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Project TV 2M8O

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Zebra 3 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19-October-2013 at 4:55AM
wagon coils, spacers AND air shocks....should'nt the wagon coils and spacers be enough?..need to find pictures of Justins car...I would not use air shocks...even the modern versions still leak down    
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote TV 2M8O Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19-October-2013 at 9:21AM
I thought the same thing! The air shocks are just a back up should I need a bit more lift. Here's the link to Justin's setup...
 
 
You'll also see a pic of the TV car as well as my old LE's rake for comparison.


Edited by TV 2M8O - 19-October-2013 at 9:25AM

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JOE
1976 Gran Torino S&H season 2-4 Clone
Project Blog: http://tv2m8o.blogspot.com/
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Zebra 3 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19-October-2013 at 12:54PM

..I don't like the idea of 3 ea. 3/8" spacers per side...just more stuff to get loose and fall out...I am going to either use a 1" spacer ( 1/8" taller than the 3 ea. 3/8" spacers) or 1 1/2" spacers...

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SPS-1628/ ..... I am leaning towards the 1 1/2" spacers/ wagon spring set up myself for that television rake without air shocks.....air shocks were cool for me 30+ years ago...now days I enjoy the softer ride.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Big Bird Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19-October-2013 at 5:29PM
If you go with Moog CC811, they are the same spring rate/diameter wire/etc. as a CC803 with a 3/4 inch higher ride height. CC811 is for LTD II wagons. Depending on your desired rake, less spacers or no spacers.
I didn't want a cargo coil, so I used 8223 springs in the rear, and it brought the back up with a nice rake.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote TV 2M8O Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09-November-2013 at 11:28AM

Blasted... Part 3

Well today the ole girl finally got into position, pulled the bumper brackets, she lost her wheels and the rear end started coming out. I got the springs, shocks, parking brake cables and the sway bar unhooked and ready for the big drop only to discover that I had my line wrenches at home in my other tool box, so about 90% of the rear is ready for removal. Here are a few pics of today's progress. (CLICK ON PICS TO ENLARGE AND CLICK AGAIN ON NEW PIC TO SUPERSIZE)

The new jackstands in position and the wheels and ramps removed....

 






and I got under her...





and started removing the rear suspension...





So hopefully next weekend, with my line wrenches in hand, I can break loose the brake hose, remove the control arm hardware and roll the rear end out from under the Tomato.

Until next installment...


Edited by TV 2M8O - 09-November-2013 at 11:43AM

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1976 Gran Torino S&H season 2-4 Clone
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 75GranMan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09-November-2013 at 12:28PM
Looking good Joe, slow and steady wins the race. I think i get just as much enjoyment working on my car as I do driving it. John
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Tighten it down until it snaps and then back it off a half turn!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote TV 2M8O Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09-November-2013 at 1:07PM
Thanks John!
 
It doesn't help matters that I can only work on my project on Saturday when the dealership is open... Cry

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1976 Gran Torino S&H season 2-4 Clone
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote TV 2M8O Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16-November-2013 at 4:52PM

BLASTED... Part 4

(CLICK ON PICS TO ENLARGE AND CLICK AGAIN ON NEW PIC TO SUPERSIZE)

With line wrenches in hand, I set about finishing up dropping the rear end assembly from under the Tomato. I removed the brake line from the brake hose, removed the hose clip and then freed the brake hose from the crossmember...
 
 
 

With the brake line free, using an impact and open end wrench, I unbolt the upper and lower control arms from the frame mounts and lowered the axle assembly to the floor...
 
 
 
 
 
 
I then slid the assembly from under the car and placed on 3 jack stands for further disassembly and service.
 
 

That's all for this installment.

Until next time...


Edited by TV 2M8O - 16-November-2013 at 4:57PM

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1976 Gran Torino S&H season 2-4 Clone
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote TV 2M8O Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26-November-2013 at 9:45AM
Well the project has hit a temporary snag.... Just got home from the hospital having my appendix removed on Monday and was told NO HEAVY LEFTING FOR 12 WEEKS to allow internal muscles and organs to return to normal before any undo stresses! Cry
Glad I got the rearend out and the steering box removed before I had surgery. Removal of the front suspension and sandblasting should be easy on the body so at least that will continue. Thumbs Up
So much for having the ole girl in the bodyshop by the holidays!!!

Edited by TV 2M8O - 26-November-2013 at 9:47AM

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1976 Gran Torino S&H season 2-4 Clone
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote TV 2M8O Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07-December-2013 at 11:03AM

Blasted... Part 5

(CLICK ON PICS TO ENLARGE AND CLICK AGAIN ON NEW PIC TO SUPERSIZE)
Well went over today to finish removing the rear sway bar links and brackets from the frame and started breaking down the rear end.

First order of business was to remove the rear sway bar links. During the building of the Gran Torino's, Ford assembled the frames before they attached the body because removing the sway bar links and brakets was a real PITA! There is just NO ROOM the get at the nut holding the sway bar link to the bracket...

 
and swing the ratchet, so what I had to do was get a ratchet and socket on the nut, wedge it up against the frame and use a breaker bar to spin the link out of the nut.....
 

I was sucessful removing the passenger side with incident...
 

but the driver side snapped just below the nut so now the search begins for a replacement...
 

The next challenge was removing the frame brackets....
 

As with the sway bar links, there isn't enough room to get good access with your ratchet and socket and get a good swing so you have to really pump the ratchet to get the brackets off.....
 
 
 
 
 
 

I think when I put things back together, I'm gonna put the stud plate inside the bracket (left side) with the nuts on the outside of the frame crossmember to make things easier to reassemble...
 

I also got the lower control arms, brake lines and sway bar removed from the rear end.....
 
 
 

The upper control arm bolts were really on there tight, so I soaked them good with PB Blaster and hopefully next weekend using a BFI I'll be able to get them removed as well.
 
Until then....


Edited by TV 2M8O - 08-December-2013 at 2:12AM

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1976 Gran Torino S&H season 2-4 Clone
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote TV 2M8O Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14-December-2013 at 9:55AM
Well, got the upper control arms off the rear end, the steering system dropped, the front brake lines & proportioning valve removed and started to put down plastic to tent the frame for sandblasting but came up a little short on plastic....PLUS THE CAMERA BATTERIES WERE DEAD!!! Angry
 
 
 
 
 
But at least some progress!

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1976 Gran Torino S&H season 2-4 Clone
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote pdw72 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14-December-2013 at 12:25PM
coming along nicely!!

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote TV 2M8O Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22-December-2013 at 6:42AM

With the rear end ready for rebuilding and detailing....

 
 
Next on the agenda was to get THE SHROUD OF TORINO in place to contain the sand during the blasting of the chassis......
 

 

With the plastic in place, I turned my attention the breaking apart the original engine and transmission so the C6 can be sent out for rebuild and the 460 placed on an engine stand so the accessories can be removed, detailed and installed on the new motor...

Next playday I hope to begin the fun filled task of rolling under the car and sandblasting the underbody and chassis!



Edited by TV 2M8O - 22-December-2013 at 7:02AM

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1976 Gran Torino S&H season 2-4 Clone
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote californiajohnny Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22-December-2013 at 7:23AM
"the shroud of torino"  LOLLOLClap  i love it!  joe, p.s. did you check the boxed control arms thread?
JOHN
74 GRAN TORINO S&H CLONE
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90 S10 BLAZER 4X4 LIFTED
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote TV 2M8O Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22-December-2013 at 7:26AM
John,
 
Yes I did and I plan on boxing mine while they are out. See my comment over on that thread....

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1976 Gran Torino S&H season 2-4 Clone
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote TV 2M8O Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26-December-2013 at 10:21AM
THE FUN HAS BEGUN.....
 
 
LOL, but I had to stop because I was using all the air and the lifts at the dealeship wouldn't go up! Guess I'll have to make this a weekend project!!

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1976 Gran Torino S&H season 2-4 Clone
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote pdw72 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26-December-2013 at 10:58AM
Nice, I want those floors!!

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote californiajohnny Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26-December-2013 at 2:26PM
LOLLOLLOL how long did it take them to figure out it was you (using all the air) ?
JOHN
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote TV 2M8O Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04-January-2014 at 12:12PM
I had the dealership air supply all to myself today so I made a bit more progress! But there are two things I need to do...
1. Remember to get a new bulb for the shop light so I can see what the heck I'm doing!
2. Figure out the sweet spot on my little hopper/siphon sand blaster. Works fantastic when you're there, but it's a struggle when it's not. hmmmmmm???
 
 
 
I also started the repair of my sway bar links....
 
 
I'll do a HOW TO thread on the sway bar link repair once I have it done.
 

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1976 Gran Torino S&H season 2-4 Clone
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Montego01 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04-January-2014 at 12:21PM
Nice floors to work with!!!!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote californiajohnny Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04-January-2014 at 2:48PM
joe, here's an idea on those links, grade 8 bolt the same length and a piece of tubing or front sway bar spacer cut to the length needed over the bolt shank tack weld to the u shaped piece??? just my 2 cents.
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74 GRAN TORINO S&H CLONE
74 VETTE CUSTOM
90 S10 BLAZER 4X4 LIFTED
77 CELICA CUSTOM
75 V8 MONZA SUPERCHARGED
79 COURIER VERT. SLAMMED
75 VEGA V6 5 SPD
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote TV 2M8O Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04-January-2014 at 2:51PM
Originally posted by californiajohnny californiajohnny wrote:

joe, here's an idea on those links, grade 8 bolt the same length and a piece of tubing or front sway bar spacer cut to the length needed over the bolt shank tack weld to the u shaped piece??? just my 2 cents.
We're almost on the same page.... Thumbs Up

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that's what i would do Wink
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74 GRAN TORINO S&H CLONE
74 VETTE CUSTOM
90 S10 BLAZER 4X4 LIFTED
77 CELICA CUSTOM
75 V8 MONZA SUPERCHARGED
79 COURIER VERT. SLAMMED
75 VEGA V6 5 SPD
70 CHEV C10 P/U
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote TV 2M8O Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18-January-2014 at 9:57AM
Another short play day, but slowly the floor is getting cleaner....
 
 
 
 
 
 
I think too I have figured out the sweet spot of the sandblaster, so now things should (hopefully) move along a bit quicker!!

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lookin' good joe, i wish mine were that solid!
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74 GRAN TORINO S&H CLONE
74 VETTE CUSTOM
90 S10 BLAZER 4X4 LIFTED
77 CELICA CUSTOM
75 V8 MONZA SUPERCHARGED
79 COURIER VERT. SLAMMED
75 VEGA V6 5 SPD
70 CHEV C10 P/U
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote californiajohnny Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28-February-2014 at 4:11PM
joe, any updates on yours???
JOHN
74 GRAN TORINO S&H CLONE
74 VETTE CUSTOM
90 S10 BLAZER 4X4 LIFTED
77 CELICA CUSTOM
75 V8 MONZA SUPERCHARGED
79 COURIER VERT. SLAMMED
75 VEGA V6 5 SPD
70 CHEV C10 P/U
68 MUSTANG FB CONVERSION
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote TV 2M8O Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28-February-2014 at 11:15PM

John,

Been working killer OT so I haven't even seen the Tomato for about a month now! Plan on swinging over to the dealership today and seeing if I have found the solution to my sand blaster issue. If what I discovered works, I should be able to knock out the entire chassis is a day! WISH ME LUCK and stay tuned....

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote TV 2M8O Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02-March-2014 at 3:22AM
Blasted... part 7
 
Well after SEVERAL weeks, I finally had a really productive playday! I have started the sand blasting of the chassis/underbody on the Tomato, but I was having trouble keeping the sand blaster operating in it's sweet spot. When it was in the zone, it would feed flawlessly and the years of grim and surface rust would vanish easily before my eyes... but don't stop! Once the flow was interrupted it was a real chore to find that spot again. Several weeks of very unproductive playdays had me ready to farm the project out, but I just knew there had to be a really simple solution to the problem because when it was working, MAN DID IT WORK!

I knew I couldn't be the only one on the planet who has faced this problem, so one day at lunch I did an Internet search for sandblasting troubleshooting and I came across a forum discussion someplace where a guy was having a similar issue. Reading thru the thread I learned there must be an air supply present at the pickup point for the media to be sucked up the tube or it would be kinda like trying to suck a really thick milkshake thru a straw. The guys said once he added the air source, his sandblaster took on a whole new life!

Hmmmm, that had to be it, so I looked at how the sand was drawn into my Campbell-Hausfeld 5 gallon Power Blast blaster.....
 


It's merely a 3/8" or so ID rubber hose sliced on a steep angle to provide a long pickup area that is totally submerged in the medium. I guess a larger/courser aggregate allows for more air to be contained in the material for easier draw, but as the sand gets used and reused a few times, it get smaller and and a bit smoother so it packs in tighter for less air and that's when it starts to act like a "thick milkshake".

My initial thought for the solution was to use a section of 1/4" od clear tubing like used on aquariums along with one of the t-shaped air control valves to control air flow (the forum article said something about too much air supply-no media / too little air supply-no air, so the supply would need to be controlled) installed into the pickup area of my blaster opposite from the pickup tube side so it would run directly into the media feed.....
 
 
 
 

With the breather assembly installed, I partially filled the hopper with sand, donned my protective garb and tried out my solution. After a second or two the media began to flow like she was in her sweet spot! I thought HOT DAMN I'M COOKIN' NOW and again the fresh clean metal began to grow and expand. It's a bit tougher blasting around the frame rails and up into the body frame cavity so there was a lot of time stopping to reposition the light, my body, the hopper... whatever and each time the flow would begin again after a second or two. I kept fiddling with the air control valve to see if I could tell if it was having any effect and I could tell there was a bit of difference from closed to fully open but not a great difference, so I finally just pulled the valve off to really let her breathe and it still sang and danced vastly better than before. At one point I tried to burp the line to see it sand would shoot from the air line and nothing came out so I thought SWEET I'M FINALLY HOME FREE and continued to blast away.... then suddenly the old gremlin reared it's ugly head! I monkeyed around with tipping the hopper, bumping the hopper all the old tricks from the past to get it "primed" but couldn't find the sweet-spot again. I thought WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON NOW, so I rolled out from under the car to find out the problem.

When I dumped the remaining sand out of the hopper the problem became instantly clear.... my air hose was too short and when I burped the feed line, the hoses flexed and the air line came out of the feed line. So I need to pick up a longer section of the 1/4" clear line so I can feed it deeper into the pickup hose so they can't come apart when burped.
 

I was happy that I finally have a solution to my blasting problem (I HOPE) and actually got more done it that hour or so I tested out the solution that I did the last several times I was able to play on the Tomato.....
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Since I was already out of my blasting gear and my daughter was on her way to the house for a visit, I decided to work on a couple little sub-projects... the material for boxing my rear control arms and repairing my rear sway bar links.

I picked up a couple long 1/4-20 carriage bolts from Fastenal and drove the shoulder down into the link bracket opening and voila...
 
 
 
 

Need to tack the bolt to the bracket, add a tube spacer and tack that into place and the links should be good as new!

I had a couple strips on 11ga steel cut at work to use for boxing the rear control arms and it looks like I guessed the correct width and length, so all I'll need to do is form them to the arms and weld them up once I have the arms blasted and coated inside with POR15....
 
 
 
 

All in all a pretty productive day... and I got to visit with my baby girl who we haven't seen since Christmas! I'm planning on making a day of it next weekend to wrap up the underbody blasting so I can next blast the rearend and get that little rebuild/detailing project underway before attacking the front suspension and forward chassis blasting.

Getting closer to turning things back over to the crew at F3!!!

More to come....


Edited by TV 2M8O - 02-March-2014 at 3:35AM

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1976 Gran Torino S&H season 2-4 Clone
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote californiajohnny Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02-March-2014 at 3:58AM
interesting theory on the blaster! i have a craftsman siphion feed blaster like that, works great! best for small areas though. i need to swap you floor pans LOLWink
JOHN
74 GRAN TORINO S&H CLONE
74 VETTE CUSTOM
90 S10 BLAZER 4X4 LIFTED
77 CELICA CUSTOM
75 V8 MONZA SUPERCHARGED
79 COURIER VERT. SLAMMED
75 VEGA V6 5 SPD
70 CHEV C10 P/U
68 MUSTANG FB CONVERSION
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TV 2M8O View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote TV 2M8O Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08-March-2014 at 12:23PM
Blasted...Part 8

OH HELL YEAH!

Added a longer section of air inlet hose, changed the pivot bolts on my work light to wing bolts and nuts to allow for easier light adjustment, donned my blasting garb, filled the hopper with sand and positioned it so I wouldn't get wrapped up in the lines, plugged in the work light and got it set up to illuminate my initial work area, attached the air hose to the blast gun, rolled under the car and pulled the trigger....

TWO HOURS OF NON-STOP BLASTING AND THE FLOOR WAS 90% CLEAN

















The blaster worked flawlessly! She was in the sweet spot the entire time and as I was blasting, the surface rust and grime blasted away cleanly and I was laying there thinking that if I could now get my protective garb to work as nice as the blaster did not, I wouldn't mind doing this for a living! LOL

I was able to get the driver side frame rail cavity and rocker and the passenger side of the floor from the firewall cleaned before I exhausted the supply of sand in the hopper. For two hours the only limitation to my progress was me getting into a new position to easily see what I was doing and to try and stay out of the ricocheting sand stream. Could definately use a few more inches of clearance under there!

Next week, my plan is to finish cleaning the passenger side frame rail, frame cavity and rocker and finish up in the rear axle hump before attacking the rear wheelwells. Once that is all done, I'll bring the rear end back into the blast booth and clean it good before starting the teardown for rebuild and detailing before tackling the frame forward of the firewall and the front suspension components.

All in all a very productive and fullfilling day! I LOVE PLAY DATES LIKE THIS!!!

More to come....


Edited by TV 2M8O - 08-March-2014 at 12:26PM

TV 2M8O OUT
JOE
1976 Gran Torino S&H season 2-4 Clone
Project Blog: http://tv2m8o.blogspot.com/
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