Chevelle updates

[VintageMusclecar]

Thank you Lynn.

For the record (but not that it matters), I'm 6' and hover somewhere around 275-280. Yes, I've got a bit of a belly--but I can also bench &amp; squat (ass to ankles, no chicken-shit 1/2 squats) 315+, and that's with bad knees, a bad back <span style="font-style: italic">and</span> bad shoulders...I think that's fairly respectable for a 50 year old fart.

I'll get a measurement on the hitch for you shortly.

[Lynn]

Dude, I've got corns older than you.

[Lynn]

OOPS. This was meant as a pm.

[EZ Nova]

LOL sorry Eric, didn't know &quot;how&quot; to word it, so just used &quot;PORTLY&quot;?

Was away on vacay in sunny Arizona and away from my computer, or better stayed AWAY from it. That's pretty go with the weights. I too just turned 50, also 5'10&quot; but I'm only 225. Can still &quot;preacher curl&quot; 4 plates on a bar on the bench as well. I have ALWAYS had a belly but also 50&quot; chest with it.

[VintageMusclecar]

Nothing like doing a job over because of garbage repop parts.

Notice anything--eh--amiss here?









Notice how the frame bracket for the clutch Z-bar has bent severely inboard towards the engine.

To recap: someone had pilfered the original Z-bar bracket from the car's frame before I bought the car. Naturally, I was unable to source a good original bracket (we won't even talk about the rest of the clutch linkage...), so I was forced to go with a repop. At the time, there was only one available, and it was notably thinner (--1/8&quot; to be specific--) than an original component. Something told me this was going to come back to haunt me later...as usual, I was right--as the pictures show. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/rolleyes.gif[/img]

Thankfully, someone now reproduces the bracket in the original 3/16&quot; thickness. I picked one up a couple of months back and called in a favor from a friend to cut off the old bracket and weld the new one on for me (he's a far better welder than I am).

New bracket in place:



Remnants of the old bracket--effortlessly crumpled like tinfoil.



Now comes the fun of trying to get the inner fender back in place w/o borking anything up in the process.

Can't let the cat out of the bag just yet, but there may be more updates in about a month.

More soon--I hope.

[earntaz]

I just wonder how the hell (whoever made that piece) they thought 1/8 material would stand up??? TAZ

[Postsedan]

I love cats in the Bag.....looking forward to you letting her out ;-)

Well done as usual [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img]

Dan

[VintageMusclecar]

It's back together.

One thing's for certain--wrasslin' that damned inner fender out of and back into the car ranks right up there with ripping back a fingernail or getting fragged by an exploding cut-off wheel on the old fun-o-meter. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/no.gif[/img]

On the plus side, the clutch pedal feels <span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="text-decoration: underline">MUCH</span></span> better, and we even nailed the clutch adjustment on the first try.

Now if I can just find the gumption to get the car converted back over to power steering...(this thing is a serious bitch to maneuver &amp; park!)

More soon--mebbie next month...here's a hint... [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/burnout.gif[/img] [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/[/img]

[VintageMusclecar]

The last piece(s) of the puzzle.



God willing and the creek don't rise, I hope to get the car back to Kil Kare this Thursday.

[earntaz]

Good luck Eric [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/drool.gif[/img]