Now Complete Restoration / Pulling my 1969 'Bee down for strip and paint

[birdsandbees]

Seemed pretty dry yesterday, I could stick a finger on it and get no residue on me. Haven't hit the shop yet today to check on it.

RPM.. Rust Prevention Magic from David at ECS.

[birdsandbees]

Coated my new LCA pivot shafts, washers and nuts with RPM today. Also did the torsion bar adjuster plates and bolts. Cleaned up my old adjuster bolts (which are about 1/2" shorter than PST's repro's) to keep the proper head markings. Pressed the shafts into the bushings and then into the LCA's. Loosely installed the LCA's, installed their new rebound rubbers and got the strut rods ready. Blasted and painted the bushing washers with the same "zinc" resemblance that I used on my wiper motor for installation tomorrow. Found the PST strut rod bushing inner sleeves appear to be a press fit.. .which I think is odd as they should slide on. NO?

[birdsandbees]

 

[lukedukem]

Did you ever get that grille paint figured out. Sorry I couldn't be better help

Luke

[birdsandbees]

Did you ever get that grille paint figured out. Sorry I couldn't be better help

Luke

Looking at numerous 'Bee and R/T pictures I think it's all supposed to be blacked out (like the center section I pictured), except for the one perimeter "ring" in chrome, as well as the outermost edge in chrome.

[lukedukem]

Did you ever get that grille paint figured out. Sorry I couldn't be better help

Luke

Looking at numerous 'Bee and R/T pictures I think it's all supposed to be blacked out (like the center section I pictured), except for the one perimeter "ring" in chrome, as well as the outermost edge in chrome.

I also have been looking, I will hopefully be tearing my 69 bee down next winter for a restore.

Luke

[birdsandbees]

So did the cosmoline coating come out soft?  I tried Resto Ricks cosmoline and it was really soft and a little tacky even after a couple of weeks.  I sprayed it with some clear enamel to reduce the tackyness.
What's RPM?

So Day 2... while it does feel similar to a candle it isn't overly "sticky". Wrapped that plastic bag around them to install the pivot shafts and the bag didn't stick and I was out in the shop a few minutes ago and they're even drier. Possibly the difference between something "similar" in a rattle can and the real deal at $400 Cdn for 5 gallons.  

[green69rt]

So did the cosmoline coating come out soft?  I tried Resto Ricks cosmoline and it was really soft and a little tacky even after a couple of weeks.  I sprayed it with some clear enamel to reduce the tackyness.
What's RPM?

So Day 2... while it does feel similar to a candle it isn't overly "sticky". Wrapped that plastic bag around them to install the pivot shafts and the bag didn't stick and I was out in the shop a few minutes ago and they're even drier. Possibly the difference between something "similar" in a rattle can and the real deal at $400 Cdn for 5 gallons.  

You're probably right.

[birdsandbees]

Didn't accomplish much today as I had to tear the cylinders off an aircraft engine, but went into the shop for an hour or so after supper to get my LCA strut rods in place.

Pressed the bushing sleeves into place with some scrap 4130 tube, place everything loosely and then tightened the rod nut to LCA at 100 ft-lb (found a small punch inserted in the front nuts split pin hole is all you need to keep it from spinning!). Snugged up the LCA pivot to about the last 1/16th of an inch and can still turn them by hand. They'll be tightened when the car is at ride height, along with the strut rod bushing nut at the front that is called out at 50 ft-lbs. Now to clean up my steering box and coat all the steering link parts with RPM so I can build up the rest.

[green69rt]

I don't remember if you painted your strut rods?  Everything looks really good!

[birdsandbees]

I media blasted them and had coated them with 80W90 back in the spring. I grabbed the heat gun and brushed on a coat of RPM the other day right over top. Seemed to flow out and cover... time will tell.  The rubber bushing washers... while they look gray in the picture... I blasted, primed and painted the same goldish "zinc" colour I used on my wiper motor.  That colour BTW is Champagne Pearl by Duplicolor. It's a Chrysler colour.

Got my manual steering box mostly cleaned up this afternoon, but looks like I need the input seal... so I ordered a kit from Firm feel tonight. Guess I'll get all my new steering link components coated in RPM while I wait for the seal kit and if need be get back on my dash restoration.

Edit.. Added the best shot I could get of the colour contrast on the washer to nut. The washer in person is actually a bit darker.

[Nacho-RT74]

great to see the lenses are going to the correct car!

I'm going to keep you updated about... You know! Have to call them again on friday per their instructions

[birdsandbees]

great to see the lenses are going to the correct car!

I'm going to keep you updated about... You know! Have to call them again on friday per their instructions

[Al]

You are doing a great job 

[moparnation74]

Looking great

[birdsandbees]

Thanks guys... if my updates start to get boring just let me know!  

Hat's off to Matt at Firm Feel... I sent him an email at 7pm last night.. so 4pm their time. This morning he sent me an email to apologise for the delay in responding, as he wasn't in the office yesterday afternoon. Seal and bearing kit is on it's way already !!!  

BTW.. the wife came out into the shop this afternoon and I asked her to put her finger on the LCA's. She verifies they are no longer "tacky" !! 

[birdsandbees]

Waiting for my steering box seal and bearing kit (shipped from Vancouver WA.. all the way to California and then back to Vancouver Canada! Took 8 days for that to go 355 miles!!!), so worked on getting my dash assembled. After all the BS of buying and returning two dash pads that first had no original detail and then Legendary's that had no grain... I ended up cleaning and reinstalling my original pad. New glove box insert and the ash tray assembly I picked up from a member here over my well used example! New dash bezel kit installed above glove box and on radio and the gauges thrown in for a look shot. Still need to refurbish all of them and install the new bezel for the cluster. Remainder of dash pads are just cleaned up originals, using the "tannery".

[birdsandbees]

Finished up the heat control "plate" and reinstalled it to the dash. Was skeptical about PG's graphics, but have to say David does some wonderful work. They look great and installed better than I thought they would. First two pics show how I pressed the snap rings in place. Works great if you use JUST a big enough socket. Too big and they'll split in half. 

[birdsandbees]

Gives an idea of the originality of my car. 3 tower castle nuts still on the inner tie rod ends!

Rebuilding my master cylinder... if I can just get the push rod from vacuum booster to principal piston to let go! Amazed I found a complete kit from Raybestos for $32!

[lukedukem]

Do you have power drums?

Luke

[birdsandbees]

Yes..

[birdsandbees]

Got the piston rod to let go today. Pulled the reservoir check valves, honed the bore, sanded the cover seal surface true and then taped off the cover and bore, capped the ports and media blasted the casting. Then heated it up and coated in RPM before installing new check valves and inserting the new secondary and primary pistons. Ready to bleed and mate to the vacuum booster.

Tomorrow I head to the restoration shop... time to pick out my blue and car shell should be in paint and home by the end of the month / first week of December.  

[birdsandbees]

 

[Dino]

Very nice! You're doing an awesome job!   

[birdsandbees]

Thanks Dino! Hope school and some time on the car are going well for you!