Discussion Forum - Northstar Chevelle Club

John D wrote:

---

The hood is back on...

After the meeting today "Dashboard" Kevin and Stan stopped by and lent some muscle to this awkward task.

Now to clean off a winter's worth of dust & crud, and go for a shakedown run!!

---

Better make the run NOW or it may be a week before you get another chance.
So you're OFFICIALLY out of CAC ? Did the Pres OK this ???  

 

dashboard wrote:

---

I think the only test driving your going to do in the few days is going to be walking behind your Toro snowblower.

---

LMAO!

 

Woo Hoo!!

Now Now be nice, I won't do that (much)

You've got to remember the car wasn't in C.A.C. until October, and then I wasn't starting from scratch.
I started this project March 20 of 2010! (1st post), and spent until Sept. 26 gathering, prepping, cleaning parts - then I CAC'd the car.

About the only thing I've accomplished in the last 2 weeks is mounting the underhood light to the hood. (Ok, Ok, it's been converted to LED's, but that was easy....)

Kevin broke the Mustang out of hibernation last Friday since it was so nice.  I thought maybe you would be out Fri./Sat. putting on some test miles.  Did you take it out?

I would have driven my Chevelle to the meeting Sat. if it was running.

I would send them back even if they are not worth it and get them through one of the local vendors instead. Hopefully someone like Trim Parts makes them. At least they are decent.

If you ever want to compare your PCM settings to mine, you're welcome to. :) You coming down this way for Easter?

-- Edited by Derek69SS on Friday 1st of April 2011 05:33:52 PM

John D wrote:

---

I'd be kinda cool to see what your PCM is set to for comparison. I can't remember if it uses up a "license" just to scan one, or if you edit one... I'll have to check.

---

You guys and all your talk about electrons and programs! 

Give me an air fuel ratio and a spark plug reading any day, and I can make it run like snot! 

 

 

Well the maiden voyage to Dashboard's & the SMC yielded 3 problems, and the repairs of them found another:

1 - The transmission just wasn't shifting correctly. Just not "right".

2 - The cruise control wouldn't work

3 - The speedometer is wrong.

4 - Minor, but potentially nasty, oil leak.

For what I'm sure were economical reasons, GM uses the exact same 20ga, green/white wire for the VSS (Vehicle Speed Sensor) from the trans, the "request for A/C" trigger wire to the compressor relay, and a signal wire for the Buick-only "variable effort" steering. This isn't a problem in a "normal" car, as these circuits are in different looms, or terminate in different connectors. This is not the case in Blackie's situation.

Both the PCM (engine computer) and the cruise control box require a signal from the VSS. One to tell if, and how fast the car is moving, the other to monitor the pulses and hold speed.

They don't work when you connect the Air Conditioning Request green/white wire to them! The green/white from the VSS needs to be connected.

The only way I found this was to pull the PCM (engine computer), unplug it, and probe #8 on the black connector (VSS input). No voltage. Then the backtracing commenced and I discovered the wrong green/white tied in. Easy fix but hard to diagnose/troubleshoot. (The GM service manual was of INVALUABLE help, as I used the cruise control doesn't work section).

While the PCM was out I noticed a small puddle of engine oil on the framerail, right below the bulkhead connections for the oil cooler lines. Give myself another  as I apparently didn't final torque one of the fittings. It was snug/tight, but not tight.

The speedometer is just a matter of calculating and obtaining the correct driven gear (again).

The cruise works perfectly, the transmission now shifts/behaves beautiful, and a potential disaster avoided! I just have to remember to drive 7 mph "under" for awhile .

 

John D wrote:

---

Started on another project/modification I've wanted to do to the car for a long time. No, it's not back in "CAC"... and I don't know if it'll be done by the meeting Saturday... but it involves cutting, welding, fabricating, electrical, upholstery, and won't be visible when done.

---

 Hinged/locking smuggler's box?

 

  If you can't drive it, it's in CAC no if's and's or but's. If you can't drive it and you're not actively working on it, it's in long term storage (LTS). 

Another part robbed from the Caprice donor I presume?

I'd seen a couple of Elky's on TC where the owners had converted the smuggler's box into useable storage, and was really keen on the idea. There's literally about 9 cu. ft. of space in there... and on an Elky there's no "secure" storage other than the glovebox. I wanted a place to keep stuff totally out of sight, and locked.

The other cars had simple mechanical latches with gas struts, or a powered "ram" that would motor the lid up and down. I wasn't too crazy about either - one you have to slam the lid down, the other you're skaruud if the ram fails.

I kept the electric trunk latch release and  "pull-down" setup off of Buford the Roadmaster (most Caddy's have them... just click the trunk and it motors down - instead of slamming the lid). I like this idea, of where it pulls itself down tight, instead of a compromise of loose latching, or slamming the bejeebers out of it for a tight seal.

I'm not looking for absolute waterproof-ness, but I don't want the contents to get soaked in a minor rain. (I had previously put some soft foam gasketing around the perimeter lip, and it really worked - when washing or in the rain I'd have a kiddie-pool in the bed - until I accelerated or parked uphill.)

I've got a tube-steel frame tacked together, the latch & motor mocked up, and a cable operated fail-safe release rigged. I've got to final the piano hinge location, then mount and test. Once done I'll finish weld, then start the prettying up process of the smuggler's box and lid/latch assy.

Thinking about doing it in:

A) The correct pattern "splatter-paint" for '65 (it is a trunk after all)

B) Something like "RhinoLiner" on the floor, and w/p red carpet on the walls.

There'll be some courtesy lights in there, and a few other neato things...

Keith Anderson used his smugglers box to do something similiar. Although it wasnt power operated.

John D wrote:

---

There'll be some courtesy lights in there, and a few other neato things...

---

 Like maybe a 6 pack cooler for adult beverages and a warming oven for early morning sausage/egg/cheese breakfast at Car Craft!?!? 

 

John D wrote:

---

Hmmm... Make a perimeter box for one side from cardboard, lay in some sheet plastic, push a tube through one of the drain holes, and break out the fiberglass supplies....

Make a custom molded, drop in, cooler bucket (with drain) for one 1/2 of the storage compartment!

---

  Only if you install a temp probe in in the cooler to transmit a single to a guage in the cab so you know the barley pop temp. 

 

The floor is so irregular in there I'd like to have something that would "lock in" to the bumps & rails. Then I wouldn't have to secure it, it would just seat by default.
Hmmm.... thermal probe to a digital readout... "Beer Temp = 37"... I'll have to think about that one!

Another evening of layout work, tack welding, grinding, and temporary in/out/in/out/in/out trial fits of the lid & frame assembly.

I think I'm to the point of having everything "locked" into position, and enough alignment points & marks to be able dis-assemble the frame & lid, final weld, then prep for paint.

Once that's done, it temporarily goes back in (again), and I can determine the length of the gas struts I'll need, and mark the pivot ball locations. Then  it comes out (again), and weld those in place. Then take the original hold-down bolts, cut the heads off, and weld them over the holes in the lid (dummy bolts).

After all that, the thing gets assembled for the LAST TIME and painted. Then on to cleaning up the actual smuggler's box.

Picked up a pair of gas struts (and some other stuff) today from NAPA.

The guys at the St. Louis Park store are great! They know me well enough by now to stop groaning when I walk in, and just ask "What catalog do you need to look through today John?"

Today was the "doodads" catalog. They've got a whole listing of replacement "generic" gas struts for toppers and tonneu covers, with center to center dimensions (when collapsed, extended, and stroke), and in multiple "pounds of lift" ratings. They also have the ball studs either raw, with a straight, or a 90 bracket already attached. Wound up with 2) 30lb. struts, 21" extended, and a pair each of the straight & 90 bracket ball studs.

A good "sit and stare at it" session, some measurements and simple geometry yielded the mounting points, and I mocked them up using some self-tappers. Holy Crap Batman it works beautifully!! Hit the release and it gently (but forcefully) opens, and with one hand using moderate pressure you can close and latch it from either side.

Now the finishing fun can begin. I've got to make some "backer" plates for the pull-down motor and lower strut mount points (the sheetmetal is just too thin for any type of long-term holding power/use), get those installed, lock everything down and make some reference marks, do the dummy bolts, then disassemble for paint.

Shouldn't have any problem being done by the Anoka Opener! I'll get some more pics up soon.

John was this just another factory option most folks did not know about?

Lost in the 60s wrote:

---

Dave Seitz wrote:

---

John was this just another factory option most folks did not know about?

---

All the El Caminos had the "storage" area, as it is the same pan as the car and that is where the rear seat cushion would normally be. The corrugated metal panel was bolted down from the factory, making the compartment non-useable unless you removed the bolts. Hence the name "smugglers box. By removing the bolts and filling the area with "goods", it appeared to be part of the floor once it was bolted back down and would avoid inspection in certain circumstances.

John's addition of dummy bolts will give the appearance of being bolted down and the self latching catch will hold it firm. Waaaaaaay cool install....

 

 

---

 I think Dave is refering to the install of the automatic release mechanism. Meaning that it looks so much like the factory installed it originally. Not the smugglers compartment itself.

 

John was this just another factory option most folks did not know about, Waaaaaaay cool install....

Yup, this is the very rare, double-secret, hidden on the back of the COPO form, gotta play golf with Bunkie, option code JDWC47.

(At least that's what it'll be called on the dummy build sheet if I ever have one forged up... John D Way Cool #47)

Seriously, thanks for the compliments. This little project has had it's battles, and holding with the engine swap, I'm trying to maintain the "looks like factory" theme.

Had some time tonight to tinker more (Sheryl's in Phoenix again, and Sammy is back safe in CheeseHeadville)...

The lid/frame assembly is back in the car, and the wiring is about 90% finished. I've got to play around with the striker & motor adjustments now - the mock-up trials didn't allow for the thickness of the foam gasket material around the edges... doesn't "pull down" quite right yet. Once that's done I'll get busy on mounting the release button in the glove box...

I've got notes of the "hard parts" numbers of what was used, and there's nearly 24 feet of 3/4 x 3/4 x 18ga. steel square tubing involved, but as far as a "how-to" dissertation... this is most definitely a design/build/SWAG/MIT project... just get an idea in your head and "imagineer" your way through it. (the "fail-safe cable release" parts are from a junk 21-speed bicycle my son garbage picked, and the pull knob is a '65 1-speed windshield wiper knob!)

Oh, and FYI... "SWAG" is Scientific Wild Ass Guess, "MIT" is Mistakes I've Tried...
Pics will be soon, once I clean off the dust & crud from all the paintwork.