Introducing "Project Odyssey" a 1972 "Super Satellite"

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I got a little too rough with one of the bronze colored bushings and destroyed it. Fortunately, at Autozone I found a replacement in the "Help" products section that worked out (listed for GM vehicles Door Hinge Bushings - .345 In. Id X .420 In. Od X .305 In. Height ). See foto for part number (#38375):

 

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Restoration Update: Window Mechanisms Everything was good and rusted. Removing the bracket tracks that were attached to the driver and passenger door windows with unique Phillips screws that fit into a large flat "washer" was difficult because they were rusted/frozen together. In the first foto, if you look closely, you can see the Phillips headed screws on each end of the bracket track. The protruding stubby "posts" that are also fastened by Phillips screws are the window stops.

In the second foto are the screws and the unique "nuts" which also incorporate a built in "washer" (nuts on the left side in foto). The round rubbery gaskets in the center of the foto were replaced with new ones that I fabricated from similar pieces I found at ACE hardware (took some trimming and punching out the center hole to make it larger).

 

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With all the parts removed and degreased, Evaporust and various stages of RustOleum paint brought everything back to better than new condition. The first foto actually shows the pieces that pertain to the side rear quarter (rear seat) windows.

 

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I had to fabricate one of the hard "plastic" spacers that fit into the holes in the window panes. The factory spacer is on the left, the piece I modified began looking like the piece in the center of the foto, the finished replicated piece is on the far right (now a perfect match/compliment to the spacer on the far left) I used a Dremel tool.

 

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Quarter window hardware:

 

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More repairs. One of the plastic bushings that slide in the quarter window track needed the little black cylinder glued back on. These type of repairs are a "hit and a miss" deal. These unique parts snap together (foto 3). Sometimes the repaired part falls apart again (foto 4).

 

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Rear quarter window good to go (finally). These '72 quarter windows use a different system of brackets than the '71 quarter windows.

 

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Here you can see how the black plastic "sliders" are positioned in the quarter windows. The bottom/center one (foto one) is missing a small piece, but the window still slides up and down nevertheless. I polished and waxed the yellow paint in the track in order to try and get a smoother action. Springs are used with those funny looking bolts. I don't ever want to do this chore again.

 

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When I affixed the track to the driver's door window, I placed it in upside down. I did not know it was even possible to put it on backwards, but I found a way. With it backwards, when you roll the window up and down, one of the white plastic square "roller's" slips off and out of the track (see foto 2 where the white plastic roller is too far to the left and about to fall out).

 

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Restoration Update: Suregrip Installation Purchased a used suregrip unit for the factory open 8 1/4 differential which has a tag on the cover confirming a 2.71 ratio ring and pinion (foto 1). It appears to be functioning satisfactorily now.

 

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Restoration Update: Monroe Air shocks As an emergency measure to level a fully loaded car for its first road trip, I employed a pair of air shocks. I painted a white "T" on the outside of the shock where it sits without air and painted a white line where the shocks sit with a 2" lift. That way I can tell at a glance the ride level and keep abreast of any air leaks in the system. Shocks have separate fill valves located in both rear corners inside the trunk.

 

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Restoration Update: Dual Side Exhaust Installed two Flowtech "purple hornies" mufflers (18" body with 2 1/4" inlet and outlet) with stock exhaust manifolds. The tail pipes exit in front of the rear tires. Heat riser removed and the shaft hole welded closed. The sound was acceptable at first, but now I am considering the addition of a couple of resonators and maybe an "H" pipe.



Sound byte:

 

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Restoration Update: Windshield/Backlight Frames After the vehicle paint was finished, I found the rust around the glass frame area for the windshield and rear window had not been addressed properly by the body shop. This entailed masking all the new paint, sanding with paper, sponge pads, and Dremel tool; applying Ospho. Finally, various coats of rattle-can spray with RustOleum rusty metal red primer, and a top coat of a RustOleum yellow that is brighter than the Bahama Yellow body color. Then the glass and chrome molding was replaced using modern urethane adhesive (not the factory butyl tape) and new clips. In a couple of areas, the glass technician had to pound on the molding pretty hard to snap it in. I pictured the glass cracking, but it survived (the windshield is new and back glass is "recycled" original.

Fotos show before any body work started and after I finished re-doing the frames (don't have fotos to show how the body shop left the frames after painting the body).

 

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Foto #1: The backlight has some minor light scratches on the driver's side. Foto #2: First local car show (La Paz) was May 14-15, 2016.

 

[ddpsnake]

looking greatttttttttttttttttttt

 

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Restoration Update: Slapstick Cleanup Soaked the slapstick in Evaporust, then RustOleum rust reformer and rusty metal red primer. Painted the console brackets. Replaced the linkage nylon/plastic bushings.

 

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Restoration Update: Viscous Drive Cooling Fan & Shroud A reproduction 22" shroud and a 5 blade Mopar Performance P4120758 fan kit. Glen-ray 22" radiator (now in storage) will eventually replace the aftermarket radiator in the foto.

 

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Restoration Update: Center Console Crack Repairs (2) The BBody consoles have breaks in common locations due to the thin plastic in a couple of places. I wanted to reinforce these areas during repairs by using 1/8" steel auto body fender alignment shims. I cut out one straight rectangular piece and another dog leg piece. I drilled holes in each steel end and corresponding/matching holes in the plastic console. This was to allow the JB Weld to flow through the holes and establish a stronger bond. I used super glue to tack the separated/broken plastic ends together. Then I used zip ties to hold said pieces together while the slow dry JB Weld took hold.

 

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Fotos of the dog-leg shaped repair:

 

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Fotos of the second repair (straight/rectangular reinforcement):