Rookie's First Restoration Attempt...

[stinger12]

Nice welds, Did you use a mig?:1st:

I used a MIG.

 

[stinger12]

I HOPE THAT IS NOT A 3 WHEEL stand there, that tranny out to one side like that WILL make very tippy if so.......better stick a cross bar on it and TWO wheels up front, before you wind up wearing that tranny on your toes....

:flash:

I know what you are saying...my dad said the same thing to me. I plan on modifying the engine mount so it is not so tippy. Until then, I just put a load of weight on the other side of the stand...works fine. It supports its own weight even without the counterweight on the other side.

 

[vette]

Nice welds, Did you use a mig?:1st:

I used a MIG.

Can I pick your brain and ask what type of welder you have and what size wire you used? I just bought a Miller 135 110 volt and was wondering if it capleable of doing what you did.

Thanks,
Danny

 

[stinger12]

Nice welds, Did you use a mig?:1st:

I used a MIG.

Can I pick your brain and ask what type of welder you have and what size wire you used? I just bought a Miller 135 110 volt and was wondering if it capleable of doing what you did.

Thanks,
Danny

Most of the time it is the operator of the welder...not the welder itself. It took me a long time to learn how to make pretty welds like that. I have a 220 volt Miller 180 welder. I use argon/co2 as the shielding gas. I can't stand flux-cored welders...spatter gets everywhere, but I suppose they can make pretty welds too if you get good at it. Whenever possible, always weld downhand so gravity helps keep the flow of the weld going. That is a trick my uncle taught me. I always try to weld downhand whenever possible.

 

[vette]

Thanks, The miller I have has argon/co2 as the shielding gas too so I will paractice as soon as it gets a little warmer.


Danny

 

[stinger12]

I have exceeded my monthly bandwidth limit, so I have to wait a month before the pictures become visible again. I am going to open up a new account and keep updating this thread, and hopefully the old pictures from past updates will be visible in a month (according to photobucket).

Or, I pay and upgrade to pro and they will be visible right away...but I don't feel like spending any money right now, sorry guys. I'll make a new account for now and continue with new updates.

 

[MYBAD79]

I have exceeded my monthly bandwidth limit, so I have to wait a month before the pictures become visible again. I am going to open up a new account and keep updating this thread, and hopefully the old pictures from past updates will be visible in a month (according to photobucket).

Or, I pay and upgrade to pro and they will be visible right away...but I don't feel like spending any money right now, sorry guys. I'll make a new account for now and continue with new updates.

Just upload the photos here, doesn't cost you anything and they're visible right away

 

[saudivette]

Just upload the photos here, doesn't cost you anything and they're visible right away

Ahhh but then when Jeremy uploads them over at CF, the Koolade drinkers will probably lock his thread as the pics will have VM stamped on them :hissyfit:
Might be good for a laugh though, see how they react.

IBTL :lol:

 

[stinger12]

Every part I took off I took a picture of. I bagged everything, and put a reference number on each part corresponding to the ATSG manual...it took a lot of effort, but I have the disasembly well documented for for easy reassembly. Here are some pics (not all of them, i didn't want to bore you). I have been scrubbing the bare housing for days, and I still can't get it clean enough to paint it:willy:

























I ruined this part during disassembly...stupid mistake. I need to talk to TimAT about the housing...I might have ruined the hole this part goes in. I'll ask him for his professional opinion on what to do.

 

[stinger12]

Broken spring...

 

[MYBAD79]

Isn't it amazing how many parts are inside a transmission ?? :lol:

 

[mrvette]

Isn't it amazing how many parts are inside a transmission ?? :lol:

All that a cup of soup too.....amazing, aint' it.....I still think to clean offf that workbench OR get a couple of those metal saw horses with a 4x8x1/2 ply on top of them total cost like 40 bux, and get those parts off the floor, where they inevitably get kicked around....

I always set them up in groups the way they came out of the thing....top left corner being front pump, on down to what ever somees out next, last on lower right is the output shaft.... when doing reassy work, I do the clutch packs and sub assy's in order as I get ready to reinsert them....my largest fear is finding defective hard parts....so far I been lucky on that....except for front pumps and converters....

Wait till you start playing with those springs in that valve body....tons of fun....

:bump::bounce:

 

[stinger12]

get those parts off the floor, where they inevitably get kicked around....

That was just for disassembly. I put the parts in two cardboard boxes and put them on the bench for now I have everything labelled, so I should be able to identify every part via the numbers I wrote on each bag (corresponding to an exploded diagram of the parts via the ATSG manual).

I'm still cleaning the outside of the housing getting it ready for paint. I'm a prep freak when it comes to painting...its gonna take lots of elbow grease and lacquer thinner to prep the housing for paint - lots of hard to reach areas:footmouth: I already scrubbed the housing a billion times with scotchbrite and lacquer thinner, then I took it to the car wash and washed everything again:confused2:...still not clean enough for meush:

 

[stinger12]

Now all that's left to do is everything:rofl:

This is the first piece of the chassis that has been painted (other than the pinion flange that is). Have to let it setup over the next few days before I start wrenching on it. I thought about powdercoating it, but there are just too many machined areas to worry about...and the heat might have affected something. This thing took forever to prep, and I am glad its done. Will update more tomorrow. Need to start buying parts for the rebuild.

 

[stinger12]

My body has been shipped as of yesterday morning!!!! A big thanks to Mike, who personally drove down to Lonestar Corvette parts to load the truck using their forklift. He is close friends with the owner Ken, and he was more than happy to let him use the forklift. THANK YOU MIKE AND THANK YOU KEN!!!

 

[TimAT]

Everything is looking good. Just make sure the internal stuff is really clean. When you get to the valve body, make sure it's clean and nothing is sticking. If you take it apart, do one valve train at a time and make double sure that you don't flip a valve around. They'll still fit, but it won't work right. And don't be tempted to clean up the sharp edges- they're there for a reason.

 

[stinger12]

Everything is looking good. Just make sure the internal stuff is really clean. When you get to the valve body, make sure it's clean and nothing is sticking. If you take it apart, do one valve train at a time and make double sure that you don't flip a valve around. They'll still fit, but it won't work right. And don't be tempted to clean up the sharp edges- they're there for a reason.

Which sharp edges are you referring to Tim?

 

[TimAT]

The sharp edges on the valves in the valve body. They're there to help keep the valves moving. If they're rounded off, the valves won't be able to self clean and any tiny bits of trash will make them stick.

 

[stinger12]

The sharp edges on the valves in the valve body. They're there to help keep the valves moving. If they're rounded off, the valves won't be able to self clean and any tiny bits of trash will make them stick.

So you are referring to just the machined holes in the valve body correct? Not all these edges?...

 

[stinger12]

:bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce:

The new body and parts are here as of two hours ago - they get unloaded at my dad's office first thing tomorrow morning. Will post pics when I get them home!