- Joined
- Mar 30, 2017
- Messages
- 2,393
- Reaction score
- 884
- Location
- The Netherlands
- My Car
- 73 Grande 351C
71 Mach 1 429CJ
@tony-muscle
Thx Tony, but you know, I can't save these parts half! Once you actually do all this routinely, the shine comes almost for free. And that it's underneath or in plain sight doesn't really matters. Plus, once they are under a nice coat, they are so smooth to the touch, it's much more easy to clean than that raw rough steel.
@timachone
Nothing goes above a Mustang read for breakfast!
I was planning to focus only on my new patient, the saginaw steering gear, but as this weekend was looking like the last dry not too cold weekend of the year, I went plan b and use that weather to spray a few things, so I could be able to finish a few things I've started before the misery comes back..
Here's my last weekend, as usual, not perse in chronological order.
After some taping and good degreasing, primed, painted and coated my booster. It popped in my mind that a a booster needs a master cylinder to actually do something and as it was in a box for a long time, I totally forgot it (almost). So sprayed it in its own grey and as the clear coat I'm using gave me pretty results on other zinc protected parts, I also took the chinese chrome cover with it.
While the booster was drying, made some rubber gasket to fit in between firewall and the unit as I did on my 73. There was nothing left of the original plastic thingy and as its sole purpose is to isolate air to enter the cabine, this should be even better as it eventually takes out vibs too.
All hard on Sunday, I've installed the one way valve grommet/valve and I was pretty pleased to see the combo now in a pretty descent state!
I'm sure purists will file a complain about the finish... but in my jurisdiction, I'm dang happy about the way they look considering how all this was just a week ago and they match my greys theme !
In between spray & heat gun sessions for my parts. I went back to the gear dismantelling, and on one side, you need a special tool to unlock it.
A visit to my local shop revealed that the right tool, was just $110... yeah right. Soooo as I have a couple of similar tools that came with past axe tools to change/secure disks, I've cut one, and welded in the missing space.
Few minutes later, after first marking the position of the assembly to ease reassembly later on, I used my frankenstein tool and it did great. Tho, after the locking ring is loose, it's not really necessary. I think having it will be handy later on. Oh well, I have it now and saved some money
The unit had no play, no leaks and I could have just cleaned it up and mount it back, but I'm glad I did not cut corners, as while bushings and pretty much everything is looking good, after 50 years, it was really in need of a good clean up! New o-rings, gaskets etc.. should give it a few decades more! Btw, If you ever service one of these. Keep in mind there is a hole on the side of the casing to get that snap ring out. Don't loose precious time as I did to try get it out the way snap rings are supposed to be taken out, this is GM, they make holes in casings vs use good snap rings!
The weather still perfect, I also changed my plan that was to first put the gear back together and then paint, because 2 weeks of misery are coming this way and would end up with casing that only wants to rust on me. So after some love, got that casing grease, rust free and after some tedious masking, I've sprayed that baby. Because I know I will have the challenge to not damage the finish on the way back, I sprayed 6 thin layers of coat with 5 minutes in between with heat gun, and ended up with a real thick long lasting surface that should be solid rock next weekend.
Installing back faded alumnium parts on a bling bling unit being kinda silly when you own a polishing machine, I gave the top and end cap some love, corrected the many casting flaws with files and sanding paper and got them whoooo sssssssshhhiny!
My pitman arm and its hardware already done, I realised the sector shaft would be out of tone, but this thingy being really heavy, I would need build some complex thingy to hold it while it took a bath... nah, plan B too there! Went freehand plating and before I got some cramp, I ended up with the exposed part looking as my pitman arm.
Ater a good rinse, cleaning it went in a freezing bag under a good layer of assembly goo so it doesn't rust on me or collects any debris. Btw, this stuff, is fantastic. made for transmission repair, where it really made a big difference for the 2 trans I did in past 2 years acting often as a third hand. Most of all, it ensures all stays lube, no matter how long it will take before you actually use the parts. Once it warms up a bit it desolves.
My forgotten tie rod end also plated and painted, I could also place back the other side. Which gave me a weird alignment where both wheels were going opposite directions. Turning the sleeves on both side corrected that, tho I will only be able to make a "not too shabby" adjustment only after the pitman/gears are back in. Install and adjustments where done with great ease now that all is restored/new. Big contrast with removing them! Turning the wheels is now smooth as butter.
With one or 2 hours of sun left, I decided I did enough for the weekend and that it was time to take the lady 73 for a spin... awesome!
To be continued....
Thx Tony, but you know, I can't save these parts half! Once you actually do all this routinely, the shine comes almost for free. And that it's underneath or in plain sight doesn't really matters. Plus, once they are under a nice coat, they are so smooth to the touch, it's much more easy to clean than that raw rough steel.
@timachone
Nothing goes above a Mustang read for breakfast!
I was planning to focus only on my new patient, the saginaw steering gear, but as this weekend was looking like the last dry not too cold weekend of the year, I went plan b and use that weather to spray a few things, so I could be able to finish a few things I've started before the misery comes back..
Here's my last weekend, as usual, not perse in chronological order.
After some taping and good degreasing, primed, painted and coated my booster. It popped in my mind that a a booster needs a master cylinder to actually do something and as it was in a box for a long time, I totally forgot it (almost). So sprayed it in its own grey and as the clear coat I'm using gave me pretty results on other zinc protected parts, I also took the chinese chrome cover with it.
While the booster was drying, made some rubber gasket to fit in between firewall and the unit as I did on my 73. There was nothing left of the original plastic thingy and as its sole purpose is to isolate air to enter the cabine, this should be even better as it eventually takes out vibs too.
All hard on Sunday, I've installed the one way valve grommet/valve and I was pretty pleased to see the combo now in a pretty descent state!
I'm sure purists will file a complain about the finish... but in my jurisdiction, I'm dang happy about the way they look considering how all this was just a week ago and they match my greys theme !
In between spray & heat gun sessions for my parts. I went back to the gear dismantelling, and on one side, you need a special tool to unlock it.
A visit to my local shop revealed that the right tool, was just $110... yeah right. Soooo as I have a couple of similar tools that came with past axe tools to change/secure disks, I've cut one, and welded in the missing space.
Few minutes later, after first marking the position of the assembly to ease reassembly later on, I used my frankenstein tool and it did great. Tho, after the locking ring is loose, it's not really necessary. I think having it will be handy later on. Oh well, I have it now and saved some money
The unit had no play, no leaks and I could have just cleaned it up and mount it back, but I'm glad I did not cut corners, as while bushings and pretty much everything is looking good, after 50 years, it was really in need of a good clean up! New o-rings, gaskets etc.. should give it a few decades more! Btw, If you ever service one of these. Keep in mind there is a hole on the side of the casing to get that snap ring out. Don't loose precious time as I did to try get it out the way snap rings are supposed to be taken out, this is GM, they make holes in casings vs use good snap rings!
The weather still perfect, I also changed my plan that was to first put the gear back together and then paint, because 2 weeks of misery are coming this way and would end up with casing that only wants to rust on me. So after some love, got that casing grease, rust free and after some tedious masking, I've sprayed that baby. Because I know I will have the challenge to not damage the finish on the way back, I sprayed 6 thin layers of coat with 5 minutes in between with heat gun, and ended up with a real thick long lasting surface that should be solid rock next weekend.
Installing back faded alumnium parts on a bling bling unit being kinda silly when you own a polishing machine, I gave the top and end cap some love, corrected the many casting flaws with files and sanding paper and got them whoooo sssssssshhhiny!
My pitman arm and its hardware already done, I realised the sector shaft would be out of tone, but this thingy being really heavy, I would need build some complex thingy to hold it while it took a bath... nah, plan B too there! Went freehand plating and before I got some cramp, I ended up with the exposed part looking as my pitman arm.
Ater a good rinse, cleaning it went in a freezing bag under a good layer of assembly goo so it doesn't rust on me or collects any debris. Btw, this stuff, is fantastic. made for transmission repair, where it really made a big difference for the 2 trans I did in past 2 years acting often as a third hand. Most of all, it ensures all stays lube, no matter how long it will take before you actually use the parts. Once it warms up a bit it desolves.
My forgotten tie rod end also plated and painted, I could also place back the other side. Which gave me a weird alignment where both wheels were going opposite directions. Turning the sleeves on both side corrected that, tho I will only be able to make a "not too shabby" adjustment only after the pitman/gears are back in. Install and adjustments where done with great ease now that all is restored/new. Big contrast with removing them! Turning the wheels is now smooth as butter.
With one or 2 hours of sun left, I decided I did enough for the weekend and that it was time to take the lady 73 for a spin... awesome!
To be continued....
Last edited by a moderator: