Thanks Wayne. That door just has etch primer on the bare metal. I haven't started filler work on it yet. It's a decent door to start with, but if you look close, the body line towards the bottom of the photo needs some help.

Daniel

Update
 

The summer weather in upstate South Carolina hasn't really cooperated this summer. In order to keep from covering everything in my garage with sanding dust, I am doing all my bodywork outside in the driveway. The rain, heat, and humidity have made this challenging.

Anyway, I've been chipping along as I could. I had a bad spot on the second door that I cut out and replaced.

https://lateral-g.net/forums/attachm...1&d=1534426217

https://lateral-g.net/forums/attachm...1&d=1534426217

https://lateral-g.net/forums/attachm...1&d=1534426217

https://lateral-g.net/forums/attachm...1&d=1534426217

I just finished the majority of the bodywork on the second door and sprayed it with etch primer this week. With the doors set aside, I'll begin work to get the body in etch primer before I begin the body work on it.

https://lateral-g.net/forums/attachm...1&d=1534426217

Daniel

Rear end questions
 

I have limited knowledge when it comes to rear ends. I've not really had to do much work on them beyond what I've done in this thread (replaced axle bearing, seals, welded on the Ridetech 4-link brackets, cleaned and painted).

The rear end that came with my car is an 8.2" 10 bolt, NON posi, with 2.73 gears. I'm aiming for 400 hp/torque from the SBC400 I'll be rebuilding and have a close ratio Muncie M21 4 speed transmission.

My concern is that the non posi, 2.73, rear end I have now is going to be too mild to really use/feel/enjoy 400 hp/torque.

I may have a lead on an 8.5" 10 bolt, posi, with 3.42 gears, with new Timken bearings throughout.

Any thoughts/suggestions/guidance? Questions to ask the seller?

Daniel

Here's what I know from speaking with the seller.

It has new Timken axle, carrier, and pinion bearings and National seals. Original, factory Eaton(?) posi, gears, and 28 spline axles- all in very good condition according to him. It's set up with .008 backlash and is 53 1/4" wide from backing plate to backing plate. I can get it for $750.

Any thoughts/opinions before I pull the trigger on this?

Here's some photos:

Those are several good upgrades, Posi, better gear ratio. The rearend is plenty strong enough for a street car as long as you're not trying to run sticky tires and do hard launches all the time.
Make sure you take a good look at the gears before you hand over the cash, No pitting or super sharp edges on the teeth...


Jeff-

Thanks Jeff. I’m not a drag race guy, so no drag slicks. This car will see spirited street driving and the occasional autocross.

Thanks for the tip regarding the gears.

Daniel

I got the 8.5" 10 bolt yesterday. From what I can tell, everything checks out to be what it was advertised to be.

The gear compound marks and the teeth seem to be acceptable.

I did find one interesting thing to note. The stamping on the ring gear reads 3984831 12 14 3 78. I'm pretty sure the 14 was stamped backwards and should read 41, denoting the ring gear tooth count. I counted the ring gear teeth and there are 41 and the pinion has 12 teeth, which is a 3.42 gear ratio.

Daniel

Paint prep questions
 

I've been working on the car...I swear. I haven't updated this thread because it's just been boring, redundant filler, then sand, then filler, then sand...

I'm wrapping up the bodywork/filler process on my body shell and was unsure of a few things and I'm hoping someone can provide some insight.

Seam sealer- I'm spraying etch primer next, then spraying 2K urethane primer, then blocking with progressively finer grits. At what point during this process do I apply seam sealer (for instance, where the rear quarter panels meet the taillight panel)?

New body panels- I'm replacing a few panels with AMD repops that are EDP coated. Should they be scuffed>etch primed>2K primed? What about the inner side of the panel- just etch primer or just leave the EDP?

Thanks in advance.

Daniel

Weekend progress
 

I was able to spray a final coat of etch primer on the body, then sprayed urethane primer on the body, doors, spoiler, and cowl.

Daniel

Looking good! Keep up the good work!

I got the doors hung and gapped, along with the fenders. Still have to tweak the header panel, valance, hood and install the grille. It's starting to look like a car again though...

I have to shorten the aluminum DSE core support bushings. The front end is mocked up with wood pieces that are about 1/4" shorter than the DSE bushings. Have to find someone with a lathe for that though.

Daniel

Nice progress. Really nice work for someone who says they have really never done it before!

Thanks Chiva. The bodywork isn't rocket science, just time consuming/labor intensive. The weather here has been rain for the past few weekends, which has really slowed my progress.

My goal is to have it to the painter by the end of December.

Daniel

Off to paint...finally.

Daniel

happy day, who do you have painting it?

A small body shop right down the street from where I live. He's basically mentored/challenged me to do all the bodywork up to this point. Giving me tips/tricks and letting me buy supplies through his account and receive his discount. He's got a nice 68 Camaro as well.

Daniel

That's really neat, I can't wait to see how it turns out.

Got the car back from the painter this morning before the rain moved in. This picture sucks and the car is wet from an earlier shower. I'll snap some better ones when the weather clears.

Daniel

Your Camaro must have had a get out of paint jail free card b/c that was FAST!!

Looks nice.

Haha, yeah. I had a couple things in my favor- I've become friends with the body shop owner, it's a small shop with only one paint booth and a few bays, and he had other work waiting, he basically only had to mask and spray my car. But yes, it was a quick turnaround, which I'm thankful for.

Daniel

That is a nice color. The car is looking great!

Got the Ridetech 4-link brackets welded on the 8.5" 10 bolt and got the rear suspension wrapped up. It's dirty, but I rolled it out since the sun was out and snapped a few photos with the new wheel/tires.

Car looks great,I am sure you excited with the progress.Seems like paint is always a major accomplishment:trophy-1302:

Installed a new gas tank and Ridetech gas cap.

I picked up a 383 stroker. Been changing out some of the engine top end. Got the new intake and valve covers on.

Daniel

It's nice to actually start assembly and see some progress.

I got the master cylinder, prop valve, and brake lines installed. Along with some new hood hinges.

Daniel

Update
 

I've been working on a few different areas of the car. I painted the upper and lower dash.

I got the Vintage Air evaporator and condenser installed. I'll wrap up the HVAC once the engine is in and I can hook up the compressor.

I painted the engine block and oil pan. Finally decided on an engine accessory drive and got that installed along with the motor mounts and starter.

**(In ref to the engine photo, do I still need to install the balancer center bolt???)

I'm mounting the battery in the trunk and making a mount for it. It'll be mounted in the center area of the trunk on an angle. I'm using an AGM battery due to the angle. The mount will have a starter solenoid and battery cut off attached as well. Still need to paint it. (Don't judge my aluminum welds- I'm new to MIG with a spool gun )

Also, bleeding this new brake system has been an exercise in patience. I've been using a vacuum bleeder with mediocre results. My son and I did the traditional 2 man bleeding last night and I was getting good fluid at all calipers, but the pedal is still soft. I've still got some work to do there.

My clutch and flywheel showed up so I plan to install those this week. Hope to get the trans installed also and drop the engine/trans in this weekend.

Daniel

Do you have any pictures? It be nice to see how they reinforced the floor.
Thank Kirk. Not trying to hijack a thread here.

yes you still the center bolt. Its what holds the balancer to the crank

x2 Get and ARP one at this point if you don't already have a center bolt.

I'd mount the battery over the right side frame rail behind the tire. Battery mount looks good.

Glad you're making progress. Love the color combination you've chosen.

Progress
 

Got the engine/trans in the car this weekend. Also, installed the radiator/fan.

Daniel

Nice!! Looks super clean. Love it!

:thumbsup::thumbsup:

Thanks Curtis. :)

Daniel

Looking good!

I got a decent amount accomplished over the weekend.

The headers are installed. It's tight, but I finally persuaded everything to fit with a BFH. Installed the clutch Z bar, oil pressure sender, heater hose fittings, coolant overflow tank.

Started the fab on my seat brackets. I need to lower the seat some more. I think I can gain about 1/2". A tilt column would be nice to raise the steering wheel just a bit as well. May be added in the future.

I got the trunk painted. Added the starter solenoid, battery cut off, fuel pump relay and circuit breaker to the battery mount.

Made a bracket to mount the fuel pump.

Daniel

Car looks real good DWC. I like it!!

Speedhut gauges in stock gauge cluster
 

I ordered a set of Speedhut gauges and planned to use the stock gauge cluster to mount the speedo and tach. I ordered Speedhut's 5" trim rings thinking they'd be plug and play and a straightforward way to install their gauges in the stock cluster...not quite.

The trim rings were larger than the cluster's opening diameter. Speedhut gauges mount with a threaded ring, not like Autometer gauges that use a bracket. So, I came up with the following to center the trim rings in the stock cluster opening and allow the Speedhut gauge mounting ring to thread on. Seems stout enough, time will tell.

Cut, bent, drilled, tapped, countersunk, and threaded some aluminum stock I had for the upper mounts.

Cut, bent and slotted some steel sheet stock I had for the upper retainers.

Epoxied the mounts to the cluster.

Gauges are now centered and seem solid.

On to the next task that should take 10 minutes, but actually takes hours...:headscratch::)

Daniel

Those gauges look awesome!

I remember having to make a backplate for my speedhut gauges also.

Wish I would have put the fuel gauge in like you did,it would have freed up a spit in my consol.

Looks good.

Cluster looks great!