Instead we removed the stabilizer bar (we’ll need to replace the bushings and bolts), the strap retaining the fuel tank (nothing broke), and the fuel tank itself. Since it was above freezing (TYL), we filled the tank with water and watched it escape through a dozen or so tiny rust holes. This tank won’t be reused. Thankfully, I’d kept Two-tone’s tank. I pulled it out of storage and we filled it with water, only discovering one tiny hole. That’ll easily be closed off with the sealant we’ll be using to coat the tank’s interior.
Leaving the tank in the sun to dry, we moved on to the rear bearings. Starting on the left side, we discovered that some of the pieces (guard and deflector) were missing, so I pulled a GUP rear axle assembly from my stash and we proceeded to tear down the bearing. With the bearing exposed, I set Mikhaila to cleaning with brake cleaner while I tore down the left side. This assembly, fortunately, had all its pieces. When both sides were thoroughly degreased, we packed and reassembled using synthetic grease. Getting the retaining rings in were the trickiest (and most frustrating part of the job).
The other big job we completed was taking inventory of my boxes of GNPs and GUPs. I’ve inherited a couple collections of parts as well as parted out a few Corvairs over the years and never did a good job documenting what I’ve actually got on hand. It took a couple hours to go through the boxes with me dictating part names (or Clark’s numbers when they were available on the original packaging) while Mikhaila typed them into a word file. The list (minus a number of big, loose parts like engine block halves, heads, cranks, manifolds, etc. numbered over two-hundred-fifty items. Prior to starting this exercise, I filled a wheelbarrow and a garden cart with parts and pieces I’d never use. These were hauled to the curb and, minutes after posting a “curb alert” ad on Craigslist, were gone.
With a couple significant house projects basically dealt with, I spent yesterday out in the driveway. After installing a couple lowering shackles on the rear of the truck, I turned my attention to Glinda. With the air cleaner off, I did the hand-over-the-carb-rev-the-engine thing and that seemed to help (but not completely fix) the rough running.
Next, I backed her up onto my new ramps and with Mikhaila’s and the lovely Loriann’s help, I made some adjustments to the clutch linkage and got rid of the annoying catch (clunk). Something associated with the clutch fork was dragging up in the bellhousing. It would let go about the same time the clutch would engage. To get rid of it, I moved the two clevises (I checked, the plural of clevis is not clevi) about an inch each on their associated threaded rods. Clunk gone; me happy.
Finally, I installed the carb top spacers that had been floating around since they failed to work right on Lucy nearly four years ago (see photo).
I notched the two PVC adapters to clear the ribs on the carb tops and applied small foam tape to fill in the small gap between the adapter inside diameters and the carb outer diameters. The smaller end of each adapter fit snugly on the bosses at the ends of the air cleaner crossover. Instead of using the J bolts to retain the crossover, I used zip-ties through the same holes. To take up the new gap between the air cleaner’s underside and the mounting surface of the support, I cut a piece of ½ inch PVC. To extend the threaded rod that captures the cleaner’s cover, I welded two ¼-20 nuts together (I love using my welder). The upside of all this is smoother flow of the air coming into the carburetors since the right angle turns have been moved a couple inches above the inlets.
This morning I drove Glinda to work, and the rough running is still there, but not nearly as bad. As I pulled into the parking lot at work and down-shifted, the aforementioned clunk was there again. Irr. Guess a little more adjustment is necessary. Irr again.
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