Rusty's not very quiet cuda progress

Well at least I got the air cleaner lowered an inch, my big accomplishment for the day.
YEA!

Also put another jack under the header right at the flange, this time I could see the motor come up in the back about an inch, will leave it sitting on the weight till I get it running, if I ever do!
 
So that mistake will cost me, from 50ish w/ shipping to over 80 & 12 bucks for return shipping, I wish I wasn't such a dummy!
I hope to hell I got the right wires this time, I called & let them pick em!
 
Ok belt is here so if it fits I can tighten up all the A/C brackets, wires are due in tomorrow, but have been sidetracked a bit, went to fill the gas cans to keep the thirsty cuda satisfied & got back in the truck & the brakes went near to the floor, lucky I was only a couple of blocks from home, went real slow & made it without driving through or into anything, open the hood & it's pouring out of one of the lines from the master to the valve.
Picking up the new one in a little while, heading to the PO to return the wrong wires & then I can play with that line a while. maybe hit the car after if it doesn't totally mess me up, somehow everything I touch lately does that!
 
Well at least I got the PU fixed!

So the 58" belt won't even touch the pulley with the alt. all the way up, now I don't know what to try next.
Used to have 3 or 4 local auto parts nearby, now just autozone & they had nothing.
Guess I go driving around tomorrow & see what the next closest ones have?
 
Geeze guys, this stuff is starting to get me down. it has to be weeks now where I just can't get anything accomplished, I'd better get a belt tomorrow, hopefully the wires will come too & I can get this thing running again by sunday!

I need one lousy good day!!!!!
 
Gonna try northvale , bout 20 mins out first, then advanced in bergenfield, probably the same 20 mins in the opposite direction, so I'm making it 40. if not I'll find parts authority.
I would think they all should have a good belt inventory!

I'm surprised auto zone had nothing over 48?
 
Wow, what ever happened to those walls of fan belts, advanced had to order any of them, called parts authority, had a couple slightly bigger I get there & they are all serpentine!
got lucky after going back & fourth with the guy 12 times & they had 1-56, well I'm heading out in a while to see if it fits, I need a miracle!
 
OK belt is on, but I'm just a fraction from the end of adjustment, so after all that all I needed was 1", gonna order a 55 & have it ready if that belt slacks off!
anyone need a 58, cost more to send it back, free for the asking! 20240525_105820.jpg
No wires yet so I started laying out the A/C lines, all look well bent cept one, tried it over & under the heater valve, this will take some creative bending. 20240525_114055.jpg
rest I just have to figure the best route before I take the 2 fittings that have to be crimped to the shop. 20240525_114018.jpgdon't remember that going around the battery?
20240525_114043.jpg
They said you could turn the compressor to either side for clearance issues, but there's a bracket in the way on both sides, so out the top it is!
I've got me a plumbing nightmare! 20240525_115338.jpg
 
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Ok today was light tinker around time, got the plug wires in, straight plugs at the distributor made it quite different, might need a few more Seperators?20240526_140158.jpg

Found a way the receiver to valve line would fit pretty good, but it turns the gauge access port upside down, does that matter?20240526_141324.jpg20240526_141335.jpg

So I went around & rerouted a couple of wires & cables, put a few wire ties, I guess this will never look tidy back there!20240526_151230.jpg

So my old A/C line was a hose & went through the hole below in the rad. support, no way that pipe is going down there, have to go around the battery.20240526_151445.jpg

Was getting toasty out there so I started up the A/C & went in to cut down that muffler hanger.
got it cut & went out & tested the fit, it will go in but even on the higher trans mount bolt it only get me 1/2" if I cut the hole at the bottom out & reweld it's only another 1/2", really don't know if it's worth all the trouble? 20240526_155724.jpg
 
On my stuff access is all that mattered, but mine were pretty small screw on fittings, the car ones are pretty big, Mark has a set hanging on his tool box, guess I'll do a test fit!
 
K, after some creative bending I got that access port upside right, put in all the hard lines & laid out the compressor hoses got those cut & marked for crimping.
20240528_135208.jpg20240528_135200.jpgone original clamp actually fit! 20240528_143331.jpgHad to make new ones for the new route, now I had clamps of every varity back in the working days, seem the only ones I saved were the electric ones, got 2 that were "close enough" had to make one new hole for the front one. 20240528_143320.jpg
 
So after getting the loose hoses out of the way it was time to start it up & find I wasted a lot of effort.
new manifold gaskets & carb gaskets made NO difference, vacuum starts at 7ish works it's way to almost 10 after warmed up.
At least the new electric choke works.

Engine seemed a little rougher than before & it bounces around a bit on the new motor mounts, still have a ton of fine tuning to do!

Exhaust FAIL, Vacuum FAIL,

I need some victories BAD!
 
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