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The Bucket List

Good news and bad news.
Bad news .. didn't find the reverse corvair steering box I wanted at the flee market today.
Good news is I got the original corvair box apart after givn'r the all or nothing approach and it looks like its worth rebuilding and reversing.
Did find some original 1930 dampeners for the front end.
Some nice pot headlights for the front, and some tail lights.
 
Never reversed a Corvair box, or any other as far as that is concerned. I read a "how to" on it. I would like to see some photos if you do yours. Sounds like you did okay at the flee market.
 
Ok.. I give a breakdown of what I did.
Some might not have the same difficulties I did from reading the other forums.
Every one else seemed to have a hard time getting the pitman arm off, mine came right off with and old puller easy.
No one seemed to mention having a hard time getting the cover plate off . but I did.
Amazing how dissimilar metals corrode with each other.
The cast aluminum housing had the cover plate glued to it as if it was welded, and all three bolts broke off trying to remove them.
I let the thing sit in WD40 soaking for a few more weeks.
After the bolt heads broke off I hit the cover plate with the torch for a while and pounded a flat head at it.
Now I was following these instructions for rebuild.

http://www.jeffw.ca/Bucket/Mech/Steering_Box_Rebuild.pdf

And there was a post on a few others about reversing it but they all seemed to be contradictory.
Let me clear that up.. Not every forum I researched recommended the same size frost plug to seal the end.

steeringbox.jpg



boxguts.jpg
 
In the instructions there in note #5 ,, ,, ya . well 40 something year old dissimilar metal bonding with a steal cover and a cast aluminum case can get frustrating.
I was starting to worry I was going to melt the casting with the heat I was putting on it.
I didn't want to break it so I kind of gave up on it thinking some Corvair guy might want it and I could find another one all ready done but no luck, so it was either coming apart or I was going to have to pay big money at Flaming River or other for a box.
Well it was all or nothing so I giv'r the beens with an old flat head, busted the tip off of the screwdriver, the box went flying out of the vice, landed on the concrete, and I thought for sure it was F$%&^k.
Picked it up and the cover had popped off ..the rest was just cosmetic scratches I can fix with a nice file and some sand paper.
I'll give more info on the reversal when I pick up my sealer (secret ..don't tell anyone.. its just you me and the internet).
 
I was talking to some guys at the market today that have done a some buckets and they said that one of them little Suzuki 4X4 boxes work great for the side steer and they are a dime a dozen.
But that's not really the kind of car I want to build.
Every part I have put in this car has been North American so far, all the parts (Body, Engine, Frame, headers) are Canadian, and I want to stick with that theme.
I know its not a vintage bucket from SO CAL in the early years .. but hey allot of people think major muscle cars came from Detroit and no one ever hear of Oshawa.
 
You know the headless bolts will come out one way or another. I would continue to reverse it, if nothing else, just for the experience. I am hard headed, and hate to let something beat me. I have a stupid project going on like that right now with a four stoke weed eater. Keep at it. Even if you mess up the threaded holes, perhaps you could step up to one size larger bolt, drill and tap. Your at the point now, you have nothing to lose but time.
 
If you have a welder, weld a nut to the broken studs with a heavy pass. Sometimes the heat from the weld frees up the broken bolt. If it doesn't at least you have something to work with.
 
It is definitely getting done. No budget for another one now, I already ordered my steering column.
If I can't get them out I know a machine shop that can.
 
I am looking at window post's, I see the straight up and 30 degree ones are available from multiple shops.
Has anyone seen any that are about 15 degree rake ?
30 seems to much, I want to match the rake on my grill with my windshield, and my headlights.
I was able to acquire some Studebaker headlight rings that will give my pots that 15 degree look while still upright.
Once I mock it all up I will post some picks.
But I need to get that window at the right angle or the whole issue will look like ass I think.
 
The front shocks I scored I scored at the flea market.
may need a rebuild but look great the way they are.

shock1.jpg


shock2.jpg


shock3.jpg


I believe they are Haudaille shocks from the 30's, got the dog bones and the arms too.
After looking at Five Points prices I think I got a steel at $60 Canadian.
 
Screen brackets. I made these. Happy to run a thread for you if it would help. Just bits of tube, plate and a welder.

Gerry

 
Sounds great, I haven't done any Stainless welding hope I can learn a trick.
Maybe I'll start making more parts from scratch.
 
If you can weld carbon you can weld stainless. Once you weld stainless you will love it. nothin to it.
 
The bracket are mild, just polished. Once the floor thread is complete I will do on on the brackets, unless you need it now.
G
 
I'm in no hurry right now.. steering column turns out is on back order from summit so its going to be a month.
I still need to mock up the bird cage to support the column drop, and the corvair steering box is still giving trouble.
Going to take that to the machine shop and get the broken bolts out.
Bought the steel for the bird cage but now considering ordering stainless.
 
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