Let's get this thing started!

Today, I worked on getting a few things out of the way in order to be able to concentrate on troublehooting the engine prior to starting it up. This included the installation of the firewall pad and front bumper. Of course as it goes in restoration work, everything takes MUCH longer than you think it should!

After deciding which way was up, which took much longer than it should have - owing to the thing being fairly similar top and bottom...I finally gotthe bumper bolted up.

Along the way, I sprayed the Bowtie insert on the hood emblem red, first applying some self-etch primer to ensure adhesion.

When I went to install the firewall pad, I ran into the opposite issue I dealt with on the cowl to hood seal. Recall the cowl seal came with metal clips that where too big and would have scratched the paint causing a possible rust spot - so I opted for plastic clips there instead. The firewall insulator pad however came with the push-in clips you see below. There where slightly too large and very brittle. I pushed and pushed, then used a mallet, which only served to bend and brake them.

When I was going through the various clips and things, I had noted that the original firewall pad clips where very unique. I found them - properly labelled by the owners who did the tear down - and took stock. They where a sciccor clip that wouldn't damage the paint and likely would hold the pad just fine - as it had in the past! As well, there's something about saving items so unique to the year and make that I liked. A quick buff and some Zero Rust and they where ready to be put back into action!

The pad comes with all sorts of pre-cut holes, in order to facilitate the pass-through of various wires, cables and accessories. ...of course none of them matched this particular type of heater, even though it was a GM unit that came from the factor....So I had to fight like hell to make holes through it for the heaters' water pipes and mounting rods. I first used a heated probe (solder gun) to melt a clean hole through the rubber membrane layer, then used a razor to cut the jute padding below it.

After much struggling and fitment issues, I finally got it back through the firewall. Holding it in place with my left hand, I reached around the front and over the fender to thread the nuts on to hold it in place.

The floor mat covers everything you see here - from the front of the seat half way up the insulator pad. I'm going to leave it off until the very last thing, then have the owner roll it out before he drives it away - kind of the "red carpet" treatment for the owner and then he can say he helped finish it!

OK - it's finally, time to troubleshoot the engine  and get some systems ready for start up tomorrrow.

Once the heater, battery tray and battery where all re-installed, I pulled the distributor out and rigged up a long slotted bit to turn the oil pump drive with a drill. This pressurizes the oiling system and brings oil up to the rockers, cam and lifters. Very important. When I do a V8, I plumb a gauge in somewhere and look for 60psi of oil pressure. As it was, I could feel the system pressurize: the drill spun freely, then slowed down as the pressure increased, then sped up again once it was freely flowing through the engine,

First off though, a new oil filter was installed in the remote filter cannsiter.

Once it was pressurized, I re-installed the distributor, bumped the starter until I could feel the number one cylinder come to TDC, then ran all the distributor leads in sequence.

Next, I put a gallon of antifreeze (mixed 50:50 with water) into the rad to check for leaks and all seemed OK at first - until I heard a dribble while I was doing something else in the shop. I checked and it was coming from a bung I had missed - due to it being covered by a circle of black tape! So, I caught the antifreeze in a clean container and wondered why the rad wouldn't have come with a stop-cock....because it came with blocking inserts for the auto-trans cooler, which I installed prior to putting the rad in the truck. Likely it was extra....

Anyways, in the back of my mind I knew I had one - somehwere....

That 'somewhere' was in the bits and bites compartment of my old toolbox. Much of this stuff had been in there since my Dad used the box, back in the 60's.  I checked and sure enough, there was a stop-cock that I'd seen a thousand times, over 30plus years -  another reason NOT to throw anything away!

So, after a quick buff and some sealer, it screwed right in and solved the leak!

While I was under there, I took a minute to admire the part of the truck few others will ever spend time admiring.... but where a LOT of the work went into - the undercarriage.

Don't forget to check out the website at www.E-tekRestorations.com ! Special thanks to www.Eastwood.com and www.CarCraft.com !

A better wrench?

A couple posts back I lamented on wanting to get a set of these new ratcheting open-end wrenches. These Mastercraft double-ended wrenches where on-sale at Canadian Tire so I poneyed up the $50 ($24.99 for each SAE and Metric sets) and brought them home.  The beauty of Mastecraft tools, in addition to their decent design, is the Lifetime Warranty. Like Snap-On, MAC and Craftsman tools, these are a one-time only purchase. Unlike Snap-On and MAC, it's much easier to find a Canadian Tire store (in Canada!) than a tool truck!!

When I brought them home, Mrs. E-tek said: "You buy tools like I buy Jewelry!"....but I had to disagree - these wrenches just made my other 4 sets of open-end wrenches obsolete. I can only HOPE that doesn't happen with diamonds!

Don't forget to check out the website at www.E-tekRestorations.com!

Why does this bug me so much?

This cut wiring harness is still bugging me ~!  :)

Bits and bites....

In order to hook up the oil sending line to gauge pods oil guage, I had to stretch the oil line into the dash, then get the pod very close to being seated in order to mate the two. Once I had a couple threads caught, I was able insert a 5/16" wrench in behind to slowly tighten it up.

On that note: every time I use an open end wrench lately I tell myself I'm going to buy one of the new ratcheting open-end wrench sets, but haven't pulled the trigger yet. Definitely one of the more useful tool inventions of the last while (IMHO)!

Although I meant to buy new plugs several times as well, I noticed today they where actually in decent shape - the electrodes being square and full. So i gave them a quick buff on the wheel and gapped them to 0.025".  (One of my pet-peeves is replacing plugs that have many thousands of miles left on them!)

I threw in one of my batteries to get power to some of the systems. This allowed me to start tracing lines and getting things powered up. It's one of the more time consuming - and patience-testing - parts of a total resto!

A few last items got a coat of Zero Rust, including the hardware for the chrome trim, as well as the mouth of the filler tube. After all that work cleaning and sealing the tank, we don't need a source of rust right at the entry point!

The next full day will see the doors, winsheild and backglass installed. Then it'll really look like a completed project. Stay tuned!

Don't forget to check out the website at www.E-tekRestorations.com ! Special thanks to www.Eastwood.com and www.CarCraft.com !

Beauty - in the eye of of the beholder?

If you've been reading this blog, you know it started part way through the restorations of a 1956 Chevy Apache Stepside - but it's not the only truck around the E-tek compound. This 1946 Mercury M100 is one of the rarest "yard-trucks" you'll ever come across. While not restored to the fine level of detail as the Chev, is it any less beautiful to an enthusiast?

While I'm proud of my work on the Chevy - and love it's big round lines - there's another part of me that thinks all is right with the world when I see a truck like the Mercury still working as it should.

On that note, todays task for this 65 year old work horse was a dump run with 700 pounds of junk and bags of leaves. Every fall the Merc gets loaded (sometimes even overloaded!) up with all the crap that builds up around the house and shop and gets driven to the dump. On the way there  people smile and wave and when I stop for gas, or to weigh in at the dump, guys invariably ask if it's for sale and often strike up a conversation of seeing one in this or that field. No one ever says they used to have one of these though - I guess it's that old!

That reminds me - when I first bought the truck, the kids said we whould call it the "Old Man". That name has stuck and I've even ordered a "personalized" plate that says: OLD MAN!

Soon enough it'll be time to park it for the winter - tucked into it's corner in one of our garages - just waiting for May, when it can be put back on the road for another summer of yard work and parades.


While Don't forget to check out the website at www.E-tekRestorations.com ! Special thanks to www.Eastwood.com and www.CarCraft.com !

Where they THIS nice new?!

After getting the tank sealed and installing it's new sending unit, it was installed in the truck and connected to electrical and gas lines. The paint work really looks great - even where you won't see it!

Once the tank was in - and even though there's still more electrical work do do - I couldn't stop myself from installing the bench seat.

The next two photo's are identical - except for the horn button. As they say: "It's all in the details!"

Don't forget to check out the website at www.E-tekRestorations.com ! Special thanks to www.Eastwood.com and www.CarCraft.com !

Lipstick on a pig? Hardly!

You know you're moving along when it's time to get the chrome bits ready for install - and we're at the point where I need to put some red and black accents on some of the trim pieces.

As chrome can't easily be sanded, you HAVE to use an etch primer to connect the paint to the substrate. As well, over the years I've found Tremclad brand paints binds extremely well to odd materials, so that's what I'll be using here - just for that extra bit of bite I might get.

Before starting the masking process, I wiped every piece down with a wax and grease remover. I have some in a gallon bulk container from Pro Form, but I also like Eastwood's PRE in an aerosol with straw sprayer. It's easy to apply directly to the pieces and then wipe off. Just make sure it goees on wet and you wipe it off while still wet. That's how it removes contaminants.
First task is masking the parts that you don't want painted. I'm using "Fine Line" tape from 3M, which is a vinyl tape that stretches easily around curves and bends, as well as standard 3M 1/4" as well as 1" and 1 1/2" masking tapes.

A quick bit about masking tape: there is really no substitute for 3M brand masking tape in the auto body business. I've been doing this for over 35 years and in that time have tried several brands of tape and can honestly say both the glue and the paper is better with the 3M brand. Other brands have glue that comes off on your work, get gooey when exposed to moisture or heat, dry up if left out too long and the paper used is often too thin. As well, regarding shelf life, the entire roll can deteriorate very quickly. Many shops try to cut a few corners and try other brands, but the best shops always go back to 3M. It's just a product you don't need to cut corners on - OK, you actually cut a LOT of corners on masking tape (!), so you want the best there is. End Rant.

Once everything is all masked up, I'll clean it again with a Wax and Grease remover. There's no telling how many contaminants come off your hands  - like skin oils, whatever else you've touched - and that's exactly what causes "fish-eyes" (pinholes in primer or paint) and adhesion issues. As well, there are airborne particulates that settle on your parts as you get ready to paint, which you want to minimize by cleaning again just before applying your primer. On alrger jobs, professionals also use a "Final Wipe" to clean the panels between primer and paint and even between base and clear coats.

Two to three coats of Self-Etching primer were applied. After sufficient dry times, but still within the "re-coat window", you can apply the next coat. The re-coat window is a term that describes the time where the previous product or coat is dry enough that the solvents have sufficently flashed off whereby another coat won't cause a run or sag but still soon enough whereby the chemical bonds can still be`adhered to by the next product or coat. Each product will have this information on the can - or in it's MSDS sheets. It is a critical time period and easy to manage when known. If the re-coat window is exceeded, the previous coat will require mechanical abrasion (sanding) to allow adhesion of the next coat.

After applying the paint (one medium and 2  wet coats of the Tremclad Red), I threw together an impromptu bake oven. It bears a mention here that it's not the equipment you have, but the processes you adhere to. Since we know primer and paint adhere, flow and set-up better at warmer temperatures, it's prudent to keep the parts warm - no matter how you get them there! Normally, I would be using my parts painting booth, but I had dismantled it after the lion share of the parts had been painted to make more room for parts re-assembly!

NExt, the process is repeated, though on a much smaller scale. I need to reverse-mask the Chevy Bow-tie's in the centre of the hood and horn pieces to spray them black. Stay tuned for that process and a photo of the final product - they'll look GREAT!

Now..... back to the gas tank. As anyone who has tackled a restorations knows, there can be a lot of prep that goes into the re-installation of some parts. After the "fun" I had drilling out the three broken bolts for the tank straps, I spent time connecting the electrical and gas lines that reside behind the tank and connect the sending unit.

A key side note: Grounds are absolutely CRITICAL and will haunt you forever if you don't give them proper attention. Make sure - whether it's an engine to body ground, a signal light, or this gas sender ground wire - you scrape away the paint that the ground wire attaches to. It's NEVER enough to assume a screw will be sufficient ground - because 12 out of 9 times it WON'T be....and you'll be searching forever trying to figure out why you gas gauge is bouncing around! There's many a cautionary tale of guys and shops replacing all kinds of equipment trying to get things working when it was just a loose or impoperly set-up ground path.

Of course the next thing you'll be thinking is: "What about RUST?" This is where you should use some grease (di-electric grease is good) to protect the the area from the elements - AFTER the connection is tight.

Once all the connections are made, I used some tape to keep the wires within reach after the tank gets installed.

As well, the tank straps where attached on the back side with new hardware:

Next up, yesterdays news: Remember the cowl seal and the crappy METAL clips that came from the "repop" (re-manufacturered parts supply) company? As I wrote yesterday, I decided the metal ones (after breaking a couple!) could scratch the paint causing rsut, or just rust themselves. So I went to my local autobody supply store and found a couple different PLASTIC clips to try.

Be careful where you go though and check pricing on these small items! A lot of places price clips and other small hardware pieces at ridiculous "Insurance Company" prices. It's an auto-repair industry secret (or was!) that nuts, bolts, clips and such are marked up 300%-500%, because insurance company's pay for them and rarely argue. In this case, the EXACT same clip at one supply house was $9.56 retail  ($6.56 my cost). At another place that same clip was $4.70 retail ($2.35 my price). Still pricey for a little piece of plastic, but far less than the first place!

Unfortunately, the wide-topped clip was too big for the hole in the cab. It would have been preferable to hold more of the surface area of the rubber seal, but I ended up using the smaller clip. I justified the choice with the realization that the seal would not be subject to any shearing forces, just the hood setting down on it and then lifting straight off.  I think of stuff like that....

Lastly, I applied the sealer to the gas tank. During the day I rinsed it out again with water about 4 or 5 more times, then thoroughly dried it with mechanics paper towels (attached to a grab-it tool) and also a heat-gun stuck into the sending unit hole. Once very dry, I rinsed it with white gas (Naptha, or cooking stove fuel), then allowed that to dry again.

Finally, I was ready for the sealer. There are several manufacturers to choose from and for the Challenger tank, I used Eastwood's sealer, which worked VERY well and dried to a white rubbery film. This time though, I had a can of Steven's that I purchased a while back. It came highly recommended from the Model T and A (I love saying that!) community. It looked like honey, so I'm guessing it will dry clear. Tomorrow we'll know!

Regardless of which one you use, follow the directions, which include pouring in the sealer, taping shut all the holes (filler neck, air tubes, sending unit hole...), then slowly turning the tank in ever direction and holding it in each position for a minute or so. This allows the sealer to evenly coat the tanks insides. Once exposed to air, the sealer will dry to a semi-rigid film, impervious to fuel and water and sealing in any rust or scale that are left on the tank walls. These products will also seal small pin-holes, but of course it's advisable to repair those before getting to this stage. In this case the tank had held up well, it was just full of rust, scale and old, foul gas!

I removed the tank plug and set it up so that any excess sealer drained out from this opening. Don't use other openings, as the sealer will obscure them again. With the drain hole, you can always open it up again after the sealer has cured, with a piece of wire, pipe cleaner, or what have you. The can says a minimim of 24 hours is required before adding gas - but it'd be best to err on the side of caution. Double it in warm weather and triple it if cooler. I'll be giving it much longer!

Don't forget to check out the website at www.E-tekRestorations.com
Special thanks to www.Eastwood.com and www.CarCraft.com!