I've got a question about the seats. I had this conversation with my dad a little while ago when he was doing his seats. I'm wondering about sandblasting the springs. Sandblasting is similar to shot peening in some ways as it can relieve surface stress in metal. Has anyone done this and noticed that the springs were any weaker?

I've always avoided sand blasting springs and was told it makes them brittle or can stretch the weaker ones. I plan to add brand new springs to the frames.

So I woke up this morning to ask myself, what can be accomplished today? Made a call to Al knoch to arrange a few things and spent a half hour discussing seat upholstery and door panels. I then picked up the subframe and rear end housing after both were media blasted. I drove to town and delivered them to my welders shop. He then stitch welded the frame and properly welded the axle tubes to the rear end housing for me. I then brought them back home later in the day and cleaned up all of the slag and the welds using a few Rolox disks. Next I picked up a new TruTrac Posi carrier and another shipment that just came up from HBC. From there I dropped off my bumper for Chroming along with the stainless trim which will now be polished to perfection. After that I packed up some parts and dropped the housing and subframe back to the powder coaters so he can coat them in the coming days. I have a late pickup scheduled to go and get my Muncie M23 trans that is coming up from the states today, and after I get home from that, I'm gonna sit down and drink a few beers. The rest of the weekend is going to be wound down as some relax time. (lol) yeah right


https://i.ibb.co/hWMCJbd/Stripped.jpg
Housing is now stripped, buffed and ready for powder coating.

https://i.ibb.co/jkyngqk/Tubes.jpg
The tubes were previously welded, so we cleaned them up and a friend added some professional welds to the tubes.

https://i.ibb.co/fNqtJ8Z/Stiched.jpg
He also stitch welded both sides of the sub frame to strenghen and stiffen the frame.

https://i.ibb.co/ZxPG8PS/Prepped.jpg
All of the stress points were beefed up to ensure a it handles some future abuse.

https://i.ibb.co/3dhrHDr/Combo-No-5.jpg
After everything was sanded down and polished up, it all went back to the powder coaters.

"and after I get home from that, I'm gonna sit down and drink a few beers. The rest of the weekend is going to be wound down as some relax time. (lol) yeah right"

I LIKE THE WAY YOU TALK!

Right on Tim.

Got home 20 minutes ago, unpacked some parts and now I'm knocking back a couple cold ones. Bit of a long stretch here lately with a few different things in motion. You know how that is. :burnout:

https://i.ibb.co/BtTxncW/IMG-3038.jpg
M23 A/G Trans with 346 Gear Package from Jeff Collins at Midwest Muncie

I sent my M23 main shaft and gears to Jody Haag at Jody's Transmissions for a little tune up. He found some clearance issues and did a few things to improve oiling and shifting. I'm excited to get it back together and see how much better it works. Your guy probably did some of the same tricks to yours.

I've heard nothing but good things about Jody and did speak with him about doing a trans, but chose to go back with Jeff @ Midwest Muncie who is equally talented. I really can't wait to try out the box with this gear set.

Learning all about seat restoration and GM Strato bucket frames this past weekend. It's all coming along now with the seat frames apart and ready to go out for media blasting before I paint them up. They are then being packed up and shipped off with fabric to be rebuilt and and fit with new covers by Al Knoch. Al Knoch will also be custom dyeing a set of door panels so they match the yellow Madrid vinyl colors that I purchased through SMS. These should look fantastic once everything is recovered. I still have to detail some of the original seat hardware but it's going well so far with the original buttons and locks cleaned up. Also spent some time restoring the backs of the rosewood dash pieces yesterday and repainted the black areas.

https://i.ibb.co/RpgKdj8/Frames-Fabric.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/Z27bMnK/009-Rear-Cores.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/4sDTywH/IMG-3084.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/n7QwSPM/IMG-3092.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/6BfSCB3/IMG-3093.jpg

Learning all about seat restoration and GM Strato bucket frames this past weekend. It's all coming along now with the seat frames apart and ready to go out for media blasting before I paint them up. They are then being packed up and shipped off with fabric to be rebuilt and and fit with new covers by Al Knoch. Al Knoch will also be custom dyeing a set of door panels so they match the yellow Madrid vinyl colors that I purchased through SMS. These should look fantastic once everything is recovered. I still have to detail some of the original seat hardware but it's going well so far with the original buttons and locks cleaned up. Also spent some time restoring the backs of the rosewood dash pieces yesterday and repainted the black areas.

https://i.ibb.co/RpgKdj8/Frames-Fabric.jpg
That rolled up package contains 8.5 yards of new seat material from SMS

https://i.ibb.co/Z27bMnK/009-Rear-Cores.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/4sDTywH/IMG-3084.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/n7QwSPM/IMG-3092.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/6BfSCB3/IMG-3093.jpg

It now is about 3 days since you posted Graeme!!!!! Stop screwing off on that Harley and get back to work......I need my fix!

LOL @ Tim

The good news is that Ron started on the car this week and he's been banging away at it for a couple days now. I made a trip over to his shop today to see the floors and pick from some paint cards he sprayed out last night. The rear frame rails were very clean and the original 16ga torque boxes stayed in place since the AMD torque boxes were lighter at only 18ga. The torque boxes and seat pans were welded in today and all of the plug welds have now been ground smooth including along the lower rockers.

Next up he has some rust to deal with along the dash top. Once that's done he'll move onto the firewall which is also getting new metal. I suspect he'll also keep the original front mounts in place as they are also clean and rust free. In the pictures below, there are two shots of the paint that I chose. With inside light it's a terrific match, but is deeper with a shade more yellow once you get it out in the sun. This card is actually Sherwin Williams ATX BC/CC in 76 Daytona Yellow and I think they also call it Harvest Gold in other GM lines? In either case, it was the deepest color he sprayed out and it really pops in the sun so that's what I chose. More soon as I'm busy with all the bits and pieces while Ron works his way through the body. It's going very well here.

https://i.ibb.co/McT1bwd/001Ron.jpg
Floor removed to reveal clean solid frame rails and torque boxes which were retained and welded to the new floor.

https://i.ibb.co/tYCSW2Q/005.jpg
New AMD floor is in with all of the welding finished up and grinding nearly complete. Both seat boxes are also installed now.

https://i.ibb.co/9ZrVt9C/IMG-3230.jpg
Plug welds between the new floor pan and the original rockers which by the way were completely rust free.

https://i.ibb.co/ySg2wjX/006.jpg
Like most people, Ron doesn't like his picture taken but I got one of him with the car today. (lol)

https://i.ibb.co/fC8dkbx/007.jpg
Sherwin Williams ATX Code 76 Daytona Yellow with a great match under natural lighting.

https://i.ibb.co/LgTryN1/008Ron.jpg
Hard to see the difference here. but in the sunlight this BC/CC paint really pops.

You know that I always seem to have a question, so here it is. If the firewall is replaced, will the hidden VIN be retained?

Unfortunately the clutch explosion made a mess out of the tunnel and the toe boards on each side of the bell housing. The previous owner did what he could at the time of the repair to make it look presentable, but in this day in age with replacement panels now available, it really makes sense to fix it right. The section being changed is the central portion seen here between the 2 outer side cowl panels and runs from the seam sealer down. It includes the toe boards and does not affect any of the hidden VIN areas. The VIN numbers are found on the passenger side outer cowl, and on the top cowl panel and none of that is touched in the process.

This lower centre area is the section that is being repaired. It will fix all the mess that was caused when the clutch exploded. It must have made one hell of a mess before it was repaired 35 years ago because it plowed its way over toward the steering column and also thrashed the floor below the gas pedal. Makes you wonder if the person behind the wheel sustained foot trauma since it nailed the pedal area? In either case, it'll be clean as a whistle once this next section is changed out.

https://i.ibb.co/0sJvhnm/IMG-2956.jpg

Got a call from my powder coater tonight and just got home from picking up the diff housing, sub frame and a bunch of the small parts whick look fantastic. I also have the new axles and center section here now so once the bearing kit arrives from Tom's, the rear end will be going back together. That should happen for Monday and by that time, the upper and lower A-Arms should be done so the sub frame can also start going back together. Thanks for the suggestions on the 12 bolt Freddie. The folks at Tom's are awesome!
:beers:

https://i.ibb.co/FbYzdVH/IMG-3242.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/7n2hRxY/IMG-3246.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/5Tg6n54/IMG-3247.jpg

That looks a lot like mine. I used BK02 powder from Cardinal...Joe

Beautiful stuff Graeme. Here's a double Yella Fella in Cold Lake

https://www.kijiji.ca/v-classic-cars...car/1525140052

Such a great description huh? :haha:

I know right?? And "camero"

Got the gloss black control arms back from powder last night. Now to get the bushings and ball joints loaded into them before it all goes back together. Yesterday was also a great day for painting so I detailed the hood hinges and the front steering gear so that will also be going together this week.

https://i.ibb.co/31SCDNf/IMG-3278.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/RN4Rpn8/IMG-3281.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/QPWNtF3/IMG-3270.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/PhWZQBx/IMG-3269.jpg

I've been gone for a week and just like that you're pulling way ahead of me HAHAHA!!! Looks great bud:beers:

What did you coat/paint those hood hinges with they look awesome? I look for updates every day on this car coming along very nicely.

Cleaned them in Evapo-rust and then painted them with Eastwood Zinc Phosphate. Added a coat of Eastwood satin clear to give them some added protection. (spray bombed)

Your UPS guy (or whatever in the hell you get up that way) must have gone in for hernia surgery at one point or another with all of your builds;)

You guys still using men in brown shorts down there Tim? We actually get Santa's little red elves that deliver our parts up here buddy. :haha:

https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/HTB1BMVEL...rmers-Sexy.jpg

Ball joints and bushings are done now. Next up are the springs and the assembly of the front suspension then I'm onto the front brake hardware and the hard lines. Gotta keep the pedal mashed here!

https://i.ibb.co/TqVyR1F/IMG-3295.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/31R8Dy7/IMG-3293.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/NV4Gfhw/IMG-3294.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/YTTNQ5X/IMG-3291.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/djzW8xC/IMG-3297.jpg

Good progress

Looking great as always. Thanks again for taking the time to share.

Jason

Yes,thanks for sharing.Much appreciated and great work!

To keep this pace you must have done some serious preparations!!!

Ryan W31

He's an animal. I can't keep up with Graeme....Joe

No prep work performed here Ryan, just an on the fly desire to finish the car quickly and have it ready to bang gears come spring time. Gonna drive the wheels off this one and have some fun with it.

Oh yeah...almost forgot. The diff is ready now too! Powder coated the housing, new axles, new Timken bearings and seals, new install kit, Eaton TruTrac carrier, and setup a nice pattern on the old GM ring and pinion. Buttoned up the cover late this afternoon and just need to add some fluid before I put the brakes on it.

Big thanks to Freddie for some real sound advice along the way. :biggthumpup:

https://i.ibb.co/brrRXNB/001-Axles.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/LNz8Q83/003-Ring.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/KNW47sz/Pattern.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/W57dQTT/004-Cover.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/nrhfyNS/005-Housing.jpg

I'm glad to help. I hate to see people spend good money on parts that aren't good.

He clearly has too much time on his hands! I'm just too easily distracted... :rolleyes2:

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Attachment 175769

LOL @ Rob

So I see from the pictures that you wanna race. You got winter tires on that car? Cause I have seen you beach goer's drive when the rubber hits the ice.

:haha:

I can't even drive in Forza snow! My son drove the yellow 'boomer-mobile' as he calls it and usually wins. The two colors do look great together though.

Staying with it today I was hoping to get the brakes completed on the diff but need a couple of parts so that will have to wait. I then got onto the front subframe and got the control arms in, the new springs installed and got creative with a couple front shocks that are now disguised as Gabriel/Hurst. I like the look of these. More to come in the days ahead.

https://i.ibb.co/GR5SQXh/IMG-3402.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/hd2ZdNQ/IMG-3391.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/q5KjzWg/IMG-3410.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/SNqHHQb/IMG-3406.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/F0ZrPXq/IMG-3399.jpg

I like your style, get everything you need to do the car and bang it out! No waiting around.

----Graeme,,,Does it get a bit difficult to install the frame to motor mounts when the A-fames are installed? Does for me!......Bill S

Yes it makes it a bit harder but it's still doable. IMO, those top two nuts are always a balancing act whether the springs and control arms are in there or not. At least it always seems that way. I thought about installing frame mounts yesterday...but all I have right now is a repo pair that were used for mocking up a dummy engine while the headers were being fabbed. I'm still looking for an original pair of mounts and will have to get those nuts on the back sides once I find the right pair of mounts to use.

Did you get new coil springs, and why black?

Someone had put big block springs in my Z :eek2: The Moog 6308's going back in came with a vinyl coating but I'm going to strip it off.

.