Re: Crusty Rusty Leaky Squeaky 67 Step
 

Got a little bit more done on the bed side and the floor today. We're dropping in that 383 SBC tomorrow down in Sedalia. If things go well, it should be thumping by evening time. Plan to be back home Saturday afternoon and grinding plastic again by Sunday.

Re: Crusty Rusty Leaky Squeaky 67 Step
 

I did the same thing on my truck but caught it becase my truck is bagged and the crooslink was hitting. Flipped it around and it was all good. The problem is that it fits in so good backwards.

Re: Crusty Rusty Leaky Squeaky 67 Step
 

We'll require pics of all extraneous work. Good luck in Sedalia!

Re: Crusty Rusty Leaky Squeaky 67 Step
 

Amen to that, other than the reduced turn radius and the low speed scrub, you'd never know by looking at it.

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Sure thing...
Engine ready to drop in, partially hooked up and completely installed. This doesn't begin to tell the whole story. We started at about 10AM and had it running by 5PM. Ran great for about 20 minutes and after rechecking the valves and giving the timing one last look, it was time for a ride. It was at this point, it all ran off the tracks. Suddenly we had a mini-starter problem and more troubling, a serious screech had developed toward the front of the engine. My immediate suspicion centered on the cam button. I'd bought the tricked out, double throw down button with an integrated Torrington needle bearing. I assumed (incorrectly) that it would get oiled via splash off the timing chain. Not! Before that could happen, the bearing partially seized and the resulting metal to metal gave notice of imminent self destruction. Everyone had plans for the evening, so we shut down and reconvened this morning at 9:30. Removed the radiator and A/C components, the FEAD and the water pump. Dropped the pan down in the front and removed the timing cover. Suspicions confirmed. Luckily, nothing had come off and dropped into the pan or [worse!]. While we cleaned up the parts and removed the remains of the failed cam button, Chris, a local machinist made us a button to the dimensions we needed out of Delrin. At 2PM we had it running again and by 3PM, I'd fried the tires out on 3rd street. A little after 5PM I was back home in KC. Last I saw of the '57 it was headed down the street to get gas and then to a local shop to setup the four link and front end.

Moral of the story... sometimes the simple solution is the best.

Re: Crusty Rusty Leaky Squeaky 67 Step
 

An adventure in engine building Starring Vic!
LOL great job Vic it sounds like once again you saved the day.

Re: Crusty Rusty Leaky Squeaky 67 Step
 

That's awesome Vic, you do some great work. That 57 Chevy looks awesome!
If you have time tomorrow let me know and I'll bring the drop blocks by.

Re: Crusty Rusty Leaky Squeaky 67 Step
 

Nice work on the '57 Vic.

Re: Crusty Rusty Leaky Squeaky 67 Step
 

Thanks, Scott. I'll be around all day tomorrow. Below is one last pic of the '57 down on the ground.

Re: Crusty Rusty Leaky Squeaky 67 Step
 

Wow that car is awesome! I'll give you a call tomorrow Vic.

Re: Crusty Rusty Leaky Squeaky 67 Step
 

Your work is great. Thank you for all your help in the past. You helped me with the striped hinge bolts. I sent you a PM on another issue. Again thanks.

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Nice car! Glad it all came together after the usual amount of briggling.

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Good thing you figgered that out before it got ugly. Nice work! Wonder how the mfg expects them things to survive?

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Good question, John. After the fact, I thought it might have helped to remove the snap ring, pack the bearing with grease and reassemble before installing. Or alternatively, drill a teeny tiny hole in one of the oil galley plugs to provide more lubrication from above the button. You'd have thought the mfg. would throw up a red flag if this was a potential issue. Maybe it was just the luck of the draw and I got one that was destined to fail. $#!* happens...

Re: Crusty Rusty Leaky Squeaky 67 Step
 

good looking 57 :chevy:

Re: Crusty Rusty Leaky Squeaky 67 Step
 

When I was down at my buddy Jay's place a couple of months ago, I noticed he had a box full of (mostly) disassembled vent window parts along with a few new seals, etc. Since I've rebuilt a couple of similar sets for my trucks, I offered to overhaul them. Having the tools and a little experience under your belt makes a lot of difference. So when I had a little free time, I cleaned and blasted the frames, then sent them to Jonathon Cornell at Sure Coat in Sedalia for satin black powder coating. While down there this weekend, I picked the pieces up and brought them home. There's lots of tutorials on the web on rebuilding these, so I won't bother with details, but one thing that's worth mentioning is in regard to the rivets.

The rivets you get from the aftermarket vendors are typically too small a diameter to clinch the seal strips properly and can easily fail. Another issue is their length. They're too long to properly draw up some of the frame connectors. On the ones I've rebuilt, the factory used two different size rivets - 1/8" and 5/32". The ones supplied by the vendors are about .144" which puts them about halfway between the two sizes. So you end up drilling out the frame assembly holes and settling for a sloppy fit on the seal strips.

Well we don't settle for nuthin' around here. Having seen this problem before, I'd already fabricated a little tool to make my own rivets out of 18-8 SS round head solid rivets with a 1/4" length body. There's a pic below of the tool and before and after rivets. I first chuck up the rivet body in the lathe and face off the round head to make a thin, flat head. Then I drop the rivet into the tool and tighten it on the mandrel. I use a #1 center drill to make a starter hole and then a #37 jobber drill to a depth of .150" to finish the job. This leaves .100" of solid body which clinches thin parts perfectly. The tool can also be used with the vendor supplied rivets to deepen them for a better hold.

This procedure only applies to the most seriously anal retentive builders. But it would be nice if the vendors took it upon themselves to package the correct rivets for the job. It's hard enough to redo vent window assemblies as it is.

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Nice job on the wing window Vic, that looks great!

Re: Crusty Rusty Leaky Squeaky 67 Step
 

Vic, you simply amaze me with your ideas and the quality of your work you do. I would just like to come hang out sometime if we weren't hundreds of miles apart....;)

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So what were you in your previous life? A tool and die maker? Nice home made tool Vic!

Re: Crusty Rusty Leaky Squeaky 67 Step
 

You have to really press him, but if he starts telling you about his previous life, most mere mortals eyes start glazing over at about the 45 second mark. Something about oil, and drills, and radiation, and secret government projects, and aliens, and pro stock cars.... over my head in a hurry! ;)

Great work as usual, Vic!

Re: Crusty Rusty Leaky Squeaky 67 Step
 

Kind of a long drive just to hang out and shoot the breeze, for sure. One of the reasons I really like the forum is being able to exchange ideas and see what others around the country are up to. I'm not afflicted with "not invented here" syndrome. I'll happily use a good idea regardless of its origin. ;)

Re: Crusty Rusty Leaky Squeaky 67 Step
 

rofl!

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Well done! How are you staking them down? The little punch tool that comes in the kits works pretty good for the easy ones.

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I didn't have much luck with the included tool, so I bought one from Hanson and turned it down on the end to fit better into tight spots. I also made one for smaller rivets using an old punch. Then threw away the one that came in the kit.

Re: Crusty Rusty Leaky Squeaky 67 Step
 

Nice work on the vent windows. I found the exact problems with the pieces I bought from one of the aftermarket dealers. I ended up making new rivets HERE for the pivet and turning the length of the rivets for the seals. I had to drill the frames out too.

I love all the attention to detail on your thread we seem to have a lot in common.

Re: Crusty Rusty Leaky Squeaky 67 Step
 

Vic,
I'm going to doing this to my vent windows here shortly, did you have any problems getting the glass out of the frame before powder coating? I can powder coat my frames/channels at my uncles for the cost of the powder, I might be calling to ask for some assistance when the time comes! since I'm not that far, and you have some free time, might bring it all by and see the master at work!:metal: When I'm ready that is.... I'm still gathering parts(seals, maybe tinted replacement glass) any way's great inginuity was that a bolt/nut with a metal "Slug" welded onto the nut, with a pilot hole drilled into it? clever.....:smoke:
As always, your legend precedes you!
Have a good one!
Ben

Re: Crusty Rusty Leaky Squeaky 67 Step
 

Hey Ben, glad to hear from you. Both of Jay's vent windows were cracked, so I didn't have to worry about saving them. However, a PO had replaced them some time in the past and used RTV to glue the glass into the frames. I took a cue from a tutorial on stovebolt.com and broke the glass out to make it easier to remove. Wearing safety glasses and leather gloves, I wrapped each window in a couple of rags then tapped around the edges close to the frame with a hammer and chisel. I sat down in my chair next to the trash can and worked the glass back and forth until it became somewhat pliable adjacent to the edge of the frame. I then used a long slender flat blade screwdriver to gently pry the captive remainder of the glass from the frame. Worked down both long edges to the corner and was able to pull the last bit out. This left some residual RTV and a few glass shards in the frame. I scraped as much as I could from the rest of the U-channel and then soaked it overnight in solvent. I use Ozonic 117 solvent but Varsol also works great. The RTV turns rubbery and releases easily with a small brush. I then threw the frames into the blast cabinet and removed the paint and grunge. Most powder coat firms have a way to prep the surface if you don't have that capability in house. Let me know if I can help.

Re: Crusty Rusty Leaky Squeaky 67 Step
 

Thanks, Mike. We certainly have a lot of the same tools and approach problems in the same way. I especially like your link to the truck pictures. They tell the story in a very efficient way.

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Vic, I will second the comment. You amaze me with the amount of detailed work, or as you call it anal retentive work, lol. Keep it up. I like to gather ideas from everyone as you have and build on them myself.

Re: Crusty Rusty Leaky Squeaky 67 Step
 

I've been doing little bits of work off and on. With the twins here and several side projects, it's been hit and miss. Today was more of a miss than I'm used to. Weather was nice and the wife took the twins on a hike, so I used the opportunity to squirt some epoxy primer and Slick Sand on the bedside. The epoxy went pretty good, but the Slick Sand set up in the gun during a 15 minute break before doing a re-coat. There went $20 worth of material (at 40 bucks a quart) and a $20 HF gun. Jeez!

But the real kicker was when I sighted down the length of the outer bedside. Looked like warmed over death. It's going to take a lot more work to get it into any kind of paintable condition. Now I see why others who have done this say it's just an okay modification. I would be weeks closer to completion had I just popped for a new repro bedside. Of course the inside that will be covered with bedliner and no one will ever see turned out great.

:waah:

Re: Crusty Rusty Leaky Squeaky 67 Step
 

Hey Vic.. I am working with the Dynacorn bedsides and I can tell you they are no picnic... I am trying to get them to fit to the bed floor and head panel... Lets just say it has been a challenge...

You truck is getting there and looking good...

Re: Crusty Rusty Leaky Squeaky 67 Step
 

I had a batch of a similar product (Z-Chrome) do the same thing on me last week during a 20 minute lunch break. Kinda caught me off guard. Fortunately I could salvage the paint gun but it took about 30 minutes to dig it out. I used that stuff during the winter and you had what seemed like hours of pot life.

Too bad about the bedside. I have thought about doing that mod for a future project but now you have me thinking otherwise. good luck getting her straight.

Re: Crusty Rusty Leaky Squeaky 67 Step
 

Yeah, come to think of it, fixing the wheelwell fastener pattern on the brand new passenger side bed panel I bought took some time also. So I guess there's no guarantee a new one will drop right in.

Re: Crusty Rusty Leaky Squeaky 67 Step
 

This morning it was back to Worlds of Fun for probably the last time this summer with the twins. Rachel and I finally managed to ride the Timber Wolf which completed the full complement of roller coasters at WOF. And for good measure, we were on the second group to ride the Steel Hawk which had its Grand Opening today. We'd have been in the first group except they only ran it half full. Guess that way they'd have a lot fewer people to rescue if it crapped out at the top like it did a couple of times out at Knott's Berry Farm.

After lunch, the twins and I went to the Liberty fireworks stand and loaded up for tomorrow. They each had a $20 budget to pick whatever they wanted. It was a hoot to watch them picking out items, totaling them up, changing their minds, putting things back, adjusting the total ...ad nauseum. I was amazed that when we checked out, neither one had gone over budget and we had a basket full of gimcracks.

That left just enough time this afternoon to finish applying Slick Sand to the outer bedside. The new $16.99 HF gun worked to perfection. This gives me a good base to build on so I can now fine tune the body lines.

Re: Crusty Rusty Leaky Squeaky 67 Step
 

looks great Vic...

Re: Crusty Rusty Leaky Squeaky 67 Step
 

That bedside looks super nice Vic.

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I wish it looked as good in person as it does in the photo, Scott. The seamed area toward the back will need a considerable amount of finesse to get it to look right. Best choice would be to leave it in primer like I originally contemplated. ;)

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The last few days have been devoted to bodywork. The bedsides are ready for 2K primer as are the front and rear wheel wells. I've picked back up on the bed floor and even with my customized spreader tools, it's pretty tough sledding. There's a zillion dings in just about every place you look. The spray bed liner will hide a lot, but not the dents. I figure I have a couple more days of grinding down filler, then it should be ready for a coat of Slick Sand. I've been mulling over doing the undercoat and spray liner with the bed in primer and all assembled, but I haven't come up with a way to set it down on the chassis when the time comes. It gets pretty heavy when it's all put together.

Re: Crusty Rusty Leaky Squeaky 67 Step
 

4x4 across the bed at tubs, cherry pickerfrom rear, jack that dude right up.

Re: Crusty Rusty Leaky Squeaky 67 Step
 

Vic, I'm always ready to help whenever you need it. Just give me a call, I'm 10 minutes away.