My Son is 45 now. Your posts remind me of when he was a teenager and we worked on stuff (we still do, when we are together). It is rewarding when they figure out things on their own and don't have time to wait around on "The Old Man". When they start to have better ideas than yours, to overcome a problem, you know you have done your job.
Mike
Many Miles of Happy Motoring
3469 Posts on Old VCCA Chat
My Son is 45 now. Your posts remind me of when he was a teenager and we worked on stuff (we still do, when we are together). It is rewarding when they figure out things on their own and don't have time to wait around on "The Old Man". When they start to have better ideas than yours, to overcome a problem, you know you have done your job.
Mike
I have made a journal with pictures since the day the car arrived in our driveway. Have taken pictures when I can of what is being done. That is where I am pulling this thread from. At this point the document I have made is worth more than the car to me. One is a a result the other shows what we have done. The pictures show the kids growing over the years. Printed a copy for my aunt and parents and they loved it. There are month by month pictures of the kids growing up over the years in it. That is where the value to me is.
Hilton, New York
1941 Chevrolet Master Deluxe
1987 Monte Carlo LS
2001 Chrysler Sebring Convertible
@timothy-kruger Really enjoying reading the process here,hope you can get the car back together before winter to test drive it.
1953 Two Ten 4 door sedan
1953 Bel Air 2 door Hardtop
1968 Impala SS Convertible
This weekend was filled with a collage visit for my youngest and the chores to prepare the house for winter. I hate to say it but I think that the chance for one last drive this year is leaving quickly. It may be a drive put of the garage and down the drive way to test the clutch at this rate.
Hilton, New York
1941 Chevrolet Master Deluxe
1987 Monte Carlo LS
2001 Chrysler Sebring Convertible
November 2024
Spent time with my oldest son working on the car again. We mounted the lower bearing carrier that housed the lower portion of the rear main seal. Torqued all of the bearing carrier bolts to the proper specs. Finally we cleaned up the work area a little. Might have gotten more done but when we opened the box that we keep our hardware in we realized we did not have enough of the correct size lock washers. I do not like to reuse lock washers so off to town we went. As trips to town often go it became a while you are there trip that included a grocery run etc. And then the grocery run turned into seeing a ham on sale. Then that turned into it coming home and the smoker coming out. Needless to say, somehow working on a car became a smoked ham supper. All goals accomplished though, no complaints. Day with son and family supper together. Now we get leftovers for the week too.
Hilton, New York
1941 Chevrolet Master Deluxe
1987 Monte Carlo LS
2001 Chrysler Sebring Convertible
November 2024
........ somehow working on a car became a smoked ham supper.
That's funny right there.
7046 old site posts
Save a life, adopt a senior shelter pet
1938 Master Business Coupe
1953 210 Sedan
December 2024
Shortly before Christmas we are back to working on the car. My youngest started cleaning off the motor where the gasket would go. Oldest started getting all of the supplies and tools lined up so the task would go smoothly. I finished cleaning the surface of the oil pan. The boys chose to replace the original slotted bolts with modern hex head ones. Their logic is this is an area others will not see and this is not a restoration. They wanted to use new hardwear when possible and hex heads are easier to get on and off with a socket. Without my help they installed the gasket and the oil pan. They even found the proper torque values for all of the bolts in the pan and did it all to spec. My main task has changed to the guy getting parts and handing out the tools. At this point I am standing back and letting them do whatever they can on it. Next step is to get the flywheel back on.
Hilton, New York
1941 Chevrolet Master Deluxe
1987 Monte Carlo LS
2001 Chrysler Sebring Convertible
Attempted to reinstall the flywheel. Everything was going smoothly. Had it properly aligned and the boys started to tighten all of the bolts. Going in a star pattern 10 ft lbs. at a time. Unfortunately one of the bolts broke off at ~40 ft lbs. They need to be installed to between 50 and 65 ft lbs. They took off the flywheel only to find that the bolt sheared close to flush with the crank. My youngest spent today attempting to get the bolt out. Still working on that task.
January 2025
We have gotten the bolt out of the crank. Yesterday my youngest was determined to get the bolt out. He drilled it and tried several types of extractors. After three hours he gave up for the night. Today I looked at it with him. Watching what he was doing and saw a mistake off the bat. He was drilling with the right bit but no lubricant on it. He burnt up the bit. Changed to a new bit of the same size and was able to drill out the bolt no issue. Then with the screw extractor it came out.
Hilton, New York
1941 Chevrolet Master Deluxe
1987 Monte Carlo LS
2001 Chrysler Sebring Convertible
Yesterday we installed the clutch, almost. The boys worked together and installed the clutch and clutch cover. We prepared the throwout bearing and fork to install into the car. Unfortunately as luck would have it the little clip that holds the clutch fork to the ball stud in the bell housing has gone to the magical location that all the springs and snaprings go when they are removed. We are currently waiting on a new one to arrive in the mail from the Filling Station.
Hilton, New York
1941 Chevrolet Master Deluxe
1987 Monte Carlo LS
2001 Chrysler Sebring Convertible
Yes those "angel clips" often leave the field only to be found after the replacement has been fitted, dont ask me how I know.
Tony