A key restoration/re-assembly lesson I leaned when I was a young lad, working in my Dad''s shop, was to NEVER just throw stuff back together and hope for the best. I've seen wipers scrape across hoods, un-even door glass smash against b-pillars and reverse-threaded lug nuts (Plymouth!) get stripped with the windy-gun. So it's imperative to check things twice, make sure everything is clocked properly and that you run power to moving pars before final assembly.
That experience likely saved me from a broken wiper assembly - or worse - in this very case.
If you look carefully at the photo below, you'll see that the wiper assembly-arm
doesn't reach the wiper motor arm pin. It reached one side, but not the other -
seeming as though the motors arm was too long.
After careful investigation, I finally found that the bolts used to secure the wiper assembly to the inner cowl where too long, binding the assembly from making a full sweep. It's not something one could see from the top, nor was it easily obvious, but after 30 minutes of figuring - and another few minutes spent cussing out the previous assembler....I pulled everything out:
On the bench, I could see someone has already had a turn at hacking off the original threads that where cast into these parts -
So all that was left for me was to try was to put some threads back in so they could be mounted back to the inner cowl without the long bolts and nuts that where getting in the way.
I then found some very short bolts that would catch the threads, but not protrude through. I added some Loctite for a little extra insurance:
And finally, the wiper arm fit onto the motor arm pin
And speaking of cussing out the previous assembler... I found the reason the right HL door wasn't fitting properly: a bolt that was not fitted completely. This bolt, by the way, is one of 3 holding the headlight bucket to the fender....
Here's how I roll: the GPS and AC units required that I mount them with screws through the inner cowl. Rather than leave them as is, risking rust and a leak, I first sprayed them with anti rust way, then sealed them with a flexible putty, or what my Dad called "Dum-Dum".
The windshield washer sprayer nozzles are tricky to attach, going up and under, with a tab coming through to be attached from above - Factory Manual comes in han\ady again!
And finally, the cowl panel was re-installed.
Back inside, I still had to finish up the console because the decorative trim popped off (due to the 47 year old glue drying out). I again used Permetex' clear-drying automotive adhesive called "PitCrew's Choice". This has become my favourite adhesive, replacing 3M 's Weatherstrip adhesive (black or yellow).
Under the hood again, I wanted to detail the brake booster reservoir, but applying some "Manifold Grey" to the base - and spraying the metal cap cadmium gold -
Finally for today, I went back to work on the pieces of window trim that had damage.
Over the years, these chrome pieces get beat up, scratched and bent and can take quite a
bit of work to get looking good again.
And here it is to date - looking like a Factory Fresh Camaro again!
