…more like the black hole of a 72 Cutlass.
I started with this boring suspension job in hopes to just get it done by July 4th…
https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums/chassis-body-frame/33383-lady-gets-front-end-job.html
The next step in that process is to paint the frame areas around the suspension while I could get to them. However, doing one small section would make it more difficult to finish the rest of the frame rails and have it all match up and look seamless.

This looks extremely ugly anyway – it would be hard to leave it this way with a nice suspension system.


I decided to do what’s right and paint the WHOLE left rail. So, I pulled the left plastic inner fender which the CSM calls a “filler plate”. I wanted to clean and re-undercoat it anyway…

After pulling it out, I felt myself fall deep into the unknown…

Everything inside there was now SO easy to get to, especially with the suspension gone!


Starter – easy to get to by sitting on the floor. I was going to just add the heat shield, but it is old and prolly needs replacing/rebuilding anyway.

Ugly top-post battery cables needed to be changed to new correct side-post repros from Fusick – now’s the time.
Of course this means a new side post battery, too! The Ford’s 7 year old battery can’t last much longer, so it can be soon replaced with Lady’s 3 year-old top post battery.

Steering gearbox – its right there wanting to come off. I wanted to rebuild it next year anyway.
If I pull that, the steering linkage will be almost all disconnected. It is skuzzie and old.
The power steering pump can be removed from just sitting on the floor and I might as well have both rebuilt together, right?? Only makes sense…

Brake booster – mine looks like crap and could use a rebuild/replate.

Master cylinder is questionable, too. If I have to bleed the brakes, might as well yank the calipers to refinish!!
The nuts are right there exposed and only easy way to get them off is through the inner fender!

 

Exhaust manifold would be easy to refinish by just sitting there on the floor. It would be even easier if the steering shaft is pulled. That shaft is ugly anyway.


Firewall sealant is cracked and flaking with the slightest touch.


I decided to just go through with much more than I planned, so I would not have to back track as much later.
Being another 104* scorcher outside, I worked in the garage with the big door closed and the kitchen door open to let some cool air out there. The attic ventilator helped pull some of the garage air out through a ceiling vent, so there was a slight cool breeze into the garage and helped prevent dust entry into the house. Temperature in there stayed at a tolerable 90* (house at 80*) and fans helped a lot.

I attacked the frame with drill-mounted wirebrushes and simultaneously used a handheld vacuum cleaner with hepa filter to help contain the sandy, rusty, cruddy dust. I scraped the worst of the crud.

Firewall sealer was scraped off and brushed. This will get a reseal and repaint.


A few more parts come off such as this shifter rod and fender brace. These will be refinished later. A couple NOS drinks kept me going…


After 6 hours of work, I had gotten the worst off the left side. Looks much better.

 

Yep, Rob, It's looks like you've got a terminal case of the "Might as wells"

 

Man...I hate it when that happens. With that being said though, you are very smart in tackling all of those things now while it's all accessible and out there. The very nice thing about a Texas car is that all you have to deal with is icky surface rust and dust. When I did that to my car the wire brush was going through the frame....Good luck keep us posted on how she is going.

 

gotta love that caliper that always hangs in the way no matter what you do with it lol

 

Well, I called Chip at Power Steering Services and I get a quote for rebuild of my steering system. Bad thing is that he has a 6 week turn time right now. I can see myself getting into a LOT MORE trouble within that time.

I also called the semi-local starter/alternator shop and arranged for a rebuilt stock-type high-torque starter. This ol' fella seems to know this old stuff very well.

This one spent most of its life in Georgia, so it is caked in that red clay crap that just wont wash off it seems. On the firewall at the bottom, it was neat to lightly wirebrush through the clay and get down to black GM paint! You might see it in the pics..

No kidding. It fell on me a couple times.
IF my old booster is rebuildable, those calipers are going away! Gotta bleed anyway.
And I am talking about bleeding the brakes, not my bank account (which is already starting to happen...)

 

It's just money Rob, no big deal, except you might want to drive Lady this summer

 

Since you've already been diagnosed with the "Might as Wells"...

you might as well pull:
- the fenders
- the hood hinges
- the bumper
- the grills
- the headlight assemblys
- the radiator
- the core support (this will make pulling the engine so much easier)
- the a/c
- the engine
- the transmission

now you'll have clear access to the firewall and the frame rails for painting!! And as an extra special bonus, you can paint the engine and trans too!

just thought you needed a little more encouragement

your welcome!

I had the "Might as Wells" back in '97 too. In the end I was real glad that I took all this apart because it came out real nice. My only regret was that I made these decisions on the fly. It would have been much better had I planned to do all this in the first place.

Good luck and keep smiling.

 

wow... this is bringing back memories of last spring for me.

Just remember when you are grinding, sanding & painting in there- WEAR A RESPIRATOR!!!

I got pretty sick the couple week following all my undercarraige stripping & painting since i was dumbass and didn't even wear a basic mask. I was blowing rusty & black(paint) boogers for a month.

I'll look great when you are done. I changed my oil a few weeks back and had forgotten how nice I had made everything look underthere....

Wish i had started on the firewall like you are, but i'll wait till my 455 swap next year and strip the rest of the engine bay.

 

Too hot to drive her - the driver overheats easily.



I noticed I ~could~ get to the front body cushions, but probably makes no sense to just replace the front ones.
NO! The bodys stays ON the frame!

I guess I am lucky she is stuck immobile in a tiny garage with no wheels in front. Otherwise the bumper would come off. I need to save SOME fun for later...

NO chance in heck the engine and tranny will come out - no room to work on them or store them.
I will paint the engine, but it will be little by little mostly by brush, some now, some next year. The valve covers will be sprayed. The oil pan? Probably brushed. Not pulling that...

I can get to the leaking tranny shift seal. Can it be replaced without draining it and pulling the pan?

 

Oh Rob...... Bless your heart, lol! You sure got in to it, didn't you? But it will be beautiful when you're done!

 

looks good. your might as wells may turn into the was wells if you don't get it done by the end of summer.

 

If you want to save some time The Parts Place sells recdonsitions steering boxes with quiicker ratios. When I got mine they had them in stock with no core charge.

 

Rob,

You could save some time and just buy a new frame. I see they have some new powder coated frames for sale in Quinlan Texas!

 

I had though about that, but I guess analism got to me which made we want my own original units back, detailed to factory correctness.

I would then need a nice restored body to put on it. Anyone selling those?

Seriously, the frame is pretty much perfect. It is just covered in that red east-coast clay that make it look rusty. Underneath that, is black paint and solid steel.
If I had a big shop, I could see doing a frame-off. Until then, it has to be a rolling resto (or semi-rolling, as it sits now...)

 

To clean the filler plates I use oven cleaner...spray all over and leave on for ten minutes or so and then use stiff bristled brush and the garden hose to remove crud...they do not need undercoating because they are PLASTIC...so what I do is polish them with black shoe polish (both sides) ...looks good Do not use black polish on red filler panels...looks goofy...

 

Mine have some sort of thin, hard, flakey undercoat on them already, at least it is half there... Will oven cleaner take that off? With our hot sun, I guess it should work well. Since the coating was on there, I thought I would put it back on...

 

That ugly engine is going to stand out like a turd in the punch bowl at church when you are done

 

Taking the engine out will make the other side even easier to do.
You need to build a bigger garage anyway to accomodate that Vista C you are buying.

 

I think I should have started this project in that nice big shop of yours. Of course then I could then see the whole thing broke down like the beginning of a model kit...

The chants are getting louder and louder. PULL THE ENGINE, PULL THE ENGINE...
Remeinds me of KILL THE WABBIT, KILL THE WABBIT................

The engine will be detailed in small sections, some here, some there. Far from show quality, but much better than it is. It will be the best I can do with my limited abilities, space, and equipment.

I want to but there is one small problem. I will need to raze the neighbor's house in order to fit it.
I have already put "new house" on the shopping list.

 

I had only an hour and a half to work in the garage yesterday, but I made some progress...
I got the steering shaft off, along with the some brackets, getting the steering pump and gearbox all ready to pull.
Like the carb I did earlier, an egg carton works good to keep my bolts separated.
The strange thing is that for every 3 parts I pull, a “mystery part” falls out from somewhere unknown. Sometimes a screw, several nuts, even a bolt. These are things I never even touched! I’ll save ‘em for the next car I guess…


After pulling the steering shaft, I noticed this column lower bearing may be worn, as the column shaft is loosey goosey!
Anyone know where I can get one? Fusick, parts place, and rockauto do not have it…


I got the PS pump and gear loose and ready to pull, but got stuck at removing the center link from the pitman arm. How does one separate these without the BFH?? I heard a BFH can damage the gearbox and I will be having the original rebuilt.

I will check the parts stores for removal tools on the way home but found nothing suitable in stock on their websites.

I want to get that pump and gear shipped out for rebuild tomorrow.

Here are the details on steering gear and pump pulling:
https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...tml#post293432

 

I think nuts got drop in the lower PS bracket, and don't forget the spacer between the lower PS bracket and block.
To separate center link from pitman arm is just like the tie rod ends, or use my tuning fork. To separate pitman arm from gear box it needs a puller. I did not remove mine on this last redo. If I remember right the shop that rebuild/replaced my gear box (15+yrs ago) changed it over for me.
Their is a place off Harry Hines that did my gear box. No shipping needed.

 

This guy (name is Chuck Schuster) has indicated to me that he rebuilds steering columns. He may know where to get a bearing. I have not dealt with him, I think I pulled him name off of a post here or 442.com. That being said he has been fairly responsive to my emails.
Chuck SCHUSTER <musclecarman1969@hotmail.com>

 

Wow...(All I could think of.) I love your attention to detail. btw... Is Gearhead78 doing any project at the moment?

 

You know, by removing the column gear indicator (if equipped), the 3/8" head sheet metal screws holding the fill plate to the firewall, and the two nuts holding the column to the bottom of the dash, you can remove the column and get to that end bearing better .

Seriously, the bearing might not be bad - it might just be corroded and dry - there should be a spring slip holding it, and it should then pull straight out. Try cleaning and greasing it - it's free!

- Eric

 

I wish...I am trying to get my new building usable and prep for twins that will be here in the next 3 weeks or so

 

Its already done dropped and rolled tot he exact center of the car.

I used a BFH on the tie rod ends, but used the pickle fork on that end link to pitman arm shaft. A few light taps and it popped off!

Yep the shop who will do mine gets the bonus of doing that nut. 200Ft-Lbs of torque!


THANKS - will try to contact him,

The CSM says just pry it out. Sounds easy enough...

Now WHO is gonna be the first one to say I need a tilt column??

I can provide a 1970 Vista Cruiser for you to wrench on!

 

See?? We can all help each other!

 

As you have already been advised, the easiest way to get what you really want is to pull the front end and engine and start from the front frame horns. Taping off, brushing on paint, a little here a little there is not a effort or cost effective way of doing this. Your frame is already broke down, take a little more time to break everything else down, clean and repaint the right way, and put it all back together.

Dont let abilities or fear stop you. Trust me, youll be more satisfied if you go this route.

 

[HTML]Now WHO is gonna be the first one to say I need a tilt column??

[HTML]

Moi, I' ve put one in ever car I own and love them

 

Understand completely. My biggest issue is space. Second is time. If I had a big shop, this car would already have the front end off. I am fighting a crowd of 5 cars and a motorcycle, packed into a tiny garage and the driveway. The kitchen is getting full, as well as the shed.
Motorcycle resides on the patio now, which would have been the engine workspace...

 

Rob,

Since I know you're a dye/ paint expert. Try this guy in Meriden CT.

Paul
ROS
203-272-7103
ros6872@hotmail.com

 

This is how my project started, but it quickly changed into a frame off restoration.

 

Well I played hookie from work today and did some more disassembly and cleaning. Got a lot of the block and more of the frame wirebrushed. The firewall was cleaned with ctrus degreaser, which helped take that nasty red clay right off. What is with the pink primer though???
After then i resealed the body seams. I now remember how much I hate spreading seam sealer...

Master cylinder and calipers were pulled also. Lines were drained; kinda reminds me of an IV...


It is getting a bit more bare in there now, but looking good.



As a result I have almost a full box of stuff to take to the sandblaster next week. Here is some of it. Some stuff I need to do here myself.


Lastly I need to figure out how to get that stupid booster off - nuts are not only hard to get to and turn, but they are also gorilla tight!!

After 6 hours I called it quits and joined in for my neighbor's "going on vacation" garage party. Lots of pizza and beer.

 

If you need more torque for the Gorrilla tight bolts...if you have the space then use a combination wrench (box) on the nut and then hook the next size down combination wrench box onto the hook of the open end of the other wrench to give you 'mucho mas' leverage

 

At first i thought you were pulling my leg but now I think I know what you mean - I will try it when I get home!
I will visit Sears to see what other specialty wrenches they may have.
I have my eyes on some LONG handled and offset box wrenches they have.
As if I need ANOTHER excuse to buy more tools........

 

I really hate it when someone does that to the punch at the church function!!

 

I hope you mean "bead blast" your fan and brackets, sand will leave a very rough finish. Are you going to powder coat them?
Try Eric Raley for your steering column repair, a genuine hillbilly, 214-335-5652, has a shop off I-30..

 

Well, I do not think it is coarse sand, but something finer.

A friend of mine used this one particular blaster for all his Ford parts and his stuff came back great. He spray painted the parts with different types of paints and they all look nice and smooth. He will be taking my load to them and request the same process.

I will call Eric and see if he has a bearing if I cannot find one elsewhere. I have a month's time to get that done...

 

The lower bearing and and plastic bearing adapter are available through Year One.
45359N Bearing $35.95
45363N Adapter $ 9.95

They also carry the clip and metal retainer but you can just clean up yours and use them again.

Brian