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

[Grizz1963]

Been to work this week.

Not dressing in the usual work from home clothes or my favourite garage outfits was a bit weird.

Days are getting shorter too, so finding pockets of time for the build or my 6km farm walks gets more difficult. Before breakfast, lunch time or between Zoom and teams meetings.




This was todays attempt at stealing time from myself.

Knotwheel of Truth @pauly (tm)



Oooohhhh…..







Then after the wire wheel, this was the result.

Needed more sanding.





Using the new Dewalt cordless tools felt good, justifying the purchase.



Finished.

Brake shoes can do the rest of the finishing.




Happy with the result so far.

Resuscitated

[Grizz1963]

I really wanted to paint the drums and Callipers ORANGE to go with the polybushes………

But patience being one of my absolute virtues, that has been wearing thin lately, I did not want to wait to find Orange, so ended up at three shops that all had Red, Black, Silver in VHT Paint.

So by the time I got to Aghabridge at the local industrial site I declined the colours they had, then as I had my hand on the door, I turned around and asked for a can on Simoniz VHT in Red.

I may still regret this move, but waiting for Ebay to deliver a can at £15.00 including the postage vs £9.00 for this can……. May be a false economy.

Lets see if I can live with it.

Blanked off the insides of the drums with my loyal CAD plugs.



Shiny wet paint.



And drying.



Once I order the front callipers, pads and shoulder bolts, they will get painted red as well to match.

I really hope it all goes together as I am currently only on Black and Orange, with the Red now added.





Stopping in at mate Kevins workshop yesterday

He was super excited as he had been given a pair of 60’s VW Beetle front indicators to use as rear indicators on the rear mudguards

They need some work as there is some rust under the chrome.

However, I also know that the older 50’s Beetles have smaller units that may look a bit nicer and daintier on the rear fenders.


Question is………….


Does anyone have decent, complete a set of the older units to sell or donate?

Please post or PM me.








Also rescued from Kevins bin, these flaring tools, said to be rubbish.

If anyone wants to collect them, free of charge, or pay postage, they are available as a joblot to any masochist out there.




Friday…….

Weekend soon.

[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]

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.

[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]

Mickey is heavy on tools.

Currently has my wheelbarrow and making sure it doed not come back as taken.

On the way home from getting milk and bread this morning I saw these thrown out down the road.

Knocked and asked if I could have them.

Home owner helped me load them.

Free cash again as I knew I would have been buying a new wheelbarrow soon.



Life keeps giving.

[Grizz1963]

Got the chassis flipped onto its side today.

It is not light, despite appearances.



Used the new paint I got this morning.

Done.

And I am happy with it so far.



Will get Mickey to help me lower it carefully tomorrow.

Slow, but progress is still progress.

[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.

[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

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.

[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.

[Grizz1963]

Courier rang my doorbell at 8.45 last night.






Guess we are in the braking game now.


Loads of little pinging springs to go everywhere.


Ohhhh……


Best part, I have three days off work.


Kettle is on.

[LT7A]

Looking at the box design and fonts, you can't help but wonder if that box has been sitting on a shelf somewhere since 1975.

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by LT7A

Looking at the box design and fonts, you can't help but wonder if that box has been sitting on a shelf somewhere since 1975.

Morning mate

You could be right.

That said, it seems it was a Chinese made brand, and styling was not their main objective.

According to PaulY the products were actually good.

We will see, at less than $20.00 delivered, I am happy to see where it leads me.

[Grizz1963]

Spent a large chunk of time over at Unit Engineering in Queenborough on the Isle of Sheppey yesterday recharging my manliness batteries.

Went to drop off the three remaining bags of blast media that I never used on the chassis, and tomspend time with mate Darren and some car guys.

Also went to convert the CAD pattern pieces into 6mm steel plate.





Darren just bought in a 2.5 meter bed folder.



Amazing how it folds the steel like it was some toilet paper.

https://youtu.be/eS7U8hZX_OM

Effortless.



Done.



I will trim the plate to fit both in length, width and height before welding it all together.



Triangulated gusset goes at the rear, against the chassis.



Total overkill, but hey….. it is what was there.

Suddenly windy and chilly today, 2 T-Shirts and a hoody weather now.

.

[Grizz1963]

Not much done over the weekend, really rubbish weather, rain etc but was busy, and also rested a bit which was nice.

Last night I thought I would sit in the lounge and assemble the front brake callipers while Sally watched her guilty pleasure “Gogglebox”

I can’t abide it and don’t get it.

Anyway, I ran into problems moments after starting.

One pad went straight in, the second one got gently stuck, and despite trying a few times, I decided to put it down as it was dark outside and the light indoors not ideal.

So the question is, do I file a minimal sliver off the edge of the backing plates that seem to stick, or am I missing a trick on the reassembly ?

I am not good at force. As @nickwheeler would attest to.



It has to be a simple solution, surely.

Looking at the original calliper again, I just realised that i never added the thin plates that fit behind the pads.

This may be the solution.

Along with possibly checking to see if the pistons want to go a bit deeper into the calliper.



Could it be this simple?

Will head down to the garage a bit later when it warms up.

After all, three days vacation means some real garage time.

[LT7A]

Originally Posted by Grizz1963

We will see, at less than $20.00 delivered, I am happy to see where it leads me.

Hopefully your brakes don't "lead" you anywhere ; )

Doubtful that china was making brakes for fords circa '75, but it does look as if they are printing era appropriate packaging.

Not sure I understand where the pads are sticking but I'll throw in a few ideas. Is there an inside and an outside pad? Could the paint be thick enough to interfere? If both of those are not issues, it's not hard to imagine that the casting of the calipers and the stamping of the pad backing plates might have morphed over time enough to interfere with each other. So possibly a little filing?

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by LT7A

Hopefully your brakes don't "lead" you anywhere ; )

Doubtful that china was making brakes for fords circa '75, but it does look as if they are printing era appropriate packaging.

Not sure I understand where the pads are sticking but I'll throw in a few ideas. Is there an inside and an outside pad? Could the paint be thick enough to interfere? If both of those are not issues, it's not hard to imagine that the casting of the calipers and the stamping of the pad backing plates might have morphed over time enough to interfere with each other. So possibly a little filing?

Evening LT7A

The printing, along with typical “Chinglish” is always amusing.


All solved with a bit of filing in the vice.

The backing plates are guillotined in a factory, and that minimal untidiness on the cut made one plate microspically thicker than it needed to be.

Once filled back, easy fit.

[Grizz1963]

I was headed out to go buy a few bits needed for the work planned today.

Just as I was about to leave for town.

The doorbell rang, I was out back, and thought it was Mickey next door, shouting at him to come around back, it turned out he was actually on his rear patio too, so I went around and found a cool guest out front.

The one and only Nick Wheeler (I do have surname envy)

Perfect timing, had he arrived 10 minutes later I would have been down the road in the truck.

So we had coffee, cookies, chat and then made our way down to the garage and started to address the brakes.

First problem identified was that the back plates are cut by guillotine in the factory, and a small bit of filing back, saw them slip in as expected.



Nick had pre-emptively brought his brake pipe flaring tools and some pipe for us to give making pipes a go.



Man on a mission.



So Nick showed me how to make one pipe, and then it was my turn.

How I like to learn.

Despite having made up all the nines for the C10 a few years ago, this tool is different and pretty foolproof.





Then add the hardware (remember it all only goes on one way if you want it to work)



The tool even shows you Operation 1 and then 2 to do the different sides.



Of course if you overdo the pressure like me……

Oooopps.



Cut off and start again, thankfully I had cut the pipe a bit longer than needed.

Next job was to do a second brake hose mounting plate.

Where do you buy something that is not for sale out there?

Grab some plate, copy it, cut to shape with tin snips, drill holes, file nd tidy, fold tabs etc.





Then time for a break, made some lunch, and then headed down to

The local motor spares shop, got the 500mm brake hose identified, and ordered one for tomorrow. Followed by the industrial estate, bought some shoulder bolts to replace the ones I hd bought from Rally Design as the ones they sent were the wrong thread pitch.
Followed by a visit to Aghabridge for some brake line fittings, some of which, along with the shoulder bolts, Nick will be trimming back on his lathe at home before we can fit them.

Back at home we refitted the drivers side calliper and then the pads, plates, pins, springs and R-clips followed by brake pipes and hose.

Pretty chuffed at this point.



And once turned aside the refit went quick.



One more coffee, a discussion about wheel adapters, wheel nuts, studs and lowering and then @Nickwheeler left for his next appointment which he can tell about.

A great day, thanks to having help and brains on site.

[Grizz1963]

Todays first job, after having had a lovely holiday breakfast of two fried eggs between slices of toast will be getting into the rear of the garage and removing one strip light I know is fitted to the rear wall.

Once I remove half the C10 parts and load bed stacked in there.

Realised that it is pretty much dark by 5.00pm now and by Christmas it will be 3.30pm when play will be halted outside.

So fitting the strip lights this morning before heading out to go collect the brake hose ordered yesterday is my plan.

Remember when I had less clutter.

These lights actually never ended up working.




So hopefully by 11.00 the carport will have three strip lights up, if I can keep my shiit together and not get distracted

Day 2 of vacation. .