Weekend Job Update

[jimbrandberg]

I had never considered Royal Purple 75/90 so I looked it up. It sounds good because it's okay with the hypoid for the differential and it also says it's okay for the brass parts in the transmission.
I've been using Amsoil if someone wants synthetic but it's nice to know about another choice.

It's exciting that it lives and breathes. As much as your Father is legendary it's cool that your Mother built the engine. I love family generational Corvair stories.

So to summarize the differential it seems to be a 64 that your Father drilled and tapped for a drain plug.

[kumquatbob]

Jim, here is a picture of Dad and Mom with the Kumquat in their beloved desert. They stayed fit by climbing in it all the time. Just step on the tire as a step. She did the upholstery and tonneau cover, too.
Bob

[jimbrandberg]

I'd still love to see how he did those big wheel wells. It looks like there's even trim on them. They look like they're worth beans to me.
I have a Rat Rod project that I'll probably never get to but I still like to think about it.
Maybe it all just comes together once you draw a line and get the Sawzall out.

[kumquatbob]

Jim, I'll get you some pics. The inner wells are not complete, along the upper edges. The "trim" is chrome door-edge-guard with, believe it or not, teeny-tiny holes drilled along the edges with straight pins (sewing type) holding them on! I gored myself on one and couldn't believe it. The way I discovered the gaps was the mice got into the body just above and in front of the engine compartment (you know those two 2x3" plastic cap plugs). One fell out and there was mess in there. Another thing on the 'to do' list. It does not lead into the car, just that section across the engine compartment. The inner fenders do not attach to the outers; they just lay at a 90-degree angle with an edge-guard like rubber strip to keep them from rubbing. Not big gaps, but enough. look up into yours and may be able to see. They are really high considering the 13" wheels they came with.
Dad never finished them off. This was going to be a race-only car to start with, plus no rain in the desert.

[jimbrandberg]

Good deal. Thanks for posting the pictures.

[RexJohnson]

Years ago in a body shop class they showed how to open up a fender well. It was on a truck box so no inner fender well to deal with. Draw out the opening you want on the fender. Now cut a 1/4"to 3/8" smaller of this line. Smooth over the edge and then using a hammer and dolley roll over the lip at the line you drew for the opening. Work slowly, alittle bit at a time going around the opening a few times to get the rolled edge that you want. This will give you a nice clean edge that also has some structural strength to it. This also works good for adding a turbo exhaust notch in a car that didn't come with one.

[kumquatbob]

Thanks Rex,
The Kumquat is going to need that done some day. The gaps, too.
The heater system was finished today. Fully cleaned and mouse screens installed. Only the below-seat vents are operational.
The rest were deleted on shortening.
It looks like I'm working my way forward. The light and turn signal switches arrived today.
Bob

[jimbrandberg]

When rolling the edge as described would the dolly need to be curved a little in the shape of the opening?
I suppose 1/4 - 3/8 is fairly easy to work with.

I was pretty amazed how Michael LeVeque and David Clemens make all steel wider wheel wells for their road racing cars.

"Working" metal is an art form. I have a go at it sometimes but I'm like 7th Grade compared to College.

Am I thick for not being able to identify the yellow wagon? The tail lights got me throwed.

[Dennis66]

56 Chevy. The lefy tail light hides the gas fill.

[RexJohnson]

The dolly could have a straight or cured edge as long as it has a sharp edge to form the roll over since you are on the outside of the radius. You would move the dolly after almost every hit because the section that you are bending over is very short. Years ago I added dual turbo outlets because my car had dual turbos. I had a pattern from a turbo car. I traced it out on both sides, cut it a little small and then rolled over the edges. I believe from start to finish it only took about an hour and a half to do both sides.

[kumquatbob]

I thought everyone had a '56, at least one. Dennis wins.
Painted the tin junction boxes under the seat and blocked off the 3" tubes that went forward. (2-3/4" PVC caps fit perfect.) Removed the little doors on those floor vents and installed screens. pic
After deleting all the rotten hoses and broken stuff inside the rockers, I pulled the cast grilles that Dad had blocked off and You guessed it! The mouses had chewed through the cardboard at the bottom of the lower front vent and made their way into the pipe that used to hold the defogger hoses down into the passage and made nests in the rockers ahead of where it was blocked off! Both sides! Vacuumed out and Febrezed. Made up some aluminum covers and riveted them on where the cast diffusers were. Now capped the 2" fogger ducts (between the car door and the vent doors pointing up) and will make up some aluminum kick panels to cover it up. No more cardboard.
Pulled the outside air vent doors and checked, no mess in there. For the love of Pete, tell me if there is a spot I haven't checked. Not much more car.
Bob

[kumquatbob]

Hi folks,
To update the Kumquat: with the engine running, I pulled the brakes apart and found like Dad said, the [apparently rare] sintered metallic brakes. There is a ridge in the drums as you would expect and with the self-adjusters it was a little more complicated to remove them. (just like picking a lock, Thanks dad for knocking out the plugs). The master cylinder bore is not honeable from a rust crater, and the wheel cylinders are all stuck.
Clarkes has the 7/8-inch (more expensive) Master cylinder, and the 1-inch front wheel cylinders. The rears are regular size (15/16-inch). I guess I will have to pony up and buy them all, plus hoses.
In case some of you haven't seen these (like me), I took a couple of pictures. Pretty racy for '63. They are only 9 X 1-3/4 inches (Same as my '63 Nova 4 lug drums). Similar weight cars, I guess the engineers figured.
Bob

[RexJohnson]

Chevy II's had wider front shoes that used the same front wheel cylinders that your metalic front brakes use.

[kumquatbob]

I converted my Chevy II over to '67 spindles, and rearend. Fit right on. Way bigger and 14" five lug wheels. Split master with booster. My wife's car.
This one is rare, so no discs or later brakes. Yes, every year they got better.
Bob

[kumquatbob]

While waiting for my brake parts I did some more mouse-proofing. How about aluminum kick panels? .040 medium aluminum. The hardest part was climbing in the roll cage Dale Earnhart style and lying on the abbreviated floor with no doors. Any hints on painting the aluminum?
Thanks,
Bob

[Dennis66]

I bet that thing does awesome wheelies. At 6'4'', I don't think it would be for me.