1963 Dodge Dart for the Wife....

We started these last year sometime and got distracted.... Time to assemble... Make sure the positive diode carrier is isolated from the main chassis... Notice you can have the carrier twisted far enough to shot out, make sure it is centered... My buddy at the machine shop pressed the diodes and pulley on for me already. These old round backs you need to be very careful that the 3 field wires coming in out ring are not shorted (notice the heat shrink tubing) and they are tucked back far enough that the stator does not hit them when it spins. I had to make a few adjustments as the center wire is very short on this one... The fan blades on the stator was hitting it.
DSC_1193.jpg
DSC_1194.jpg
DSC_1195.jpg
DSC_1196.jpg
DSC_1197.jpg
DSC_1198.jpg
DSC_1199.jpg
DSC_1200.jpg
DSC_1201.jpg
DSC_1202.jpg
 
Next unfinished project...... The main thing here is I bought a quality set of snap ring pliers as when I was trying to get the shaft snap ring on I blew a gasket and tossed it in the box.... Took all of 9 seconds to put it on with good tools... I have fought that snap ring on the other cars for 10 minutes with crap tools....

DSC_0003.jpg
DSC_0004.jpg
DSC_0005.jpg
DSC_0006.jpg
DSC_0007.jpg
DSC_0008.jpg
DSC_0009.jpg
DSC_0010.jpg
DSC_0011.jpg
DSC_0012.jpg
 
This brush holder keeps the brushes in place and when the armature is pushed in it just gets pushed in and stays in there forever. Neat design I think... You have to have the armature in the housing before you insert it in the brushes. The housing won't go over the armature from the back end.

DSC_0013.jpg
DSC_0014.jpg
DSC_0015.jpg
DSC_0016.jpg
DSC_0017.jpg
DSC_0019.jpg
DSC_0020.jpg
DSC_0021.jpg
DSC_0022.jpg
DSC_0023.jpg
 
Snap on the cover and use the battery charger to test her out. Spins up nicely. Ready to start the SL6. What the heck I was dirty so I started on the last big project... I know why this thing would not go over 30mph when I got it. I had to pound the upper part of the shaft off.. It as not advancing at all, all jammed up.. Took a lot of sandpaper on the shaft to get it to work freely. Installed FBO springs and plate at 10 degrees. With 14 degrees initial timing the plate will limit it to (10 * 2 = 20 crankshaft degrees) so 14+20 =34 degrees of mechanical advance should be perfect. Need to get a new vacuum advance though.. seems like it is not working... I need a new Snap-On hand vacuum pump.... Got beat up with the heat in the garage and called it a day.

DSC_0024.jpg
DSC_0025.jpg
DSC_0026.jpg
DSC_0027.jpg
DSC_0028.jpg
DSC_0029.jpg
 
I have been accumulating OEM bolts/nuts/tidbits over the last year for under the hood as most of them where not original and not right so today was clean and get the drivetrain hardware ready... I have a short list of bolts and nuts I need to find better version of but for the most part everything is ready. The one old motor mount was fine threads so they used a steering linkage castle nut.... good grief....

DSC_0030.jpg
DSC_0031.jpg
DSC_0032.jpg
DSC_0033.jpg
DSC_0034.jpg
DSC_0035.jpg
DSC_0036.jpg
DSC_0037.jpg
DSC_0038.jpg
DSC_0039.jpg
 
Pulled the last greasy item to restore and knocked it out. The Harbor Freight pitman arm puller worked ok... the problem with all these HF tools is the threads are not hardened and they chew themselves up... add grease to help reduce the friction.... First manual box I have done... super easy... Pull the 3 bolts and the pitman arm shaft will pull out with the small cover. Break loose the giant lock ring at the steering coupler shaft and spin out the giant plug and the cross worm comes out... be careful with the caged bearings... mine where still caged and stayed together.

The seal are easy to get out and mine were hard as a rock and just crumbled. Now clean clean and clean some more. I got a reseal kit from Firm Feel a while ago so I was all set. A little time in the bead blaster (make sure you seal up the gears, bearing races, bushing so you don't ruin surfaces or get glass bead into the gears) and it is like new. Then clean some more.....

Pack the bearings and worm with grease and put in the cross worm gear and tighten down the big nut... you will want to clean the threads extremely well and make sure that the plug screws in by hand all the way before doing this. Never screw it in without lube... Aluminum to aluminum threads will eat each other without lube. Snug it down then put a piece of tape around the shaft and slide the new seal on. I used a deep socket to drive it home.

Slide the pitman shaft in and make sure the top adjusting screw is backed out so it is not binding the gears. If you stare at it long enough you will see how the rack and pinion gears are cut on a bevel so when you turn the top adjusting screw it picks the pitman shaft up and down engaging the gears tighter. Tighten the 3 screws. I put the seal on the pitman shaft in the housing before the shaft went in because I did not have a socket deep enough and large enough.

Slip on the new pitman arm and it is ready to get shot with clear coat before final install and final adjustment per the factory manual. Really easy except for the 60 year old grease to clean...

DSC_0045.jpg
DSC_0046.jpg
DSC_0047.jpg
DSC_0048.jpg
DSC_0049.jpg
DSC_0050.jpg
DSC_0051.jpg
DSC_0052.jpg
DSC_0053.jpg
DSC_0054.jpg
 
Luckily that sector preload is easily field adjustable, I've gotten it too tight before and the wheel will be sluggish to return to center if so.
 
EddieF said:
Impressive. When you restore a car you ain't kidding.
I see a slide show playing of all your work on a monitor in trunk at big car shows.
Click to expand...

I want it to be better than new... I read some posts on Facebook groups about "who else has to fix something every time they take their car out". Not me.... do it once, do it right and do it complete. I open the garage door turn the key and drive my old cars with as much confidence as my new ones (actually more as my daily cars all have 200,000+ miles on them now)!
 
Not feeling good today so I just got the parts not needing major repairs painted. The parts needing repairs are only needed when it is time to put the top canvas on. These parts will be enough to get it reassembled and put back on the body..... A quick weld for a crack in one of the cross frames and it was time to shoot the epoxy.

Also got the early oil breather from AMD today so shot that too. Needed to the hinge mechinism a few times both extended and collapsed to make sure to not miss areas covered by the hinges in each direction...

SPI Black Epoxy with a bit of extender in it to make it flow out a bit better.
DSC_0095.jpg
DSC_0096.jpg
DSC_0097.jpg
DSC_0098.jpg
DSC_0099.jpg
DSC_0100.jpg
DSC_0101.jpg
DSC_0102.jpg
DSC_0103.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top