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64 Vette….Rebuild 2.0

Yeah, but thinking of it like a connecting rod bearing, when the parting gap is reached, where does it deform to?
Maybe I could just cut the gap with a thin deathwheel?

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My biggest fear would be that once you start pressing it, you can't press it back out without destroying it.

Let's see, steel is about 12E-6 "/C, so you just need to raise the crossmember temp about 966 degrees.
 
.060 is not a press fit, maybe .006, but not .060". That's break/bend sh!t if you press it together territory.

That's a circumference difference of about 3/16" between 8.92 and 8.86 diameters!

You need to use a boring bar or get a smaller bushing, something isn't right.

Does that bushing measure the same thing at 90 degrees? Is it just out of round?

Is that red line you made steel all the way around or is there a rubber gap there?

If the steel is two halves then I could see it pressing in, if the OD is solid something needs to be machined or replaced.
 
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@Blue85
I’m going to have to trust you on that one!


folkenheath said:
.060 is not a press fit, maybe .006, but not .060". That's break/bend sh!t if you press it together territory.
That's a circumference difference of about 3/16" between 8.92 and 8.86 diameters! AGREED,

You need to use a boring bar or get a smaller bushing, something isn't right. AGREED

Does that bushing measure the same thing at 90 degrees? Is it just out of round? ITS LARGER AT THE 1/2 ROUND SEAMS!

Is that red line you made steel all the way around or is there a rubber gap there? 2 1/2HALVES OF SOLID STEEL.THE RED LIME IS MY PROPOSED SLICE LINE

If the steel is two halves then I could see it pressing in, if the OD is solid something needs to be machined or replaced. TWO HALVES, I STILL DON’T SEE IT PRESSING IN WITHOUT SOMETHING GIVING SIGNIFICANTLY.
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I went ahead and sliced through the outer metal sleeve/shell. It is 2 halves with the inner sombrero steel separated by the rubber isolating any vibrations. One of the upgrades is to use a steel plate covering this whole bushing and make it less likely for the differential housing to move around.

I drove one of the sliced bushings into the crossmember with a moderate size ball peen hammer and a piece of flat steel covering the bushing and drive it in evenly about 1/2 way. I checked out the slices and they were coming together nicely. I think they will fully press in now with a bit more effort, but thAt will have to wait until after powder coat.

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76zimmer said:
I went ahead and sliced through the outer metal sleeve/shell. It is 2 halves with the inner sombrero steel separated by the rubber isolating any vibrations. One of the upgrades is to use a steel plate covering this whole bushing and make it less likely for the differential housing to move around.

I drove one of the sliced bushings into the crossmember with a moderate size ball peen hammer and a piece of flat steel covering the bushing and drive it in evenly about 1/2 way. I checked out the slices and they were coming together nicely. I think they will fully press in now with a bit more effort, but thAt will have to wait until after powder coat.

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I think that's a good solution but I think it needs a hair more removed.
You need closer to 3/16" per Heath's calculations, maybe a little less to make it a tight fit.
 
3/16 (.1875) was the resulting measurement of the circumference calculation from the difference in diameters.
I used a .045 disc for the 2 cuts, so actually quite a bit bigger than my earliest measurements of about .065 difference. Those were the minimum measurements. Neither of these mating surfaces are perfect in their roundness. The ~.090 cut seems like a good press fit as is. Those tabs on the outer sleeve of the bushing will be bent over the outer flange when properly seated in the crossmember. Ill probably tac them as well.
 
@Capt Ron
Thanks for the tips on burning out the undercoating!
After a few different methods this one seems to work decent where I can get good access…

First untouched factory assembled top and bottom sections of frame…factory welds showing.
In spots I could access, (including cutting off some body mounts and brake line mounting tabs to get better access), I ground out where accessible, and welded them in again. Not always the best looking, but its an improvement.

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The gap between the sections

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Burn out gap w torch, and hammer or clamp the seam together.

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Wire brush the weld area

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Finish welding the seams together

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Looking good Dave!

Be very careful with breathing in some of those burning fumes, unknowingly have the wrong chemical in there when it's heated could put you in the hospital or worse.
 
Dude, you're adding too much weight!

Seriously, I know that's something GM has done for "Eco" models - reduce the amount of weld to save weight, delete spare tire, reduce fuel capacity, etc. I had a little eco box with a 13-gallon tank, but they put a special vent in it so you couldn't get more than 11 gallons in. I took the same trip in it many times, which required about 12 gallons of fuel. :angry1:
 
folkenheath said:
Looking good Dave!

Be very careful with breathing in some of those burning fumes, unknowingly have the wrong chemical in there when it's heated could put you in the hospital or worse.
Click to expand...

You’re right, a couple weeks ago I was noticing a little throat irritation, so now I have a fan blowing fresh air in the shop and the overhead door open when I’m burning the gaps out. Thats the worst of it. Welding creates a little fire as you can see in the pics, so I leave the fan going then as well. Yesterday was a nice 45*, so not bad having the doors open! I use a dust/mist respirator when grinding out old welds, using the flap disc, or 2” angle grinder. Also a face shield. Its a dirty job!

Blue85 said:
Dude, you're adding too much weight!

Seriously, I know that's something GM has done for "Eco" models - reduce the amount of weld to save weight, delete spare tire, reduce fuel capacity, etc. I had a little eco box with a 13-gallon tank, but they put a special vent in it so you couldn't get more than 11 gallons in. I took the same trip in it many times, which required about 12 gallons of fuel. :angry1:
Click to expand...

Yes, it’ll be putting on a few pounds throughout this transformation! But also weight reduction with aluminum heads, water pump, intake manifold, pulleys, and mini starter! Now if I could transform myself to lose 100#…
 
76zimmer said:
You’re right, a couple weeks ago I was noticing a little throat irritation, so now I have a fan blowing fresh air in the shop and the overhead door open when I’m burning the gaps out. Thats the worst of it. Welding creates a little fire as you can see in the pics, so I leave the fan going then as well. Yesterday was a nice 45*, so not bad having the doors open! I use a dust/mist respirator when grinding out old welds, using the flap disc, or 2” angle grinder. Also a face shield. Its a dirty job!



Yes, it’ll be putting on a few pounds throughout this transformation! But also weight reduction with aluminum heads, water pump, intake manifold, pulleys, and mini starter! Now if I could transform myself to lose 100#…
Click to expand...
Well... you do have some to spare...
 
My welding helmet has an option I can buy for the fanny pack mounted filter/fan that routes filter air up into your hood to keep smoke and all that out.
Screenshot_20260211-142427.png
I will be picking one up some day.


Frames coming along great dave :waytogo:
 
@76zimmer When I was trying to get my Javelin ready to do some pure stock racing, I was worried that my car might be stretching the rules a bit too much and it would fit the FAST rules better but the car is a bit under powered for that... I was told that there's a guy with a red Vette from MI that didn't meet all the rules that ran occasionally and it didn't matter much, because they paired you with similar ET's and it's all for fun, unless you're going for a record.
Even the AMC crowd knew your car.
 
Hey thats pretty awesome to hear…
The FAST guys are a pretty good bunch, very helpful.
The Penningtons and Donny Brass helped me get accustomed to their brand of racing. I’d been watching them for a couple years, and when they came to Martin US131 motorsports park (40mi. from me) I had to check them out..see post 628!
They have PS…pure stock and FAST which takes the rules to the limit of Factory APPEARING, stock tire.
They also have a modern muscle class, which is pretty much a run what ya brung class. Thats what they put me in. Its 150$/2 days of “as many runs as you want” trials.
Funny story, the second time I went to run with them, Donny told me he had a T-shirt for me. He asked how many X’s? I said Ive already got two, and Im done!

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Yeah, there's nothing like shaving down a set of new Polyglass' for FAST!
Planning on making a PS race @ Milan or US131 this year. We will see how things go.
Hopefully, I'll see ya up there.
 
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