1949Huntsman Posted August 8, 2022 Share Posted August 8, 2022 Hello Everyone, I'm new to AACA but have been following many of the builds going on through the forums for a while. I wanted to share the '49 project I've been working on. If anyone here is on the CLC forum, this might be familiar. About 5 years ago, I acquired a troubled '49 convertible in the deep western regions of Chicago. It came out of California and was more or less frankensteined together from a couple parts cars, but the frame and body were intact and numbers matching. I learnt a year or so in, that it was one of the last special order chartreuse models, which made for an interesting change in color and trim plans. This is my first real restoration, and its been quite an adventure. I have some great friends who have helped in areas I cannot master (body welding and paint are skills I eventually would love to gain, but need help at this time). I'll back fill some of the journey while I wait for the car to come out of the paint shop, there's a lot of ground to still cover. There's a bit of a saga of the car being homeless a few times, riding a flatbed all over the city. I started working on it with a group of after school program mentors, and then a few friends starting their own shops. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1949Huntsman Posted August 8, 2022 Author Share Posted August 8, 2022 We got the car mostly taken apart, cleaning up the inner fenders and hoping to get the surfaces ready for bodywork. None of us knew the troubles that were lurking under the surface, however. To the untrained eye, I learnt the hard way that door fitment and rear fender wells could be the core challenge of a convertible project like this... After the car had to escape to a friend's garage, where I tried planning for the future, reclaim lost parts and worked on smaller items - like restoring the gauge cluster - another friend was able to take the car into his shop (Greg of Speakeasy Customs) and help with the metal work - a deeper endeavor than we anticipated. In the photos you'll see the structural damage that the car suffered, we spent months figuring out body bracing and lower rocker channels. I could go deep into details there, but essentially my lesson was that I should brace the car with cross bars immediately to set the doors correct. Then, rebuild the whole car underneath. The first location I had it, a volunteer welder decided it was structurally sound because of the rigid frame it sat upon. Long story short, the car was clam-shelling, pinching the doors. With bad hinges and an A pillar that was leaning inwards, the car was a structural mess. Thankfully, after almost a year of Greg trying to sort it out in his spare time, we got the doors to close properly. There were a few heretical fixes we made - one being to cut and weld the pillars straight - but essentially we had to stretch the car open. Its amazing how our dreams can get us into trouble... 15 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexRiv_63 Posted August 8, 2022 Share Posted August 8, 2022 Cool project, I'm hooked. Lot going on in those shops! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1949Huntsman Posted August 9, 2022 Author Share Posted August 9, 2022 (edited) A few more backdated reports - I'm at the point where I'm assembling the instrument panel now, but I've been digging the archives and remembering how far back this went. We started disassembling it in the mentoring program shop, and it provided a great lesson in refinishing for some of the students. Transporting it to the paint shop was entertaining, I've found running around with the top down in a Z3 to work well for carrying car parts. At this time I also started the gauge cluster, which became a great winter project later on. It needed refreshed lettering and basically all the components repainted. dissasembly (I wish i remembered where the glovebox hinge went...) My friend used the instrument panel as a small class for students to learn how to use wire wheels Cluster as it was pulled out The original cluster was quite crusty.. First time using a spray gun, thankfully on primer Primed and ready to send to paint shop the IP getting painted in gloss black Not the best coverage but I did what had to be done... lol Edited August 9, 2022 by 1949Huntsman (see edit history) 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
63RedBrier Posted August 9, 2022 Share Posted August 9, 2022 "I learnt a year or so in, that it was one of the last special order chartreuse models, which made for an interesting change in color and trim plans." Greetings and welcome! Do you have a color chip for the Huntsman? I love the frame hanging from the rafters! Good luck with your project! You are off to a great start! Greg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1949Huntsman Posted August 9, 2022 Author Share Posted August 9, 2022 Hi Greg, thanks! I do, at least I found the chip from the GM/DuPont swatches. I took a shot of it with the miniature I had painted when we did the door hinges. The color is really interesting, it shifts vibrancy in different light. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve_Mack_CT Posted August 10, 2022 Share Posted August 10, 2022 Following, what a great year for Cadillac! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1949Huntsman Posted August 11, 2022 Author Share Posted August 11, 2022 I've been collecting all the various body chrome and have been back and forth between the shop I'm working with near Midway airport. You never know if you're going to have to make another trip when you find some pieces needing a bit more help. They're great guys though, and the pieces are coming out great. I spent a good deal of time hammering one of the rock guards, that was a lesson in patience and metal shaping...(haven't done that before) 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy J Posted August 11, 2022 Share Posted August 11, 2022 I know exactly what you're dealing with. I've been through all that myself and have one more trip to the chrome shop to get the last few pieces that I had chromed.However,my plater told me not to touch anything,that he would do any straightening needed. I agreed,since this is a long,weary process,especially if you don't have the proper tools needed for the job. I did straighten and polish my stainless molding and it turned out really good. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1949Huntsman Posted August 12, 2022 Author Share Posted August 12, 2022 That's great to hear you were able to successfully straighten and polish stainless, I have a long piece of decklid trim that I need to fix next. Its been a bit daunting to think about because they're so thin, without the 'it can be refined in the chrome stage' to fall back on. Having done this piece myself, it was cool to learn how to do it, but I agree with your plater, if you have the chance to let them do it, its a good idea. haha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1949Huntsman Posted August 13, 2022 Author Share Posted August 13, 2022 (edited) The car has been painted this week! I should have posted a lot more leading up to this, but here's more or less an overview of this section of the past year.. I drove the car out of my friend's garage onto a flatbed last August 12, and then visited the fully painted body August 12 this year. Very cool in a symbolic way. True, it would have been nicer for things to have gone quicker, but when we all are working on the side (and met with all the body work gremlins this car had), I'm very thankful we got it done. There's plenty to talk about within this whole chapter (and reasons why it took a whole year) but that's all old history. Next, onto delivery to my garage and all the next part of climbing this mountain! By the way, the color is Chartreuse, I'll get into that in another post, but I discovered it was one of the limited run models for '49, a crazy color for that time period. More mid 50s than 40s. Here we are reminiscing over the day I drove the car, which was about July last summer. Its good to have a time to chill and reflect... How the car looks now, vs 6 months ago This photo was my New Year's gift from my painter friend, he got the whole car in sealer with decent gaps. ...Until we started fitting the rear fenders... then it got crazy Going further back in time, this is what it looked like when we started work on the body. The prep was supposed to take about 2 months before paint, but life got complicated. This is the car last summer when I drove it out of my friend's garage, to go to the paint shop. This was something I posted to my Instagram last August 12th. Little did I realize that photo would be my official time-stamp for this whole chapter lol Edited August 13, 2022 by 1949Huntsman (see edit history) 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cadillac Fan Posted August 13, 2022 Share Posted August 13, 2022 Love the color! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walt G Posted August 14, 2022 Share Posted August 14, 2022 (edited) I am just viewing this for the first time ! WOW, great spirit to continue to save a really derelict car that now has found an enthusiastic and dedicated owner, I so admire the fact that you had your car in a shop that had students use it as a place to learn how to use wire wheels! PLAYING THE KNOWLEDGE FORWARD!! This small part may generate interest enough to see those people at some point in time be the future generation of car restoration - even if in the tiniest way possible. If there is no place to learn even basic skills then they will disappear. . This is said from my own first hand experience. I taught art for 30+ years but it was a friend who worked with me at his house using his equipment to show me how to re-enamel car emblems 45+ years ago. He wouldn't do it unless I participated, another friend did the same when I remade the pins to hold the shutters top and bottom of a radiator shell for a 1931 Franklin on a lathe using stainless steel rod. Each end machined on his lathe - he did the first one and I did the rest - over 30 of them. Hands on First Hand knowledge - nothing better. Edited August 14, 2022 by Walt G SPELLING ERROR CORRECTED (see edit history) 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexRiv_63 Posted August 14, 2022 Share Posted August 14, 2022 That new paint looks great! A year seems like a long time but from what I have read here and on other forums you actually had an expedited job! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1949Huntsman Posted August 15, 2022 Author Share Posted August 15, 2022 Thanks! Its so exciting to get it to this stage. That's a great thing to hear, that a paint project could actually take longer than a year (I believe it, because of how much could go wrong). And Walt, yes! It has been so exciting to share the craft with young people (I myself have been benefitting this skill-share efforts too). Like your story, it really matters when someone cares and wants to take on the knowledge that's being shared with them. That's so cool you learned re-enameling, that is such a fascinating craft! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walt G Posted August 15, 2022 Share Posted August 15, 2022 (edited) Re-enameling : worth learning. Not for the faint of heart in the respect that it takes a lot of patience. The powder used has assorted co$ts levels, just for small amounts. PLUS all the colors melt ( ie fire) to fuse together at different temperatures. SO while one color is liquid and fused the other(s) may be sitting there still taking the amount of time they need. Well the one that melts the fastest will then loose quantity and 'flash off' because it got hot quicker. The more different colors you have the harder it gets to get it all to work. The car badge pre WWII that I worked with and re enameld that was the hardest to do was British and had 7 colors! it was for the Brooklands Automobile Racing Club. Once all colors are restored you have to grind them all evenly flat. Yes, it is a real challenge /learning experience and that is why it is difficult to locate someone to restore these badges. WG Editing this so people can see the Brooklands badge here on the forums , not trying to stray from the topic but I have had several inquiries say "7 colors?" well maybe 8 if yo count the area around the letters. . The badge is pictured here on the forums under Badges in an October 14, 2020 post. I never want to re enamel /restore one of these ever again. Edited August 15, 2022 by Walt G (see edit history) 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1949Huntsman Posted August 15, 2022 Author Share Posted August 15, 2022 Wow! thats very cool, yea, someday that would be a cool thing to learn. Someday when I'm finished with this car hahah.. Update at the shop, the rear fender has now been assembled with welting and molding. Its incredible to see the trim on the car, it makes such a difference to make it seem 'real' My friend at the shop decided its best to handle this part of the moldings because bolting the fender on myself was going to be really intricate. Thankful for the help, and now I'm very motivated to put the rest on when it comes home... Also, this deserved a ceremonious purchase of the namesake the paint comes from - I've told myself I wouldn't buy a bottle until the car was painted, and at long last I found its pretty much completely sold out across the country. What a wild timing.. but! miraculously there was one bottle in a shadowy corner of a liquor store downtown Chicago. Causes me to pause and get reflective... I could get way too deep with my weird poetic connections with this color.. but some of my artistic friends get it and have been fun to talk with lately. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1949Huntsman Posted August 16, 2022 Author Share Posted August 16, 2022 (edited) While waiting for the car to ship, I started restoring the bumper frames. They seem to be mostly effected by surface rust, so a few evenings of wire wheeling and POR15 should set them up well. Hopefully the car will fit in my garage with the bumpers on... we'll see Edited August 19, 2022 by 1949Huntsman (see edit history) 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1949Huntsman Posted August 19, 2022 Author Share Posted August 19, 2022 Still waiting on the car to leave the shop. Unfortunately there are a few unfinished vehicles in the way. Hoping Monday to receive it, and then go full speed with working on the actual car. I've been spending my free time creating (and updating) project lists. So far its going better than before. I keep reminding myself to remember the single task I decided to focus on, not the whole beast. I'm also getting very distracted by forums. Reading everyone's adventures has been both inspiring and terrifying. This is great lol. Here are my todo lists. First I did the one on the left, in Notion, which is connected to my daily todo list. On the right is Trello, shared with a friend who's restoring his own cars. I'll compare platforms as I go along. During my lunch break I hung out in my garage and picked at my tail light assembly. I have a kit to restore it, but can't figure out how to pull out the reflector. I got progress, but not complete. Small project - degrease and replace plastics Reflector Extraction... Does anyone have any tips on how to do this? I can't get the backing out. Might drill into it... the backside seems solid, which doesn't help to remove the plastic Also.. I think I should replate this whole thing now. It seemed good enough at first, but now that I'm closer to it, it seems too rough to put on. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1949Huntsman Posted August 20, 2022 Author Share Posted August 20, 2022 Small update. Further digging into this taillight reflector. The plastic piece seems to sit behind the outer rim, leading me to think the backing somehow has to come out. I started to try tapping the backing with a hammer, but it wont budge. I might take a dremel to the inside to remove corrosion. In other news, all my bumper frames are ready to mount. All I need is the car now... Fingers crossed for Monday 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1949Huntsman Posted August 22, 2022 Author Share Posted August 22, 2022 Update, I figured it out late last night with a hammer... haha Next I wire brushed the 'sealer goo' out with degreaser, and test fit the lens I need to get the fasteners and find the seals again... 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1949Huntsman Posted August 23, 2022 Author Share Posted August 23, 2022 The car has finally been released from the paint shop and is now in my garage (this feels like it took my entire 20s to get here...) but now the real work begins. To christen it, I put the decklid badge on... seemed appropriate. Next I'm replacing the fuel tank... The old one got sealed improperly. Has anyone found a good way to seat these rubber grommets? Its extremely frustrating because they keep popping out. I'm going to try putting soap on them so they slide easier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1949Huntsman Posted August 23, 2022 Author Share Posted August 23, 2022 Well, I went back to it later tonight. dish soap works wonders. Just poke it through with an interior tool (to keep from scratching) and slowly pull with pliers or fingers from the other side. Fingers are better bc they won’t rip the rubber. love it when you can conquer something… little momentums to hopefully help keep going when it gets hard soon… 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1949Huntsman Posted August 26, 2022 Author Share Posted August 26, 2022 Swapped the Fuel tanks last night, but the new tank has a different thread than anything I could find for the filler fitting. Looking into that today Continued to work on the bumper last night. We ran into a fitment issue, which seems to be coming from the angle of the bracket. The bumper is shifted towards the left.. I'm going to put a shim in the bracket (where it bolts to the frame) to angle it towards the right. We'll see... \\ \ You can see how much its misaligned on the passenger side. It began to dig into the gasket, and then the body.. It still makes a big difference on, although not completely in place. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1949Huntsman Posted August 29, 2022 Author Share Posted August 29, 2022 Last weekend was an adventure. We held a "homecoming party" for the car, which was really fun. Its good to capitalize on your milestones, and bring other people into the journeys. Thankful for all the people who have been a part of this so far.\ However, before that, I struggled to swap the fuel tank, and was getting stressed that I wouldn't find the right fitment in time to drive the car out of the garage. I'm learning gas fittings the hard way, I think this is a reverse flare inside the new tank? The old one was the opposite. I couldn't find it in Home Depot, going to hunt online... We ended up finding a hole in the floor to pipe a small fuel line through. It was redneck, but works for now! On the way home from the hardware store, I spotted what I think could be the modern day equivalent to my car, which is always cool to ponder about. It needs to be as outrageous as a Cadillac, and insane as chartreuse. A green Continental GT could also fit the concept. Maybe Cadillac will come out with a "lime green dealer-special Lyriq?" Onto the party - it was really fun to share this with non-car and car-people. We had a mini car show with my friend's Grand Prix and Father's Willy's Jeep. (Jeep not pictured, it was delivering pizza) Back to work! 5 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1949Huntsman Posted August 30, 2022 Author Share Posted August 30, 2022 I started messing with the front fender trim - and then reached a snag. I can get one put on, but one of the spears seems to have warped during chrome, or just was warped to begin with? After putting this piece on and tightening it as much as possible, it seems to be pulling away from the car at the back. Creating a "banana" shape... Any ideas on how to straighten something like this or is it toast? backside - it was chromed recently, wondering if that warped it.. Here's the 'banana-ing" in side view, I'm contemplating finding a new one... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexRiv_63 Posted August 30, 2022 Share Posted August 30, 2022 Are you sure the trim was flat before removal? Almost looks like someone tried prying it off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1949Huntsman Posted August 30, 2022 Author Share Posted August 30, 2022 Being pried off is a good theory, I should have inspected it closer when I purchased it. With the rigid structure of the piece, I think its going to be tough to bend back. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NailheadBob Posted August 30, 2022 Share Posted August 30, 2022 (edited) This may help with your fuel tank fitting: Group # 12.2570 Connector or Elbo, fuel pipes part # 137406 is connector (* see Group # 25.0210 Connector, Inverted flare tube part # 137406) fuel line to flexible tube Bob Edited August 30, 2022 by NailheadBob Added photo (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1949Huntsman Posted August 31, 2022 Author Share Posted August 31, 2022 Oh cool! Thanks Bob, this is helpful! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1949Huntsman Posted September 1, 2022 Author Share Posted September 1, 2022 (edited) I think I got it! The fuel system is all connected and I tested it last night. First, I found an inverted flare fitting that mimicked a copper line. Summit Racing had a 'clamp style' piece that seemed correct after all my research. This is the fitting up close, the flared end is important. It creates a negative for what's inside the tank. Here's the part in detail on Summit. It bolted in without any problems, very satisfying after last week's frustration. Time for install... I was entertained by the positions I needed to get it in place haha Next I installed the filler tube, which requires the taillight to be installed - the bolt here helps hold it in place. Hoping I find the gaskets for this... I lost them somehow, but they may turn up. Lastly, I got a gasket that adapts from a 2in to 1.5in. The filler tube is about 1.75in and my standard hose wasn't fitting the new tank. This was found at Menards among the PVC pipes. Now it drives! Onto the transmission next... Its leaking badly out of the tailshaft. (Btw this shot was taken before putting the taillights in) Edited September 1, 2022 by 1949Huntsman (see edit history) 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NailheadBob Posted September 1, 2022 Share Posted September 1, 2022 (edited) Great job you are doing on your project. The best service manual for early Hydra-Matics is 1949 thru 1953 Pontiac Hydra-Matic repair manual, can easily be found on e-bay, also Weber State University has a 5 part series on YouTube, by Professor John Kelly, "Worlds first-mass produced automatic transmission" John Kelly does an excellent job in this video and he is actually working on a 1949 Cadillac Hydra-Matic transmission, the 1949 Cadillac engine and transmission were donated to the college. EDIT: see: Bob Edited September 1, 2022 by NailheadBob Add photo (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F&J Posted September 1, 2022 Share Posted September 1, 2022 1 hour ago, 1949Huntsman said: Lastly, I got a gasket that adapts from a 2in to 1.5in. The filler tube is about 1.75in and my standard hose wasn't fitting the new tank. This was found at Menards among the PVC pipes. I'm not a safety cop, but that house drain hose adapter will be saturating in gas when the tank is full. I can't believe it could be fuel proof and if it's not, it would soften up like jello and likely will start leaking or fail completely. Buy another one and put it in a jar of gas to see what happens to be on the safe side, if you can't find proof that it is fuel proof. One option is to have a steel exhaust adapter welded to the filler pipe so that the correct fuel filler hose would fit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1949Huntsman Posted September 1, 2022 Author Share Posted September 1, 2022 4 hours ago, F&J said: I'm not a safety cop, but that house drain hose adapter will be saturating in gas when the tank is full. I can't believe it could be fuel proof and if it's not, it would soften up like jello and likely will start leaking or fail completely. Buy another one and put it in a jar of gas to see what happens to be on the safe side, if you can't find proof that it is fuel proof. One option is to have a steel exhaust adapter welded to the filler pipe so that the correct fuel filler hose would fit. Oh shoot, ok! Thanks for pointing that out. I'll run a test, but also will look into an alternative - like welding an adapter as mentioned. Thanks! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1949Huntsman Posted September 1, 2022 Author Share Posted September 1, 2022 4 hours ago, NailheadBob said: Great job you are doing on your project. The best service manual for early Hydra-Matics is 1949 thru 1953 Pontiac Hydra-Matic repair manual, can easily be found on e-bay, also Weber State University has a 5 part series on YouTube, by Professor John Kelly, "Worlds first-mass produced automatic transmission" John Kelly does an excellent job in this video and he is actually working on a 1949 Cadillac Hydra-Matic transmission, the 1949 Cadillac engine and transmission were donated to the college. EDIT: see: Bob Thanks Bob for sharing this! I located a manual on ebay, I'll also dig into these diagrams. I'm considering sending the car to a transmission shop in Chicago that handles older vehicles, but they may need parts ready, so this is helpful Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexRiv_63 Posted September 2, 2022 Share Posted September 2, 2022 On 9/1/2022 at 10:22 AM, F&J said: I'm not a safety cop, but that house drain hose adapter will be saturating in gas when the tank is full. I can't believe it could be fuel proof and if it's not, it would soften up like jello and likely will start leaking or fail completely. Buy another one and put it in a jar of gas to see what happens to be on the safe side, if you can't find proof that it is fuel proof. One option is to have a steel exhaust adapter welded to the filler pipe so that the correct fuel filler hose would fit. Also look into silicone hose products used with turbochargers, etc. I don't think that gas would affect them but...NOT SURE. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1949Huntsman Posted September 2, 2022 Author Share Posted September 2, 2022 Thats also a good area to look, I found this at Napa and wonder if I can get it on with clamps - welding would be more complex for me to accomplish at the moment Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1949Huntsman Posted September 7, 2022 Author Share Posted September 7, 2022 I got a bit done over the labor day weekend, although it never goes as far as you think! (learning to take my time). I've been mocking up interior trim which has been motivating. First off, I went into the rear bumper, to get it aligned. I used three washers as shims at the back of the brackets to shift it to the right side of the car. Things were going well in the sun with my friend keenly observing the progress. However, as I got the momentum going, disaster struck... the rear bumper started turning inwards into the car and marked up the fins on both sides. I'll have to practice my paint-chip-recovery skills later. I promptly walked away and texted a few friends to calm down... These bumper gaskets are a pain to figure out, and I'll have to revisit the alignment later. I've got the rear on as best I could humanly possible with my current skills. I'm sure this can be revisited... I then got the car out and did about a 100-point turn to get it spun around and backed into the garage so I could work on the front. Amazingly it had enough gas and trans fluid to just get inside until it died. I'll be messing with the fuel tube and transmission again soon. I've got some wiring and dashboard goals next. (part of my scheme to drive it to the transmission shop) Once it was spun around, I had some friends over for a garage night. I stupidly didn't take a picture of the interesting alignment challenge I had, but this pic my friend took shows how far off the LH fender is to the front valance. I figured out that if I bolt on the valance to the radiator shell, it can create a solid spot to pull the fender sheet metal into place with the valance bolts. Basically, as I bolted the valance together, it pulled the fender into alignment. I was so happy with solving that mystery.... After that, I went onto the front bumper, which was thankfully way less intricate than the rear - no stupid gasket to fight into alignment. After that I started preparing myself to install the innards behind the dashboard. My goal this week is to get the dashboard on so I can clear room for family staying over. (its currently occupying a guest bed...) But in order to do that I have to figure out how to teardown the wiper transmissions so I can fit them through the firewall... Looking into the manual later. I got the wiper motor mounted (not sure if it works yet) by climbing into the engine bay. I'm not really sure how people work on these huge cars. I'm used to smaller European cars so the volume to overcome is quite interesting. I also detached all the wires to the motor so that I can reset them in the sheathing I have. After judging at the CLC grand national, I realize how cool it would be to have a period correct, Rhode Island harness... but I'm not exactly running with a collector budget on this build. So, my strategy is to run the painless kit I have through the unseen parts (like the body) and then come back at the engine bay when I have a better cashflow. I've ordered black sheathing for the engine bay for now. Currently I'm still learning where everything goes. Stay tuned for more.. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1949Huntsman Posted September 15, 2022 Author Share Posted September 15, 2022 (edited) Next - Wiper Installation (on the list to do before mounting the dashboard) The dog seems to be finding new spots to hang out while I'm working. I found a gear puller that would get the small burr off the end of the wiper transmission. Not sure if other cars have this style of wiper, but it requires pulling that burr (kind of like a cap) off in order to fit it through the firewall. After mounting the transmissions, I'm working on connecting the cables to the pulleys at the firewall - I'm starting to wrap my head around how these work... These pulleys (tensioner assemblies) are ratcheting inwards - which means they have to be facing towards the middle of the car - my passenger side one needs to be swapped so it can pivot (this lets the cable release tension in order to seat in the center arm) Here's a shot from the manual I'll be messing with it more tonight. Planning on getting a better photo of how it operates. (If my hypothesis is correct) (tensioner assembly/pulley to go on the passenger side. this one doesn't match the diagram in the manual, but it ratchets in the right direction) Edited September 15, 2022 by 1949Huntsman (see edit history) 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1949Huntsman Posted May 23, 2023 Author Share Posted May 23, 2023 So, I've gone off-grid most of the Fall and Winter. Apologies. The reporting has been fun, but life was getting a bit overwhelming. Since my last post, multiple milestones have been crossed, and some backwards steps have been made. For the exciting bits - The car drove around the block! Barely. Below are some photos of its maiden voyage, and some photos of its moments stalled out (sideways) in my one-block adventure. The transmission is still leaking profusely, so I concluded that each time the engine seizes, its because the fluid is too low. Needless to say, I haven't driven it except for a few short trailering moments... Here hopes were still high as it exited the garage.. Mostly disbelief that it moves And then it stalled... This time it was due to the battery, because my alternator wasn't hooked up properly We got it back inside and inspected the leakage Nothing new, but just a reminder I need to get it fixed... On its next journey (this was where I went around the block, mostly to test if the Trans could shift into 4th gear) It only got 40 ft before the first stall, but more trans fluid remedied it for the next try.. Note the leaking fluid and awkward position it died in... At this point, I concluded that I need to redo my wiring, as well as resolve the trans. I've since ordered a new harness (from YnZ) and have a transmission shop I'm planning to take it to, these are two things in May that I'm finally able to do. Other things done over the winter were the construction of my interior parts. The rear quarters were gone, so I've been working on reconstructing them. Using a 3D scan, I built an arm-rest/rear quarter with a cabinet inside. The intent was to 3D print the whole thing, CNC milling a few other parts. It was a bit of an adventure, and I've learned how complicated interior parts can be... but here is the finished model! The exploded view/breakdown of parts Test fitting... More test fitting... Here is the whole thing mocked up with a rough door card This is around February, since then I've revised the part and sent the car to the interior shop. More on that in my next post... 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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