59 Panelmania

[OrrieG]

Build is looking good. Check your calipers to make sure the bleeder is on the top. I could not tell from the photos but it looked like it might be on the bottom. They are interchangable from side to side, I found out the hard way.

[arturo7]

Thanks, Orrie. I'll check that out.

[arturo7]

Originally Posted by OrrieG

Check your calipers to make sure the bleeder is on the top. I could not tell from the photos but it looked like it might be on the bottom. They are interchangable from side to side, I found out the hard way.

You are correct, they are switched. Guess I should have paid attention to the R and L in the castings. What a kanucklckehead...

[arturo7]

Haven't done a lick of work on the truck this week. I've been obsessing on a new axe. New to me, anyway. It's an early 60's Harmony tenor guitar.

[arturo7]

Assembled the rear brakes and installed the rear axle.

I was having an issue with one of the hold-down pins, just couldn't get the spring compressed enough to get the retainer cup in place.

I even made a special tool:




Then I found the problem. Doh!

[OrrieG]

Old school brake spring stretchers have a round on one handle end that lets you compress and turn the 1/4 turn in one motion with one hand so you can hold the pin head from behind with the other hand.

[Russell Ashley]

Originally Posted by OrrieG

Old school brake spring stretchers have a round on one handle end that lets you compress and turn the 1/4 turn in one motion with one hand so you can hold the pin head from behind with the other hand.

That round end on the tool shown is for removing and replacing the return springs. This is the tool you use on the hold down springs. This is from Summit and well worth the $12.97 price the first brake job.

[arturo7]

Thanks guys. I ended up buying a the tool in order to get the shoe springs installed.

[OrrieG]

Darn, I've been using it wrong for 45 years...

[_Ogre]

Originally Posted by OrrieG

Darn, I've been using it wrong for 45 years...

not wrong, just under utilized
i use it for both purposes; unlocking the washer and installing springs

[arturo7]

Speaking of tools, I just tallied that column in my project spreadsheet. Yikes! It's more than I paid for the truck!

[arturo7]

What a day. Took all afternoon and part of the night to do a couple hours worth of work. Started with a bolt mishap that led to the motor falling off the engine stand. Fortunately, the fall was broken by the balancer pulley. Then the bolts I had for the flywheel were to long, thus trip #1 to the parts store. This was quickly followed by trip #2 to parts store for the forgotten Loctite.

I'm happy to report that the flywheel did finally settle nicely into it's new home, followed by the clutch and the bell housing.






Next up were the front motor mounts. The diameter of harmonic balancer was a bit large for the mounts. I figured it would be less hassle to alter the mounts rather than replace the balancer. A little cutting wheel, a little black paint, voila; customer motor mounts. I'm optimistic that I left enough steel for the mounts to do their jobs.

[Kim57]

Looks like your getting there.
Kim

[OrrieG]

I had to modify my mounts like you did too, does not hurt at all, I drove it for 15 years that way.

[Denee007]

what, no self adjusters for your brakes?

Originally Posted by arturo7

Thanks guys. I ended up buying a the tool in order to get the shoe springs installed.

[arturo7]

Originally Posted by Denee007

what, no self adjusters for your brakes?

Self adjusters, what? Is there such a thing?

[arturo7]

Productive day.

Mounted the motor...






...and the tranny. Couldn't quite get it with the hoist alone, so I enlisted the floor jack as well.










A buddy said he'd roll by to see if I needed a hand. His timing was perfect, he showed up while I was taking a burrito break in between the motor and tranny work. He was however, able to snap a pic. Here's me, ready for a test drive...

[Kim57]

Looking good.
Although you're sitting on the wrong side.
Kim

[Denee007]

I love it! I love to be able to actually see a member! Thank you!

I installed self adjusters on my truck.

[OrrieG]

Originally Posted by Kim57

Looking good.
Although you're sitting on the wrong side.
Kim

Aussie envy....project is looking good.

[_Ogre]

looks good arturo
been so long since i saw something stock
almost forgot what everything looks like
almost

[arturo7]

I'm considering running the vehicle on CNG. My biggest concern is the size of the tank(s). I laid in the drive shaft and used a 12" lid to approximate a tank diameter. A tank that holds the equivalent of 9 gallons is roughly 13" dia X 60" long.

If I use a firewall mounted booster instead of the frame mount, I could conceivably fit 2 of these tanks under the body. However, I would need to run the exhaust outside of the frame. Not sure how that would work.

[arturo7]

Fabricated a dolly for the body. If this board ever fixes the gallery, I'll post some pics.

[Ferrofil]

Your not happy about the image uploads either?! :-)
Good to see that your making progress!
Posted via Mobile Device

[arturo7]

It's been a busy coupla few days...

moved the body to my side yard
erected a canopy/paint booth
mounted the body on a rotisserie
started removing the floorboards