[cduster]

What are the thoughts on zolatone?

[Greg Reid]

Originally Posted by HWYSTR455

Yeah, that would work. Kinda. But the true OE stuff is a textured surface/coating. To get that texture/look, you need to spray the whole thing with the splatter paint.

I may be completely wrong...but this is the 'texture' of mine and it appears to be as the original...which is still visible high in the quarter insides.
Anyway, I'd do it the exact same way again for my personal tastes...

[64speed]

Well I shook all the cans up like I should and just went at it. I spaced out the can “regions” and saturated the whole trunk area. It turned out good enough to where it will look fine with a mat in there.

[64speed]

Ok so I’ve gotten to the point where I am gonna do the front end stuff but I don’t have the weight of the engine or front end to help me with the coil springs. I have done a LOT of coil spring work in the past but I have always had weight as a crutch. I was never afraid because I just stood out of the way while I was lowering the jack. I bought a spring compressor but I am not really digging it. Any truly safe way to use it.?

[HWYSTR455]

Originally Posted by Greg Reid

I may be completely wrong...but this is the 'texture' of mine and it appears to be as the original...which is still visible high in the quarter insides.
Anyway, I'd do it the exact same way again for my personal tastes...

Hard to tell by a pic, but if you're happy with it, that's all that matters. I still can't see how you got that much coverage from one can, I had coated all mine with POR-15, so it wasn't bare metal, and similar to your base. But mine doesn't have any of the base showing, it's an even coat of material from the splatter paint. It really wasn't a case of me just globing it on wastefully, as others mention, it's not inexpensive. If I got a 2x2 section covered with each can, I would be surprised.

.

[HWYSTR455]

Originally Posted by 64speed

Ok so I’ve gotten to the point where I am gonna do the front end stuff but I don’t have the weight of the engine or front end to help me with the coil springs. I have done a LOT of coil spring work in the past but I have always had weight as a crutch. I was never afraid because I just stood out of the way while I was lowering the jack. I bought a spring compressor but I am not really digging it. Any truly safe way to use it.?

Some depends on the springs, like, free height. 'Performance' springs generally are shorter in free height than OE types, and they are easier to install/remove. In my cases, they are short enough where you don't need a compressor. But, you can load weight on the engine cradle area to help load it, and allow you to jack the lower arm up and get the nut on the ball joint.

That can't always be done with OE type springs, because even with weight on the frame, the free height is just too much, and requires at least some compression.

In a shop, I've seen where folks use a fork lift, placing a fork on the cradle, to hold it down and allow for jacking of the lower arm. But still, I've seen some springs where it's just too tall, and the lower arm doesn't drop far enough to allow the spring to fit between the pocket and the arm.

It might take a couple attempts to figure out how far down on the spring you need to grab it with the compressor. If you go too far down, you won't be able to get the levers out from between the coils, too high up, same thing.

One tip, check VERY closely once installed and make SURE that the upper, flat side of the spring is COMPLETELY around the locating tabs in the frame. I've seen way too many times where folks have them shifted slightly to one side, and a coil goes outside those tabs.

Also keep in mind that as the spring compresses/uncompresses, the open coil end of the spring moves, so you need to account for that in the spring pocket. In the at-rest position, I usually like to see about 1-1.5" from the coil end to the pocket end/alignment hole. That allows the spring to move some during movement.

.

[blueghoast]

Originally Posted by cduster

What are the thoughts on zolatone?

I use Zolatone on all the trunks I do and love the results and it's very durable.
I just did a 67-firebird for a customer and he couldn't believe the results.

GT.

PS. I like the onx black.

[64speed]

So I was talking to a guy that works at a suspension shop today and was telling him about my car. I used all UMI stuff except for the front control arms and the springs and shocks which are AC DELCO stock parts. I told him my tire size which is 235/45/18 for right now on an 18x8 rim with 4.5 backspace. He told me at 26 inches my tire was too short for the 3.70 gears and the overdrive of the 6 speed. Is there any merit to this statement? I don’t know how the front will look with the front end sheetmetal on but the back looks good. It fills the wheelwell appropriately and shows enough sidewall to where it doesn’t look like a rubberband. Anybody else running a 26 inch tall tire? I will be going wider my next set but I doubt taller

[tom s]

Figure it out!What is the OD of your 6 speed?There are all kinds of calculator on the internet.I think you should be good.Tom

[64speed]

The OD will be the .63 one. Also on the transmission topic I had planned to run mechanical linkage because I have it and to save money. I have used hydraulic linkage before in Chevrolet applications by using the 80s slave/master setup with the bellhousing mounted slave but I have never used the hydraulic driveshaft bearing. Would you stick with the mechanical linkage or is it worth the money to buy the hydraulic?

[tom s]

IF good mech linkage is avail I would not spend the money on Hyd.I have done 3 Hyd bearing but all were in 1963 tempests where the factory clutch linkage sucked.Tom

[HWYSTR455]

All I pretty much run is 26" tires, and the one car has 373s. So I can't see how a tire can be too 'short' for any ratio, unless maybe you aren't running an OD.

I'm with Tom on this one, I too feel if the mech linkage is good and in working order, there's no big reason to change.

But, I will say, that the older retro hyd throw out bearings had issues. The newer ones are way better. Also, with the T56, the hyd throw out bearings and packaging is designed to work together. Lots of OE engineering in that setup. And in square bodies, the pedals, slaves, etc fit very nicely.

HYD is a different feel, but if you don't mind new cars and the way they feel, you will be fine with the retrofit. I personally prefer the mechanical feel, it part of the experience IMO.

.

[JC455]

Go back to post #35- I spelled it out pretty clearly on how to install your coils....

[64speed]

So I welded up the million holes the PO had drilled in the firewall mounting stuff like an MSD box and coil etc. next thing to do is grind down the welds and paint the firewall then I am going to hang my pedals and run some brake lines.

[64speed]

Well I still have Maacos estimate in the back of my mind but I found out recently that my brothers buddy from HS moved back here and opened a body shop. I called him up and he told me he couldn’t give me a hard estimate on pictures I sent but to bring it down and let him look at it and he would treat me right. My brothers are much older than me and their friend did bodywork around here years ago and he was good then so I doubt his skills have diminished. He painted my grandfathers truck nearly 30 years ago bright Clemson orange for the guy that bought it from my grandpa and I see it around town occasionally and it still looks good

[64speed]

Well I have had some unexpected expenses come up that are gonna slow my progress for a while so in the meantime I am making use of the things I have on hand. One of the things I want to do is replace my steering column with the ididit version I bought. I have done this many times on 58-64 chevys and they just fall out. I can’t figure out how to get the retaining ring off the neck of the shaft for the life of me. Does anyone have any idea of how they come out. As a side note take care of your teeth kids.....dental work is expensive even with insurance. It’s gonna cost me thousands of dollars out of pocket to save two teeth

[NeighborsComplaint]

Originally Posted by Greg Reid

I may be completely wrong...but this is the 'texture' of mine and it appears to be as the original...which is still visible high in the quarter insides.
Anyway, I'd do it the exact same way again for my personal tastes...

Right on the money. I've seen so many DIY's that lay the coating on like cake icing. The ones I've done were also over flat black and I sprayed the spatter paint into the air over the surface letting the specks just settle on the surface.

[6 Grrrs]

Here's my 66 trunk that has never been touched. This photo was taken when I was restoring it. It still looks the same just a little cleaner. My father bought this car in 1982 and it was pretty much a virgin then. He never touched the trunk either.

[64speed]

I just acquired a 66 389 and was looking at stroker kits on Butlers website. Is there any reason to build it over the two 455 blocks that I have? It looks like it can be stroked pretty easily. Its out of a Bonneville.

[tom s]

No,will be more bore limited.Tom