The pics were bigger earlier, that's weird.
The whole carburetor is factory original 1973, never been touched. Unfortunately, it's a Motorcraft, and the general consensus is to toss it in the trashcan. My Dad is rustling me up a Carter AFB (which was stock on AMC's through 71 or 72).
Ok. After struggling to figure out where the brake fluid in the PT Cruiser went (no idea, but it's gone, both pads and shoes look great, lots of life left in both) I spent the remainder of the time in the garage thinking. Pondering. I need some help with that.
The rear suspension. I have been advised against adding the reversed leaf into the spring pack. I still wait it lower, so we're back to Nicks idea of flipping the axle once I add a leaf to add spring rate and ride height. Either that or add the leaf and then have someone re-arch the spring for me.
I was going to flip the front bracket, which, if I do nothing else (don't add any leaves), will lower the truck, probably roughly the amount I am looking for. If I flip them upside down I will also have to switch them L for R. I ran into a problem, though. The frame has a crease in it lining the sides of the non symmetric-in-the-vertical-plane bracket which would preclude easy flipping. See below.
Now, let's face it. I could leave it alone. I was looking forward to the more advantageous roll center I would enjoy as well as the overall drop it would get me. Remember I am looking for only 3-4 inches in the rear. If I added a leaf which would leave the ride height more or less alone and then flipped this bracket, I would be golden. I may look online to see if anyone makes a bracket that would work here, because I am not comfortable with my fabrication skills in this critical of a region.
I could cut out that section of frame and put it somewhere else, but that would mean cutting the frame most of the way in half, and it isn't worth doing that.
The dashboard.
The dashboard has these awful slots on the curve. See below.
Now, this is what goes there stock.
The dashpad is like $100 and it's SUPER UGLY.
Here is what some people did.
To me, it looks better than stock, like GM should have put it there. What say ye? It's a lot of work, and I'd guess I would have a lot of tin snipping and welding to do.
The manifolds.
Stock, my truck.
They be ugly.
Here is what they can look like cleaned up, as given by a Corvette example.
I am not sure how to fit the center dump style, it looks about impossible. Here is what I'd like, though, if I were able to make them fit.
For this I am leaning towards the stockers. What say ye?
Stockers on the manifolds. Get em coated white or cast blast or something.
I'd also stick with the padded dash. Having survived an accident with a metal dash car, I'll never own another non-padded one again. Maybe have a custom pad made?
Whoa whoa whoa. Let's back up to that 'salt flats' thing for a minute... elaborate please? Need an idiot to go in with you?
About those manifolds, Eastwood sells something called Calyx that's supposed to be the shizznit on cast iron manifolds. No real prep needed, just knock the big chunks off with a wire brush and then rub it on with a rag. To me the stuff looks like anti seize.
PT Cruiser brake fluid loss: check the booster, see if it's got fluid in it. The master cylinder rear seal can go bad and the booster will suck the M/C dry. Seen that a few times. The fix is a new M/C and turkey baster to get the fluid out of the booster.
Sometimes if you look at the joint between the booster and M/C you'll see where the brake fluid has made the paint bubble, that's a dead giveaway. Yeah, it's a beeyotch to see that area on a PT, maybe a mirror held by one of your many minions will help? 
those rams horn manifolds seem to work best when waffle-housed:
- SMOOTHED with abrasive
- COATED with ceramic
- MOUNTED upside-down
- TOPPED with turbochargers
oh, and curmudgeon is spot on re. booster sucking fluid past MC rear seal
Thanks guys, I'll check on the master/booster interface.
No turbochargers for this one just yet, Pat, unless you want to fund them. It would be a great call to rebuild this thing with forged pistons and good rods and run 10 psi on stock compression and heads, but that's a bit off for now.
OK, manifolds stay. What about the leaf spring mount and the dashboard?
I can move the mount up maybe an inch by itself, but that hardly seems worth it. I am going back to not wanting to flip the axle, it would loose me too much suspension travel (more than the ride height drop).
The salt flats thing is a story for another time. A coulda shoulda woulda thing...
Curmudgeon wrote: PT Cruiser brake fluid loss: check the booster, see if it's got fluid in it. The master cylinder rear seal can go bad and the booster will suck the M/C dry. Seen that a few times. The fix is a new M/C and turkey baster to get the fluid out of the booster.
Nailed it. Nice work!
Javelin wrote: I'd also stick with the padded dash. Having survived an accident with a metal dash car, I'll never own another non-padded one again. Maybe have a custom pad made?
I am getting three point belts, I don't think the padded dash is being considered from a safety perspective.
If the PT cruiser master cyl is the same as a 2005 neon srt-4 I have one you can have for the cost of shipping.
bgkast wrote: If the PT cruiser master cyl is the same as a 2005 neon srt-4 I have one you can have for the cost of shipping.
Drat! I already ordered it. I actually think it's not, the rear drum vs disc matters I think. I may take those front shocks off of you though.
The truck is rotated in the garage. Pictures to come...
Glad I was able to accomplish something today.
The dash padding is there for flailing arms etc as much as anything else.
I spent most of tonight making this
To compliment these
But I did get the truck switched around with neighbor Jimmy and neighbor Matt. Here she is, facing the wrong way.
And here is some of what I am up against on this side.
Rear bedside (just the lower part)
At least the front of the inner fender is fine, there was no battery over this part, unlike the other side.
The back of the front fender needs to be replaced, and I cannot find the patch panel... uh oh.
Cab corner, notice the bondo thickness
Floor and rocker panel
Cab corner and rocker panel
A lot of work to do, and one patch panel to find. Then the roof. Also filling in the gas filler.
Know anyone that wants a behind-the-seat tank or an older iffy set of door panels? They are taking up space.
I think I'll start with the bedside first, it's easy.
Curmudgeon wrote: Whoa whoa whoa. Let's back up to that 'salt flats' thing for a minute... elaborate please? Need an idiot to go in with you? PT Cruiser brake fluid loss: check the booster, see if it's got fluid in it. The master cylinder rear seal can go bad and the booster will suck the M/C dry. Seen that a few times. The fix is a new M/C and turkey baster to get the fluid out of the booster. Sometimes if you look at the joint between the booster and M/C you'll see where the brake fluid has made the paint bubble, that's a dead giveaway. Yeah, it's a beeyotch to see that area on a PT, maybe a mirror held by one of your many minions will help?
1) Salty Flats. I was the idiot that was supposed to go in on it with him. We even bought each other copies of the rule books as Christmas presents, unbeknownst to each other. Then I decided to take a job 3 very large states away. :-(
2) Booster. I had a Volvo Amazon with a factory booster as an option. Was having the same brake fluid loss issues tuna was having with his PT. I replaced the vacuum hose with a clear tube and with the hood up, I could see brake fluid getting sucked through the tube when I pressed the brakes. Ha!
Okay, haven't checked this on the home computer for a little while, and can't see photobucket pictures at work (berkeley filters).
Spring brackets: What about grinding those dimples off and flipping as previously planned? Make (or have someone make) you a pair of 3/8" doublers to weld to the backside of the frame where you took metal off, flip the brackets, bolt through the frame and doulber, rejoice.
Seat belts/Dashpad: I'm not sure I'd care if I did have 3 points. If I can touch it, I can whack the E36M3 out of myself on it in a violent rollover. 3 points may prevent me whacking my head on it, but the danger is still there. Not that the dash pad is necessarily going to prevent whacking of body parts. They are expensive, they aren't particularly pretty when they're in good shape, and they do have a tendency to crack and subsequently look really bad.
Exhaust: For the record, the "flip 'em and run twin turbos" idea gets my vote. I'm running a set of El Cheapo brand headers from Summit. Bit of a pain to get installed (have to raise the engine a couple inches), but they look nicer than the originals and are significantly lighter. If you do that, I'd suggest getting a nice enough set that you can justify getting them ceramic coated; mine have burned the paint of and are getting a tad rusty.
Keep up the momentum. Couple of weeks worth of oatmeal breakfasts and we'll be done with the drivers side and on to the roof. 
OK, I appreciate all of the concern for my safety, but...
/Rant on
I am giving up nearly ever semblance of safety when I am going to drive this thing. Older cars and trucks are not nearly as safe as newer ones, ever, no matter what. Unless it's got a cage and a harness and I have a helmet, it's not going to be remotely close to the safety I get out of a general 2000+ car. VCH disagrees, and I don't intend for this thread to get delrailed upon that. Essentially, other than three point belts, nothing safety related is happening here. It's a motorcycle.
/rant off
Now get creative and tell me which looks the best!
I have an idea regarding the frame dimples. If I can get my hands on an acetylene torch I'll bet I can heat it up and pound it flat and then get to work.
I was looking for gloves and I found this. Nice.
Tomorrow I'll find all left hand gloves.
Then I hacked away a giant part of the bedside.
I am having trouble with the flange making tool from Eastwood. It sucks. See this.
I don't know if this is something I can fix, if there is a real flanging tool I can buy, or if flanging sucks and it'll never work. The reason I am trying this is to try the process out before I get to the roof, where I will absolutely need it. Any thoughts? Please? I can spend money here to make life good.
So I decided to cut out a lot of the panel, because the thing looked like the surface of the frickin moon and I'l not THAT good with a hammer and dolly.
Here is the patch panel sitting, rather unsatisfactorily, in place.
tuna55 wrote: I was looking for gloves and I found this. Nice.
Classic! I can do this even though I only have 2 pairs of gloves. 
I just don't like the looks of all-steel dashes no matter what. Even if you don't pad it, can you do something cool? Tuck and roll vinyl? Naugahyde diamond pleating? Microfiber/suede? Hell, it doesn't even have to be a textile. Brushed aluminum trim? Engine turned stainless?
Nice garden boxes BTW. We need a "Grassroots Gardensports" thread...
Javelin wrote: I just don't like the looks of all-steel dashes no matter what. Even if you don't pad it, can you do something cool? Tuck and roll vinyl? Naugahyde diamond pleating? Microfiber/suede? Hell, it doesn't even have to be a textile. Brushed aluminum trim? Engine turned stainless? Nice garden boxes BTW. We need a "Grassroots Gardensports" thread...
OK, define "something cool" - I am open to ideas. Make it look somewhat period.
Garden boxes were fun, now on to the rock and sand for the surrounding areas and to put up the silly cheapo pool my wife bought on sale last year.
Steam-formed veneer plywood to fit the contour of the dash and cover the slots?
I like the idea of fat diamond pleating. I dunno if that'd match the rest of the truck though.
I'm not going to argue with you about safety. I don't even really disagree with you. Not sure where you got that idea. Especially about a 1972 General Motors pickup. It's a rolling coffin. I feel much safer in one of my older Volvos. ;-)
I like the "heat it up and bang it out" idea.
A nice piece of brushed aluminum would trick out the dash nicely. Although honestly, the pad doesn't look as ugly as some I've seen. And it's a helluva lot less work than filling up the holes.
tuna55 wrote: I was looking for gloves and I found this. Nice.Why not butt weld the panel? Tomorrow I'll find all left hand gloves. Then I hacked away a giant part of the bedside.
I am having trouble with the flange making tool from Eastwood. It sucks. See this.
I don't know if this is something I can fix, if there is a real flanging tool I can buy, or if flanging sucks and it'll never work. The reason I am trying this is to try the process out before I get to the roof, where I will absolutely need it. Any thoughts? Please? I can spend money here to make life good. So I decided to cut out a lot of the panel, because the thing looked like the surface of the frickin moon and I'l not THAT good with a hammer and dolly.
Here is the patch panel sitting, rather unsatisfactorily, in place.
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