- Thread starter
- #41
Day 3...
The 1974 Surf Wagon...
- Thread starter lowtideride
- Start date
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- Thread starter
- #42
Day 3 wraps up with...
The carburetor/intake/exhaust, fuel lines, carburetor linkage, corrected some wiring issues and installed motor mounts. Next was starting to tackle the bent suspensions from the accident. I tried my best to straighten them but after some work it was apparent I needed to cut them off. Tomorrow I will hopefully weld up some new mounts and get the truck sitting a little more level.
I am starting to wonder if the the frame is a little bent. A normal vintage cruiser seems to have wondering body lines but this seems worse than normal. Ill have a better idea after tomorrow when I get the suspension back together.
Next up I will be fabricating radiator mounts and plumbing in the hoses... I will also update the other Rad Alert thread with any info.
It has been trying not to strip everything down and do a resto...but I would really like to live a little and cruise around in the 55 when I feel like it.
Till then...
-Al
The carburetor/intake/exhaust, fuel lines, carburetor linkage, corrected some wiring issues and installed motor mounts. Next was starting to tackle the bent suspensions from the accident. I tried my best to straighten them but after some work it was apparent I needed to cut them off. Tomorrow I will hopefully weld up some new mounts and get the truck sitting a little more level.
I am starting to wonder if the the frame is a little bent. A normal vintage cruiser seems to have wondering body lines but this seems worse than normal. Ill have a better idea after tomorrow when I get the suspension back together.
Next up I will be fabricating radiator mounts and plumbing in the hoses... I will also update the other Rad Alert thread with any info.
It has been trying not to strip everything down and do a resto...but I would really like to live a little and cruise around in the 55 when I feel like it.
Till then...
-Al
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Looks like a very productive day! Good job, time for a cold one.
- Thread starter
- #44
Day 4...
Spent the day fighting the suspension. Worst day yet. I got the new spring hangers welded up with out much of a problem. It was when I had to bolt up the springs is where I ran into trouble. Drivers side was fine but the passenger side took a better part of 3 hours to get bolted up. Something is still a little off (frame, springs, axle???). In either case its better off then it was before and at least there is some square and true spring hangers.
It took a little creativity to bend the shackles back to the proper shape, sorta felt like a black smith for a better part of the morning. I have a pair of RSK anti-inversion shackles that would have been nice to throw on but the shackle reversal on this truck is a little goofy (man-a-fre maybe?). I have seen it on a few cruisers and never cared for it , but this will change as the fix is a temporary thing just to get it on the road. I also changed the shackle angle so it's no longer at 90 degrees and is closer to 45 degrees for a better ride. But that also lowered the front a bit because the rear is also set up at 90 degrees as well, a little irritating but oh well.
The rest of the cooling system parts came in today from a couple different places (thanks Mace!). I also got the fenders and grill bolted back up. Starting to look like it might actually drive.... Hopefully.
It was 95 degrees here today and I was in welding gear for most of it. So tomorrow I am taking the morning off and just going to sit at the beach for awhile... Then on to tackle the cooling system...
Til then...
Spent the day fighting the suspension. Worst day yet. I got the new spring hangers welded up with out much of a problem. It was when I had to bolt up the springs is where I ran into trouble. Drivers side was fine but the passenger side took a better part of 3 hours to get bolted up. Something is still a little off (frame, springs, axle???). In either case its better off then it was before and at least there is some square and true spring hangers.
It took a little creativity to bend the shackles back to the proper shape, sorta felt like a black smith for a better part of the morning. I have a pair of RSK anti-inversion shackles that would have been nice to throw on but the shackle reversal on this truck is a little goofy (man-a-fre maybe?). I have seen it on a few cruisers and never cared for it , but this will change as the fix is a temporary thing just to get it on the road. I also changed the shackle angle so it's no longer at 90 degrees and is closer to 45 degrees for a better ride. But that also lowered the front a bit because the rear is also set up at 90 degrees as well, a little irritating but oh well.
The rest of the cooling system parts came in today from a couple different places (thanks Mace!). I also got the fenders and grill bolted back up. Starting to look like it might actually drive.... Hopefully.
It was 95 degrees here today and I was in welding gear for most of it. So tomorrow I am taking the morning off and just going to sit at the beach for awhile... Then on to tackle the cooling system...
Til then...
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Great build!
Good luck.
Good luck.
Looks like a tough day.
As I read, I was wondering about taking the Pig to a body shop with a frame rack and asking them to measure your frame. If need be they can pull on it to straighten.
Second thought would be that once the frame is straight and true, what about ditching the SR and welding the original hangers back on...
That way you could be sure everything goes on nice and straight.
As I read, I was wondering about taking the Pig to a body shop with a frame rack and asking them to measure your frame. If need be they can pull on it to straighten.
Second thought would be that once the frame is straight and true, what about ditching the SR and welding the original hangers back on...
That way you could be sure everything goes on nice and straight.
- Thread starter
- #48
International Surfing day... Celebrated on the 5th day Small waves but clean
So... After the 8th day I got foiled right at the end. The clutch slave gave out making the truck immobile. I called it "game" after that and just hung out for my last day off.
I got the truck running (still needs some decent tuning), got the valve cover gasket on, the hood latch assembled, clutch and the brakes bled, swapped out my spare so its on a matching set of tires and rims. Radiator is in (still needs two more brackets to make it perfect), found some hoses that fit perfectly, thermostat and all corresponding gaskets. Ill post part numbers for the hoses and pictures of the brackets in this thread and the radiator thread then.
Installed the Aisin slave & master last night and was able to move it back into the drive.
Next step is calling the police station to get someone out to verify the vin so I can finally get a tag for it.
Had some fun putting all the lights back on. I still need to find some marker lights, turn signal (find out why they are not flashing) and a new stock speedo.
It's getting there!!!
Small waves but cleanSo... After the 8th day I got foiled right at the end. The clutch slave gave out making the truck immobile. I called it "game" after that and just hung out for my last day off.
I got the truck running (still needs some decent tuning), got the valve cover gasket on, the hood latch assembled, clutch and the brakes bled, swapped out my spare so its on a matching set of tires and rims. Radiator is in (still needs two more brackets to make it perfect), found some hoses that fit perfectly, thermostat and all corresponding gaskets. Ill post part numbers for the hoses and pictures of the brackets in this thread and the radiator thread then.
Installed the Aisin slave & master last night and was able to move it back into the drive.
Next step is calling the police station to get someone out to verify the vin so I can finally get a tag for it.
Had some fun putting all the lights back on. I still need to find some marker lights, turn signal (find out why they are not flashing) and a new stock speedo.
It's getting there!!!
- Thread starter
- #49
Progress...
- Thread starter
- #50
On the road...
That is sweet. It's been along time since I drove my old 40, without the doors and top on.
Valve train looks great. I always liked a inline six.
Valve train looks great. I always liked a inline six.
Clean motor!Looking great
Nice!
Did you get spring hangers figured out?
Did you get spring hangers figured out?
- Thread starter
- #56
The 55 is now legal!!!
Jumped thru all the legal hoops and got some vintage tags for the cruiser today. After bolting a few more things on (seats, air clear etc etc) I went for a drive through the neighborhood. Stopped by the Fountain of Youth for a picture as its my favorite street to stroll down when we are on a walk. Got to take her down to the water and test the 4WLO and its gonna need some lower gears for sure
The Surf Wag is still running pretty rough. It will only idle with the choke slightly out. The fuel level in the carb window seems to fluctuate quite a lot. Valve cover gasket seems to be leaking pretty well (installed it dry). Most of the gauges are a little whacky... Temp seems fine, fuel must be off because it read "full" after only 12 gals, Oil pressure zings to the top of the gauge.
Either there is some dirt in the carb or float is not installed correctly. It needs some tuning for sure and I haven't touched a carb in a long time. I'll have some reading to do for a refresher.
Plans for now is just get it running better and drive it around... Pretty freaking excited!
@ Mace and Pablo: Yes and Yes... Thanks again Mace! Pablo as for the spring hangers they will work for now. Seemed to track "ok" but I only got up to about 35mph.
Jumped thru all the legal hoops and got some vintage tags for the cruiser today. After bolting a few more things on (seats, air clear etc etc) I went for a drive through the neighborhood. Stopped by the Fountain of Youth for a picture as its my favorite street to stroll down when we are on a walk. Got to take her down to the water and test the 4WLO and its gonna need some lower gears for sure
The Surf Wag is still running pretty rough. It will only idle with the choke slightly out. The fuel level in the carb window seems to fluctuate quite a lot. Valve cover gasket seems to be leaking pretty well (installed it dry). Most of the gauges are a little whacky... Temp seems fine, fuel must be off because it read "full" after only 12 gals, Oil pressure zings to the top of the gauge.
Either there is some dirt in the carb or float is not installed correctly. It needs some tuning for sure and I haven't touched a carb in a long time. I'll have some reading to do for a refresher.
Plans for now is just get it running better and drive it around... Pretty freaking excited!
@ Mace and Pablo: Yes and Yes... Thanks again Mace! Pablo as for the spring hangers they will work for now. Seemed to track "ok" but I only got up to about 35mph.
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Fantastic work Bro!
A buddy of mine was over on St Augie today and spotted a white pig driving around. Have you seen it?
Maybe we can get the three little pigs together.
A buddy of mine was over on St Augie today and spotted a white pig driving around. Have you seen it?
Maybe we can get the three little pigs together.
- Thread starter
- #59
I have. It was sitting at a local offroad place with 11,500 on the window. It must have sold, havnt seen it sitting there in a couple of weeks.
Some odd things I need some help with...
Rough idle: Fuel level is a little low in the carb some where in the 1/4 range. Starts just fine, seemed to accelerate just fine. Although during a constant throttle there is a significant "miss" to accompany the rough idle. It will idle with the choke out slightly.
Fuel Cut Off Solenoid: I can not hear it click when the key is in the "on" position. If I use a jumper wire to the positive battery terminal it will click just once but that's it. I remember my 2F's FCS would click every time it was connected. So maybe the FCS is bad or at least not helping?
EDIT: FCS is sticky. I ran new wires to it and it will only "click' once. I'll have to pull it apart.
Plugs: Not sure this means anything, but for the hell of it I pulled one plug wire at a time while idling and it didn't really change the idle much.
Some odd things I need some help with...
Rough idle: Fuel level is a little low in the carb some where in the 1/4 range. Starts just fine, seemed to accelerate just fine. Although during a constant throttle there is a significant "miss" to accompany the rough idle. It will idle with the choke out slightly.
Fuel Cut Off Solenoid: I can not hear it click when the key is in the "on" position. If I use a jumper wire to the positive battery terminal it will click just once but that's it. I remember my 2F's FCS would click every time it was connected. So maybe the FCS is bad or at least not helping?
EDIT: FCS is sticky. I ran new wires to it and it will only "click' once. I'll have to pull it apart.
Plugs: Not sure this means anything, but for the hell of it I pulled one plug wire at a time while idling and it didn't really change the idle much.
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