Reassembly order? In what order did you put things back? (1 Viewer)

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Vae Victus

Posting more than I know
Joined
Mar 7, 2013
Threads
75
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Location
Nashville, TN
For the next phase of my rebuild, I’d appreciate your best guidance on how to begin getting the motor and other systems operating.

Body work is essentially done. While the body goes to paint, I will work to get the other things reassembled. But it’s my first time.

How do I begin? What guides or thread will help with each system (motor, brakes, electrical, etc)?

Motor is rebuilt and in but not functional yet. I’m told to get a bit of startup lube in the cylinders, get the valve cover seated, the plugs in. What then?

Photos show the state of the motor.

Im excited but intimidated to put it back together properly.

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1. Start by tightening and locking the nut on the harmonic balancer. ;)
 
Sub'd. Curious to follow this one.
 
You’ll want to bounce around a little. It is tedious and nerve racking the first time. The fuel line on the block is a PITA with the rest of the engine together, also the brake and clutch lines on the firewall are easiest to install before you put the tub on the frame, especially if you are making them. Wiring is a lot easier without the pedal bucket, gauges or heater installed.

You want to keep in mind that you’ll have to service or tighten things up once it’s running, make sure there isn’t anything in the way of your hose clamps or head bolts. Look at pics of other engine bays and get a feel for what goes where. The engine bay is nice to work on before the front end is installed but some of the wiring attaches to the fenders.

There have been a handful of freshly rebuilt engines that have been FUBARed because the distributor wasn’t seated. Make sure you’ve got oil pressure before you fire it up the first time.
 
You’ll want to bounce around a little. It is tedious and nerve racking the first time. The fuel line on the block is a PITA with the rest of the engine together, also the brake and clutch lines on the firewall are easiest to install before you put the tub on the frame, especially if you are making them. Wiring is a lot easier without the pedal bucket, gauges or heater installed.

You want to keep in mind that you’ll have to service or tighten things up once it’s running, make sure there isn’t anything in the way of your hose clamps or head bolts. Look at pics of other engine bays and get a feel for what goes where. The engine bay is nice to work on before the front end is installed but some of the wiring attaches to the fenders.

There have been a handful of freshly rebuilt engines that have been FUBARed because the distributor wasn’t seated. Make sure you’ve got oil pressure before you fire it up the first time.
Ok. Good general advice.
 
Is there a list of the systems somewhere besides the manuals? This is an oddly quiet response rate on this question.

So I guess I should propose my own answer, and thus attack in this order:
  1. Harmonic nut (Mark ;))
  2. Spark Plugs after dropping a bit of lube in the cylinders.
  3. Seat distributor
  4. Manually rotate the engine a couple rotations to distribute the lube
  5. Replace the leaky freeze plugs noted when I flushed the block
  6. Bolts for the valve cover
  7. Water system
    1. replace the rubber water pump seal that is already cracking.
    2. Put on warerbhoses and clamps
    3. Radiator will wait until a bit later after belts are installed(?)
  8. Belts
  9. Vintage A/C
    1. fit it up before body goes to paint
  10. Modify alternator bracket as needed (larger alternator being used)
  11. Fuel lines
  12. Carb
  13. Master and clutch cylinders
  14. Brake booster (after paint)
  15. Brake lines (some after paint)
  16. Fluids
    1. Oil & filter
    2. Transmission
    3. Transfer cases
    4. Coolant
  17. Rig an engine starter test system
    1. Temp battery
    2. Temp wiring
    3. Temp fuel
  18. Wiring pre body
  19. Put body back on post paint
  20. Wiring post body
  21. Gauges rebuilt and replaced
  22. Fuel tank and lines
  23. Seats and belts
  24. All weatherstripping seals around doors, including windows, top
  25. Window reinstallation
  26. Door and door glass assembly
  27. Steering wheel refurbish
  28. Power assist steering (the electric assist unit, not the full hydraulic type)
  29. Heating lines inside cabin
  30. Pedal bucket
  31. Headlights
  32. Hood
  33. Doors
  34. Top
  35. [Edit] Exhaust system

Ok that's a rough attempt. Now pick it apart.
 
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Ok. Good general advice.

There is a lot of work once you are to the reassembly stage. In my opinion, more than on the engine or chassis. I’ll get on a roll In one area and then need a small part that I overlooked and will need to move to another until I get that part.
 
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There is a lot of work once you are to the reassembly stage. In my opinion, more than on the engine or chassis. I’ll get on a roll In one area and then need a small part that I overlooked and will need to move to another until I get that part.
Agree. Even with the "top-of-my-head" list last night I see the magnitude of the tasks. Fortunately none as challenging as the transfer case, transmission, motor, and rusty body repair that is how behind me. I just have to keep telling myself that.
 
Agree. Even with the "top-of-my-head" list last night I see the magnitude of the tasks. Fortunately none as challenging as the transfer case, transmission, motor, and rusty body repair that is how behind me. I just have to keep telling myself that.

The nice thing about reassembly is you can put projects to bed and feel accomplished. Plus, working with clean parts is much more satisfying than a knuckle tear down. You can walk by and put one part on and not worry about having to get cleaned up for work etc.
 
Is there a list of the systems somewhere besides the manuals? This is an oddly quiet response rate on this question.

So I guess I should propose my own answer, and thus attack in this order:
  1. Harmonic nut (Mark ;))
  2. Spark Plugs after dropping a bit of lube in the cylinders.
  3. Seat distributor
  4. Manually rotate the engine a couple rotations to distribute the lube
  5. Replace the leaky freeze plugs noted when I flushed the block
  6. Bolts for the valve cover
  7. Water system
    1. replace the rubber water pump seal that is already cracking.
    2. Put on warerbhoses and clamps
    3. Radiator will wait until a bit later after belts are installed(?)
  8. Belts
  9. Vintage A/C
    1. fit it up before body goes to paint
  10. Modify alternator bracket as needed (larger alternator being used)
  11. Fuel lines
  12. Carb
  13. Master and clutch cylinders
  14. Brake booster (after paint)
  15. Brake lines (some after paint)
  16. Fluids
    1. Oil & filter
    2. Transmission
    3. Transfer cases
    4. Coolant
  17. Rig an engine starter test system
    1. Temp battery
    2. Temp wiring
    3. Temp fuel
  18. Wiring pre body
  19. Put body back on post paint
  20. Wiring post body
  21. Gauges rebuilt and replaced
  22. Fuel tank and lines
  23. Seats and belts
  24. All weatherstripping seals around doors, including windows, top
  25. Window reinstallation
  26. Door and door glass assembly
  27. Steering wheel refurbish
  28. Power assist steering (the electric assist unit, not the full hydraulic type)
  29. Heating lines inside cabin
  30. Pedal bucket
  31. Headlights
  32. Hood
  33. Doors
  34. Top
  35. [Edit] Exhaust system

Ok that's a rough attempt. Now pick it apart.
So glad you put this list together. We are pretty much at the same point!
 
The nice thing about reassembly is you can put projects to bed and feel accomplished. Plus, working with clean parts is much more satisfying than a knuckle tear down. You can walk by and put one part on and not worry about having to get cleaned up for work etc.

/this\

As far as the brake lines go, my client on Project Remote Control bought the pre-bent kit from Classic Tube. It was still a PITA, because several of the lines have generic, multi-year bends in them that don’t conform to the firewall anywhere near as tightly as the OE.

I wish I had had the opportunity to tweak them before the tub was painted, as they required multiple R&Rs to even get close to the original anchor points.
 
As soon as you can add fluids to the subsystems as they go together, helps when chasing leaks to have less stuff in the way. But, the issue with liquids is that they eventually need to be put under stress to completely verify there's no leak. And with everything clean, it's really frustrating to watch liquids run all over your clean and spotless stuff.
 
/this\

As far as the brake lines go, my client on Project Remote Control bought the pre-bent kit from Classic Tube. It was still a PITA, because several of the lines have generic, multi-year bends in them that don’t conform to the firewall anywhere near as tightly as the OE.

I wish I had had the opportunity to tweak them before the tub was painted, as they required multiple R&Rs to even get close to the original anchor points.
Should have purchased the lines from @Rainman . I was fortunate that he and I are friends and he used some of my lines as templates for the kits he makes now on a one off basis when requested. Rainey being a mechanical graphic artist thinks three dimensionally and does a beautiful job with the brake lines that he makes. They are befitting the nicest rebuilds.

So yes i guess that I should go ahead and get the firewall lines from him and fit him up before putting everything else on the motor and before getting paint done. This will make putting them back in place after paint much simpler. Thanks for the heads up on that.
 
As soon as you can add fluids to the subsystems as they go together, helps when chasing leaks to have less stuff in the way. But, the issue with liquids is that they eventually need to be put under stress to completely verify there's no leak. And with everything clean, it's really frustrating to watch liquids run all over your clean and spotless stuff.
I thought about that many times. I'm so hesitant to start pouring liquid in it just to have that liquid pour back out again. But I know I'm going to have leaks in places and will need to fix those. It will be better to find those now time to find them later when there's more things to tweak.
 
You've got this Scott! Your list may be perfect. Maybe not. Some of the stuff will end up in a slightly different order. And that's okay. Some of it can't go before other things and that will be obvious. Brake lines go on after the body is mounted. You're using my lines and they're designed for that option. You have the worst part done. (Or close.) So try to relax and enjoy the putting back together stage. It's the most rewarding.
 
You've got this Scott! Your list may be perfect. Maybe not. Some of the stuff will end up in a slightly different order. And that's okay. Some of it can't go before other things and that will be obvious. Brake lines go on after the body is mounted. You're using my lines and they're designed for that option. You have the worst part done. (Or close.) So try to relax and enjoy the putting back together stage. It's the most rewarding.
Thank Rainey. Yea, I know. It's just the treading into the unknown again.
 
This is looking good @Vae Victus in fact you and I are in similar scenarios right now, not to mention my first time too. I'm also waiting on the vintage air unit then that will be the first domino so to speak that I can start putting the rest back together. In the mean time I'm working on interior and other things that need some attention so I don't waste too much time. You can check out my build from my signature line.
Good luck and you got this.
 

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