The Chevelle Challenge

[derekf]

Hi. I've been here for years, and I have realized that I don't talk much about my projects. I reckon that should change, and it should change about now.

For the longest time, my daily driver was a 98 Z28. I loved that car, driving it was fun. Last October, a gentleman in a pickup truck and I had a disagreement over whose lane it was, and I ended up in a concrete retaining wall and he never even slowed down. Insurance totalled out my Camaro.

Rather than getting another Camaro, I tried something different: I bought a BMW convertible.

I hate it. I hate driving it. I hate everything about it except the ability to fold the roof down.

I'm not in a financial position to buy another car right now, so I'm stuck. I'm years away from finishing my El Camino.

However, I have a 65 Chevelle that's been patiently sitting next to my driveway for years. I bought it in 2001, replaced the floors and quarter panels, and then bought a house and broke the El Camino so the Chevelle got put on hold. It's a convertible, so it's got the whole "top folds down" thing going on.

A few weeks ago, I took a look around my garage at the immense pile of crap I've amassed over the years - sometimes without purpose - and realized that I have almost everything I need to make a complete car.. I've got the Chevelle body, I've got the 396 I pulled out of the El Camino, I've got most of a Muncie M20 I was given back in 1992, I've got the Painless harness I was going to use in my 67 Camaro project back in 98 or so. I could make a car. I'm not looking to make a pro-tourer out of the Chevelle, just something I can drive.

Finals ended Wednesday. I don't have any classes scheduled for the Summer 1 semester, and Summer 2 doesn't start until 17 July.

So: Enter the "Chevelle Challenge". My challenge, to myself, is to make the car run before Summer 2 starts... and to do it cheaply, since I'm not really in a position to drop a bunch of coin on it. It ain't got to be painted, or pretty, or even have much of an interior, just needs to run.

I'd say "make it driveable", but there's a lot of bits I need to get for the Muncie to make it work - a couple of gears, the shifter, clutch, flywheel, and the regular rebuild kit - but I'll try to get that done too. Everything else - brakes, suspension, etc., that would be required to drive it is included in my challenge.

Current status of the Chevelle:
Body exists. Rust that still needs repaired in the wheelwells and in the trunk. Car was painted in epoxy primer before I moved in 03, but I guess it wasn't a thick enough coat as I'm seeing some rust showing through.

The body has been pretty well completely stripped. No brake lines, no cables for the e-brake, no rear drum setup, no interior or top (but I do have the frame and most of the interior, such as it is).

The El Camino, since it's getting the whole PT treatment going on, would be more than happy to donate its almost complete drum brake setup, UCAs and spindles, as well as a bunch of other little stuff.

Last weekend - instead of studying - the wife, my youngest, and I moved the car from the mud next to the driveway to the driveway, and got everything ready for me to have the free time.

Yesterday I cleaned up the rear drums from the Camino, sandblasted them, rebuilt them with new springs/shoes/etc., and installed them on the car with the intention of making the parking brake be one of the first things I get working; I suspect that the intermediate cable from the Elky will be too long and I'll have to buy the proper length, but we'll see.

Tomorrow I pull the front end apart and clean up and paint the frame, replace the bushings and ball joints on the LCAs, and install the Camino's UCAs, spindles, and springs. I'll also be painting the firewall so I can start installing brakes and the like.

I know, :postpics:

even if it's not a PT car.

Here's where it sat last weekend after we moved it over:
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/05/200905107-1.jpg

Apparently 14" tires are hard to come by these days, at least used. My local used tire place had someone break in last weekend and only take their stock of 14"s... so I wasn't able to buy any on Monday. Not ready to drop the funds on new.

And, just to show progress, the rear brakes after rebuilding:
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/05/09051411-1.jpg

I know that I'm missing the tranny crossmember, radiator, and the rear seat bottom. Radiator I should be able to adapt the Camino's old radiator and if I don't complete rebuilding the tranny before the end of the summer I won't need the others.. but we'll see (and if you have a crossmember or the seat bottom, please let me know).

I've got roughly two months.

[shortrack]

Man if I lived in the Southern States my daily driver would absolutely be a 60's car.

It's a cool project.....keep diggin'

[Boyd]

Sounds like a good plan! I'm cheering for you derek! And actually, I'd be willing to help turn a wrench or two if you'd like the free help. The family and I will be moving from the Denver, CO area to Forney, TX in about 3 weeks. Since my Camaro recently sold and I can't start on my '72 Chevy pickup for awhile, I'm gonna go crazy if I don't have a project to keep me busy. Shoot me an email or pm if you're interested.

[derekf]

Okay, today kinda sucked -it was nice and cool outside, but it's hard to work on a car in your driveway when it's raining.

Spent several hours cleaning up the garage, took care of a few little things (stripped the heater box, took the wheel off the column and tightened down the loose screws inside, etc.).

Finally quit raining around 3.

Swapped out the spider gears in the rear end (one of the thrust washers got mangled, and the washers from the Elky were a different shape - the Elky's spiders would fit with them, but not the Chevelle's). Hopefully the rear end is buttoned up for the last time now.

I tried to make the rear brake lines, but I couldn't get the angle for the wheel cylinders right, so I got frustrated and moved on to the next task.

Tried to make the parking brake work, but the Camino's intermediate cable is too long. After all that, I've also found that the front cable is rusted to the sheath, I got the PB pedal to the floor but the cable won't come back up... and with how much effort it took to get the pedal down, I won't be able to match that with a pair of vicegrips.

Started tearing the front end down. It's not a good sign when both sway bar end link bolts shear off, That's about as far as I got before I ran out of daylight.

Tomorrow, if it doesn't rain all day again, I'll try to get the front end tore the rest of the way down. I cut a quarter-coil off the front springs to match the half-coil I cut off the rears 5 years ago, I may need to cut a little further to get the angle right though. Once I've got the front stripped, I'll get started cleaning up the frame and painting it. I'll have to blast and rework the LCAs too, and I'll have to measure to figure out which LCA bushings I need so I'll likely not have it all back together tomorrow.

Since pics are always welcomed, here's the stopping point:
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/05/09051608-1.jpg

Oh, in my cleaning, I found the reducer for my DuPont single-stage black, and the activator for the epoxy primer... so I'll be able to do it right.

[hechtrod]

Cool updates! I love any budget build. Keep 'em coming!

[Ratty 46]

Neat project & kewl challange.

I can dig the tire size issues your having ..... I too am looking at a 15" tire issue for my 46 coupe. Good luck.

I've also looked past my no rust weather beaten body & am going after safety & reliablity on the engine/trans/drive & suspension. My goal - billetproof fla. 2010.

Keep us posted on your progress.

Ratty 46

[derekf]

Front end teardown is complete. What a bear that was.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/05/09051804-1.jpg
I've got the spindles and UCAs from the Elky with newish bushings and new drum brakes, and I have new ball joints for the LCAs, but tomorrow or so I'll have to get the correct LCA bushings.

[derekf]

I'd been working on a deal to get a set of 14" Cragar SS's with decent tires for 75 bucks -they'd have been pretty much perfect for the car - but after all the email swapping, multiple times I've called the guy when I was ready to head out there (they're about 75 miles away) and he doesn't answer or return my calls.

Oh well.

Also disappointed with my local (chain) parts stores. I remember a day not too long ago when I could walk in and ask for LCA bushings, and they'd ask which sizes, and then give me a choice as to manufacturer and warranty. Now, one size they can special order; the other they just can't get. So I've had to mail-order my bushings. I also ordered the parking brake cables, so tack another 80 bucks onto what I've spent.

And then there's the transmission. That's going to break the "budget" aspect of the build. I ordered the flywheel and shifter from Summit last night, as well as poly sway bar bushings and end links (seriously, Autozone has to special order those too?)

I suppose the net result is that I'll have the frame and LCAs cleaned up and painted before the parts get here.

[derekf]

Things are looking up; wheel-guy wrote back and I'll try one more time, and I won a crossmember on eBay last night.

Summit order should be here today. No idea when the other parts will arrive.

The only thing I accomplished in the garage yesterday was tearing down the LCAs and creating a pile of things I need to sandblast and prime/paint over the weekend. There's a lot of sandblasting coming - LCAs, clutch/brake pedals and carrier, heater box, just off the top of my head.

[Steve68]

Why are you going with such a small wheel 14", I'd run 15"Rallys before a 14" wheel,

[derekf]

Going with 14s because it came (both factory and what I bought) with 14s. If I get sick of (or don't end up getting) the Cragars, I'll put stock hubcaps back on it.

[derekf]

Maybe you're right.

Seller didn't call back before I went home from work, so I suppose that deal is off. 15s would work too, and would make searching easier. Not too many wheels would seem "right" to me on it - stock hubcaps or Cragar SS's are about it. Maybe old-school brushed Centerlines.

Summit order arrived today. Shifter, flywheel, and the poly sway bar bushings and end links.

Not looking forward to the sandblasting, there's a lot of stuff to blast and my cabinet kinda sucks.

[1nkred1ble]

KEEP IT COMING FOR US CHEVELLE GUYS!!!!!

i wish i could transplant all that knowledge you have to my brain,
i also wish you lived in ca so i could lend you a hand

[Steve68]

a set of 15x8 rally or 15x7/8 would also be period correct for that car, and they would look a hell of alot better than hub caps, unless your going for big and little drag racing with "dog dishes" Now thats cool,

I'm doing that for the Nova, "dishes" for a old factory look, till you turn the key

[derekf]

Frame, engine compartment, and various parts blasted, primed, and painted.

From this pile of parts:
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/05/09052404-1.jpg
and this frame:
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/05/09051804-1.jpg
to primed like this:
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/05/09052413-1.jpg
and then painted like this:
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/05/09052415-1.jpg
and
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/05/09052414-1.jpg
and
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/05/09052417-1.jpg

I won't be able to finish putting the suspension together until the LCA bushings arrive... but I can start putting some stuff on now.

[David Sloan]

Good stuff Derek!
Glad to see your working on it!!

[Steve1968LS2]

Cool project.. you don't have to spend a fortune on a car to have fun with it. I will be following this thread :)

[derekf]

Oh - yeah - I'd meant to be posting what I spent, too.

Pep Boys:
2 Lower ball joints, 27.95 ea.
Fuel tank sender, 54.95
Rear brake hose, 22.95

Pate swap meet:
Ignition switch, lock set, radiator support bushings, trunk floor brace, fuel tank straps, tail light lens, and bellhousing: 188$

More parts:
2 wheel cylinders, 8.99 ea
1 brake spring kit (does both sides), 3.99

Ebay:
Transmission crossmember: 51.00

And then there's Summit, where I spent way too much money:
Tie rod boots, sway bar bushings and end links: 39.24
Flywheel, 30 lb: 249.00
Hurst shifter and installation kit: 351.90
... the transmission is going to be the expensive part here. Sigh.

I've got an order in from Autozone for the missing bushings for the LCAs and the parking brake cables. Total there is 55.95.

Total spent so far: 1091.81

I still need to get the two gears for the Muncie and a rebuild kit, a clutch, hoses and belts and exhaust, and tires. I'm hoping to get it running for less than 2k but I'm thinking that the shifter's going to have put it over the top. Kinda wish I'd found one used, but it's so shiny!

[derekf]

Okay, so yesterday wasn't as productive.

I reassembled the column, but there's obviously something wrong there - the steering wheel isn't centered on the rest of the column. I'll have to see if I can't find some assembly instructions so I can see where I went wrong.

Front suspension is mostly assembled. The UCAs and spindles are directly taken from the parts I took off the El Camino, so the UBJs and bushings have only 6-7k miles on them. They look like crap against the freshly painted frame though; I have to keep reminding myself that I'm not doing a restoration, I'm building this to be a driver and if they look a little dingy, well, the rest of it will soon enough. The remaining bushings for the front end are supposed to arrive today, along with the parking brake cables.

I also attached the engine stands that I painted 6 years ago before I moved, and looking at them attached to the car just hammers home that something bad happened with the paint - the flattening agent that I added (and I added a LOT) really didn't flatten the paint much at all. I know that I'd been told that the hardener glosses it up some (the engine stands didn't get any hardener) but damn, it's all real shiny.

My power brake booster is broken - the plastic surround around where the rod comes in cracked and is in pieces. No idea when that happened. Another thing I'll have to replace.

Rust in the trunk is worse than I remembered. I suppose once I get the car back on the ground in the front, the rear will have to come back up and the rust dealt with. I've got some work to do in the wheelwells back there anyway.

[derekf]

I have spent more money.

New total is 1381.26 total spent throughout the challenge. I have the clutch now, the front suspension is complete (if not completely installed), and I'm ready to start bolting things up.

Frame and suspension bits painted and installed (sway and one tie rod not attached here, and none of the LCA bolts are tight yet):
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/05/09052908-1.jpg

I mixed some epoxy primer, and then realized I mixed way too much... so priming the crossmember, the sway bar, and the wiper motor bracket became "prime everything that isn't painted already":

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/05/09052911-1.jpg

Tomorrow I'll shoot the "Tractor and Implement" enamel on the sway, crossmember, and bracket so I can get them bolted on too. The rest of the stuff will either wait for real paint or needs sanding and the like.

I reshot the firewall with Nason "Chassis Black" as the Centauri came out way too shiny. Also painted about a third of the undercarriage; no need to paint the back half until I finish rust repair.

I had to replace the power brake booster (dammit) as my old one was broken:
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/05/09052504-1.jpg
That was 77 dollars I would have preferred not to spend - but the new one will look shiny once installed, I suppose, and better to be safe.

Something bad happened when I went to try to reassemble the steering column:
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/05/09052502-1.jpg
I need to pull it back apart and try again, but I really don't like the look of the turn signal assembly anyway (it looks like the wiring had a backyard repair at one point, and the bearing is missing a couple of balls) - but that's another 75 bucks for a replacement, so I don't know yet. Won't be installing the column until after the dash is painted so no real hurry there - I'm out of the single-stage black and the T&I paint doesn't seem to weather so well according to some web searches.

[jackfrost]

i'm not seeing any pictures... am I retarded?

[Twentyover]

i'm not seeing any pictures... am I retarded?


Is that a statement and a question, or two related thoughts? :)

I'm seeing the pix here...

[derekf]

Okay, I am an idiot.

Yes, it's true in general, but also for a specific reason. I measured the sway bar (13/16") and then turned around and ordered 15/16" sway bar bushings.

Didn't realize my error until I started putting it all together.

I'm thinking that the universe is trying to help me get this car on the road though; when I put the poly bushings back in their package to put in the suspension drawer, I found a new set of stock rubber 13/16" bushings. I don't remember buying them, and I don't know where else they would have come from... but that's acceptable; knock 15.95 off the total build cost so far.

I also found a set of locks with keys and a new ignition switch in another drawer. I'd already bought a set, too. The ones I found have the newer style keys so I'm thinking they came with my 67 Camaro I sold. I'd credit the build for those too but I'd rather use the old style keys.

So the remaining outer tie rod came in, and like I mentioned I was able to use the rubber sway bushings I found -- I hadn't blasted the bushing brackets since the poly ones came with new brackets but I can shoot some chassis black on them later.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/06/09053006-1.jpg

Shot a lot of the Tractor and Implement enamel. Painted things that I probably should have blasted and primed first - one hood hinge I'd cleaned up and primed back in '03, and the other was still as-received. Both got painted, the un-sandblasted one looks horrible though.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/06/09053002-1.jpg

I don't see a purpose for painting the inside of the heater box.

I got the new brake booster, and the old MC looks horrible - but I'm not building this to show.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/06/09053007-1.jpg

Found the z-bar, found the wiper motor bracket, found the seat belts. Did not find the trunk latch or the wierd bolts for the wiper motor. Not even positive that I got the latch with the car.

Tomorrow, more than likely, I go to the local Sherwin-Williams auto paint store (the only auto paint store I know of in Mesquite) and get some single-stage black to do the dashboard; once the dash is painted, I can mount the column and finish the front suspension. Still need to mount the front shocks, tighten the LCA bolts, and replace the rag joint.

[jackfrost]

i'm not seeing any pictures... am I retarded?


figured it out. my company thinks derekf.com is a porn site. :idea:

[Bryce]

figured it out. my company thinks derekf.com is a porn site. :idea:


same here

[derekf]

Yeah, so does mine.

Used to be Websense had a way to report they were wrong... apparently now you're at their mercy.

[derekf]

I have engine.

Okay, to be truthful, I've always had the engine... but now it's on the stand instead of sitting on the floor behind the El Camino.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/06/09060410-1.jpg

I've got work to do there. Engine will have no chrome - valve covers and timing cover (currently chrome) will be scuffed and shot Chevy Orange. Aluminum intake too. Engine itself only has ~8-10k miles on the last buildup, which was to L34 specs so I don't plan on pulling the heads off. Outside of engine needs cleaned and a new coat of paint, of course.

There is a chance, however, that I wiped a lobe on the cam during engine break-in back in the day; I had a carb issue that dumped quite a bit of fuel into the cylinders and the oil definitely got ruined. I'll have to check that.

Beyond all that, I'll be replacing the flex fan with a clutch fan and the pulleys with other pulleys with less grooves (no AC or PS on this car).

Brackets, thermostat housing, and other similar things need to be sandblasted and repainted. I need to install the pilot bushing and get the shift ball for the z-bar.

[GenPac]

You ever find some rollers for the 'velle? I have some Enkei mags that I replaced a little while back. 14x7" fronts, 15x8" rears with nearly new 265/50s on the rear -- the 14" front tires are shot due to previous alignment issues.
I'd donate them to your cause, but I'm not paying shipping :eek: (89191)

Anyhow, the offer is on the table for you.

[derekf]

Dan - I've got the old 15x8 wheels from the El Camino but the 275/50-15 tires on them won't even begin to fit in those tiny stock wheelwells in the back of the Chevelle; I suspect the 265s are the same way... so while I appreciate the offer, I'm going to have to pass.

I have made progress, sorta.

I tore the engine partially apart and scrubbed it and used degreaser and all that sort of stuff. I don't want to go much further down, mainly because I'm lazy and all the gaskets are special order at my local auto parts store.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/06/09060902-1.jpg

I have the paint and the gaskets to put it back together. The valve covers and intake will be the same orange as the block; I still need to clean the valve covers up a bit more before I shoot it.

I've replaced the parking brake cables. It seems like such a simple thing to do... except when it's seized up, and then maybe not so much. Best tool I used for this? 30" bolt cutters. Second best? Air chisel to get the bit out of the frame. Cable came out in eight pieces:

(the frame thing)
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/06/09060905-1.jpg

(cable in eight pieces)
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/06/09060906-1.jpg

Heater box is assembled, but I won't be putting it in until the dash is painted.

I've started in on the remaining rust repair - I've still got some rust in the trunk floor, and I need to finish the work on the wheelwells.

Here's what the trunk floor looked like 7 years ago before I moved:
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/06/11240222-1.jpg

Strangely, it hadn't improved any over the years.

Cut the rust out, cut a replacement bit out of sheet steel, prime the frame:
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/06/09061001-1.jpg

Get my weld on:
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/06/09061003-1.jpg
Yeah, it's not that great of a weld... but it's the first sheetmetal work I've done since about '03. Just a lot of bead to grind down; didn't burn through or anything.

Next up, pull the axle out to finish the rust repair in the wheelwells.

[GenPac]

Dan - I've got the old 15x8 wheels from the El Camino but the 275/50-15 tires on them won't even begin to fit in those tiny stock wheelwells in the back of the Chevelle; I suspect the 265s are the same way... so while I appreciate the offer, I'm going to have to pass.



Ahh, yeah... Thought you were building a '68 then realized your EC was '68 and your project was a '65. My mistake.

[derekf]

Okay, who's the moron who decided that rebuilding a car in the driveway in Texas in the summer was a good idea?

Oh yeah. That was me. I'm starting to regret it - and it's not even hot yet.

Engine is cleaned up and put together with new gaskets. I haven't installed the valve covers yet as I know I'll have to adjust the valves.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/06/09061306-1.jpg

I've never had the key to the car - and to remove the ignition lock, you turn the key one notch and then stick a pin in this little hole... but with no key, that wasn't an option. However, I have a band saw. It works too.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/06/09061205-1.jpg

Dash got cleaned up, paint stripped, and new paint put on. Still need to do the flat black areas.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/06/09061315-1.jpg

I have shot paint on the lower half of the dash (top half is a flatter paint) and the tops of the doors.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/06/09061302-1.jpg

Also painted the glove box door, ashtray and the like.

Heater is installed.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/06/09061307-1.jpg

I spent more money.

I was at 1381.26.
Subtract the 15.95 for the sway bar bushings I returned.
Add:
26.96 for headlamp switch, thermostat with gasket and valve cover gaskets.
8.99 for a replacement dipstick after I broke mine.

Reckon that puts me right at 1401.26.

[MonzaRacer]

Derek,
While you may be regretting the heat, the satisfaction of this driver/build will be so great, and the looks and compliments will be very worth it.
I have done similar things for most of my daily drivers, heck your doing even more than I had time/cash/parts for.
I have a 402 BBC sitting in THE YARD under a tarp. I just hope it hasnt gotten hurt. But friend has a 80 Caprice Classic 2dr, and its going into that one, I just need to pull front pump from th400, replace bushing and seal and get car home, in buddies field for now with all the rain. My intentions are using my old Dual Gate, maybe an old Grand Prix Console (SD421 even), some seats a buddy gave me and I even have an old Unlimited products 4 in cowl to bond on the hood. Its gonna have 15x7 and 15x8 ralleys, and may have to look around for bbc AC brackets and pulleys as it had AC and I love being able to get off work and cool off,,,and crossbreeding AC systems is one of my specialties..
Not sure if I ll get to do any type of paint or just get some old flat/semi gloss black and live with it, may cut springs OR simply scrounge up Cool Ride all away round for better handling.
But then also have to think about working on Monza soon too.

[derekf]

Score, and bonus:

I found a complete exhaust system for the car on Craigslist for 20 bucks - it'd been pulled off a 72 Elky with a BBC so I should be able to shorten it just a little bit and have it fit just fine.

Bonus: it looks like Websense has figured out that derekf.com isn't a porn site, so my images should be working now.


may have to look around for bbc AC brackets and pulleys as it had AC and I love being able to get off work and cool offYeah. That's going to be the sucky part of this one - not a factory air car.

[derekf]

Okay - so today I almost completed assembling the engine (I still need to rebuild the carb, and apparently I forgot to paint one of the brackets... and I haven't looked to see if I have single-belt pulleys in the attic. A few little things left to do - I need some bolts, need the pulleys and bracket, need plugs, need heater bypass hose.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/06/09061513-1.jpg

Dash is painted:

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/06/09061510-1.jpg

Heater box is properly weatherstripped:

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/06/09061511-1.jpg

Ashtray, steering column, and heater controls are mounted (no picture).

Rag joint is off, pending the rest of disassembly to replace it (see this post (https://www.pro-touring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=56940) for details)

Starting to think I can repair the rest of the wheelwell rust without taking the axle out. That's good, in that I don't have to take the axle out... but it's bad in that now I have to make the brake lines in place. We'll see how it goes.

Bellhousing is out of the parts washer, cleaned up, and painted Chevy Orange. Tomorrow may be take the engine off the stand, put the clutch on it, put the bellhousing on, and put it in the car. Or maybe it won't. We'll see there too.

I think I'm right on schedule to have it run by 16 July. The only two real holdups will be the parts to rebuild the tranny, and I ran out of epoxy primer Saturday morning - and that stuff is expensive!

[derekf]

Yeah, I've been slacking on getting the pics off the camera - makes for slow updates.

It's hot enough outside now that I can't really work out there until 6, which just gives me a couple of hours per day to move forward.

Anyway, updates:

Got the old rag joint apart, and put the new one on.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/06/09061802-1.jpg

I've run brake line everywhere and while in theory it's all connected, I do not have a warm fuzzy feeling about the quality of the flares though, so I may be reworking it again. On a side note, the Summit flaring tool was utter crap; the threaded bit galled up on the FIRST flare and I wasn't able to use it for any others... good thing I'd inherited some flaring tools.

Rear axle removed to get easier access to the wheelwell rust
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/06/09062903-1.jpg
It was a lot easier to bend and attach the brake lines without having to work around the trunk floor, too.

I did some more rust repair in the trunk. There's four patches here.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/06/09062935-1.jpg
and (small pic because I had some gas issues - it got breezy while I was welding)
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/06/09062934-1.gif

Still got a bit more welding to do and a lot of grinding.

I'm having some trouble getting the column together right. When I have the upper carrier put in the right place (there's only two ways the tabs fit right into the top of the column) and what looks like the proper way to have the column collar on, the turn signal couldn't possibly work - the opening is about an inch below where the lever attaches.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/06/09062944-1.jpg

("help" post on that coming soon)

When I cut the old ignition switch apart, I believe that I threw the old cut up one away and did not save the bezel nut - and the replacement didn't come with one. Dash is together, except for that:

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/06/09062937-1.jpg
I suspect that my headlight knob is from the old 67 Camaro project. This one had the knob when I got it, so I suppose it'll turn up eventually and until then this one will work.

I'd cut the fuel line in a couple of places years ago (a little too aggressive with the sawzall) when I was doing rust repair on the convertible top well. Still need to get some 3/8 line to fix that; that and the remaining wheelwell rust are what's keeping me from putting the axle back in.

Wipers are done (for the most part) - motor is attached, linkage attached to the motor.

I was, however, wrong on the end date for the Challenge; classes start on 13 July, not 16.. so I have a little less than two weeks. It's a good thing I specified "running" not "driving", I won't be able to afford the gears for the tranny by then.

[Motown 454]

Nice progress

[EL RAFA_D]

que hermoso coooocheeee!!!!!!! Beautiful car---- :)

rafa de argentina

[Code Red]

nice work man

[derekf]

Okay, there is now one week left before classes start back up.

The wheelwell rust is repaired. You get no pics of that either a) because I forgot to take any, or b) because my welds look so bad that I'm embarrassed to post any pics. You can choose which answer you prefer. I do need to get some seam sealer though to make sure no water gets through though.

The rest of the undercarriage has been painted. The cut fuel line has been repaired.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/07/09070504-1.jpg

The axle is most of the way back in. I'd forgotten how much I hated trying to get everything lined up, and more importantly I forgot that my driveway has a decent slope so it's really a two or seven man job. I've got one of the bolts all the way through, and the rest are most of the way through... so it's just a matter of getting them lined the rest of the way up and pushed through.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/07/09070506-1.jpg

Once the axle is in, it'll be time to take the pressure washer to the inside of the tank and get it cleaned up and installed; then the car can come off jackstands and the engine can go in. I do have the tank straps, bolts, new sender, and you can see the new fuel hose stuck up at the shock above.

In preparation, I went up in the attic and grabbed the front clip (what? You don't keep entire cars in yours?).

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/07/09070501-1.jpg

A little rust to repair on the bottoms of the fenders, but not too bad.

Will I get it running over the next week? Maybe. It's looking likely that I'll have to cheat - rather than running the Painless harness, just making a harness that drives the coil and the starter; brakes might not be bled; transmission definitely will not be installed (since I still don't have the gears).

My "parts I'm searching for" list is pretty short these days not counting the tranny parts - I need the bezel nut for the ignition switch, since I threw the old one away and I need either the top of the steering column collar thing for a BPC turn signal switch or a "Guide" type switch (this thing is the collar surround I'm talking about)
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/06/09062939-1.gif
Not really required for starting the car, but will be needed for driving it.

[derekf]

Well, I'm writing between classes and the car doesn't run, so I suppose that by some definitions I have failed at my challenge.

Reasons for not getting it done in time are varied; from the Texas heat to limited funds; from "scope creep" to the wife's honey-dos.

The engine is not in the car. The fuel tank hasn't been cleaned. There's still one more brake line to flare (and I'm not sure my flares are any good).

On the other hand, all is not lost. As the wife pointed out, I got more done over the past six weeks than I had in the previous six years. The car is in much better shape, at the very least I've added to its life by repairing the rust.

I'm looking forward to class ending and the temp dying down.

Hopefully by then I'll be a little better off financially and be able to get the rest of the parts I still lack.

I'll be creating a new project thread at that point -- the challenge is over.

[poormans69]

The challenge is NOT over. Slap that car in it's grill and challenge it to a dual! You will win! Great progress has been made and I think one more challenge is in order.

[Zanie]

Nice work! Don't beat yourself up.
A wise man said " Shoot for the stars, you'll hit the fence...........Shoot for the fence, you'll hit the ground."

You made a ton of progress in the short amount of time. Way more than I did on my projects!!!

[MCMLXIX]

Update? Update? Update? Update? Update? Update? Update? Update? Update? Update?

[1971CHEVELLE]

Update? Update? Update? Update? Update? Update? Update? Update? Update? Update?


nice work

[Yelcamino]

Come on Derek, show us what you've been doing with the car all this time! Inquiring minds want to know! :cheers:

[derekf]

Bah. Last semester sucked - if I wasn't at work, I was either in class or studying. I accomplished *nothing*.

Even now, I still don't have the gears for the tranny, so that's hanging everything else up.

I'll start a new thread when I do get back on it.

[derekf]

..or perhaps I'll just restart this one.

Semester is over. I am not taking any summer classes this year, so plenty of garage time. I've done a little already.

Inner fender had some rust issues.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/05/10052004-1.jpg

They're fixed, although I need to do a little more cleanup.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/05/10052006-1.jpg

Hey look, flywheel/clutch/pilot bushing/bellhousing are done.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/05/10052003-1.jpg

Fuel tank cleaned out and sprayed with a "Cold Zinc Galvanizing" spray (yes, I hadn't got the very bottom when I took this pic):
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/05/10052703-1.jpg

Tank should be fully dry today so I can get it installed over the weekend.

Still no gears for the transmission. There's a long list of "because of x I can't do y", which results in "I can't put the motor in until I have the transmission" because "I don't yet have a parking brake". Trust me, it makes sense.

I seem to be bouncing back and forth (at least this week) between the Chevelle and the El Camino, and I've realized that I never started a build thread on the Camino. Time to fix that now.

[acegto]

any updates on this?