Allan R

Isn't this car PS? I thought the air bleed on the steering box had to be done with the car running, turn wheel lock to lock about 10 times to bleed, then top up PS reservoir? I used ATF in my PS because I had it available....

Your build looks incredibly nice. Be a shame to get it all dirty afterwards

RandyS

Apparently two schools of thought on this one, one way is to do it with the motor not running and one with. I have tried both ways and they each worked (eventually)....

TripDeuces

I guess you misunderstood me. I'm not bleeding it on the car like this. It's just a catch can. There were screw in plugs in each hole. While moving the steering around the pressure was so great against the plugs that they started to weep and **** out all over the place. Also made it almost impossible to move the steering box arm due to the pressure against those plugs. The box was shipped with some type of fluid in it. It's mostly clear or yellowish. I'll put in what they recommend of course. It's full of air of course right now. I just didn't want to have a fountain coming out all over the place

RandyS

Just gettin our exercise jumpin to conclusions...........

Allan R

Gotcha! Maybe I just read too much into that. I've got some PS fluid on the shelf and it seems to be mostly clear. It's a newer style though, and I'm not sure what the OEM fluid for your car would be like. I did read in the CSM that ATF could be substituted for PS fluid, which is why I did that. It also costs less.

TripDeuces

Put the front to rear brake line on and hung the rear end from the control arms today. Shock brackets I need should be here next week. Rear end looked a little long but I guess that's because of the narrowed frame. It measured 8.5 inches from frame to axle flange so I guess I did a good job of making the frame square.
Right Stuff makes some pretty decent stuff. I had to tweak it a little but it's nice overall. Got a complete stainless brake line kit from them. Front, rear and intermediate for $130.

442rocketdave

Trip your making headway and doing a great job, I hope I can start again on mine been under the weather again but things are looking up and being in Florida I can thankfully work thru the winter. Keep up the good work!!

therobski

Looks really great, to me its like building a model, a big model. I bogged down a bit the last few months on the 64, way to hot and other things but now its starting to cool off and will get back on it. Your build gives inspiration to finish mine up and get it in the street!

TripDeuces

That's a great analogy Therobski. I used to be a big model builder when I was a kid and younger adult. I've gotten away from them in my later years but this is exactly like that. I love that idea.

TripDeuces

Trouble in paradise!
I was installing the brackets for the rear brakes and once I got that done I decided to mock up the whole assembly and set everything like the instructions called for when I ran into a snafu. Seems the register on the axle flange is much larger than my brake rotor hole. The register was 3.060 and the hole was roughly 2.85.
The thought of machining my new rotors wasn't in my game plan so I called Strange to see if there was a solution. Turns out the registers are removable on the axles as long as you don't have the race versions (which I didn't). The new 2.800 registers are on their way along with the bottom shock mounts.

therobski

I loved AMT kits when I was a kid. If you recall,the model planes and ships were MUCH more detailed with very tiny parts. It taught some lessons on detail and, you have to do it right. Even though in a lot of areas nobody will ever see your work-but you do! The 64 "post car" is like my Picasso...100% percent of every part on that car has either been upgraded, rebuilt or restored. Not done yet either. Your doing great!

TripDeuces

I have two nice AMT kits of the 66 Cutlass. They are gorgeous and very detailed.

Today I put on the lower coil over brackets I just had sent to me. They had sent me a weld on bracket but I didn't want to go that route with a freshly powder coated rear end so we got some brackets from Strange and ABC fabricated them to make them work with their kit. The workmanship is superb on them. Makes my welding look so bad, ha. I'm sure they were TIG welded, just flawless. I had to drill two more holes (horror) but the fit is amazing. ABC Performance and Strange have been outstanding in helping on this project.
I have to get longer bolts for the bottom mount tomorrow but will finish it up on Thurs. Then I'll mount the rest of the rear brakes and see if it will clear my original wheels so I can mount them and let the suspension sit on the tires instead of hanging off the shock.

TripDeuces

Got the bolts for the lower shock mount and installed them today. Damn I like that look.
Also messed around with the rear brakes and installed the new registers. Fits like a drum now, no pun intended, lol. Not sure the stock wheels will fit over these (11 5/8 inches). If not I'll remove the rotor and caliper and mount the wheels so I can roll it around easier, same with the front. I already know those won't fit.
Test fit the brake lines that run along the top of the rear axle. Those are going to work nicely. Just have to bend the ends to fit to the flexible line coming off the caliper side. I have a bracket fabbed to connect the flexible feed line on top of the pumpkin to the rear end. Just have to spiff it up a bit.

Anyone else notice you can now add 10 pics instead of 5? Nice idea.

oldcutlass

Nice setup, looks awesome. Wow, didn't know they changed the picture allotment.

NTMD8TR

Looks great man. Glad to see your making headway. That set up looks awesome!!!

TripDeuces

Had to get a new rear sway bar. Try as I might my old H-O Racing 1 3/8th bar would not squeeze between the lower control arms. It was always a tight fit but with my new stuff nothing was going to give so I opted for a new one which supposedly is better because it ties to the frame. Who knows?

Also got my 1/2 inch fuel line in, that will need tweaking. (What else is new?) and the emergency brake cables from front to rear. Also the bracket that attaches the rear flexible brake line to the rear end.

young olds

Which rear away bar did you get, I've been looking for one that connect to the frame for my 66

TripDeuces

That's from UMI Performance. Pricey but I liked the adjustability. It's also 1 3/8 but hollow so it weighs less overall

steverw

Wow very cool! Im impressed! Great work.

442rocketdave

Trip that rear end looks awesome it will surely handle all the power that Gorilla motor has!!! Plus your car will ride like a new car! Keep up the great work and thanks for the post you inspire us to keep going!!

RAMBOW

those Anti Roll bars are killer. I have several drag race friends who have added them- they make an vast improvement in twist off the line- I'm sure they do the same thing for twist & roll when going around corners too.

TripDeuces

Installed the rear emergency brake cables today. Had to fabricate a bracket to get it where I wanted it. New welder did great with this thinner stuff. Also finished the brake lines that go from the center of the rear end to the calipers. I thought the stainless line was going to be a bear to double flare but it worked out ok. At least I didn't break the cheap flaring tool. Might be a different story on the half inch fuel line but that's for another day.

therobski

Just like a BIG model-looks like your having fun putting this all together! NICE

oldcutlass

Your attn. to detail is paying off, looks great.

TripDeuces

So after struggling with the 1/2 inch fuel for a week I think I got it where I want it. It's not perfect but it's getting there. I cut it thinking I would put my fuel pre-filter in that spot but after looking closer that spot will be too close to the floorboards and/or hang down below the frame so I'll have to put in my AN tubing connector there. I think I'll just put the pre-filter near the tank. I had to cut the line anyway because my frame mods were in the way. It actually made it easier to install overall that way.
I was trying to think of a neat way to mount the fuel line to the frame and I decided on rivet nuts (Nutsert type deal) and some nylon clamps I saw online. Only problem was the rivet nut installation tool which was $100. I wasn't go to pay that for a tool I'd use just a dozen times so I made my own installation tool out of a 10-32 screw, 10-32 threaded rod connector and a serrated washer.
I drilled out the threaded rod connector to just larger than the screw so it can turn without binding. Then you assemble it and slide it into the hole. Hold the connector with a wrench and sock down the screw until the rivet nut expands and holds everything in place. The serrated washer stops the rivet nut from spinning. Worked like a dream.

TripDeuces

Finished the fuel line today and installed the tubing mounts on everything. Glad that's done. I think I'll mount the engine next to check all the clearances for the headers, transmission etc.

TripDeuces

I finally climbed out of the bears den after my winter hibernation.
Since not much on this project is stock I've had to 'car craft' an awful lot and also un&^%$ many of the aftermarket manufacturers fubars. Before I went any further I decided to set the engine and transmission in the frame and check a few things. One of my biggest concerns was header fitment but not anymore. They fit like a dream. Kudos to ARH and the beautiful set of headers I got from them.
As you can see they are about 1/4-1/2 inch higher than the oil pan which is flush with the cross member. They also cleared everything up top with ease. That's a 2 inch pipe btw with 3.5 inch collectors.
My other concern was the March serpentine set up. March initially told me that my P/S pump reservoir wouldn't fit. They wouldn't tell me why, just that it wouldn't. After a trial fit I found the pump rubbed the front cover bolt so I ground the pump and made it work. Then my mind started racing wondering if March was referring to the case hitting the power steering box or even the pulley hitting. Today proved all is well. Although the P/S is close there is plenty of clearance there and if need be I can grind the case or the box more. The pulley wasn't even close.
Just as a side question: Can I raise the engine by shimming up the frame mounts if need be? Not that I do but I'm always scheming.

TripDeuces

More pics:

83hurstguy

Nice work, been catching up on pictures. On your rear axle brake lines, how did you support the interface between the hard line and the flex hose? Just as a heads up, those U-bolts for the sway bar will be prone to rotating/slipping on the axle tubes, so you'll want to make sure the brake lines aren't supported or prone to getting moved with the U-bolt.

JCG makes some pretty nice clamps for 3" axle tubes; while pricey, they are pretty nice: http://www.jcgrestorationandcustoms....e-line-clamps/

TripDeuces

They are the tabs for mounting brake lines on the frame or for emergency brake cables and such. The type with the U-clip. They are slotted so that the band clamp holds them down but for an extra amount of support I placed the back side against the U-bolt.
Although the U-bolt might slip I doubt it. What you can't see is the bracket UMI supplied with the kit. It has these crazy sharp teeth all along the edge that dig into the axle housing and the powder coat (ugh). If I remember right they are torqued down to 65 lb/ft.
Should it move I'll figure out something better but I just don't think it's going to happen. That bar free floats in it's mounts (poly and greased) and there is no forward or back movement on the housing. It's all designed to move up and down in an arc with no rigid mounting points. Even the front of the bar articulates in those heim joints.

83hurstguy

Yeah, I had one of similar design (including the teeth, ugh), and it slipped... it was a G-body bar, so geometry was obviously different.

TripDeuces

Suffice to say, if it moves I'll tack weld it in place and be done with it. On my list of "**** that went wrong' this is low on the scale. Yeah I'm putting 600 lb/ft through that rear end. If it moves I won't be surprised but I will fix what is wrong.

TripDeuces

Test fit and mounted the overdrive unit today. It fit perfect. I might have been a bit overzealous on the amount of metal I removed in front from the cross member but I can always put more in which I think I'll do. I think a 1/2 inch piece of plate will fix it.
I don't think my X-pipe will fit though. It will hang too low I think. To be honest I'm not a big fan of the sound an X-pipe makes but I do like the power gained. I'll have to brain storm this.
Looks like I'll need a 42 inch drive shaft or close to it. That comes later.
I'm going to remove the transmission and clean it up and paint it next. Think it will mount to the engine stand ok? It will be longer than the engine but weigh less.

RandyS

What trans are you going to put in that beast?

TripDeuces

That's a TH400 Switch Pitch you're looking at. Full manual valve body from my old drag racing days.
The way that thing shifts just gives me goose bumps in a good way. Can't let that go.

TripDeuces

Started on the body recently. Since I narrowed the frame you have to widen the wheel wells. Well here's the beginning of that. I cut out the drivers side, little more to do up front but you get the idea. I have 2 inch wide 20 gauge sheets coming next week to finish this off. Need to get my welder back from my friend too.
If there is any part of restoring a car that I'm not too comfortable with it's body work but I dove in to the deep end so can't stop now. I bought a cheap spot weld cutter which works great but my Unibit works just as well and is faster. I'll just weld up and finish the holes afterward. Like I told my friend.....'Some trunk spatter paint and some undercoating and no one will know the difference'.

cjsdad

My Hooptie II wants to be like your car when it grows up.

Hoist.gifHoist.gifHoist.gif

TripDeuces

Got more done today on the drivers side but at a cost. I managed to grind my index finger down practically to the bone and then set myself on fire with the same grinder throwing sparks, cripes. Everything is fine though. I think the grinder cauterized the wound on my finger. Doesn't really hurt but is numb. Leg is only 1st degree at best, pink and painful. Didn't even know I was on fire until the hole in my pant leg went from about a 1/4 inch to this in a instant (see pic). I couldn't see any flames in the bright sunlight but the pain gave it away and I slapped myself out.
I stuck the tire in there to see what else needs to be done. It's not at ride height but you get the idea. Just a little more massaging up front and it will be ready to weld up. My sheet metal came in yesterday. Looks great. I'm sure there are plenty of great metal supply houses but I'll give a shout out to Metals Depot for this.

RandyS

I feel for ya Trip. I had a very similar incident with my grinder, learned a whole new level of respect for it.

dc2x4drvr

Subscribed, a little late.
What size rear tires? Wheel size? Nice work..