67 GTS 4-Speed: Daily Summer Driver
This past weekend I was able to make it back to my parents place and get some work done on the car. So for the past couple weeks the garage has been getting dry wall installed to finally bring that building up to my mother's standards. Everything is out of the garage but this car. Well the floor is going to get done and it would save by parents close to two grand if the car was out of there. I wrote out what needed to get done to the car to safely transport it into storage on a flat bed and went to work:
First was the steering
I ran in to more issues than I thought I should have on this... First was the power steering pump. Well I got that worked out and got the correct one installed
I got it bled and it looks nice besides that the pulley does not line up with the pulley on the crank shaft... so I dont know if I can space out the pump or if I am going to have to move the pulley out on the pump. Will get around to it when I get the time. I also had major issues with installing the power steering gear. First the starter had to come out, then it was hitting everything on its way into place. We saw it was hitting the K frame mount and the engine boss that the motor mount would attach to for a B, C, & E body. So I had to grind down that boss on the engine and grind down the flash and parting line on the steering gear
I know that it is hard to see, but it is a snug fit in there. Another thing we noticed is the dip stick I had would not work with the steering gear there. So I am going to have to find one that sits closer to the engine. Seeing everything in there I am getting concerned with the exhaust fitment. I am planning on going with TTI shorty headers, and they say it works with the mechanical clutch linkage and power steering... so we will see how it all fits in there...
The latches
So with it needed to go on a flat bed and reach speeds of up to 50 mph, the hood, doors and trunk lid needed to be secured. Well since the car is painted and those parts needed to go on anyway, I got that stuff functioning. I installed the trunk latch, the door latches, and door rubber. All of those close and function like they should. I was able to install the hood bumpers but found out I was missing the adjustable ones that attach to the front part of the fenders (need to source them). a friend came over to help and he sanded the radiator support and also got the it painted, he was a big help (I also know he reads this lol). I was then able to install the support and the hood latch. now the hood, doors, and trunk wont open unless you want them too.
Shifter
Well in order to winch it and roll it the car would have to be in neutral and be able to be slipped into gear while sitting (since I dont have brakes on it yet). Lucky at Carlisle I got everything I needed from passion performance. Really nice guys and very knowledgeable. The shifter that came with the car was the a competition shifter that had the reverse lock out. Well the reverse lock out was broken, the rods were a cobbled mess, and the lever was integrated into the mechanism. So I got passion's rods, shifter mechanism, mounting plate, clips and hardware. Well everything bolted up no issue. Was a little difficult getting the rods and levers mounted up and oriented since I never really did this before. Adjusting it wasnt to bad, just took a little bit of time. But its all in there and I get all forward gears and reverse!!
I got a reproduction 68 hurst console lever. it is nice. It goes into gear no problem and feels solid. Way more solid than it feels on my '16 Subaru. I also installed a spare column so they could turn the wheels. Didnt want to waste time bolting up the column that is going to go into the car since the column is coming back out for when I install the exhaust and clutch linkage.
The charger and polara also sat in this garage but are now under covers in my parents attached garage. I did some transmission work on the charger to get the 68 trans to properly activate the neutral start switch in the 70 charger (had to get that one year rooster comb...). But I got the new neutral start switch installed, and trans fluid in it (reverse lights now work properly). Ran out of fluid before the dip stick read it was full so didnt get a chance to take it out for a spin. Got the polara out for a quick drive.
As for the next steps. Finish installing the parts I got out at Carlisle. Paint the horns, restore the 67 air cleaner housing I got, install the door glass, install the front brake pads, install the rear harness and find ways to finance the exhaust, rear end, rear brakes, chroming the bumpers, seat foam and head liner and that should just about do it to get it on the road!!
This past weekend I was able to make it back to my parents place and get some work done on the car. So for the past couple weeks the garage has been getting dry wall installed to finally bring that building up to my mother's standards. Everything is out of the garage but this car. Well the floor is going to get done and it would save by parents close to two grand if the car was out of there. I wrote out what needed to get done to the car to safely transport it into storage on a flat bed and went to work:
First was the steering
I ran in to more issues than I thought I should have on this... First was the power steering pump. Well I got that worked out and got the correct one installed
I got it bled and it looks nice besides that the pulley does not line up with the pulley on the crank shaft... so I dont know if I can space out the pump or if I am going to have to move the pulley out on the pump. Will get around to it when I get the time. I also had major issues with installing the power steering gear. First the starter had to come out, then it was hitting everything on its way into place. We saw it was hitting the K frame mount and the engine boss that the motor mount would attach to for a B, C, & E body. So I had to grind down that boss on the engine and grind down the flash and parting line on the steering gear
I know that it is hard to see, but it is a snug fit in there. Another thing we noticed is the dip stick I had would not work with the steering gear there. So I am going to have to find one that sits closer to the engine. Seeing everything in there I am getting concerned with the exhaust fitment. I am planning on going with TTI shorty headers, and they say it works with the mechanical clutch linkage and power steering... so we will see how it all fits in there...
The latches
So with it needed to go on a flat bed and reach speeds of up to 50 mph, the hood, doors and trunk lid needed to be secured. Well since the car is painted and those parts needed to go on anyway, I got that stuff functioning. I installed the trunk latch, the door latches, and door rubber. All of those close and function like they should. I was able to install the hood bumpers but found out I was missing the adjustable ones that attach to the front part of the fenders (need to source them). a friend came over to help and he sanded the radiator support and also got the it painted, he was a big help (I also know he reads this lol). I was then able to install the support and the hood latch. now the hood, doors, and trunk wont open unless you want them too.
Shifter
Well in order to winch it and roll it the car would have to be in neutral and be able to be slipped into gear while sitting (since I dont have brakes on it yet). Lucky at Carlisle I got everything I needed from passion performance. Really nice guys and very knowledgeable. The shifter that came with the car was the a competition shifter that had the reverse lock out. Well the reverse lock out was broken, the rods were a cobbled mess, and the lever was integrated into the mechanism. So I got passion's rods, shifter mechanism, mounting plate, clips and hardware. Well everything bolted up no issue. Was a little difficult getting the rods and levers mounted up and oriented since I never really did this before. Adjusting it wasnt to bad, just took a little bit of time. But its all in there and I get all forward gears and reverse!!
I got a reproduction 68 hurst console lever. it is nice. It goes into gear no problem and feels solid. Way more solid than it feels on my '16 Subaru. I also installed a spare column so they could turn the wheels. Didnt want to waste time bolting up the column that is going to go into the car since the column is coming back out for when I install the exhaust and clutch linkage.
The charger and polara also sat in this garage but are now under covers in my parents attached garage. I did some transmission work on the charger to get the 68 trans to properly activate the neutral start switch in the 70 charger (had to get that one year rooster comb...). But I got the new neutral start switch installed, and trans fluid in it (reverse lights now work properly). Ran out of fluid before the dip stick read it was full so didnt get a chance to take it out for a spin. Got the polara out for a quick drive.
As for the next steps. Finish installing the parts I got out at Carlisle. Paint the horns, restore the 67 air cleaner housing I got, install the door glass, install the front brake pads, install the rear harness and find ways to finance the exhaust, rear end, rear brakes, chroming the bumpers, seat foam and head liner and that should just about do it to get it on the road!!