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A job weld done

Posted September 12, 2012 By jack

With the car stripped of primer, cleaned of glass, and ready for bodywork, Dad and I took some time off to work on another important task, something that would have to be finished before we could continue any further: teaching me to weld.

Dad figured that as long as I needed some metal to practice on, I should make something useful in the process, so he drove down to Maxx Metals in San Carlos and picked up a few angle irons with which we built a stand for our bench vise. He has a nice Hobart MIG welding unit that was just right for our purposes. After making me watch a short instructional video and giving me some basic pointers, Dad let me start practicing on some scrap before we started assembling the stand. Dad came up with a design for a square base with 16 in. sides and a platform with 8 inch sides connected by 4 angle irons of 30 inches. Some quick trigonometry showed that the 30 inch pieces would have to be angled in at 79.1311°, so we rounded up to 80 and pulled out the plasma cutter, which proved extremely useful for cutting our 6 gauge steel. With the legs cut to the correct angle, we used a grinding wheel to clean up the metal before welding, threw on a few tack welds to hold the structure in place, and finished welding together the stand.

With that project completed, we moved back to the Mustang. With only two spots of serious rust on the car, we decided to start by replacing those. We pulled the plasma cutter back out and excavated the battery tray, which looked like Swiss cheese. We may decide to place the battery in the trunk later on, but the corrosion would have to be removed regardless. I smoothed out and cleaned up the edges with a grinding wheel while Dad used some posterboard to make a stencil for cutting new sheet metal. Dad trimmed and bent the metal until the fit was good, pulling out the body hammer to really lay down the edges for a close fit. We pulled out the welder, and I started by laying a few tack welds to keep it in place. However, I had never welded anything thiner than 3/16 inch, and when I went to lay down a bead, I blew through the metal pretty quickly. Dad did the best he could to patch up what I had done, and then I went back to placing tacks to avoid making the matter worse. Sometime soon I’ll grind down the welds and see which ones need replacing or reinforcing. Hopefully it’s not too ugly.

BADDA BING BADDA BOOM

Posted July 16, 2012 By jack

And just like that, we’re on the other side of the restoration. No more disassembly, no more removal, no more stripping; now, we’re putting Humpty Dumpty back together again.

On Friday, Dad and I erected a small structure of aluminum poles in the garage, 20ft x 10ft x 8ft in all. While I was working out on Saturday morning, Dad picked up a heavy-duty air compressor and all the necessary safety equipment we would need for the day ahead. We met up at the garage, draped our containment structure with tarps, and hooked up the blaster to the compressor. We donned our Tyvek coveralls, breathing masks, face shields, and earmuffs. Then we began to blast.

Me and the OG

The ground glass that the DB150 uses cuts through primer and rust surprisingly fast, which made the stripping process fairly quick: in all, we did the entire car in only 3 hours over two days. The part that slowed us down, however, was the immense amount of body filler on the roof, which took a lot longer to blast through. In places, there was Bondo laid 1/2 inch thick.  Beneath these spots we found holes poked through rippled sheet metal, evidence of a cheap repair job (we’ll clean these up later with a hammer and dolly, and hopefully do a much better job at applying the filler). Another factor that slowed us down was the face shields—every time one of us accidentally blasted into a pocket or depression, the media would shoot right back at us and cover our shields, which needed periodic cleaning.

Aside from the roof, we also cleaned up the entire underside, both rear quarter panels, the cowl, and parts of the engine compartment and inner wheel wells. Preparation and clean up took far more time and effort than the actual blasting. After the first day, we found that the entire garage had been dusted with a light layer of glass, so on the second day we added an overhead cover to our blast booth. Even then, all of the glass left a complete mess. The drop-clothes that we laid down caught a lot of it, but were so heavy when we rolled them up that they needed to be put on a dolly to be transferred to the dumpster. After much hosing and sweeping, we finally cleaned the garage, sidewalk, rotisserie, and booth materials (the face shields we consigned to the trash).

Getting glass off of the car was much harder, so we’re letting it dry before we try to vacuum it out. Then we’ll apply a rust inhibitor to all of the exposed sheet metal and get ready to start body work.

A not-too-subtle diversion

Posted July 12, 2012 By jack

Whoa. Considering how long it’s been since my last post, I’m embarrassed to say that the status of the Mustang is largely unchanged. Not that I haven’t been working at the garage; far from it. But the taxi has been so much of bother that I haven’t found time to work on the car that actually deserves my attention.

The London Taxis Inc. TXII that my dad purchased has been nothing but trouble from the beginning. For as long as we’ve owned it there have been electrical problems galore. We first noticed when the battery was dead every other time we went to start the car. Thinking there must have been some appliance draining power, we installed a battery cut-off, which slightly extended the battery life but failed to fix the problem overall. Our next thought was to check the alternator’s voltage output, which registered low. Larry, our TXII expert in South Carolina, sent a new one and suggested we also increase the belt tension. We replaced the alternator and attempted the tighten the serpentine belt, whereupon we discovered that the belt tensioner had been stripped by the previous owner, and the tensioning spring stretched as a result. We replaced the tensioner, tensioning spring, and belt, and finally achieved the right tension. However, as if that weren’t enough to deal with, we performed a voltage drop test across the alternator cable and negative battery terminal, which registered at a whopping 0V. When we tested it against the positive battery terminal, though, we got the full 12V. Seeing this, Dad was able to recognize that the cable connection between the battery must have been grounded someplace between the starter and the alternator. Rather than messing with the wiring harness, we installed a bypass cable straight from the battery to the alternator, and now the car runs fine (hallelujah).

With all that finally out of the way, I returned to my long-neglected project. With the ‘stang on the rotisserie, I removed and inventoried every last part on the body: emergency brake cable, brake fluid lines, assorted rubber plugs, interior trim brackets, etc. On to the stripping…. I helped Dad move the Citroen H-van out of the way so we could put the Mustang in a place to begin stripping the primer and body filler currently on the car. Apparently, many paint shops won’t supply a warranty on a car that has been soda-blasted, because the soda reacts with acid-based chemicals laid down before the paint, so Dad sold our soda-blaster to buy a Dustless Blaster, which uses a combination of water and glass beads to strip paints and primers in a much cleaner and environmentally-friendly way. This weekend we’ll erect a small containment structure of pipes and drop-clothes.

Prepare for blastoff.

UP IN THE AIR

Posted March 14, 2012 By jack

With the suspension completely removed, I had only to pull out some key steering components before we could mount the Rotisserie. These included the Pitman arm, the steering arm, the power-steering hydraulic pump, and the idler arm. This last piece must be replaced if there is any play where it mounts to the body; otherwise, its fine to keep yours. Ours showed a minimal amount of movement, but we’ll probably replace it in the interest of optimal handling.

Once all this had been completed, it was time to connect the rotisserie clamps. This required many fine adjustments in the height of the car, the width of the rotisserie arms, the tightness of the bolts, etc. (Many thanks to our friend Christian for helping out). When everything was finally dialed in and secured down, we pumped up the car and rocked it like a cradle. We won’t be able to fully spin the car until we line up the axis of rotation with the car’s center of gravity, but that will come soon: I’ve got plenty of work to keep me busy until then.

That vertical column needs to be raised to a higher setting before we spin the car

Goodbye, rear suspension (and good riddance!)

Posted February 23, 2012 By jack

I returned to TLG last weekend to finish the job I had started: rear-end removal.Once the drum brakes were pulled (a process I detailed in my last post), the only parts between me and the differential were the leaf springs.

A view of the differential, with the left spring already lowered

Before these are removed, jack up the rear axle so that it is barely supported; otherwise, you’ll have quite a load on your hands as you drop the springs. The leaf springs are held in place at the rear with a shackle bolt, which consists of two bolts connected with a metal strip/bracket. I unscrewed the two nuts holding this in, and then used a mallet to free the spring of the shackle bolt. Be careful not to leave anything beneath the spring, because it will fall as soon as the bushing is off the bolt. When both springs were detached in the back, the differential was free the come out. I placed this out of the way, undid the bolts at the front of the leaf springs, and started on the shocks.

The bottoms of the rear shocks were disconnected earlier, but the tops were a little trickier. To access these, I pulled out two rubber plugs in the rear floorpan. However, with the entire body resting on 4 jack stands, I didn’t want to risk getting into the car to unscrew the nuts. In order to do this, I ended up crawling into the trunk from beneath (the gas tank was removed earlier) and leaning into the cabin from the rear. This wasn’t as safe, but lowered the risk of rocking the car off its jack stands. If you have any better method, by all means use it.

Access to rear shock mounts

While working on the springs and rear-end,  I found a spot of rust on the rear frame rail that I had never seen when working on the car or inspecting it when we bought it. It’s the largest spot of corrosion there is, and it’s still smaller than my fist.

Rust

At this point, I had pulled everything off of the frame except for a few steering components left in the engine compartment. I didn’t have much time, so I cut the hoses leading to the power steering pump, drained the fluid and called it a day. This is the weekend my car leaves the ground. This is the weekend we mount the rotisserie.

Time Lapse

Posted February 17, 2012 By jack

It appears two months have passed since my last post, a period during which I’ve been to the garage only twice. I meant to post an update after the first visit, but it slipped my mind and I have absolutely no idea what I meant to write on. Something about disc brakes, wheel spindles, ball joints, and completing front-end suspension removal, but let’s not dwell on the past. After a ski vacation, an SAT, the start of lacrosse season, and Model UN preparation, I finally returned to TLG last Sunday to begin rear suspension work. In an attempt to accomplish as much progress as possible, I completely disregarded the heap of parts that need to be inventoried and neglected to use the camera at all. Please excuse the lack of pictures, I’ll include some in the following post.

I began by removing the rear wheels, and then started on the left drum brake (raise the car onto jacks for this). There are a number of springs and cables that work to connect the wheel cylinder and the brake shoes. These must be removed before the shoes can come off. My sources tell me there is a tool for this, but vice grips will do fine if you can manage not to bend the springs. The shoes can then be pulled right off, and the wheel cylinder is removed by undoing four bolts. The most difficult part of dissembling the brakes is removing the parking brake cable from the backplate. There is a metal casing with three tabs that stick out and keep the cable in place like a wall anchor bolt. These tabs must be pushed in and wiggled through the slot to get it out, but there isn’t much clearance. A pair of pliers and some help from Dad did the job. I’ll take pictures to demonstrate this when I work on the right side this weekend.

As I had already detached the brake lines in the rear, the only parts still attached to the differential were the leaf springs. These are connected with U-bolts and a mounting plate on each side, and are easily detached from the rear-end.

Sometime this weekend I’ll go back to remove the differential, and hopefully start on the steering components.

All the more reason to finish my car…

Posted December 6, 2011 By jack

I am now a licensed driver in the State of California, official as of last Monday. If you value your life, stay off of the roads.

I sometimes resort to self-inflicted verbal abuse when I fall this far behind in my posting. In this case, however, I’ve had excuse enough: PROGRESS!

Yes, I have managed to put in a consistent number of hours per week at TLG. And every Sunday night sees me significantly closer to The Rotisserie than I was before. Let’s recap…

Some time ago (I can no longer recall when), I removed the front wheels for better access to the suspension. Following my trusty bible (the Mustang Restoration Handbook), I started with the shock towers. The previous owner had replaced the originals with newer, more reliable counterparts, which we will most likely reuse.These came out by first undoing the bolts connecting them to the shock tower brackets, and then removing the brackets themselves. After that, two bolts at the bottom of each tower are the only obstacles to removal.

Inside the engine compartment, the only parts left were the brake fluid junction box (pictured right with lines across the firewall) and the power steering booster. The junction box came out by undoing the lines at box (this is easier than pulling it with lines still attached). A flare-nut wrench is useful for this step, as with all other brake/fuel line connections. I would recommend keeping a set handy.

Next, after procuring the correct tools, we started on the tie-rods and the springs. The tie-rods connect the front steering arms to the center steering link with ball joints at both ends. After pulling out a few cotter pins, the nuts will come out. However, the tapered studs on the tie-rods are jammed pretty tightly into their receptacles, and need to be forced out. A mallet and some elbow grease will work just fine, but you risk damaging the ball joint. If you wish to save your old parts, do as we did and get yourself a tie-rod/Pitman-arm puller. It’s a C-shaped contraption that fits over the steering arm, with a bolt that sits up against the stud. Tightening the bolt frees the tie-rod and lets you reuse the ball joints.

Drive with Kendall

For the springs, any heavy-duty spring compressor will get the job done. Our car—originally purchased with a 390 big-block and a GT package to boot—has a nicer front-end suspension kit than did most Mustangs from that year; the beefier springs show their worth during the drive, not the restoration. Without enough clearance to use two outer-compression posts, Dad and I rigged one on the inside. This was difficult to set up, but worked out after some perseverance on both our parts. With the compressed spring out of the car, we locked it into a bench vise to decompress… Dad was clearly getting uncomfortably with me tossing around a loaded bomb. Then he removed the outer spring cover, a step that will definitely serve us better before we attempt removing the other spring next weekend.

Since I’ll be driving the London taxi to school, I checked the oil and filled up the tires with air while Dad spruced up the garage a bit with some new signs.

In Leaps and Bounds

Posted November 12, 2011 By jack

Long time, no post. Quick update:

We actually salvaged this one!

At this point, our goal is to get everything off that we need to before we place the body on the rotisserie. Last time at TLG (was it a week ago, or two?) I started with the backlite (rear windshield). Thankfully, it wasn’t glued in place with a non-drying adhesive, as was the windshield, and didn’t require the piano-wire tool we used last time. With the combined use of a gasket-scraper and box-opener, I sliced the weatherstripping away from the top side of the backlite. Using suction cups, Dad and I were able to lift it right out.

Front disc brakes were a definite deal-sealer when we bought the car

Looking for a better way to access the brake lines, I then removed the front wheels. Dad’s new floor jack came in handy for this one, as did our large breaker-bar (our impact wrench is broken). Only five lugs on the Mustang wheels, which we plan on replacing with Minilites later on.

I’ve been noticing a trend: I make really good progress on my car, when I go to the garage! EARTH TO JACK: GET MOVING!

Brake Cylinder

Posted October 21, 2011 By jack

This past weekend, Dad, Charlie and I managed to put in a good number of hours at TLG (I know, its Friday already, but school and cross-country get in the way of writing these things). I wasn’t too productive; the only things left to remove from the car before I start suspension work will require Dad’s help. That’s why I left them for last.

I started by inventorying and storing the massive amount of parts that have been sitting out.

Bagged-up lines best collect brake fluid

Dad cleaned off a storage shelf we had so I could make room for the driveshaft, heater assembly, and steering column. After that, I looked at a couple of my books, and the 1969 shop manual, to determine the best way to approach bleeding the brake system. Having found the bleeding vacuum pump I needed, I first drained the master cylinder reservoir (most of the literature I had told me never to let this empty, but this is only the case if you’re looking to replace the brake fluid). Then, I disconnected the brake lines at the brakes, fastened plastic bags around the ends, and pumped the brake pedal a few times to expel any remaining fluid. Finally, I unfastened the two bolts holding the master cylinder to the brake booster, and removed the unit altogether.

Dual master brake cylinder

This weekend I’ll be hiking Mt. Whitney with Mom, so don’t expect any progress within the next few days. On my next visit, off come the brake lines, brake booster, and power steering (hopefully).