Car Running Countdown

Digital addiction has no known cure, except abstention.

Rain all day, and more tonight.

BUT!!!! A neighbor came over and told me he found a motherlode of automotive stuff that was left in the back alley. 5 wheel barrels full.

They threw out a socket set and a whole bunch of large 3/4" drive sockets AND the adapter to use it on 1/2" drive ratchet. A carpenters toolbox full of custom made molding planes, a sharpening stone, 8 newly sharpened table and skilsaw blades, and new plumbing parts. AND a 12 volt electric cooling fan from a 1986 GM 6000, two new 150 watt 6 X 9" Sony 3-way speakers, an amplifier for the car, and on and on. What a haul!!! That's what I got! My buddy scored a whole bunch of antique hammers and wood chisels, some artsy-fartsy stuff he wanted, and we left a bunch of Nissan wheel discs, new brake shoes in the box, Mopar 15" wheel discs, and 2 13" GM wheel discs. :2_thumbs_up_-_anima

Since it was raining, I got them in my shop and spent the day drying and cleaning and sorting sockets, starters, alternators, oh yeah, and at least a dozen boxes of new truck side-marker lights, roof lights for a semi.

AND a nice, new BOSCH 30 AMP Headlight relay, perfect for my halogen headlights.

Tomorrow I go and order the material for the renos, and that qualifies me for 'substantial performance' for the local program.

 

Dang you lucky.

 

So true. I couldn't believe our haul! Still shaking my head.

 

Go back and get the rest.

 

I did an hour later and the rest was gone, but the neighbor behind that spot asked me if I was interested in a nice wooden screen door with insulated glass! I was going to make one exactly like it! Then he gave me another solid fir door that I'll use to make a workbench for my wife's garden bench.

 

Cool people around here don't throw any good stuff away

 

Good deal. That's standard operating procedure (SOP) in Japan. Throw stuff away in the gomi pile. Each neighborhood has one. The unwritten rule is that non-functional electronics must have the power cord cut. Working is indicated by a uncut cord.

 

Sheesh, I got all dolled up, money in hand (I have to put up $100 over the $1000 grant) and then grabbed the bus with a little 2-wheel shopping cart. Wouldn't let me buy a thing until its approved today or tomorrow. They have to get the paperwork done first!

Anyway, grumbling aside, the guy was knowledgeable and helpful. I estimated high, before I went, and figured it would cost about $1,800 with this lumber supply store (I have a discount card, but they gave me the Community orgs 'deeper discount') and it came to $1122, govt. tax grabs made it $1,218.

Still have about $500 in landscaping sand and gravel and seeds to go, but it sure beats the $9,000 we were quoted to have it done by contractors.

Anywho, Yeah that stuff from the back alley is all cleaned off and sorted. I priced the 2-edged saw (cuts branches and country fence rails) $49.00! The big 1-5/8 and 1-1/2" Deep sockets were $25 and 22 each! I did good. :banana:

 

Well, I finished where I started. I took the one screw I could line up, off, removed the dash, tried to adjust the steering column to the driver's side by 3/8" of an inch, put the dash back in and still no way.

THEN, it was 9:10 PM, no daylight, and as an experienced mushroom (kept in the dark, and covered in horse-sh!t), a little light went on. I forgot the bolt that holds the column bracket to the cowl at the top. Son of a bbbbbbb -itch!!!:banghead3:

There's two half inch bolts into the cowl at the cowl bracket that allow some Left-Right movement, then the side brace that holds the fuse block between the bracket and the door frame, and that one 'forgotten' cowl bolt.

Just for clarity, you don't have to move any of these to remove the dash. But I took everything out for the restoration. What makes it a nasty is that the dash frame is 30-year old, brittle styrene plastic and it crinkles when you move it. You just hope it doesn't break into a puzzle.

So Round 3 is on for this morning. I spent most of the day buying construction materials and waiting for the rain threat to go away. Takes 20 minutes to get the all tools up from the basement and the tarp up to keep the UV 8 rays off me.

 

Ok, here's the deal. The dash wasn't lining up on the top mounting support fasteners by about 7/16". The steering column was interfering. I loosened everything and noticed that the yoke on the column collar was upside down, and that one side was shorter than the other by, coincidentally, 7/16".

Item 39 in this picture is the steering column collar and the yoke closest to the steering wheel was the culprit.


The yoke holds the hood release, and door-frame to column bracket onto the brake support bracket (this is a sketch with a clutch pedal, but the issue is the same.)


Ran out of daylight again, but I'll finish tightening everything back together and then mount the dash tomorrow.

 

Dash is IN!!!

Not wired though. The rain started a small thunderstorm at about 3:00 PM with an inch in 30 minutes. I'd just gotten my tools under my tarp, and... rumbles... :banghead3:

Anyway, for those watching with excitation, here's the rear side of the dash with the defrost duct clipped on. Since I know the tan dash frame is very brittle, I tried successfully to reinstall with that duct on the dash frame. It's tricky, but it works.


This is from the top outside of the dash frame. Better shot of that defroster duct:


This is a shot of that steering collar crossbrace that I had to flip to center the column and align the top mounting clips. I had the short side on the Passenger side. It belongs on the Driver's side.


Then we have the cable zoo that goes under the dash. In this picture the main ductwork is no in place, but it needs a little help to stay put - masking tape (green in the next picture):


Ductwork taped on firewall. I also used the masking tape to close a factory gap at the center driver's side:


These 5 cowl supports have threaded clip nuts. The first pic shows the Driver's side (2), the following one shows the other 3.


Next 3 top supports:


As TBird pointed out, its a job for a gymnast. Taping the side ducts made it easy. Before you can screw down the top 5 screws, you need to secure the ducts to the dash, with that defroster duct on the dash frame, otherwise you have no jiggle room to guide the dash, the ducts and the wiring harness alone.

Installed:


Driver's side bolts (either side of the speaker 1 to 2 inches away)


Next 2 of 3 - the far right Passenger bolt isn't showing, but it's just the reverse of the above.


The sun's back out, so I'll see how the mosquitoes are (I'm not on their menu, according to me, but they like to taste-test despite the repellent! )

 

Norman try rubbing a scented or unscented dryer sheet on yourself it works for me so those pesky skeeters can't get ya.

 

The Dash looks great. Especially the way you cleaned it all up. Did you repaint it? cause it sure does look like it.

 

Yeah, I did the whole interior moulding, headliner, carpets and door panels with that SEMS vinyl dye. 4 light coats on the mouldings, 2 on the door panel fabric (nylon/polyester mix in the velour and carpet = plastic), and 4 light coats on the padded armrests.

 

Norman thats a brand new car you got there. You did a Great Job and I know your wife is going to love riding in it again.