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I was headed home from a rather uneventful day driving my 92 OCC, and stopped at my storage unit to check on a couple of parts for someone. When I locked the unit up, and tried to start the car, the steering column broke internally. It was stuck in accessories, and I could not start the car. I happened to have another column at the storage unit, so I decided to swap them. This was about 8:00. Long story short, it took me until 5:15 this morning to get the donor column in, even with help from my brother. It needs some finish work, and the high/low beams do not work, but it is driveable for a few days, until I decide whether to get still another column with a working high low beam switch.
Well, the fun is neverending. I stopped at my dad's on the way home, and the starter died. I only live a mile a way, so I walked home. Tomorrow morning I am walking back over, and am installing a geared starter I have. Maybe I will gave some good fortune, and it will start so I can drive it up on ramps to avoid jacking it.
I checked the column for proper operation of the dimmer switch rod, and it works correctly. I am going to install a FWB dimmer switch to get flash to pass. I must do a little wiring to get it to work properly.
Last edited by Fred Kiehl; Jun 5, 2019 at 06:48 PM.
Today was backtrack day for my engine build. A good friend found me a nice timing cover and Fedexed it to me for free! So I had to take off the water pump, the harmonic balancer and timing cover, cleaned up his and painted the paintable parts, ordered new gaskets. I'm still waiting on the backordered 2711 from Jegs. Kind of anxious to finish but this intake thing is perturbing. If I get another delay message I will be switching to the 7111....damn the clearance issue! I also worked on the El Camino today, installing the new visors, replacing the steering wheel with a Grant GT and I still am chasing fluid on the ground sources. Oil, Tranny, Brake Fluid, Power steering and Water were all where they are supposed to be. My oil catcher carpet is saturated from sitting months. Tomorrow is another day. I also did some measuring to see how much room I have to work with dropping a SBO in it. I'll take it for a nice drive tomorrow and circulate the fluids. The days of the 3.8 are numbered! I was to start the deconstruction this weekend but my primary car died finally enough that I won't be wasting any more keeping it on the road. Until I find something reliable and cheap, the El Camino is it!!
Finished five of these. Hopefully they can have them painted by the end of the week and I can get new BFG 245/60R15's early the following week. Four hours each to sand blast.
The intake finally arrived, well uhhh not the one I ordered but the one they had in stock, so reluctantly I am installing a 7111 where a 2711 should have been. Thanks again JEGS for stalling my build for more than a month. The next problem is finding the Qjet that was sent from CA June 16 and has not arrived. It turns out I-5 on Ebay never sent it, they just were stalling to get one rebuilt. So, like the intake, I am waiting, It was supposed to arrive between June 21 and 28. Nothing and no word from the shipper as to where it was. Now they shipped it and guess what, another week+ has gone by and still no carb or word. AVOID I-5 unless you want hassles and long waits to get your carb!
So this weekend I got the 3.8 completely unhooked so that when I get another few days in a row I can pull it, and get the Oldsmobile in. It is hard to make a Rocket 350 run without a carb, so I will install the intake and carb whenever all the parts are here. The hardest part of this build will be locating pulleys and brackets that did not come on a "whole engine". Happy Freaking 4th! I was supposed to be driving it now, but thanks to lousy companies and Liars, I have more than a month to go!
Last edited by Chuck Cole; Jul 7, 2019 at 10:48 PM.
After the astute observation by my buddy, I decided it was time to get rid of the front drag racing shocks on my '72 U code Supreme and replace them with regular shocks. Picked up a set Friday and installed them today.
Got busy turning wrenches at 6 am this morning with the hopes of having the job complete before church, bit as fate would have it, no such luck.
3 hours (yes, you read that right..3 hours) later the passenger side was done...(don't ask...long story).
Having to shut the operation down so I could get ready for church, I decided I would get the driver side done Tuesday morning before heading to work. (Rain was forcasted from noon on the rest of today, so Tuesday was my next opportunity to get back to it.)
So we get home from church and after helping my wife with some yard work, (no rain yet), I decided to tackle the driver side. Get my tools out, and the jack is ready to roll under and I'm getting ready to start pumping. Look to the sky and the sun is hidden by dark stormy clouds with thunder not far in the distance. So I stood there trying to decide if I was going to go through with it or call it a day and go back to plan "A" on Tuesday. (Even had a few sprinkles).
Checked the forcast and it said rain was two hours out, so I moved forward. 30 minutes later, I was done 😀. After the passenger side, not what I was expecting, but was pleasantly surprised.
Got everything cleaned up, tools put away, and (literally) as I was walking into the house, the sky opened up...talk about great timing!
Now I just have to wait for the chance for the obligatory "test drive"...
It is the way! Here rain is usual so we learn to work in it. For me it is the heat in the Summer I have to avoid. In my project so far I have about double the hours of deconstruction as it should have taken. The use of metric and sae complicates the process. Plastics make it a nightmare and the doubling of the wiring harness for all the safety systems. Having restored 5 60's, cars the late 70's and 80's cars are much more difficult. Often you have to simply throw things away and update them with a better design. It all becomes worth it when you finally get the drive!
Installed repop stamped hoses, OEM upper hose clip, Gates belts and Gates Power Grip hose clamps on my '72 Supreme..and took it out for a test drive to check the new front shocks...much better!
I absolutely love them! Hit 'em with a heat gun to set them up, then I fired the ol' heap up for about 10 min to give them some time to shrink even more. After that I took it out to bring the engine up to temp, brought 'er home and checked for leaks and she was bone dry!
The cool part about them is the more they heat up, the tighter they get😀
The cool part about them is the more they heat up, the tighter they get��
Don't get too overzealous. An overly tight belt is not cool unless you enjoy the smell of bearings when they seize and/or the smoke from a generator which has malfunctioned as the shaft overheats.
You want ~1/2" deflection upward or downward in the belt. You keep tightening on these belts you very well might bechanging out some parts much sooner than you wish.
Tighten the belt until it just stops squealing or the general rule-of-thumb is ~1/2" deflection.
Last edited by Vintage Chief; Jul 10, 2019 at 08:17 PM.
Reason: sp
Don't get too overzealous. An overly tight belt is not cool unless you enjoy the smell of bearings when they seize and/or the smoke from a generator which has malfunctioned as the shaft overheats.
You want ~1/2" deflection upward or downward in the belt. You keep tightening on these belts you very well might bechanging out some parts much sooner than you wish.
Tighten the belt until it just stops squealing or the general rule-of-thumb is ~1/2" deflection.
New sneakers for the Cutlass! Off to the tire shop. These 245/60R15's fit just right. Starting to think Dog Dishes would have looked "Bad ***" on this car. (the way Short Dog for Iron Resurrection says it) Almost a shame to install the trim. Time to go polish it up.
I believe the SSII wheels are the best factory wheels ever! I am still deciding if they would look right on the El Camino, but they have been on all my late 60's early 70's restorations. I can't wait to see them with all the chrome attached! Great looking!!
Took the ol' heap out for a spin today and decided to stretch her legs. After a quick 100 mph blast I backed her down and cruised back to the house.
As I was rolling through the neighborhood, I noticed my exhaust sounded louder than normal, but didn't really concerned myself over it...figured It was just me.
Pulled into the driveway and gave her one more pump of the throttle just to hear that sweet music of the 455 on full song and this time, the exhaust WAS louder.
Got out for a quick listen and it sounded like it was louder on the driver side, so I took a peek and found that the tailpipe had completely cracked and separated itself from right behind the muffler...not good. ( The exhaust needs replaced but I was trying to get some $ saved up so I could take care of it.)
...Giuess I'm paying my dues for that 100 mph blast, but it was SO worth it!😀.
Besides, I already have the repair underway, but that's another story..
That's sweet. Definitely beyond my woodworking capabilities. Looks great in the car. I especially like the Rocket emblem on the top. Is that a decal or an inlay?
I would be happy to make them for anyone interested, Virtually any wood species could be sourced. But I think the one I made would match up really nice to the Walnut steering wheel. I have a great wood supplier close to Toronto. If anyone is interested please contact me directly at my email address. ben442@sympatico.ca
Thanks Ben Nagy
Replaced the OG AC harness with another Original, In my Olds, lol. bought the car with 11k on it, 1 yr old, someone cut the ground in 3 places, and grounded it in the wrong location. Go figure, must have been done at the dealership. Also they cut a hole in the wheel well to get at the blower motor.
"Also they cut a hole in the wheel well to get at the blower motor."
Had that on my 70 W30 when I got it. Cut a hole in the original red fender well. GEEZ.... I could never understand what people are thinking when they do things like that.
"also they cut a hole in the wheel well to get at the blower motor."
had that on my 70 w30 when i got it. Cut a hole in the original red fender well. geez.... I could never understand what people are thinking when they do things like that.
Beat flat-rate time ! Mo' money !
Last edited by Charlie Jones; Jul 20, 2019 at 07:54 AM.
Had this cover for a while so I finally put it on. I used the bolts and washers from Fusick temporarily until my Fastenal order arrives.Not sure if what I ordered from Fastenal will be close to the OEM type but they have to be better than Fusick's
It's a shame they don't reproduce these covers to look closer to the originals.I think they are such a cool and unique looking bolt on upgrade..
