Restarting My '70 Nova Project

[BravoXray]

Well, we finally got some rain. I think it rained continually
for almost two hours this afternoon. Went out a little bit ago,
and I was amazed the rain gauge had 2.3 inches in it!
I had the shop doors open when it started raining, but after
a while the wind came up and I had to close them as it was
blowing several feet into the shop.
I finished masking off the front of the car and gave it a couple
of coats of the undercoating. Pulled the paper and tape, and
after it dried it looks really good. That stuff is expensive,
but looks really good when it dries.
I put the things I took off to do the masking and spraying back
on the car, so that's another job done!
I decided to get the screws/pins that hold the rear window
trim on, so I made a little piece of angle iron with a hole in it
to use as a gauge to drill the holes in the right position. I had to put
six screws on the passenger side and four on the driver's
side. I did some experimenting and a 5/64" bit was the best
size for the screws. They're pretty small, #4 screws with a
flat head and a shoulder that stops them at the correct height
for the clips to slide on to.
There are several clips for the trim at the bottom of the
windshield, and the new cowl piece that was installed has
no holes, so I'm not sure, but I think I'll have to get the
windshield installed so I know where they go. There
are also two additional stops that hold the bottom of the windshield
in the right position, so those will have to be figured out
too. I guess it's about time to get the glass put in it.

 

[BravoXray]

It's been a pretty busy week, and considering making a few trips for parts amd paint, waiting for parts to be delivered and other miscellaneous supplies, I got a fair amount of work done on the Nova.
I got the headlights assembled after I got a pair of new retainer rings, as the old ones weren't even the correct ones and they were covered with overspray and and other filth. I also replaced the headlight buckets as almost all, 4 out of 6, holes for the retainer screws were stripped out and larger sheet metals screws installed. It looked like crap. After that, I dug out the grille supports that bolt to the radiator support. I had bought a new pair, but upon examination, the old ones were in pretty good shape, the left one was slightly bent, but straightened out okay. I bead blasted them and gave them a coat of paint and they look like brand new.
I pulled the grille down for the forest of other hanging parts and looked it over really closely. Other than a few really minor dings, overspray and flaking paint, it would clean up just fine. I cleaned up all the crud on it, and masked off the top and bottom horizontal bars that are bare metal, and scuffed up the rest of the black painted areas. I smoothed out a few areas so it looked pretty good, blew it off and wiped it down with naptha. Gave it a couple of coats of satin black, let it dry and pulled the tape off. Not too bad.
There is a plastic filler plate that fastens to the bottom of the grille and fills the space down to the bumper, and it needed some attention. It had a piece broken out of it on the front side and a couple of other cracks that needed repair. Some JB Weld glued the broken piece back in place, and I forced some of it into the cracks by flexing them open and smearing it into the area. I managed to get it through the cracks and out the other side, so it made a good repair for those spots. After the JB Weld set up, I block sanded the repairs smooth and scuffed up the rest of the piece, and it didn't look too bad. It is supposed to be painted Argent Silver, the same color used on steel rally wheels on GM and a couple of other makes, but no one in the area had any of that on hand. Eastwood only had a 2-part spray can, but at $30 for the paint and another $20 shipping, I decided to substitute a can of metallic silver used on Toyotas, or so the can says, instead. Actually, I think it looks pretty good, a nice bright metallic silver, way better than it looked before.
Yesterday I called a local fellow that does glass work on classic cars, and had him order the windshield and rear window. He said depending on whether they are available locally or not it might be a week or little more until he can get out to install them. That will be a big step in the project. After that I'll need to get the vinyl top on and then get the trim on the sail panel and the windshield and rear wind trim installed.
Today, I pulled the rear springs out and got them cleaned up and gave them a good coat of frame paint. Judging by the number stamped on them, they are the original springs. Both have the same amount of arch, so they are good to reinstall. First though, I had to press the front bushings out and install the aluminum bushings for the Cal-Trac traction bars that I have for it. I was able to lay the springs on a plank on top of a rolling work cart and get them to just the right height to get into the press. I used a 30mm 1/2" drive impact socket and a couple of spacers to press the old bushings out and the new aluminum bushing in. It only took about 15 minutes to do both of them, and another 20 minutes to clean up the mess from the Never-Seize that I used when I pressed in the new bushings, per Calvert's instructions.
I installed the rocker units that attach to the front of the springs, then
pulled the mounts that the front of the springs attach to, cleaned them up and gave them a coat of undercoating. After that was dry I bolted the right side mount back on the car and maneuvered the spring into it, and got the pivot bolt installed. I got the new shackle bushings installed in the rear of the spring and the frame, but they are too wide, and the shackle bolts aren't long enough to get the nuts on them. Hmmmm. The old bushings are about 1/4" narrower on each side, but I can only find four of the eight, I may have tossed the rest of the olds ones when I took it apart.
The bolts have a square area under the heads, like a carriage bolt, but it sticks out enough that it hits the bushing before the shackle plate is up against the bushing, and that takes up almost 1/4". I think that if I chuck them in the lathe and machine the extra squared area off, and I'm able to get a clamp of some sort into the close quarters where they sit, I might be able to get the nuts started and tightened up. If that isn't enough, I may try machining a little material off the bushings themselves. They are pretty hard urethane, so that might work. If I get that sorted out, I may pull the differential down off the rack and get it ready to put under the car and get it off the rotisserie.

Stay tuned.

 

[BleedingOrange]

Sounds like your great project is coming along nicely. Nothing seems to slow you down, and being capable and having the machinery and skill to be mainly self reliant is a big plus as well. I really enjoy your updates and pictures. Getting closer and closer to getting it done. Keep up the great work.

 

[BravoXray]

Sounds like your great project is coming along nicely. Nothing seems to slow you down, and being capable and having the machinery and skill to be mainly self reliant is a big plus as well. I really enjoy your updates and pictures. Getting closer and closer to getting it done. Keep up the great work.

Thanks.
Yes, having to right tools for the job makes a big difference when you run into a problem or procedure that requires special tools. After collecting tools for almost 60 years, there aren't too many I need on a regular basis that I don't have. If I need something more than a couple of times, I buy it or make one like it if possible. I bought that hydraulic press in 1983, and has been required to do repairs more times than I can remember, especially when I had some trucks on the road.
About the only tool I still covet is a mill. I almost bought one that was in an estate sale of an old friend, but although it was a Bridgeport, it was in pretty bad shape. I'm looking at a Precision Mathews mill, maybe after the Nova expenditures taper off.
I really looking forward to be able to drive the car, especially after going to the season finale cruise-in at a local Amish restaurant, Das Dutchman Essenhaus. They have the cruise-ins every Thursday from May through the end of September, and the last one of the season always draws a huge crowd. Last Thursday it was estimated at around 1500 cars, I saw everything from a 1904 Oldsmobile to a brand new McLaren, with a huge number of 60s and 70s muscle cars. A forty acre area was filled with cars and people.

Well, time to head down to the shop and figure out the shackle bushing problem.

 

[MossRoad]

...Das Dutchman Essenhaus. ...

 

[BravoXray]

After my niece's husband and I left the cruise-in, we hit the buffet. Oh crap, I ate too much, probably set my diet back a week. Kinda pricey though, right at $20 for an adult, but lots of really good food.

 

[MossRoad]

After my niece's husband and I left the cruise-in, we hit the buffet. Oh crap, I ate too much, probably set my diet back a week. Kinda pricey though, right at $20 for an adult, but lots of really good food.

Haven't eaten there in quite a while. Last time was a large group and we had the family style.

 

[goeduck]

Holy Cow, I went on their website. What a great place. I can only imagine how the Holiday Buffet would rduce the beltline .

https://essenhaus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/2023_Buffet-Pricing-Winter-Hours-2.pdf

 

[BravoXray]

Holy Cow, I went on their website. What a great place. I can only imagine how the Holiday Buffet would rduce the beltline .

https://essenhaus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/2023_Buffet-Pricing-Winter-Hours-2.pdf

Reduce the beltline?
I could only wish that was so.

 

[MossRoad]

Family style...

https://essenhaus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-Family-Style-1.pdf

Don't forget to stop by the bakery on the way out...

https://essenhaus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/2023-Bakery_Prices_Sheet.pdf

And to keep it thread related....

GM Seatbelt extender for the ride home?