cult45's 45 recovery and remobilisation (7 Viewers)

[cult45]

I prefer the quiet breeze through badly sealed doors

 

[Indestructible 47]

I prefer the quiet breeze through badly sealed doors

can't argue with someone that knows his stuff!

 

[cult45]

Hahaha only takes one drive in a 45.

 

[cult45]

Right then! Where to begin? Probably at the start. Yesterday, after almost 50 days without making any progress on my beloved 45, I woke early, took the 74 down to where the ol gal is and hooked in.

Installed 95% of my reconditioned wheel cylinders and shoes. Just waiting on a brake line t-piece for the front RHS. Once that's in the shoes and drum can go on. Once that's done it's bleed and adjustment time! Part of this was shortening [and reflaring] the main rear hardline that crosses the rear axle housing. I followed Coolerman's write up. Talk about helpful! Thanks @Coolerman for such an easy to follow and awesome write up! He even has pics. The only thing I couldn't was how to install the rear brake cylinders and shoes, so even they're twin piston [unlike the fronts], I simply followed the same routine. I think it'll be fine.

 

[cult45]

Ok the intermenets aren't attaching pics. And I gotta run. I'll be back in about 6-7 hours, will attach pics then.

 

[cult45]

Hey hey! We're back in action!

So since the front is almost done and I needed the axle stands to do the rear I sat the front on some splitties that held air. Damn, if that Road Trak Major don't make a man weep..

..just needs a ratty old hub cap and the shoes will match the pants and shirt.

 

[cult45]

Brakes done bar the t-piece [acquiring tomorrow afternoon] I sorted the exhaust. Well, as sorted as an exhaust can be til I can find a cheap 2" muffler. It needed a little love in it's current configuration.

 

[cult45]

And that was yesterday dusted. Last night some friends of mine were in a horror film shot on the Sunshine Coast that starred these amazing thespians:

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005346/?ref_=nv_sr_1
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0608405/?ref_=nv_sr_1
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0387987/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0428923/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1

Last night was the premiere, so we went along for a butchers. Not a bad yarn for a local flick. Even has a pre-'75 45 in it. It's funny, Tara was trying to climb in the 45 to escape the mad Charlie, but she was lifting the door handle. I was like 'pull it down, pull it DOWN!' haha, I'm sure I was the only one in the audience who knew.

 

[cult45]

Today was another biggie. Smashed out a good 7 hours on the truck in the blazing sun. Skinned knuckles, got s*** in my eye, bruise the s*** outta my thumb and was a little dehydrated but got a bunch done.

Got new wiper motors assy. installed as well as wiper arms and blades. The assy. is from a '72 - '74 model as the splined posts on my stock one were worn down almost to nothing. Plus the newer arms take a newer type blade. The early ones take a pressed one piece arm and blade that looks really hard to get.

Installed the driver's door rubber using silastic. I stupidly bought it thanks to advice of the local Repco parts gal. I forgot how much I hated this sh!t. Black, sticky, awful. I had to clamp several areas of the rubber in place whilst it cures. We had a massive storm hit this arve so I had to shut the door on the half baked crap - hopefully it's stayed in the right place. Find out tomorrow.

I changed out my worn door hinge pins. Man you should have seen these bad boys! Almost 10% wear in them, passenger and driver's both! At least old mate had company with him most of the time.

I also replaced my new thermostat housing with a second hand one I acquired along with some other goodies. It was a little pitted but I filed it flat on all mating surfaces and used hefty amounts of silicon. Hopefully it's ok. I'll find out tomorrow afternoon when I fill the rad back up and fire it up. The best thing about this t-stat housing? It's patina'd the old but new one looked out of place.

I araldited [two-aprt epoxy resin] the rear of an indicator housing back together. Should be hard as a rock by the AM.

 

[cult45]

Installed headlights and one of the free bezels sent to me. Then I threw the black one back on. And now I'm torn..

Thoughts on bezel colour? I actually really dig the black, but the white is as pure as the driven snow and really brings a sense of innocence to the ol gal. Tell me what you reckon please.

Presents! Spare everything except actual indicator housings. I'll have to manage with what I have. Interestingly enough that brake booster is supposed to work. I'll chuck it on I reckon. Notice the tops on the side steps? They're off a '68. My stock ones are the same..

 

[cult45]

Late this afternoon we had a storm 'super cell' [in Cairns, where I'm from, that means a bit of a breeze and few drops of rain] but I battened down the hatches anyway. No good ruining an almost ready 45 by complacency. Spare doors in the shed, tray full of my best and oldest tools and important goodies stowed in the cab.

Hopefully I'll return tomorrow to my truck exactly as I left it..

 

[84TROOPY]

Looking good Dan, must be nice to finally get your hands dirty. Maybe not FNQ standards but it was a pretty good storm this arv. If your cruiser is anything like mine, locking your gear inside when it's raining is no guarantee that the gear will stay dry.

 

[cult45]

yeah Pete I reckon you're right. I'm not sure what they were thinking back in the day, but it sure wasn't about water proofing. And for the record it was a decent storm, even by FNQ standards. Did you have to travel in it? I recorded a little dash cam of the 74 wading bumper deep through puddles on Beaudesert Road.

 

[cult45]

Today I got a bit more done but in all honesty I'm kind of running out of things to do.

Finished installing a bit more door rubber (the curves are killing me and I only have three clamps).
Installed the brake booster I got from my new mate in Canberra. This included making new hard lines and moving a relay.
I discovered split rim rust bands are the perfect fit for redneck hood-to-bib rubbers. So I cut them and slotted them in.
Borrowed a rattle gun in readiness for my leaf spring bush replacement tomorrow.
Dropped hub cap rims and Road Trak Majors off to Hackett's Tyres in Coopers Plains! This I'm looking forward to the most!
Oh and I discovered this endearing message scribed on the dash in pencil. This tells me the PO was a good man and a good father, something I certainly hope to carry on.

 

[andrews520]

I'd be happy if I found that little note in my truck....
Do you have two of the correct clear front indicator lenses? They mostly get swapped out for amber it seems...

 

[cult45]

I do mate, I most certainly do. I've got four of them, though only three are really usable unless I get creative with the araldite. I've got two amber ones as well, though they're not a pinch on the clear ones are they? Are you in need of a set?

 

[cult45]

I spent some time swapping out door hinge pins yesterday too. Seems both the driver's and passenger's pins have been worn down. As a result my doors sag a little, even after full adjustment. I've got a bit of a fix that I'm considering. It's basically adding a washer under the head of the pin, thus lifting the worn section a few mm higher, thus allowing an unworn section to now have all the pressure on it. Thoughts?

 

[andrews520]

No, I'm good. Have one spare which I'd like to hang onto...but thought that truck of yours deserves the correct lenses. Glad you're all sorted too!

 

[cult45]

No, I'm good. Have one spare which I'd like to hang onto...but thought that truck of yours deserves the correct lenses. Glad you're all sorted too! View attachment 967741

Good to hear Andrew. How goes your build? I think we deserve a few photos mate

 

[cult45]

Ok a small but not insurmountable hurdle. Though I did slip into despondency for a brief moment. My new-to-me t-stat housing has gone and done this. It's only leaking in two places. I used a gasket, a shirtload of gasket goo and torqued him up solid. Is there a trick to an adequate seal here? I refuse to pay another $200 for a new one, even if I am the one responsible for ruining it. It's just not cricket.