Well I'm back & wrenchin on the 64

[vigman]

So it's been a while but I'm backkkkkkkkkkk
I sold my 88.... built a TT Z, then a G 35.... but now it's back to the 64....( finally )
Back to mid Feb, The alarm clock in my head wen't off....I pulled the cover off the car( yeeeech ) got out the battery charger... and started checking fluids. Later that day after..new battery, new fuel, bolted up a rebuilt Holley 650 ( that I knew I would need ) and VROOM...
After 6 years of slumber I took it to the car wash....it cleaned up nice.. a couple of rides round the block... it felt just the same as before I parked it.

Since late Feb, it took it's next ride on a flatbed.... it's been down at J&D Corvette in Bellflower CA...to get the HIDEOUS front end off the car
( Pix's to follow )....
As of today
The OOOGGGLLLYYYY front end has been removed & replaced with a full front clip ( one piece ) new headlight assemblies, and wiring harnesses.

I also am having J&D putting on a new canvas top.. I scored a full set of restored gauges for a 64 ( It currently has 63 gauges in it ) ....
Other things in the Q are rear bumpers are being re chromed.... trying to get all the bits for the front bumpers & grille.

Brakes & clutch are being re done... So we're back from the big sleep... stay tuned..

Mike

[vigman]

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[Mac]

It has been a while! Welcome back and it looks like you're having fun!!

-Mac

[vigman]

And the most AMAZING thing is Noel & Hymie still work there.... 25 years ago my GF at the time got rear ended in my 73.. and J&D did the repair...
I drove down there today.....and took some of the photos from that job.... TIME WARP....

Mike

[vigman]

The brake line that rides on the top of the drivers side frame rail has clips that fasten it.....
Is there a way to re do the lines W/O pulling the body?
Anyone have a detail drawing in any one of the shop manuals?

Thanks
Mike

[JohnZ]

The brake line that rides on the top of the drivers side frame rail has clips that fasten it.....
Is there a way to re do the lines W/O pulling the body?
Anyone have a detail drawing in any one of the shop manuals?

Thanks
Mike

If you want to replace that main brake line with the correct one and locate it in the same place on top of the frame, that side of the body will have to be raised about 6"; your '64 Assembly Manual shows the line and clips in Section 5, sheets B1.00 and B2.00. As an alternative, you might consider using a '66 line, which mounts along the bottom edge of the inboard side of the frame and runs through the transmission crossmember; you'd need to drill some holes for the clip screws (see photo below).



BrkPipe66_7b.JPG

[Baldie88]

Good to see you back. You helped me with some problems on my 88 many years ago. Good luck with the 64.

Ron
"Baldie88"

[Tom Bryant]

Welcome back. I'm glad to see you working on the '64 again. I have had dealings with J&D before also starting as far back as 1971. Good people and I highly recommend them. Ken used to go there too.

Tom

[vigman]

Well I got the car back... and it is beautiful.....( shoe dropping ) ..BUT

There are issues...
Let me first say this car had a jaded past and a fair amount of abuse.

J&D has been 100% receptive and took the car back for the following...

The rear of the top didn't seal properly.
The Ebay gauges I got were not calibrated properly.
The Pass side motor for the headlight stopped working.
There are still a fair amount of missing bits & bobs.

And my son put a scratch in the new front fender..... totally by accident and manned right up to doing it.

I did drive the car into work 1 day for the OOOHHHH AHHHHHHHHH fest.. and it did make it back & forth with no issues...
2nd BUT

I have an electric fan ( from the PO ) which isn't getting the job done... in So Cal afternoon rush hr traffic @ idle ( 94 deg ambient ) ... The car made it ALMOST to the 3rd hash mark, when stopped and it took a bit to bring it back down once in motion.

I just ordered a OEM stock metal fan shroud, and I do have the stock fan & clutch ready to go..

Here's the question.. the stock water pump pulley seem's like a larger OD then the aftermarket chrome zoomy one I have...
Is the larger stock one " better "?

Thanks
Mike

Pictures when the car comes back

[Tom Bryant]

A larger diameter will slow the pump down. it could be that the smaller aftermarket pulley is spinning the pump too fast and not allowing the coolant enough time in the rad core to properly cool. I'd put a stocker on. If you don't have one they are available from the Corvette parts houses like Paragon.

Tom

[vigman]

Somewhere...... in the garage.... time to go hunting through boxes O stuff...
The car will be @ J&D for a bit... time enough for lining up all the " next projects ".....

Thanks
Mike

[vigman]

2 weekends ago I got the car back from J&D... it needed a 2nd visit for some Oh By the ways....

Well I decided to get rid of the electric fan... so I bought a stock fan shroud off E bay, thought I had a good enough fan & clutch.. so off to wage war I went....7:00AM Sat
With the kids assistance.......

So the short story...
Front grille out ( No front bumpers .... yet )
Alt out
Drain coolant
Upper hose out
Replaced lower hose, removed the fan...
( thats when I noticed the lower rubber off the sway bar links had disengrated.. completely )
Started putting in the shroud.. had to do some MINOR cutting on the shroud to allow the radiator feed / overflow to clear..
Had to remove the horn noticed only 1 and not connected.. grrrr..
Shroud in place & pinned in.
Find the 4 dual thread studs to go into water pump + hardware.
Then tried to get the fan in... no dealio not EVEN close...
Found out I have an 18" fan GRRRRRRR...

But I had a 17 flex in the garage ( somewhere ) ... 30 min later fan, spacer & all original bolts were located.

Tried that .. CLOSE but no cigar..... ( caller it a day in the So Cal heat..... 3.5 hrs later ).


Sunday 6:00am attack

So doing a bit of crawling around under the car there are 2 sets of holes that the fan shroud mounts into at the top of the fender....
And my fan was hitting the top of the shroud...

1 hr later I have the core support tilted to pick up the FWD holes...
NOW the flex fan clears top & bottom.. East west needed a bit of tweaking which I was able to do ( shroud needed a bit of finesse.. read bending ).

So it's all back together... but there's a NEW PROBLEM.. the hood raises up 1/8 of an inch.. something sitting on something...
The Radaitor ( which is not year correct ) is sitting up to high and the top drives side of the tank is touching the hood causing gravity not to work...
So I thought I would repair the link arms and let the Zen of the 64 wash over me ( read under body dirt ) .

GRRRRRRRRR
But I continue putting the car back together.. the Alt bracket is a piece of CHEESE WHIZ.. causing a slight mis alignment ( but that's the way it's been since new.. to me )
So it's 10:30 and getting HOT..... fill up the coolant, check everything & fire the old girl up...

It's ALIVE ( again ) and the flex fan is putting out a minor hurricane....

So new list of things to do:
Fix alt brackets.
Get correct fan & clutch ( ordered ).
Figure out how to drop the radiator 1 RCH...
Get correct upper shroud to core support bracket.

But it did run, went to just under 180 and HELD... so minor victory.....

Mike

[Mac]

Sounds like more fun than anyone should have...

Sometimes, I feel like my signature saying should be "Why isn't anything ever easy?"

-Mac

[navy2kcoupe]

Sounds like more fun than anyone should have...

Sometimes, I feel like my signature saying should be "Why isn't anything ever easy?"

-Mac

Or maybe......"Murphy was an optimist!"
Andy

[Tom Bryant]

If it was easy it wouldn't be fun.

tom