Parts is not just parts

Talking about the parts that go into a car, especially a race car, can get technical because there's lots of stuff. I'll try not to get too scientific writing this blogette, which believe me, shouldn't be a problem, I know just enough to be dangerous.

Today's sermon will be about one of the less glamorous, but very important parts.
And to do that I have to talk some about the rules. The rules tell us that the car shall be more or less as it was in 1964. One of the big moving parts is the differential or the rear axle, or what we'll call the rear end. As with almost every part, this could be a story in itself just giving background on a rear end. I mean there's 10 bolt, 12 bolt, ring and pinions, spider gears, limited slip, gear ratios, on and on it goes.
For the rear end the rules are a bit vague. They tell us, axle ratios are free, or anything goes, and limited slips are permitted. That's about it.

The 8.2, 10 bolt differential that was stock on most mid-size GM cars of 1964 is not what you would call, most preferred for racing. In fact, during my education on differentials, we find it to be serviceable, but not in great demand. We hear some competitors in our class use a Ford 9", a very strong and reliable rear end. Us being rookie first timers in this race, figure we had best not stray from what is entirely legal.
So, out comes the differential and off to what is fondly known as "The Rear End Shop". I had sent them a sponsor letter, but as with most, we had no response. This is something we have to rebuild, so we had no choice. We met Dan, the owner who listened to our story and without hesitation offered to split the cost of the parts, and donate the labor. Well alright!
Dan, you are... the man!

As we talked about what was needed to be done, it was again clear we weren't starting with the best equipment, but we are road racing not drag racing.
New seals and bearings, ring and pinion, forged steel axles, an Eaton limited slip and don't forget, a girdle, don't spin the tires too much, and we'll be fine.
So now that that's back in hand, and ready to go in, our mission is to keep piling up the goods and get this thing rolling again.

NEXT TIME: So, what's under the hood?

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The Whole Enchilada

It's time to really start taking the car apart, right down to the bare bones. The engine, transmission, rear end, brakes, suspension, gas tank, everything comes off, and will either be cleaned and painted or replaced. Just like new... sort of.

It's pretty easy to get all the parts off a car, using lots of air driven power tools, which most of goes into the salvage bin. The pictures here kind of show the progression from a semi running, almost drivable car, to a motorless, wheeless shell. Some of this stuff was old, I mean like original, we may offer the front shocks to the Smithsonian, and the ball joints to the GM Hall of Fame

This all started about 9:30 in the morning and by 2:30 in the afternoon, it's done, stripped down naked. No doubt, it won't be as simple to put it all back together. I know we have boxes full of nuts and bolts, and somebody better remember where they all go.

We still have a few things to get done, like getting the motor built, or rebuilding a transmission, for instance, but we'll get to that. We're in the midst of gathering our mountain of parts to put it all back together.

So it's good-bye Mr. 283, adios 2 speed Powerglide, aloha old drum brake friends, auf wiedersehn ancient suspension, see you on the scrap boat to China. We are on to bigger and better.

NEXT TIME: Parts is not just parts

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The Paint Job

OK, who said sanding door jams was lots of fun? Actually, it wasn't that bad, especially when you get to use power tools! The boys at Redwood had put in a lot of time sanding the outside of the car, so it was our turn to get in there and do some damage.
Finally, we get to "The Paint Job". It's time to pick a color. Maybe in one of these blogs, I'll show you all the paint schemes we tried out on paper. From black, or white, or to the Gulf GT-40 colors, and everything in between. Let me tell you, a four door Chevelle does not look that good in baby blue and orange. Being that we're headed for Mexico, something red, white or green seemed appropriate.
An all white car, humm... I don't think so, all green,... please....no. That leaves red.....ahhh red, rojo, the color of Ferrari - rosso corsa, the color of passion, romance, sex. Also the color of fire and blood, but we're not going there. So much symbolism in red, I could go on and on, but let's just say, we painted the door jams red.
Next the body, hood, and fenders were done, and voi la! All finished.














It sounds so simple, nothing to it, but just doing a bit of the sanding, I know it's a ton of work. And here it is, truly, a gorgeous beauty!
I can't thank all you guys at Redwood Auto Body enough for all the time and work put into our project.






Now the car is back in our hands, we can start collecting up parts and moving on to the next phase. And the next phase would be.... the whole enchilada.


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The Body Shop

So we are catching up to real time, this is now early January 2007, and the car is at Redwood Auto Body in Healdsburg, California. You might ask as I did, why paint the car before all the mechanicals are done to it. My more experienced pardners idea is to get it done ASAP so all you's guys would take one look, say "WOW", and open those checkbooks. You hoards of fans out there who have been reading these may have noticed that we are looking for sponsors, Redwood Auto Body has stepped up in a big, BIG way, like donating the body work and painting the old beast. Our Hero, Dennis Parrish, Redwood's owner, is an old friend of North Bay Bavarian, but, so what, it's a LOT of work.
OK, so, just sand down the rough spots and spray the thing!

Oh, no, no, no, this is going to be a real paint job, a nice paint job, make that, a proper paint job! All the side moulding holes, remember I told you about those, get plugged and sanded. The rust spots ( rust! what rust?) are repaired and filled, more sanding. The body is then "skimmed", that's where a coat of thin bondo or "icing" is applied, then sanded, to take out any deformity or imperfections in a 43 year old body. More sanding, primer coat, sanded again, and then painted. Something like that anyway. What do I know about all this, I read an article on body repair, now I'm an expert. One of the good things about this car was that the body seemed to be in pretty good shape, with no major dents.
It being the start of the rainy season, which means the busy season for a body shop, and us being on the dole for the work, things have chugged slowly along.
But I was there the other day and took some of these pictures, and I heard the car's now primered, so we are coming to the finish at the body shop.

The boys did save one job for us, I'm told it's the most fun of all, sanding the door jams, sweet!!

Dennis, Doug, Mike, everybody, I hope you're not cringing reading all this because we so appreciate the effort you've put in. If it wasn't for you guys, then it would be a "Miracle".

Get it?!

NEXT TIME: The Paint Job

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"Pick Me, I'm Clean " F.Z.

I knew I could mention my favorite, Frank Zappa if I tried. These pictures give us a look at my racing pardner Rick, working hard, doing a little pressure wash clean-up and getting the front end removed. All this is to get the car ready for the painter. Pretty basic stuff here, though I am dazed at the amount of nuts and bolts and pieces there are to take a fender off.
After the inside and outside are clean, the hood, fenders and front end removed, it's off to Redwood Auto Body in Healdsburg, and our next big decision - what color?

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