LudemJo

Great to have you back with us F22! I actually ordered a new Champion with dual electric fans for $350. I can't justify a $1,000 radiator either. It should be here any day...then my next challenge will be in figuring out how to wire in the fans correctly since I am betting that there are no instructionns at this price point.

I wish I could install a stick now, but rebuild funds are nearly dry. My car was a stick originally, and still has the z-linkage all there, just disconnected. Solid cross member as well. Not sure why someone would do that , but...

Anyway, when it comes time to convert it back, it should be a fairly simple process. it won't be cheap though, because if I am pulling the motor for a transmission change, I am probably throwing in a 383 stroker crate motor at the same time. That will be a tough sell with the wife at the moment.

At this point I am focused on getting the car finished and back on the road for the warm months...once they get here...still piles of the white $hit all over the place here.

John

F22

Cool! At least the stuff for a four speed (or whatever you're gonna run) is still in there! Good luck and take a look at Craigslist for Muncie's. I got mine rebuilt for $250.

LudemJo

3/28/2014 Update

Received my new aluminum radiator, shroud, and dual electric fan package deal on Tuesday. Of course, at this price point it wasn't fully assembled and had no instructions but appears to be pretty straight-forward. There are holes drilled in the shroud for the mounting to the radiator, but no holes drilled in the radiator, and there are no holes drilled in the shroud for mounting the fans. In addition there is no hardware to accomplish that either, so a trip to Home Depot got me all the hardware I would need.

I completed that part of the job last night, and all looks good. I will try the fans out tonight with some jumper cables to the battery just to make sure they work before I bolt them into the car. My plan is to get the entire assembly installed in the car this weekend so that I can begin wiring next week.

I ordered the wiring harness from Jeg's for the dual fans and hope to get that on Monday at the latest. I am still torn as to whether to grab the main power from the alternator or battery (at the starter) for the fans as there seems to be two camps that say their way is best. As far as switched power for the relays, I will probably tap into the windshhield wiper motor wiring...although I am still open to suggestions. I will probe around the engine compartment a bit with the multimeter to see if there are any connectors that I can bolt to as opposed to splicing wires. I am comfortable with wiring, but the wiring harness in a car just looks like a tangled mess so I do not have much confidence with under-the-hood electrics. I will be happy to have this done and working.

Once that is done, I will be able to run the car and adjust the new PSCV. It will be so nice to hear it run again! At that point I should be able to get the car off the blocks and back on its wheels...but I can't because I am still waiting on the replacement tie rod end from Zip Corvette. I just called them this morning and they told me they should be in this week, so...

Anyway, wanted to post an update as it has been a long time since my last status report. Sorry I don't have any pictures today, but I will try to snap some for the next report.

Hey Spring...come on, we are waiting!!!

John

LudemJo

4/11/14 update:

It's ALIVE!!! Finally got to start the car last night. First time it has run since Thanksgiving. It was good to hear it run. I basically started it so that I could check for leaks, of which there were none. I mounted the temperature sensor for the fans in a port on the top of the gooseneck, so the fans will react to temperatures at the thermostat. It took two full gallons of premixed antifreeze, and I actually need just a bit more. So mechanically, everything is done (except for the tie rod end that is on back order). A couple hours of hooking up wires for the fans and I will be done.

I also adjusted the PSCV while I had it running. Pretty easy to do after reviewing the instructions again. I can't wait to get it off the blocks and drive it to the alignment shop. I am anxious to see how all of my work this winter makes the car feel as a driver. I am certain that it will be a drastic improvement over the ride I was getting last year.

I will shoot some pictures and post them after I get the wiring done. It looks much cleaner under the hood now after removing the engine mounted fan and radiator shroud.

Thanks for watching!

John

LudemJo

5/5/14 update:

Sorry, no pictures downloaded from my phone, but the car is off the blocks and all buttoned up.

I finally received the tie rod end from Zip Corvettes...it was the wrong one again, so I bought one from my local Corvette Specialist. It seems there is a communications disconnect regarding tie rod ends...and this may be helpful to someone at some point. So when I received the tie rod ends in my front suspension rebuild kit, there were three that had left hand threads, and one that had right hand threads even though the packages were marked correctly. So, I call up Zip and they said they will send a right hand one out as soon as they come in since they are on backorder (figures...). After about 7 weeks of waiting, I finally get it, and it has left hand threads even though it is marked RH on the package. The only thing I can figure out is that the tie rod end with left hand threads goes on the right side of the car and therefore is labelled RH even though it has left hand threads. I know, I should have just got one from Drew in the first place, but I wasn't in deparate need since I still was working on the radiator and fans install.

By the way, that went very well. The Champion radiator fit perfectly, but I did have to make some modifications to the aluminum shroud in order for it to fit in the saddles correctly. I basically cut out each corner to allow clearance for the saddle mounts to wrap around the edge of the tank on each side, top and bottom, of the radiator. I also had to slightly relieve the outer ring of the driver's side electric fan to clear the front control arm pivot bolt...nothing major though.

Once that was completed and the radiator and shroud were securely attached, I started on wiring. I actually bought a dual electric fan wiring harness from Jeg's that worked very well. Instructions were great and the installation really looks clean. The system is set up so that each fan is wired separately, so that if one fan dies, the other will still work. I am very pleased with this setup.

I did go on a short shake down run after I got the car off the blocks, and it is squirelly as all get out at the moment. I installed everything back just as it came off, but changing out the destroyed original bushings for shiny new poly bushings obviously changed the alignment somewhat. The car is being picked up today to go to the alignment shop under Drew's direct supervision, so I should get it back in a day or two ready to drive.

I am looking forward to heading for Katy's Cars and Coffee at Great Falls, VA on Saturday morning, weather permitting. This winter rebuild has been a long process, and I have learned a lot and proven to myself that I can do pretty much anything on this car if I have the time to do the research and aren't under any time constraints. I am very proud to point out all the work that I did myself during this winter...it has been very satisfying...but I am now ready to drive it and enjoy it.

Thanks for watching! If anyone has any questions/comments, don't hesitate to ask.

John

SB64

I am having the same problem with the tie rods for my 69 ordered at Zip. For me its not holding anything up and I plan on going to there annual show this Sat. I am bringing everything I have so we can figure out what I need and get some other items. Good luck with your weekend drive.
R

LudemJo

Let me know what you find out at Zip. I installed the left hand thread tie rod ends on the right based on this interaction with Zip. I really don't think it matters, but it was just so odd to me that I received the wrong part twice (based on my interpretation of RH =thread orientation). If anyone needs two left hand thread tie rods, let me know. One is a Moog. You pay shipping.

I will take a picture of my car getting picked up to go for its alignment very soon...waiting on Drew now.

John

LudemJo

Pictures as promised:




Back on the ground at last!






On its way to get an alignment:





Should have it back in a day or two. Very much looking forward to driving it again.

Cheers!

John

SB64

Hey John, the car looks great, once alignment is done are you ready to roll. Will let you know whats up with Zip. I got the same one moog and one not. Great job
R

LudemJo

Yep R, this is the last thing that needs to be done. I am so excited to get to drive it again. Between my Corvette and Harley Electra Glide, my normal daily driver won't get driven much until winter...or in the rain.

Anxious to hear what Zip has to say. They really need to make that clearer...if I didn't have another source to get a tie rod end quickly that would have been extremely frustrating.

Drew, my Corvette specialist loading the car on the trailer, was impressed with the work I did. That meant a lot, as he seemed skeptical when he first met me and saw the car. I think he was pleasantly surprised.

John

LudemJo

5/9/14 update:

I am done. The winter rebuild is complete. Got the car back from the alignment shop last night and drove it to work this morning. Tracks straight and rides much better than before. The new suspension does highlight the slop in the steering system though, so I think there is at least a new rag joint sometime in the future, but not thinking about that right now, just want to drive.

Thanks for watching. I hope some information in this thread has been, or will be, helpful to someone. It has been an adventure...not sure what next winter will hold...I promised my wife there would be no major rebuild next winter. Major is yet to be defined...

I am glad it is done though. Now that the weather has improved here in Northern Virginia.

All The Best, John

doorgunner

Great work! And you've put some miles on it!



It's time to...........................

F22

That came out really great! Love the paint, the sidepipes and it looks lean and mean! I'd bet that we can't wipe the grin off your face, when you're in it!