Intro from Montana: '73 2.0L rustoration thread Options

[raynekat]

Nice job on that center cushion Brent.
You've reclaimed your title of chief mad scientist. Ha

[FlacaProductions]

Still fantastic work. Amazing - and it reads like a great novel...ups, downs, triumphs, tragedies and comedies ("Sure, you can still see it if you look for it, but it won't be noticeable, and if anybody does, I'm going to call them a dick.") - I literally laughed out loud.

ANYone interested in turning a wrench on a 914 needs to read this thread - SO many tips.

[bbrock]

Ha! Thanks again guys. Very high praise indeed. I still have battery envy and reading that sentence that Brian quoted hurts to see all the comma splices... but yeah, I'll do it (IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy11.gif)

Also, I'm happy to report that @falcor75 was spot on about the window scraper. I didn't do much else with it but has now stiffened up just enough for smooth window operation. The driver's side was never as much of a problem for some reason. Makes me wonder if there is something left behind from the molding process that evaporates out to make them a little less sticky. Anyway, I'm very happy.

[falcor75]

I was right? I mean, of course I was right !

(can I have that in writing to show my Wife when needed?)

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[bbrock]

I've got a lot of irons in the fire. I got quite a bit done over the weekend despite having a rather large obstacle to work around.



I cut some plastic for the door vapor barriers. After quite a bit of searching, I found the right stuff to stick them to the doors at the local crafts store. Krylon Easy-Tack is supposed to stay permanently tacky and allows repositioning. It matches the adhesive that was used on all the new cars I've had.



I never knew what the flaps on door vapor barriers were for, but someone on the Pelican forum said they are to guide condensation into the door to drain to the outside rather than drip inside the door and ruin the cards.





I've got a few other projects in the works I'll report on when they are done. Here's a peek inside the center console. It continues to amaze me just how far ahead of their time these cars were. How the hell did they know to include a USB charger decades before they were invented? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif) Amazing. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/bye1.gif)

[bbrock]

I've been using this little engineering masterpiece to prop open the frunk. Can you believe I made that myself?



I finally got around to refurbishing the springs. I rigged up this crude spring stretcher to open them just enough to be able to clean and paint. I would have made it prettier if it wasn't just going to be a one time use device.



After media blasting...



SEM trim paint is supposed to be flexible so should work well for the springs. Gloss matches the original finish.



And installed.

[kroelofsen]

Hi Brent, nice work... How did you take of the frunk springs...?

[Specracer]

Just installed mine using a pair of visegrip pliers, grabbing just behind the hook where is it straight, and pull.

Hi Brent, nice work... How did you take of the frunk springs...?

[jaredmcginness]

3 things.

-Love the dog, he is obviously enjoying the car.

-Nice add with the USB - modern problems require modern solutions.

-smart idea to spread and paint the frunk springs.

[mb911]

@bbrock I can't believe how far ahead of me you are now.. Looks very nice..

[Superhawk996]

I rigged up this crude spring stretcher to open them just enough to be able to clean and paint.

Brent, I know that you can appreciate the fact that Chimps & Apes use tools in the wild.

However, the ability to make complex tools and solve complex problems is part of what really seperates humans from chimps. Likewise, humans have the more refined ability to pass along the learned knowledge much more quickly than ape's and chimps. After all isn't that why Al invented the Interwebz, or was that just for sending cute kitten pictures? I digress.

Love the spring puller. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/aktion035.gif) Thanks for helping to move me up the evolutionary ladder, just a bit farther from your average ape smashing a nut with a rock!

[bbrock]

Just installed mine using a pair of visegrip pliers, grabbing just behind the hook where is it straight, and pull.

Hi Brent, nice work... How did you take of the frunk springs...?

Yep, I used a shepard's hook shaped pick to pull the springs with brute force to get them on and off. Of course, you have to set the e-brake and/or block the wheels or you'll just be dragging the car around by the spring.

[ctc911ctc]

You have some vinyl sheet on the side of the car, can you tell me where you got it?

I've got a lot of irons in the fire. I got quite a bit done over the weekend despite having a rather large obstacle to work around.



I cut some plastic for the door vapor barriers. After quite a bit of searching, I found the right stuff to stick them to the doors at the local crafts store. Krylon Easy-Tack is supposed to stay permanently tacky and allows repositioning. It matches the adhesive that was used on all the new cars I've had.



I never knew what the flaps on door vapor barriers were for, but someone on the Pelican forum said they are to guide condensation into the door to drain to the outside rather than drip inside the door and ruin the cards.





I've got a few other projects in the works I'll report on when they are done. Here's a peek inside the center console. It continues to amaze me just how far ahead of their time these cars were. How the hell did they know to include a USB charger decades before they were invented? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif) Amazing. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/bye1.gif)

[bbrock]

Here's a few more pics of the USB charger in case anyone is interested in doing this. I chose a Molex charger ordered from Digikey. This one has a USB-A and USB-C port and is capable of fast charging. There are a few different options for ports.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/media.digikey.com-20845-1585059504.1.jpg)

I made the box by gluing up 1/4" birch plywood and 1/8" hard board. The unit just press fits into the console so it can be easily reversed.



I harvested fabric from the bottom of the original console cushion for a perfect match - unlike the new AA cushion cover that continues to piss me off.



The only mod to the console is a 1/4" hole drilled through the corner for wires to pass. Even there, I pulled back the vinyl so it was unharmed and the hole could be filled with a mixture of sawdust and wood glue if somebody ever wanted to restore the sacred pristine original. Power is supplied by a 22g cable. Molex pins were crimped on the charger end, then fished into the console, then a molex plug clipped on.



The other end got 1/4" AMP dual gender connectors to plug into the volt meter for power take-off.



I included a cubby to store USB adapters and short cables. The rocker switch on the side will be wired as a manual antenna override. My head unit raises the antenna whenever power is switched on to the unit regardless of the music source. That is good from the standpoint of powering up an amp when the unit is on, but means the antenna will be up even when streaming music via Bluetooth. This rocker will let me lower the antenna when it isn't needed.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads/post-20845-1585020991_thumb.jpg)

[bbrock]

You have some vinyl sheet on the side of the car, can you tell me where you got it?

Oh yeah, I keep forgetting to mention this. I bought this stuff based on a tip from another thread and love it. Fantastic stuff! https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MZ102D...=UTF8&psc=1

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com-20845-1585059837.1.jpg)

[bbrock]

@bbrock I can't believe how far ahead of me you are now.. Looks very nice..

@mb911

Ha! Your move to a new house gave me a chance to get ahead, but I'm sure you'll pass me up soon enough! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[dr.tim]

However, the ability to make complex tools and solve complex problems is part of what really seperates humans from chimps.

Ok.. I was VERY close to making this statement.



Brent, friend: If I wasn't aware of your cabin-bound-until-June condition, or the desire to drive it off the lot and not futz with it anymore, I would think you were making projects to prevent completion.

It's going to be a fun summer.

[bbrock]

However, the ability to make complex tools and solve complex problems is part of what really seperates humans from chimps.

Ok.. I was VERY close to making this statement.

Can't help but philosophizing as a biologist a bit here. During my career, I've seen the line dividing humans from everything else moved several times:

- humans are the only species that uses tools - NOPE. Lots of species do.
- humans are the only species with language - CRAZY. It's common in nature.
- humans are the only species that transfers knowledge and culture from one generation to the next. WRONG.
- humans are the only species that make tools. NEIN

Okay, humans are technologically advanced well beyond any other species on earth, but at this point, the only thing I'm willing to say about the difference between me and bonobos is about 1.3% of my DNA - oh, and I swore off picking bits of food out of my poop a couple years ago. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/monkeydance.gif)

[Edit: and I'll add that the bar on other species making "complex" tools to solve "complex" problems keeps changing. The problem solving ability of species from crows to weasels is mind-boggling.]

Brent, friend: If I wasn't aware of your cabin-bound-until-June condition, or the desire to drive it off the lot and not futz with it anymore, I would think you were making projects to prevent completion.

It's going to be a fun summer.

And there are a few more of these projects in the hopper. You got the secret sneak preview of one of them. I can only say, she'll be done when she is done. The punch list is getting shorter though. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

[Superhawk996]

Okay, humans are technologically advanced well beyond any other species on earth, but at this point, the only thing I'm willing to say about the difference between me and bonobos is about 1.3% of my DNA - oh, and I swore off picking bits of food out of my poop a couple years ago. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/monkeydance.gif)

[Edit: and I'll add that the bar on other species making "complex" tools to solve "complex" problems keeps changing. The problem solving ability of species from crows to weasels is mind-boggling.]

I know virtually nothing about what DNA consists of biologically or how it is put together in all the various DNA sequencnes but that 1.3% sure must be important. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy11.gif)

I ain't never seen me no Bonobo use a welder to weld up a spring puller. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/av-943.gif)

I do agree with you though, the animal kingdom continues to amaze me. I wish I could spend more time in it though we have our own kind of animal kindom here in Detroit. Mostly consits of folks like me . . . Rats stuck running on the corporate Hamster Wheel! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

[bbrock]

I ain't never seen me no Bonobo use a welder to weld up a spring puller. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/av-943.gif)

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/1.bp.blogspot.com-20845-1585070213.1.jpg)