My friend I eat lunch with most days said it best when he introduced me to someone. He said "he's a really good backyard mechanic, but he has a black cloud hanging over his head". On to the next debacle. I started the weekend with the plan that I'd at least get rid of the underdrive pulleys on the car and fix the bad rag joint. I had a set of new LMR pulleys in hand and a MM steering shaft.
First up, pulleys. Typical of the PO, he didn't actually put a underdrive pulley set on the car. Half-assed as usual, just a smaller crank pulley. I replaced the crank pulley and figured I'd put the new water pump pulley on also. The replacement alternator already had a nice new one on it. The new water pump pulley wouldn't fit over the center pin on the water pump. It probably needed some of the thick paint scraped off, but I opted to keep the original Ford one on there. It was the same size and is in really good shape. Off to the auto parts store for some belt size roulette. After trying a few different belts, it became clear the one I needed was the one they didn't have in stock. duh.
Onto the new steering shaft. Things started great. I got the old shaft out pretty quickly. I had done my research and seen enough videos that I knew exactly what to do. Then I went to stab the MM shaft into the steering column. Nope. Ughhh, here we go.
First attempt: The MM instructions say to tap it in. So, small hammer out tap, tap, whack, whack ... no go. 20 minutes later and lots of cussing and I managed to wrangle it back out. So, I quit for the night thinking of creative ways of destroying the MM shaft. I stopped at the auto parts joint on the way to dinner and picked up a replacement rag joint. I was fully expecting to send back the MM shaft and just replace the rag joint.
Today, I awoke thinking a little more clearly. I mic'ed the original and the MM and found the MM was actually smaller in every dimension. Theoretically it should go in easier. But, the concave side of the thing wasn't as clearly shaped. I suspected it was hanging up because the concave machining wasn't wide enough. So, out came the die grinder and I widened it a bit. It went in a little deeper before hanging up. Good sign. A little more grinding and a few light hammer taps and it was in. 15 minutes later it was bolted up. I did the steering check and it came out that everything was straight. Still need a test drive, but seems good. Just need to wait on a belt to show up.
Here's the MM steering shaft after declaring victory over the ***** thing. It's the shiny thing next to the header.
Next I cleaned it up and hit it with some POR15. Now it's the shiny black thing next to the header. My paint job isn't show car worthy, but should keep the rust at bay. Good enough it won't be embarassing at the local cars & coffee either.
Next up, put the rear
suspension parts in. You can see with the new springs on the front and stockers on the back it's got a little '70s rake going. The extra wheel well in the back is more obvious in person than in the pic.