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Reconstruction of a '34 Chevy Master Coupe


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Back porch steps are almost done. Took the day off that to put the rear main cap, oil pan, flywheel and starter back on. My friend Jack helped with the flywheel which my shoulders refuse to lift at arm's lenght.

Fired her up and after 10 minutes of running......no oil! :D

Well almost. After it had been stopped for a while, it dripped a bit. I discovered oil coming from the rear bottom of the side cover. The fact that the front end is up on dollies might have contributed too. :confused:

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  • 2 weeks later...

I had kept the original wood in the upper part of the seat shell. I was dried and had lots of tack holes. So I used a two part epoxy liquid to soak the wood and harden it and then a paste type to fill the cracks and tack holes. Both come in the same kit.

Today I took the seat shell to Diamond Trim and guess what I saw there. Another '34 Master but a 3 window. Not only that, a pristine unrestored car. What a gem! There was also a Ferrari in to get interior and roof and a nice Jag waiting for Unimog to pick it up as a companion for his green one.

I was going to post some pictures of it but I can't even find them with this new system. I can't go directly to a picture anymore I have to scroll through 48 pages. Please tell me there is another way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:mad::mad:

Edited by West Peterson (see edit history)
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Roger,

All it seemed to be is some grease in the main bearing cap which was holding a little ball thus blocking the oil return hole. It still leaks a bit after you shut it off, but nothing like before.

Ah! Yes, I remember now. small cause, large result...Glad that the answer was not so difficult, even if the work associated to solve it was more than you anticipated.

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Been away working. Got to get some cash for the upcoming paint job. Came home & finished reinstalling the fence on the new back porch.

Sandblasted and mounted my $250 trunklid supports. Fiddled with them until they were in the correct position then pre-drilled the holes for the wood screws underneath the trunk opening side rails. The photos show the supports in open and closed positions.

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Finished reinstalling the second crossmember. I had removed it to clear the oil pan, rear main etc. Initially they were bolted to plates inside the frame. I had to replace mine when I restored the frame. The plates were stripped so I enlarged the holes and bolted trough. That was easy to do with the body off and nothing on the frame but with the engine in, the muffler and the body some of the holes were no longer useable to reach. I had to buy some arm extenders.

Reinstalled the transmiesion, u-joint and u-joint housing as well as the third crossmember. Scratched a lot of stuff in the process.

While I was fighting with the u-joint, my grandson came in. So I took a break and went for a ride with him. :D

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  • 4 weeks later...

It has been a while. Spending some time away from home doing contract work. Spent a week camping with my family.

Between picking up, helping my wife with her latest flower bed I managed a few things on the car. Painted the trunk lid supports. Reinstalled the starterator. Wasted a lot of time finding a c-clip small enough to hook up the linkage to the dashpot. Started figuring how to run a vacuum line to the dashpot on the starterator using the same source as the wipers.

Visited the painter. The black '69 Barracuda he had been working on is done. Looks like I'm next.

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:)Got a few hours in today. Finished hooking up the vacuum line to the starterator. Started the engine and the arm retracts from the gas pedal. So mission accomplished on that one. Installed the air cleaner.

The other day, while removing some parts of a car in the bush I found what goes on the small angle on the side of the frame. It is a spring that keeps the brake cable away from the tire when you turn. So I installed a couple.

Once I had everything in place I installed the toe board to be able to use the accelerator and reinstalled the gearshift. Jacked up the rear wheels, started the engine with the starterator, put it in gear and the wheels turn. And the brakes stopped them. I think we are ready for a drive to the end of the driveway. :)

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More time consuming, invisible work. Timed the engine. Still has a bit of hesitation when applying throttle. Once it picks up though it revs right up.

Adjusted the stops for the pedals then the clutch linkage. Lesson learned: always adjust the clutch linkage when the engine is cold. It is very warm with your head and hands between the firewall and the manifold.

Installed an old dash to set the steering column in its proper position for adjustement.

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Guest ggdoorguy

just joined after looking at the work your doing on your 34 chevy , it makes my project look easy I have a 34 - 3 window that was my dads post-87296-143139121843_thumb.jpg

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Guest ggdoorguy

I've been working on this car for about 1 1/2 yrs now the car sat at my moms house for about 42 yrs. I give you a lot of credit after viewing your posts

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Wow! A full day in the shop! No contract work, no yardwork, no honey-do work just plain old puttering.

I got around to fixing something I had been putting off. When I did the frame, I had changed a crossmember (Posting #70). I had found that the threaded holes in the plates inside the frame had been stripped so I had enlarged the holes and installed the crossmember with nuts & bolts. Later, when I was chasing the leak in the rear of the engine, I found that with the body on, the clutch/brake shaft in place, the battery box, it was a hell of a chore to remove the crossmember because I couldn't reach inside so easily anymore. The same gentlemen who had helped me adjust the valves suggested to leave the bolts there but tack them to the frame. So I did that today.

The other day when I drove the car outside for the first time, I had a bit of a time getting it into gear to come back. My son in law suggested getting rid of some of the free play in the clutch pedal. Did that too. Took it for another test drive to the end of the drive, problem solved.

Discovered that the gas pedal rod didn't open the throttle fully when it was fully depressed. Adjusted that too. Gave it about 3/4". Set the idle speed as well.

Now that the leak is cured, I reinstalled the flywheel pan. Installed the speedometer cable at the transmission & routed it up and behind the dash.

Started installing the plates and seal around the steering column & pedals.

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Really great news! Hopefully someone will tell you how to get the video posted. I'd really like to see the car rolling down the road. It has been an amazing journey. Is it possible for you to drive it out to where it was resting before and take a picture there in the same place (but not sunk into the field!!!). That would make one heck of a before and after photo.

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When it is all painted and completed I plan to take it back to the farm and do what you suggest. I have several photographs which might help me place it where it was by the outline of the trees. In the 10 years or so since I picked it up, there has been some work done there . All traces of my grandfather's old buildings have been erased and possibly the old well beside which the car sat all those years too. The current owner uses the place as a campground for his family.

As far as photos go, I'd like to take a photo of the completed car and have the same photo of my dad in post #41 ghosted in it.

Received notice from Hampton Coach that the seat kit had been shipped to the upholsterer. Had a call from the locksmith saying that he is almost done. I'll be able to send the rest of the small parts to the platers. I also ordered a woodgraining kit from Grainit Technologies in Florida. I checked with the painter to see when he wanted me to bring the rest and he still isn't ready for it. So my hopes of reassembling this fall likely won't materialize.

Today, I have to build a shelf for my daughter's hair salon. So there likely won't be any work on the car.

Edited by Landman
Spelling, as usual (see edit history)
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"As far as photos go, I'd like to take a photo of the completed car and have the same photo of my dad in post #41 ghosted in it."

The photo your daughter gave you for Christmas was an awesome idea and well executed. I do love that frame too. Very appropriate. Can't wait for the next ghosted photo.

Keep up the great work and the updates. Super project with such a great story - Thanks Pat.

Chuck

Edited by Woodfiddler
attempt at quoting a quote failed (see edit history)
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As far as photos go, I'd like to take a photo of the completed car and have the same photo of my dad in post #41 ghosted in it.

What a way to honor you father. Looking forward to seeing this photo.

Fantastic, beautiful work you are doing there.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Received the graining kit and started fooling around with it on a spare cluster bezel. You have to be absolutely straight with the roller in both picking up the grain from the plate and laying it down on the part, no overlap either way. We'll get it somehow.

Found a small crack on the corner of the dash . Welded it up & primed it.

Tested my wiper motor using the brake booster vacuum line on my truck.

Both a newer old truck. 2008 with just under 52,00Km, about 30,000 miles.

Laid some varmish on my daughter's shelf.

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Hi! A month ago I started my 34 chevy 2 seater project: a shell with nothing else. The chassis is also bare. The previous owner planned a streedrod, but abanded the project. I would like to restore it to origanal state. I am from South Africa and spares are limited from zero to nothing. I managed to save a few images of your car to give me an idea what to look for but I need lots of advice. Will you be prepared to share some of your expertise? I will appreciate any advice. Tinus

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Not much to report. Received the locks all rekeyed with the barrels removed except for the door handle which was seized somehow. Now I can send that bunch of small parts to get chromed. Nothing from the painter yet. I'm starting to wonder if he'll do it this year. The upholsterer has received the seat kit but is very busy himself, so more delays to be expected there. Oh well, that'll give me time to go out and work to pay for all this and if I'm lucky spend the winter reassembling everything. :rolleyes:

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Guest Davethewave

Started at last post and had to work to the front. Pic of your Dad put a lump in my throat. Very very nice work. Thanks for taking the time to tell the story. Dave

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