The Great Pumpkin - '71 Duster

Been a while since the last update. Right now I am using my old Mac because I killed my laptop with a coffee tsunami one morning a few weeks back. Damn thing was less than two years old too.

I was doing what I normally do when I picked up my mug (repaired handle with crazy glue) and it snapped clean off the handle. Yep, full cup, dead center on the keyboard. I tried resuscitating the patient but no dice. Took the entire thing apart only to find that the keyboard is basically the only part that is not serviceable. Half of the keys are stuck and the rest are not responsive. Didn't feel like spending several hundred to fix it so I gotta save for a new one. I have an adapter to get all my stuff off the old drive when I get a new machine but I'm kind of in limbo until then. This Mac is 11 years old and totally obsolete but still works somewhat.

Didn't really like my laptop much anyway. It had a touch screen which I can't stand and the track pad was awkward. Windows 8 was really annoying too but I hear the newest version sucks worse. I'm an old Mac guy but have no use for such a fancy box anymore so I'm stuck with Brand-X.

Anyhoo... made some progress on the Duster in several areas and I'm heading down the stretch.

Ordered pushrods from Hughes just today, 8/3. Went through the whole long process of checking max lift at the valve, valve tip wipe pattern yada yada. Broke out all sorts of tools that I hardly ever use so that was cool. In any event, the valve geometry is dead nuts with no rocker stand shims needed. Good stuff!

Pushrods are not cheap though, like almost shockingly expensive. My valve spring pressure is right at the max for using 'standard' wall thickness so it was best to go one step up and use thicker tubing. Less valvetrain flex is always a good thing anyway especially with the 59º LA stuff.

Head studs arrived finally and are correct. Previously purchased studs are now added to the pile of mistakenly ordered parts. I could probably build an entire engine with all all the leftovers.

Like said in the last post, I got a new oil pump at Carlisle. When I was on the phone with Hughes, I asked them about that particular bolt and they said they don't use a washer and sometimes grind the head of the bolt. Looks like I will be doing one or the other or potentially even both to get the pump body to sit flat. May look into using a stock bolt in that location just for ease of installation. I don't like grinding stuff like that but I may have to.

Transmission sub assemblies are apart and inspected, most everything looks OK. Couple wear spots here and there but no major damage. Trying to decide whether to get a bushing driver kit to do the rest of the bushings myself or just take the parts down to the trans shop again and have them drive them in. I have a crappy seal driver set that does nothing in this instance so I need the right tool. Cheap tools here will likely yield poor results and ultimately more aggravation. Need to clean everything well before I start to reassemble.

Couple other trans notes; was happy to see both gear sets were steel four pinion style so no need to go hunting for a set. The A999 was a pretty stout trans from the factory, stoked to have a real deal unit.

Ran into one small issue with the clutch packs I ordered from A&A. The clutches in the kit are Alto red but are thinner than my OE frictions. (.06x vs. .08x) The frictions in the kit are sold as an upgrade for 4 clutch drum applications so you can fit 5 in. But I already had 5 and the thin ones wound up being too short. The solution is 6 thins! Yep, 6 clutches in my front drum.

Also ordered a line pressure spring from them. I learned from Paul at Turbo Action (who built my valve body) that the 'reverse boost circuit is controlled' and line pressure with my particular V.B. is around 110 psi. A&A thought I should have more line pressure, especially with the extra clutch so I am looking to be around 135psi. Need to get a pressure gauge to dial it in. Will probably take a little trial and error which will involve dropping the pan to adjust the spring. That sucks but what can you do. Hope to get it close so I don't have to do that.

So pushrods should be here soon and the rest of the trans parts will be too. Hope it's just turning wrenches until it's all back together.

More to come!