Build Thread '83 T-top Coupe - Welding Holes in My Rear

[Chuckman]

i just drain the trans

if youre not going to use it again (or can find another pan) just drill a hole in it, maybe even later you can tap it for a drain plug.

also a ziploc bag zip-tied around the output also works halfway decent to catch drips.

 

[droopie85gt]

I got some stuff done today.
Here the engine sits now. I was going to disconnect the engine from the transmission, but then I thought maybe I should just yank them out together. Anyone see any issues with doing that? It being an automatic, I didn't know if there might be a problem with that or not.

Just take the sawzall and cut off the driveshaft right at the yoke. Get some fresh step cat litter to soak up the oil/fluids that leak. You'll stop an environmental disaster AND have a fresh smelling storage area!

 

[a91what]

at least when the jinx sends the cats you will have a place for them to use the bathroom.

 

[Noobz347]

I'm pretty sure the litter contains cat seeds. That's how jinx started the whole thing.

 

[Davedacarpainter]

I was feeling tired again, didn't want to mess with the car......but I have this tool..........

So, tired or not! I was going to cut some sht up!

I removed the upper part of the radiator support.

I looked at that for a minute and thought I should really go ahead and pull the eb wiring harness, so I did that.

And crap, how hard is it really to pull a driveshaft, so I jacked up the rear and put it on jackstands and removed the pinion flange bolts and voila! It's starting to empty out down below, huh?

Of course since I had the driveshaft out i should go ahead and drop the transmission pan too, I mean, what the hell? I'm laying down already, right? The trans fluid looked like new fluid, isn't that crazy?

So I decided to pack it in, after all, I'm tired. So i'm putting my tools away and pick up the sawsall to remove the battery and like a kid with a new toy I found myself hacking away the lower part of the support. This also loosened up the bumper shocks and I pulled them out too.You can see how tore up that right side was, all of the welds from the inner bracket had been torn loose from the outer.

Should be pretty easy to pull the engine out through there, huh?

I only have a couple little things left to pull before the drivetrain finds itself in the back of my truck. There's possibilities of rain for the next four days here. I'm wanting to get back to the yard.

That's it for tonight, no, I mean it.

 

[Noobz347]

Should be pretty easy to pull the engine out through there, huh?

Thought that was the starter. My bad.

 

[Davedacarpainter]

I took the yoke of the driveshaft real quick this morning. I’ll plug it up with that.
View attachment 591232

 

[NIKwoaC]

Finally read through your full "abridged" build thread... Dude you have some really great tech in there. Your plastic repair technique is on point.

Question- do you have a technique for reshaping warped bumper covers?

 

[Davedacarpainter]

Finally read through your full "abridged" build thread... Dude you have some really great tech in there. Your plastic repair technique is on point.

Question- do you have a technique for reshaping warped bumper covers?

To an extent......

Some of the warps can be reshaped using a heat gun and almost treating the plastic like metal.

The warps are nothing more than stretched plastic, regardless of what causes the stretching. The molecules can be tightened up somewhat with heat and a soft blows from a hammer with some sort of "dolly" .

I had marginal success with mine. The larger, more obvious stretches are easier. The general waves like you'll have across the top of the rear bumper are a bit more challenging. You may have noticed the post that mike had in there with the bumper pad to help even out the waves. This is probably the easiest thing to do to make those look better.

If you have a specific question, let me know. I'll help out however I can.

 

[Davedacarpainter]

BTW, it's been raining here for the past couple days, and probably will through Saturday. So not much happening at the moment.

Plus tonight I have to go prep a Harley for paint. I should shoot it tomorrow night.

 

[NIKwoaC]

To an extent......

Some of the warps can be reshaped using a heat gun and almost treating the plastic like metal.

The warps are nothing more than stretched plastic, regardless of what causes the stretching. The molecules can be tightened up somewhat with heat and a soft blows from a hammer with some sort of "dolly" .

I had marginal success with mine. The larger, more obvious stretches are easier. The general waves like you'll have across the top of the rear bumper are a bit more challenging. You may have noticed the post that mike had in there with the bumper pad to help even out the waves. This is probably the easiest thing to do to make those look better.

If you have a specific question, let me know. I'll help out however I can.

My original front bumper cover had a crack in the lower grille, so when I had the car repainted a few years ago I sourced a new aftermarket cover. It's a weird story where a friend of mine grabbed it at a swap meet for $100, knowing I needed one but workout really looking it over. Turns out the passenger side turn signal area is a little distorted, probably why the guy was selling a brand new one for so cheap. It's not super noticable but it's something that's always drove me crazy and if there is a way to straighten it, I'd like to give it a shot.

I can pm you pictures of it this weekend. I appreciate your help!

 

[Mustang5L5]

What are you gonna do with the old drivetrain?

 

[Davedacarpainter]

What are you gonna do with the old drivetrain?

Give it to the yard owner.

 

[Davedacarpainter]

Well, I tried getting back after things a little bit. We finally got some drier weather.

I was going to go to the yard to work on removing more stuff from the sc engine bay but I had to work late.

So I stopped by the storage unit on the way home instead.

I put the yoke back into the tailhousing to block that leak. I disconnected the last couple things, speedo cable, couple wire connectors, put the trans pan back on, etc.....

Take a look at that trans support, I think it might need to be replaced.

I loosened up the motor mounts and trans mounts. We're ready to go. Though it'll be thursday before it actually gets pulled. I'm waiting for one of my buddies to help then. I'll have to push Scuby out of the storage unit to pull the drivetrain, I'll need someone to help push it back in.:zombie:

I really took a good look at the passenger frame rail, I've got a feeling that I'll be needing to replace it. I'm not saying for sure, but I have a sneaking suspicion. Look at the picture for a minute, see the rust at the shock tower? I'm thinking that's merely foreplay to what really needs to be fixed. That's ok though, I really like doing this stuff.

Tomorrow, at lunch, I'm finally going to drop the new(ish) radiator support off with the sand blasters. I think I'll have them blast the bumper shocks as well. Thinking about the bumpers as well, those rat bastards couldn't possibly warp that metal.......

 

[95BlueStallion]

Interesting that your frame rail has a quarter sized hole drilled in it at the strut tower, like they wanted you to have access to the inside where mine was rotten. That section looks great on yours. Do you think having a hole there helps?

 

[Davedacarpainter]

Interesting that your frame rail has a quarter sized hole drilled in it at the strut tower, like they wanted you to have access to the inside where mine was rotten. That section looks great on yours. Do you think having a hole there helps?

Funny I didn’t notice that till you mentioned it Nick.

I’ll get better pictures of it once I pull the engine Thursday.

I don’t see it being a bad thing, it would help for some airflow through that part.

 

[95BlueStallion]

Funny I didn’t notice that till you mentioned it Nick.

I’ll get better pictures of it once I pull the engine Thursday.

I don’t see it being a bad thing, it would help for some airflow through that part.

Exactly. Now I kinda feel like I should have done that while I was there. Too damn late now though!

 

[90sickfox]

Good catch @95BlueStallion ...

 

[Davedacarpainter]

Good catch @95BlueStallion ...

Bah! It’s probably a hole the rats ate through anyhow

 

[Davedacarpainter]

Ok, I've got to get an update in before the mustached fellow gets too impatient.

So, what's missing? If you said the starter, you are most certainly right!