Roadkill's 1983 Chevy Z28 - (Work Starts on Page 5)

[Andy]

What Bridgeport have you got?

I've got a Haas Mini Mill here not doing too much at the moment, next couple of lunch times I'm going to set it up making some bits for my slot cars!

[Roadkill]

Quoting: Andy

What Bridgeport have you got?

Dunno.

It's in the workshop in Luton (I'm in the offices at Leighton Buzzard).

Quoting: Andy

I've got a Haas Mini Mill here not doing too much at the moment

I know I'll definitely need a 10mm I.D / 18mm O.D steel spacer 51mm long doing but need to check as there'll be another too, to tie the pump back to the head . . . I think . . If it goes how I think it will . . .

[Andy]

Will stainless do?

[Roadkill]

It'll save me painting it.

Hold fire, though - I should be in position to confirm everything on Monday.

[Andy]

No worries, Just had some 20mm Stainless go through my machine so have some bar ends sitting here looking nervous.

[Roadkill]

Have been working on a few "snagging" jobs . . . .

As previously observed - the door cards were untidy around the interior pull handle . . .

(sketch made on the back of a C.D packet)

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I nearly made them myself but I wanted to save a bit of time and more importantly I wanted the sides to be perfectly square (difficult when cutting ally with an angle grinder)

A quick turn-around on something so simple . . . a quick few coats of wrinkle paint on Friday and -

All fitted, with pin plates painted black and rubber feet to hold the handles off of the door card slightly for easier grabbing.

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The door "card" overall - I'm quite happy with these . . . It's been worth the countless hours of design and drawing work in order to create the .DXF file.  If I ever do another 3rd Gen - it's all time saved.



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As a bonus the "last" bits arrived yesterday - giving me time to pimp 'em up prior to fitting . . . I say "last" as I've already spotted a hose fitting that the P/S fluid cooler didn't come with . . .



And so the result of a few evenings and a few hours yesterday . . .

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Feeling like I've done this before . . . .

[Cunning Plan]

Quoting: Roadkill

And so the result of a few evenings and a few hours yesterday . . .

Very nice, what paint process did you use?

Quoting: Roadkill

Feeling like I've done this before . . . .

It will be worth-it buddy, that's all you can keep saying

Quoting: Roadkill

It's been worth the countless hours of design and drawing work in order to create the .DXF file.

Is there much demand for door-cards for these? You could sell them if there is?

[Roadkill]

Quoting: Cunning Plan

Very nice, what paint process did you use?

I ground off all the sharp bits, then cleaned the parts in thinners . . . then 3 coats of primer, 3 coats of paint.

Quoting: Cunning Plan

Is there much demand for door-cards for these? You could sell them if there is?

Nah, not much call.  Plus I kinda like that no one else has these . . . sure they're not a "pro" job but on the other hand they're probably the best non-pro ones I've seen.

[Roadkill]

Thanks to Ryan for popping over yesterday, lending a hand and reminding me what bit goes where.



All the "old" manual steering parts have now been removed (scary how easy it is to wipe away nearly 2 years of off-and-on work)



The "new" P/S box is on, loosely, Pitman arm in position and the Idler and complete track rods are on, also (just need to adjust the tracking a little and torque the nuts).

However . . . the drama (I can only call it a drama, now) continues . . . .

The "82-92" intermediate steering shaft that "fits all" doesn't fit mine.

In fact it's 34mm too short for mine (an '83) and about 15mm too short for Ryan's (an '89)

!!!!!

My column is a non-tilt / non-airbag.  Ryan's is a tilt but non airbag . . . . . the one I got sent over had a airbag warning sticker on it so must've been from a later 91-92 with tilt AND airbag . . . .

But apparently they're all the same.  

Have looked at making a shaft myself which IS do-able but it's the splined connection at the box-end that's got me stumped.

I'm also in discussions with a guy who's breaking an '82 . . . he's getting some dimensions back to me before I spend anymore money !



Apart from that it seemed to go O.K . . . . . .

I do need a M16 x 1.5 (fine) standard O-ring push-fitting for the P/S box . . . . . . Ironically not even Earl's seem to have these but they're plentiful in the states . . . .



I'm hoping the guy with the '82 also has something I can modify for this . . . .

[Andy]

Cut either end of the spines off, turn down the cut off diameter for a couple of
Inches, turn up a bar with two inside diameters either end to suit, drill and split pin either end 90 degrees apart.

[Andy]

Want me to measure my shaft?

[Cunning Plan]

Quoting: Roadkill

then 3 coats of primer, 3 coats of paint.

Spray or brush? Looks like spray as it is very smooth.

[Roadkill]

Quoting: Andy

Cut either end of the spines off, turn down the cut off diameter for a couple of
Inches, turn up a bar with two inside diameters either end to suit, drill and split pin either end 90 degrees apart.

The end near the splined part is actually a tube* which would present problems . . . the other end is 3/4" DD shaft and only about 11mm across the narrowest part.
I'm not sure they'd be the strength left in the material for an extension like that.

* Starts of as a tube and at some point becomes a round bar, then becomes a DD shaft.  It's surpisingly complex for what just needs to be a piece of bar !

I can make up the bulkhead end using bits I've got . . . . it's connecting the splined end to that I think will be the problem.

Quoting: Andy

Want me to measure my shaft?

Yes, please.  Yours is Airbag and tilt, isn't it ? - Should be the same as the one I now have . . . . give me the overall length (pull back the plastic shroud) end-to-end, when you can.

Quoting: Cunning Plan

Spray or brush? Looks like spray as it is very smooth.

Spray.  I use U-Pol (or Simoniz when tight for pennies) primers.   The red paint is mixed (Mazda Colorado Red) by a local company (MKPE) and is excellent quality stuff (very fine spray so produces masses of dust when doing small, odd-shaped parts like that).

Always do a thin coat first, a heavier coat second and just concentrate on a medium thickness coat last which covers everything evenly.

I do that for both priming and top-coating but obviously pay more attention to the final coat of top-coat.

[Cunning Plan]

Quoting: Roadkill

Spray. I use U-Pol (or Simoniz when tight for pennies) primers. The red paint is mixed (Mazda Colorado Red) by a local company (MKPE) and is excellent quality stuff (very fine spray so produces masses of dust when doing small, odd-shaped parts like that).

Always do a thin coat first, a heavier coat second and just concentrate on a medium thickness coat last which covers everything evenly.

I do that for both priming and top-coating but obviously pay more attention to the final coat of top-coat.

Take note kids, this is how it's done.

Good tips, will remember

[Roadkill]

That's what seems to work for me, anyway.  

[Roadkill]

Quoting: Roadkill

I'm also in discussions with a guy who's breaking an '82 . . .

Wow.  Dreamer.

He wants £100 for that shaft - and wanted £150 !!

I can get one for £50 (inc. P&P & tax) from the states so don't intend to get ripped off !

[FUBAR]

probably because you (had to) asked about it, he straight away knows there's a need there, so upped the price

[ianjpage]

Nice to see the door's done!

Shame there more ... challenges with the steering....

[Titsy]

Quoting: Roadkill

I can get one for £50 (inc. P&P & tax) from the states so don't intend to get ripped off !

Did you tell him that?

[Roadkill]

Quoting: Titsy

Did you tell him that?

Not yet.   I'm waiting to see if it's even the right length, first.

That said I've had no reply at all since.  May end up making it.

Quoting: Andy

Want me to measure my shaft?

[Andy]

Sorry! Been busy with my extra curriculum activities! Will get on to it tonight.

Which bits precisely do you want the length of?

[Roadkill]

Difficult to explain but basically the overall length of the intermediate shaft.

I'll try to take a picture later to clarify.

[Roadkill]

Quoting: Roadkill

I'll try to take a picture later to clarify.

Here ya' go.

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This is the overall length.  The bit on the left is the splined end that  clamps to the input shaft of the P/S box (this is hidden under the plastic shroud).  The end on the right is an expanded DD shape, that slides over the base of the main steering column.  A bolt passes through this bit with a low-profile round head (it locates on the squared shoulder under the head and a nut retains it the other side).

Make sense ?

I suspect yours will measure the same as this, TBH . . . Although it's about 34mm too short for mine.

If you could take some pictures of the end of the steering column as it comes through the bulkhead that'd be handy, too, to see if there's a visual difference between the two.

My theory is that mine has the longest intermediate shaft as there's no tilt or airbag.  The shaft got shorter when the tilt mechanism was added and shorter still when the airbag went on (meaning that the main column got longer with the additions - which kinda makes sense).

[Roadkill]

Have sent Earl's an email regarding the P/S hose fitting I need . . .

Can see myself making these last few bits from scratch . . .

[Roadkill]

Quoting: Roadkill

Have sent Earl's an email regarding the P/S hose fitting I need . . .

The parts are in stock, now ordered and on First Class delivery . . . would be nice to have them for Saturday.