In case you haven't noticed, it's been three weeks since my last posting--the longest pause this year! That doesn't mean nothing has been happening to The Alfatross. Quite the opposite. So much is going on that I had to postpone writing about it until the dust cleared (literally, with respect to the on-going soda soda blasting).
Soda, even when mixed with aluminum oxide doesn't remove undercoating or tarry seam sealer. That stuff has to be removed chemically. I brush on paint remover, cover it with aluminum foil to reduce vaporization, and leave it overnight. It usually comes off easily the next day with a Scotchbrite pad or a paper towel.
Driving tours associated with the Santa Fe Concorso start today. I signed up for a 300-miler to be held tomorrow. With fingers crossed and an enhanced tool kit for insurance, co-driver Jeff Krammer and I will join the fray in the Alfatross' stablemate, a 1973 Porsche 911E Targa borrowed from my long-suffering better half. Thanks Toni!
I made a trip last week to Phoenix to check on the progress Roger Lorton and DeWayne Samuels have been making on my engine and to take samples of upholstery to John Pollock at Young Guns Designs to see if anything comparable still exists. I drove my truck to Phoenix this time because I also needed to pick up some antique hard hat diving equipment my friend Dr. Randy Davis has been accumulating for a museum exhibit we are designing.
I was relieved to see that considerable progress has been made with the engine, but a lot of problem-solving and careful work still lies ahead. The first batch of nitrided parts is back, all neatly shrink-wrapped to protective cardboard backings. Looks like something NASA would do! The new main studs are in and the main bearings re-measured for out of round. All were found to be too loose and have been sent out for coatings to bulk them up and reduce friction. One camshaft will have to be welded up, heat treated, and ground to obtain the proper lobe profiles. The crank will need to be turned, nitrided, and cryrogenic treatment, but that will have to wait until the bearings come back. We're also going to need new pistons, valve guides, and exhaust valves.
DeWayne and Roger flow-bench tested the carbs, intake manifold, and head at various valve lifts to determine how well it breathes. This sort of work is way beyond the usual engine rebuild. In DeWayne's words "If we just replace worn parts that doesn't fix the problems that got us here in the first place." We already know the dual downdraft Solex 40 P II carbs are too small for all-out performance, but they're original, so we're keeping them!
Right now they are pondering the grooves milled into all the cam tower bearing surfaces. Are they factory or some previous owner's idea of a performance improvement? Roger thinks that they must bleed off a huge amount of oil pressure, perhaps contributing to the lubrication problems seen elsewhere in the engine. If anyone out there has seen this before and can explain why these grooves exist, I'm sure Roger would like to hear from you!
Pressing on to Young Guns Designs Randy and I met with Tyler Tibbits, John Pollock and Frank Bennett to discuss bumper fabrication and upholstery for The Alfatross. While we were there we got to see the 5,000 sq ft addition to their operation and some of Frank's painting artistry. We came to the conclusion that yes, the interior could be re-upholstered in modern materials very similar to the originals in color, texture, and pattern .
Still Blasting
I thought I was close to finished with blasting, but then I started rotating the car 360 degrees and seeing all the places I missed! It's down to detail work now: all the little nooks and crannies that still harbor bits of undercoating, paint, and primer. It's slow going and now I have to use a simple, low-output suction gun instead of the dedicated soda blaster in order to get into tight spaces.
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| "I said keep the rubber side down!" Soda blasting--still at it! |
Soda, even when mixed with aluminum oxide doesn't remove undercoating or tarry seam sealer. That stuff has to be removed chemically. I brush on paint remover, cover it with aluminum foil to reduce vaporization, and leave it overnight. It usually comes off easily the next day with a Scotchbrite pad or a paper towel.
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| Bird's eye view. |
Santa Fe Concorso
The Santa Fe Concorso will be held this weekend http://santafeconcorso.com/about.html. For classic and collector car guys around here it's like Christmas in September. I volunteered to help out schlepping boxes around and setting up tents for the various vendors and hospitality providers. With luck I'll meet a variety of restorers, owners, and judges, and pick up some pointers that will be helpful with restoration of The Alfatross. One of the more than 100 cars on display will be Steve McQueen's Jaguar XKSS.
Driving tours associated with the Santa Fe Concorso start today. I signed up for a 300-miler to be held tomorrow. With fingers crossed and an enhanced tool kit for insurance, co-driver Jeff Krammer and I will join the fray in the Alfatross' stablemate, a 1973 Porsche 911E Targa borrowed from my long-suffering better half. Thanks Toni!
Phoenix Connection
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| Treated parts are starting to come back from sub-contractors. |
I was relieved to see that considerable progress has been made with the engine, but a lot of problem-solving and careful work still lies ahead. The first batch of nitrided parts is back, all neatly shrink-wrapped to protective cardboard backings. Looks like something NASA would do! The new main studs are in and the main bearings re-measured for out of round. All were found to be too loose and have been sent out for coatings to bulk them up and reduce friction. One camshaft will have to be welded up, heat treated, and ground to obtain the proper lobe profiles. The crank will need to be turned, nitrided, and cryrogenic treatment, but that will have to wait until the bearings come back. We're also going to need new pistons, valve guides, and exhaust valves.
Right now they are pondering the grooves milled into all the cam tower bearing surfaces. Are they factory or some previous owner's idea of a performance improvement? Roger thinks that they must bleed off a huge amount of oil pressure, perhaps contributing to the lubrication problems seen elsewhere in the engine. If anyone out there has seen this before and can explain why these grooves exist, I'm sure Roger would like to hear from you!
Pressing on to Young Guns Designs Randy and I met with Tyler Tibbits, John Pollock and Frank Bennett to discuss bumper fabrication and upholstery for The Alfatross. While we were there we got to see the 5,000 sq ft addition to their operation and some of Frank's painting artistry. We came to the conclusion that yes, the interior could be re-upholstered in modern materials very similar to the originals in color, texture, and pattern .