Radiant

Oh by the way, I didn't read much about having to relocate the radiator or modifying the hoses for a 2" body lift on the BB, but I couldn't lift it far enough with the radiator in the stock location, with stock hoses intact. I decided to unbolt it and let it sit supported only by the hoses for now. When I put the new front inners on, I will tap them with new bolt holes rather than noodling with the hoses. Six of one, half dozen of the other, I figure, and the radiator in the stock position relative to the frame seems equally as protected as before. The only bugger may be the overflow outlet on the filler neck. Mine is busted anyway, but I might need to notch the inner for it. I'm thinking just cut and flip a small section and run the hose through the inner. I'm running an electric fan, so fan/shroud issues were never a concern.

Oh, and by the way...

There ain't no way in Hell that this Scout is going to make it to Nats this year. I guess, it'll be the '74 200 instead. Poor me (well, maybe it will be poor me after I finish paying for gas). Next stop Fall Pinelands (October 24-26).

Lift it up

Got the lift in today and had a few issues. First is that four of the bolts are too short. For the four rear mounts, they need to be an inch longer. Anyone else have this problem?

Also, the rearmost and front most on the passenger side are also out of alignment, just like the left center front - out about a 1/4 inch to the driver's side. Looks like I'm going to have to figure out how to shift the whole deal a touch.

I did find that a 2"-1.5" washer reducer for electrical conduit is a perfect fit between the bushing and lift block. You can see the alignment problem (compare the distance between the valance and frame in each side) and the washer in these pics:

Hoist away!

So, after no comment from the Binder Bulletin gang, I decided it would be best to put in the new bushings all around before I weld in the rockers. Today I went at it and figured, heck, since I have the body lifted, I might as well also put in the lift, too. I started on the driver's side (the body repair is on the passenger side). Got the two middle mounts in. Well , almost.

The front body mount (under the driver's feet) doesn't line up. The bolt runs down at least 1/4" too far outboard. Hmmm. If anything, if the body was going to shift, I would have expected it to move downhill, towards the passenger side. I'm not going to sweat it too much just yet, until I get all the others in. I don't think that the angle at which the body is sitting would make that much of a difference, but we'll see when I jack up the other side.

The driver's side mount has been replaced at one time and could have been drilled a little too far out, but there was a good bushing in there when I took it apart, so... we'll see.

Also, in the lift kit, there are two bolts longer than the others (and wider). The mount forward of the rear wheel needs a bolt longer than the others, but this longer bolt is too fat to fit the sleeved hole in the body. I'll see how the rest of them go. Might have to get a new bolt. Don't know how I could drill it out to fit the large bolt, can't get a drill in there.

When it rains, it PORs

Broke out the POR-15 last night. Had an hour to kill before dinner, so I got some of the new sheet metal out, cleaned it with Marine Clean, then etched it with Metal Ready and then gave it a coat of POR-15 semi gloss black. Love the stuff. Well, except for the spots I have on my arm, 'cuz I didn't wear a long sleeved shirt. I got the inside of the outer and inner rockers, the inside of the quarter patch the triangle brace and the front wedge. I think I'll put soem seam sealer on the wedge, too, over the seams in it, just as an extra measure. I don't want to be doing this again in five years. I plan to get everything mocked up and marked, then spot weld the outer to the inner before I weld in the section, so I can put in seam sealer and a layer of bed coating on the inside.

Still have a few more pieces to cut and prep, but we're getting closer. Hopefully, I can break out the welder this weekend. the question now is whether I should go ahead and put the 2" body lift in now, before I weld in the rockers, so I'm lining it up with the final set up. Hmmm.

Meet Miss Alignment

Got a bit done this weekend. Mocked up several pieces for the B pillar and center body mount, to go behind the new rocker. Put the door back on and started mocking up the placement of the rocker and, doh! It doesn't line up right. Hmmmm. Started a thread on this on the BB to see if anyone else has run into this or if I'm on my own:
http://www.binderbulletin.org/forums/showthread.php?t=82793

Progress is slow, doesn't look very promising to get done in time to take Hanky to the Nats. :-( I may have to suck it up and take Big Red and fork over the extra money that 50% lower gas mileage will cost me.

black is good, right?

After doing a little degreasing on the frame, I broke out the Eastwood Rust Encapsulator and brush and got to painting the exposed portion of the frame and the exposed metal around where I've been cutting and hacking. Still have more to do, but it's progress. Then the reconstruction begins...

Carlisle is coming, Carlisle is coming

So we finally score a major door prize, a fuel injection set up from Affordable Fuel Injection and I can't stay the weekend at the show. Doh! On top of that, I'm slaving away making the show program. Not that I'm complaining mind you. Well, yes, I am complaining, but only because I can't be at the show. I'll make a brief appearance on Friday, but will have to jet early in the afternoon.

Work on Hanky wil be suspended for the weekend while I attend a family reunion. I did manage to get a little more sand blasting and clean up done last weekend before my back gave out. I've been hobbling ever since and haven't done a blessed thing to the truck.

Meanwhile, Nats inches closer and I don't have a floor...