[sammons]

Thanks Tom. I've kind of strayed away from looking for 2nd gen Camaro/Firebirds for fear i couldn't get out of them. Have been searching for Monte Carlo/Chevelle/Elcamino instead.  Luckily they sit a little higher than i was thinking, a heck of a lot higher than C3 Vettes.

Tom got me my new Ign switch lastnight, but the rest of the locksets haven't come in yet. Did some trading for a new 800cca 6yr warrenty Battery, those got expensive.... this would have cost $225.🤯 Gonna drop oil and drain overnight. Then Tom told me to put plug back in and pour a half gallon mix of Marvel Mystery oil and gasoline, (qt down each valve cover) and let set overnight before draining that. He said he would then pull all my spark plugs and spray down the cylinders before we try and start it. He grabbed me a gallon of Delvac 15/40 diesel oil and another qt of Marvel to do the fire up to clean things good during the wake up. 🤞

I checked current price on the 3 bags of Soft Seal weather strips that were in the trunk, (roofrail surround L&R, door L&R, and trunk) $214.

[sixball]

That is pretty darn nice! Unmolested and clean. Good find.

I finally got the Kubota steering box back together today. Hope to get it all working tomorrow. It has been the hardest small repair I have done in a long time. Probably doing it without removing the whole steering column and box was not the best way. It was certainly a test and I'll know soon if I passed. I have a "shop manual" for it but it is almost useless. It basically says take it apart, fix the broken stuff, and put it back together. Nothing about how to do anything.

[sammons]

I'll bet you'll get it all done Sixball. A test of patience😁

Speaking of.... thought i would do a quick rear tire/wheel swap to see if my coupe rears would fit on the back or if i had to get smaller tires. No go, under the center cap its rusted to axle hub
 Sprayed it all down last night with 2 different penetrating sprays, nug nuts loose, dropped down jack half dozen times, shoved car side to side, beat as hard as i could with 2 lb sledge, tried air hammering it. Give up lastnight, resprayed overnight soak. This morn tried again  even hooked p.u. up to wheel and yanked. All i managed to do was scoot car over. I'll let it set that way for couple hours with tension on. Got no torch here to heat it up with. Then give up and wait for Tom next week.

[sixball]

When I bought my '70 Blazer new it had 16 1/2" wheels I hated them and changed them out for regular 15" steel Chevy pickup wheels. Those wheels stuck on the center hole on the rear axles. I had to pound them off with a big sledge.  Every wheel I tried was  the same. One day I'd had enough so I pulled both rear axles and turned the center of the axle where wheels bound down just a bit and all was well. When that reared finally bit the dust I replaced it with a Dana 44 from a GMC 4x4 and there was no issue. It is still in there. I have no idea why the original axle was that way.

I finally got the tractor back together and working. With out a doubt the hardest simple repair I have ever done. It  took all day yesterday to put in 7 of 9 bolts that hold brackets for the throttle and fuel filter. Hard to reach and hard ti see, Could do both at the same time. I lost the other two in the dirt. My magnets could not locate them.  I was able to move the tractor without them and went back this morning with my metal detector and found them. All is well I was dragging weeds this afternoon! 

[sammons]

I had a few tight fitters in the past. This one, just the one wheel. I believe it was from the center cap holding moisture and rust stuck it. The worst i had was my 77 Thunderbird with those factory aluminum fin wheels. I went to put new tires on and both rears had bonded together due to disimilar metal thing. One i finally beat it off from back side pounding sledge with a freind holding a 2x4 on the wheel. The other beating, spray, heat just didn't budge. I left lugnuts light loose, did a couple burnouts and a little wiggle wag down tje block and it finally let loose. Lot of wire brushing and anti-siez going back on.

Glad you got her back together Sixball. Ya that can't make the hands work at certain angles and just going by feel gets harder as a guy gets older and lose dexderity. I'm always moving stuff out of the way to find all the bolts/ screws i lose.

I got the rest of the rear seats cleaned up. The are presentable now. If i have to i do believe they would take well to a redie for the sin fade. I'm finding i am missing way more interior pieces than i thought. Got to make a good list. These dang steering wheels ate the stickiest nasty getting things in the 70s. Had some C10 pickups same. Mine was almost black from the goo. I started with lacquer thinner/ acetone and white wall cleaner. Slow going. Told my neighbor i was about to try gasoline and a match, problem solved. Then i thought about what i said, i hadn't ever tried gas. It worked even better.  When Tom takes it off to replace my ign switch i'll take and clean up the all the nooks and crannys.

[sixball]

That looks a lot better and doesn't have the cracks that go withs old stock steering wheels. Good work there!

Yes this tractor job was a real wakeup call about old failing hands. My guitar playing should have been a hint of what is coming.