1969 Dodge Super Bee Coupe Restoration

[dadsbee]

Okay, I started undoing the nuts and the bolts just went loose. Head sits in the front collars square hole, so not sure how it attaches to rear collar. Will have a peak at your thread and my collars. Need to get off the computer and into the shop.. lol

 

[moparnation74]

Okay, I started undoing the nuts and the bolts just went loose. Head sits in the front collars square hole, so not sure how it attaches to rear collar. Will have a peak at your thread and my collars. Need to get off the computer and into the shop.. lol

https://www.forbbodiesonly.com/mopa...y-father-my-69-gtx-restoration.127388/page-48

Finally, found it...a lot to search so hope this helps

 

[dadsbee]

THANKS.. was working backwards and I was down to page 78! LOL

 

[dadsbee]

I gotcha now Justin... they don't actually join the two collars, the bolt heads catch the rectangular slots in the steering column tube and hold the three together.

 

[dadsbee]

Ordered this Chrysler service part for 10 Bucks US + postage, hoping it will work to repair my broken one. I'm not paying $300 US for an OEM replacment assembly to keep it original (not if I can help it anyhow..)

Inner column tube and the green paint on the upper section between the plastic telescopic pinning and the tooling hole. Possibly QC to confirm the pinning.

Lower green QC paint.. maybe to say the spring is on? Also noting the tube was wiped / smeared with Cosmoline.

Plastic crush zone cover, to show the tape used to secure it.

Interesting it's 9/16 wide on one end.

..and 7/16" wide at the other end.

Some steering columns were dipped in black paint from the knuckle up to the lower bearing. Mine was not. It has no evidence of that and was obviously left bare. Lynch Road car, built last week of Feb ' 69.

Lower steering shaft is clean metal, no evidence of black paint or dipping.

 

[dadsbee]

Using a hose clamp to pull the "swelled" and cracked area of the crush zone section back into shape for welding.

All cleaned up ready for welding. Also rolled the tube on the panel stand to make sure it's straight.

Knuckle and lower spring into the Evaporust, along with the original seal retainer.

Carefully placed the horn ring in another bucket of Evaporust and topped it right up. Don't want the "silver" ring turning black.

Made an Evaporust soak tray for the inner tube out of a cardboard box and poly.

Drilled out the remnants of the plastic "shear pins" on the telescopic shaft with a 3/32 bit. Will inject with Epoxy on reassembly or use a soft rivet to restore the intended function.

Not taking any chances with the oil pressure sender I bought today at NAPA. Pressure test and ohm check for correct function of the variable resistance before I install this one.

20 psi = 41 ohms

 

[dadsbee]

40 psi = 31 ohms

60psi = 26 ohms

80 psi = 19 ohms

New sender installed.

Put about 3.7 gallons of distilled water in the radiator / engine for test runs. When all is okay I will drain 1/2 and top with Antifreeze.

..and the floor is dry!

And so is the cabin below the heater box. Great start.

 

[moparnation74]

I gotcha now Justin... they don't actually join the two collars, the bolt heads catch the rectangular slots in the steering column tube and hold the three together.

Thats correct.....And they are tricky to put on...just tedious but thats right up your alley

 

[dadsbee]

Went back out to the shop after supper. Horn ring cleaned up very nicely in Evaporust and some light scrubbing.

Steering shaft also cleaned up nice, ready to coat with RPM.

Knuckle still needs a bit of cleaning before coating with RPM.

Filled my "trough" with Evaporust to soak the inner tube overnight.

 

[The Rebel]

Lookin Great!

 

[dadsbee]

Ground wire from column to dash... for the concurs part # watchers.

Crush zone damage all welded up.

There Dad... nobody will ever know about you hitting that wheel !

Column, wire cover and both collars painted in Duplicolor Trim CTP700000 to match what I used on the upper dash.

Retainer bracket and flange painted in gloss black .

Turned the paint booth on "bake" for the night.

Inner column tube cleaned up really nice. Of course I can't find an old shop can of green paint to replicate the markings. Why do we do this stuff for things that will never be seen? Because we can...

The next car.. this stuff is going up on a table. So tired of being on a knee, degreasing and Evaporusting parts.

 

[69 GTX]

Doing the same stuff myself. Looks great.

 

[dadsbee]

Accidentally painted the steering column retainer plate to correct factory standards! The run will stay...

Washed horn pad with soap and a toothbrush last night. Then noticed it was covered in blue fleck from a previous sloppy paint shops work.. either 1988 or 1979. Daringly used a worn green scotchbrite pad while wet and it cleaned up nice without scratching. Finished it off with an old '80's can of the Tannery.

Pliobond, used to glue aircraft crankseals into the case. Only because I have it... and couldn't find my regular contact cement.

I know myself too well, pad totally covered with tape.

One side of each spoke and the center hubs glued and clamped.

RPM'ng the steering shaft section that protudes from the column.

Knuckle and roll pin RPM'd. Pin started.. as you'll have fun trying it once on the car.

 

[dadsbee]

Mixed up some plastic welder and sucked into a syringe.

Injected the shear pin holes, with a scrap of aluminum blocking the other side.

Looks just like original. Will clean the smears off when it's hard.

Not that I plan to be judged, but if you are (and I don't know which is correct) here is the 11/32" PVC/booster hose I removed from days of old (slightly bigger O/D than repro), the Gates date coded (Jan '69) hose from Year One and the same date coded hose I got from National Moparts yesterday. Shows slightly different letter font and spacing

Hoses installed.

Just another engine shot...

 

[69 GTX]

Very nice.

 

[dadsbee]

THANKS! Just plugging away at the little things it seems, waiting for the paint on the column parts to cure. Guess I should go get some Shell Premium and see if this thing will still run !

 

[dadsbee]

Inner steering column tube "QC" painted and coated in Cosmoline to duplicate what I found from the factory.

Rummaging though my 4130 scraps for the correct diameter to make a bearing installer.

My "tool" to reinstall the upper steering shaft bearing.

Glued the final three spoke sides today on the horn ring cover.

All ready to see if I can bring this baby back to life. Just need gas...

And a short video verifying I have spark after rechecking my points gap, plug wire firing order, etc.

 

[dadsbee]

Four gallons of Shell Premium and a gallon of 100LL AV gas for the boost and lead. Fuel gauge is working and just above empty with that fuel put into the tank. So lets give her a crank ! Fire in the hole...



Thankfully, just about the time I was done cursing about it, the rocker/lifter knock went away!

I'll take door number two for $100,000 dollars Monty !



Setting the timing. Set at 5* BTC for now and vacuum advance on new distributor working great. Looks like about 35* total at 15" vacuum.



More music from underneath by the ECS OEM correct mufflers.



Looks about right on a 190 thermostat !



Even the clutch works and lets me put it in gear with no noises!

 

[oldbee]

What does it feel like to fire up a car w/o a steering wheel? Lol. Never did that.

 

[dadsbee]

Probably a good thing it doesn't have a wheel, or brakes bled... or I would have been out in the snow doing donuts!!