derekf.com

29 May 2009
Front suspension

All the parts are in.

Brake booster, LCA bushings, crossmember, heater core, clutch, sway bar bushings and endlinks, flywheel, brake cables. Good thing I've got almost everything I need now, I'm about out of money.

LCAs assembled and installed. No weight on the front makes getting everything together with the springs a bit difficult.

I ruined one of the outer tie rod ends getting it apart, so I had to replace that.

I'll need to do the shoes in the front - when this wheel had the disintegrated wheel bearing, the drum wobbled a bit and broke some of the material off the shoes. Funny enough, Pep Boys just plain says they can't get these shoes.

I've now bought the wrong air filter twice. I had thought that this was the air cleaner from a 65 Chevelle with a 283 - because it looks like the one my old Chevelle had - but apparently it is not (or they're wrong on what fits it). This label:
a) may identify what year this air cleaner is from,

and b) will need to be replaced once the cleaner is repainted.

I mixed up some primer today, and then realized I'd mixed up WAY too much - and since you can't really put it back in the can at that point, everything gets primed... even things that aren't really ready for paint.

And then I realized I still had a LOT of primer left.

And even more stuff was brought out. Eventually, the gun clogged up (cheap Harbor Freight detail gun) and I couldn't unclog it.. so I poured out the remaining primer and got the gun straightened out. I was about to have to go up in the attic and grab the fenders, core support, and the like to use the rest of the primer.

The firewall, with the paint I used on the frame, was way too shiny. Here, I've coated it with Nason Chassis Black. Much better. See the previous update for a pic of the shiny.

I also picked up two used tires, so now I'm one tire short of having a full set on the car.

As long as I was at it - and had the detail gun and could do it easily - the UCAs that looked so bad since they were unpainted got a coat of paint. Much better.

Pass side too.

I also painted about half the undercarriage with Chassis Black. I don't want to paint all of it yet as I've still got rust repair to do on the back half.

The new expenditure is (sigh, I don't want to have to total this):
Balance forward: 324.77

Added:

Pilot bearing, 3.95
Clutch, 119.95
Tie rod boots, 7.90
Sway bar bushings and endlinks (poly): 31.34
Flywheel: 249.95 (30 lb)
Hurst shifter with installation kit: 352.90 (ouch, could have bought used but I don't know what I'm looking for there)
Used tires: 40.00
Brake booster: 76.99 (could have gone used, but this is a safety item)
Heater core: 33.00
Brake and clutch pedal pads: 9.58 (yeah, I know - but they were cheap and they were on the shelf)
Rag joint, 9.99
Brake cables, 36.98
LCA bushings, 11.99
Gas cap, 4.99
Battery cables, 15.98.
Crossmember (eBay), 51.00

Looks like that makes the new total 1381.26. I still need to get one tire and the parts for the Muncie. Otherwise, I should be good to get it all done under $2000.

Current plan for tomorrow is to get some real paint on the functional pieces I primed today (hood latch, crossmember, hinges, sway bar, battery tray, wiper motor bracket), put paint on the part of the column I missed last time, finish painting the front half of the undercarriage with the chassis paint, replace the rag joint, and get the brake cables sorted out. Maybe clean up and paint the inner heater box if I can remember how the core mounts to it. That air cleaner is rougher than I remember. There's going to be some sanding there; I put the primer on thick to allow such a thing. In theory I can start bolting stuff to the firewall now.

Go back to the previous day (25 May 09)

LCAs assembled and installed. No weight on the front makes getting everything together with the springs a bit difficult. I ruined one of the outer tie rod ends getting it apart, so I had to replace that.
	I'll need to do the shoes in the front - when this wheel had the disintegrated wheel bearing, the drum wobbled a bit and broke some of the material off the shoes. Funny enough, Pep Boys just plain says they can't get these shoes.
I've now bought the wrong air filter twice. I had thought that this was the air cleaner from a 65 Chevelle with a 283 - because it looks like the one my old Chevelle had - but apparently it is not (or they're wrong on what fits it). This label: a) may identify what year this air cleaner is from, and b) will need to be replaced once the cleaner is repainted.
	I mixed up some primer today, and then realized I'd mixed up WAY too much - and since you can't really put it back in the can at that point, everything gets primed... even things that aren't really ready for paint.
And then I realized I still had a LOT of primer left.
	And even more stuff was brought out. Eventually, the gun clogged up (cheap Harbor Freight detail gun) and I couldn't unclog it.. so I poured out the remaining primer and got the gun straightened out. I was about to have to go up in the attic and grab the fenders, core support, and the like to use the rest of the primer.
The firewall, with the paint I used on the frame, was way too shiny. Here, I've coated it with Nason Chassis Black. Much better. See the previous update for a pic of the shiny. I also picked up two used tires, so now I'm one tire short of having a full set on the car.
	As long as I was at it - and had the detail gun and could do it easily - the UCAs that looked so bad since they were unpainted got a coat of paint. Much better.
Pass side too. I also painted about half the undercarriage with Chassis Black. I don't want to paint all of it yet as I've still got rust repair to do on the back half.