'59 Panel

Post Reply
User avatar
Howie
Posts: 1979
Joined: Sun Jan 18, 2009 10:30 am

Re: Sean's '59 Panel

Post by Howie »

If you wanna drive it down to Austintown, my old buddy does fantastic work, and has painted two of my old Astro vans.
https://guyscustompinstripingoh.com
Howie
‎"...the ones in love with the night, they light up like a cigarette." -Jack Kerouac
Six Volt
Posts: 3724
Joined: Mon Dec 15, 2008 7:25 am

Re: Sean's '59 Panel

Post by Six Volt »

Howie wrote: Thu Jan 10, 2019 2:34 am If you wanna drive it down to Austintown, my old buddy does fantastic work, and has painted two of my old Astro vans.
https://guyscustompinstripingoh.com
Thanks for the tip. And Yes! A Howie post! #1974 :D I'm on top of the world! :D
Six Volt
Posts: 3724
Joined: Mon Dec 15, 2008 7:25 am

Re: Sean's '59 Panel

Post by Six Volt »

While I continue to mull over the logo theme, it was time to get to work on making the bus more drivable.

Bruce and I have been talking since I bought the bus about migrating to a big nut trans. I've been storing one in my garage for the past 5 years so there was no time like the winter to get the project in gear. (pun intended) :D

After deconstruction, I took the center section out to Jim's in Columbiana and had it gone through. $500 later I got it back with some new innards.
IMG_2954.jpg
This week Bruce put me on KP duty getting everything cleaned up. And bus rear axle clean up duty is the S&^% duty of S&^% duties. :cry: But the axle tubes came out pretty clean.
IMG_2952.jpg
So we were off and running. Well, Bruce was off and running. He instilled in me the premise that cleanliness is next to godliness. And I got the message.

Bruce wants things clean and he will spend more time on that portion of the project than on anything else. I won't go into explaining every picture, although I actually think I'm dangerous enough to try!

Seriously, I can't say enough about Bruce taking the time to do this, but also allowing me to participate (get in his way) so I can learn something. :D

We had one issue with a bad outer axle bearing, but Bruce had a backup. Some of the other original bearings were bad, so Bruce swapped them out. Someone in a prior life really butchered one of the RGB housings (probably trying to get a freeze plug out) but Bruce cleaned it up. (You may see that prior damage in some photos)

This was a great learning experience and I hope amateurs, like me, enjoy the photos. We took nearly 100, but I won't overkill at this point.

I will tell fellow amateurs like me that the takeaway from this is as follows:

You have to clean everything and when you're done cleaning everything, clean everything again. Then clean it again. Wire wheel, media blast, brush in kerosene tank, brake cleaner, compressed air dry, rinse and repeat.

If you do this, you'll learn about wear marks on the axle paddles and the fulcrum plates. Bruce swapped mine around to get a better surface. He taught me how to make sure the axle and fulcrum plates don't disengage when you're putting it together. You'll learn how to get the one piece (aren't they all one piece?) axle boots without the separation and screws onto the axle tubes using a little heat and persuasion. You'll also learn about the spacer and c-clip that goes "inside" the tranny hole (left and right) and then the plastic "hat" that goes over the opening before the axle tube goes on. You'll learn about the virtues of RTV silicone when mounting the axle tube to the transmission housing. On the other end you'll learn there are inner and outer axle bearings as well as inner and outer stub bearings. And the inner stub bearing has an internal nut that has to be torqued to 108 ft. lbs. and has a raised edge that has to be pinched. More c-clips will follow and the outer housing of the RGB case can be installed following the two dowel pins as a guide.

I wouldn't ever try this on my own. I'm very happy Bruce taught me what this is all about. I'll at least be able to listen to future rear axle discussions and have some idea of what is going on. :lol:

And for the record, the ONE overbright blurry picture is compliments of Bruce! :lol: :lol: :lol:

Let's see some pics!
IMG_2963.jpg
IMG_2964.jpg
IMG_2966.jpg
IMG_2984.jpg
IMG_2987.jpg
IMG_2988.jpg
IMG_2989.jpg
IMG_2990.jpg
IMG_2991.jpg
IMG_2992.jpg
IMG_2993.jpg
IMG_2994.jpg
IMG_2995.jpg
IMG_2997.jpg
IMG_2998.jpg
IMG_2999.jpg
IMG_3001.jpg
IMG_3002.jpg
IMG_3003.jpg
IMG_3004.jpg
IMG_3006.jpg
IMG_3009.jpg
IMG_3010.jpg
IMG_3011.jpg
IMG_3012.jpg
IMG_3016.jpg
IMG_3018.jpg
IMG_3019.jpg
IMG_3024.jpg
IMG_3025.jpg
IMG_3027.jpg
IMG_3030.jpg
IMG_3031.jpg
IMG_3034.jpg
IMG_3035.jpg
IMG_3036.jpg
Attachments
IMG_3038.jpg
IMG_2961.jpg
User avatar
Dual Port
Posts: 1305
Joined: Fri Apr 30, 2010 10:06 am

Re: Sean's '59 Panel

Post by Dual Port »

Here's some more pics:

FNG cleaning parts.
P2110024.JPG
Clean parts.
P2110026.JPG
FNG cleaning more parts.
P2110029.JPG
More clean parts.
P2130034.JPG
P2130030.JPG
FNG assembling clean parts.
P2130035.JPG
In the previous set of pictures you'll see blood on the big pinch nut. Ask Sean why I call a big wire wheel on a grinder the "flesh remover".

:mrgreen:
Bruce Amacker
'66 Deluxe Bus
'65 Standard Bus
User avatar
Karl Kombi
Posts: 280
Joined: Wed Sep 27, 2017 9:56 am

Re: Sean's '59 Panel

Post by Karl Kombi »

Learning from the Master -- worth more than reading 1,000 manuals... :D
User avatar
Marla
Posts: 1534
Joined: Tue Aug 20, 2013 7:14 am

Re: Sean's '59 Panel

Post by Marla »

Way to go Sean! Looking good.
It's Marla with an " L"
(My list of assets is just too long...)
Six Volt
Posts: 3724
Joined: Mon Dec 15, 2008 7:25 am

Re: Sean's '59 Panel

Post by Six Volt »

Back at it this afternoon. Bruce was really patient with me and really allowed me to learn. It was good. A lot of this is probably simple to veteran mechanics, but I quickly realized that if you forget one step or mess up one procedure you're screwed.

The rear axle seal housing install may be straightforward to most, but again Bruce stressed clean, clean, and more clean. He had me re-blast the housing and make sure I got all the star and the adjusting bolts super clean. The whole RTV lesson from yesterday was repeated.

The backing plate, wheel cylynder and brake shoe install is a lesson in persistence and brawn. Bruce showed me how its done the right way and checked and re-checked everything. I realize you've got to fight with stuff sometimes, but once you get in the right place it eventually comes together. I had the backing plate hung up slightly on the dowell, but Bruce found my error and it came out right. Bruce had to "refab" a couple brake parts that had seen better days, but his skill made it all work out fine. And again, can I say CLEAN. He wants everything to be so clean you can eat off it. That;s one lesson I will not forget.

We'll be back at it next week with the actual install. So say tuned. Here are a few more pics...
IMG_3052.jpg
IMG_3053.jpg
IMG_3054.jpg
IMG_3055.jpg
IMG_3058.jpg
IMG_3060.jpg
IMG_3063.jpg
IMG_3067.jpg
IMG_3069.jpg
IMG_3071.jpg
IMG_3073.jpg
TRL
Posts: 612
Joined: Tue Jul 03, 2012 1:59 pm

Re: Sean's '59 Panel

Post by TRL »

Great write-up Sean and great work Bruce! I actually really enjoyed rebuilding my RGBs with new bearings. My rgbs are still going strong right W5? :lol:
The Rick Lang
Six Volt
Posts: 3724
Joined: Mon Dec 15, 2008 7:25 am

Re: Sean's '59 Panel

Post by Six Volt »

TRL wrote: Mon Feb 18, 2019 3:22 pm Great write-up Sean and great work Bruce! I actually really enjoyed rebuilding my RGBs with new bearings. My rgbs are still going strong right W5? :lol:
The only RGBs you have are the ones running around in that humorous brain of yours. :D
Six Volt
Posts: 3724
Joined: Mon Dec 15, 2008 7:25 am

Re: Sean's '59 Panel

Post by Six Volt »

Sorry, no Syncro updates here. :lol:

Fergus and I managed to get the bus over to Bruce's shop late yesterday and avoided today's snow. This afternoon I was able to go back and get another good lesson in the life of a transaxle.

The big nurt is almost ready to go in.
IMG_3112.jpg
Bruce took some measurements.
IMG_3113.jpg
We have a bit too much positive camber.
IMG_3115.jpg
rear apron and bumper off.
IMG_3116.jpg
E-brake cables ready for disconnection.
IMG_3118.jpg
Everything disconnected and engine out.
IMG_3119.jpg
e-brake cables out
IMG_3120.jpg
Bruce wants to check flywheel and rear seal. I've got a couple of pristine 40HP flywheels I got from RIS several years ago. May be time to bring one over. (Yes, I know, metal gasket/paper gasket)
IMG_3122.jpg
Getting ready to go after tranny.
IMG_3123.jpg
What idiot brings a bus over with 8 gallons of fuel in it knowing the tank is coming out????? :oops:
IMG_3126.jpg
Tranny out
IMG_3127.jpg
Small nut got me through the fall
IMG_3128.jpg
Dirty gas. I knew the tank was rusty/krusty.
IMG_3129.jpg
Tank out engine bay clean
IMG_3130.jpg
Aaron's favorites - spring plates
IMG_3131.jpg
test fitting new tank
IMG_3132.jpg
That won't work :cry:
IMG_3133.jpg
Precision modification by Bruce
IMG_3135.jpg
There's no gas in this right? :shock:
IMG_3136.jpg
That will work
IMG_3138.jpg
Ok, a little more.
IMG_3139.jpg
I'm going to have a petrol gauge?? !!!! 8-)
IMG_3140.jpg
Drain is plugged. Got Drain-O?
IMG_3141.jpg
Got Bruce-O
IMG_3142.jpg
Good to go
IMG_3143.jpg
Attachments
IMG_3125.jpg
Post Reply