Okay so my baby girl has been sitting for quite some time at least a decade and I got her running changed the power steering pump took her for a spin or two now I am ready to get the ball rolling. I need to know the best order of operation. Do I go motor first which just needs freshened up a few seals changed rear main and transmission to be exact. I know my brakes which are four-wheel drum brakes need totally redone with shoes and hardware as well as cylinders. She also needs shocks which I figure I will do with the brakes. So what is the best order in which to proceed. I am extremely excited to get things rolling and would love to do everything all at once but the budget does not allow that right now so I'll have to take my time and would like to do things in a practical order. As always any and all help and advice is greatly appreciated thanks guys!
67' 300 440 Plan of Action
- Thread starter Cortez
- Start date
Do the motor first so every time you started it you can hear it run ! This will light the fire for you to move forward on everything else.
Start with the brakes. Your baby will be scrap iron without them if you intend to drive it as you do the repairs. Replace all rubber hoses and wheel cylinders, replace the master cylinder as well. Inspect the brake drums to see if they are in spec, .060 is the maximum turn to smooth them out if they are scored. If the linings are fluid soaked or worn, replace them with quality units, New brake hardware and springs would also be a good idea. While you have all four wheels off, the the tires for defects such as cracking and flat spots from extended sitting. Check and re pack the front wheel bearings. Check the rear axle bearings for obvious signs of leakage and repair as required.
The engine and transmission leakage will need to be dealt with at some point, it depends on how bad and where they are leaking. The rear main on the engine is probably cracked which is causing the leak. This can be replaced with the engine in the car but it is a pain in the butt unless you have access to a lift. Check the pan bolts on the transmission to see if they are loose, this is a common cause of leakage on the 727 transmission. Inspect while you are under there to see if you can spot where the leakage is coming from and get a good idea of what seals need to be replaced.
Shocks are a good idea any time they need to be replaced. A lot of older Mopars also have upper and lower control arm bushings that are shot as well as strut rod and stabilizer bushings. It usually simpler to do all of those things at the same time. Often the rubber on tie rod ends, ball joints and idler arms will also be at the point of failure if they are still the original factory units.
Dave
The engine and transmission leakage will need to be dealt with at some point, it depends on how bad and where they are leaking. The rear main on the engine is probably cracked which is causing the leak. This can be replaced with the engine in the car but it is a pain in the butt unless you have access to a lift. Check the pan bolts on the transmission to see if they are loose, this is a common cause of leakage on the 727 transmission. Inspect while you are under there to see if you can spot where the leakage is coming from and get a good idea of what seals need to be replaced.
Shocks are a good idea any time they need to be replaced. A lot of older Mopars also have upper and lower control arm bushings that are shot as well as strut rod and stabilizer bushings. It usually simpler to do all of those things at the same time. Often the rubber on tie rod ends, ball joints and idler arms will also be at the point of failure if they are still the original factory units.
Dave
bajajoaquin
Senior Member
Brakes and shocks. You can limp along a tired motor, but the brakes and shocks make a big difference not just in safety but in how the car feels. It is so nice to have a firm pedal and reduced float.
68NewportSportVert
Member
I definitely agree with Dave and baja - SAFETY FIRST!! Brakes first, and after 10 years I would scrap those tires, no matter how good they look or how much tread is left. I have personal experience there; When I first got my TC the tires looked great but I got sideswiped one day by a landscaping trailer. It was only hard enough to dent the moulding on the side, no damage to the fender, but it sent me all over the road like it was on ice. You can have problems with serious lack of traction like I did or even tread separation or worse! Even cheap Costco tires are better than 10 year old tires!
67Monaco
Old Man with a Hat
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