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1960 Electra 225 Convertible R&R


Smartin

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I'm going to use this thread to document my progress on a friend's 60 Electra 225 that I'm freshening up for next year's national event.

I started out with a mess in the trunk when I got the car. I pulled out all the dead trunk material and saved the cardboard trim pieces to reinstall after the new material gets laid in over the Winter.

This is where I am right now -

Trunk floor is painted along with the jack parts and the spare tire.

Next in line is the underside of the trunk lid, which is scratched up and a little rusty in spots.

Jack bits:

trunk_painted001.jpg

Trunk floor covered with Eastwood Rust Encapsulator (I still have the stuff stuck to my fingers)

trunk_painted002.jpg

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When I popped off the passenger side head this morning, this made its way to the floor. I have no idea what it is, or where it came from. Can anyone help out?? It's roughly 5/8" tall and 7/16" wide. It looks to be a plug of sorts, but it has a hole through it.

I can't see anywhere that it came out.

mystery_part001.jpg

mystery_part002.jpg

mystery_part003.jpg

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Heads, intake, exhaust manifolds, and water neck all came off this morning with only minor fights. The impact wrench made short work of getting those old rusted exhaust studs out of the manifolds under the car.

I'm waiting on an order from CARS to get the heads rebuilt with new seals and the rest of the engine parts cleaned up, also. They are sending engine and chassis paint as well. So, I'm dead in the water until I get the shipment from them. Hopefully I got everything I needed in one shot. I ordered over $500 worth of stuff in decals, little rubber parts, paint, sensors, etc.

I'm proud of myself that I have only broken 3 bolts so far. One was on the t-stat housing, one was the bolt holding the tranny dipstick tube to the exhaust manifold, and the other one is still holding tight in the passenger side head with a corner of the exh manifold still sttached. blush.gif

I have pictures, but I don't have any time to post them right now. Tomorrow, maybe........ smirk.gif

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Smartin, nice work!

Just a guess, but on the closeup pic of the exhaust manifold, there's a threaded stud sticking out of the head that looks about the size of that piece you found. It also looks like there's paint on all of it but the top threads--did that piece possibly serve as a cap on this stud? There's also a dab of paint on the top of the stud where the hole in the cap is. I'd be kind of surprised if this was right--just a wild guess on a Wildcat!

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The stud serves as a mounting point for the lower generator bracket...so it has a nut that goes on it when everything is mounted correctly.

This little rubber doodad may be nothing, but I want to make sure it didn't fall out of something important. I would imagine it's not near any real heat, otherwise it would be trash by now.

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Thanks Phil! This car is going to be much nicer than what I had projected at first... cool.gif

Discoveries I made this weekend:

Dead heater core (which explains the mildew problem and the fogging windshield)

heater_core.jpg

I also got the passenger side manifold off and found that the heat riser was frozen shut. This would explain the power issue!

The heads are getting rebuilt as soon as I get the gaskets and seals from CARS.

Current state of affairs: waiting for parts.

naked_block.jpg

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this could very well be a restricter of some sort used to slow down the rate of water return to the radiator, allowing for better cooling. more than likely, you will find another one in the other head. i seem to recall a very similar arrangement in my 324 olds rocket engine.

well, now that you mention it is rubber, my restricter theory doesn't sound very good. the pieces in my car were basically drilled out freeze plugs.

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Got some more random stuff done today...

Did some cleaning under the hood today, but concentrated on getting the heater box cover done, power steering pump, horns, and breather tube clean and painted. Every nut and bolt gets wire wheeled and clearcoated, unless noted a specific color. I love seeing things come together, even if it is just a heater box!laugh.gif Everything's clean and spotless. I love it!!

PS pump: purrrrdy!

ps_pump.jpg

Heater Box Cover - this should look good when mounted again:TU:

heater_box.jpg

T00B...nothing special here..

breather_tube.jpg

I got the heater core out last night and it is TOAST. When I say TOAST, I mean it must have been leaking for 5 years. No wonder everyone was complaining of mildew problems. I hope it can be recored!

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Guest my3buicks

Looking great Adam!! You may want to try some older type radiator shops - it is surprising what is out there and available in heating cores - you just may find new ones are available.

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Looking good Adam,

I second Keith's recommendation about the old timey shops, I know there have got to be a ton in St. Louis. They may be able to rework the one you have got, too. My Wildcat had a heater core that I figured was totally gone, too, but Mr. Cool here in Austin kicked serious butt and fixed the leak with no problems in two years.

BTW, I think I talked to you last year at the nationals when you were trying to figure out the shift linkage for your friends 62 console. I had the Burgundy Wildcat with the white buckets with silver sparkle inserts.

Your project sure looks fun.

Mike

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There is a radiator shop next to my office, and he is THE guy to go to for a radiator porblem, so I'll go to him first. I am taking the radiator and the heater core there tomorrow to see if he can revive it. I'm having the radiator boiled out and checked just to be on hte safe side. I'd hate to be halfway to Rochester and have a tank blow on me.

If you're referring to Plano, I was there, but I think you might have been talking to Bob (the mechanic who was doing the work on his car at the time). I don't think they have it totally figured out yet, since the car does not want to fully engage in Park when "parked." The parking brake must be engaged every time he parks the car.

I do remember your car, though. Very nice!! I'm a sucker for the Wildcat.

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Hey,

One other thing. On that 62 console.

I don't know if you read my post to someone else on the placement of the indicator plastic. I had mine hooked up correctly and the guy who redid my interior put the mount on top instead of beneath the gear shift. It rolled down the hill and totalled his Pontiac. The extra 1/4" difference threw the geometry off. In other words the console has to be closer to the floor, thus giving the lever the full range it was designed for. I don't have access to my Wildcat right now, cuz it's about to move into it's new garage, but have him check it out and I might be able to post pics within a few weeks. See ya.

Mike

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The chips are supposed to absorb odor, too, and the best part is that it's a dry cleaning system so you've got nothing to lose. Any more moisture as in a liquid cleaner or deodorizer you run the risk of just re-activating more smells!

It's great to see how much care you're taking on the details of this car. The photos are nicely presented to show your work. It's kind of a step-by-step restoration guide that we don't see too much of, and very informative. And fun! grin.gif

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Guy,

I really love seeing others' progress pictures and stories, so I figured I'd give some of it back by keeping this thread updated with my progress on the 60.

I also am being very painstakingly anal about this project, since it is my "first job" of sorts. Eventually, I would like to do this full-time. I need to get some more experience under my belt before I jump in anywhere. Thankfully, Mr. Deglman sees my vision, and has offered his 60 Buick as my guinea pig. So far, he has been very very impressed with the detail of the work.

He told me the other day, "Adam, this isn't what we discussed...etc"

I told him, "Hank, if you want it done right, it's got to be done all the way."

His reply, "So how far over budget are we going to get?"

Me: "You never gave me a budget!!" grin.gif

Him: "oh....well, I trust you. Just do whatever you have to do to get it where it needs to be."

Me: "No problem!"

Him: "You're getting my 62 next...and whatever else I buy after that." laugh.gif

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Guest imported_Thriller

I'd like to be doing one like that someday instead of just paying people to do it...once I get my workshop I hope to be able to do work half as good as you are.

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Adam, is your radiator shop saying the heater core can't be recored? I had the one in my '59 done last year at a local radiator shop here in Mpls and it looked as bad or worse than the one you have. I'm sure the '59 is the same as the '60. Took him a week or 2 as he had to order the core, but works great now. If I remember he charged about $150 for it. Also, I hope you're planning on redoing the heater control valve as long as you have it out.

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Tom,

Yes. he said it was "junk." And didn't bother to even pick it out of my hand. He's always been a great reference on radiator and welding stuff, but I guess this is out of his league.

I emailed Classic Heaters (www.classicheaters.com) and included the pictures I posted above, and he told me it would be fine to recore. They charge $135 plus the shipping out and back.

I'm still searching for one that isn't as bad as mine.

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Looks like my radiator guy can recore the heater core after all. When he told me is was "junk," he was merely stating a fact, and I took it as a "nope, won't touch it."

I took it back to him today when I picked up the radiator. He's going to measure it and give me a call in the next day or two for a price quote.

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CARS order came today.

Does anyone else notice that they use hydraulic hose for their power steering hoses? Not to mention the fact that they sent the wrong one...

I think I'll be going to the Bobcat dealer with my old hoses and have them make me two hoses that are identical to the old ones. Don't want to waste another month trying to get the right ones from CARS.

Everything else looks right except the head gasket kit. Where is the valley cover gasket??? There are what looks to be two sets of valve cover gaskets and NO valley cover gasket. WTF??

Heads are getting taken to the machinist tomorrow for a cleanup and rebuild, along with the exh manifolds to be hot tanked and blasted for cast iron paint.

BTW, the Buick Green paint is really nice!! It goes on thick and dries VERY fast. And so does the chassis black paint. I love this stuff! I got a bunch of little parts stripped and painted tonight, so I actually feel like I made it somewhere on the car. I feel like I've been sitting idle with this thing waiting for this one shipment from CAhhhhS.

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Guest my3buicks

OK Adam, havn't you read the MULTITUDE of negative post on CARS - I only order from them if it is truely the last place on earth that has something I need. Then I expect it to be wrong anyway crazy.gif

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I have...and you are correct.

I was hoping for the best here, since all of these parts/paint I ordered were fairly straight forward. How DARE I think logically!!

There are quite a few parts they seem to have that no one else does.

So where can I get a valley cover gasket without calling CARS again? Can I get them (order) at the ZONE?

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Guest sixpack2639

Smartin,

The full gasket set is available at Advance Auto Parts ( www.partsamerica.com ) for $68.88, FelPro #FS7922PT1. The head set is also available for $39.88, FelPro #HS7922PT1. They list just the valley pan gasket (push rod cover gasket) for $6.79 FelPro #PS11407R. Auto Zone does not list just the valley pan gasket but they do list the Full set and the Head set. Hope that helps, Carl

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Hokay,

Got somewhere tonight! yay!

I painted all the engine brackets and such...(forgot to include the fuel filter housing in the picture smirk.gif )

engine_parts.jpg

I also shot the firewall tonight. It needed very little touchup, and much more general cleaning than anything. There were a few spots where the paint had chipped off and started to rust a bit, so I cleaned that up along with the rest of the wall. Masked everything off and bombed it with some paint. Came out very nice! It's starting to look like a car again cool.gif

This is the part I really like - when I can actually see progress being made. HOPEFULLY, I'll be able to make it to the machine shop tomorrow to drop the heads & exhaust manifolds off, and also to the Bobcat dealer to make some new power steering hoses.

Here's the firewall:

painted_firewall.jpg

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