It's been a hectic two weeks!!

[donsrods]

My Son Dan and I have been busting our tails for the past month or so, trying to get his rpu done in time for Billetproof on April 9th. We were getting down to the short strokes and last week decided to try his transmission to see how it went into gear. It is a built TH350 from Jackson Performance that we bought about 4 years ago. It still has zero miles on it.

Long story short, we put it into gear and NOTHING. No gears and it is not pumping fluid out of the cooling lines. Lots of calls to Jackson and they offered to repair it at no charge if we sent it back. But after weighing the cost and time to ship it we decided to just let a local transmission shop check it out. So this weekend we pulled it out and today I took it to the shop and dropped it off.

The big problem is, to get his transmission out we would either have to pull the engine and transmission OR remove the body and take it out of the top. Everything is so tight in this car that we decided the easiest route was to take the body back off, so that is what we did.

Dan is so worried about getting that first scratch on anything we padded the entire car with towels and moving blankets.

After unbolting the body, unplugging all the wiring, and removing the top and steering, we lifted the body carefully off with our gantry.

Once the body was set aside we were able to get access to the transmision to start removing it.

All in all it wasn't a horrible job and only took us about 2.5 hours total. Dan was smart enough to put quick disconnects on everything so all we had to do was unplug the connectors, rather than unbolting things. That helped a lot.

 

[donsrods]

While we were at it we decided to send the rear center section back to the guy who built it in Pennsylvania because it leaked out of the front seal from the first time we filled the case. We also changed from 4:00 gears to 4:11's while we were at it. The new rear showed up Thursday and we got it painted and installed on Friday.

Barring any unforseen problems we should still be able to make Billetproof. The trans should be done tomorrow and we are going to continue finishing up some small issues and hopefully get to see the truck move under it's own power for the first time in 5 years this weekend. [cl

Keep your fingers crossed for us.

Don

 

[Gastrick]

After all that work, I sure hope you guys make it so you can get that car out to a big show while it's freshly done and doesn't have nicks, bug splats, and dirt in all the cracks from driving around. Good luck!!!

 

[donsrods]

Bill, that is exactly what Dan was saying........the car will only be "new" once and after he drives it for a while it just will have accumulated some nicks and road rash. We already have some minor scratching from just putting it together.

Are you guys going to BP? I sure hope so. Will your Pop be taking the new Merc?

Don

 

[Gastrick]

Don,

Pops isn't up enough yet to make any kind of trip. His recovery has been really slow. If I go to BP, I'll be on my own. Maybe I should borrow his Merc ha ha. I know from driving my coupe around for a few years, it's really starting to look used, nicked, worn, and dirty. I am really glad Dan didn't throw in the towel and let the RPU sit for a while like he originally said he might do. He needs some satisfaction after toiling with the car for so long.

 

[Charley Davidson]

That's some busy last minute stuff to deal with. Good luck

As far as the scratches in the newness, I bought a new $2,000.00 guitar from Brent's Music in Fort Myers in 2,000 just after I decided to buy it I took my keychain and smacked it, the guy goes "WTF you doing?" I said I was putting the first divit in it so I don't have to worry about killing some drunk over it, I did have to kick a college kid in the teeth though.

 

[donsrods]

Bill, I've been wondering how Bill Sr. is, sorry to hear it is taking some time for him to get his health back. Please send him our best. Please do try to make BP, we'd love to see you. Even if Dan's car isn't there we will take his daily driver. I won't take my 27 out of respect for Dan, it would make him feel bad that mine was there and his wasn't.

Charlie, I know Brent real well. My Sons both played in his band Rock and Soul Review at one time years ago. Did you play locally here in Ft Myers?

Don

 

[hotrod preacher]

sorry to hear of all the "hectic-ness", but it sounds like you guys have it under control....hope it all works out--will be anxiously awaiting the 1st drive video...[P[P[P[P

 

[Charley Davidson]

Bill, I've been wondering how Bill Sr. is, sorry to hear it is taking some time for him to get his health back. Please send him our best. Please do try to make BP, we'd love to see you. Even if Dan's car isn't there we will take his daily driver. I won't take my 27 out of respect for Dan, it would make him feel bad that mine was there and his wasn't.

Charlie, I know Brent real well. My Sons both played in his band Rock and Soul Review at one time years ago. Did you play locally here in Ft Myers?

Don

Yeah I played several years "winters" on FMB under the name "Captain Ron"

 

[tw7256]

I would imagine if bought a Center section from a vendor I would expect it not to leak. I had this problem with a 9" once and it turned out to be leaking through the pinion splines right past the nut. I simply put some silicone on the splines and it quit. looks like you guys are getting it sorted out. Love that olds motor! Good luck!

 

[CR55]

Sounds like you guys have had one crazy week! Hope you make the show
...cr

 

[Snake Farm]

Tough break for sure but sounds like you'll make it. Some times it's last minute thrashing like this that makes the best memories. I helped my brother in-law put together a '48 F-1 in the early eighties and he and my sister hopped in it and drove to Columbus (5 hrs.) to the Street Rod Nationals that year. We had thrashed on it for several weeks and the shake down cruise consisted of driving it to the parts store to get a temp gauge.....less than a mile round trip.....and they hit the road early the next morning and made it!

 

[Bonehead]

Great job. I really like how it turned out, and now it doesn't even leak.... really good.

 

[donsrods]

Yeah I played several years "winters" on FMB under the name "Captain Ron"

Small world, Charlie, small world.

tw7256, the guy who built the 9 incher asked me if ours was leaking from the nut on the end because he had a bunch of nuts he got from someplace and the gear oil was seeping through the threads. But ours was leaking from the seal behind that deflector plate. Strangely enough, the same guy built the one in my 27 and after 300 miles mine is also leaking. It will be going back sometime once we get Dan's car squared away.

Thanks CR55, Snakefarm, and BH. Tonight we got a few small things out of the way, waiting for the trans to come back and some other parts to arrive on Wednesday. Getting close!!!!!

Don

 

[CR55]

After all the aggravations, setbacks and everything related to murphys law being thrown at you, that first drive in your project somehow makes you forget all the bad memories! Hang in there guys!...CR

 

[donsrods]

The transmission shop called, all done! [cl It was the front pump. The one tang had broken off and jammed up the pump gears. Everything else looks good, so we should be able to install it tonight. I think we didn't have the torque convertor deep enough to engage the tangs all the way, and will make sure we shim it right this time. We are also going to run the car through the gears BEFORE the body goes on this time.

Don