Update on "White Ghost" 78 TA

[BLURR]

Well I took the leaf springs down and cleaned them and had the painted. I like the color I had them done in, I think they look good.

This is before
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v293/BLURRRR/78128.jpg

This is after
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v293/BLURRRR/78133.jpg

Still havent put my disc brake 3:42 rear end in yet so I just cleaned up the 2:56 drum one and repainted it so it looks nice until the swap can be made. Here are the pics with the springs reinstalled.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v293/BLURRRR/78139.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v293/BLURRRR/78140.jpg

Here it is with the tank back in and it ready to be set back on the ground.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v293/BLURRRR/78141.jpg

Now to the wheels. This is my set of 8" Snowflakes that will be going on it for daily driving and the Rally II's will be show wheels.

This is them cleaned and ready for masking.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v293/BLURRRR/wheel1.jpg

This is them unmasked and painted. Now they are ready for me to high polish the metal finish parts.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v293/BLURRRR/78144.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v293/BLURRRR/78145.jpg

You know this car was wrecked back in 81 pretty hard, Im having to swap the subframes its so bad. Well the panel under the steering column was cracked, I got another red one on ebay for a penny, NO JOKE. Anyways when i pulled the panel off. Look what I found. Obviously the guy hit his knee there and look how he bent the support brace. Ive got to pull the dash out now to replace the bottom brace on the dash. It ripped it loose from it. Luckily I have all of it from my 81 T/A parts car.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v293/BLURRRR/78130.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v293/BLURRRR/78131.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v293/BLURRRR/78132.jpg

[AndyD]

man,pulling the dash out of those things is just not fun, and puttin' them back in is just as bad. too bad you have to do it. there was decent size crack in mine, and it was faded all to hell so it had to come out. but it turned out good I think :D

before-
http://memimage.cardomain.com/member_images/11/web/335000-335999/335330_23_full.jpg

during-
http://memimage.cardomain.com/member_images/11/web/335000-335999/335330_46_full.jpg

after-
http://memimage.cardomain.com/member_images/11/web/335000-335999/335330_52_full.jpg

[BLURR]

Looks good :cool:

[Jeffro]

Lookin good Blurr. What did you clean the leaf springs with? Mine look just like yours and I was wondering how I was gonna get all that crap off of there.

What paint did you use?

[BLURR]

Originally posted by Morpheus
Lookin good Blurr. What did you clean the leaf springs with? Mine look just like yours and I was wondering how I was gonna get all that crap off of there.

What paint did you use?

Thanks man, same to you. :cool:

I pulled them down then used a copper wire brush on the end of a drill and ground them down to the bare metal then I washed them with Castrol Super Clean degeaser. That stuff I posted about in my other thread.

Then I repainted the black parts with Krylon Semi Flat Black spray paint. I painted the leave springs with this stuff here from Dupli color. Got it at Wal Mart. Its cheap and good, done all my leaf springs in it on all cars. One can did both springs.

http://www.ls1camaro.net/freehosting/MVC-180S.JPG
http://www.ls1camaro.net/freehosting/MVC-181S.JPG

[Chief Pontiac]

One problem with painting you leafs with any color paint.After a while unless you get the paint in between the leafs real good rust will form in the creases.I ended up using POR,it works great and will never rust.


Nice work so far guys,keep it up.:)

[BLURR]

Thanks Chief :cool:


Remember how I told you the sub frame had to be replaced on my 78. That it had a bad wreck and they tried to fix it. Well now that I have the front end off you can see the damage good. See where they did a half ass job of fixing it. The drivers side is still a half an inch further back than the pass. side. Lucky I have a whole new sub frame to put under it.

Anybody want a big paper weight or anchor when I get this one off?

http://www.ls1camaro.net/freehosting/bent2.JPG
http://www.ls1camaro.net/freehosting/bent3.JPG

This is the pass. side which it should look like this.
http://www.ls1camaro.net/freehosting/bent4.JPG

[79 Bird of Prey]

how hard will replacing the subframe be? keep up the good work

Chief Pontiac: the POR-15 didn't break off on the springs, despite the fact that they flex?

[BLURR]

The sub frame wont be that hard to replace. Just gonna be a PITA

Im gonna rebuild the one Im putting in it and have it ready to put inplace.

Once i do that, Im gonna jack the car up put the body on jack stands and unbolt everything and roll the old sub frame out from under the car with motor and tranny still bolted to it.

Then Ill unbolt the motor and tranny and lift them off the sub frame and clean and refinish them then bolt them to the new sub frame and roll it under the car. Let the car down and bolt everything up.

Should be able to do the swap in a weekend.:cool:

[crazykajun]

Hello all. I am new to this sight. I have a '64 vette 327 300hp & a 2000 5.3L Yukon XL 4x4. I am fixin to purchase a '78 1/2 ton 4x4 I found in my home town. This is goin to be my toy.

[79 Bird of Prey]

congrats crazykajun, welcome to the site. although, this is kinda the wrong thread to be talkin about that ;)