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Re: The New, Newer Project Part Tres...
And the underside view of the axle tubes, one side with black paint and the other, not so much. (and the shinier-looking exhaust after I wiped off the surface rust.)
https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...2-img_2186.jpg https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...3-img_2187.jpg |
Re: The New, Newer Project Part Tres...
Cleaning continues. I used some dishwashing soap and water in a bucket and sloshed it all around the wheelwels with a soft carwash brush. Got most of the road dust off. I then used the diesel-damp rag to wipe everything down including the frame rails. It seems like the assembly line used a bit more black-out paint on the passenger side than the driver's side. Looks like they were just trying to cover the white frame rails and a bit of the wheelwells. By the amount of non-coverage on areas shaded by things like the lower lip of the inner wheelhouse and the sway bar bracket, you can deduce that they didn't move the paint gun around much and just blasted it from one position.
I also pulled the brake drums and gave them a quick dip in the evaporust which removed the surface rust immediately (once it was warmed up to 70 degrees in the sun). They look asssembly line fresh now. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...7-img_2215.jpg https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...9-img_2212.jpg |
Re: The New, Newer Project Part Tres...
BTW, what I previously thought was a small section of black paint on the flange area was actually the portion of the drum that mated up to the wheel, and as a result never surface rusted.
https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...1-img_1760.jpg |
Re: The New, Newer Project Part Tres...
What a car Steve. I always enjoy your threads!
Tim |
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Thank you! I always enjoyed the archeological aspects of the hobby: unearthing things that haven't been seen in eons. This one is fun because there is a lot of hidden markings and manufacturing idiosynchracies that I have noticed while laying on the mechanic's creeper underneath this old bird. More photos to come when I get towrd the front of the car!
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Re: The New, Newer Project Part Tres...
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: napa68</div><div class="ubbcode-body">What a car Steve. I always enjoy your threads!
Tim </div></div> Times two! |
Re: The New, Newer Project Part Tres...
The cleaning continues. I got the entire floor wiped down. It's nice and clean and shiny now. Even though I was wearing gloves, I got slashed quite a few times from the sharp edges on numerous original spot welds. It's like trying to wipe down a rose bush - lots of thorns everywhere. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/eek.gif[/img]
https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...9-img_2217.jpg https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...8-img_2216.jpg I started on the transmission and found some interesting things here and there. Notice the fact that the passenger side, top mounting screw on the converter cover is coming from the wrong side! It had never installed any other way, as there were no mounting marks on the outside of the surface like the other three screw holes had. I documented the positions prior to removing the cover to wipe down the insides. From the position of the drip marks on the inside and the outside of the cover, it must have been suspended from that opposite side top screw hole when originally dipped in gloss black paint and allowed to drip-dry. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...-img_2258a.jpg https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...3-img_2260.jpg The three rubber nubs are still intact from the rear oil pan seal. (It's hard to get a good focus due to the depth between the oil pan and the converter cover) https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...4-img_2257.jpg Once the cover was removed I found a whole lot of blue paint overspray on the flexplate. The rear main seal and the front converter seal were bone dry. The only oil residue looks to be from seeping valve covers over the past 43 years. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...9-img_2253.jpg Super Duty starter part number 1108436 https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...5-img_2256.jpg Here's an interesting marking: a blue arrow pointing to the starter shims: https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...8-img_2251.jpg |
Re: The New, Newer Project Part Tres...
Here's a weird thing: What on earth is the terminal that is bolted directly to the rear of the driver's side cylinder head?
https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...-img_2249a.jpg https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...img_2249aa.jpg |
Re: The New, Newer Project Part Tres...
Found the answer: The cold feed switch for the TCS system.
https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...890-switch.jpg |
Re: The New, Newer Project Part Tres...
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: njsteve</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Found the answer: The cold feed switch for the TCS system.
https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...890-switch.jpg </div></div> Steve, I was going to say the same. It is nearly identical to the one on my LT1... Keep up the good work Dan |
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Great progress.. If you already stated then I apologize but what cleaner did you use on the floors? One the green car I used cheap Dollar Tree oven cleaner & their citrus degreaser on just about everything. Did not harm the paint and I had great results. Also not sure what you plan to use for preservation but I really like the Cosmoline Rust Veto in the aerosol can. Works great and its thin enough that it can be wiped off with alcohol. Just a thought. Keep it up!
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Re: The New, Newer Project Part Tres...
On the rear end I used some diluted purple stuff and dishwasher liquid in water. Then I used rags with some diesel fuel on them, paying attention to any paint marks and staying away from them. For the floors I just used the diesel dampened rag and did it all by hand. I split up the floor cleaning process into sections - rear, middle, and front, and spent a day working on each. You can only do so much before all the feeling runs out of your fingers and arms. Boy were my hands and arms hurting after that! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/eek.gif[/img]
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Reminds me of my 74 z/28. The orginal owner spray bombed the whole underside when new with black paint.
I have been slowly cleaning it with Easy Off and it seems to do the trick. The paint just melts off and the original finish remains like it was from day one. The gas tank was painted Black, so when I was getting the fuel sender fixed, I had it out. Easy off worked great. Even chalk marks and the US Steel logo showed up under all that paint. Looks like a brand new tank right now. |
Re: The New, Newer Project Part Tres...
Look what just came out today in the July issue of Hemmings Muscle Machines. I made sure that they interviewed Enrico for the article and they even put in a photo of "Rick" and his lovely bride of 50 years, Lenora in the owner's comments section.
https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...3-img_2267.jpg https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...4-img_2271.jpg https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...5-img_2269.jpg https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...6-img_2270.jpg |
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Here's the link to the online article which is accessible if you have a magazine subscription: http://www.hemmings.com/magazine/mus/201...55/3749884.html
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Very cool! Congrats Steve!!
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Nice sentiment on the "Owners View"!!! Congrats!!! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img]
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Yes, Rick and Lenora are the most amazing couple of car fanatics I have ever met. Can't wait to actually meet them in person in November after all our emails and phone calls over the past three years.
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Dodged the biggest bullet ever, today....
I changed the oil today and when I went to check the oil level with the dipstick, the lower portion snapped off!!!! Pontiacs have three combined dipstick tubes that insert sequentially into each other to direct the dipstick into the sump area. I felt something odd and when i pulled the dipstick out, the portion containing the "full" mark and the entire section below it was gone. The 1973's used the stupidest design you could imagine. They deeply stamped the letters and punched small holes at the various level marks. These all serve as major week points in the metal. When I stuck the dipstick back in it must have gotten bound up for a second and fractured at one of the holes. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...5-img_2324.jpg I then had to unbolt the A/C compressor and all the brackets to be able to remove the upper tube in case the fragment was still inside it. After an eternity I got the upper tube out. No luck. The fragment was not inside it. I tried using the broken dipstick at that point to gently feel my way down in the middle tube but since the fracture was so sharp, it simply dug it the sides of the tube. I carefully filed the broken edge to make it smooth and tried again. Nothing. The broken section had to be somewhere in the engine. I drained the fresh oil and found an extendable magnet pickup tool in the toolbox. And after triple checking that the thing would not pull apart once I stuck it in the drain plug hole, I went fishing. An hour of grid searching every square inch of the inside of the oil pan finally resulted in success. I could not imagine having to pull the engine and drop the pan in this car for something this stupid. Ugh. I need a drink. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...6-img_2325.jpg Now, does anyone have another 1973 Pontiac dipstick with the deep stamped letters? I don't know if other early years used this dumb design but I compared the 1973 stick to the 1975 dipstick from Gramma's car. The measuring points, length and handle are the same but the font, text and stamping are noticeably different. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...7-img_2328.jpg |
Re: The New, Newer Project Part Tres...
Yikes, that was tense just reading it, lol. Glad you found the broken part. Maybe using a different year dipstick would be a better idea and keep an original one in a box in the garage. Just an idea.
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Re: The New, Newer Project Part Tres...
Yes, they stopped that stupid design shortly after 1973. I have a friend on the PY site sending me an original 73 dipstick that I will only use for show.
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Re: The New, Newer Project Part Tres...
My friend Bruce, on the PY forum came through (again). He sent me an original 1973 dipstick that he claimed was pretty rusty. It arrived in an almost three foot long section of PVC pipe. Now that's how you ship a dipstick!
After several days of soaking in my favorite liquid (evaporust, not beer) it came out nicer than the original broken dipstick. I also ended up adding a slight bend downward at the tip (toward the finger loop) and this makes it clear the internal restrictions at the tube joints much easier. The real key is to feed it slowly down the tube and not try to jam it down like you were stabbing a zombie with sword. Old one on top, replacement on bottom: https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...4-img_2339.jpg Replacement on top, broken one on bottom: https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...5-img_2341.jpg Installed: https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...6-img_2343.jpg |
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The online version of the Hemmings Muscle Machines feature is now up at their site:
https://www.hemmings.com/magazine/mus/20...55/3749884.html And today's news is that the car was just nominated for the Muscle Machine of the Year at HMM and the voting is now open. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img] http://www.hemmings.com/mmoy |
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I voted for your S/D
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Thanks (former) Jersey Craig! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img]
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----As did I!!!.....Bill S
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I did too!! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/headbang.gif[/img]
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Done.
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You got my vote, good luck, some nice cars there.
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Re: The New, Newer Project Part Tres...
Done
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Luckily there were no 68 big block Camaros to pick from so you got my vote.. lol [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/beers.gif[/img]
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Re: The New, Newer Project Part Tres...
Nice of HMM to plan it that way! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/grin.gif[/img]
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Voted! You have the 1968 Dodge Super Bee Hemi Right???????????
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Re: The New, Newer Project Part Tres...
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 69biscayne</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Voted! You have the 1968 Dodge Super Bee Hemi Right??????????? </div></div>
LOL [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/haha.gif[/img] |
Re: The New, Newer Project Part Tres...
Well, we brought the car to the 2016 MCACN for Vintage Certification and a family reunion with the original owners Enrico "Rick" Stein and his wonderful wife Lenora Stein. They took their first vacation in eleven years to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary by reuniting with their old SD455 that they bought new and sold in 1986. To say they were excited would be the understatement of the year. The both got extremely verklempt when they first laid eyes on the car from across the room at MCACN. They stopped in their tracks with tears in their eyes. I had made up a little anniversary card for them with their "then and now" photos and placed it on the radiator support for them to see it when they got close to the car for the first time in 30 years since they sold it.
Here's the framed anniversary card: https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...8-dscn4251.jpg And the happy couple: https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...9-dscn4261.jpg |
Re: The New, Newer Project Part Tres...
And yes, both of them are still well over six feet tall. Here are the Steins replicating their first photos when the car was delivered back in 1973:
Note the height of the guys just behind them, for scale! https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...0-dscn4266.jpg https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...-dscn0642c.jpg https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...dscn0642a1.jpg I have to say that the two of them are the nicest couple of folks you'd ever want to meet. Rick and Lenora hung out with the car for all of Saturday and then Rick took over the solo guard duty on Sunday. At 80 plus years of age, Rick has more energy than four twenty year olds. He was holding court the entire weekend discussing everything he knew about all sorts of musclecar topics, not just his old SD455. (he has a photographic memory). It was fun hearing the stories like how he lived just a mile or so from Joel Rosen's shop back in the heyday of Motion Performance. He also knew Donna May Mims from his road racing days in the 1960's. When I say he has a photographic memory I am not exaggerating. Steve Shauger (Paceme) was awesome when he presented the Steins with their own duplicate plaque with the SD455's award on it. Rick thanked Steve and then examined the plaque for only a second and blurts out: "Hey, you got a typo in the VIN!" We were all flabbergasted - Does anyone else out there think that when they are 80+ years old, that they will be able to remember the VIN of a car they owned 42 years earlier? Steve promptly printed him out a corrected copy and gave him a Vintage Certification Team offical shirt. Rick and Lenora were also rather amazed at all the spectators who would come up and wish them a Happy Anniversary as they walked by. They were deeply touched. An as an added bonus, Rick was also photographed and interviewed by a number of media people including Kevin Oeste of V8-TV. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...4-dscn4277.jpg |
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As for the car, the SD455 was awarded its Legend status with total of 2893.4 out of a possible 3007.7 points. If my math is correct, that is a 96.2% score. I have not been able to see the score sheets yet so I don't know what needs to be addressed for the future but I think that is pretty respectable for a first attempt.
Hopefully the presence of Rick and Lenora counted for an extra credit point or two in the tabulations. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img] |
Re: The New, Newer Project Part Tres...
Now that is too cool ... enjoy that ride ... TAZ
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Great story and a great couple. Just really good car hobby stuff.
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Re: The New, Newer Project Part Tres...
Amazingly cool...Wow!
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