Willit? Update

[GTJIM]

Guess you have nice clean, pink hands now - hope you did not damage yourself! Bet they have "Use Gloves" right on the tin too.

I remember as a young, grubby handed engineer, plunging my hands into a vat of Caustic Soda solution and quickly washing the dirt and top layer of skin off them so I would have nice clean hands for Saturday night.

[namba209]

Well, Jim they were clean last nite, but not today, still have to work on the GT even though it really hurts to do it. I do have multiple open sores from the cleaner and it's a PIA to clean up after working. Eventually I'll get better and can get more done. To be honest with you I didn't check the label at all, it is just good sense to use the gloves with a solution as strong as that.

[GTJIM]

Ron - a trick from a younger engineer/mechanic: I always use "food grade" PVC (or vynel) disposable gloves ( Not the laxtex "surgical" type as they are not resistant to oil and petrol ). Available at Engineering Supply houses here and at food distributors. These gloves will resist even perchlorethylene drycleaning solvent! They cost $9 per 100 pairs here and the grease/oil just never gets near your hands.

[namba209]

Jim, I get the mechanix gloves here, they're supposed to be good for all the stuff a mech will get into, I hope. So far they've held up to POR-15 solvent, stripper, and all the rest of their products fairly well. The only thing was Xylene makes them fall apart after a bit.

Keith, The LCA bushings are a PIA to get out, but I got them out with out burning them, although it was a mess just the same. I read on the site someone used a small drill bit and drilled around the rubber to get it out. I have in my model racing boat tools an Exacto knife handle that holds a 3" long saw blade. I drilled enuff holes in the rubber bushing to start the saw blade and then cut around the steel sleeve and got it out then pulled the rubber bushing out by sliding an Exacto knife blade between the rubber and the outer sleeve. I'll finish up removing the rest of the rubber with a Dremel wire wheel that is fairly well worn down. Again, another tool from my boat toolbox. HTH.

[namba209]

Yesterday, I took 11 pieces of the front suspension in to get sand blasted at a local commercial outlet, and was impressed by what I saw there, a MACH 1 Mustang convertible, unibody no less, totally stripped to the base metal, and some powder coating that was just beautiful. They told me I should expect a call sometime Wednesday to pick up the pieces and expect to pay about $100. What I took in were both hubs, axles, brake backing plates, Upper Control Arms and Lower control Arms, and the main suspension beam. All the rest I can clean here at the house. After vapor blasting all the parts, cleaning, again, metal treating and then the POR-15 painting. It's getting closer folks. Now if my hands will heal a bit faster, I can really get with the program. :o

[benncojr]

Ron,

I finally got the to sit down and get your last size you requested (Sorry for the delay).

From the inside of the lip of the rim to the other inside lip is 5 5/8 inch. From Outside edge to outside edge it is 6 3/8 inch.

Take a look at the photo

[namba209]

Rick, thanx for the response, it looks, by your measurements the wheels are 1/2" narrower than mine are, which shouldn't pose a problem. I need one more measurement to finalize this and it looks like I'll need all 4 wheels to make them all the same size. Could you measure the distance between the inside of the mounting flange to the edge of the wheel, just like I did on post #8 of this thread? I laid the wheel face down, put a straight edge acorss the top of the wheel and measured down to the mounting flange. My measurement was about 3.5" on the wheels I have now. Also send me an e-mail or PM with a price for all 4 wheels if you don't mind. TIA.

[namba209]

I've pretty much decided to keep the restoration part of this project under the Willit? Update, thread, and keep the actual V-6/T-5 swap in the articles section. I've got 2 more articles to do as I start the re-assembly phase, the next, Article VI will deal with integrating all the unfinished stuff of the previous articles into one, and Article VII will deal with the outcome of the finished project, hopefully to include a trip to the local dragstrip for a run or two to see what will happen. Further upgrades may be required, I've had lots of inquiries as to why I didn't do this or that. Basically what I want to do is see if the V-6/T-5 is feasible to just drop into a kinda box stock GT without needing further upgrades. An upgrade I have already done and touched on is the NOS ZF posi-traction rear-end. This was a personal choice based on driving my 75 350 monza on the streets here inSANe DIEGO, during the rare times is does rain, with the power of the 350, there is no traction on wet roads at all, so the decision to put a 3:08:1 Auburn posi in the monza naturally gravitated to doing the same to the GT.

Now for the update, and there actually is an update. I got the front suspension disassembled, including removing the busted UCA bolt from hell, and took the pieces to the sandblasters, for $100 all 11 pieces were blasted, the main beam was cracked, probably from a ball joint letting loose before I got the car. I gave it to my friendly welder and not only did he weld up the crack, he decided it would be a good idea to put beads around most of the attaching sheetmetal in lieu of just spotwelds. Also he ran a bead around both UCA bolt tubes. Nice guy. Attached are a couple of pics, before and after POR-15 treatment to the suspension pieces. Poly bushings will be installed next and new brakes in the front to compliment the new ones in the rear. Then the engine/tranny come out for the last time and painting the underneath, closing up the holes in the footwell and wiper well, then the rest of the interior of the car will be given the POr-15 treatment. Sorry this is so long winded, but now we're finally getting nowhere.

[nobody]

what kind of rear brakes did you use with that rear posi? I'd also like to see some pics of the gusseted front cross.

[namba209]

Dave, The Posi for the GT is an NOS ZF unit that goes in the Opel differential housing, so I didn't need to change the brakes at all. They are still the stock rear drum and shoe. On the main suspension beam, there are two pieces of sheetmetal inside the spring cavity that are spot welded in, those are the pieces the welder ran a bead around as well as the UCA bolt tubes and the crack I had earlier. HTH.

[namba209]

Well I had a set back today. It seems the PO or someone tried to repair the front suspension UCA rubber bushings. They modified the original steel sleeves and bushings to make non stock rubber bushings fit. So now I've got to get replacement sleeves and bushings to put the new poly bushings in one of the UCAs. What a PIA. I've attached a pic of some of the damaged pieces. What's really a pain is they destroyed the original steel sleeves by grinding them thinner and put a larger sleeve over it so the non-stock rubber bushings would fit and tore the steel bushing with something getting it out. In the pic, it shows what I took out of the UCA and the steel sleeve on the right is an original OE sleeve.

[GTJIM]

!**! - or words to that effect .....

At least one side has the bits you need so you can determine which ones they are:
69-71 have 0.710" OD on the inner sleeve and 72-73 have 0.745" OD

Also check to see which ID your Poly bushes you have ......]

Guess all you need then are some used suspension bushes the correct size.

If the outer steel sleeve is a bit loose in the A-arm it can be welded in to place - the important thing is that the inner surface is smooth as the poly bush actually rotates in there and/or on the inner sleeve as the poly does not twist to deform like the OEM rubber used to. The poly bushes are designed to rotate onthe inner sleeve - you should see lubrication retaining grooves on the ID - uses teflon lubricant. No lube = heaps of squeeking

[RallyBob]

Originally Posted by GTJIM If the outer steel sleeve is a bit loose in the A-arm it can be welded in to place - the important thing is that the inner surface is smooth as the poly bush actually rotates in there and/or on the inner sleeve as the poly does not twist to deform like the OEM rubber used to. The poly bushes are designed to rotate onthe inner sleeve - you should see lubrication retaining grooves on the ID - uses teflon lubricant. No lube = heaps of squeeking

Jim, best to have the inner sleeve be the pivot point. In fact, I like to install grease fittings in the outer sleeves not only to allow for a lubrication point, but to 'lock' the bushing into place against the outer sleeve. A small hole drilled to feed the inner sleeve allows for squeak and bind-free suspension articulation. The only other thing to remember is to invert the cup-shaped washers so they don't bind the poly bushings as well. This is most often overlooked, even though OGTS clearly dictates it needs to be done in their instructions!

Bob

[GTJIM]

Originally Posted by RallyBob Jim, best to have the inner sleeve be the pivot point. In fact, I like to install grease fittings in the outer sleeves not only to allow for a lubrication point, but to 'lock' the bushing into place against the outer sleeve. A small hole drilled to feed the inner sleeve allows for squeak and bind-free suspension articulation. The only other thing to remember is to invert the cup-shaped washers so they don't bind the poly bushings as well. This is most often overlooked, even though OGTS clearly dictates it needs to be done in their instructions! Bob

Thank you, Bob! I am fitting a set of these for the first time and could see that they were designed to pivot on the inner bore - but know that A. Murphy lurks and watches for these jobs so he can mess them up.
The "double duty" grease nipple will take care of rotation AND lube issues.
The tip about the cup washers also answers one of the nagging questions I had - no instructions with the set of poly bushes I got - off e-Bay, not from OGTS I hasten to add. I shall be drilling and tapping grease nipple holes tomorrow!

[namba209]

Bob, a very good point on the washers, If you check out the inner sleeve it is serrated on each end and will dig into the washer so neither will rotate, and if the bolts are torqued correctly and the washers installed wrong every thing will bind up and something will break. When I talked to Gil at OGTS, to order the new pieces, he was very adamant about that. Because of the bolt from hell that I had in the main beam, I opted not to install zerk fittings to lube the bushings, rather, I will remove the assembly at scheduled intervals and lube the whole mess, so I don't go through this again. Once is too much. I did order and receive a cartridge tube of "NEO" watercraft grease, which is teflon based, and supposedly the same lube you get with the Poly bushings. All of the attaching hardware will be coated with it, except for the threads, they will be coated with MIL Spec anti-sieze compound. 2 steps forward, 1 back. Not fun, but getting there.

[kwilford]

Originally Posted by GTJIM At least one side has the bits you need so you can determine which ones they are: 69-71 have 0.710" OD on the inner sleeve and 72-73 have 0.745" OD

That is correct for the LCA's (Lower Control Arms), but the UCA's (Upper Control Arms, which is what Ron had problems with) all had the same sleeve design.

[namba209]

You're right Keith, the bolt from hell was in the UCA, pax side. Here's the latest, got a care package from OGTS today with the new calipers and the bushings/sleeves for the UCA. So hopefully I can begin the front suspension rebuild tomorrow. I have been asked by lotsa folks when you gonna have it done? My best guess is I'd like to have it done by the end of the year, for a special reason. Margaret's son's father-in-law will be here for Xmas. He owns several body and repair shops in Italy. When we went there for a visit, he took me to the shop he works at, you could eat off the floor in that shop, even when it's going full blast, totally unreal. Anyway, I'd like to give him a ride in the GT when he's here, so that's the target and reason. I've posted a pic that will further answer why it's taking so long, just for the curios. I don't know how many nuts bolts, washers, screws, etc., there are in a GT, or any car for that matter. But after sitting on the beach for 8 years, mine go a bit rusty, so everything coming out of the car will be cleaned, coated or painted as needed to prevent corrosion as much as possible. Along these lines, I go through at least 2 wire wheels a week cleaning the hardware as I take it off or before it goes together. The pic below show two of the four rubber bumpers from the UCA, one is ready to be painted, the other is going to get cleaned. It took about 10-15 minutes to clean the one. I just hope my hands can hold out, every now and then I slip and the wheel eats my hand. Lotsa fun.

[namba209]

Here's the latest with a couple of pics, got the front suspension all assembled by installing the main beam in the car and putting the UCAs, LCAs, spring, shocks, new upper and lower balljoints, and the spindles bolted in. Then took out the whole assembly and put it on the front porch for the time being, there's no room in the one-car garage for it. I haven't built the spring compressor yet, so the reason to install it in the car for assembly was by necessity. The steering and brakes will be cleaned, treated and painted with the POR and assembled on the main beam with new rubber all the way around, to go with the new poly bushings installed in the front and rear suspension. Then the engine and tranny come out for the last time. I'm still hoping to get it done by the end of the year, weather permitting.