GRIZZ’s ‘79 - 2WD BLAZER Challenge over in London, England. “~It’s not a Project~”

[Grizz1963]

Remember this…….?


Damascus steel, hand made, in America.

Had a message from my friend Jon Hall custom Knives to say the weather had forced hime back into the forge and to start making knives again.

My custom kitchen knife is taking shape.

Not sure if I will want to use it or just look and touch it.

Such an honour.

And of course I do love people who are skilled creators.




Layer upon layer of steel.





On Saturday Sally and I took the truck out for a run down to Whitstable to see mate martins new home and under construction garage via some shops.

What a pleasure, as always, to take the truck out.

Silly grins abound.





Thankfully the recent fuel shortages have not impacted my pleasures.

[Grizz1963]

Looks like deleting the Photophukit app from my phone and reinstalling it, has allowed me to upload.

I still do not understand how my 25000 photo option is near capacity.


Anyway…….

So where were we?



Back to the hydraulic press and removing the old rubber.

Old vs new.

Bottom end.



Kinda screwed up on the first top one I did.

Not realising the outer sleeves had to be re-used I was pretty rough on them till I woke up.

Rough as a rough thing, but I cleaned them all up and cleared the very rusted inside and outside bores plus the cuff.



Once cleaned up, you need Fairy Liquid or any slippery dishwashing liquid to help slip them in, vice or press needed again.



Lower arms needed a lot of remedial work too.

Also top and bottom ball joints were well and truely beyond their best…..





And I still need to understand why there are screws in the bottom of the ball joints.



This rebuild has certainly turned into a restoration as @westbay Tony pointed out to me this week.

The plan was originally just a quick throw together but I am realising more and more that it may well end up being a decent car once completed.

Here’s to Vroom Vroom eventually.

[Grizz1963]

Out of sync now.

Thanks to too many pics.

Remember the home made spring compressor?

One bit of advice is to have a long enough shaft to allow full decompression

The Ford has a cup/ridge to finally get over when you get to that point.







Second one was easier as I knew what to do.



Sure these look at least a coil to high?/



Another job I have been looking forward to for many months was to remove the mangled remains of the disc brake dust shield.

So I removed the hub and got that off too.

Discs are pretty rotten too.






And to finish on a happy note, this tome of year, with winter creeping in at a fair pace, the sunrises are again pretty.




Day job is also keeping me really busy every day with somewhat extended hours at the moment.

So progress is limited to quick early morning or late day spurts of activity.

.

[Grizz1963]

Thanks again to Tony @westbay and Cliff down at the local garage…….

Cliffs welcome at the garage reads thus:



Anyway, Tony had searched a variety of options for the brakes and posted them up.

Cliff, being an oldskool mechanic suggested I at least try dismantle and then see if I could rebuild the front callipers that look pretty far gone..



The rear drums, and probably shoes and hardware will need a load of attention too.



So I still need to try disassemble the brake callipers and see if I can get away with seals and nothing else for about £12.00 or if the next level around £40.00 including pistons will work.



Random item search, I have almost a full set 12/16 of these wheel nuts, a few are damaged and scratched badly.

I really want to use them on the steel wheelz I plan to use, hoping they are going to do the job correctly.

These are them.



Question is……….


What were they originally fitted to, in case someone knows, or does anyone have between 4-16 to sell that are in decent condition??

I am planning on knocking all the studs that are still left in the hubs, out and replacing them with longer items as the spacers and adapters will need a bit more stud to safely mount the wheels.

PM please if you have or know anything.

Thanks.

[Grizz1963]

So having decided to replace the discs, ball joints and a load of other moving parts for peace of mind and safety, plus a large chunk of FUTURE PROOFING for the car, I ordered in some new parts.

£25.00



£52.00



There will be more to follow.

In the mean time I removed all the ball joints from the control arms, and then cleaned them up and painted parts that I ground back.



Seen better days.



Minus control arms it looks pretty bare.



Looooong springs painted too.



And the control arms ready for the ball joints next day.



Happy so far.

[Grizz1963]

So after 5.00pm today I went to get the next bit done.

Sally was only popping in to say hi and drop some groceries for me.

This allowed me to focus for 90 minutes.

Keep in mind, I have to think every move through.

So started with this, left from last night.



BFH to the rescue.



Fitted



Secured



Happy.



Ball joints and bushes renewed.




Then came the @pauly moment.

I was dreading it, while I could imagine him on a throne……. Laughing his head off.



Result



This seems to have given me a 2 1/4 inch reduction

I have no idea if that is the right way to look at it.

Sure it will make a difference.





I also realised that the pile of discarded, replaced parts from the running gear was steadily growing.





Once cut, the springs went in in reverse to the way the had come out.

Once was all reassembled, it was nice to see it this far.





Tomorrow or Saturday I will refit the Anti Roll Bar and other bits that are waiting their second reassembly.

Then the wheels back on and of course back under the chassis.

Almost the weekend too.

[Grizz1963]

Last night a cryptic text from @forddan68 said that something had landed on my Focus’ screen.

Bird poop.



Thanks Dan.

[Grizz1963]

So after work last night I put in about 90 minutes of focussed work.

Got it this far.



Other side.



Then could not resist adding the steel wheels I bought for it a year ago.

They are 15 inch, and really wide.

It is tracking wide, and once on the road, the camber, castor, tracking will be set professionally.



Wheels make me happy.



The difference currently between the old FWD 16’s snd steel 15’s is about 3” which translates to a real world 1.5” lowering on the wheels, we will see where a higher, wider tyre takes us when the new tyres are fitted much later.

These are stupidly stretched, so it will all change.



Callipers need rebuilding or replacing if I find them too damaged to rebuild, which is very possible.

But thinking of high heat orange on the callipers once cleaned up, to go with the poly bushes



Last thing at this point…….

Remember we had a discussion around the bump stops before.

Having had FWD alloys fitted, it looked pretty crowded.

Now with the adapters, and a 5mm spacer plate (though I really want them at 10mm) fitted, the picture looks a load healthier.

I think once it gets loaded up, things will continue to look just fine.





Been down at the Thames river for a walk and driftwood scavenge, so not started on the next bit of this build.

Be there in a bit though.

Coffee next.

[Grizz1963]

Early morning visit from George.

He comes a few times a day now.



Then Went for a walk down to the Thames river beach.



Saw this beautiful little sunflower, the only fighter on the beach.

Pleasant surprise as one would not expect to find it there.



Even the coconut was surprised.



Came home, took it easy.

Then at around 4.00pm I went to the garage to get my compressor sorted so I could connect the tyre inflator.

Followed by the front brake callipers which I cleaned first, then started to address with the compressed air from the compressor.

More about that later.

.

[Grizz1963]

What?

Weekend over

My new DeWalt tools landed.

Amazed at just how different they are to the Makita units I have/had.

Ergonomics and size/weight is really well balanced.



A quick couple of pics about something that is so different for me, here in the UK the way roads are marked.

A melted, hot type paint poured from a jug into a drawn trough.






In other news, mate @paulf came to collect his hydraulic press in his split bus, dyno’d at 170bhp it has to be interesting if driven hard.



While he was here @nickwheeler called me to see if I was here.

Of course, so 30 minutes later he joined us.

Paul had a home, wife and kids to get to, and left in his bus, and it sounded sooooo healthy.

Thanks mate.


Nick and I carried on talking all things automotive and tools.

Ultimately I managed to convince him to try using the blow out tool he had brought over to see if after my failure, he could convince the pistons to move.

Bigger hammer, dismantling and pressure, all failed to get any progress.

So we realised that maybe these callipers have seen better days.


So the next job will be to put together a package of front brakes and the bits needed.





Regarding the rear brakes, Nick had also brought some parts he had bought years ago and never used.



Looked like it is a fit, maybe this is another of those interchangeable parts one finds when working with cars.






Looking forward to getting some more new parts together to fit before reuniting the chassis and running gear.


We are getting there, bit by bit.

[Grizz1963]

Took a very quick look between meetings at the Rallydesign site via a Google search.

Pads seem to range in price widely.

Also noticed that prices exclude VAT.

Yes you have to pay it but it does show that different companies advertise differently.



Rears will be similarly interesting as there are different options it seems.

[LT7A]

You've made a lot of progress since I last checked in. It's got to be a great feeling to get so many parts cleaned and the wear parts replaced. That front end work is arduous, but the payoff is there in safety and driveability.

[Grizz1963]

Yesterday I met my postman about a kilometre from home up on one of the farm roads.

He drove next to me while I was doing my exercise walk.

Told me he had delivered a parcel for me, through the letter slot in the front door.

International delivery he said.

I knew instantly what it was.

Vladimir, in Russia had told me in one of our Whatsapp chats that he had put a small parcel in the post for me.

So when I got home, the shape gave it away.

Russian License plate for my collection.

Even better, it falls into my preferred group of different, unusual etc as it is a temporary plate for moving vehicles from one city or region to another.

Thick laminated, and flexible so it can be tied on with string.



Also included, some working gloves for the garage, a Lenin Lapel badge for my weirdness cabinet, and then a necklace for Sally, so nice in this community that people feel the need to acknowledge the others in our builds.

Also in the parcel……..


A horse decoration form the 1800’s that Vladimir found while treasure hunting in a field.

Being a Horse decoration, this may possibly become the keyring for the Rezin Rockit.

Horsepower and all that.





Life is good.

[Grizz1963]

[quote author="@grizz" source="/post/2702767/thread" timestamp="1634973674"][quote timestamp="1634972234" source="/post/2702766/thread" author="@kevins"]There are no seals they rely on the seals in the wheel bearings, to change these you need a slide hammer to get the shafts out and a press to get the bearing and retaining ring on, fortunately bearing kits are only around a tenner.

I'd do both if I were you.[/quote]Time to scrap this barsteward of a thing.

More tools I do not have. [/quote]


So it looks like I am way too committed to this thing.

Maybe I should be committed, or get on with it.

Just spent some more cash.

From the £49.50 per calliper, this is where that ended so far.

Brake lines and hardware will add to that of course.





I really dislike working with dirty parts, even if they are broken, non functional, or getting replaced.



As a bit of Zen searching last night when I realised that this thing has thrown me another curved ball, I thought wasting a bit of fresh petrol, maybe a liter in total, I would at least clean up the rear drums and their parts.



Result.



Next one.

Dry, no leaks, but it will have to be done while I do the other side.



And done.




I have decided to step away from the build for today, if I can get it right, and do the hedges and garden beds for the last time this season, hopefully.

Maybe cut the grass too.

Oh, and see Sally.

Nice day out.

[Grizz1963]

Yup…….


I like animals, and love them visiting.

George from two houses down spent a lot of time here yesterday while we were clearing up the garden.





I cut all my hedges, and Mickey’s next door as he hates doing it. Sally cleared garden beds, I raked up pine needles and leaves, followed by cutting the grass.

Once all that was done, including going to Sallys place to sell her cross trainer and see it leave she went in to watch Gogglebox, one of her few luxuries that I can’t abide.

So I went to the garage for a couple of slow hours to do little jobs.

Nothing mechanical, just sorting stuff out, rearranging my carp.

Eventually gave up and grabbed a pair of pliers and the Dewalt with a decent 6mm bit……..l

Been wanting to do this job since getting the Rezin Rockit.

Drilling out all the rivets.


Now you see them.




Now you don't.



Fiberglass resin filler for the holes next.

I left the steel tabs, for now, they may become part of the fake door latching mechanism.

No bootfair, no plans today.

May take the S10 for a drive…….

Just need somewhere or someone to visit.

[Grizz1963]

Seems cables have been stolen in my area.

Non existent internet and wifi as a result.

Phone has a bit of 3G or 4G that comes intermittently.

Went for my 6km walk yesterday, what a lovely day.

Also gave me time to take a break from the Rezin Rockit.

Thames river and Essex.



And looking back toward the Medway river.

I love being surrounded by large water masses.



And one of my turning points, where some magic continues to happen.



Up closer, changes every day.

Hood ornament and mount added now.



Later the day I took the truck, went for a drive, did some shopping and had a guy in a Tesla speak to me, telling me he loved the truck and the sound.

The Tesla is his company car and he made an interesting comment, saying is was ultra capable, but has no soul.

Quite telling, we as humans do love the advancement of the species, but the visceral qualities of a petrol or fossil fuelled engine still gets us going.

The views are always lovely andthe camera does not do it justice.

I popped into Kevins on the way home.

He has also decided to now go with the VW Beetle indicators on the rear fenders.




All too soon the weekend was over.

But the truck made me grin.

[Grizz1963]

Another job that I will hopefully get to soon.

The floor was modified and repaired before I got the car.

I am wanting to reinforce, and possibly paint it once done, to match the rest of the fiberglass, to either white, or maybe mask it all and go black on just the floor.

A bit ugly right now.



Using some of this impressive fiber filled resin stuff, I filled all the little holes after prepping them and carefully countersinking those (2) I had not gone through completely.



Next step will be a careful rub back with a flat soft block.

So that the holes are filled and ready for whatever treatment I decide to give it.

Paint, wrap, stickers……. We still need to decide a route for final decoration.




DHL texted early this morning to say they were delivering the front callipers and hardware between 2.54Pm and 3.54pm

Looking forward to masking and painting them before fitting over the weekend.


I have next Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday off work, so will certainly be spending some time down at the garage.

Kettle is on if anyone wants to come help or hinder.

[LT7A]

It's funny that George the cat has semi-adopted you. Don't know how long he's been your neighbor, but he obviously likes hanging out with his new friend Grizz. Do you guys not have brake cleaner in a can over there, haha? Leetle beet more safer than petrol and the labor is included in the can, more or less. As far as cleaning parts that you're going to replace, I'm a fan. Cleaning, cleaning, and then a little more cleaning is one of the most satisfying roads to enjoyment of the hobby as far as I'm concerned. The cost to make everything perfect is astronomical. The cost to make everything clean is not bad at all.

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by LT7A

It's funny that George the cat has semi-adopted you. Don't know how long he's been your neighbor, but he obviously likes hanging out with his new friend Grizz. Do you guys not have brake cleaner in a can over there, haha? Leetle beet more safer than petrol and the labor is included in the can, more or less. As far as cleaning parts that you're going to replace, I'm a fan. Cleaning, cleaning, and then a little more cleaning is one of the most satisfying roads to enjoyment of the hobby as far as I'm concerned. The cost to make everything perfect is astronomical. The cost to make everything clean is not bad at all.

Evening mate.

George has possibly lived two houses down for as much as 6 months, we thought he was a feral ct.

But little by little he has become family, albeit adopted.

Yes we have brake cleaner, but I prefer high risk cleaning.

Cleanliness is right up there with godliness I hear.








So what does £60.00 buy you? Or $83.00 plus shipping.

One of these, without hardware or pads, or paint.



Paint?

Oh, and masking up and heating.

Heating helps the paint dry faster and more succesfully.



Result.



And then ready for assembly and fitting.



Hopefully I will figure it out when it comes to the assembly and fitting.

Any advice and warnings on the reassembly appreciated as always.

I do not have @nickwheeler or @kevins and @pauly on site to guide and bollock me when working.

Happy with how they came out though, at £180.00 or $250.00 they best be good once fitted.

.

[Grizz1963]

So there I was doing my daily brisk 6km walk.

Coming back down the last 0.5km I pass two ladies walking an old Labrador, and a cross bred “Labradoodle” that has always been aggressive, goes for anyone that he sees or passes.
I always go down and greet him and make a fuss for a few moments, as I really love animals and want him to feel it as well.
Yesterday I was trying to set a new target time for the walk, so when Milo the dog went off barking and lunging at me as usual, I gave him a wide berth and kept left.
As I passed he lunged and bit me on the upper thigh, hard.
Thankfully he seems to have hit the rear pocket of my tracksuit pants.
I was livid, and wanted to destroy him immediately.
I went off at him, and clearly scared the living daylights out of his owner and the other lady, Labrador owner.
I was going to report it to the police in my anger, and pursue his destruction.
In the end I calmed down, and later one of my other neighbours popped around to hear what really happened, small village mentality.

What does one do in this situation?

The owners husband, interestingly has not come to see if I am OK, or apologise.



I was on training meetings till 4.30pm and after that I grabbed a coffee and went down to the garage to try finish painting the chassis that I had spent a part of my lunch break getting started earlier.



So got going again by 5.40 with the Hammerite.



By 18.10 it was pretty much dark, and I had turned on the garage lights earlier so that I could finish the painting on the upper side.

I also ran out of paint, perfectly when I finished the upper side.




Went to look this morning, not too bad a few spots to touch up where covering is not complete.



Weather is turning, so lets hope it dries nicely before I flip it over.

Then we are ready for partial reassembly.

[Grizz1963]

Day job is really getting in the way right now.

And of course shorter days mean that by 6.00pm time is up.

Yesterday was a long, busy online day, loads more to do this week.

I have about 10-15 hrs of online training to do, 14 modules, each with a 10 question test at the end, and pass mark 90%

Still, Mickey knocked at about 4.30pm as I never even heard the couriers deliver despite being here.

Happy to say……..

We have parts.



And some of these.



Of course shiny and new is lovely.

But Red is better.

More later.

[LT7A]

If your wheelbarrow is/was nicer than one of the new ones, then maybe hop over and swap it with your good one before Mickey decimates it, haha. I don't know what to tell you with the dog, don't know what the laws are over there. My sister has a labradoodle that is also very aggressive, at least toward other dogs. Barks unnecessarily at humans, but I don't know if she'll bite. I'm not actually in favor of weird cross breeds like that. Maybe not weird to some people, but it is to me and I'm not sure it's good for the dog. But I don't profess to know much about dogs. Good work on the chassis. Progress is always progress.

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by LT7A

If your wheelbarrow is/was nicer than one of the new ones, then maybe hop over and swap it with your good one before Mickey decimates it, haha. I don't know what to tell you with the dog, don't know what the laws are over there. My sister has a labradoodle that is also very aggressive, at least toward other dogs. Barks unnecessarily at humans, but I don't know if she'll bite. I'm not actually in favor of weird cross breeds like that. Maybe not weird to some people, but it is to me and I'm not sure it's good for the dog. But I don't profess to know much about dogs. Good work on the chassis. Progress is always progress.

My wheelbarrow was lovely a year or more ago.

But Mickey is like a cancer….. bit by bit he will wear stuff out.

I think often these breeds that are cross bred to deliver specific outcomes, only expose the worst of the breeds.

And the chassis, thanks, bit by bit.

[LT7A]

Final note for what it's worth, in my opinion, I wouldn't pursue destruction of the dog even if it's lawfully justified. If you are able to avoid it successfully, then I think I'd leave it be. If it was getting loose and coming after you, that would be different. Crossing 20 to 25 ft away from them when passing will more than make the point and remind them that they should be working with their dog.

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by LT7A

Final note for what it's worth, in my opinion, I wouldn't pursue destruction of the dog even if it's lawfully justified. If you are able to avoid it successfully, then I think I'd leave it be. If it was getting loose and coming after you, that would be different. Crossing 20 to 25 ft away from them when passing will more than make the point and remind them that they should be working with their dog.

I did decide to only have a very serious, non-emotive talk with the owner.

Lets see what the future brings, he has been warned.





Mate Andy in Tulsa sent this video clip today.

How to reduce a spring by 2 inches in 10 seconds.

https://youtu.be/7h1PZdJ6d6I

Need to find out just why he needs this tool.

Not that he needs a reason.