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Sleeping Beauty

Looking good... I have a suggestion... Since your radiator is now clean you need to realize the block is full of stuff that is gonna wind up plugging that nice clean radiator....

First & foremost I would suggest a coolant filter in the upper radiator hose... Every time I do a project I install one, but only for a few months till the filter stays clean.... Then I install a new upper hose with no filter...

https://www.amazon.com/Champion-Coo...07&keywords=gano+filter&qid=1571329149&sr=8-8

If your somewhat motivated pull the thermostat & reinstall the upper hose then backflush & with your garden hose till the water coming out the lower hose is clean..

If your really motivated pop the most accessible freeze plugs & flush, the huge advantage to this is the debris doesn't have to rise up 2+ inches before it can escape the block...

Depending on what you find when you pop the plugs you might want to pull the starter & pop the plug behind it, the worst deposits are usually at the back of the block...

If you keep your hand in the water flow as your flushing you'll feel hard debris bouncing off your hand long after the water looks clear....

Yes, excellent suggestion. Before the snow hits here I’m going to push it out and flush the system. I’m going to go through all of the systems this way, they all need new fluids, lines, hoses, belts and grease. It’s been a looong time since any of this has been addressed. On a good note, it does run and the carbs have been rebuilt just recently by the nephew.

Thanks for chiming I’m with this suggestion, I might have overlooked that in the face of progress!
 
Very nice! My '70 was anything but stock...yours looks like a dream compared to mine. I have body work / paint / interior / suspension / sound deadening / and more. My bumpers have to be rechromed...sigh. Yours look awesome!

But at least the engine and tranny are almost done! (Engine was not original and was taken out back and shot)
 
Ok, it’s been a little while since I last posted on this restoration thread, but not because of the lack of progress. I finally phoned a friend and enlisted his help in getting some of the things done that takes 2 people. So, the ball started rolling, and boy did it pick up steam. So far the progress is as follows....

Floor pan cut out, drivers side crossmember end was rusty, so that area was sectioned out and a new end was welded in place. Floor pan is now in and complete, all seam sealed and ready to oaint.

Next, all of the lines were dropped, new lines are installed, new master cylinder and all new brake components done, brakes bled and ready to go.

Clutch has been removed, flywheel resurfaced, new Centerforce clutch in, all bushings, linkages, shifter and all other components redone, waiting on the side cover gasket to come, otherwise ready to finish that also.

Rear end opened up, cleaned, gears inspected, new fluid and gasket, and it’s good to go.

Heater box dropped, opened and cleaned, core tested, heater controls and cables all cleaned and greased and reinstalled.

Also many small things have been removed, cleaned and inspected and reinstalled. The biggest job so far have probably been the de-mouse-ing of the entire car. The rocker plugs were removed, and boy oh boy were they packed. The hood had a nest, apparently they’ve been having a field day with something, but none of the seats in the car were chewed up, so it must’ve been in the garage where it was stored for so long.

And, speaking of that garage, maybe the best thing of all is finally getting to meet the original owner. He was a little surprised that I had the car, but the more we talked about the car, the more he started to light up about it. He confirmed a lot of what I suspected, and told me a lot of information about it that only the original owner could know. My favorite part was when he told me about the day he bought it. He sat in every Roadrunner on the lot, and this one was all the way back in the corner, it had been there over 3 months. He didn’t like the bucket seats of the other cars, but to quote him... “when I sat in that bench seat and grabbed that shifter, I told the salesman, I’ll take it” the salesman told him that It was not a 383 car as it was badged, and in fact was a 6bbl car. When he opened the hood to show him, he dragged the salesman into the showroom and they made the deal. He was just out of Vietnam, 21 years old, and it was his first car. Can’t do better than that.

So, I’m on track for a spring startup, a little exhaust work, headliner and carpet install, and I’ll be terrorizing the streets of Pinckney in no time. Until next update, keep em rolling people!

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Nice car, great progress. It took me a lot of time to get rid of the mouse damage/nests. They enjoyed the firewall insulation the most. Getting all the crud out of the vent area was fun too.
 
Nice car, great progress. It took me a lot of time to get rid of the mouse damage/nests. They enjoyed the firewall insulation the most. Getting all the crud out of the vent area was fun too.

It’s the worst job when you’re working on trying to get it all together, and spending hours digging out nests and vacuuming up mouse crap. And of course you just know you didn’t get it all! The little buggers can do a lot of damage!
 
It’s the worst job when you’re working on trying to get it all together, and spending hours digging out nests and vacuuming up mouse crap. And of course you just know you didn’t get it all! The little buggers can do a lot of damage!
I pulled my heater box out and rebuilt it. I took it apart and wiped everything down with a bleach water then soaked everything in soapy water. The hard part wash reaching up into the vent openings and vacuuming/removing all the debris. I fabbed up a 90 degree attachment that fit up in the vent opening.
 
Got a little something done the last few days with this shelter at home order. Started the car for the first time, a little tune up and check through, and got to take my first drive. I wish I could post a video, but I guess that’s for gold members only. Here’s a pic after it’s maiden voyage. To say I’m pumped is an understatement. Now back to the garage for the headliner and carpet!

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Got a little something done the last few days with this shelter at home order. Started the car for the first time, a little tune up and check through, and got to take my first drive. I wish I could post a video, but I guess that’s for gold members only. Here’s a pic after it’s maiden voyage. To say I’m pumped is an understatement. Now back to the garage for the headliner and carpet!

View attachment 927421

Real nice! Nothing can explain the feeling of getting it out on the road for the first time :thumbsup:

You can download your video on YouTube. Click on "Share" copy the URL to your clipboard, then "Paste" it in your text on here. :)
 
Let’s see how this works. I downloaded my videos to YouTube, but I’m not the best at technology, so if it’s some crazy cat video, just know that I’m a cat lover too!
 
Awesome job! thanks for the videos. Was planning to go out for a drive today but rain came in....
 
got mine out Thursday, beautiful day, then monsoons ever since.
 
Got the headliner in today. Going to let it sit for awhile and get comfy, then hit it with the heat gun. It went in quick with a little help from my buddy! On to the carpet!

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So, update! The car is all back together, interior is all in, and all systems are go! Well, they were. Took it out for another shakedown and made it about 2 blocks and it just quit. Searching revealed that the standoff on one set of points had collapsed and they were not opening. That would explain why it was running a little rough. Upon further inspection, I believe the whole distributor is worn out because it was hard, if not impossible to get the points set and dwelled in. So, I had a complete electronic setup here, and as much as I didn’t want to, I pulled the dual point and put in the electronic. I hate to say it.....but I’m glad I did. It smoothed out all of the problems I was having, rough idle, sporadic conditions and the like.

I also went ahead and changed the valve cover gaskets and did some cleaning....no, a lot of cleaning of the engine. The gaskets were easy, but the engine was covered in funk from them leaking for so long. Now, mind you, this is a preservation, so I’m not painting anything, I want it looking like this! I’m very happy with the results of the past few days progress. Now, if the Rona would just leave town, maybe the SOS would reopen so I could get some plates!

Still on the agenda are cleaning and rebuilding the carbs, and draining the radiator and putting the final mix in it! And of course, the sending unit for the gas guage from Vans doesn’t work! Rock on people, Geof

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Carburetors are off, cleaned and rebuilt. Of course, the damn renew kit supposedly for 6bbl carbs only has enough gaskets and parts for about 2/3rd of the job, so I played the waiting game and everything finally came from Holley today. Well, almost everything. The kit only had 2 base gaskets, and they did not ship the extras I ordered, so it’s out and about tomorrow trying to round up a couple more! Hoping to start it up tomorrow and get it dialed in. We shall see!

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Carbs back on, all dialed in, distributor all dialed in, took if for a longer ride yesterday. It now runs flawlessly, idles smooth, instant response, no lag or bog, and great pickup. On to the next project, taking it out Friday to get a full exhaust. And then there’s the problem of the valve covers still leaking. The bottom holes were brazed in each side, and obviously it’s had this problem, but I just put on new gaskets. Looks like I’ll be taking them back off and using some sealer next time. Also looking to do the rear shocks, then it will be ready for it’s first longer cruise! Enjoy your day people, it’s been a good weekend here finally!
 
Wowwww Geof!!! You have everything to be proud of! Love what you're doing and have done. Give Nella a hug for me!

P.S. I have Caress of Steel on the box right now. Great minds an' all that ...
 
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