Hi Guys! I have finally begun the already long process of restoring my 70 GS Stage 1 4 speed car I've had for over 7 years! While I started and stopped, and started again, and put away for a while then started again, the body work, is almost done. SO, this Holiday season I began the chassis resto. Mind you, this is NOT a concourse resto...the motor is incorrect (altho KEN BRATKO may know where the original is???) and this chassis is a spotless original 1970 GS coded replacement chassis, so my plan is to build this car to MY LIKING...but you'll see I am not too far off from factory. Well, sorta. What you'll see is starting with he chassis I bought from Steve in Georgia a few years ago, I've completely dismantled, stripped, blasted, and painted with two good coats of off-the-shelf Industrial satin black IMRON... all the parts hangin in my garage, untouched for a few days for curing...(Imron cures from the inside out, which makes it a very hard surface once it cures) and I think IT came out very nice! You'll also see I custom manufactured a "roller system" for this chassis once it cured, so I could roll it around the garage for assembly. If I dont bore :boring: you guys, I will continue to update this thread with more pix/details untill I'm asked to either STOP or if I see you guys fallin asleep :sleep: bouncing your head on your keyboard!!! :laugh: Wheelz, Tampa Bay
Ok..here's more: While these painted pieces cured over the next 7-10 days, I ordered parts, detailed stuff and began the assembly process. I decided I wanted a good road feel so I ordered Energy Suspension RED polyurethane bushings kit... its just me but I really like the contrast twixt the black Imron, red bushings and gold anodized parts...clean and sporty! :TU: ..and YES, that is the telltale 4 speed "Z" bar frame bracket...IMHO THE, most important/BEST part of this chassis!! WoooHoooo!:3gears: :TU: :beers2: Wheelz, Tampa Bay
I packed all my projects up so I could get the heck out of Michigan and work on my stuff in your garage. Nice progress, by the way...the sooner you finish, the sooner I start!!! Devon
Inspirational! Keep the pictures coming! Hey Wheelz, I have a stripped frame sitting in my garage since, oh heck September of last year! Did you measure up your frame and or have to do any straightening? THAT has been my holdup. Since I am at the bare frame stage, I want to make sure it is straight before building it up - then finding out later that I can't align it. I found a guy with a frame machine nearby - just last week. He seems to be fair ($60/hr), and he is within 5 miles of me. After stripping it and trying to set it flat on my garage floor, I just have a feeling it is a little off. Am I being too anal about this? Thanks for your thoughts,
OK, another question: My local suspension guy told me to load the bushings into the A-arms after blasting and before painting (tape them up) or I will scratch them up if I paint first (as you did) and load the bushing later. How did you avoid messing up your fresh paint? Thanks,
Joe....If you feel the chassis is "tweaked"..NOW is the time to find out. A few hours of setting it up a chassis jig to see if its straight is going to save you tons of headaches down the road. IF there are NO noticable repairs or welded areas or real dents...you could simply take it to that shop you mention OR try this... BUT NOTE :Smarty: ...garage floors are NEVER FLAT...I'm in construction and this is FACT! DO NOT assume the chassis is tweaked just because it rocks on the garage floor....DO you have a laser level? Set some blocks on the floor, get the height exactly the same by shimming or cutting using a laser light leveler, (home depot $49) and make sure all 4 corners are the same level..set the chassis on the blocks and measure the chassis to the floor, corner to corner, front to back, side to side... if the measurements are all within 1/8 to 3/16 inch...give or take, you should be within an acceptable tolerance. I would assume the garage floor is the culprit to you thinking our chassis is tweaked... unless you SEE damage areas, its probably fine. Good luck! Wheelz, Tampa Bay
Well...I used a piece of 2 1/2 inch Sch 80 PVC pipe, cut to length used as a spacer, and squeezed the new bushings in my 12,000 PSI vice into the arms thru the PVC pipe...worked great and didnt scratch a thing! WISH I had a pix to share...ou: Better yet..DRIVE on over and I'll show you! Wheelz, Tampa Bay
Mmmmmmmmm - IMRON-**********Take a deeeeeep breath and just watch the brain cells float away!!!!!!! Glad to see you're back in the game and not letting all the gloom and doom scenarios keep you down.:TU:
Bill...unfortunately we all find ourselves down in the valley once in a while. and YES, I have my issues. However, sometimes I forget that ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE WITH GOD. So that being said, I am putting my faith into action and merrily going about our biness knowing God has it all under control. :TU: ..as for the Imron thing....I have respirators but still, I likes the Lacquer buzz much better! :Brow: Wheelz, Tampa Bay
JOe here is a tip how i painted my control arms. I blasted them then promed them with eastwood balck chassis black primer. Then I put in the bushings. Then taped them up and painted them with cahssis black. This way if you scracth the primer you can give it another coat after and befor paint
...You can never have too many engines! Most of those engines are spoken for...you know, projects that I plan to build someday! :TU: Wheelz, Tampa Bay
"Quicky-wiki"??? ou: well, no, not really. I just kinda built them out of 2x6 and casters from the Home depot....would you like me to get you some quicky-wiki measurements so you can build these lil rollers all by yourself?? :laugh: :beer Wheelz, Tampa Bay
Haha i guess ur right. If i had the room i would too :TU: Those dollies are neat, not that ill need one anytime soon p
Heres more Pix I'd like to share....this Chevy 12 bolt is now totally new...new axles, bearings, seals, pinion bearing and seal, rebuilt Eaton posi with 3:08 gears...blasted, cleaned and painted along with original backing plates and the cover, I found at a swap meet for $30..it was uggleee..I cleaned it, polished it up, and painted it up reel nice...this rear end is gonna be sweet when its all put together. You'll see! Wheelz, Tampa Bay
Front disc brakes...these are 1970 GS originals....totally rebuilt of course...once blasted, cleaned and painted...I added new calipers, rotors, seals, bearings, bolts, nuts..the works! :TU: just wait!!! Wheelz, Tampa Bay
..and lastly..at least for now..the power steering unit...original 70 quick ratio 2-3/4 pin 2 pin...blasted, disassembled, cleaned rebuilt with new kit, including rag joint, new bolts, etc...and painted!! As was the Big Block only steering shaft...disassembled, cleaned, blasted and painted...ready to install! Are you guys bored yet??? Wheelz, Tampa Bay
Bored!! :grin: Heck no, I'm not bored. Keep those pics coming.:TU: Gives me something to look at, instead of going outside in the freezing cold and snow around here. Glad to see you getting motivated.:beer I worked both Christmas, and New Years.uzzled: Well, it was my choice to do so. :laugh:
Thanks Dave. That's probably how I'll do it. But it sure would be nice to see the setup Wheelz used - I wouldn't mind giving that a try!
