Graham’s Corvette Blog and Studebaker bits ‘n’ bobs

The hub caps are not too nice with lots of pits and the trim rings have some curb rash. Still they are presentable enough and worth a shine up before putting them back on the car – after I get the alignment done.

Starting to work on the AC. Rewired the connections and added an adapter on the low pressure side for the newer refrigerants.

The AC throttle ‘kicker’ is toast so I’ll need to order a new one of those.

Time to prep for the windshield replacement. All the attaching screws of the surrounding windshield trim need to be loosened so that the job doesn’t get held up because the tech has broken off a screw or can’t get it out.

Some screws had to have a slot cut into them with a dremel tool with a small cutoff wheel.

That worked in one case, but the other thee stuck screws had to be coaxed to turn with a fine chisel and hammer and then removed with a small vice grip.

Got all eight out and then replaced the trim with new screws. I still need to check the large stainless T trim piece.

Time to go to the alignment shop. Hopefully the suspension is up to snuff!

First step to checking the timing is to remove the dist cap so movement of the rotor can be seen.

Next I rolled the engine over until the timing mark on the harmonic balancer is in view.

Next I rotated the engine one way until the rotor just moved. The mark is at the 8 degree BTDC mark.

I then rotated the engine back until the rotor just moved. The mark now rests at the 4 degree mark ATDC. So a total movement of 12 degrees.

Not good. From what I have read 4 or 5 degrees is normal wear. In a pinch up to 10 degrees might be OK if the engine is running smooth. 12 degrees is just too much. At idle my timing chain is flopping about and causing valves to open and close at the wrong time – thus the very rough idle. Once the engine is above 900 rpm or so it smooths out as the torque of the engine is keeping the timing chain taught. That explains why all my plugs are firing OK.

I will continue to drive the car this summer as is. I don’t plan any long trips. All I really need to do is have the alignment done, a new windshield installed and then a safety check so I can get it plated.

My project for next winter was an overhaul of the PS pump, control valve and piston. I need to replace the PS pump bracket so I’ll do all that when I install a new timing chain and gears.

The spare tire rim is in good shape. Just lots of surface rust. I won’t bother to have it sandblasted. It will likely not see the light of day!

My quest to find the miss-at-idle continues. I have replaced the coil, put in new wires and rotor, and now a new cap.

Installed, but as expected the miss is still there. Before I install a new condenser and electronic module I am going to check the timing chain for sloppiness. I had rough idle problems with my Dodge 360. Turned out to be a worn timing chain.

The lock on the spare tire compartment was frozen so I used my grinder with a cutoff wheel to drop the old spare. I looks like it has never been removed since new. It’s a 195/80 D75 (D for dummy spare). Similar to today’s donut spares. Totally toast with lots of sidewall cracking. I’ll look for a replacement. The regular 225/70R15 tires have a diameter of 27.4 inches. A 205/75 R15 is 27.10″ and a 215/75 R15 is 27.7″ So I think either one would be OK as long as I mount it on the front – if a rear tire goes flat I’ll have to mount the spare on the front and move the good front tire to the rear. I think the posi wouldn’t like running with unequal diameter tires in place.

One bolt came out of the bracket OK, but not the other. In the end I had to remove the bracket from the frame.

The cut mounting rod is in the centre with the frozen lock on the bottom and the seized rod nut on top.

Parts sandblasted and ready for paint. I’ll use new bolts for the bottom section and the old bolts with new nylon lock nuts for bracket to frame attachment.

Painted with Tremclad rust primer and glossy black rust paint. Now to just fine a tire…

These acorn nuts for the seat side brackets are not the best quality and they don’t work like the originals. It’s hit and miss for grabbing the hinge pins. In the end I put a dab of silicone into the loose ones and pushed them back on the pins. Hopefully they will hold.

Next step was to clean the t top mounting strip and give it a nice coat of black automotive sealant – butyl I believe.

Before putting the mounting strip back I cleaned away all the old sealant glue using a small sharpened pry bar as a narrow scraper and a utility knife. Not fun but important to get all the old adhesive off. I wanted to get the best stick possible.

Test fitting the new seals. These are the economy units and so fitting isn’t the best. The thick outside strip fits fairly well and the holes line up OK. However the white pins don’t match up with the holes on the t top frame. On one side I had to remove the first pin. I was afraid to stretch the rubber enough to make it fit. So I removed the pin and even so it was quite a stretch to get the second pin in place. On the opposite side the reverse was happening. The rubber had to be pushed back on itself for the pins to fit.

Starting to glue down the seal. I use a small 1/4″ paint brush and 3M automotive trim adhesive. I do it a little at a time. I pull on the seal until the pin starts in the frame hole and then I use a slim awl to pierce the rubber and push the pin all the way in. I can’t seem to get enough pressure on the pin by hand to get it fully in place.

Tools and glue to install the t top seal. I clean the sealant brush with paint reducer.

I had to grind off the mounting stud I then did the same with the underside and was just able to slip out the old square nut after bending the tab’s side lip. All done very carefully as I didn’t want to break the spot welds holding the tab to the frame.

The rear locating pin rod was seized. I needed to remove the panel again and of course another mounting bracket came loose!

I cleaned out the pin mounting hole and shaved a bit of the nylon locating sleeve behind the pin until the rod slipped easily in the hole.

Whatever was holding the rear locating pin arm to the top latch was long gone. I decided to drill the rod end and use a washer and cotter pin to keep it all in place.

with the latch mechanism lubed with white grease and working fine I reinstalled the cover with an extra upholstery screw where the mounting bracket had broken loose.

Next I’ll be getting the seal in place.

Seats back in. Just need the horn parts to finish and I’ll be able to take it for a test drive and then hopefully to the alignment shop, but before I can get my safety check for a proper licence I’ll need to take it after that to the glass shop for a new windshield.

Starting to replace the seal on the passenger T top. Problems with this one as well with the cover brackets coming loose.

Two of the outer attaching brackets have come loose.

Simple fix is to drill the top and bracket ear and use an upholstery screw to hold the top down. The covers on both sides have seen better days. I’ll replace them later with new units as time allows.

The rubber seal on the outside edge has a metal support. As with the other side it is rusted and the screws will be hard to get out. I use a dental pick to clean out the screws for a better grip.

Two of the four screws came out OK. The other two I tried cutting a slot in the head with my grinder and a thin cutoff wheel so I could use a large screw driver. Worked on one of the screws.

One screw just ended up spinning and not coming out. The square nut underneath must be spinning in it’s seat. No choice but to remove the underlying metal strip – same as the other side. Only five screws and they go into plastic mounts underneath. A little penetrating oil for good luck and I’ll get at them tomorrow hopefully.

Getting the console back in place. I’ll start the engine and check the controls once again to be sure all is good. I’ll then re-install the side covers.

Meanwhile the AC vent on the right side has lost its mounting ears. I looked online for a replacement, but no luck.

A fix until I can find a better one. I made up a couple of brackets and mounted them in the same slanted position as the original ears. I bolted them to the duct with small bolts and drilled them to take the mounting screws.

Finally got it in place without removing the dash! A real hard spot to work in especially on the outside ear. I tried to get the screw in using a mirror, but that didn’t work – maybe if I was a dental hygienist and was used to working with mirrors in tight places. In the end I was just able to get my head under enough to see the mounting hole and get the screw in place.

I started the engine and all seemed good with the heater controls. The side panels are now in place with a new cup holder. Once the horn parts arrive I’ll be putting the steering wheel back on and installing the seats.

Next chore is to check to see if the steering box is on the high spot when the steering wheel is straight ahead. I need to do this to be sure the steering wheel is in the right place on the steering shaft before I take it in for an alignment.

Bound to happen sooner or later; the snap fitting broke when I was disassembling the vacuum diverter attached to the heater/AC switch, fortunately there was enough space to install a small nut, washer and bolt.

Here I have the diverter and connecting plug back on the back of the heater switch. While still apart I tested each dirverter line with a brake bleeder vacuum pump and using the service manual to tell me which vacuum operated door should be open.

I was able to visually check every door except the AC door which is buried behind the gauge cluster and the water shut-off valve as it was toast. Here is the outside air valve located on the right side below the windshield and under the fender lip. The screen has been removed. I’ll add rust check to the assembly before re-installing the screen.

The rear window defroster fan and heat/AC controls back in the console. I will replace the console and then get the engine started so I can do a final test on the controls except for the water shut-off valve which is on order.

The heater/AC fan wasn’t working right. Getting at the switch to test it was impossible without removing the console cover. That’s easier if I remove the seat. Work seems to take two steps forward and then one back!

This is the switch to control the fan based on the setting on the heater/AC sliding switch. Fortunately it can be opened up and cleaned. It was coated in old stiff grease. I cleaned it up with electrical connector aerosol fluid and coated the contacts with dielectric grease.

This is the fan switch disassembled. A bit hard to see. There are four tangs holding the switch together. I bend them back just enough to open it up. It was also coated in old stiff grease. Cleaned and coated with dielectric grease and re-assembled.

These type of mechanical switches have been in use since the 1950s. They are not hard to get apart and can be cleaned and put back in use. The contacts are usually copper and so there is no corrosion.

The fan now works as it should. Now to test out the vacuum lines for the heat, vent, defrost and AC.