My $300 a month budget 69 RR project (AKA, Wholly crap, what did I get myself into)

[GearAddict]

just in case you didn't know, reverse isn't synchronized, so some gear grinding is expected if you put it in too quickly
water leak may be the wiper pivot seals dried up
wiper motor may need the ground cleaned

Thanks Dave... I tried looking at the pivot seals after dumping a bucket of water on them and while dried up, I didn't see anything coming through. I may have to test them with a full shower from the hose.

No Synchro's on reverse is a good point, but I'm pretty sure it grinds no matter how fast or slow I try to put it in gear.

Wiper motor ground is new, but I'll go back and check it.

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Hey Scott,

Nice to hear you got your fuel leak addressed. I will again (briefly) get on my soap box: If you don't have a fire extinguisher in the car, GO OUT AND BUY ONE NOW!!! It is cheap insurance... :icon_thumright:

OK, off the box: First, with your transmission woes: Trust me, I feel your pain, and mine isn't even drivable yet. The worst part is, mine WAS OK and I screwed it up because of a dumb mistake (I should have known better...). There are some nice kits out there. If you intend to drive your car a lot on the highway, maybe look into an overdrive. Passon Performance has a kit that lets you rebuild your trans into a "Hemi" 18 spline overdrive unit. Might be where I go with my transmission soon.

As far as some of the other problems: I agree with Basket Case, in many cases things might be simple fixes. It seems to be human nature to immediately assume the complex fixes, and very often the fixes are simple. It always makes sense to start looking at the simple things to rule them out. Especially with electrical gremlins, grounds are almost always one of the first things to check. I can't tell you how many times I have kicked myself after finding the simple problem after hours of chasing complex stuff...

Hang in there and work out the issues to get the car "sorted" as Ed from Wheeler Dealers would say. You are in the home stretch!

Hawk

I hear ya on the fire extiguisher. I keep 2 in the garage, but probably not a bad idea to have one in the vehicle as well.

I have been looking longingly at the Passon kit for the past 2 days... Anyone know hard hard/easy it is to do? I've never tinkered in a manual trans before.

"Get it sorted" is exactly the mode I'm in..thanks for the encoragement.

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Scott, old cars are a test mate, and so far you keep passing!!

Can't wait to hear the results of your new exhaust...

Thanks Frank, It doesn't feel that way sometimes, but much like my guitar playing, "I'm not talented....I'm just persistant."

Just got a call from the exhaust shop...after several delays they say it's done. On my way to pick it up in a few hours.

 

[GearAddict]

Just got back from the exhaust shop (Mad Hatter in Tampa if anyone is curious). I think they did a good job and the car sounds great. It has a nice throaty sound outside and is soooooo much quieter inside. The idle evened out a bit too with the crossover (perception at least).

They custom made the pipes from the header back to the mufflers, I supplied the the H-Pipe and everything from the mufflers back to the tips. Cost was $300.



I took a video for the sound...now I just have to figure out how to post it.

 

[Basket case]

double check your clutch adjustment if reverse and first are grinding. I had to run a separate ground for my truck wiper motor.
that exhaust looks good!

 

[MT_Mopar]

Looking awesome Scott! Nice exhaust, lets hear that video!

 

[62 Dart Convertible]

I took a video for the sound...now I just have to figure out how to post it.

Looks good mate!

Just upload clips to Youtube and paste link into "insert video" pop up.

 

[Ron 73]

That sounds like more then a decent cost on your exhaust, She looking good for sure!!!

 

[GearAddict]

Ok, so not the best video at all. I'll take another one when I can get someone to rev her up but here's initial vid.

[video=youtube;zdAZRDH5ec0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdAZRDH5ec0&feature=youtu.be[/video]

 

[GearAddict]

Here's the rest of the same clip, tried to show difference of interior vs exterior volume, but hard to really tell on video (get to see my dirty interior, stray wires and all)... also gives close p of the sound directly at the tips.

I should also say that I now hear a bunch of little noises I will have to address (exhaust leak at the gasket between head and header and others).


[video=youtube;9nVL5bbLj_o]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nVL5bbLj_o&feature=youtu.be[/video]

 

[GearAddict]

Silence? Lay it on me guys... I can take it. Video doesn't tell the story? Exhaust sounds thinner than expected?

I can say I wanted quiet in the interior, but I didn't expect it to be so subdued. It is a major difference from the Flowmasters that were throaty as he'll be you couldn't come close to talking to someone in the cabin. I think if I had to do it over agin I might go with the Ultraflows or even Flowmasters. I think the big difference came from extending the tips to the rear and the H-pipe. The sound in the clip when I come around the side of the car is sooo much quieter and thinner than expected and also shows that I have a few other things to take care of like exhaust leak at header. The engine went from roaring beast to a lot thinner sounding which I didn't expect (everywhere except at the tail pipes, where it sounds great IMHO).

 

[62 Dart Convertible]

Hey Scott, still sounds plenty loud enough for my taste, though I've only got a clip to go on. That 509 cam sure is lumpy!

 

[Basket case]

I like it!

 

[GearAddict]

Thanks guys... after having it for a few days now, my take on it is that it's quieter inside than I thought it would be, but that is not a bad thing. The sound at the tips is great. I'm very happy.

It's amazing all of the things that I wasn't hearing with the old exhaust as loud as it was... # 1 is that there is something very wrong in the tranny set-up. It make noise with the car idling in neutral it's like a light scaping noise and the idle drops about 50 RPM (compared to when the clutch pedal is depressed). I have no idea what is causing it as I a manual transmission challenged. Also there is a bad rubbing sound that happens 50% of the time when the clutch is disengaged (pedal depressed). I assume this is the clutch rubbing on the flywheel?

Also, now noticing a slight gear whine from the diff.. I'll drain and replace fluid soon.

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Hey Scott, still sounds plenty loud enough for my taste, though I've only got a clip to go on. That 509 cam sure is lumpy!

Lumpy is right! You shoulda heard it when it had the true dual exhaust on it... it was Uber Lumpy! It smoothed out considerably with the new exhaust.

 

[Basket case]

the rubbing noise when the clutch depressed, and the grinding going into first and reverse all tell me to check your clutch adjustment.

 

[Photon440]

That, or a problem with the throw-out bearing.

 

[Basket case]

agreed

 

[Propwash]

Sounds like a real muscle car should sound Scott. Sounds like it means business!

 

[GearAddict]

Thanks for the feedback guys and the help on the tranny. I'm thinking the Throwout bearing is indeed the issue. I also think the pilot bearing might be toast.

 

[Ron 73]

I don't see how i could stay out of that one if it were mine! That sounds mean and i do hope you find the gremlin keeping you out of it, All the work and it seems there is always a problem somewhere when its buttoned up to hit the streets, that was a beauty to me when you started... Great ride for sure!!!

 

[GearAddict]

Started Re-upholstering the rear bench this weekend. Other than the extreme annoyance of running out of hog rings half way through the job and then realizing that no brick and mortar stores, open this weekend, have them in stock.... all is going well

The seats are not original to the car and were out of a Sport Sat I think

I got the bottom seat done and I think it came out good. You can thank my wife for the pictures as for some reason she got a kick out of the fact I was doing upholstery and decided to document it.

 

[Basket case]