1978 Y88 Restoration

[wheels78ta]

Removing motor mounts was painless this way.

[wheels78ta]

Broke a bolt off in a riv-nut.

I was able to grind down the lip on the outside and remove it.  There may be enough room to tack weld a nut on the inside.

[tajoe]

Pertaining to the spring removal, looked pretty scary. Sometimes wrapping a safety chain thru them, gives you a little more piece of mind. Just in case something slips, if ya know what I mean. Congrats getting them out, with all your teeth. Usually, when you're lowering the jack handle, you're not too far away from the action.

The frame will be nice, once it's all cleaned up. Have fun, cleaning and painting. Will like to see the process used during installation, how you square it up.

[FormTA]

If you go with any lowering springs, they usually slip in much easier.  Looks like you have a pretty nice frame there, needing minimal work.

[wheels78ta]

Finally got all the bushings and ball joints removed.

The first pic shows the spacer I used to put inside the control arms.  For those that have never removed these......that spacer keeps the arm from crushing in on itself.  Unfortunately I forgot to put the spacer in on one of the bushings and realized it after I just started putting pressure on it.  Thankfully I was able to use the spacer and a big hammer to open it back to its original opening width.

The second pic is the set up I used.  I rented the kit from O'Reillys.  The giant c-clamp is not long enough to actually remove the bushings.  I can see how it will help to re-install them but I have everything here to do that.

The third pic shows the removed bushing.  I found it easier to cut off the rubber part of the bushing on both sides.  On the inside part of the controller arm is a lip on the metal bushing.  I used a chisel and hammer to push that lip to the center of the bushing.  This gave me something to put the large socket on to push it through.  After a few harsh words it worked very well.

Now that all bushings and ball joints are removed....and all parts are separated I can start media blasting and painting the whole front end.

[tajoe]

Lots of fun. Are you installing poly bushings?

[wheels78ta]

Pertaining to the spring removal, looked pretty scary. Sometimes wrapping a safety chain thru them, gives you a little more piece of mind. Just in case something slips, if ya know what I mean. Congrats getting them out, with all your teeth. Usually, when you're lowering the jack handle, you're not too far away from the action.

The frame will be nice, once it's all cleaned up. Have fun, cleaning and painting. Will like to see the process used during installation, how you square it up.

I'm going to use the alignment process from the 1978 Fisher Body Service Manual.  If I can't get my hands on a trammel gauge then I will make one out of the materials I have on hand.

[wheels78ta]

If you go with any lowering springs, they usually slip in much easier.  Looks like you have a pretty nice frame there, needing minimal work.

The stock springs will be going back in.  And I will use a safety chain, as mentioned by tajoe, to reassemble.

The frame is in very good shape.  Any rust is surface rust and should blast easy with the media blaster.

[wheels78ta]

Lots of fun. Are you installing poly bushings?

I am using the front end rebuild kit by Anderson Restorations.  They are same as OEM.  Not poly.

[tajoe]

Can't wait to see it all painted up, and installed. Keep em coming.

[FormTA]

Lots of fun. Are you installing poly bushings?

I am using the front end rebuild kit by Anderson Restorations.  They are same as OEM.  Not poly.

Good move. My car is squeaking now... dang polly

[wheels78ta]

Frame after media blasting.  I also ground down the weld slag......little balls of fire that leaves a good scar on top of your foot.



 

[wheels78ta]

Frame alignment:

There are videos about how to line up the frame to the body using a plumb bob. I used this method and it seems to work very well.  If your a lot younger then it isn't that big of a deal.  For me it was the getting up and down numerous times to get everything lined up and measured.  It does take a lot of patience, which I sometimes lack, to get it set and tightened down.

I also used the manual that has the locations and measurements needed to get this done.

[tajoe]

Very Nice Willie. Well done getting it up there. Are you happy with the checks, and cross measurements? What is considered tolerable? 1/8th of an inch? Looks good painted up too.

[FormTA]

Well.... My subframe is probably installed wrong..... I just used alignment pins through the 1/2 holes in the frame into the body. I may have double checked it with a X measurement but don't remember.  You frame looks really good. It's so nice to work with clean parts.

[wheels78ta]

On the driver side......the alignment hole is round, on the body, and lines up almost perfect to the frame alignment hole.

On the passenger side.....the alignment hole is oval, on the body, and does align with the frame but it has that wiggle room for some movement.

All my measurements are within 1/16" of each other or right on the mark, according to the manual, so it should be good to go.

The other day I was attempting to drain the water from the bottom of the air compressor.  It was clogged at the ball valve.  I took a scribe and poked it into the opening.  After a little persuasion the clog broke free and sprayed rusty water all over the frame and firewall.  That was a lot of washing and wiping.

[tajoe]

Oh crap! that's sounds like my luck. Sorry you had to go thru "extra" work. Hopefully it all wiped clean easily.

[5th T/A]

Subframe looks nice.

I have only removed and replaced the subframe on two different Gen II's, both times just using the 1/2" holes and dowel pins. I never took any measurements to see if it was square. I guess ignorance is bliss!

[wheels78ta]

Upper and Lower control arms are installed.  Amazon delivered my spring compressor late today so I'll get the springs installed tomorrow.  Hopefully I'll have all the front suspension in if there's time.

[ryeguy2006a]

That frame looks really nice! Curious what you used to paint it with?

[wheels78ta]

Rustoleum Flat red primer......2 coats

Rustoleum Satin Black.....3 coats

[wheels78ta]

Taking a break from the Y88 to help a friend.

He has a 16' car hauler that he wants to install a winch on.  We worked on it Wednesday and Thursday but need one more day to complete it.  That won't happen until early next week.  Once the trailer is done and gone I'll continue on my quest.

I found out that the coil spring on the passenger side didn't seat into the frame correctly.  I'll have to compress it and get it set right.  Once that is done then I'll work on the transmission and engine to get them both installed.

I will rebuild the transmission and clean it up like new. 

The engine block still has the pistons installed and I will not mess with that section.  I will replace the valve guides/seals in the heads.  All new gaskets and paint.  Then on to installing the radiator support and fenders, doors, hood and trunk lid.

I want to get this running and driving before body work. 

Stay tuned.....more pics to come.

[wheels78ta]

I'm working on rebuilding the heater/ac box (inside, under dash).

Is there a gasket/seal kit that replaces the foam seals inside the box?  The only ones I can find are for non-ac units.

[tajoe]

I'm not sure of current vendors, (maybe Year One, or Ames?...if you haven't tried). But if I remember correctly, I don't think it's anything special. Even the foam Window/ Door seals, that come in rolls, with adhesive backing, sold at most box, or hardware stores, might do the trick. But if you're looking for a concours judged, 100 point show winner, maybe that wouldn't work. Other than that, where it's located, only you would know. (I won't tell, if you don't)

[wheels78ta]

Not concours for 100 point show car.  I do plan on putting it in a few car shows around here but I'm also going to drive it like I stole it.

I'm a little sad that they make the kits for non a/c but not for a/c cars.

I figured if no one made a kit then I would just use what was recommended.

Roll of foam with adhesive backing will work just fine.

Thanks tajoe.

[wheels78ta]

Almost done with the heater box.  I need to work on the top bracket arm.  Sand, primer and paint.  But for the most part is it completed.

[wheels78ta]

Water pump...................this came off of the Y88.  Date code says 2C2 = March 02, 1972.  And looking at the impeller....It's been rebuilt before.

[tajoe]

Nice. I like the fact the Water Pump  P/N has a "301" in it.

[wheels78ta]

I was able to find a water pump with a date code, Dec. 14, 1977, that would be close to the build date, March 3, 1978, for the Y88.  I'll rebuild it when weather permits.

[wheels78ta]

Before and after cleaning the brake/fuel line clamps.

[wheels78ta]

Brake and fuel lines installed.

[wheels78ta]

Getting the gas tank cleaned up and ready for install.

In the 2nd and 3rd pic you can see a dent on the inside of the strap groove.  I have to wonder.........what the heck caused that?  No leak in the area and I'm not going to try and remove it.

[wheels78ta]

I was checking the distributor to see if it was the original or replacement.  Glad to see it is the original W72 distributor.  Needs cleaned but that's for another day.

[wheels78ta]

Not sure if the brand for this radiator is Vista Pro 433477or Proliance 433477.  It was in the Y88 when I bought it.  4 row and needs cleaned.

Neither one is in stock so I'm sure it was before the Spectra CU477 came out.

[wheels78ta]

Going to work on the Rear Defrost switch.  The white lettering is easy to rub off.  Kind of like fine chalk.

It's going to be too cold here to do any outside painting so this would be a good project to have fun with.

There are stickers, that have the face of the switch, for sale but I wanted to give it a try with paint.

I'll clean it up and put it under a magnifying glass and see if I have a steady hand at painting this small of an object/letter.

[Wallington]

If you can get the knob off the switch you can paint some white onto a piece of glass or metal and flip the bezel onto that so surface touches only, early pad-printing. It would need to be very thin, perhaps going tacky though.

My fuel tank had the same dent, probably twice the size. Looked like someone had backed the car up and not seen a short post or block perhaps. I have a replacement spectra to go in after painting the rear panel so nothing has happened. I stuck a photocopy of the buildsheet back on top even though it has to come back down one day. May not be me doing it.

[wheels78ta]

After trying to paint these small letters.........and failing.........I came up with another solution.

The wife.

She has a Cricut machine and was able to find the font and size of the letters.  Once the letters were cut I placed them on the switch.  Sprayed with some clear and......................

[tajoe]

Perfect. Next.

[5th T/A]

Nice job on the rear window defogger switch. I just reread all your post start to finish and really enjoyed. I give you lots of credit for sticking with such an ambitious project and doing it all first rate.

[Wallington]

Perfect! I have no idea what that machine is, some sort of craft thing?