1967 International COE, Small Adventure

mazdeuce wrote: In reply to oldtin: It's going all the way down for sure. It probably makes more sense to find a running (or at least rotating) motor and start with that, but this is sitting in front of me and it has to come out. Might as well learn what I can.

If they are cheap as some people have quoted earlier, then I'd support picking one up to drop and start sorting through the "use case" for the truck. After all, you've commented else where about the difficulty of having a project car that doesn't drive. Plus grumbling about Finn and a certain 2lMiata OneLap engines

Photo diversion:
are you shooting with the Panasonic in one of the "iAuto" modes?

Yes, most of the shots are in iA+. I was using an older manual lens for a bit but it's not working well. I do better to just grab and snap and put it back down and keep working. I think I need to adjust the depth of field in the menu. It's harder to see what I have until I throw it on the computer. The quality of the pictures is better but it's messing with my work flow.

Can't wait to see where you go with this very very fond memories of one of these.

This is my dad and I doing the heads on the company dump truck (86 IH)

mazdeuce wrote: Yes, most of the shots are in iA+. I was using an older manual lens for a bit but it's not working well. I do better to just grab and snap and put it back down and keep working. I think I need to adjust the depth of field in the menu. It's harder to see what I have until I throw it on the computer. The quality of the pictures is better but it's messing with my work flow.

ok, so doing some reading up, it looks like iA+ is a good starting point. I would suggest that when you're wrenching that worrying about "depth of field" shouldn't be a consideration (unlike the marker light photo, which was {or could be} more considered). Supposedly it's a slider that you can pull up (I think) with a half-press of the shutter button? Set it slightly above the middle before you go out and don't worry about it... although, keep an eye out on reviewing them later 'cause pushing it to take a wider range of stuff in focus will cause it to need to take a longer exposure... which might lead to hand-shake making the image look out of focus... like this one:
(shot at 1/10th of a second, where the one with the seat out is at 1/60th and is a lot more crisp)

A second thing I would suggest is that you look for the "exposure compensation" which is available in iA+ but not iAuto. Before you head out to wrench, I'd suggest trying to pull this down to -1/3 or maybe -2/3. I've pulled down a number of photos, and am finding that when I edit them that I'm having to drop the exposure about that much for it to "look right" to me.

If you've going to be doing a lot of work outside on the COE/Airstream, I've got two more thoughts:
1) Turn on flash anytime you're not inside, or inside the cab. The natural light and leaves means there's a lot of shadow/highlight areas in each image, and the on board flash will help even those out... especially if your within ~7ft of the subject?

2) I think I'll revise my earlier lens advice. I think you out to consider finding a used 14mm f/2.5 panasonic prime lens. It's half the weight of your 14-42, it's about a stop faster, and it takes more common 46mm filters. And you can get them for $120 on ebay, and less than $200 on KEH. All your photos so far are at 14mm on the zoom, so you're comfortable with the "sight picture"... and dropping the size/weight and having to think about zoom might speed up the photos a little bit. Plus, eventually we mightshould look at adding a circular polarizer to your kit... background shots of the COE are picking up a lot of reflections from the surrounding foliage, which a circular polarizer could eliminate.

I can understand the workflow thing. You're used to grabbing the tablet from your back pocket and grabbing a picture, and then uploading/typing everything up on the tablet whenever you've got a free moment. The big camera probably adds three or four steps to that? Perhaps you need a wifi sd card so you can access the camera photos from your tablet?

I realize that it might look like I'm spending your money for you... which I think you and I know that I'm not. But, considering the wider audience... and my observation of your workflow, I'm trying to spitball some ideas for you to chew on to think through better integrating the big camera into your 'familiar' workflow... and in case these idea help someone else that happens along.

In reply to sleepyhead:

Honestly, wearing gloves would help me a ton. Right now I have to walk to the garage and wash my hands in order to pick up the camera and take a picture. Also a tripod would help. You're right with the blurry, I can get the settings I want but can't hold the camera still enough. Huge new respect Tom for all of his recent projects. Being your own photographer for your own projects that you KNOW are going in the magazine is quite the undertaking.
Related to that, I need to slow down. This picture is fuzzy because the sun hasn't come up. Eating breakfast on the fuel tank on Saturday morning. I might have a problem. That's not entirely true, I know I have a problem. I think I've only eaten lunch twice in the week since oldopelguy dropped off the truck. It's a combination of forgetting and simply being too hot/dehydrated to eat before I have to run off and do something else. I'm going to pull the second head today and then I need to do more thinking and less working myself to exhaustion.

Wrap the camera in plastic wrap and shoot with impunity.

I spy a brand spankin' new impact thingy.....when it comes to wrenchin', sure you don't have some Amish in you (aversion to powered tools)?

Need to swap one of those coffees for a Gatorade, or Ovaltine.

From a "systems" point of view... I'd suggest some kind of hydration bag/belt that has a small pocket for gloves/snack and a clip of some kind for the camera (the "peak design" clip that I use is compatible with area tripod heads).

Then again, you seem "anti-murse"... so, bottle, carabiner, chalk bag?

Actually, an inexpensive tripod and either a remote control or a dive bag for the camera might make it easier. Grab the tripod with greasy hands, set, shoot, set aside. No clean up necessary, steady shots, and a place to set the camera. A monopole with something to stand it up in could work too.

In reply to mazdeuce:

Any new pics on the Airstream thread?? just kidding

In reply to 759NRNG:

The hammer impacts really are the proper tool for removing stuck screws, but yes I do like to do things the slow way.

The plan was to take the second head off today. I had to think about how to do that. The alternator is held on by a bracket. This bracket is just attached to the head, but unfortunately this one head bolt is underneath the bracket.
One of the bolts for the bracket is trapped behind the oil filler tube.
As you can see, this unbolts, and should just sort of swing out of the way, except it's firmly stuck in the aluminum timing cover (which might be the only thing other than the pistons that is aluminum) and THAT is trapped by the crank pulley which I can't get off. It's stuck too. It took me a while to realize that although my Craftsman 9/16 wrench didn't fit on the bolt behind the oil filler, I could juuuuust wiggle my thinner Chinese made Harbor Freight wrench back there to crack it loose. Luckily this is the least corroded part of the motor and I could back the bolt all the way out, flex the filler just a bit and get the whole thing off. Oh, and both heads were S T U C K stuck. That whole hammering in razor blades thing came in handy again. After that I went to go visit my friend who did my first One Lap with me. He's moving, so in true GRM form we hung out, said tearful goodbyes, and I raided his garage. I ended up with a box of rollbar padding and a new 2011 dated Cobra Suzuka Pro seat with mounts. I'm going to miss him.

mazdeuce wrote: After that I went to go visit my friend who did my first One Lap with me. He's moving, so in true GRM form we hung out, said tearful goodbyes, and I raided his garage. I ended up with a box of rollbar padding and a new 2011 dated Cobra Suzuka Pro seat with mounts. I'm going to miss him.

I just realized you have an uncanny ability to pick Texan co-driver names
Do you want a tripod or monopod? I got a monopod for free a couple years ago that I don't use. Or I have a tripod that is ok... but has a non-moving section that I don't like very much.

Damn it, now I want to put my Peterbilt 362 cabover on a 5ton 6x6 military truck chassis.

A Peterbilt daycab is high on my list of projects that I want. Maybe I'll graduate to one after this.

In reply to Cotton:

I think I had that Stomper when I was 10. Having a real one would just be... I can't even get my head around it.

For those who don't know them, it was a lot like this (this link says Freightliner; in my head I had a Peterbilt; I don't know how close to accurate any of them were...)

Years ago I bought this motorcycle/transmission lift to work on a motorcycle that never got put back together. I decided to start the day by using it to not drop the diveshaft on my feet. Worked good. Then I disconnected the exhaust from the hangers and dragged out out of the way, the speedometer cable, the parking brake cable, and both shift rods. I tried to pull the shaft off the PTO but I can't quite figure out why it's stuck. I'll get it later. This is also where I had one of the greatest project car moments ever. I found a wasp nest and a dozen wasps BEFORE the wasps found me. They're dead now.
Anyway, I unbolted the transmission mounts pulled the bellhousing bolts and......spent about 45 minutes fighting the fact that I forgot that I need to pull the cover off the bottom of the bellhkusing because otherwise the flywheel hits the cover and things won't pull apart. Not my finest moment.
The motorcycle lift worked for the transmission too. It just slides out under the frame. I made the executive decision that driving the heavy bits to the Grosh was the best way. I could allllllmost pick the transmission up, but since I need the hoist to pick up the engine tomorrow I might as well work smarter. And the engine without a transmission. Kind of a neat thing about medium duty trucks (as explained by oldopelguy) is that they have a big massive crossmember under the transmission, and then a smaller one under the very front of the engine, and nothing under the middle/rear of the engine. A couple of 2x6's are acting as temporary support. Pretty sure I saw that in a manual somewhere. I need a few bolts to screw into the block to attach the hoist, and then three or four bolts off the front of the engine and everything will lift right out. And then I can work in the AC in the Grosh for a little bit. Thank god.
Quick question, I need to remove the clutch and flywheel, it looks like that will be easiest with the engine sitting where it is before I pull it. Is that correct?
The last work for the day was assembling the engine stand. It's taken me a while but I've finally become the kind of guy who needs an engine stand.

Ransom wrote: In reply to Cotton: I think I had that Stomper when I was 10. Having a real one would just be... I can't even get my head around it. For those who don't know them, it was a lot like this (this link says Freightliner; in my head I had a Peterbilt; I don't know how close to accurate any of them were...)

I never had the semi stomper, but now I wish I did. I had half a dozen of the trucks and loved them. Many hours building "tracks" in the yard. Fun times.

I've looked at this picture about 30 times since you posted it. There's just so much going on. The coveralls and the simple toolbox and your dad pointing to exactly what he needs from 10 feet away and you're trying to figure it out from 10 inches. It also shows me how to do a two tone paint job properly on this truck.
Thank you for posting the picture.

Ransom wrote: In reply to Cotton: I think I had that Stomper when I was 10. Having a real one would just be... I can't even get my head around it. For those who don't know them, it was a lot like this (this link says Freightliner; in my head I had a Peterbilt; I don't know how close to accurate any of them were...)

I had one. Those tires have a unique smell, and taste, kinda sweet.

Based on the medium duty truck parts in my shop, you should set the motorcycle lift under the flywheel before you take out the last bolt. My toes curl involuntarily thinking about it dropping off onto them.

With a stuck motor, no better time to pull the flywheel than now. I would first screw one bell housing bolt in on top though, and lever against it with your biggest pry bar into the teeth of the flywheel just once to see if it will move at all.

Where were the wasps hiding? I figured for sure they couldn't make the trip.

In reply to mazdeuce:

I'm glad you appreciate it, I found it a couple years ago and it's got a lot of good memories attached to it.

The two tone is gone now, it faded to the point it looked like a banana slug and people kept calling and having it towed....

It's red now.

But.... If you find any power steering parts I need a box! Otherwise this one will likely be sold off....

Maybe too late for the spark-plug, but in case you are not reading my Healey thread, I am here to tell you that the acetone and acetone mix does what it claims when it comes to busting rusted parts into submission.

In reply to oldopelguy:

Brilliant call on the flywheel cutting my toes off. I will use protection.
All of the crossmembers are C channel except for the one where the front of the rear springs attach, and that one is an upside down U. They were under that. They were also weird skinny black and yellow ones that I don't recognize, so I'm betting they're imports. Again, they're dead now, so all is well.

NOHOME wrote: Maybe too late for the spark-plug, but in case you are not reading my Healey thread, I am here to tell you that the acetone and acetone mix does what it claims when it comes to busting rusted parts into submission.

I have acetone and ATF on my grocery list for tomorrow. All the spinny bits are still stuck, so chemical help is needed. And yes, my ears perked right up when you said it worked.