Almost ready for paint

[David_Doan]

Before starting to paint the car, I decided to finish all of the other dirty work and painting parts first. My wife and Georgia were out of town this weekend, so no honey-do’s and no soccer. I got a lot done. A few pics below, the rest in my blog

• Painted and assembled other leaf spring
• Made new u-bolt for leaf spring (could not find one at the hardware store)
• Installed both leaf spring bushings
• Cleaned and painted:
  • Headlight buckets
  • Passenger side blanking panel
  • Pedal box
  • Brake and clutch pedals
  • Starter
  • Exhaust bracket
  • Seat frames
  • Radiator
• Cleaned and rebuilt master cylinder
• Un-mounted spare tire to start prepping one wheel for paint. The spare is an old white-wall with a DOT code of 146. This means this tire was made on week 14 of the 6th year of the decade. This tire is from April 1966 or 1976. Way too old to drive on.
• JB-Welded other wheel arch
• Cleaned carbs and assembled on engine with velocity stacks and K&N air filters.
• Installed alternator
• Installed starter

 

[BillW103]

I mounted my alternator like that and the small ear broke off.

 

[David_Doan]

Did you see the bracket I added at the back to stabilize it? Did you do something similar?

 

[ABfish]

In one weekend, you've equalled the work that I've accomplished in six months.

And mine doesn't look nearly that good (or clean).

 

[jhorton3]

That looks really sharp! I like the gray paint on the engine. What alternator are you using?

 

[Jim_Gruber]

David,

How does that bracket fasten in the rear. Is it bolted to anything or just sit against the engine block.

 

[David_Doan]

That looks really sharp! I like the gray paint on the engine. What alternator are you using?

Plain old GM 10SI. 3 wire hookup. Big lug goes to the battery for charging. Then the idiot light wire and the regulator sense line. The sense line is optional. The advantage of hooking it up is that it regulates the voltage at the battery (or wherever you hook it up) rather than at the alternator. This compensates for any in line voltage drop.

Its a big ugly alternator, but stocked by everyone with the standard pulley installed.

 

[Whitephrog]

Your garage looks waaaayyyy better than mine!

 

[David_Doan]

David,

How does that bracket fasten in the rear. Is it bolted to anything or just sit against the engine block.

Jim, there are more pics in my blog that might make it clearer. The 5/16 all-thread goes from the water pump ear to the original rear generator mount. The aluminum bracket on the back of the alternator attaches to a threaded ground lug and the all-thread. Hopefully the all-thread is rigid enough to keep it stable.

Other solution would be to make a new rear mount that extends to the alternator (like the moss kit) or cut lengths of pipe to slide over the all-thread.

Maybe this pic is better.

 

[Jim_Gruber]

Thnaks David,

Much clearer.

 

[David_Doan]

Your garage looks waaaayyyy better than mine!

My amazing wife let's me keep the clean and painted parts in my office. Here's my garage:

I don't know how I lived before I installed the chain hoist

And my bench at the front of the garage

 

[BillW103]

When I mounted my alternator I didn’t support as well as you did. I did have to mill the alternator ear about .015 to line up with pulleys on the motor. I decided to mount with the big eat and made this bracket.

 

[David_Doan]

One more step before paint…Prep the bonnet:

• Patch side-view mirror holes (new mirrors will be mounted on the windshield posts)
• Reinforce fan shroud for better support of front tilt
• Paint the underside with truck-bed-liner (same as the undercarriage and engine bay)

 

[Jim_Gruber]

David,

Definitely heavy duty now. A close look at the pics and I can see why you reinforced.
I did similiar when I worked on Bugsy I's bonnet. Choose aluminum along with pop rivets. Your's definitely is much heavier and stronger. Now since I own a welder it would definitely be welded and steel. Nice job on the beds you made and getting them to fit correctly. There is an acquired skill there I don't have. Nice work.

 

[BillW103]

Do you have a grill. I had my bonnet finished and then got the grill. If I had it to do over I would have the grill on hand while doing the body work to check fit.

 

[David_Doan]

Do you have a grill. I had my bonnet finished and then got the grill. If I had it to do over I would have the grill on hand while doing the body work to check fit.

I have a grill, it's not in great shape. Not sure if a new one is in the budget before paint.

 

[BillW103]

That was my problem also.