Seized engines and A/C

When you work on cars because you love them, you end up doing weird things with your weekends. For example, I went out to a farm yard last weekend and picked up 2 seized flathead engines, over 60 years old, that were pulled from some old farm implements - paying over $300 for them, including lunch and gas. 

Since that time, I've been playing nursemaid to them, spraying  them down withWD40, pouring my special mixture of ATF and KLEEN-FLO  in each cylinder - hoping and praying that deamon of rust hasn't welded the rings to the cylinder walls!

After that, I got a start on the AC system for the Camaro. Like any good automotive engineer, I read through the instructions, then followed them precisely, wanting to be sure everything was done properly. 

 Of course we all know where that can lead.....exactly....

I ended up having to take it apart again  in order to get it mounted! 

Once I undid the fist 30 minutes ( no charge ;)), the condenser was installed

Followed by the dryer and assorted bracketry

I'm sure glad I learned one thing as an older adult : winters spent

working in the shop, building show cars sure beats the HELL 

out of sliding downhill bouncing off the snow on my ass!!

Dynamat instalation Don't forget to click the advertisers links!

Fairly straight forward - fit, spray both sides, glue, tape the edges.....just takes a lot of time and is hard on the knees!

                      Sure looks like it'll do its job!

Camaro - trunk and floor prep

The paint turned out absolutely georgeous!  color-sanding leaves quite the mess, so I spent an hour cleaning buffing compound (and residual clear) out of every nook and cranny!

After wipeing with water, I used a Wax and Grase remover to clean it for paint, also removing some errant tags from the new sheetmetal -

 
After cleaning that stuff off, I prepped the trunk area in order to spray trunk-paint on the floor, wheel wells and inner quarters.

This is what it loked like before - 

Mid-way....

And after a few coats. Of course it'll all be covered with Dynamat and carpet....

The main compartment was treated to the same cleaning, then the Dynamat was laid out in order to check sizing....

Check the piece for behind the kick panel area - it's about 3" too long and 1" too wide...so trimming is required.

Coolest vehicle I've EVER seen! Tell me you don't agree?!

Camaro floor and undercarriage prep

Before begining the major parts of the re-assembly, I like to be sure I get to all the parts of the car you DON'T see....

Altough the floor is completely solid, there where a couple spots with some surface rust where I used Duplicolor's RUST FIX  - just to enure it stays put under the sound deadener and carpet...

Then I cleaned up the undercariage, in preparation of spraying the pans and wheel wells with a couple coats of Rubberized Undercoating and the blalnce with Eastwood's Chassis Black.

Once that dries, I can begin installing the new suspension parts!

Classic 2 & 3 ton and COE tow rigs

Removing soft-steel bushings: 240Z rear lower control arms

The 240Z project has been a long time in coming off the rotisserie - due to the time its taken for me to remove and replace the bushings with the hard Urethane pieces I bought. After several failed attemps at removing the soft-steel sleeve from the rear lower control arms, I finally consulted a local expert, who told me to cut the sleeves in order to be able to collapse them from within:

With the control arm secured in the vise, the first step was to cut through the sleeve, on either side. Sleeves of this nature are generally made of a softer material than the structural pieces surrounding them, making it relatively easy to cut through them, stopping once through, without damaging the outer, structural piece.

I used both an air saw and a basic hack-saw blade to cut the length of both sides.

Beginning with a chisel and hammer, 

I carefully sperated the inner sleeve from the harder outer piece.

Once seperated enough, I switched to the air hammer, with a pointed tip, carefully pushing the inner material down and away, until the enire peice began to loosen its grip on the surrounding structural component.

With the metal inner sleeve completely removed, I cleaned and smoothed the arm and inserted the urethane bushing in its place.










This replaces the factory original, soft rubber bushing and will serve to stiffen the suspension points considerably.

Thus adding one more peice to my collection of rebuilt suspension bits. Next weekend I just might be able to bolt it all up and put the 240Z down onto it's wheels - for the first time in 2 years!



Via www.E-tekRestorations.googlepages.com !

1968 Camaro re-assembly, Part 1

1968 Camaro, back from paint, being prepped for reassembly:

Most of the parts boxes arrived last week, including the entire interior assembly, front, rear and quarter glass pieces, a wicked gauge package, some very high end suspension pieces.....

and a LOT more!
















High spring-rate springs and fully adjustable Viking shocks will stiffen it up in the corners, giving it pro-touring ability:

















 And check out these stunning pieces from the gauge package - more views to come!

A new grille set-up is also on its way - ensuring it's going to be show-level ready when done

Stay tuned to my blog for the entire build-up, as well as to my web site - for a TON more reading on all things restoration.

Via www.E-tekRestorations.googlepages.com