Pick and Pack

Got home a little earlier than usual and didn't go climbing tonight, so I decided to unpack all the parts in the back of the Scout. Pulled out a complete dual exhaust, less the head pipe on the passenger side, one inner fender, the back half of a quarter panel including end cap, stick welder, spot welder attachment, box of miscellaneous fluids, emergency bag (tire iron, air pump, coveralls, etc.), used a-pillar with door hinges and a 31" tire and wheel. I left the passenger seat in (though it's behind the driver's seat, not bolt down where it should be). Found places for most of that crap elsewhere in the garage, then put the grill back on. I'm just about ready to drive it around. Still need to finish the job on the work I've been doing, but at least I can drive it if I feel like it.

Oh, and I pulled up the rest of the carpet on the tranny hump. They sure used plenty of glue to keep that stuff in place. It's amazing how much mud that thin carpet can hold. I should have been wearing a dust mask. :-P

The Light of Day

Hanky saw the sun today! I managed to get the new battery cables in, the body mounts all tightened up, the lower rad hose tightened and radiator filled. Primed the carb and after a few tries, vroooooommmm! Then pulled it out of the garage and put the 32" tires on.

Took it for a ride around the neighborhood and quickly realized that I made one error when installing the Borgeson - I didn't square up the steering wheel, so it's about 30* out of phase, which also boogers up the turn signals. Gonna have to fix that, along with a myriad of other little things that need finishing, like:

finishing the weld at the back edge of the outer rocker and hitting it with POR-15, welding a small piece into the toe board to fill a small gap, installing (welding) the rear gusset. Then hitting the old part of the floor with the wire brush to get off the carpet glue, then put in some bed liner.

It wanders a little more than I remember, but that might be part of getting used to the Borgeson. Still gets up and goes like a banshee, though. I'll have to dig out an old photo to do a before and after, but for now, here is how it sits today:

Gimme Some Skin

Got some time in the garage this morning after taking Heavy D on a dump run (ran great, by the way, but the master cylinder is leaking).

Anyway, put my nose to the grind stone and made some real progress. I finished up reconstructing the B pillar dog leg. Welded in one piece on the inside and formed another to finish off the outside. Then I got the skin of the quarter lined up and welded on. It still needs some work along the bottom, it just isn't long enough to line up with the bottom of the rocker, so I'll need to fab up a little extension and weld it on. Not bad for a day's work. I'm psyched.

The boys will have to get the rest of their Scout parts without me tomorrow, I'm on a roll and want to get this beast out of the garage tomorrow. Just need to put in the new battery cables, tighten down the body mounts and put a few more finishing welds here and there. Should be able to get that much done before lunch (yeah, well we'll see).


Check it out:

Scout Games

Hooked up with BD, BT, BH and ASJ to pick up a parts Scout and a boat load (er truck load) of parts. The boys scored a good deal on this one. Everyone should get a little something and sell the rest for profit. Picked up the haul in Finksburg and trucked it down to the shop in Beltsville. And not a mark on BT's truck this time! :-) Still more to get, so the boys are going to have to make a return trip to pick up the rest...

...but alas, no work on Hanky this weekend. But, I did sort out the ignition problem on Heavy D, it was just the bypass lead come undone from the starter solenoid.

Breakin' Loose

No work on Hanky lately. The garage has been inundated with boxes from my office move. Gotta get that crap outta there so I can finish. Of course, if the welder set them on fire, that would be fewer files I'd have to sort through. Nah, might set the Stude on fire too.

Anyway, not work on the Scout, so I turned my attention to Heavy D. If you recall from my last post, there was a minor issue with the clutch. Hoping that little elves fixed it for me since my last attempt, I happily went out to start it up today. No such luck. Clutch still stuck. After a quick cleaning of the terminals it did start right up, but no go in gear-o. So, pop off the access panel on the tranny and see what's doing. Had Diane push the clutch while I had a gander (what a sport she is). Clutch linkage moves fine, clutch still not releasing. Time for my old friend PB B'Laster. Oh yeah. Soaked it but good and let it sit a while.

Brian H stopped by to return some tools, so I figure I'll show him the starting issue (did I mention that? it only starts when I *release* the keey after cranking - deal with that later). Anyway, I crank it in gear - and yes I can move the truck on the starter in 1st or 2nd gear. Then I start it up in neutral. Still no go. Pump the clutch a few time and *POP*. There it goes! Free, baby, I'm free. Just to be sure I drive it forward, then back it back up. Whoohoo!

Now, how do I keep that from happening again...