Itinerant Air-Cooled

@ Hammy: It's a long engine, it's really not that big. The V8's are big in comparison.

@ Mike: I was actually surprised how dark of an orange it was, sprayed it on anyways as I started the process.
It's pretty sexy looking color, especially up close.

Looking good .. now get the rest of the stuff cleaned & painted. Need a hand? I've got some time between now & Sunday when I go back to work, only concrete thing I need to do is get to Tram's in Springfield to pick up the Mercedes .. once he's done with the Mercedes.

Mmmm, okie, I'll give ya a call.

...

Oh, it's the initial cost. Plus I lucked out - now for a second time - with a very solid van.

Xelmon wrote:Plus I lucked out - now for a second time - with a very solid van.

With the response I wrote to Chachi in mind, I'll have to say that the more I swim under this van, the more obvious it becomes that this poor thing may have been taken care of for the first part of its life, then it was beaten and not taken care of...
I'll post pictures of the "Surface" rust later.

For now, progress!!

Today was spent with lots of good work instead of tooling around like yesterday, with projects such as removing the bars for the manual transmission, removing the steering column, and preparing for an automatic column switchover.
It also helped that it was magically good weather - like I hoped and predicted. As I was knee deep in grease and mud, all pictures are post-morten.

Before picture commence, it has to be said that the pitman arm was removed with an actual proper puller, $13, three twists, and it was off.

First off the 4 bolts that held the pedal in place. There is a housing shaft, and a rod that is a good 1/2" thick that goes across the frame. The other side had a U-clamp deal and a groove in said rod to prevent spinning.



On the other side of the frame rail is nothing but cramped spaces. The automatic was cake-walk compared to this. One of the transmission rods had to go out to the front, through the lowest slit, while the other went out to the back. I gotta hand it to GM though, overall it's a very solid system, and you have to really screw up to bend a rod.



Even the transmission linkage support bolts didn't snap, you just had to give it all to turn them, and whack it with a hammer. Even though things were rusty, things were looking good... Until I got to the throttle linkage.
I told dad to press the gas pedal, as I couldn't move it by hand... Well, he pressed it, and the rod was bending a bit. Then I just went to remove that whole deal, since it's obviously rusted. Turns out the gas pedal sleeve/housing is rusted into one/apart, with busting 2 outta 3 screws simply twisting off.
The linkage I'll do my best to save, however the pedal and the sleeve are goners.



Interior at the moment... Pretty empty.



BWAAAAA God I love being greasy! :D

I was enjoying my coffee, reading and looking at the pics, then you threw in that last picture and I choked on my scone. Don't scare me like that so early in the morning.

I was going for a happy mechanic face, not rape face! :P

And another update!
So today's update includes me futzing around with the break system.
The old master is needless to say old. The rubber over the piston is torn out, and the cylinders inside is black as night.

On goes the cylinder from the '68!
The actual break pin was surprisingly in better condition than the one on the '68! The exposed ends were still rusted, however the core itself had less wear and surface rust.
The end result was using the old break arm - less dirt to clean off - and the newer pin.

Also, scrolling up, there is a lot less dirt next to the pedal as I took a good hour to clean the area out. Of course, break cleaner will have to be used for the most obnoxious stuff... Looks a lot better though. No more 1/2" mud.



As the master is old - and probably questionable - I replaced that and the block. I know that it works, so that's what goes in there.
Had to use the vice grips to loosen the bolts, however once they were loose they only needed a wrench.
Did a lot of cleaning of the threads, greasing said threads so that hopefully they don't stick this bad next time around, and such that.
I did clean the front/rear pipes, just so that there's a bit of sheen in there in that sea of rust. :D



Considering all, it was a rather short work day, still none the less productive as a lot of cleaning, and thoughtful reassembly has taken place.

Oh, and the mud, and the rust that fell off...

Xelmon wrote:And another update!
futzing around with the break system.
break pin
old break arm
break cleaner

No, Mr. Xelmon, not here. We have to exercise our spelling chops here.
B-R-A-K-E for things that stop your car.

Break is what happens to your car when you drive off a road upside down.
Colin

Today's task ended up focusing on the steering column, as that is sorta the next thing that has to go back. Of course, it had to all come apart as the felt bushing leaked and the signal cluster got all oiled up. Apart it comes!

First thing's first, mending something! Or at least swapping it out. The turn signal switch was cracked at the thread, and one of the return springs was broken, so I said screw it, time to get a new one. Ended up being 10 bucks too!



All assembled, fit's pretty damn well too!



Ah this piece. This is the contact side for the horn I believe, and this is the finished installation, as I had to use a copious amount of glue to reattach it. I had to take it apart to remove the last of the oil, and sadly...



... All but one of the ears broke off.



I also did some cleaning and polishing on the steering box, and she is looking much better now.



Of course, as helpful as the fellow was at O'Reillys, I noticed at the end of the day that the signal switch while a good fit, isn't perfect. There is another one that is 2 digits off for a P/N, and it's the correct angle. Oh well, I'll take it apart and return it calmly.

Been a week since the last update, and I *know* things have been progressing...

Yes it has been, I finally got around to compiling major milestone pictures, although there are quite a few that have been left out.

Verbal:
First, the biggest thing that was open to be tackled is not a problem. The rear differential is in extremely good condition, with virtually no wear on the R&P, and minimal surface wear on the sleeve bearings for the two transfer gears.

The axles are also in very good condition, and have been fortunate to have the 15 roller bearings which are known to be much better for wear. Never the less, new bearings and seals have been installed.

The kingpins are in generally better condition than the previous white van, however they are still worn and wobbly. Oh well.

The drag link and dampeners however are deader than a door nail. All have to - or have been - replaced so that the ride would be a fair bit safer.

Pictured:



The "new" carb has been rebuilt, however I managed to bust a bolt, so I have not fully reassembled it. I will definitely use one of the gaskets though to install it on the "old" intake!



This has been one of Tris's pet projects, new front seats. They are both adjusting, and they have this nifty feature of folding flat. They came out of a Chevy Venture mini-van, center row seats. :)



The automatic column is back in, and it's even more buttoned up than in the picture! Of course, the steering wheel is still not back on, as I want to center it.



This is the bellhousing from the - now removed - 3 speed manual. I'll take pictures tomorrow, as the clutch was dead. However, whatever punk band drove it around knew their stuff, as the flywheel is easily turnable, and reusable! :D





The 3 speed... I have yet to clean it off and figure out what I'm missing out on / happily avoiding.




Dad, he's been helping out a lot from grabbing parts like no tomorrow, to replacing all 4 corners, breaks and everything... Makes me feel like a total putz.



Out with the old, in with the new!



Tristessa in the flesh, he has helped far more than I could ever thank him for.



As it was late, these are pictures from the next day... Isn't she pretty?
Also déja vu, I know I have taken a picture in a very similar angle before!



And also dad's handy work. As he knows how to work the polisher, he has been doing small bits.

The owner of the salvage yard said that "When you get it running, bring it by, I want to see it!". I have a feeling that he's either going to be amazed or pissed, as he didn't get around to work on it for nigh on 10 years. =D

Lookin' sharp Adam.

And it's still spelled "Brakes"...