The New Project: Part Deux!

[69 Post Sedan]

Nice work......as usual. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img]

Kurt

[Xplantdad]

Great stuff Steve!

[njsteve]

Thanks! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/beers.gif[/img]

All that detail work to make the metal seams look correct, and I then have to cover it in slathered-on goop to make it look sloppy on purpose! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/no.gif[/img]

[njsteve]

I put the alternator back together after some parts cleaning. I soaked the case in the Purplestuff for a couple days and scrubbed it with a brass wire scrub brush (something softer than the cast metal case). I then used some 0000 steel wool and Orangestuff hand cleaner and gently scrubbed the outside of the case under really hot water. It turned out great, it has that just tumbled look out of the casting mold.

As for the pulley and fan blade, they turned out to be just dirty. The original silver cad plating on the pully cleaned up nicely. The finish on the back half of the pulley was perfect, the front half, not as nice due to being out in the elements all these years. The fan blade still retained its original grey phosphate finish and just needed some soaking in the Purplestuff degreaser and scrubbing with a plastic scrub brush. After seeing the original finish on the pulley and fan blade, and all the cobwebs inside, it looks like this alternator had never been apart in 42 years, so it retained all its factory hardware after all this time. The only repair needed was a new front bearing and to heli-coil the upper mounting bolt hole which is always stripped out on these cases.





And you can even see the part number and date code on it now! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/grin.gif[/img]

[njsteve]

I just noticed on the calendar: This is the one year anniversary of me buying this car. Wow what a difference in progress versus the prior project! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/grin.gif[/img]

[9566 BA]

Steve
everything looks great! Its hard to put back something like seam sealer that is gobbed on or looks messy on a car you are trying to make look nice but thats how they came.

[njsteve]

Finally finished the passenger side wheel tub repairs and slopped the seam sealer on, just like the assembly line did. The best method to reproduce the original application style seemed to be by wearing rubber gloves and applying three parallel lines of the sealer next to each other. Then you smeared it down the entire length of the seam with your index, middle and ring fingers held tightly alongside each other. This seems to duplicate the &quot;triple stripe&quot; application that is on my Gramma's 75 and the other car's I have examples of.





So, in the end, the Votech adult education course at the local highschool really paid off. For $400 and 12 weeks of Tuesday night dedication I was able to use their entire body shop and all the associated welding and bodywork equipment, and get expert tutelage on its use. I removed and replaced both trunk drop-offs, repaired the passenger side trunk-to-wheel tub section, and the rocker-to-wheel tub section, and refinished the trunk floor. Sure beats the estimate I got to have the work done (by around $7000). [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/grin.gif[/img]