Last Indian

16 hours ago, Wrongway said:

But if it was cross threaded wouldn't the whole bolt be messed up? I did clean out all of the bolt holes and thread the bolts in to make sure there were no issues. The ARP guy said that when a bolt is messed up at the top its normally from over tightening. He did not see the pic and I did tighten to ARP specs. 

No it’s not cross threaded! The threads are actually sheared, flattened or a form of galling! Several thing can cause this. When rebuilding or just replacing certain components of an engine it needs to be cleaned, thread chased and deburred very well. Anything and I mean anything can mess up threads! When you chase threads you blow out the holes really well, but you should use a chamfering tool at the top of the thread first then chase the thread. Likewise all the clearance holes need cleaned of carbon so running a corresponding drill through then will do wonders, but again chamfering the top and bottom of any clearance holes that you can first Is very beneficial. 
Any small piece of metal chip or hard carbon or any thread or clearance hole that has a buggered finish can step up a shearing scenario for threads. I have seen head gaskets shift enough on removal of bolts to get caught and gall or shear threads.

Wrongway you’ve got a lot of time and money tied up in this! I know it’s a pain, but I won’t advise going back if you need to and dotting every I and crossing every T.

My two cents worth!

2 hours ago, Wrongway said:

UPDATE: So I got ready to start reassembly last week and while cleaning the head bolts I found 2 of them that looked bad to me. I think this is what they mean by stretched? The bolts are ARP and were put in brand new right before we had the valve breaking issues. I reached out to ARP to ask about warranty and to no surprise they were not under warranty. I told the ARP guy exactly what happened and that I knew it was not their fault and I was only asking before ordering the 2 new ones. They actually still sent me 2 brand new ones no charge and no shipping. That was a surprise. So huge shout out to ARP for their customer service! Bolts arrived yesterday and I installed the heads last night and let them sit until today. (Had an old timer tell me years ago to do that with head bolts to let them destress. Is that true? Does it really matter?) Today I installed the lifters, pushrods, rockers and set the valve lash. I WAS going to finish putting the rest of the engine back together and decided to stop and check in with y'all. Just wanted to make sure there isn't something else to check or any advice from y'all before I continue? And yes I know it needs new paint lol but I'm waiting to make sure she's right this time.

No that’s not a stretch bolt! That’s a thread problem! Something somewhere is shaving the thread! A stretched bolt is detected by measuring the bolt length.

34 minutes ago, JUSTA6 said:

And it loves you right back! Although it’s been a little rebellious this year! 🥰

On 9/8/2020 at 9:34 PM, Frosty said:

Thanks Last Indian.

I had one other problem yesterday, I worked on the hydraulics of the convertible top. It's been a problem for the last couple of years. It's been leaking at the bottom of the passenger side ram. Well I checked all my tap and dies, and of course I don't have the right size/thread pitch. Still I tightened up the fitting as best I could. I crawled into the trunk and filled up the reservoir with transmission fluid. I lightly put the rubber stopper back in and hit the switch.....I heard the motor kick in. Good....I saw the ram arms start to move....good. Then I plop sound, followed by a bubbling noise....not good.

I looked around the passenger compartment nothing. I looked in the trunk....the stopper shot out of the pump and it's leaking fluid all over the trunk. This time the "new" hose failed at the fitting just below the pump. 

Aggghhh....I feel like Charlie Brown and his kite sometimes. I replaced both lines and both rams almost two years ago when one of the original factory hoses gave up the ghost to begin with. I had to replace the rams because the threads on the host didn't match the original rams. Only the pump is original at this point. Grrr,,,,,

I had the good sense to purchase a spare set of hose awhile back, so I had it on hand. I tried getting the new hose to fit the passenger side ram and it wouldn't start. I had purchased a spare ram awhile ago too. It had some threaded caps on it. I took one of the caps off and tried it the passenger ram. That's when I realized the lower thread on the passenger ram was striped. I ended up replacing the passenger ram with the new one. New hose and new ram at this point.

I climbed back into the trunk and refilled the reservoir. I hit the power top switch and the rams went up and down! I reconnected the convertible top to the rams and tested it again. The top went up and down - yeah! No fluid leaks so far. I will test the top again this weekend just to make sure.

 

Frosty, while I know you’ve fix it and I hope that’s permanent, one thing to consider is changing the lines while you are still doing all your work on Lucy. Those type of crimped nylon line are inherently problematic! They usually do exactly that! It’s difficult to crimp them without causing stress points! Then any added stress I.E. swelling due to pressure line movement, or even aging due to fluid contact, etc. basically work fatigues them. If you have the room, & I think you might. Change the tees out for AN # 4 tee with a 1/4 npt female using a 1/4 tubing to 1/4 npt adaptor. You will also need an adaptor at the rams. This will allow you to run AN hose & fittings.

This is # 4 AN tee with a 1/4 npt on top

this is a 1/4 tubing to 1/4 pipe adaptor! 

What size is the nylon line? It looks to be 1/4. I also presume that the fitting arrangement for the ram is tubing? I.E. cap and ferrule! 
Do you have a Parker store near you anywhere?

1 minute ago, 64 kiwi boni said:

Ah sorry mate, i was looking at the engine mount and the soft material you have used to bush the mount to the body

Oh that stuff! That is 70 durometer polyurethane machined to fit the machined end of the Aluminum motor mount!

3 minutes ago, 64 kiwi boni said:

I am very impressed mate, the detail is outstanding and very interesting what your saying about square rod stronger than round on strut braces

What material have you used in the rod end, to body mount ?

The plate the attaches to the three strut bolts I assume you mean? That is 10ga. 316 stainless steel that is sandblasted and painted. I should also include that the bored holes in the aluminum strut brace actually make it more difficult to bend in deflection, plus it makes it lighter.

8 hours ago, Frosty said:

Kiwi, you asked me in an earlier post why I changed my circuit board on my cluster. Here's why.

Clearly after almost 50 years it's starting to delaminate. Nothing's built to last any more.

Here is also why I decided to order new door panels from Legendary.

Again age is taking it's toll, and probably my abuse....

Frosty, you might consider panhead screws with a nice flat encapsulating washer that would tend to have more of a clamping action as opposed to dimpling action! If you do consider that the washers may not exist, if you give me the head measurements and how many I could make them and send them to you. JustA thought!

These are the type of washer 

And this is the type of screw.

5 hours ago, Frosty said:

Kiwi, you asked me in an earlier post why I changed my circuit board on my cluster. Here's why.

Clearly after almost 50 years it's starting to delaminate. Nothing's built to last any more.

Here is also why I decided to order new door panels from Legendary.

Again age is taking it's toll, and probably my abuse....

It’s not you buddy! Very typical of those type of panels! Not that today’s are really any better! One of the problems are how they attach, which you can’t change! The only piece you can really effect are the attaching screws and the washer they typically use! Sometimes those either cut into the fabric or cup hard board the fabric is on.

On 9/6/2020 at 11:35 PM, JUSTA6 said:

Must have been around 2002 or so.  It was channel 5 live broadcast for the 6pm news Lansing.  I never got to see it.  

Not looking good buddy! Nothing so far!😭

3 hours ago, Wfin73 said:

My GTO has an old aftermarket wheel in it that needs replacing. My question is about the depth of steering wheels. When I adjust my seat so I can comfortably reach the pedals, I feel like I'm too close to the wheel, I feel a bit crowded. I'm looking to get the wheel a little farther away from me. Are the Pontiac wheels you can get from OPG or Ames deep or are they on the shallower side? I'm open to a non-Pontiac wheel as well. I attached a pic of the wheel I have now (I know I need to clean up some of my wiring).

Well that doesn’t appear to be a very deep dished wheel, so you won’t gain much in room if that’s true! 
You need to be comfortable in your position of driving that’s for sure! So a couple things to consider. If you go aftermarket a smaller wheel will I’ve you more room, but it won’t change arm positioning as far as how your arms extend out or bend. Adding blocks under the front or back legs of the seat will change the angle of the seat, which can help with positioning. Last, changing pedal position by changing the angle of the pedals. Which requires cut and welding can effectively move the pedals out or in depending on what you do!

I would suggest try the seat angle idea first that may be the least intrusive!

Kiwi, I thought you might have an appreciation for this being a past show judge an all.

I have an indelible habit of looking at mechanical applications with a restructuring eye! So every car I’ve every owned and especially those I built, I always see things that I ask why? And then I have too change it. So I think you’ve seen some of that and I know it’s really hard to see it from just a picture! So I thought In some small manner you might like to see the level of detail that goes in to some of my stuff. Since you noticed the level of effort for the plenum cover to get air in to cool it from the hood!

The top motor mounts foe instance! These are so far removed for the original OEM product! Completely changed the mounting location. The factory version had the rotational arch of the motor wrong which really allows way to much movement, which cost a considerable lost in power to the ground and an inherent problem with bracket breakage. These mount allow almost no movement, but without engine vibration transmission to the car body! 
 

The strut brace! Most of them don’t use heim joints and those that do are round! The purpose of a heim in that application is to allow some lateral movement while stopping in and out flex in hard cornering! Heim joints allow that, but round bars can buckle under excessive loads square or rectangular bars don’t! 
 

every single SS buttonhead bolt has a hand machined encapsulating washer made for its size. 
 

14 hours ago, 64 kiwi boni said:

For  a guy who has spent his life in the oil industry, your truly a metal man.

 that Arrow head is sooo cool

 

Yes, but remember I was the mechanical/application engineer or whatever else it took to do the hardware side of things.

While the downward pointing arrowhead is a favorite of mine. As I said I’ve worn it as I said since 17! That reason? While in the “60s” and some of the “70s” the ☮️  symbol was popular, the arrowhead pointing down in the Indian culture means peace! 

26 minutes ago, Fitzy said:

As usual, I'm going to go my own way and try something different. I have some ideas and shall post any success stories,  but shall also regale you with horror fails!

A spray painter mate told me that if you use car paint with a spray gun without thinning it at all, it'll naturally spray erratically-homemade spatter! I think he needs to lay off the gear. I'll try my own way.

You could just fill a paper bag full of paint, blow it up and pop it. That would spatter! Just kidding mate!

2 hours ago, JUSTA6 said:

Wish I had the Dream Cruise footage from local Tv station that stopped me.  Set up in front of the car and used my 1 way mirror headlight covers to capture the north bound lanes of cruisers.  They then backed out of the headlight cover, revealing the front end of my Sunbird, had me raise N lower the hood with the hydraulic's while the reporter asked a few questions.  Had no idea what they had done until I got to work the next day.  Everyone was talkin about it,   but did anybody record it for me?  NOPE.

What year was that? What tv station? Might be able to dig it up, you never know!

Must of been really cool! 

6 hours ago, LawMan62 said:

Reflections of the Dutch Windmill in Fulton, IL

Love it Lawman! That’s what I’m talking about! Thanks for posting!

6 hours ago, 64 kiwi boni said:

Got to be led zep for me guys.sorry

black dog 

all of my love

Kashmir

 but i fancy a bit of free bird from time too time

Ahh yes, some led for the head! Metal Blues! I saw Zeppelin in 1969 at Cleveland Public Hall with Grand Funk as the opening act! Best concert I ever saw, and I’ve seen many. 
For me; I don’t know how you grow up in the era that started with the Beatles and basically ended with the exit of the 80s, and pick a favorite? I know I can’t! My wife can! The Beatles! Hands down for her no one else compares, but she’s a girl who saw them at Cleveland stadium! You know that scene! 

6 hours ago, 64 kiwi boni said:

hmm. is it the same car? not sure Last indian 😏

No! My mistake, looks just like it, and it is from Minnesota too! What are the odds? Still it’s a good comparison for price since it appears in similar condition.

The guys asking $3950 for the “59” on classic cars.com 

7 minutes ago, JUSTA6 said:

Boston for the win.....  Van Halen, Aerosmith, BTO, Foreigner.......the list goes on.

I can agree with a Boston for the win or is it Foreigner well maybe Deep Purple, no no it’s Lynard Skynard, oh oh I know Giant! Oh crap! To quote Barbarino; I’m so confused!🤪