the link. I will be doing mine shortly so the link provided will certainly help....Terre

persuader

Thanks guy's.

BTW I used Lucas red-n-tacky instead of the Mobil one grease. According to Gary the steering box guy, he claims that the mobil one eventually starts to leak past the bottom seal. FWIW

persuader

Sure has been a while since i last posted on here. It has also been a long time since i have worked on the Vette. I still haven't worked on it but I did manage to finally put the finishing touches on the engine and the test stand I built. So on saturday we gave it all a once over and got it ready for the big moment of truth.
I would like to thank David ( ALLC34Me) from Cape Easton for the radiator, fan and gauges. I still owe you one.


Here is the engine before.



And now





I will post the initial start up and cam break in shortly.

minitech

Good job on the sound and heat proofing. That is the optimal way Dynamat stuck tight to the panels (For sound) with Frost King type stuff (For heat) on top of that.

persuader

Thanks. I really want to make sure the heat is kept to a minimum. Although some would say I went too far.

persuader

On Sept 26 2015 the engine in my Vette roared back to life.
She fired right up and I let it run for 30 min. at about 2300 to 2500 rpm with a few kicks in the butt no and then. Using Joe Gibbs BR30. The cam and lifters broke in just fine. After the first run in I changed the oil an filter and added another 5 qts. of Joe Gibbs and I proceeded to do al the final adjustments. I am very pleased. Now I need to get back on the car so I can put it in.

persuader

This week I decided to do the hood on my Vette. I have always liked the Cowl induction vent that the 73-76s have but because of the changes to the inside structure of the hood after 76 , That meant that I would have to modify my own hood to get the look i am after.
I do not care about it being a working induction system so that makes the whole thing much much easier. I got ahold of a cowl hood from a guy that was damaged for a couple bucks with the vent grille and hood section undamaged.
Here is the procedure that I followed to graft the new piece on my hood.


This is the hood from my 77.
First I of course needed to strip the paint of my hood.





After stripping the hood I cut out my first opening from the bottom using the the hoods inner frame as a guide.









Ok.... So now here are the new pieces that I will use.
Grille.....



Opening...Trimmed and ready to go.





So I just simply layed the new piece on the hood and marked the hole with a sharpie....




I then started to cut out the marked section, Being careful not to cut through the hood bottom structure.





After prepping the two surfaces I used SMC panel adhesive to attach the panel to the hood.




I then lightly clamped the two together and let it all dry overnight.
Looks good so far...




I then turned the hood over so I can finish the underside of the transplant first. I have more to do under the hood in some other sections ,So I will leave this like this for now.
Blended right in and looks like it came that way..




I then turned my attention back to the top of the hood. I first finished stripping the last of the previous finish of the hood. Now whats left is to grind down the joints as if I were doing the fender joints. Then some VPA and the rest is just regular bodywork followed by three coats of Slicksand.















Next I will let this sit for a couple of days at that time I will finish the underside. Stay tuned.......

AirborneSilva

Looks good, great job