1Michel
Well-known member
The reason I installed it that way is that IF ever I have a power steering problem, I will be able to reach the bolts from the wheel well instead of inside the frame in the engine bay.
Michel's 72 coupe rebuild
- Thread starter 1Michel
- Start date
1Michel
Well-known member
Ok so here we are again.
My son Steven got here and we started fixing bubbas (His dads work LOL work)
He first reinforced the welds and made a few passes to join the quarter inch plate to the engine support.
Then we went for the top of the frame, installed the plate and tacked in place the side plate that I had previously made.
By the way he reinforced this plate before.
He then started to weld the tube to the plate.
Once the tubes were welded, I cut the protruding part.
And cleaned up the pieces to make them pretty for the pics.
Then, he made a pass on top of the frame.
Soooo here where we are today, since he had to work tonight he had to go.
Next, I'll turn the frame upside down, make the last plate under and finish up everything.
My son Steven got here and we started fixing bubbas (His dads work LOL work)
He first reinforced the welds and made a few passes to join the quarter inch plate to the engine support.
Then we went for the top of the frame, installed the plate and tacked in place the side plate that I had previously made.
By the way he reinforced this plate before.
He then started to weld the tube to the plate.
Once the tubes were welded, I cut the protruding part.
And cleaned up the pieces to make them pretty for the pics.
Then, he made a pass on top of the frame.
Soooo here where we are today, since he had to work tonight he had to go.
Next, I'll turn the frame upside down, make the last plate under and finish up everything.
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1Michel
Well-known member
Heres pics of the steering box installed in place.
I still have to trim the access for the top bolt.
I still have to trim the access for the top bolt.
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denpo
Carburated Nihilist
I know you've been dreaming of this very moment for years. Enjoy the achievement, you deserved it my friend.:drink:
1Michel
Well-known member
Thank you my friend ;-)
I know he works hard and doesnt have much time, but it was fun to get my boy to work with me.
About the Steering install...
Might not be the most orthodox way to install a Jeep steering but I think it will turn out ok.
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1Michel
Well-known member
So with the steering in place I want to align the idler arm to make sure that it's on the same axis the steering box.
(Gee...I'm not sure if that's clear)
)
anyway, I first installed a temp tubing that is aligned with the steering box.
I used the center markings on the box housing.
Note that on the idler arm side of the frame, I punched a hole where I'll position the new location of the lower bolt that retains the idler arm.
This will give me room to rotate the idler arm when I align it.
(crap this is getting more confusing... more pics will explain)
Then I made a plug for the bolt and welded a tubing so when I tighten the bolt, the frame wont crush.
I then installed the Idler arm and will tack the plug later when the alignement is determined.
I then installed the idler arm and using a piece of alu angle, I put it against the idler arm.
This will way I'llbe able to align it with the piece I put on the steering box previously.
Here I rotated the idler arm until it was the 2 pieces were aligned as close as possible.
view from under and the idler arm seems to be on the same axis as the steering box.
view from the top
Once aligned, I will only tack weld.
I will then assemble the frame, suspension springs, drop the engine, trans and diff wheels and tires etc.
Then I'll see if everything works fine (suspension and steering) adjust the alignements, make sure nothing hit anywhere, (oil pan, headers etc)
Then I'll weld everything in it's final position.
(Gee...I'm not sure if that's clear)
)anyway, I first installed a temp tubing that is aligned with the steering box.
I used the center markings on the box housing.
Note that on the idler arm side of the frame, I punched a hole where I'll position the new location of the lower bolt that retains the idler arm.
This will give me room to rotate the idler arm when I align it.
(crap this is getting more confusing... more pics will explain)
Then I made a plug for the bolt and welded a tubing so when I tighten the bolt, the frame wont crush.
I then installed the Idler arm and will tack the plug later when the alignement is determined.
I then installed the idler arm and using a piece of alu angle, I put it against the idler arm.
This will way I'llbe able to align it with the piece I put on the steering box previously.
Here I rotated the idler arm until it was the 2 pieces were aligned as close as possible.
view from under and the idler arm seems to be on the same axis as the steering box.
view from the top
Once aligned, I will only tack weld.
I will then assemble the frame, suspension springs, drop the engine, trans and diff wheels and tires etc.
Then I'll see if everything works fine (suspension and steering) adjust the alignements, make sure nothing hit anywhere, (oil pan, headers etc)
Then I'll weld everything in it's final position.
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1Michel
Well-known member
Oh yes, put the engine back in.....
HUMMMM.....
HUMMMM.....
mrvette
Phantom of the Opera
Oh yes, put the engine back in.....
HUMMMM.....
YGTBFKM....that is NOT the engine that came outta your vette....
no WAY man, looks like a junkyard relic from some overworked pickup....
:surrender:
:suicide:
Fastphil
Active member
Oh yes, put the engine back in.....
HUMMMM.....
YGTBFKM....that is NOT the engine that came outta your vette....
no WAY man, looks like a junkyard relic from some overworked pickup....
:surrender:
Actually I think that is the engine that came outta his vette... but it looks better than that now.
mrvette
Phantom of the Opera
Oh yes, put the engine back in.....
HUMMMM.....
YGTBFKM....that is NOT the engine that came outta your vette....
no WAY man, looks like a junkyard relic from some overworked pickup....
:surrender:
Actually I think that is the engine that came outta his vette... but it looks better than that now.
Looks like it lost a round or two, some Florida alley gators beat hell out of it....
you know, rednecks with tats and caps on backwards, smokes hanging in lips....
:smash::smash::smash::thumbs:
:surrender:1Michel
Well-known member
Yup thats the same engine allright.
when I bought the car, it was complete, nothing was missing.
The car has been sitting in a garage since the 80's, in other words,
"She died in her sleep"
but she's about to wake up and run.
I just need time LOL lots of time.
when I bought the car, it was complete, nothing was missing.
The car has been sitting in a garage since the 80's, in other words,
"She died in her sleep"
but she's about to wake up and run.
I just need time LOL lots of time.
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1Michel
Well-known member
well yes Gene, it is the engine that came out of the Vette.
It does look a little better than before, dont you think??
It does look a little better than before, dont you think??
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TimTexas73Vette
New member
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2012
- Messages
- 1
Great work
Michel,
Looks like you are doing what I'm getting ready to start, Picked up a 73 BB LS4 vette a few weeks ago that has been sitting since the early 80's. I also got the engine and Trans in Plastic and has allready been rebuilt from a local Machine shop that I know well.
Great work and I will be looking at your methods and repairs as I start to Tackel mine. I have gutted the Inside and removed the front winshield and yes I also have some Birdcage damage. The Interior is trashed and will all need to be replaced but first Its to get the frame and Birdcage back into shape..
Michel,
Looks like you are doing what I'm getting ready to start, Picked up a 73 BB LS4 vette a few weeks ago that has been sitting since the early 80's. I also got the engine and Trans in Plastic and has allready been rebuilt from a local Machine shop that I know well.
Great work and I will be looking at your methods and repairs as I start to Tackel mine. I have gutted the Inside and removed the front winshield and yes I also have some Birdcage damage. The Interior is trashed and will all need to be replaced but first Its to get the frame and Birdcage back into shape..
mrvette
Phantom of the Opera
Welcome to the motley crew...TimTexas.....
I suppose the engine would look that bad, considering the work you got on the rest of the car, I feel lucky my '72 did not need all that much work, previous owners did well by it.....needed the interior, but that was 16 years ago....replaced the seats once since then....
:amazed:
I suppose the engine would look that bad, considering the work you got on the rest of the car, I feel lucky my '72 did not need all that much work, previous owners did well by it.....needed the interior, but that was 16 years ago....replaced the seats once since then....
:amazed:
1Michel
Well-known member
Welcome to Vettemod Tim, dont froget to introduce yourself to others too in the "New Member Introductions" forum.
Also dont forget to make a thread about your adventure with lots of pics. LOL.
They are the best reference to all of us and to you too when you rebuild.
Thanks for the kind words.
Now my birdage wasnt that bad even if I had to replace a few parts. I've seen irreparable ones out there.
The original frame of the car was shot.
Pic after the body lift.
I still have what's left of it, it now lives on the ceiling of my garage .
The rear end was cut off by the rust and couldnt save it.
Just to give you an idea on how bad it was... heres a pic of one of the trail arms when I took them off.
And part of the front end when I was dismantling it.
BUT when I bought the project, there was a new and complete chassis along with the car.
Of course, like any other frame from the 70's, the welds were pretty much crap plus, the paint the previous owner applied was badly flaking.
So I decide to take the new frame apart and reweld everything.
At the same time, I made a bunch of gussets to reinforce it.
I didnt have a welding machine at the time so, I rented one (with shielding gas and a friend of mine came over and welded everything.
This is where my son decided to become a welder LOL.
Now pay a particular attention to this area, it hold the diff and the rear suspension and there was not much welds from the factory.
pretty scary.
I know the piccs are too small but...
added more support to the trail arms pockets.
Then made some gussets for the diff front support BUT....
After I tried to put the body back on, it didnt fit.
The battery box and the box besides it were hitting the gussets.
after a little adjustments, it now fits.
For the front end, I made a bunch of gussets.
I also boxed the engine support.
Boxed the front horns.
And welded underneat the engine crossmember
Ialso plugged the access for the steering on the frame, I knew that I was going to install the Jeep steering box.
I do know that a few of the gussets I made are a bit too big and I expect that some will interfere with engine, rad, headers or any other parts.
This is why I'll test fit everything first before and will adjust them.
Also dont forget to make a thread about your adventure with lots of pics. LOL.
They are the best reference to all of us and to you too when you rebuild.
Thanks for the kind words.
Now my birdage wasnt that bad even if I had to replace a few parts. I've seen irreparable ones out there.
The original frame of the car was shot.
Pic after the body lift.
I still have what's left of it, it now lives on the ceiling of my garage .
The rear end was cut off by the rust and couldnt save it.
Just to give you an idea on how bad it was... heres a pic of one of the trail arms when I took them off.
And part of the front end when I was dismantling it.
BUT when I bought the project, there was a new and complete chassis along with the car.
Of course, like any other frame from the 70's, the welds were pretty much crap plus, the paint the previous owner applied was badly flaking.
So I decide to take the new frame apart and reweld everything.
At the same time, I made a bunch of gussets to reinforce it.
I didnt have a welding machine at the time so, I rented one (with shielding gas and a friend of mine came over and welded everything.
This is where my son decided to become a welder LOL.
Now pay a particular attention to this area, it hold the diff and the rear suspension and there was not much welds from the factory.
pretty scary.
I know the piccs are too small but...
added more support to the trail arms pockets.
Then made some gussets for the diff front support BUT....
After I tried to put the body back on, it didnt fit.
The battery box and the box besides it were hitting the gussets.
after a little adjustments, it now fits.
For the front end, I made a bunch of gussets.
I also boxed the engine support.
Boxed the front horns.
And welded underneat the engine crossmember
Ialso plugged the access for the steering on the frame, I knew that I was going to install the Jeep steering box.
I do know that a few of the gussets I made are a bit too big and I expect that some will interfere with engine, rad, headers or any other parts.
This is why I'll test fit everything first before and will adjust them.
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1Michel
Well-known member
And if anybody wonders why I go thru all of this.
Heres a little story I posted somewhere else about why I love that Vette.
again excuse my english...but this summs it up pretty much.
I'll always remember the first time I saw a C3.
I was a kid around 10 or 11 years old and I was coming back from school. It was raining, I was walking head down hurrying up because I was soaked, then almost in front of the house, there it was.
A brand new 69 or 70 blue coupe cant remember the year but I remember the "454" on the hood and the "Stingray" logo on the sides.
Until that time, I had not notice performance cars and as we know now, there was plenty of Road runners, Dusters, Camaros and such but I had never seen a C3.
It stopped me in my tracks and could not get my eyes off of it.
I kept asking myself "what the hell is that?"
I walked around it admiring the lines, the pointy chrome nose, the rear flat window, the door handles, the chrome ball of a shifter, this car baffled me and I couldn't care less about the pouring rain anymore.
Then I saw a guy walking toward the car flipping his keys around his fingers, unlocked the door and got in.
He started it and I got some more shocks.
The rumble of the side pipes and then, the head lights flipped open. Wow! Where did those come from?
I was amazed and as if it wasn't enough, the wiper door flipped open and wipers got out of theire hiding to clear the driver's view.
Thats was it! I was hooked.
I promissed myself to get one.
Dreamed about it for years.
Later in life I had a 69 Road runner (should of kept that one) a few Nova SS, and other performance cars but somehow a C3 Vette was always in the back of my head.
Then I found the one I have now.
I'm still amazed by the lines.
Heres a little story I posted somewhere else about why I love that Vette.
again excuse my english...but this summs it up pretty much.
I'll always remember the first time I saw a C3.
I was a kid around 10 or 11 years old and I was coming back from school. It was raining, I was walking head down hurrying up because I was soaked, then almost in front of the house, there it was.
A brand new 69 or 70 blue coupe cant remember the year but I remember the "454" on the hood and the "Stingray" logo on the sides.
Until that time, I had not notice performance cars and as we know now, there was plenty of Road runners, Dusters, Camaros and such but I had never seen a C3.
It stopped me in my tracks and could not get my eyes off of it.
I kept asking myself "what the hell is that?"
I walked around it admiring the lines, the pointy chrome nose, the rear flat window, the door handles, the chrome ball of a shifter, this car baffled me and I couldn't care less about the pouring rain anymore.
Then I saw a guy walking toward the car flipping his keys around his fingers, unlocked the door and got in.
He started it and I got some more shocks.
The rumble of the side pipes and then, the head lights flipped open. Wow! Where did those come from?
I was amazed and as if it wasn't enough, the wiper door flipped open and wipers got out of theire hiding to clear the driver's view.
Thats was it! I was hooked.
I promissed myself to get one.
Dreamed about it for years.
Later in life I had a 69 Road runner (should of kept that one) a few Nova SS, and other performance cars but somehow a C3 Vette was always in the back of my head.
Then I found the one I have now.
I'm still amazed by the lines.
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1Michel
Well-known member
Well well,
Called a few places to get the birdcage galvanized.
few problems,
1 the guys asked me to get the part sandblasted first, I asked about the acid bath that they do before but they wanted to get the part blasted anyway.
Need to make holes so the thing would drain if they think it wont drain... they will make hole using a torch!!!
I dont think there will be a problem draining but still, I didnt like that LOL
2 one of them said that he could not garantee the warping of the part since this will be dippaed in 800+ deg zink.
He said that a lot of the thinner metal parts like the birdcage will warp a bit...
3 also said that oily residue will be left on the part, and should be "lightly blasted " afterwards...
Quoted me for 350$ + I have to get the cage sandblasted first (another 100$) and a light blast afterwards that will garantee adherence for the body parts.
SOOOOO
I turned to powder coat.
I had previously called and talked to the guy.
http://www.sablageaujet.ca/traitement-surface/services_electroStatique_ang.cfm
they have an oven where I can get a couples of trucks and trailers in there.
Sent him pics and dimensions of the birdcage and told him that it didnt matter about the color.
250$
So powder coat it will be...
Called a few places to get the birdcage galvanized.
few problems,
1 the guys asked me to get the part sandblasted first, I asked about the acid bath that they do before but they wanted to get the part blasted anyway.
Need to make holes so the thing would drain if they think it wont drain... they will make hole using a torch!!!
I dont think there will be a problem draining but still, I didnt like that LOL
2 one of them said that he could not garantee the warping of the part since this will be dippaed in 800+ deg zink.
He said that a lot of the thinner metal parts like the birdcage will warp a bit...
3 also said that oily residue will be left on the part, and should be "lightly blasted " afterwards...
Quoted me for 350$ + I have to get the cage sandblasted first (another 100$) and a light blast afterwards that will garantee adherence for the body parts.
SOOOOO
I turned to powder coat.
I had previously called and talked to the guy.
http://www.sablageaujet.ca/traitement-surface/services_electroStatique_ang.cfm
they have an oven where I can get a couples of trucks and trailers in there.
Sent him pics and dimensions of the birdcage and told him that it didnt matter about the color.
250$
So powder coat it will be...
1Michel
Well-known member
Before I send the birdcage to the powder coater, I'm toying with an idea.
I can ear the song "crazy" again.....
anyway, heres the deal.
I'm thinking of replacing the door latch and striker.
I looked at my Caddy's door latches and strikers and it's the same as a lot of other newer car out there.
I like the way those doors close.
I've seen that done somewhere else on a older car during a restoration, tought it was a good idea.
I think in Camaro site. Cant find it.
I can install the doors on the birdcage, and fit them and make them work properly.
I can ear the song "crazy" again.....
anyway, heres the deal.
I'm thinking of replacing the door latch and striker.
I looked at my Caddy's door latches and strikers and it's the same as a lot of other newer car out there.
I like the way those doors close.
I've seen that done somewhere else on a older car during a restoration, tought it was a good idea.
I think in Camaro site. Cant find it.
I can install the doors on the birdcage, and fit them and make them work properly.
denpo
Carburated Nihilist
From what I've read here and here, the oil residue is a deliberate coating that you can ask not to be applied.
denpo
Carburated Nihilist
Not crazy at all.Before I send the birdcage to the powder coater, I'm toying with an idea.
I can ear the song "crazy" again.....
anyway, heres the deal.
I'm thinking of replacing the door latch and striker.
I looked at my Caddy's door latches and strikers and it's the same as a lot of other newer car out there.
I like the way those doors close.
I've seen that done somewhere else on a older car during a restoration, tought it was a good idea.
I think in Camaro site. Cant find it.
I can install the doors on the birdcage, and fit them and make them work properly.
I was thinking about a way to make the door sound softer, and was wondering if those aftermarket bear claw latches would be less clunky than the stock ones.
