Thread: Project Special K

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Well I played with three different media types, through the Harbor Freight Sand Blaster. It only works with very fine material reguardless of the head/nossle size. After multiple attempt to get it to work, I wasn't impressed at all with it. It was great for making a huge mess, but not very effective on removing rust or paint,even at 120psi, so it goes back today. I actually managed a bit of better cleanup on the body and under carraige with my pressure washer, and there is no mess to cleanup afterward! Also able to sell some old parts off the truck which is paying for the American Autowire wiring harness, so that worked out well.
Not too upset with the sandblaster trial, as it was an inexpensive investment and worth the try!
I still find the 3M sanding disks seem to work best on the surface rust!

Question about installing Unilight distributor. I have an old points distributor in there now. When I put the new one one does it need a computer system like new cars to work, or does it just work on it's own? I have looked at the instructions, and it appears to be a direct swap, although this one doesn't have a vaccum advance. Also upgrading alternator to 1-lead internal volt regulated Ford. Will the gm 1 lead harness be a problem with this? Thanks, Steve

You may be a little disappointed with fuel mileage on trips with the truck if you don't use a vacuum advance system on the dizzy. This guy says it better than I could........
Vacuum Advance

Very interesting Techinspector! We shall see when I get that far, It would be easy enough to sell the current one and replace it with a vac advance model!

Got out under the truck in this good weather. Took the driverside running board off and drilled into the frame for the new brake booster brackets. Man the frame steel is thick.Took some time drilling the holes for the bolts through it. Good thing is the surface rust under there is just that, surface. I think I'm going to try the Por rust treatment on it and see how it goes.

In one or two more days of time off and I should have brakes completed, bleed and ready to stop! After the tax rebate comes, I'll tackle the wiring harness. My new goal is get it street legal by mid May to drive in the Petaluma's Salute to American Graffiti 2008. Looks like fun and a great way to meet other local rodders. Also nice having a deadline and goal to motivate me!

Steve, regarding the non vacuum advance distributor, I'm running one in my Jeep that I swapped the 5.0 Ford into. I didn't intend on using a non vac model, just had one laying around for a drag setup so I used it to get it running. I have to admit that a vac model would have been better, but this one has been in there for 5 years and it has worked ok, so I have never changed it out.

I also understand vac models let the car run cooler at slow speeds, but again, that has never been an issue so far. I'm going to freshen it up with a rebuild on the engine sometime soon and probably will change it out then, just because I guess.

Don

I went down to Napa auto parts yesterday with all my various brake parts to find out what size brake lines I need to use with the front disc conversion, stock rear drum set up. I could of swore somewhere in the directions, I read about needing bigger front lines for the disc brakes vs. the stock 3/16 for the rear. But it seams they are all the same size. Have any of you done a similar conversion and did you need bigger lines? I'll check in with the CPP tech line on Monday to see what they say, but for now at least I can work the rear lines and I also was able to get the splitter hose setup that was stock to the rear drums at Napa by browsing through the photos in the catalog. It was a little pricey at 30$ but well worth the cost to keep the new lines contaminant free. I'm using Dot 5 silicon fluid, recogmended by Don, thanks, to preserve the chasis paint once it gets redone. I'm also using the coated bendable brake lines they sell to redo the brake lines, since buy a flare kit and tube bender is a bit pricey as well.

Steve, 3/16 will work just fine. How did you like the price on that Dot 5 fluid? Not cheap, but it's kind of a one time purchase thing, and also the matter of not damaging paint is the best part for me.

Don

Dot 5 is not cheap, especially for filling and bleeding the entire system, but I think it will be worth it in the end. Finally got a aluminum water pump, so as soon as the brakes are done, I'm going to clean and repaint the block, rewire the truck with a new harness, and then drop in all the new components, like the unilite distributor and coil, 1-lead alternator, and the new fuel stuff, manifold and carb. Should be looking spiff in a few months!

I went with a neighbor to a presentation on motorcyling in Alaska(which were scheduled to do later this summer, and the guy showed footage of trips to Peru, through Patagonia, Japan, and Laos. All look really tempting until you find out each trip costs between 7500-10,000 dollars for 10-18 days. I could buiy a great used bike for that price use the hell out of it and sell it when I leave for much cheaper. His prices didn't include airfare or meals in some cases. How do people afford this stuff!

Good weather yesterday and today. Was out under the truck trying to mount the brake booster. The clearances are exact, which created a problem since a previous owner welded a piece of 1/4 inch thick bar stock across the bottom of the floor pan as a support for the pan, but it sticks down right where the bell of the booster mounsts to the frame. So after loosening all of the fittings to all of the mounting brackets and trying to fanagle it in, I removed everything, jacked up the truck and put a block of wood under the bar. I slowly let off the jack hoping to bend the bar even an 1/8 of a inch so the bell housing of the booster could clear it. No luck. Then I did the above again and left the weight of the whole truck on it for two hours, got some gardening done, came back to it and two hours later, its in, but all the bolts still have to be tightened today, some of which are so packed in that it will take 30 minutes to snug each bolt, because you can only move the wrench or rachet one click at a time . In retrospec it would have been easier to mount a new booster to the fire wall! But hey this setup came with the truck and it was free!
Later today, I will be out restoring an old wood electric train car, made out of Mahogany and beautiful inlaid wood. It even has stain glass transom widows.The car is huge, and will not be used for our local tracks, but will be on display at the train depot in town. It's cool to get a chance to work on a project like this. I'll take some digitals, and post them later tonight. Steve.

In my spare time, I volunteer for the Petaluma trolley project. About 5 years ago, we got involved in resurecting and old electric train trolley line in the city. It has been a huge ordeal with all city offices. A project we are currently doing is restoring the 523 wooden luxuary coach car that ran on a Seattle to Tacoma Wa. run, on the tulip line. The inside of the train has intricate inlay wood work with tulips in the design. At one time it was converted into a house, so it needs a lot of work. We put on fund raisers for the project in total, but work on things like this to draw community attention and as a restoration project. I worked with two old timers today tarping the train car with new tarps to prevent further water damage to the wood. Most of the interior is mahogany. Here are some shot including a 1/4 pounder train tender powered by a cummings deisel, pretty powerful compairedto it's size! It's an honor to work with these guys! Talk about hard work and passion!

Looks like some fancy train car Steve!!!! We'll it be going back into service, or just on display when it's finished??? I'd love to get involved with something like this sometime...and thanks for taking the time to preserve a bit of history!!!!!

PS--seeing people outside without parka's on and the sun shining really makes me jealous!!!!!!!!

Dave were not sure about where this one will go. One thought is a museum, but another is on a luxury line somewhere. They're talking about stuffed leather chairs inside!

We have a place just outside of town called Prarie Village... Lots of old tractors, and even it's own operating train.... It would be fun to be involved but as with most small town projects, it's gotten to be a PITA because the volunteers have dividied into two different factions, and now it's nothing more then an ego trip and a power struggle for the self-appointed leaders and little real work gets done..... Hope your project goes better....

These guys are the salt of the earth. Friendly and selfless. No one brags, you have to ask them about their past to get them talking. Modest good peeps!