Wednesday I got u bolts, lower shock plates and new shocks installed. And finished installing the rear bumber.
Then today I got the brake pedal in place, I need another washer then the clutch can get assembled. Then i greased up the rear hubs and got them reassembled, and i asked dad about an adapter to use a ½" torque wrench, and he walks to the toolbox and hands me one! (You learn something new everday , i honestly didnt know we had and adapter)
And then this crazy thing happened, the tub got placed on the frame for the last time!!! I got some thick heavy duty rubber from a friend and cut some bushings, got it squared up and a couple bolts in place. So now starts the million little things that need buttoned up. I think driving to the car show on Sunday may be possible.
I agree whole heartedly with Bmorgil. It doesn't have to be done to show off . If anything, it might inspire others to fix up their rig and get out there too. The Heep didn't look too out of place parked next to Bmorgil's immaculate PeeJ, LarrBeard's magnificent Ham's 48, TJ's hot rod Orange Crate, and Dom's awesome Scrambler.
Well, the last couple days have been crazy, from working on flossy through 12:30 Friday night, then working all day today. I finally got her put back together. I didn't get any pictures I was so busy working but I'll get some posted tomorrow. Friday I got fenders mounted, new pedals installed (oh my, they are so much better being tightened up!) And basically just fix this, assemble that, and get a as much stuff together as possible. I got some "00" grease, I put some in the steering box and ill do the steering knuckles. On the knuckles, is there a way to drain them without taking everything apart? Or should I just top them off?
Then today I continued assembling stuff, and finally after 4 months everything was assembled, torqued and good to go. I sit in it for the first time, pull the choke, pump the throttle, and lay my foot on the starter crank, crank, crank, nothing. And I realize this may be a long night. So I start diagnosing and find out there's no power to the coil, so I start checking things and can't find any noticeable problems and with daylight running low, I just ran a direct wire from the key to the coil. Crank, crank vroom! She's alive. Let it idle a little back off the choke, it smoothes out, okay lets see if these pedals work, back put of the garage. Ran around the yard a little, then got it in high range for the road. After 4 months of not driving my clutch leg was a little off, but it's like falling off a bicycle, you never forget. So with the sun just going behind the trees I drove it around the dirt roads by my house about 4-5 miles. Then my drivers license equipped brother hoped in and we tore out the road and got on the 2 lane for the first time in history, did a nice loop. Got it up to 45 mph but was mostly around 35. Did about 11 miles total, which is how far the car show is tomorrow. And believe me those shocks and body mounts were a worthy investment, oh my!! Bumbs I used to hit a 10 mph and rattle the jeep for the next 20 feet shaking thinking flossys gonna shatter like glass. Now you hit the same bumb at 30 and just glide like velvet. (Well maybe not that smooth, but compared to the old flossy it is like velvet) Although I just had the downpipe for exhaust so it kinda sounds like if Nissan made a tractor. Cruising it's not bad but as soon as you lay into it it's so loud, it just barks. All in all I am so fired up I finally got it running and it's so much nicer then before!! I'll see what I can get done tomorrow after church and decide if it's going to the show. If it wasn't for the wiring issues I would definitely go. Because I also lost turn signals and high beams and a taillight. But I think the problem is Insufficient grounds. Before I had no problem, but I think now that there ate rubber bushings on the body mounts it's not grounding. So I'll see what happens, and let you guys know how it turns out tomorrow.
gm's "Heep" was a blast to have at the parade no question. It probably got more looks than any of the stuff there. It is the real deal. You can tell it will work, and has worked for a long time. There is something about a functioning true original that is very rare.
Now Flossy, wow she is stepin' out now! So glad you got her on the road man. I promise you in my miss spent youth, I would definitely have taken that toy to Church this morning! I would have put on my best and wheeled it in.
Check the coil for markings that indicate if it is a "Ballasted" coil or not. If it is, don't run 12v to the coil for to long or it will burn your points too quickly.
Way to go 56. We are proud of your progress and your drive. You'll have some Gremlins to handle with the electrical grounds, but that's not bad for how quick it all came together. I would top off the hubs unless you see anything that is not up to snuff, ( water contamination). If you choose to drain the hubs, shoot some brake or solvent to loosen up the old oil to help thin it enough to flush out.
Looks Great 56, you really knocked it out of the park on flossy!!!
Good Job, let us know how the car show goes and how many people walk by drooling!!!!
Well guys, I made it to the car show, and even better we made it back!! Thank you all for the encouragement, I wasn't sure if I should take it or not but between you folks and my brother said our one friend told him that he didn't think I could make it. That was all it took to ensure that no matter what happens I was going!
This morning I was able to fix the wiring issues pretty easily, I tightened up the steering box, and adjusted the brakes, it was pulling hard left last night on hard stops. The wiring turned out to be just stupid simple issues. Like the turn signals are powered only when the key is on. Well I removed that wire when I made the coil jumper. So reattach that and presto, I have turn signals. The coil I have no clue what was wrong, I added a ground strap from the engine to the body. And blew out the fuse block with the air comp. since it was still covered in welding dust. And after that the coil worked.
Fill up gas, load some tools and were ready!
So the trip is about 10 miles one way going down a 2 lane, 55mph road through farm country. We had Flossy piloted by my brother followed by my dad in the 49 ford, then my grandpa in his 76 corvette. Flossy cruised very comfortably at 50 mph. We had a few cars lined up behind us, but they can be patient. Keep in mind it was about 85 degrees with direct sun. And I also didn't get the temp guage wired. So we make it to the show, I hope out and the rad. and engine are just barely hot. Like my dad's truck runs at 180 degrees and Flossys radiator was cooler. So that was nice.
Man it got alot of attention, tons of people looking, talking. Multiple people were telling me about upholstery shops to fix my bare spring seats, but I put some floor mats on them to keep from ripping jeans and that works!
It was so much fun to have it out and get to talk to people, I had a great time. Showing off my hard work. I think I shocked a few people when I said it was just a frame 3 days ago!
Then comes the return trip, we pull out cruised around fifty, actually hit 60 on a downhill! But then things started smoking. So we pull over and it was just oil dripping on the exhaust, so we continued home.
So a rear main seal is on the list. There were some decent puddles on the floor after last night and it was leaking really bad going there and coming home today. Enough that the bellhousing had oil enough he clutch was shooting oil out the inspection cover. And by the time we got home, it lost a quart in 20 miles...
So my question is what all do I need to do to change rear main seals? Do I need to pull the tranny? I'm thinking I'll add some Lucas stop leak for now so I can continue testing/working bugs out. Then get a main seal replaced when I get a chance.
But aside from the oil mishap, it ran great, shifted smooth ran smooth. And actually tracked straight with minimal wandering. And we made it back!
Here's a picture with the three generations, grandpa's Vette, Flossy, and dad's truck.
I also added a couple pics of some of our kind at the show. A nice m725 and a clean pickup with a small block Chevy.
Fantastic outing! Well done '56. Flossy looked great out with Grampa's Corvette and your Dad's truck.
Rear main seals were originally rope: https://www.kaiserwillys.com/product...-4-134-engine/ They work well as long as you soak them in oil for a day or two before you install them. See the following video from Metal shaper to give you the run down on how it's done;
There is a new style of neoprene seals to replace the rope style, but I've read a lot of hate mail to where people still have leaks. Bmorgil touched on the subject a while back, and he can chime in on his thoughts/experiences.
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