68 RM23 Roadrunner, The rebuild of an old friend

[Matts68bird]

great work dude!! lights the fire in mine

 

[Runner 68]

Cooling system finally fully buttoned up today after alot of waiting on parts and people. Is it just me or does modern society not have a sense of urgency anymore?
Windshield will be in next week. Then test fire for the first time in the car. All independent tests say all systems go. First time bringing it all together still makes me nervous after years of doing this ****.

First time using the Gates power grip clamps. I have not read a negative thing about them other than removal which is no big deal. I think they look clean. No real options out there. Old reliable screw or squeeze clamps or the chickenshit looking AN Style screw clamps.

What could go wrong....right?

 

[HawkRod]

Then test fire for the first time in the car. All independent tests say all systems go. First time bringing it all together still makes me nervous after years of doing this ****.

Like you, when I restored my 70 Road Runner I slowly built and tested each system independently, but when it all came together it was still nerve-wracking. I was lucky and all the systems I assembled worked like they should first time out.

With the care and attention to detail you have, I'm sure yours will all work perfectly! And if not, you'll simply have trace and fix any small issues. No big deal.

You got this!

 

[Runner 68]

Like you, when I restored my 70 Road Runner I slowly built and tested each system independently, but when it all came together it was still nerve-wracking. I was lucky and all the systems I assembled worked like they should first time out.

With the care and attention to detail you have, I'm sure yours will all work perfectly! And if not, you'll simply have trace and fix any small issues. No big deal.

You got this!

Thanks for the vote of confidence Hawk.
I know me and I'm entirely capable of ******* up a train wreck.

 

[|GF|.:Kowalski:.]

Really nice and good work. I enjoy it!

 

[Runner 68]

Windshield and trim in. What a bitch especially when one is trying to avoid marring paint and trim.
Had to get creative with the driver’s side A pillar trim to get it to cooperate. It fought every inch of the way. The rest of it pretty much jumped into place. Sorry for the dull look on the stainless. I was so stoked that we didn't chip any paint I had to take pics before I cleaned the grease up.

Dadsbee I have no clue how the hell you put a windshield in by yourself. My hat is off to you. I hired a pro and he cussed the whole time but we got it in without incident.
Your threads on the topic were invaluable.

Fit and finish in 1968 sucked, and it still does. It will do.

Firing up the 500 in the car next Saturday. God knows what will happen. Should be an adventure. Wish us luck.

 

[dadsbee]

Dadsbee I have no clue how the hell you put a windshield in by yourself. My hat is off to you. I hired a pro and he cussed the whole time but we got it in without incident.
Your threads on the topic were invaluable.

Just a stubborn Irishman!

 

[Runner 68]

The Steele Rubber gasket is most of the blame. The fit is superior. The flexibility however was as if it was made of Steele.
No regrets.

 

[dadsbee]

I used the precision, as tight as a gal I once knew..

 

[Runner 68]

The Steele was like an iron virgin from hell.
Beyond tight.

 

[Runner 68]

A-pillar and upper windshield trim in today while mulling around in anticipation for this weekend.
The 56 year old A-pillar trim... shitty 60's plastic... survived the out and in journey pretty well.

 

[ckessel]

Old car pieces, like the plastic, need to be treated like a gimpy person with skeletal issues. Don't force it, otherwise snap!

 

[Runner 68]

I wish we could post videos like we used to.
Fired up the 500 in the car for the first time today. All systems go. No leaks. Timing was bang on. All the wiring and Dakota components worked flawlessly. Fuel and cooling, fans etc. were spot on. I love it when a plan comes together.

The only real hiccup was the Gate's clamp on the water neck slipped up about a quarter inch. Could have been disastrous but it held on. The other three are fine.
The only thing I can think of is that maybe the polished billet neck is a little too polished. I'll pull the hose and hit the neck with some 80 grit to give the hose some gription and try it again but keep an eye on it.

Also, the in tank fuel pump runs constantly with the key on and the engine not running. I thought they were supposed to shut off once up to pressure. I'll call Tanks Inc. on Monday.

 

[Runner 68]

Looking forward to popping these in this week while waiting on front end parts.

 

[Runner 68]

Grill mocked up. I'm amazed at how well everything fit especially on the passenger side. AMD fender, 8 modifications to get the fender to fit. AMD, the best out there supposedly, doesn't impress me. I figured when it came to trim time I would be cussing again and looking at a few more mods. Not so. The original driver side trim jumped in to place. The AMD side had to be persuaded a bit.

All original grill and bezels. Stripped, polished and re-painted. I had the top fasteners on the grill chromed to add some detail. Better than black in my opinion.

 

[Runner 68]

Waiting on front end parts to keep this project moving. It's starting to get very frustrating. Currently it's the drop spindles. The spindles are in stock but the hardware packs for them aren't. WTF? It doesn't seem like it was this way before the COVID/Supply chain horseshit. Need to have it finished for this upcoming show season.

So, while waiting I decided to take a couple of days off and run down to the great state of Arkansas to pick up a new chariot for the Bird. 1,000 miles each way. A very good friend, and also a former Marine volunteered to use his '2000 pristine 2500 Cummins Ram for the road trip. The stories and bullshit flew for three days. We laughed so hard we were both horse when we got home today. Got a great deal, well worth the trip.

ALCOM Stealth 24 footer, all aluminum, spread axels, premium escape door, limited frills, trailer weight 2,000 pounds. No ****. Was an absolute bitch to haul across Kansas empty with 30 MPH cross winds. Not a race trailer, just a damned nice shell to get the Bird to distant shows. It should pull extremely well with ~3,500 pounds of Road Runner inside.

 

[Runner 68]

Pretty much just waiting on drop spindles from Magnum Force and torsion bars and LCA pivot shafts from PST. What the hell is it with PST? I ordered from them on Monday and still haven't received a ship notification. I called to make sure everything was in stock before I ordered. I called yesterday and they said, "well it all depends on how busy the warehouse is". Total bullshit. Not a good way to do business.

 

[ckessel]

I'll bet if you pull the funds back, you'll get some action instead of the happy finger.

 

[Runner 68]

The Magnum Force drop spindles showed up today. '73 and up big bearing units as all of them are. They sure look beefy compared to the original ’68 drum spindles. It will be interesting to see how everything bolts up.

I should have the remaining parts in next week. Firm Feel bailed me out from PST’s incompetency. More expensive but better parts.
I will never buy from PST ever again. That company is in total disarray.

Looking forward to put this tinker toy together.

 

[Runner 68]

Everything pretty much fell into place this weekend. Took us about 4 hours all in.
Front brakes, shocks, driveline, exhaust, interior, in that order next.
The light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter.
PST Sucks. Firm Feel Rocks.