Re: Project '64 Cheapskate
 

I was gonna say, I'm surprised at how flat it was!

Re: Project '64 Cheapskate
 

I have been working on mounting the A/C condenser for the past couple of days, so I figured that I should post up the progress. I have an original condenser that came out of a parts truck, but it's so fragile that it feels like it's going to crumble when you pick it up. Plus, I am converting the system to R134, and I need an efficient condenser designed for the current refrigerant.

I was able to find a guy on Craigslist selling a condenser out of a 1999 Z06 Corvette, and after he rattled off the dimensions, I knew it was going to work perfect. Here's a picture of it sitting on top of the core support. The width and height is perfect, but the inlet and outlet fittings were going to be a problem.
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...psdcd88b6e.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...ps46b7d968.jpg

So, I got out the cut-off wheel and commenced to cuttin'
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...psb45accb7.jpg

I had some square tubing in my scrap pile and made some pieces to cover the removed areas and tacked them in. I also chopped off the original outlet line because it wasn't going to work for my application.
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...ps8fb4f563.jpg

The stock Corvette mounting tabs were not consistent from side to side, so they got whacked.
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...ps884a9ee1.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...ps446beb18.jpg

Grabbed some aluminum from the scrap pile and made new mount tabs and make my buddy Mike Jones TIG them in place.
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...ps74f13f71.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...ps92d6404c.jpg

Fast forward a little, and I drilled the core support for the AC bulkhead fittings, and shortened and reshaped the dryer clamps. I chopped up some new fittings to accept hoses at the inlet and outlet lines and had Mike TIG them on. I installed the old mock-up dryer and started mocking up the lines and have a couple of the hoses ready to crimp. I still need to get a #10 female straight fitting for the inlet line at the top and cut the hose to length. The mounting tabs will need to be drilled for mounting bolts and rubber isolators. Once this gets done, I'll blow it all back apart and send it back to the sandblaster to get it touched up due to all the grease and oils from working on the condenser. After that, I'll do a little body work, and it'll be ready for primer and paint (chassis black). Speaking of black, everything you see on this core support will be painted black because I do not want to see anything behind the grill of the truck. I always think that it looks wrong when I see shiny stuff behind the grille or body-colored core supports. You have to hide that stuff!
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...ps13b14a95.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...ps553a43db.jpg

Re: Project '64 Cheapskate
 

Man you always blow me away.
Wish I had some of the talent you have.
So much great info here ALWAYS:metal:

Re: Project '64 Cheapskate
 

Mad skills! AC scares me. Beautiful work.
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Re: Project '64 Cheapskate
 

Good score on the condenser. Very sanitary job on this installation :thumbs:

Re: Project '64 Cheapskate
 

Looks awesome.

Re: Project '64 Cheapskate
 

This looks like my kind of adaption !!
Great work here, and your buddy Mike seems to really know what he is doing, those welds look real purty :metal:

Re: Project '64 Cheapskate
 

Mike is an amazing fabricator. He builds some of the most over-the-top off-road race vehicles I have ever seen. If you want to see some amazing welds, check out the rear air ride set-up on my '55 build thread. His work is in the last part of the thread. He welds like a robot.

Re: Project '64 Cheapskate
 

Thoroughly impressed at your vision on this one. Great work!

Re: Project '64 Cheapskate
 

Will it cool faster since it came off of a Z06? :-) Cool stuff as usual!!!!
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Re: Project '64 Cheapskate
 

I did something tonight that I have never done before. I rebuilt my steering box rag joint. I had been shopping around for a new rag joint, but them little suckers are spendy and I couldn't bring myself to pay $75 for a piece of rubber. So, I started shopping around and found that Borgeson sells a rebuilt kit for $16. It comes with the metal reinforced rubber disc and all the hardware. It was easy. I even wire-wheeled the parts and painted them, and I was done in less than an hour. I'm going to do these rebuilds from now on! Definitely a money saver.

The original grungy rag joint from my '79 Suburban donor. Pretty messed up.
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...psbb23fe72.jpg

Here's all the parts laid out, cleaned up and painted, with the Borgeson kit (rubber disc and the hardware).
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...psf6c6100b.jpg

Finished product. The bolts holding the reinforcement bracket on look mismatched, but Chevy used two different sized bolts to attach the rag joint to the column. The steering shaft was two different sized holes to match the different bolts.
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...ps7b1008eb.jpg

I plan on finishing the steering box and column installation this weekend, and I'll post up all the details.

Re: Project '64 Cheapskate
 

That's really kool.....and cheap.!

Re: Project '64 Cheapskate
 

Had a little time today, so I installed the steering box and tied it into the column, hopefully for the last time.

Clean and painted the steering box (1979 Chevy truck) and installed the rebuilt rag joint. The intermediate shaft is from the same '79 Chevy truck, just had to adjust the length a little to account for the different style of u-joint.
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...psdfa72bea.jpg

The steering u-joint is a Borgeson that I got for cheap off of ebay. It's brand new, but the only problem (for me) is that it's a shiny one. I would have preferred a steel one that I could paint black, but for the price I got it for, I can't complain. The steering column is a bit of a "Frankenstein" concoction. I never cared for the stock steering shaft on the 60-66 GM trucks because it's a solid shaft from the steering wheel to the steering box and won't collapse in a crash. So, I took the steering shaft and the lower bearing retainer out of a '67 column that Brad had kept for parts, and with a little bit of effort, got it all to work. I changed out the lower bearing while I had it apart. Man, it operates as smooth as silk, and with the collapsable intermediate shaft, the column is much safer.
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...ps2f82a32f.jpg

Next up: Install the master cylinder, prop valve bracket and prop valve, and start plumbing brakes.

Re: Project '64 Cheapskate
 

I dig your work kat!!

Re: Project '64 Cheapskate
 

Aaaaack! Shiny parts! Looks good, putting things on!
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Re: Project '64 Cheapskate
 

Thanks, Dino! I just like my stuff clean and subtle. A lot of the parts I've been putting on have a lot more work done to them then meets the eye, but that's the idea. It's fun to fool people into thinking that it's all factory stuff, when in reality, it's a conglomeration of parts from dozens of different vehicles.

You're right, Chip. Putting things together for the last time is always a great feeling! I'm "Mr. Mockup", and I always wind up assembling everything dozens of times during the mock-up stage in order to get all the little bugs worked out, so when I finally get to the "Final Assembly" stage, I am one happy dude.

Re: Project '64 Cheapskate
 

It's been awhile since I posted. We're slammed at work right now, and it hasn't left me much free time. I did spend a little time getting the engine ready to drop in this weekend, so here it is, ready to drop into place. The trans is done, and they'll both go in together.

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...psa3f2a5fb.jpg
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...ps98e9d715.jpg

It's not as "nostalgic" looking as I would have liked, but because I plan to drive this thing everywhere, I wanted an engine that made good horsepower, and that I could go to any parts store to get parts for. By my estimation, it should make between 360-380 horsepower.

BLOCK
1991 350 factory roller block (1-piece rear seal)
HEADS
Vortec heads, reworked the bowls and transition area, guides milled down for higher lift, 1.5 roller rockers, Comp springs
CAM
GM 846 hydraulic roller. .509/.528 lift, 222/230 duration @ .050, 112 lobe center. Advanced 4 degrees
INTAKE
Air-Gap
CARB
750 Holley vacuum secondary
HEADERS
Sanderson, Cerma-Kromed
ACCESSORY DRIVE
Stock 1992, brackets sandblasted and tumbled in a ceramic bead tumbler.

Re: Project '64 Cheapskate
 

Looks great! Glad to see you among the living!
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Re: Project '64 Cheapskate
 

Great looking engine! Has a good mix of modern & nostalgia IMO. Can't beat reliable drivability either. Look forward to seeing it in the truck.
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Re: Project '64 Cheapskate
 

Sweet!

Re: Project '64 Cheapskate
 

Nice looking motor!

Do you have a part number for the serpintine belt?

Re: Project '64 Cheapskate
 

Thanks, Chip. Work has had me down in the dumps lately, and hopefully seeing some progress on the '64 will get me feeling more "engaged". Today, we had to make a tough decision concerning the family dog (Pug, 13yrs old) who had been really sick, and even when you think you're prepared for it, you never are. He was my shadow 24/7, and I'm pretty torn up over it.

Thanks! I share your comment. I really want to see this truck under it's own power.

Thanks!

Thanks! I don't have a part number because the belt that's currently on it is the old, original belt. I plan to get a new one and keep this belt under the seat as a spare, just in case.

Re: Project '64 Cheapskate
 

Sorry to hear about your furry friend. Always best to end their suffering. Hope you feel better soon.
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Re: Project '64 Cheapskate
 

I'm sorry to hear about your dog. Our pets become our families. On another and happy note more updates. Killer looking motor man! I like updates. Keep'em coming.

Re: Project '64 Cheapskate
 

Wow, sorry to hear about your dog. I have two pugs that are getting old, about 12 years old now, and I am not looking forward to losing them. They are really good dogs, except for their shedding, aaargh.

Re: Project '64 Cheapskate
 

I hear ya about work. My place of employment always has such unnecessary drama going on. They promoted the PITA foreman and we got a new foreman. :crazy:Imagine that. Life is still not grand.
Sorry about the loss of your shadow. Wifey and I been talking about our Vomit Dog and when the time comes for her. gonna be sad

Your motor is gonna look Freakin' gorgeous when you plop it in there.
Be sooooo nice to motor around under its own power.

Re: Project '64 Cheapskate
 

"Thanks! I don't have a part number because the belt that's currently on it is the old, original belt. I plan to get a new one and keep this belt under the seat as a spare, just in case."

Not a problem. If you think about it post the part number when you get a new belt.

Sorry to hear about your dog. We went through that last summer.

Re: Project '64 Cheapskate
 

Wow, that motor looks great!
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Re: Project '64 Cheapskate
 

Thanks, guys. Our Pug, Yoda, was 13. We've had Pugs (most all were rescues) for 25 years, and he was the best one we've ever had. Great disposition, not a mean bone in his body, never tore anything up, and was an absolute clown. That dog made me laugh every day. They are a great breed, and we'll get another, but right now we need to take a break from animals.

Thanks! It's funny, that engine's short block had been on an engine stand in my garage for the past 8 years. A couple of months ago, I decided to finish it. It was going to go into another project, but I had a change of plans, and the '64 became the perfect candidate. Honestly, I'm going to start building LS engines for all of my stuff coming up. Those things are amazing.

Re: Project '64 Cheapskate
 

Well, I don't have pictures to prove it, but the engine and transmission are installed. That was a big step, and it opens up a ton of stuff to do. The next step is to plumb the fuel lines, brake lines, and power steering hoses. After that, finish the bodywork and paint on the core support and the inner fenders and get them installed.

I'll post pictures soon. I chipped up the frame in a few spots during the install, so I need to get that handled before I take any glamour shots of the install.

A HUUUUGE thanks goes to Brad for helping me tag-team the install!!

Re: Project '64 Cheapskate
 

Was kind of a strange weekend. Was awesome to finally get the motor and transmission in the truck but the dog deal kinda knocked the wind out of the whole thing! Was happy and sad for Alex at the same time!
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Re: Project '64 Cheapskate
 

Sorry to hear about your dog, Alex. I know how that goes; we had to do the same for our Weim last year. Definitely heart wrenching, for sure. He is on the first page of your '55 build for posterity, looking young and fit if it makes you feel better.

Cool about the progress on the '64. Keep it up one step at a time and the whole thing will be done before you know it.

Re: Project '64 Cheapskate
 

Hooray! Big chunk progress! Always a good feeling! Gotta hurry up so Speed Racer can get down to business!
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Re: Project '64 Cheapskate
 

I thought this was your "go to Lowe's" parts chaser? lol

....it's gonna be nice when it's "done". Projects are only done for me when someone else drives them away and I get a new one. It would be hard for me to let that 55' sit unfinished much longer.

I bought a 63 parts chaser so I could get going on my 63 Nova convertible but it was too far gone to ever be nice. So I bought a 62 GMC that might be too original to be a parts chaser...:gmc2:

...dunno when I'm ever gonna start on the Nova now that I have 2 different truck projects:lol:

I saw your pug a few times in the 55 build thread. Always sad to lose a pet.

Re: Project '64 Cheapskate
 

I forgot that 'ol Yoda was in the '55 thread. He had an uncanny way of jumping in front of the camera when you were taking pictures. He was a real clown.

Yeah, the '64 is finally starting to come together under the hood. The drivetrain is the last "big" hurdle to clear, and after that, it's just a bunch of little stuff. It's getting there!

Well, it's still going to be my "Lowes/Home Depot/Hot Rod Parts Chaser", but I want to show up in style. I don't want to let the cat out of the bag, but when the mechanical stuff is all done, there's some stuff planned for the outside that I think you guys will really like.
And I promise, when the '64 gets done, I'll be back on the '55.

Re: Project '64 Cheapskate
 

Awesome!

Re: Project '64 Cheapskate
 

Looks great and I don't know how I missed that cam in the catalog. Sounds like it will be a great combo. Sorry about your dog. With no kids, my great dane is my daughter.

Re: Project '64 Cheapskate
 

I'm a little late....sorry to hear about your dog. It's definitely not an easy thing for us dog lovers. We had to deal with that in '08, and we've got another dog that could get to that point any time......not looking forward to that. I just keep hoping he passes in his sleep one night.

On a more positive note, that engine is looking good. I'm curious to hear what that cam sounds like in a 355.

Re: Project '64 Cheapskate
 

I like your style...

I know sometimes it's best to step away from it for a while until the inspiration returns. Judging by what you've already done to the 55 and the effort you are putting into this truck it's gonna be pretty awesome!:metal:
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Re: Project '64 Cheapskate
 

Well, Thank You Tommy!
I have to admit that I can sometimes have "Hot Rod A.D.D." I'll go like gangbusters on a project until I hit a snag and then I'll bounce off and attack another project. This '64 has been a real test of that, but I have made a promise to myself that I cannot start anything else until this one is done and on the road. At times, I feel like a dog in the "stay" position with a Scooby Snack resting on my nose, and I want that treat SO bad. I go to shows and my mind starts going wild, and the next thing I know, I'm on Craigslist looking for a certain car. I used to be really bad, but I've gotten better as I've gotten older. At one time, I was the King of Half-Finished Projects. I sold some killer projects, and sad to say, many of them at a substantial loss.

One of these days, I will finally get around to restoring the one car that I've owned the longest. I bought a '71 Camaro RS back in '87, and it's been dry-docked since '89. Numbers matching (everything) from front to back, and it was the 3rd Camaro off the assembly line in the 2nd week of August in Van Nuys, California. Quite possibly the 1st RS Camaro built in 1971. It will get a nut and bolt rotisserie restoration, all the way down to the torque stripe paint and grease pencil marks. That project is going to be a blast.