Updates, details and pictures as I ever so slowly progress along restoring old Bessie here. |
posted Jan 31, 2011 7:40 AM by Robert Budd
[
updated Jan 31, 2011 8:03 AM
]
Spent Sunday re-installing the rear end. Had to fabricate some shock absorber metal bushings out of modern caliper brake components, since the shocks I bought did not come with the necessary pieces. Worked out fine in the end (pun intended...). Still need to install the rear brake lines, but ran out of time before dinner.
|
posted Dec 29, 2010 8:42 AM by Robert Budd
[
updated Dec 29, 2010 8:55 AM
]
I thought I'd share a few "before and after" photos to show the progress that is finally being made on re-assembling the Buick. Nothing more satisfying (and eye-opening) than seeing what you started with, and what you changed it to.
|
posted Nov 28, 2010 8:54 AM by Robert Budd
[
updated Nov 28, 2010 9:21 AM
]
Today's project was to allow my wife to park back in her normal garage slot. That required getting the frame pushed back outside and buttoned up, and also allows me to work on the rear drive train. You need some space to do this, and it's a messy job.
I proceeded to get as much as the differential fluid out as I could first (it stinks due to the high sulfur content), and then pulled up the "Rear Axle Service Guide" and started disassembly. Had to use MAPP gas, impact wrench and lots of persuasion to get the stubborn nuts and bolts off.  Pulling out the drain plug, using my Pella pump to suck out the stinky gear oil.
Rear links and brake lines removed. Torque tube is next.
With the 6 torque tube bolts removed, you can then gently persuade the torque tube away from the pinion housing.
The driveline was replaced on the car back in 1984 or so -- and our local mechanic apparently liked using blue silicon gasket caulk instead of real gaskets. Sheesh. My seals must be shot, because there is diff fluid here where it doesn't belong in the torque tube. Did I mention this is a messy job?
Female splined drive shaft pulls straight back from the male splined pinion shaft. That silver cup on the end of the driveline is a packing seal.
Driveline and torque tube removed. The driveline is surprisingly lightweight.
Looking at the rear pinion oil seal and retaining nut.
The differential carrier and pinion gear is quite heavy. This is the manner shown in the manual on how to remove it from the rear axle housing.
It is a snug fit, so after you break the gasket free around the seam, you have to gently tap on the bolts and it releases the rear axle housing.
 Here the differential carrier and pinion gears are released from the rear axle housing. The rear axle housing is relatively light.
|
posted Oct 24, 2010 8:16 AM by Robert Budd
[
updated Oct 24, 2010 8:21 AM
]
I've made progress on the front suspension. Took the better part of a Saturday afternoon to properly (and safely) install the front shocks, springs and upper/lower "A" arms. What a pain in the butt. I ended up fashioning a tool out of threaded rod and plate steel to compress the assembly as a whole and then bolt it into place, and that's what ended up working in the end.
|
posted Oct 9, 2010 6:32 PM by Robert Budd
[
updated Oct 9, 2010 6:38 PM
]
Today I was able to wheel the frame into the garage (sorry Dear!) and was able to install the first fresh piece of kit onto the car. This is a big deal for me, as now I can start finally doing some re-assembly after years and years of disassembly and repairing/replacing parts.
I spent about $1300 on front suspension rubber, shocks, brake drums, brake kit, kingpins, etc, etc.-- so over the next few weeks I'm going to put it all back on the car.
First new piece (upper control arm bumper) pushed into place. WooHoo !
Gathering up the bits and pieces to bolt back onto the front end.
Upper control arm in place with fresh rubber, powder coated arms and re-plated bolts.
|
posted Sep 16, 2010 1:12 PM by Robert Budd
[
updated Sep 16, 2010 1:16 PM
]
3 coats of "Zero Rust" and 2 coats of ZR clear, and the frame is now done. I used the H-lift to be able to do above/below the frame. I like getting multiple uses out of my equipment :)
Next steps are to start bolting things back on to it. That's going to cost some money, as I need rubber pieces, shocks, brake lines, fuel lines, etc.
|
posted May 17, 2010 8:57 PM by Robert Budd
[
updated May 17, 2010 9:08 PM
]
Now here's some Saturday fun for ya'. Parking your 56 Buick frame out in the driveway and blasting away with a pressure blaster. A couple of the neighbors (and one concerned jogger) stopped by to see what the commotion was about-- chuckling at my ambition. :) You have to laugh a little bit given I live in a pretty common suburban neighborhood and seeing me out welding, blasting, powder coating, etc, etc-- it just doesn't fit the mold of the neighborhood (so to speak). For the most part, my evil plan of tarps and stick frame contained the tornado of alum oxide. The front engine cradle area was a real mess, and took the better part of the afternoon to get it all cleaned up. I'm not pictured in the photos, but I did wear full coveralls and respirator. While some of the dust of the process blew away (slight breeze that day)-- most stayed contained in my little blast area there-- enough to be able to sweep up and refill the pressure blaster. I decided to just do the tops and sides of what I can see, and I'll have to do the whole frame again with it flipped over to get the underside completely. I tried briefly doing some underneath work on my back and, well-- that wasn't going to work out in the long run. Try holding your arms up for 10 min stints and tell me how you do?
 
|
posted May 7, 2010 9:02 PM by Robert Budd
[
updated May 7, 2010 9:05 PM
]
Yikes-- talk about an excavation job-- the front suspension has 50+ year old grease and layer upon layer of dirt. I found some green and yellow paint inspection marks on various components of the front suspension. Removing the kingpins ended up being quite a chore, and does not go as smoothly as the Service Manual would imply. I had to run down to Harbor Freight and buy a hydraulic press, which made short work of the kingpin removal.
|
posted May 1, 2010 8:45 PM by Robert Budd
[
updated May 1, 2010 9:17 PM
]
I welded up some "pogo sticks" to allow me to roll the frame around, and have taken over the last bay of the garage (wife isn't happy-- but what can I do?)
I have removed all the components off the frame, and have begun scraping off the years of dirt, grime and old undercoating. Once the initial scraping is done, I will use my pressure blaster to media blast the frame down to bare metal, and then use some POR15 products to seal it all back up again.
After that, I'll start restoring the individual suspension components and start bolting them back onto the cleaned frame.
|
posted Mar 19, 2010 4:16 PM by Robert Budd
[
updated Mar 19, 2010 4:22 PM
]
The wife and kids bought me a Caswell Zinc Plating kit. To that end, I've had some decent results with the gear. It amazes me all the things a home hobbyist can do in his/her garage these days. Simply media blast the bolts, soak in hot degreaser for a few minutes, hook up the positive/negative leads to the rectifier and voila', you can Zinc plate.
Here are a few pics.
|
|
