Sad to see this happen. Unfortunately it happens and the two posts above me pretty much sum it up. You can be the best builder around, but if you don't mind the pennies it will not last long. Some of the best builders and mechanics (I can't use the term "tech" with any serious tone) out there...
Drilling and tapping the thermostat housing for the steam port is not a good way to go. The steam port is there as the highest point in the cooling system in the engine and is designed to remove air, in the form of steam from the cooling system. It should be dumped into the top of the radiator...
You already have lines that run up to the radiator from the trans, why not add the cooler up front :) No adding a fan (more maintenance) with constant clear air flow. Cooler on the left is the trans cooler, right is PS cooler
It's the story of life for most of us, when I was building houses I finally took the time to put new windows in and side my own home. Pretty much just to shut my now ex wife up. If I heard "the shoemakers kid needs new shoes" one more time I might have shot her :)
You said that the mechanic mentioned that it seems like the TC is not disengaging under braking. I was thinking the same thing. You should have wired a relay into the brake circuit when you did the harness. Basically power through the relay to the harness locking the TC normally, when brake...
Are you sure that it is not NPSM? The trans cooler ports are NPSM. I ask because an NPT fitting used in an NPSM pport runs the chance of cracking the trans case if over tightened.
Hey Chris, Yes that's a Troopy I did some work on a few years back, it sold to another club member. I don't do a lot of tube bending these days. I've built enough bumpers to last a life time. Heather had to bug me to build one for her 80, so I built her a modular ( 3 piece) plate bumper :)...
Take it to Georg at Valley Hybrids @orangefj45
Brake switch should be set up to be constant power and pushing the brake turns power off that power, thus releasing the TQ
Have you checked on availability of an adapter? I know that the adapter for a split case from AA requires a 2WD trans or swapping out the output shaft of the 4WD with a output shaft from a 2WD
To the OP
The big message here is that what you are talking about is a learned skill. If you want to play, forget a time line and just get involved. One way to speed up the learning curve is to go take some classes. Many high schools and technical schools have beginner level adult automotive...
Keep in mind also that the vehicles you are looking at generally are 30 plus years old. Age lends to all kinds of issues in a vehicle. A job that should take you 6 hours can easily double if you break a bolt in a bad spot etc. Experience counts for a great deal as well. Many guys on this...
I am amazed at the quality of the photos and even the video a typical smart phone can produce. I take photos of many jobs as I go so I have visual reference later, delete them when the job is done.
I have a touch screen on the computer too (way cool!) and often enlarge photos on threads for...