What are you working on today??

I completed the installation of the shift kit. I also greased the zerk fittings in the drive shaft and front end, changed the rear axle oil and got the backup lights working. The switch needed a washer to allow it to engage.

Tomorrow is filled with with fluid and test drive day.

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I completed the installation of the shift kit. I also greased the zerk fittings in the drive shaft and front end, changed the rear axle oil and got the backup lights working. The switch needed a washer to allow it to engage.

Tomorrow is filled with with fluid and test drive day.

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Took her out for a drive and I’m liking the shifts. I still have to get the front shocks installed and a few items in the interior. However, it’s time to get the car cleaned up and out and about. We have a ZZ Top concert to get to!
 
After the Village came by and took the tree at the end of my lane way down, I tore my bush down. This will make it much easier to get into my lane way, especially with the trailer.
Before
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After
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Next step is to build an address board and small garden in the area. After I kill the stumps left behind.
 
Took Shamu out to the Old 77 Museum in Beresford. Beresford is having their ‘Old Fashioned Days’ this weekend and admission to the museum is free.
He’s got a couple of Packards, Ford Model T & A, several early 60’s Chevrolets and some other unique items, including a number of gas pumps, acetylene lamps and tanks and unique horns, etc.

The most interesting item I saw was a 1958 Dodge truck, like the picture below (I didn’t take any photos). I have only seen this one.

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Painting other small parts, in addition to the wheels painted earlier, leading up to painting the car itself happening soon.....

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The midnight blue pearl looks black in the shadow or if indirectly viewed, but you can see the blue better in the sun:
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Fixing a lot of issues on the thunderbird. It started as fix a slipping belt and we're now at "strip it to the shortblock and repaint it"

Just as an example of the terrible work someone did to this thing, the intake manifold gaskets were put on with JB weld. And a lot of wiring connections are just female bullets with a naked wire just balled up and jammed in, taped together. And a very liberal shower of unprotected solderless connectors everywhere else.


I suffer.
 
I guess there were alot of untrained mechanics around after uncle Sam got done.

It was rebuilt by an alleged professional in 2015 before I got it

The main pulleys are also an integral part of the crank/balancer, and are totally jacked. Looks like someone tried to remove them with a puller despite their being rivited on.

Probably going to have to straighten them with a pipe wrench, not sure what else to do.
 
It was rebuilt by an alleged professional in 2015 before I got it

The main pulleys are also an integral part of the crank/balancer, and are totally jacked. Looks like someone tried to remove them with a puller despite their being rivited on.

Probably going to have to straighten them with a pipe wrench, not sure what else to do.
Maybe you can find a used good pulley/balancer or is that part of the rotating balanced set along with the crankshaft and flywheel?
 
Maybe you can find a used good pulley/balancer or is that part of the rotating balanced set along with the crankshaft and flywheel?
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It's this whole assembly, unique to the thunderbird as far as i can tell. And i have to pull the timing cover to get it off right. I think I need a special tool to pull on it around and behind the pulleys too.

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That 351 on the stand is looking mighty tempting at this point.
 
JB weld? That's a first for me. Never heard that one before.
That's quite the professional job done to that motor. Professional jackass.

Interesting pully set up.
 
Moving cars all day by myself. Put two C bodies on the trailer with a come along. The old fashion way. Works good though.. too busy for pics. Except one snap of the polara. Which I did not move.

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Picked up a new MPG beater. Yesterday and this morning I spent time detailing it and getting acquainted with it. Fixed anything I found that it would need for a safety. So far the only thing I could find was the headlights were potentially too faded so I polished them out.
Before
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After 3 sanding stages and a polish
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I think I can get it better with a DA sander, but this should be sufficient to pass a safety. To really sand them I'll have to remove the front bumper to remove the headlights.
Brakes are within spec, suspension is tight, tires are on the cusp of failing, and there no rust. Fingers crossed this $2000 beater ends up costing me next to nothing, maybe a set of tires (which I'll probably find used on Marketplace) Just happy to have a stick shift again.
After a good scrubbing.
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