355 Chevy Engine

My friend Bob (No Job Johnny) found a 355 Chevy engine on Craigslist locally for sale that is supposed to have been gone thru with a complete rebuild. I got a good price on it and we will take it to the guy that rebuilt Bob's 350 chevy engine and tear it all apart to check it out. This will be a little extra out of the pocket but worth it to find out what's inside. The guy that will do the work is busy with race season now and will do my project this fall or winter. Since we leave for Idaho the end of next week for six weeks, this will work out fine. I have most of the suspension back on the frame now. Just a few more parts to paint and apply. Lookin pretty good so far if I do say so myself. The rain has stopped me from finishing up the blasting on the cab. Looks like I won't get that done til I get back in September.

Going Back Together

This last week I have been painting parts that didn't get powdercoated and reassembling the suspension. I changed from lock washes and standard nuts to flat washers and NYLOCK nuts for everything. Got this tip from Jim Luther who used to work For CASE. He said the lock washers would break under stress and then the bolts were loose so they went to NYLOCK nuts for everything. Works for me.
The pictures this week are of my best helpers. Jordie, My granddaughter was here for a week and helped me out. I couldn't get her to do any sandblasting.
Nancy is my BEST helper. when I need a helping hand, she is always there.
The rain still holds off any sandblasting on the cab, but many other things to do.

First Bling

Got the frame and suspension parts back yesterday afternoon. Sebastians Blasting and Powdercoating did a great and fast job. When I got there about noon yesterday, the parts had just cooled down from the oven and were being loaded on my trailer. I had him do everything in gloss black and it all turned out very nice.
Now to start putting it all back together. Hope I can remember what goes where. Oh yes, I think I have some pictures.

Frame & Suspension to Blasting and Powdercoating

Took the frame and suspension parts over to Gladstone IL (about 25 miles from here) this morning for reblasting and powdercoating with a gloss black color. Should get it back on Friday or Saturday bright and shiny. Then it's reassembly time.
BIG rain storm again last night. This stuff never stops.

Frames back apart

My friend Roger came up from Topeka this last weekend and helped me take the frame and all the suspension parts apart. Tomorrow I will go over to Gladstone Illinois and talk to Sebastians Sandblasting and Powdercoating and see if and when I can get all these parts reblasted and powdercoated. Once that is done I can put all the parts back together and not have to remove them again. I can then finish up the front and rearend and put the temporary wheels and tires on as rollers.
Still too much rain, so no sandblasting on the cab. I did get a couple of good Harley rides in with Roger though.
I also spent a lot of this last weeks time working on the boat getting it ready to pull out to Idaho in July for the rest of the summer on Lake Pend Oreille, just north of Coeur d'Alene. I won't be able to work on the F1 out there, but the leisure time will be great. I seem to have a lot of that.
Thanks to whom ever is responsible.

A lot of little things

Got most of the welding done on the cancer parts of the cab this week by cutting out the old and putting in new metal. I also welded in the new bottom door seal retainers. I drilled 1/8th inch holes through the old retainers before I ground them off as they had been spot welded on. I used the holes to weld thru from behind and plug welded the new retainers on.
I have a bit more sandblasting to do on the inside of the cab and then it will be all down to bright metal. I ordered body filler and two kinds of primer today and that was a pricey bunch of items.
I also got some Dura Sanding blocks for all the hand sanding to come.
I made a roll-a-round cart out of an old BBQ stand I was going to junk, to hold all the sanding equipment. That way I can roll it to the work sight and it's all in one place.
The rain continues, so the Blasting has to wait.
I want to coat the bottom of the cab before I flip it back over. Haven't decided yet, but think seam sealer first, then primer, then maybe POR-15.