[Bentwheelbob]

Well, a lot got done today, but none of it big. The exhaust manifolds got a first coat of POR 15 manifold paint; the rotors got cleaned up, media blasted and are undergoing paint, and the same for the calipers; Dave continued to strip stuff off of the front subframe; and the steering linkage got broken down and partially media blasted and painted.

A couple of other things were the dust shields got cleaned up. This car is in amazingly good shape. Everything is coming apart easily, and there is very little rust or corrosion. I'm surprised at what good shape the dust shields are in, but maybe it's not that uncommon. Also, I've noticed that a lot of bolts are painted sort of a Pontiac engine blue. The bolts in the tie rod adjuster and the rear transmission mount for example. There doesn't seem to be a rhyme or reason, but it's definitely factory.

Here's a few picture's. They'll be a few more once the painting gets finished.

[78 TA KID]

I was told by a Pontiac mechanic If the bolts were painted blue they were metric.

[Grand73Am]

In the late 70's, when metric fasteners were phased in, the metric ones were medium blue in color. The standard fasteners were not color coded.

[78 TA KID]

Cool just as I thought.

[Bentwheelbob]

That's kind of what we thought, but the adjuster bolt had a 1/2" head and a 13mm nut and the transmission mount bolts also were SAE. The clutch bolts were also painted and I'll check them tomorrow.

[Grand73Am]

A 12mm bolt head is very close to 1/2", so a 1/2" wrench will work on it.

[2manyT/A'S]

Metric bolts on the tie rod adjuster sleeves........interesting.....

Might be fun to compile a list of metrics used on a 78 VN build.....

Trans mount for sure....(both sides)

Remember....only 12 more bolts....and you won't have to work around all that sheet metal.....

There is NOTHING as nice as a powdercoated rad support.....

[68ragtop]

The ensuing 10 years where frustrating period for wrenching. Such a mix of metric & SAE. Drove you nuts sometimes. I can remember my dad working on something & he would complain when there was a metric fastener on something. I remember him changing what ever he could to SAE in spite of the implementation of metric. While I still enjoy the heritage of traditional size fasteners, metric sure is a lot easier provided everything on the vehicle is metric!

[Held for Ransom]

From the Craftsman News...

[2manyT/A'S]

Originally Posted by 68ragtop

The ensuing 10 years where frustrating period for wrenching. Such a mix of metric & SAE. Drove you nuts sometimes. I can remember my dad working on something & he would complain when there was a metric fastener on something. I remember him changing what ever he could to SAE in spite of the implementation of metric. While I still enjoy the heritage of traditional size fasteners, metric sure is a lot easier provided everything on the vehicle is metric!

Those few metric bolts on our T/A's back then signaled the beginning of the the end for REAL cars.....

Next came computer controls and fuel injection.....ramping us up to the non-user serviceable,throw it away when it's out of warranty JUNK that they sell us today.....

Personally,I own very FEW metric tools.....and don't like metric bolts at all.....

My daily driver is the ONLY "metric car" I own.....and I only work on it when I have too.....

In MY mind....metric bolts belong on vintage european cars...and thats WHERE they should have stayed....

[Grand73Am]

I feel similarly. I've only collected metric tools as needed. The newest car I drive is a 79 TA. I have other older ones. Anything later doesn't interest me and in unnecessary in my life.

[Bentwheelbob]

Here's a few pictures of this weekends accomplishments. The original exhaust manifolds got two coats of brush on POR 15 manifold paint. After it dries for another couple days I'll bake it in the BBQ grill for a few hours to help cure it. The calipers got blasted and painted with spray on Eastwood manifold paint, and the rotors got blasted and painted also with Eastwood manifold paint, except the wheel mounting surface which is machined and got Martin Seymour Stainless Steel. The tie rods and center link got blasted and painted with Martin Seymour Cast Blast. The adjusting sleeve got the MS stainless paint. On the blue bolt heads I used OER 1978 Corporate Blue engine paint. I'm pretty tickled with how everything turned out.

MPD showed me a neat trick on the tie rods to be able to reassemble them reasonable close to where they were. We placed a 3/4" gauge block against the end of the adjusting sleeve and the made a very slight reference mark with a hacksaw blade. Pretty neat trick and something I never would have thought about. I'm sure there's other ways, but this seemed to work well and seems pretty idiot proof which is good for me. Here's a few pictures.

[roundportponchos]

Originally Posted by 78 TA KID

I was told by a Pontiac mechanic If the bolts were painted blue they were metric.

That is right

[Alvin]

Thxs for the updates BentWheelBob! Lookin Good!

[The Boss]

As always, nice work.

[Bentwheelbob]

Originally Posted by 2manyT/A'S

Remember....only 12 more bolts....and you won't have to work around all that sheet metal.....

There is NOTHING as nice as a powdercoated rad support.....

You kill me...I think about those twelve bolts all the time.

I've actually been trying to think of a catchy name for the garage that includes the "twelve bolts". Previously I was thinking "Mission Creep Motors - No Job Is Done Until It Is Overdone".

[Alvin]

Originally Posted by Bentwheelbob

You kill me...I think about those twelve bolts all the time.

I've actually been trying to think of a catchy name for the garage that includes the "twelve bolts". Previously I was thinking "Mission Creep Motors - No Job Is Done Until It Is Overdone".

LOL

[2manyT/A'S]

Originally Posted by Bentwheelbob

You kill me...I think about those twelve bolts all the time.

I've actually been trying to think of a catchy name for the garage that includes the "twelve bolts". Previously I was thinking "Mission Creep Motors - No Job Is Done Until It Is Overdone".

Mission Creep Motors.....I LIKE it!

I went through almost EXACTLY what your doing now 32 years ago on my 4 year old 78 T/A......in a much more "primitive enviroment".......

I might just find some pics to post....if you don't mind me corrupting your thread......

[3tas4me]

Looks great Bob!

How does the Eastwood coating hold up on the manifolds compared to ceramic coating?

[Bentwheelbob]

Probably not as well, but give me a year and I can speak from more than an armchair quarterback position on how this coating holds up. Actually, I used POR 15 manifold paint on the exhaust manifolds and it was brush on as opposed to spray. The "extensive" Google research I did seemed to favor the POR 15 over the Eastwood, and brush on over spray on. Research on the PY Forum in the Exhaust section seemed to be consistent. I think like most coating applications the prep is of utmost importance. I media blasted the manifolds, cleaned them with several liberal applications of Brake Kleen, and handled them only with latex gloves.

I bought the spray on Eastwood for some reason that is no longer apparent to me, but I think the usage on the higher temp calipers and rotors may be a good secondary usage. Again, give me a year and we'll see if logic and reason bears fruit.