💟Final resto 1968 BB💟

[Don Rickles]

Originally Posted by Steve_R

Then the ends of the cotter pin should be bent so it can’t slip out, right?

Actually, at the factory only ONE leg of the cotter pins were bent over the top of the castle nut (the other remains straight). This will indicate and it can be assumed that an alignment or changes have been made after leaving the line.

[Kevin68]

Originally Posted by C3C7NIC

Kevin, made a new video just for you. 🫣🥸😂



https://youtu.be/jDc-5jNO7aA?si=goeadgPRAAA-PqyE

As stated, the cotter pin goes through the alignment shims.

When I looked at this second picture I nearly hard a heart attack thinking my frame was cracked (below the cotter pin). I had to go back out to the shop and confirm that it is only a shadow.

Alignment shim and pic from the driver's rear facing outward. Don't let the trailing arm shape confuse you, I have offset trailing arms. You can see the stack of shims between the TA and the TA pocket and where the cotter pin comes out.

Edit: Love the Okie accent. Sounds a little like Tx Panhandle.

[Don Rickles]

You’re going to have a professional do a final alignment, it’s necessary. They will move shims around and set it up after you gave things “close”. It helps if you knew the counts on the original shims but if not don’t worry. Here’s a couple from my ‘72 showing how the factory installed them….Dint remember the year they started adding the large pins but I’d add them to insure the rear shims don’t fall out.

[C3C7NIC]

Originally Posted by Kevin68

As stated, the cotter pin goes through the alignment shims.

When I looked at this second picture I nearly hard a heart attack thinking my frame was cracked (below the cotter pin). I had to go back out to the shop and confirm that it is only a shadow.

Alignment shim and pic from the driver's rear facing outward. Don't let the trailing arm shape confuse you, I have offset trailing arms. You can see the stack of shims between the TA and the TA pocket and where the cotter pin comes out.

Edit: Love the Okie accent. Sounds a little like Tx Panhandle.

From Baltimore actually but lived here since 88.

Moms side if from NC and Tennessee so REALLY have the twang. 🤣

[C3C7NIC]

Originally Posted by Don Rickles

You’re going to have a professional do a final alignment, it’s necessary. They will move shims around and set it up after you gave things “close”. It helps if you knew the counts on the original shims but if not don’t worry. Here’s a couple from my ‘72 showing how the factory installed them….Dint remember the year they started adding the large pins but I’d add them to insure the rear shims don’t fall out.

Perfect picture.


Thank you all so much.

Absolutely 👍 on the alignment. Just have missing parts (sway bar).

[Kevin68]

Originally Posted by Rodnok1

Yes it should be, think they did a quick alignment and didn't bend ends over.
Details details people...
The pin is used to keep the alignment shims from falling down into the frame. Started 68 or 69 using that design of slotted shims.

She doesn't need to worry about losing the shims. the TA pocket isn't open to the kickup or cross member and IIRC, the shims are resting against the frame kickup. The TA pocket is a separate piece that is welded onto the kickup and crossmember.

The pin just keeps them in place if they get loose from, say, a worn TA bushing.

Originally Posted by Don Rickles

You’re going to have a professional do a final alignment, it’s necessary. They will move shims around and set it up after you gave things “close”. It helps if you knew the counts on the original shims but if not don’t worry. Here’s a couple from my ‘72 showing how the factory installed them….Dint remember the year they started adding the large pins but I’d add them to insure the rear shims don’t fall out.

Since she has a '68 and I have and early '68 (11/67 build), I'm going to guess they were on all C3's (I know, you might referring to C2's which share the same basic frame).

If she hasn't already, I'd invest in stainless steel shims. Rickle's top photo shows why alignment people run from these cars. I'm sure it's just surface rust, but those shims are not going to just slide out and the alignment shop is not going to have a shim stack sitting on the shelf.

[C3C7NIC]

Originally Posted by C3C7NIC

Lars will be rebuilding a carb I snagged on eBay yesterday.

He approved it prior to my purchasing it. Having it sent directly to him in CO.

Attachment 99460

On a side note: He added this info. So have to source a 69 choke coil and correct gasket.

Lars;
“If the engine has the correct intake manifold, it will have the "smiley-face" exhaust crossover feature in it. It is absolutely essential that you use the correct, 3-piece gasket "kit" under the carb to avoid exhaust ingestion into the intake manifold and to avoid severe vacuum leaks. I do not provide this 3-piece gasket set with the rebuilds - I only provide the lower gasket with the crossover groove in addition to providing gaskets to accommodate later-year intake manifolds. You will need to make sure you have the correct gaskets, or procure them. Info attached with part numbers and photos.

You cannot use a "correct" '68 choke coil with a non-'68 carb since the coil rotation is opposite. You will need to use a 1969 manifold choke coil, and you may need to do some custom bending and adjustment of the choke rod to make sure it's travel range and operation is correct.“

[LATB]

Originally Posted by C3C7NIC

From Baltimore actually but lived here since 88.

Moms side if from NC and Tennessee so REALLY have the twang. 🤣

I thought that I heard some Bawl-mer in there. I’m from Balto. as well but have lived in the south longer than I lived up there.
The mix of my mid Atlantic accent along with the southernese that I have picked up has most thinking that I’m from Louisiana.

[C3C7NIC]

Originally Posted by LATB

I thought that I heard some Bawl-mer in there. I’m from Balto. as well but have lived in the south longer than I lived up there.
The mix of my mid Atlantic accent along with the southernese that I have picked up has most thinking that I’m from Louisiana.

Bawl-mer. lol.


Only thing I miss is the seafood and family. Grew up on the gunpowder river and our house overlooked I-95. Some good memories but that place has gone to hell.

[C3C7NIC]

Even sanding some runs and sags out of the vette.

Have done a little of this before so know the “basics”. Staying away from edges.

Going slow, wet sanding with 800 on a small paint stick. Then working to 2000 block.

[Steve_R]

Mmmmm, wet sanding. Fun. I’ve sanded my fingerprints smooth several times.

Are the runs & sags in the clear coat I hope? Runs & sags are a sign of a bad painter.

[DDSLT5]

My biggest regret is not upgrading the standard column to a tilt column on my 69. The damn wheel sits absurdly low. I'll have to do the upgrade at some point, despite the massive pain in the ass it is to remove the column to upgrade it. Makes it livable - easy ingress/egress.

[C3C7NIC]

Originally Posted by Steve_R

Mmmmm, wet sanding. Fun. I’ve sanded my fingerprints smooth several times.

Are the runs & sags in the clear coat I hope? Runs & sags are a sign of a bad painter.

Yes, 5 coats of clear. It’s only on the very bottom/underside and probabaly won’t ever be seen….

Originally Posted by DDSLT5

My biggest regret is not upgrading the standard column to a tilt column on my 69. The damn wheel sits absurdly low. I'll have to do the upgrade at some point, despite the massive pain in the ass it is to remove the column to upgrade it. Makes it livable - easy ingress/egress.

Seems to be a common upgrade, but I’m 5’6, petite female. Zero issues with getting in and out.

[LATB]

Originally Posted by C3C7NIC

Bawl-mer. lol.


Only thing I miss is the seafood and family. Grew up on the gunpowder river and our house overlooked I-95. Some good memories but that place has gone to hell.

Truth.
I was born in the city but grew up in Baltimore county (Parkville). It was a great place to live in the 1960’s and 70’s. Even the 80’s, buy our last few visits were sad.

I remember in the 60’s/70’s the blacks crying about not having representation in the local government.
So now that the place is run by black folks it sure has improved

[LATB]

Originally Posted by C3C7NIC

Seems to be a common upgrade, but I’m 5’6, petite female. Zero issues with getting in and out.

That’s a tall “petite” lady. Big fan of petite brunette ladies. I got lucky and married one.

[Kevin68]

Originally Posted by LATB

That’s a tall “petite” lady.

I think she meant she is taller than average and not a fatty.

[C3C7NIC]

Got headlights installed. Need get them perfect but at least installed.

Since most of the front grille brackets are missing and not installed yet it wasn’t too terrible of a job. Tim did the driver side all by himself while I was gone. I helped him with the passenger side and we knocked it out pretty quickly.

One more thing checked off the list.

[C3C7NIC]

While I’m here.

Lars got the carb rebuilt and mailing it out this week. $510 for rebuilt $75 eBay quadrajet (later carb).


Found out DUB already has petronix installed. Lars is NOT A FAN. Prefers the distributor and points.


Also he strongly encouraged against electric choke and recommended 69 coil choke.

Wish I could get 2 people to be on the same page. Fuggin car guys are like doctors. You talk to 3 of them you’ll get 3 opinions. 😝

Know Lars is the guru, so trust him.

Just want a car that is dependable and as low maintenance as possible. (For a 50+ yr old car).

[Mick]

Originally Posted by C3C7NIC

Found out DUB already has petronix installed. Lars is NOT A FAN. Prefers the distributor and points.

Did he say why? Like I said above, I'm currently running a Mallory infra-red unit, which is my first experience with conversion to electronic ignition, so wondering why he doesn't like it.

FWIW: when I was young and didn't have shit for money, for years I drove VW Beetles as my every day and road trip cars that all had points ignition. I never had a problem I couldn't fix roadside with the spare points and condenser in my glove box (the ones I took out at the last engine service), so although I spent some time under the deck lid with a flashlight, nothing worse than that ever happened.

Also he strongly encouraged against electric choke and recommended 69 coil choke.

I have run both on various cars over the years, and once I got them adjusted right, I don't remember any problems with either. So again, if he expounded on why, I would be interested to hear.

[Newby]

Originally Posted by C3C7NIC

While I’m here.

Found out DUB already has petronix installed. Lars is NOT A FAN. Prefers the distributor and points.

Wish I could get 2 people to be on the same page. Fuggin car guys are like doctors. You talk to 3 of them you’ll get 3 opinions. 😝

Know Lars is the guru, so trust him.

Just want a car that is dependable and as low maintenance as possible. (For a 50+ yr old car).

Arguably, the most dependable and problem free ignition system ever was the GM Hei. It was designed to be problem free.
It was a Godsend back in '74. Cars would actually start in below 0° temperatures.
Originally, there were some quirks with the modules, but that was corrected decades and decades ago.
There was a guy in Nevada that converted points distributers to signal a remote mounted hei module. It still kept the points distrib look. Mounting the module inside under the dash wasn't uncommon.

I wouldn't think twice about this.