HAFRODs 78 Aeroback Salon build

[ssn696]

Decent result. You are a magician!

 

[liquidh8]

I have done this same thing, I will have to do it to my tailgate plastic also, since mine is pretty bad.

Looks great and work the effort.

 

[HAFROD]

What a day. I worked since 8AM till dark. Been worried about a headliner board since I don't have one anymore. I went to Lowes and got a sheet of paneling. Took some measurements for the lowest pocket up in the roof and transferred it to the paneling. I'll spray glue some 1/4" foam strips on the side edges to smooth the steel structure. My idea is to spray glue the headliner material to the paneling. I'll cut it out way wider. I'll screw the paneling up in the roof and spray glue the 4 sides to the 1/4" foam strips I put around the sides of the roof structure. Should look OK. Had to get creative so no fasteners showed in the headliner material. I'm glad my dome light mounting panel was removeable with 2 phillips screws. I welded 6/32 x1/2" long screws in the dome light panel. I knew the slide clips would not hold the weight of the paneling. I put on some screw tabs so I could mount it to the structure. I drilled the paneling and used a countersink bit. I used 8/32 flat top countersunk allen screws to mount the tabs to the paneling. They sit level so there won't be a bump in the headliner material. I think it's going to work pretty nice.

 

[HAFROD]

So today I tried something to save myself some time and money. If you remember, the head gasket was seaping on the 350 I put in the Salon. I removed both heads and noticed the bolts came loose very easy. It was my old Chinese torque wrench calibration. I also noticed what looked like a crack off of one of the thread holes. Today I used a jewelers loop and inspected the crack. It is not a crack but a scratch. The other issue was rust chunks lodged in the water neck and thermostat. I tried flushing the block but it just would not get the crud out. Today I poured in muratic acid and let it sit about 15 minutes. It did loosen up some of the rust but still did not work even after flushing it with a garden hose. So this block will need to be disassembled and taken to a machine shop for a vat job, cam bearings, and plugs again. I just hated to pull it out. After reality set in, I pulled out an engine from my garage. It's a 4 bolt 350 with flat tops and a hydraulic 467/467 cam. It's just a short block but it had pan and balancer on it. I had actually built this for my El Camino last summer with my crappy torque wrench. I removed the pan and checked the mains with my new torque wrench. The bolts turned another 1/3 rotation. So tomorrow, the engine in the Salon is getting removed. Going to install the pan, a pilot bushing and paint the 4 bolt 350 GM blue. I really did not want a lightly beefy cam in the Salon but at this point I'm tired of this sh*#. At least it will sound good

 

[HAFROD]

I got the engine and trans pulled from the Salon today. Removed the transmission and flywheel from the engine. I placed the trans on a wheel dolly and rolled it into the corner. Came in for lunch but going back out to start assembly on the new 4 bolt 350. It's high 30s out right now and I'm freezing my butt off but just wanting to get a good hard days work in on it

 

[HAFROD]

Hurt my back again last week and thought I was good to go. I get back out there after lunch and all I did was pull the engine on the engine stand out from the wall. It hit me sharp so I took a knee. Came back in and relaxed for about an hour. All that did was stiffen me up. Put on my old man Velcro back brace and pushed the engine back against the wall. I picked up the tools and rolled the car back into the garage. pisses me off

 

[Bar50]

Let me know if you need a hand. I can swing out and hang out and help, maybe make some extra progress with and extra head and set of hands.

 

[L67ss]

I prolly need to invest in a backbrace myself

 

[TURNA]

Ug I have 4 crushed pancaked paper thin disks in my back. Those velcro braces with the ribs in the back can sometimes be a life saver.

But for me the heating pad is the best

when it acts up, before i go to bed I take some advil and lay on a heating pad all night.

 

[L67ss]

I'd mainly need a brace over intestinal issues