E-tek Restorations: PROJECT THREAD

[e-tek]

So.....the second set of "OER" hinges finally showed from CamaroDepot.ca.

I thought "Great, I can't wait to install them and set the gaps on the door and quarter!" But let me just make a quick check first....

"Are you serious?!" Yes, yes they were.

Look at how different the front flange is sitting here on the two OER hinges vs the OEM/original hinge in the middle:

Check the height difference! This is the part that butts up against the inside door shell, which sets the door in/out from the post/fender:

Could they be any FURTHER OFF?

In 30 years I can't recall seeing parts so different, then the supplier saying how they found the issue and will send a set from another production run - and they be just as bad! Of course I didn't bother installing the latest set, but here's how it looked the first time I installed the first set CamaroDepot.ca supplied:

So, just to be able to move on, I decided to bush the original set of hinges and install them (check the original green paint):

And here - minus about 6 hours of wasted time - is how the door SHOULD fit:

With the original hinges, there's enough room that I actually have to adjust the door OUT:

And finally, the side looks like a Camaro again!

 

[e-tek]

So, after that "win" I started to tackle the removal of the ****** from the 40Ford using my new "trans jack". Looks kinds sketchy!

After nearly 2 hours of struggling, prising, pushin, pulling and grunting, I got it this far:

But there's still some trimming I"ll need to do to get it out from it's full-metal-jacket:

And then, between the Olympics and Mrs E-tek calling me in for dinner, so this will have to be continued tomorrow!

 

[Kevin54]

Damn shame the '40 came back already for some tweaking, and door repair. Nothing like having setbacks that snowball into more setbacks with the other rides.

What's the problem with the '40's transmission? Not shifting correctly, vibrations, slippage?

The repopped Camaro hinges, I would document everything like you have done except maybe put a plain background of posterboard or something behind them, then photograph all of the problems that the repopped have compared to the original, and send everything to the company that is selling them. You know they are China made, but the company that is having them made really needs to check into their Quality Control Department.

I'd also hit them up for a possible little bit of money back because of not one set being bad, but for waiting for set #2 to arrive and find out it's the same problem. Don't cut them any slack!!!

 

[Capt Chrysler]

E-tec don't feel to bad. Got a call from a good friend last night and the Goodmark front fenders don't fit the doors on a 70 Camaro. So he was cutting and regapping them.


Capt. Chrysler

 

[Motown 454]

Nice job. Its a shame something that should be so easy to copy( hinges ) they can't even get right. Glad you got to move on. Its looking great.

 

[e-tek]

Thanks guys - it's been a bit of a pain lately, but as the owner of the 40 Ford said so eloquently a couple weeks back: If it has tires, or ****, it's gonna give you trouble!

I guess the key is to deal with the issues well and finish them off right!

 

[Capt Chrysler]

Thanks guys - it's been a bit of a pain lately, but as the owner of the 40 Ford said so eloquently a couple weeks back: If it has tires, or ****, it's gonna give you trouble!

I guess the key is to deal with the issues well and finish them off right!

If it has tires, or ****, it's gonna give you trouble!

Spoken in my house a couple of time a week!!

Capt. Chrysler

 

[e-tek]

Got the ****** separated today - just took a little more trimming...

Only thing I could think to be the reason for the lock up was the converter not having been set all the way in - even though I've done enough ****** and engine work to know to push and turn a converter until it clicks twice! Both converter and engine easily turn by hand now.

Owner of the Camaro also came by and dropped off the new roof panel so we did a quick test fit:

Then I removed it again to finish up the substructure, which got another good coat of RustBullet:

As did the repair pieces I'll weld in:

It was snowing like a ****** today too, so out came the snow blower - again. Took me 2 hours to do mine and 3 neighbors places. When I was just about done one gentleman came over in his PJ's to force $20 upon me for gas. Great neighborhood!

 

[Motown 454]

so are you! How did the roof fit? It looks like its was pretty good.

 

[e-tek]

so are you! How did the roof fit? It looks like its was pretty good.

Looked like the roof fit nicely - but it was on and off pretty quick, so we'll see what happens when I go to fit it for real!

 

[e-tek]

With a very sick special-needs child this week has been a bit of a wash. Only got a few hours in the shop today - and forgot the camera to boot! Still, I managed to finish up Mrs E-tek's Mini Cooper thermostat replacement, welded in the roof sub-structure patches on the Camaro and then finished up the trans tunnel and re-built the trans cross-member for the 40 Ford.

Stay tuned!

 

[Motown 454]

AH I guess that's enough..... You amaze me, I wish I had your energy.
Oh yeah talent too.

 

[Oggy]

How have I never subscribed to this thread? Great looking work E-Tek.

 

[e-tek]

How have I never subscribed to this thread? Great looking work E-Tek.

Thanks!!

 

[e-tek]

We want to reverse the linkage on the 40 Ford trans and at first I was going to do this:

But y;know how sometimes you think: "That doesn't seem right" - so, thanks (again) to Google I found I can reverse the linkage from the inside of the trans and then I'll just need to weld the nib on the end to get it to actuate as needed.

And after finishing up the repairs to the underside of the Camaro roof structure:

I spent the afternoon fitting up the roof and left side for welding -

Lovely!!

 

[awdblazer]

your an inspiration ed!!!

 

[jkherd]

These keep getting better and better. Great work Etek.

 

[e-tek]

Today was devoted to pulling the ****** out of the 40 again, reversing the linkage, fabricating the connection for the shifter cable and re-installing it in working condition within the re-worked frame and cross-member.

Of course what should have been a 5 minute re & re turned into a hour-plus ordeal due to a stuck roll-pin...

So out came the drill, plus several drivers, the tap set and the highly evolved language skills -

Once I was able to extract it, I was able to get the linkage arm out, which got modeified to accept the shift cable end. Note the ColdWeld, which ***** up a lot of heat so as to avoid damaging the rubber seal withing the shaft housing -

Lucky I happen to have a supply of odd-ball parts on hand -

All back together -

Looks like it should work this time!

Everything back under - and this time I'll get this converter in - properly...

It went in as far as it did last time, but it must have moved (or been pulled) forward as I bolted it up last time....notice also the pink locating paint on flywheel and converter -

Flywheel is now located where it should be, plus the entire assembly turns by hand - which is the key test I missed last time I bolted it together. That'll learn me.

Linkage turned 180 degrees -

And connected to the shift linkage. Tomorrow I'll build a bracket to connect it all up.

 

[Motown 454]

Nice! I would have been scratching my heard for a long time before thinking there might be something to change inside the trans to fix the problem. Smart move.

 

[e-tek]

Nice! I would have been scratching my heard for a long time before thinking there might be something to change inside the trans to fix the problem. Smart move.

I Googled it and watched a video on reversing it. Believe me, I'm not that smart!

 

[e-tek]

Fabricated the bracket for the linkage rod today -

Lined up nicely, smooth action from above!

So as to save a "little" of Ryan's bandwith, all the nitty-gritty details are available in my blog, linked below.

Thanks for watching!

 

[e-tek]

Knocked out some details today: brake booster hooked up to vacuum, POR15 on the parts just made/welded, e-brake adjusted, padded and secured window motors, ajusted door latches and began adjusting the front end on the 40 Ford, then marked all the spots I want to drill out on the Camaro roof panel.

Much more tomorrow!

 

[kev b]

Thanks for taking the time to continue this thread, I enjoy reading the warts and all reports and the way you overcome your obstacles.

I have a question if you feel like answering: When you encounter a time consuming problem such as the Camaro hinge, who pays for your wasted time?

 

[e-tek]

Thanks for taking the time to continue this thread, I enjoy reading the warts and all reports and the way you overcome your obstacles.

I have a question if you feel like answering: When you encounter a time consuming problem such as the Camaro hinge, who pays for your wasted time?

No one! It's still more hobby than business, so I always overwork and under-bill. Another case in point is the 40 Ford's front end that wasn't quite sitting right. I had everything sitting on the frame rails and it was off, so I wanted to get a frame shop to check it out before making brackets and bolting it solid. Well the owner picked it up and had someone look at it and it all turned out to be good - which I felt bad about. So I spent 6 hours aligning the panels and straightening the front end sheet metal without charging for it. Today it's all sitting straight (even though one side is nearly 1.5" off the frame!) and I'm making all the bracketry that will hold it solid.

Forgot to take my camera out there earlier but I'll go take a bunch of shots and post them up shortly to show you what I'm talking about.

Thanks for reading - that's why I post it!

 

[e-tek]

Here's what I was talking about above. This is when the 40 left my shop back in January - to have the frame checked before I went and started evening out the sheet metal. If you look closely you can see the hood and grill centers are a little off - and the drivers (L) side sits lower than the passenger (R) side -

The frame shop showed the owner that the frame ends were even, so it comes down to evening things up using whatever means necessary - and then using shims or brackets to lock it in place.

So with the 40 back on my lift, I used my bridge jack - and a lot of padding - to bring the drivers side up to the same height as the passenger side - using the rad and fenders to bumper spacing to gauge,

Once everything was even, I made some smaller brackets to lock it in place. Once I was happy with how even it was (judging off the top of the rad support and using a level), I began on the larger brackets to tie the front end inner fender braces to the frame, adding a major strength element. I still need to come up with an isolator of some kind so the front end is not tied solid to the frame - which will cause issues 'down the road' so to speak...

The L side inner fender is sitting ON the frame rail. Check out how much I had to raise the R side to get it the tops to sit even - there's a 1"+ difference! Still trying to figure out where this difference lies...

With the front end sheet metal straight, we'll have to see how the hood sits on it now - but not before fixing up some of the issues it has, like a previously welded and tweaked hinge mount and new hinges.

 

[kev b]

Over work and under charge - I know exactly what you mean!

The satisfaction of a job done well is worth more than money, easy for me to say this as fixing cars is just a self financing hobby, I would probably starve if I had to earn a living from it.

 

[e-tek]

Over work and under charge - I know exactly what you mean!

The satisfaction of a job done well is worth more than money, easy for me to say this as fixing cars is just a self financing hobby, I would probably starve if I had to earn a living from it.

That's exactly what it is to me: a self-financing hobby. I could easily make a living from it, but then it'd become a "job", but if I had to pay for my habit out of my own pocket I'd be broke (broker?). So this works out perfectly.

 

[HOTFR8]

Ed I have never seen the word broker (except for the Guys that make money). Once broken it can not go any further. If you gave it up as a hobby I could see you would be broken as it would not be the escape you have from the present job.

Now does that make any sense

 

[e-tek]

Now does that make any sense

Perfect sense!

 

[HOTFR8]

Perfect sense!

OK.

 

[don long]

Thought I might jump in here

I started a one man body shop back in 1978 and concentrated on doing the best possible job that I could never worrying about the money just the customer and that payed off very well for me as it is for you I'm sure

Your reputation is much more valuable to you than a few extra dollars

Just my 2 cents worth

 

[e-tek]

Thought I might jump in here

I started a one man body shop back in 1978 and concentrated on doing the best possible job that I could never worrying about the money just the customer and that payed off very well for me as it is for you I'm sure

Your reputation is much more valuable to you than a few extra dollars

Just my 2 cents worth

Judging by what you've accomplished Don, your opinion is worth much more than 2 cents here! Thanks.

 

[e-tek]

Lots of details done in the "dry-land shake down" of the 40Ford:

LED turn signal indicators came in...

LED Daytime runners:

Dash liights - programmable colors:

Taillights:

Finally bought a bandsaw - a lightweight unit, but for $75 bucks I couldn`t say no1 Should come in handy when I start the fab work on my rod!

 

[HOTFR8]

You have been busy.

If you find the LED's to bright with the indicators put a little Texta (pen ink - you have the brand Texta in Canada ? ) in the same color over them.

 

[sselander]

No Texta's on this side of the pond, but we have "Sharpies" as permanent magic markers in various colors.

 

[HOTFR8]

No Texta's on this side of the pond, but we have "Sharpies" as permanent magic markers in various colors.

 

[bulletbob]

You are an inspiration to finish the inside of my shop. Woke up at 3am this morning, could not sleep, looked at GJ and started reading this thread. Could not stop until had to go to work. Cannot wait to get my shop up and running, wish I had a neighbor like you. I would not complain about the noise or paint smell.

 

[e-tek]

You are an inspiration to finish the inside of my shop. Woke up at 3am this morning, could not sleep, looked at GJ and started reading this thread. Could not stop until had to go to work. Cannot wait to get my shop up and running, wish I had a neighbor like you. I would not complain about the noise or paint smell.

Sounds like you'd be a great addition to our neighborhood!

 

[79schaefer]

E-Tek, I love this tread. You have a great eye for details, and a great eye for showing these details in your blog and here. I have 1` little thing I'd like to share with the transmission linkage you made for the '40. You might not want to mount the bracket to the frame, as the motor and trans movement may knock the transmission out of the selected gear. Not saying it will, but as the motor torques up, it may. Just a little food for thought.

Steve S.
To many to list.

 

[e-tek]

E-Tek, I love this tread. You have a great eye for details, and a great eye for showing these details in your blog and here. I have 1` little thing I'd like to share with the transmission linkage you made for the '40. You might not want to mount the bracket to the frame, as the motor and trans movement may knock the transmission out of the selected gear. Not saying it will, but as the motor torques up, it may. Just a little food for thought.

Steve S.
To many to list.

Hmmm - interesting. I'll definitely take it under advisement!