In talking to Him, IC what you mean ! (Seems like a GREAT Guy). *I hope He was able to follow-up on my "lead" about that Hood / acc's ... I'm looking forward to meeting Him if it happens !

 

Picked up my #6 heads from machine shop at lunch , cleaned, pressure tested surfaced and cut for 2.07/1.71 valves and taking them to Elliott Portworks tomorrow for a basic port job and flow bench bench results.

 

Drove it lots, here is a video my son did

http://youtu.be/RyGP0MNH5HY

 

Slick!





Installed choke cable two nights ago, adjusted idle mixture screws and throttle rod.

It is now time to change an A/C line and switch over to r-134. LAWDY!! it's hot and humid this summer.

 

Over the last few days,

Scheduled activity: Got my recentlty acquired pre-owned sport side mirrors stripped, primed, painted, and mounted. Getting the 3 cables to work right was a chore (2 were frozen) but WD-40 and lots of wiggleing did it. Finally put my new front door panels on and installed the new arm rests. Fired up the car to out for a cool evening cruise and....

Unscheduled activity: Replaced the water pump . Car peed all over the driveway so this was a non-option.

The cruise became a shakedown cruise but all is well now.

 

Over the weekend I tried my best to get the rest of my interior together. I'm pretty happy with the overall results. Interior was originally gold with a bench seat. I still need to do sail panels, headliner, sunvisors and correct pattern front bucket covers. I'm a little intimidated diving into the headliner and recovering the seats.

 

It's not my car but I'm bending a full dual exhaust for a customers 72 Olds 98. All the way from the freshly rebuilt 455

And I'm gonna drive mine tonight!

 

Hot day. Decided to polish the front bumper. Took me 45 minutes

 

Well, it wasn't today, but yesterday. I finally got the chassis out of the garage and started blasting it.

Got about halfway through and it started to cloud up so I decided to save the rest for another day.

Found a crack int the rear shock tower I never would have seen had I not blasted it.

One thing about Black Beauty and any other material: It finds it's way into nooks and crannies you never knew you had. I mean on your own body!

 

Spent most for the day cutting out the old vacuum booster while I was waiting for the UPS to deliver my HEI distributor!! What a job I just want to know did they use child labor to install those things

 

15APRIL12 I took out the non working 1957 Treadle Vac and vacuum unit. Four hours later I broke my leg and spent the next 10 weeks in a wheelchair. Last July, I started taking apart and diagnosing the unit. I made a new piston from scratch, did some homebrew nickel plating, and carefully removed corrosion from the parts in the vacuum piston. It went in two nights ago and I bled it all out today. It worked so well that I could move to the garage closer to the toolbox and welder!

 

after a long layoff reinstalled the convertible frame and took out the motor

 

mbat,congratulated on the successful rebuild of the "Treadlevac Brake System".They really get a bad name(I think falsely) because most people are afraid to try and rebuild them themselves. Overall they are not that complicated. Larry

 

Putting tail lights on and turtle wax compound on the ole faded Matador Red flat top wagon in 106 degree full sunshine yesterday.. soon to be Dragon Wagon

 

Crawled under the dash and changed out a 194 bulb so I could see what temp. she was running after dark. (It was a lot easier 30 years ago!)

 

Forgive me, Oldsmobilers, it's been a while since my last post..... Bahahaha Well, getting the transmission out of my 66 Starfire was a PITA since I have limited workspace, and by limited workspace I mean I'm working on it out in the yard, and since I couldn't turn the crank I couldn't get to all three torque converter bolts...I was so #$%^ frustrated by that point, it didn't occur to me that an offset wrench would have solved my problems. The motor mounts were long since worn out and my bracing of the motor failed so when the transmission started coming down, so did the motor. Well, what's left of it; the crank and pistons. So I finally got the motor slid forward enough that the tranny fell the rest of the way off the torque converter... I've got the front just far enough off the ground that I was able to lift the tail and drag the heavy b**** out. Neighbor had an offset wrench and the TC came out. I got the dash pad off, planning on repairing it enough to make a cast and make a new one, jury-rigged the break where it hugs the steering column. I spent a few days tracing out and documenting vacuum lines and wires. Got the dash out. EVERYTHING on this car weighs a ton!!! Steering column's out, seats are out. Since the windshield frames are rusted through very-much-badly I metal taped the windshields to keep any additional water from getting in. I was bored a few days ago so I decided to bang on the bumper endcap where it was creased and to my amazement, it came out pretty good.

 

Been working on the motor since I got it out last week and things are progressing . Got everything scraped sanded wire brushed you name it a lot of nooks and crannys. Ordered the olds gold engine paint from fusick Oldsmobile and started spraying .starting to look good ! Hope to reassemble soon .

 

Replaced the starter, battery and voltage regulator. Took it for a spin.

Next up, weatherstripping and shocks.

 

Today I went to a local car show event and had a great time though it was very hot. Upon leaving I was coaxed by some gear head freinds who wanted to see some long over due action from the olds. So today I need to address my wheel hop situation which continues thru second gear. I have some work to do.. But it was great to take it to the rev-limiter which doesn't happen often.
Sean.

 

Today I got my motor running for the first time since the rebuild. Got it broke in, no problem. Had to adjust the valves several times through the process, I have Comp Cams roller tip rockers. Cam came from cutlassEFI- Mark. Ran a little hot at first, around 230 degrees. Distributor is a conversion, points to HEI done by Dave Ray, it works perfect. After the break in and adjustments it was running 185 degrees and idling with 30 psi oil pressure. Its very responsive and sounds great. Wow what a relief. I have a Pypes exaust and it sounds really nice. Now I can get to the body to get it painted....someday, hopefully not too far down the road
Steve

 

Well it wasnt actually running in the pic, but almost.
Steve

 

In the past week began rebuilding my front spindle/hub/brake assemblies. All set there except for actual drum brake components. I removed my inner fenders and cleaned them thoroughly. While the front is opened up, I sanded the front frame rails, then primed and painted them. All four control arms were completed (refinish & rebuild) a month ago. I cleaned and painted the exposed parts of the firewall. Lastly, I spent today re-plumbing the brake system. As a result of Hooker header installation, I had to relocate the brake switch/valve further down the frame rail, away from the headers. Of course this necessitated all new brake lines - the existing lines would not reach to the new home, and I definitely was not going to install jumpers/extenders! Made great headway, then discovered I am one line/tube-nut short! Enough for the day - time to clean up!

Have to get to NAPA on the way home tomorrow after work, then hopefully get all the lines installed.

 

Thank you! Yes it wasn't as bad as I thought. I wish now that I'd taken lots of pictures for the rest of you treadle vac-ers. If I ever have to do it again, I'll just remove the cowl airbox , install a flat panel, and convert to a dual master with power.

I ended up rebuilding all four wheel cylinders. Brakes work pretty damn well again.

 

Tweaking adaption of Indian-Rocket in the motor mount area and headers. Hopefully a noisy video within a week

 

Found the passenger side exhaust manifold leaking on the bottom edge. Pulled the manifold and only broke one bolt. Of course it is the center one in the blind hole. Will attempt an extraction then clean up both surfaces and a new gasket will go in.

 

Forgive the time warp here but over the weekend I put new points, condenser, belts and coil. I noticed the old points were overcooked so I checked voltage across the coil - same as the battery. Further investigation revealed that some hillbilly substituted standard wire for the stock resistance wire from the ignition switch. I verified full battery voltage at startup from the solenoid wire and wired in a good old Mopar ballast resistor. Average of 9.5V across the coil while running. I'm sure I catch a little ribbing from anyone who notices the resistor on the firewall but hey, it works!

 

had to do the same thing on my 72 mbat beats frying coils .might end up with electronic ignition so i wont need the resistor .

 

More exhaust manifold work. Tried three different extractor designs with no luck. Drilled the hole to size for an M8 x 1.25 of Which I had a bottoming tap. Fits in the original 3/8-16 hole pretty well so it should be better than nothing. Refaced the engine and manifold gasket surfaces. The old gasket is almost permanently affixed to the manifold. I was able to get it down to just one thin layer in a few spots.

 

Ok the impromptu center bolt fix is holding well and no more noisy exhaust leak. Back to the cool bass rumble it used to have. There is a small leak at the manifold exit. The down pipe has some sort of crumbling fiber gasket. The manifold exit ID is 2.5". Anyone know what the modern day replacement is for this round exhaust gasket? Engine is 72 350 rocket. Car is 57 Super 88.

Thanks

 

Yesterday I replaced the grilles and trim rings on my 72 vert 442 clone. Today I replaced the crushed remnants of the crossover pipe with a cap, and also replaced a bent bolt where the pipe meets the manifold. Was hoping one of these would have solved my exhaust leak, but no such luck. Also was finally able to check the timing and dwell (have had the car for 3 months lol), and both were off, so adjusted accordingly.

 

Guys:
I got the completely rebuilt rolling chassis with trans and engine back under the body and lowered it onto the new body mounts. I used long pcs of 7/16 x 14 all-thread rod to act as alignment pins when I lowered the body back down, next step is to hang the doors so the Body Guy can pick it up and put on the new 1/4's. I can then get the car back and hang the front sheet metal. Between the Cutlass and the 1928 Model A I am doing, I'm not sure which one is gonna kill me first.
Thanks, Ron

 

Changed primary jets in the QF from 72-76, painted fan/water pump satin nickle

 

Valve cover gaskets, repainted the covers as well as the brackets for the alternator and air conditioner, (haven't yet remounted the compressor or the repainted brackets). Attached are before and after pics.

 

Replaced miscellaneous vacuum lines from fuel pump to ventilation and heater control units on my 1961 Dynamic 88. (Main vacuum line got compressed under line clamp, improper assembly 54 years ago). Operationally checked good.

 

Local car show 400+ cars had a blast with the family last joy ride of the season for Betty

E6CFCA83-9837-40C9-AEE8-B269E9DE8FD4.jpg

 

^^^ Man, I really dig that color!

 

Thanks ! Pics don't do it justice IMO

On a sunny day she sure does pop

 

I reinstalled my radiator that I had re-cored into a 3 core and installed my electric fan that moves 2500 cubic feet a minute. The re-core was not a cheap proposition. All this came about after I installed the AC. The car always ran about the middle of the temp gage out on the highway. In the Texas heat I could not even drive it since the condenser blocked a lot of air to the radiator. Since the fan has two speeds, I used two 70 amp relays with a toggle switch under the dash with an off position. After it was all done, I cranked it up and turned on the AC and let it just sit there and idle. The gauge never got over the first quarter mark. I put my digital thermometer on the radiator and it said it was 162 degrees. The only thing left to do is replace the alternator. With the fan running and the AC on it only puts out a little over 12 volts. I will replace the one on it with a 100 amp which should fix that problem. I think this concludes my AC installation.

 

Took her to the local OCA-WI get together -

 

After vacuum lines replacement noticed oil on fuel pump, cleaned and leak checked. Determined oil is coming out of pump vent after aa short test drive. Now got a fuel pump change. (Probably different vacuum pressures after lines were changed taxed pump internal oil seal)