1962 Bel Air Bubble Top 409 Project

[Jim Sullivan]

Set the valve lash at manufacturer's specs.
Use a good set of gauges with oil pressure and water temperature.
We use a run stand with a gas tank already mounted, but a five gallon can will work. Plumb a hose through the can's cap(with a return line if needed).
Make sure you have gear oil in the trans, the input shaft will be spinning. You will also need a plug or yoke in the output of the trans to prevent leakage. Make sure the trans is in neutral so the plug or yoke isn't spun out of the trans(may turn a little from gear oil friction).

Keep a good fire extinguisher on hand for initial start up and run in. You shouldn't need it but better safe than sorry.

Starting an engine for the first time is always nerve racking for me. But usually everything goes well as I'm sure it will for you.

Good luck!

 

[CASHguzzler409]

Thanks Jim for the idea's and help. This site is just to good...so helpful with guys that love their cars and motors. I've waited for 53 years to get my
1st 409.... and can't wait to here it run. Great idea about the trans gear oil, ours is dry right now.

 

[CASHguzzler409]

Just had our first color of RED painted on our car. Looks great, what a long wait, 18 months. I do have the same question many have asked before,
does anyone have the codes for the different colors or red on the dash and instrument panel. ? I think the steering wheel is roman red with clear,
but the inst. pannel and forward dash look to be a deeper blood red with a satin finish or dull finish. Tomorrow we put the clear on, should look even better.

 

[62impala409]

You two are doing one hell of a job on that bubble! This is obviously not your first rodeo. Keep the pictures coming.

 

[CASHguzzler409]

The picture of the guy painting is my partner, he's the painter, motor man, body man, and Im just his #2 guy. ITs a lot of fun, and I can't
wait to move to the next step. Thanks for the thumbs up.

 

[oldskydog]

 

[CASHguzzler409]

Thanks OldSkyDog, just what the Dr. ordered. Any one know if they used the dark red on the inst. panel ? then the med. red on all the rest of the dash?
http://www.aeromobil.com/video oldskydog this video is for you above the air guys, but in this case, its, ground & air. Enjoy

 

[oldskydog]

 

[oldskydog]

Thanks OldSkyDog, just what the Dr. ordered. Any one know if they used the dark red on the inst. panel ? then the med. red on all the rest of the dash?
http://www.aeromobil.com/video oldskydog this video is for you above the air guys, but in this case, its, ground & air. Enjoy

Kewl

 

[CASHguzzler409]

Just finishing up with installing exhaust system, and front radiator section. We are going to try starting it soon. We are now into painting the interior
red moldings, but still stuck on shades of red for the dash area. Anyone have the Exact numbers for the 3 red colors. I know, clean up the mess?.......the thing I like most is to sit in the CHAIR and watch the squirrels eat peanuts.

 

[blkblk63ss]

Cash ,don't you mean your enjoy setting on your nut's and watching the squirrel's eat peanut's while your partner is working!!!!!!Just kidding, looking good, what kind of weather are you having there being able to paint?????

 

[62impala409]

What kind of a shop are you two working in??? That partner of yours is pretty special!! You guys are obviously having a good time and doing a hell of a nice job on that Bubble. Keep those pics coming. can't wait to see it come together.

 

[CASHguzzler409]

Thanks 62impala4 & blkblk63SS. My partner like I said at the first of these messages, is single, and he works at his home, he has two garages, and 2 carports, +
a store bought garage, he works everyday on my car. This is what he does for fun and to make money, he's really good, and my best friend. We're both kind of nuts, he lives on the end of a cul-de-sac and his back yard is next to a little stream and woods, he feeds those squirrels everyday, maybe 15 or so of them. Its funny as hell watching him with his sling shot, shoot nuts over the creek, and watch them hunt for them. It fun to watch a guy that can do so much, without little effort . That's called SKILL...Our weather here now is in the mid 40's to low 50's, its been kind of rainy for a while now, which is good, because its warmer. Our winters are pretty nice, rain of course, some snow, a couple times a winter, compared to most of the country its great. What a great site this is, the sharing is un-believeable.
I have the engine and frame at my house, I have a 3 car attached garage, my job is to finish the frame and engine etc. Today is install the driveline.

 

[Tom Kochtanek]

Your situation appears to be a lot like what I experience. My buddy James and I have collaborated on two big projects so far (1962SS and 1962 Belair sedan). He has the talent and tools, I have a lot of enthusiasm and supply the projects and parts. The only difference is neither one of us has good space at our homes to work, especially during the winter months. I do most of my stuff at home in a two car garage (I only get one side, the wife's car is in the main slot) and James lives on a few acres about 20 miles away. We have plans to build a shop at his house at some point in time. Currently I rent space for parking two vehicles, but it's North of town and I don't get out there much. I continue to move forward in trying to build space for myself. Hopefully we can get these buildings done before we get tooo old . I still envy you guys who have lots of space!

Can't wait to hear how your project unfolds!

Cheers!
TomK

 

[CASHguzzler409]

Hey Tom, it does sound like our partner ships are similar. My friend Barry house is a two story house, with a single car garage on one side, and a rec room on
the other side. One night a fellow was way under the influence of drugs or alcohol, tired taking a short cut to the freeway. Barry's house is at the end of a
Cul-de-sac, which is sloped downhill, and his back yard is at the base of the little hill, and at the top of the hill is the freeway. This guy hit a sewer man hole
cover in the front yard of Barry's house, flew some 40 feet in the air and crashed into the basement rec-room, his car was in the house up to its windshield.
Now this guy, gets out of the car, dazed but not hurt to bad, probably is wondering where the hell is the freeway...lol To make a short story out of this,
Barry is a roofer and builder by day, he decides that he's going to turn the rec-room into a large garage, so that is where he works and paints, its big enough for
our rotisserie /with car , with the fenders off. Its kind of cool how he goes from one garage to the other, when she shoots paint in one, he goes and does work on the body in the other garage, waiting for the parts to dry. I'm not sure what would be best, having the car's and no place to work on them, or having a nice big garage, but not enough money to have cars?.... Oh.... a LOAN.... get the garage and the cars....LOL cashless in Seattle

 

[1961BelAir427]

I'm not sure what would be best, having the car's and no place to work on them, or having a nice big garage, but not enough money to have cars?.... Oh.... a LOAN.... get the garage and the cars....LOL cashless in Seattle

I can't answer which is worse, but I can tell you that having the cars and no place to work on them (and not enough money to pay someone else to do the work) is frustrating. I keep wanting to "thin the heard" so I can use some of that income to get a shop built and finish cars, but with all my kids I know I better keep the cars for them. They are sure counting on getting a "cool car" one day.

 

[boxerdog]

Just goes to prove you can't have it all!! At least most of us can't. It is a good thing I don't have a big building because it would be full of projects (and those "deals" you just can't pass up) that would most likely never get done. Even when they are done, there is all of the usual maintenance, batteries, etc.

Maybe if I had been smarter when I was younger.....

 

[62impala409]

I was allowed to build a 700 sq ft shop 10' from my house. If I had more room, I would be dragging home more projects too! I was doing a car every couple years for friends and family. No charge for labor. Got paid in beer. I shut down the restoration work a couple years ago, cleaned the shop and painted the floor. We watch sports and BS out there now.

 

[CASHguzzler409]

There's nothing better than Shop BS, and does usually include a few bubblies. I know quite a few guys that buy or have many cars, none ever get done, but
I guess there happy with just having them. Like you say , even maintenance is money and work, thats why Im down to just 1 car. I think we are pretty
lucky guys to have even one of these cars, The fun comes from wishing, wanting, looking, talking, hunting for that lost forgotten 409, or car. Yeah baby...

 

[blkblk63ss]

Did you sell your Camaro , or is that the one car you are mentioning??????