Hot Rod Forum banner

The "What Did You Work On Today" thread

3M views 36K replies 388 participants last post by  cerial 
#1 ·
4 hour work day for me at the shop. Used the time to do a valve body swap on a '01 Jetta 1.8t auto .... I successfully installed a transbrake on the car .... that however wasn't my intention.

Its in 2 gears at once in park, all other gears (R/N/D/2/1) are forward gears.... they all seam to be first gear.

I have it torn back down most of the way. Tuesday I'll actually get the VB back out and see whats up.... but part of me wants to take it out for a test drive the way it is just for the fun of it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: drive til its broke
#1,741 ·
I had a really important project tonight. Ever since I got my new fence a month ago I didn't have a place to put my beer when I opened the garage door. :D



I did get something done on the car, I sprayed the inside of the doors and quarters with cavity wax.

Brian
 
#1,743 ·
Beautiful Henry, BEE-UUU-TEEE-FULL I am not real fond of the color, it almost looks like Omaha Orange (the color of the Cal-Trans trucks) but what a beautiful job you guys did on that!

Brian
 
#1,745 · (Edited)
I like the orange. It looks great on that car.

Today, the same as yesterday and the day before and the day before. Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap........shrink, shrink, shrink, shrink, tap, tap tap.

Took a few minutes though and slit a piece of 1/4" brake line and slipped it over the hood opening rim.
 

Attachments

#1,746 ·
I like the orange. It looks great on that car.

Today, the same as yesterday and the day before and the day before. Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap........shrink, shrink, shrink, shrink, tap, tap tap.

Took a few minutes though and slit a piece of 1/4" brake line and slipped it over the hood opening rim.
Hey Pugs; Three questions

How did you finish the weld so nicely where you added the reinforcement band?

What method did you use to split the brake line?

How are you going to attach the brake line to the reinforcement band?

Every time you post a progress report, I am in aahh of what you are doing.

John L
 
#1,747 ·
Hey Pugs; Three questions

How did you finish the weld so nicely where you added the reinforcement band?

What method did you use to split the brake line?

How are you going to attach the brake line to the reinforcement band?

Every time you post a progress report, I am in aahh of what you are doing.

John L
Thanks John.

The key to getting a good finish on butt weld panels is simply to make sure the panels are dead flush before welding them up. I add filler rod so its higher than the surrounding metal and then grind it down flush. If it caves in from welding, I knock it up with a hammer on the end grain of a 2x4 to get it crowned up for grinding. After grinding, it can be brought back down level and stretched as required.

I slit the line using a 4-1/2" zip cut disc. I buy the thinnest ones I can find. I just stuck the line in the vice and only cut the part that was sticking out of the vice of coarse.

Attaching the line is a problem. I thought about using s/s line to help with rust bleeding out and down the rim. The only problem is that sliding the line onto the rim will scrape off the epoxy primer in spots and may still lead to bleeding rust. May have to stick to plan A and weld a s/s or steel rod on top of the rim.
 
#1,748 ·
Very cool stuff Pugsy!

Tonight I got my first interior panel on. Took two trips to the hardware store (forgot my wallet :drunk:) for screws but I got it on! I had to sit inside and open and close the door and make vroom vrooom sounds. :D

Brian

 
#1,749 ·
Thanks John.


Attaching the line is a problem. I thought about using s/s line to help with rust bleeding out and down the rim. The only problem is that sliding the line onto the rim will scrape off the epoxy primer in spots and may still lead to bleeding rust. May have to stick to plan A and weld a s/s or steel rod on top of the rim.
Have you ever used silver solder ? It would be perfect for sweating that 1/4" line to that rib. Should be able to pick some up at the local welding supply store.
 
#1,750 ·
I love this thread. Wish I had something to brag about. Barb and I just got back from a 4 day motorcycle trip to the mountains in east Ky and Virginia. I did get a distributor hold down clamp tonight from Mike Goodman with Honest Charlie so I can install the new Chevy distributor in the flathead. I really appreciated him taking the time to look for it with all that was going on at their cruise in tonight.

Keep the updates coming guys. It is great to be able to watch the projects coming together.

John L
 
#1,751 ·
Worked all day today getting in the rest of the inter trim pieces, re-sealed the top pump again and was ready to put the seat in. I think one of hoses is leaking at the pump! CRAP, I have to pull the quarter interior trim out to install them! CRAP. Looks like I will be ordering new hoses and waiting to get them, CRAP.

Brian
 
#1,752 ·
Worked all day today getting in the rest of the inter trim pieces, re-sealed the top pump again and was ready to put the seat in. I think one of hoses is leaking at the pump! CRAP, I have to pull the quarter interior trim out to install them! CRAP. Looks like I will be ordering new hoses and waiting to get them, CRAP.

Brian
Bummer. At least you will know all the soft parts are new and in good shape. Your panel looks really good in the picture. It is going to we'll worth the effort.

John L
 
#1,754 ·
Have you ever used silver solder ? It would be perfect for sweating that 1/4" line to that rib. Should be able to pick some up at the local welding supply store.
Never tried it before.
I have some at work that my refrigeration guy uses. I can try it on a piece of scrap.
 
#1,755 ·
I am having a HELL of a time trying to track down the leak in this pump! I just thought of something though, just as a type this I thought of something. Hmmm

Brian
 
#1,757 ·
Ok, this is what I have, after a few hours I have this under the motor.



Over night I have this or more.



The fluid is so thin and "wicks" to stuff it's giving me fits as to where it is coming from. I thought I would wrap the hose fittings with paper towel strips and see if I can narrow it down.



I think some is inside the motor from the armature seal leaking before. I replaced that seal so it should be ok but maybe it isn't? All I can do if the lines aren't leaking is to run it over and over and check over and over and see if it goes away. I am thinking the inside of the motor could have it all over and even thought armature seal isn't leaking the fluid into there anymore it would hang around for quite a while coming out a little at a time.

All I know is I have thought over and over how this never leaked before and I am so glad it didn't, it was full of brake fluid before!

Brian
 
#1,760 ·
I didn't work on anything yesterday but watching the leak on my top motor, and ended up ZERO, it's driving me crazy.

So I went and got in my time machine and went back to 1977 and had my dad shoot a video of me working on my truck! Check it out, it was nice going back home for the day.

Brian

 
Top