Author Topic: Mike's 57 Rebuild  (Read 34344 times)

Offline Swamp Dawg

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Mike's 57 Rebuild
« on: January 22, 2009, 08:35:21 pm »

Offline the old trucker

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Re: Mike's 57 Rebuild
« Reply #1 on: January 23, 2009, 06:03:59 am »
  Thanks Swamp Dawg for putting these pics on here. Mike had been looking for one of these for a few years & finally got his wish. As you can see he has a lot of work ahead of him yet. He's slowly gathering a few newer parts for her. I think his main plan for this winter is to get the suspension done, to make her mobile for now, & take out the motor to replace the manifold, as it has a few cracks in it.
 
He had a carb kit installed & has her running. This engine is original to the machine. It matches the tag. We think with new points, plugs, etc, she'll run pretty good. Maybe if the timing is right, she will be getting a large sand blasting soon.
   
There's one more swing arm to come off, but he's having problems getting the adjusters off. The cross member holding the axle in place is broke at the welding inside the frame rails. With that re welded, he will be able to put more strain on the adjuster to break it free. He has a welder & acetylene & press on site.

  Anyone got ideas on getting those adjusters off ? Almost forgot, he salvaged all the needle bearings from the swing arms. People say they can be used again. He has been talking with Shavers about new parts.
   
 
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Offline the old trucker

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Re: Mike's 57 Rebuild
« Reply #3 on: February 16, 2009, 07:39:45 pm »

  Thanks again Swamp Dawg. As you can see we got the adjusters off, Finally!! Had to use a 3/4 drive impact, lots of heat & plenty of brute force, & ignorance. Both of them fought back right to the bitter end.
   I guess that's what happens when you get an abundance of "GREASE WORMS" living in it.  He got them, the springs, & swing arms sandblasted & painted. Rims are next.
    He's doing a bit of clean up & paint under the belly pan now. Looks like I got the job as secretary & coffee getter. I know the pay is cheap !!!
after covering a few acres of prime real estate.

Offline Swamp Dawg

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Re: Mike's 57 Rebuild
« Reply #4 on: February 16, 2009, 10:32:01 pm »
No problem OT, good to see your getting into fixing these old things.


Offline the old trucker

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Re: Mike's 57 Rebuild
« Reply #6 on: March 26, 2009, 07:24:31 pm »

  Getting her gutted out. I'd say a new belly plate will be going in. To me it looks like the banjo housing has a skin welded over it. Going to take apart to check out the inside. I believe the rims went in today for a blasting.
after covering a few acres of prime real estate.


Offline the old trucker

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Re: Mike's 57 Rebuild
« Reply #8 on: April 05, 2009, 04:17:42 am »

 Thanks Grfishmaker. Sorry Swamp Dawg. We'll put the blame on that Grfishmaker !!! Ha HA. Mike had the rear end apart to find the leak. Everything looks OK inside. Whoever put it together the last time didn't do a good enough job sealing it. It'll be done right this time. He's still waiting on a bearing & race for the axle.
  I like the job he did on sandblasting the rims. A couple of valve holes had to be patched & redrilled elsewhere. All the caps even screw in place. Like Tony the tiger says "THER"RE GREAT" !! Next step is to prime & paint them. He had bushings made for the swing arms. They have spiral grooves inside that the grease nipples line up with. He also put a short bolt through each swing arm & into the bushing, so everything swings on the axle.
 
                                                                                           The Old Trucker
after covering a few acres of prime real estate.

Offline the old trucker

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Re: Mike's 57 Rebuild
« Reply #9 on: April 18, 2009, 04:51:38 am »
Mike is doing good with the axle. Kinecor found one race in old stock & sold it to him for $40 bucks. He'll put that one inside. He was talking to a good machinist in Corner Brook & he thinks if Mike gets a little smaller bearing & race, he can make a shim to fit between race & housing. That'll go outside.
  Other than that he had a couple of bad dents on the belly pan under the trans. He cut the tacks & straightened it back out & re welded it. Also he got his wheels & tires back yesterday. Had new tubes put in. I think he's putting the old tracks back on for now so he can move her back & forth this summer.
  Oh yea, he got a manifold for his motor. I had to go to St. John's for Monday for a check up. I stayed in Victoria for the weekend. I made a few phone calls looking for a manifold Sat. evening & came up with a complete intake & exhaust together for $125 bucks for him.
  I'll see about a few more pics soon.
                                                                                                         OT.
after covering a few acres of prime real estate.

Offline the old trucker

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Re: Mike's 57 Rebuild
« Reply #10 on: May 27, 2009, 01:37:24 pm »

   Things are winding down a little with this project for now. Work is getting busier & bomber time is getting less. Mike has the rear end together & back in place. He has the wheels & tracks back on so she can be moved out to the portable garage.
   The motor was washed & is ready to work on the manifold, plus check her over, probably sand blast & paint before going back in. when that is done it should finish up the mechanical part of it.
   He's hoping to get some time to do a bit of body work over the summer months. He came across another original glass tail light awhile back. With any luck she will hit the snow come winter.
   I'll keep you posted of any updates. Here are a couple of pics of where she is to now.

 The old manifold is cracked pretty bad.

http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m366/theoldtrucker/DSCF0360.jpg

  He will take the trans off to check it out, change oil & paint before going back together.

http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m366/theoldtrucker/DSCF0357.jpg

http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m366/theoldtrucker/DSCF0356.jpg
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Offline the old trucker

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Re: Mike's 57 Rebuild
« Reply #11 on: November 06, 2009, 10:11:55 am »

   We should be hearing from Mike again soon, as he plans to put her back in his heated garage again for the winter. I guess I'll get my job back again as the gofer !! "GO for Tim's coffee & donuts".  "Go for KFC or SUBWAY !! That's all he says !! ha ha ha

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after covering a few acres of prime real estate.


Offline the old trucker

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Re: Mike's 57 Rebuild
« Reply #13 on: February 10, 2010, 08:03:55 pm »

  My little coffee drinking/donut eating buddy wants help. Mike is up to his elbows in body work on his ol' girl. He wants to put a hatch back in the roof. It was taken out by the previous owner. Anyone have a few pics of a factory one along with the dimensions & the brackets used to operate it.
                                                                          For Mike by OT.

 
after covering a few acres of prime real estate.

Offline the old trucker

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Re: Mike's 57 Rebuild
« Reply #14 on: March 05, 2010, 06:07:20 pm »

  Posting pics for Mike !!

http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m366/theoldtrucker/PICT0340.jpg

  Here's his new dome light..

http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m366/theoldtrucker/PICT0339.jpg

    Anyone got a pic or two of a roof hatch & hardware for Mike ?? I think he'll need one now.

http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m366/theoldtrucker/PICT0338.jpg   
after covering a few acres of prime real estate.