The SX/4 money pit

[IowaEagle]

Really looks nice Smitty.  Yeah, the linkage will take some doing.  Are you going clean and paint the linkage bracket bolted to the manifold?  If for no other reason than to halt any further deterioation.   At least you found the parts before stuffing in car and starting.  I think we all do that.   Thanks for the pix of the oil pans!  The difference is very obvious.  We need to save that pic elsewhere as well.  Thanks for your excellent write-ups on this project!

[Smitty]

Yep, I plan on painting the linkage bracket.  Just want to make sure I am still going to use it and whether I will be modifying it someway first.  Would hate to paint it then tear it up modifying it.  Paint is always the last thing to go on, besides greasy fingerprints

[IowaEagle]

Yup -- paint last -- though I always seem to still get fingerprints on the stuff.

[Gil-SX4]

I hate it when that happens you finish puting every thing together when you notice that the first part you had to put is still in the shop table so you have to take every thing apart again.
But it sure looks like you are moving right allong

[IowaEagle]

Or that mysterious bolt that you have left over.

[jim]

Or if you are an inexperienced mechanic and have a part left over that you don't recognize.

[Smitty]

Went to NAPA at lunch today and talked ideas over with them.  I ordered a 27 inch accelerator cable that I will connect to the stock location on the linkage bracket.  I will then loop the cable up to the rear of the intake manifold and use a 1970 throttle bracket to hold the cable and modify it so that it will have the correct distance to the carb for the cable to connect.  This should tranfer the downward motion of the stock linkage assembly to a rear pull that will work on the Holley.  For $13 it is worth a try and should work.

[IowaEagle]

Let us know and of course if it works out we will want detailed narrative and diagrams.

[Smitty]

Took a few days off from work and did some traveling with Skeezix.  We only saw one Eagle outside of Rutland VT and it was on jackstands but appeared to be a driver that was just getting a little work done on it.  I did spend a good part of Saturday working on the Money Pit.  Took care of a lot of little details with the engine and then got the tranny bolted up



Couple of hints, put a little grease on the outside of the torque converter lug so it does not burn the seal on the tranny when you first fire it up,  carefully line up the flexplate and the converter first so you can mark the alignment (there is only one way they will bolt together)



and then do not tighten everything up until the converter bolts are in.  I thought I had it all aligned only to find out I had to pull the tranny off again to correct the alignment marks.  We do it right cause we do it twice .

You know, there are two tools I have bought that I always thought I could do without (and have until now).  The first is an engine leveler that attaches to the hoist so that the engine can be tilted as it goes in or out of the car.



Years ago I would have tried to manhandle this in or had to put the tranny in from the bottom, which I find to be a pain.  The leveler made this job a breeze and it only took about 10 minutes to get the engine and tranny in.  OF COURSE  , there was the minor oops of having the hoist set to the wrong weight setting so the boom would not put the engine all the way back cause the hoist hit the front of the car.  Had to set the engine down and readjust the length of the boom and then all was fine.

The second tool that I wonder how I lived without is a tranny jack.  This one came from Harbor Freight for $59 and is a great piece for the price.



I have not put the transfer case in yet but it is on the jack and is easy to move around and there is no fear of it falling on me as I hook it up.

Well, here is it,

now I just need to hook everything back up, install the new exhaust and get the throttle linkage hooked up.  I spent yesterday fabricating the new linkage and believe I have that taken care of.  Once I know it works I will post pics and part numbers.

[IowaEagle]

You have been busy.  Thanks for the great pix and tips Smitty.

[Gil-SX4]

So do you do body and paint work?
  

[Smitty]

Yep, I do most all my own paint and body work.  My brother in Law owns a body shop and I have learned a lot from him over the years.  He used to work in the body shop for the AMC dealer so he knows the old Ramblers well.  I recently bought new HVLP spray guns so it will be fun learning how to paint all over again.

[IowaEagle]

Gee you need to talk your brother in law into being a member here -- he probably could provide some great tech tips.

[Smitty]

That is a funny thought .  He does not own a computer

[IowaEagle]

That does present a problem.