[The Boss]

Very nice!

[Held for Ransom]

No one wants to comment on the fuel line insualtion size?

[Bentwheelbob]

I think you have the same thought that I am, about just using standard 3/8" pipe insulation? I've looked at several online sources, but need the correct OD. Even then I am not sure about being able to thread it on the fuel line without having to split it.

Is that what you are thinking HFR?

[6 Grrrs]

Bob,

The car is looking great. Makes me feel like I'm slacking on my engine build. I started assembling the short block in November. Last weekend I got the four remaining piston/rod combos installed. I can't seem to find time to work on it and spring will be here before we know it.

Glad to see you are moving along. Those spindles look great too. What finish is that?

[Alvin]

Originally Posted by Held for Ransom

No one wants to comment on the fuel line insualtion size?

Originally Posted by Bentwheelbob

I think you have the same thought that I am, about just using standard 3/8" pipe insulation? I've looked at several online sources, but need the correct OD. Even then I am not sure about being able to thread it on the fuel line without having to split it.

Is that what you are thinking HFR?

Based on conversation on the 455 Hoe thread, you may want to go to split line insulation so you can slip it off prior to Nats Tech line review and reinstall later.

Based on "wrong color floor mats placing a Bird in 'modified' class" Imagine the potential antics with "insulation size" interpretation!!!

I witnessed one participant who roomed @ same motel we stayed at being told his '77 Y81 was "modified" due to "incorrect color interior (similar as camel tan)" even though the dude had documentation that showed it being presented as built by the General.

He was so disgusted he packed up, left right then and there, and drove back out of Ohio home to another state (Alabama?)...

BTT - BWB's 2-car @ Nats show: Back in my earlier days - when I had more time and was much more enthusiastic (ate up ) - I'd of volunteered to make the round trip drive in a heartbeat. The event is fun no matter what.

Any plans on attending the STARS show too?

[Formulabruce]

The Eastwood Bolt "parkerizing" process involved a sealer solution, vs the oil that you use Bob. The sealer seemed a bit shiny, and if done right, seemed to last. Im curious how durable the oil will be once exposed to rain or just humidity. The process you us sure makes a excellent product!!. Great pics, thank for posting!!

[Alvin]

Originally Posted by Formulabruce

The Eastwood Bolt "parkerizing" process involved a sealer solution, vs the oil that you use Bob. The sealer seemed a bit shiny, and if done right, seemed to last. Im curious how durable the oil will be once exposed to rain or just humidity. The process you us sure makes a excellent product!!. Great pics, thank for posting!!

What are you gents doing to limit surface damage when installing bolts and torquing to specs?

[Formulabruce]

I draw the line on my cars, I may use grease on the bolt, but mine are drivers, and so it goes.. These bolts had nicks and socket marks when new. I saw many fan should bolts installed sorta crooked ( sheet meta screw) from the factory. As you get later into the 70's the undersides had less coatings and were rusty upon delivery, especially lower a frames and rear ends, brake cables, shackles...

[Judge273]

Originally Posted by Bentwheelbob

Doug - The Black Car will be at the Nats for the Formula 455 HO family reunion - assuming there are at least 3 or more other participants. I want to bring the Gold Car also, if I can figure out a way to get two cars there in a way that isn't too convoluted or expensive.

You drive one and Dave drives the other and have fun doing it...

[Held for Ransom]

Originally Posted by Bentwheelbob

I think you have the same thought that I am, about just using standard 3/8" pipe insulation? I've looked at several online sources, but need the correct OD. Even then I am not sure about being able to thread it on the fuel line without having to split it.

Is that what you are thinking HFR?

The piece I had was 3/8" ID with a 3/8" wall thickness HVAC pipe insulation (1-1/8" OD). It slipped over the tubing just fine (started at the carb end, so if it did tear that would be on the bottom). Stock piece was too far deteriorated to know what it looked like when new (outside texture and overall thickness).

[Bentwheelbob]

Originally Posted by Held for Ransom

The piece I had was 3/8" ID with a 3/8" wall thickness HVAC pipe insulation (1-1/8" OD). It slipped over the tubing just fine (started at the carb end, so if it did tear that would be on the bottom). Stock piece was too far deteriorated to know what it looked like when new (outside texture and overall thickness).

Got any finished pictures? You have a '77-'78 TA?

HFR - International man of mystery.....

[Bentwheelbob]

Originally Posted by Judge273

You drive one and Dave drives the other and have fun doing it...

Yea, yea, I hear you. I have this aversion to the chance of hitting rain. It borders on phobia. Sounds great for Tipp City, but I'm not sure I can get medicated enough to just hop in and hit the road for four days.

Is your wife going to bring her Trans Am to the Nats?

Sorry, I couldn't behave myself....

[Bentwheelbob]

Originally Posted by 6 Grrrs

Bob,

The car is looking great. Makes me feel like I'm slacking on my engine build. I started assembling the short block in November. Last weekend I got the four remaining piston/rod combos installed. I can't seem to find time to work on it and spring will be here before we know it.

Glad to see you are moving along. Those spindles look great too. What finish is that?

Thanks. Don't feel guilty unless you're just being a couch potato and avoiding things. I have a sickness that won't let me rest once I have started a project like this. It's even worse when I am building a house. I have built four plus the garage and it takes about a year of recovery time afterwards.

The paint on the spindles is Eastwood High Temp manifold paint. I didn't use it for it's high temp properties, but I bought it a few years ago for manifolds and ended up using POR 15 manifold paint instead. This stuff was just taking up space and I used it on the brake calipers for it's high temp properties and liked the color. I thought it would be good for the spindles based on that and am very happy with it. I hve used OER and Martin Seymour Cast Blast color on a bunch of stuff and it is nice to have some contrast.

[Bentwheelbob]

Originally Posted by Alvin

What are you gents doing to limit surface damage when installing bolts and torquing to specs?

Nothing, because nothing I tried seemed to really work. Where necessary, I am going back with a very fine brush and touching up around the bolt head.

[Bentwheelbob]

Originally Posted by Formulabruce

The Eastwood Bolt "parkerizing" process involved a sealer solution, vs the oil that you use Bob. The sealer seemed a bit shiny, and if done right, seemed to last. Im curious how durable the oil will be once exposed to rain or just humidity. The process you us sure makes a excellent product!!. Great pics, thank for posting!!

Thanks Bruce. I hope your coal pile is holding out. My wood pile is getting a little thin...

The parkerizing process is supposed to leave a suface coating that will hold oil and provide surface protection. That's why it is used for firearms. I think occasional exposure to water or humidity will be fine, but long term exposure probably not so good. My cars don't see much exposure to either, but I will probably hit the bolts with a little WD-40 every now and then just like my guns.

[Bentwheelbob]

A few other things got done this weekend. The center link, tie rods and idler arm are in and finished. The front shocks are done. The condenser is installed (what a pain in the butt). The main wiring harnesses are in and the forward lamp harness is all hooked up, and the A/C control harness has been replaced. The forward fuel line is in place. Not much is left to do before the main focus becomes getting the engine all pieced together. This is getting good...

Here's some pictures.

[muscle_collector]

amazing

[6 Grrrs]

Originally Posted by Bentwheelbob

Thanks. Don't feel guilty unless you're just being a couch potato and avoiding things. I have a sickness that won't let me rest once I have started a project like this. It's even worse when I am building a house. I have built four plus the garage and it takes about a year of recovery time afterwards.

The paint on the spindles is Eastwood High Temp manifold paint. I didn't use it for it's high temp properties, but I bought it a few years ago for manifolds and ended up using POR 15 manifold paint instead. This stuff was just taking up space and I used it on the brake calipers for it's high temp properties and liked the color. I thought it would be good for the spindles based on that and am very happy with it. I hve used OER and Martin Seymour Cast Blast color on a bunch of stuff and it is nice to have some contrast.

Some of it is being a couch potato, some of it is the car is still completely together so it's not like I got parts everywhere. Some of it is this cold and my garage not having a ton of extra room (2 car residential garage) and when it is snowing/raining/sleeting I don't feel like pulling my 454SS pickup out to sit in it so I could work on my engine. I need to motivate myself to get it done. I have a few more items to buy, but for the most part all the expensive stuff has been bought.

I have used the Eastwood manifold paint plenty of times in the past, just never really thought it would look that good on a spindle. Usually it has more of a gray color than an actual cast iron appearance. Yours look almost like perfect new cast iron in the photos.

[dreamn69]

new harnesses or cleaned? Looks amazing!

[Bentwheelbob]

Thanks. The harnesses are new from M&H. Everything on them has fit great with the exception of the two wire plug that connects to the windsheild washer pump. These wires should come out right near the firewall at the same location as the connection for the brake indicator light, but on the M&H harness they had it exiting about 20 inches further downstream toward the front of the car. Approximately over the front wheel centerline. MPD and I fixed it without a lot of issues, but it would have been nice if it was correct from the box.

I called M&H today and tried to explain the error, but they kept insisting that was the way it is shown on the original GM print. I tried to explain that if they would think logically they could understand that it would make no sense to have these wires located over the front wheel. I don't think I made a lot of headway, but I did get an email address that I will send pictures to of the original harness and where the wires connect. I have also offerred to send them the original harness and stressed that it would be good for them to get it right so customers don't have to redo what should have been right the first time. We'll see.

That problem, however, doesn't take away from the fact that their product is very nice.