Re: 1977 Chevelle Malibu Classic Progress Photo's aka Mali

by pila Thu Jul 12, 2012 10:02 pm

Just bought a new oil pan for the wife's Caddy, and I bought a new pan gasket along with it, which turned out to be a one-piece type. It came with four little plastic things, to screw into the block, to hold the pan in place while getting the pan bolts started. They have a barb on them to hold the pan. They look to be re-usable too.
I soldered the old pan a few times, to cover pin holes in it. Time to do it right I suppose, but not a fun job....gotta raise the front of the engine etc.....

by 77mali Sat Jul 14, 2012 6:18 pm

Here's the Tranny's Arse end- torn apart...(lmao!)

There's slight play in it- you can do it by hand but I assume that once the prop shaft is back in it will go away. Have new seals on order.
speedo stuff looks like in's in good shape, all the turnings gears and axles looks good. I think this was a rebuilt trans.

1977 Chevelle Malibu Classic Progress Photo's aka Mali - Page 10 P1030723

1977 Chevelle Malibu Classic Progress Photo's aka Mali - Page 10 P1030723

1977 Chevelle Malibu Classic Progress Photo's aka Mali - Page 10 P1030810

Notice the nicks & other damage on the inside of the end housing, looks like someone's replaced the bearing and wasn't all that careful...That kinda sux but hey maybe it can be fixed.

1977 Chevelle Malibu Classic Progress Photo's aka Mali - Page 10 P1030811

1977 Chevelle Malibu Classic Progress Photo's aka Mali - Page 10 P1030811

by 1973 454 MONTE Sat Jul 14, 2012 6:44 pm

What's the bungie for? Do you loose the pan bolts?

Hehe Laughing

by pila Sat Jul 14, 2012 6:59 pm

The marks in the casting are likely normal. They usually have a scarred look from the casting process.

by 77mali Sat Jul 14, 2012 7:18 pm

1973 454 MONTE wrote:What's the bungie for? Do you loose the pan bolts?

Hehe

Har....har- No not 1 bolt missing Razz

(go back to the last page- I edited in a pic of the finished pan) Wink

The bungie is there to keep it tight. (there are 2 on there) I have it balanced upside-down on the bottom of my engine stand with a board of wood & bricks underneath it to raise it up. (I can't find my wood scraps- Laughing

)

by 77mali Sat Jul 14, 2012 7:21 pm

pila wrote: The marks in the casting are likely normal. They usually have a scarred look from the casting process.

I was hoping you'd chime in on that seeing as you've done a few. Thanks Bill!

by 77mali Sun Jul 15, 2012 6:29 pm

Good news, the engine shop has a block ready for me, so It's a matter of getting the stuff there to rebuild & balance the lower end!

So I started the engine bay. Very Happy

Found some nest remnants, apparently the critter that was living in my heater box had a couple up stairs bedrooms. Access seems to be where the cowl drains to the inner fender wells- they even had doors (with the flaps!)....this is the worst area but the rest looks awesome. I'm just going to clean it again and spray Por15 in there- that's it.

1977 Chevelle Malibu Classic Progress Photo's aka Mali - Page 10 P1030812

1977 Chevelle Malibu Classic Progress Photo's aka Mali - Page 10 P1030812

1977 Chevelle Malibu Classic Progress Photo's aka Mali - Page 10 P1030813

Most of the goopy crap from the A/C housing is off so now just some light work with the Dremmel tool and then paint & seam sealing.
1977 Chevelle Malibu Classic Progress Photo's aka Mali - Page 10 P1030814

1977 Chevelle Malibu Classic Progress Photo's aka Mali - Page 10 P1030814

Underside looks very good up front. The rear diff looks lonely back there all by itself. Crying or Very sad

1977 Chevelle Malibu Classic Progress Photo's aka Mali - Page 10 P1030815

I had been waiting to take off the trim tag, it's now nailed up in the shop and won't go back on til the car's done. Minor rust under it but was able to wet-scrape it off. Using more Por-15 topside on the cowl with Duplicolor semi-gloss enamel top coat.

1977 Chevelle Malibu Classic Progress Photo's aka Mali - Page 10 P1030816

1977 Chevelle Malibu Classic Progress Photo's aka Mali - Page 10 P1030816

1977 Chevelle Malibu Classic Progress Photo's aka Mali - Page 10 P1030817

by pila Sun Jul 15, 2012 9:13 pm

Keep up the good work, and you will get there! Very Happy

I have a bunch of misc small parts, so if you need any, let me know.

by 77mali Sun Jul 15, 2012 9:23 pm

All good so far my friend but thank you! That rear housing seal on the Trans was a Bear to get out. Think I'm going to invest the $10.00 Auto Zone puller tool, well worth it. That mark on the inside is a definite "ding". The bearing looks good an solid though Very Happy

by 77mali Fri Jul 20, 2012 11:36 am

The engine is gone off to the shop as of yesterday!!!!

Decided on the following to save some $$$$.

The block will be exchanged as a core for a re- manufactured block of the same casting type with slightly larger cylinder bores from a standard 4".

Going with flat-top pistons and the shop is going to reassemble & balance the bottom end. Also am having them clean up the RHS cylinder heads to save prep time for painting and will be reassembling/lashing them myself. Flywheel is getting cleaned up as well as are the oil pump and a couple of other misc items, like the fuel pump. I decided to reuse the Cam & lifters.

Chomping at the bit until I get the assembly back home... bounce

by 1973 454 MONTE Fri Jul 20, 2012 2:10 pm

Hope you marked the lifters per cam lobes. Was told years ago that they need to stay matched. Would hate to see all this work go to shite.

by 77mali Fri Jul 20, 2012 2:45 pm

Yes....That's prob the most important thing to remember to do when you tear it down. Excellent point. I've read it matters & I've also been told that it doesn't. Better safe than sorry.

by 1973montec Fri Jul 20, 2012 6:46 pm

the number near the blower hole should match part of your vin..
1977 Chevelle Malibu Classic Progress Photo's aka Mali - Page 10 P1030810

by 77mali Fri Jul 20, 2012 7:12 pm

Look close there's two sets...(near the heater door). I keep finding those all over the place on panels, it's pretty cool.

by 77mali Sun Jul 22, 2012 8:32 pm

Can anyone recommend the best grease to use for the front wheel bearings/spindle shaft? The stuff that's on mine is greenish/olive colored, looks the same as what's used with the small 'needle bearings" in the prop shaft U joint assembly and for that matter in the steering linkage.

by ant7377 Sun Jul 22, 2012 9:58 pm

Paul.I use Mobil one synthetic .Its red. Another is made by amsoil if you have a deaer near you,a friend uses it in his road race camaro,never had faliure and that car has been beat to inches of its life.

by 77mali Thu Jul 26, 2012 7:02 pm

Thanks Anthony, I'll check into it.

Playing around again with the 3M Scotchbrite discs. They're awesome started the prop/drive shaft with them. Almost ready for painting, just a solvent wipe down and Por15 over the clean rust. Also started braking down the suspension...have to fashion a tool to separate the joints in the control arm. I was surprised that Autozone has many of the suspension and steering items avail to ship for the 77...(i.e. bushings etc...) at decent prices too.

1977 Chevelle Malibu Classic Progress Photo's aka Mali - Page 10 P1030910

1977 Chevelle Malibu Classic Progress Photo's aka Mali - Page 10 P1030910

1977 Chevelle Malibu Classic Progress Photo's aka Mali - Page 10 P1030911

1977 Chevelle Malibu Classic Progress Photo's aka Mali - Page 10 P1030913

1977 Chevelle Malibu Classic Progress Photo's aka Mali - Page 10 P1030912

by 1973 454 MONTE Thu Jul 26, 2012 10:12 pm

If upper joints are still factory you need to use a BFH and a chisel to get the rivets out. If you can get a B-joint tool from the parts store, it will be easy to do the bottoms.

by ant7377 Thu Jul 26, 2012 10:14 pm

Drill out the middle of the rivets then knock off the tops with chisel and use a punch to get the rest out and they will fall off the a-arm---neat trick.

by 77mali Thu Jul 26, 2012 10:29 pm

I've seen that done but the manual says to "spread" them and & they will disconnect for the upper. I want to avoid the drilling, etc...if possible and save them if they're in good condition.

I'll try & post a pic of the page in the 77 service manual tomorrow, there is a GM tool they reference & you can make almost the same thing with a threaded bolt, nut and a socket. I may be wasting time a bit as they will prob need to be replaced anyway but figure I'll at least try it that way.

by 77mali Fri Jul 27, 2012 3:26 pm

Here is the GM tool for the Upper C-Arm

1977 Chevelle Malibu Classic Progress Photo's aka Mali - Page 10 P1030914

This is the pressing tool (Autozone has similar loaners. Saw one today about $125.00 to rent & 100% refundable).

1977 Chevelle Malibu Classic Progress Photo's aka Mali - Page 10 P1030915

1977 Chevelle Malibu Classic Progress Photo's aka Mali - Page 10 P1030915

by Joe73 Fri Jul 27, 2012 3:48 pm

I'd change the ball joints whether they're original or not. Just to be safe and they're cheap. Drilling and chiseling the upper rivets is the way to go unless you have an air compressor.

Air chisel http://www.harborfreight.com/super-duty-air-hammer-with-chisels-47868.html

Manual ball/tie joint splitter http://www.harborfreight.com/16-inch-tie-rod-separator-1759.html

Air chisel ball joint splitter http://www.harborfreight.com/15-16-inch-pneumatic-ball-joint-separator-66315.html

Chisel tips to knock the rivets off http://www.harborfreight.com/4-piece-short-air-chisel-set-68277.html

With minimum investment, less than $30, you can pop both joints and chisel the top one out, all in less than 15 minutes. I just did it on the frame I bought. The air chisel will also be used to replace your upper and lower control are bushings, which should be replaced as well. Then tap the new ones in with a socket.

The new uppers come with a nut and bolt to replace the rivets, so thats a real easy install. You can rent a "C" clamp type press to install the lowers but a pipe of the same diameter of the lowers works real good as well.

by 77mali Fri Jul 27, 2012 5:44 pm

Maybe you guys are right...I was kinda hoping to keep the rivets on (they are original) because I don't know if a nut/bolt is necessarily as good as how they came from the factory. I suppose that there are enough connections on them that it will be ok structurally & @ 30+ years old the probability is high that they are toast. Thanks for the tips. The parts are cheap enough and yes I do have a compressor.

by 1973 454 MONTE Fri Jul 27, 2012 7:25 pm

77mali wrote:Maybe you guys are right...I was kinda hoping to keep the rivets on (they are original) because I don't know if a nut/bolt is necessarily as good as how they came from the factory. I suppose that there are enough connections on them that it will be ok structurally & @ 30+ years old the probability is high that they are toast. Thanks for the tips. The parts are cheap enough and yes I do have a compressor.

than dont second guess yourself and 'just do it" Rolling Eyes

by 77mali Fri Jul 27, 2012 7:31 pm

<---likes to think things through

Razz

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