Author Topic: The Restoration Of my 1977 V-6 Pinto Crusing Wagon (Read 54477 times)

74 PintoWagon · « **Reply #30 on:** September 25, 2013, 08:52:17 AM »

Looks great.

jeremysdad · « **Reply #31 on:** September 25, 2013, 10:24:25 AM »

Is there anyway you could do this using a power supply from a desktop computer? I have a few of those lying around. lol

Answered my own question. YouTube says 'Yes, you can.' Vid:

DBSS1234 · « **Reply #32 on:** September 25, 2013, 10:45:14 AM »

Computer power supply should work. Just remember you need about 140 mA per square inch of surface area on the part you are plating. Here is a link to the site I am using as a guide.

http://home.comcast.net/~rt66tbird/website/zincplating.html

74 PintoWagon · « **Reply #33 on:** September 25, 2013, 11:18:39 AM »

Was wondering about that myself, I also have some laying around collecting dust, very cool..

jeremysdad · « **Reply #34 on:** September 25, 2013, 01:14:43 PM »

My wife said 'Don't burn the house down, and don't make it look like a meth lab.'

DON'T CROSS THE WRONG WIRES! Also, capacitors gonna burn you. Don't touch those, either.

lol

Beyond that, it's a bunch of wires hooked to metallic objects simmering in a salt-solution on the kitchen table. How could it not look like a meth lab??? lol

74 PintoWagon · « **Reply #35 on:** September 25, 2013, 01:36:10 PM »

Sounds like something my wife would say, lol..

DBSS1234 · « **Reply #36 on:** September 25, 2013, 01:54:02 PM »

My wife said that also. She also mentioned I am most likely on some FBI watch list due to my buying a small scale, small measuring beaker, various chemicals, and the power supply all off Ebay.

DBSS1234 · « **Reply #37 on:** September 26, 2013, 09:08:30 AM »

Been working every night on the restoration and I am making pretty fair progress. Engine bay is painted. On disassambly I noticed that the motor mount brackets, battery tray, hood hinges, and hood bumpers were installed before paint......... .......so that is what I did also. I also included a picture of the replated hood latch along with the replated zinc dichromate (zinc and yellow) bolts.

dianne · « **Reply #38 on:** September 26, 2013, 09:15:28 AM »

SWEET!

74 PintoWagon · « **Reply #39 on:** September 26, 2013, 10:01:44 AM »

Looks great.

DBSS1234 · « **Reply #40 on:** September 26, 2013, 11:41:38 AM »

Thanks to everybody for all the kind compliments! I am taking a few days off to go to Rainy Lake on the Minnesota/Canada border and do a little fall fishing. Weather looks bleak to say the least, but as they say a poor day fishing is still better than a good day at work!
Walleye and Northern Pike beware, I am on my way!

74 PintoWagon · « **Reply #41 on:** September 26, 2013, 11:45:46 AM »

Have fun and be safe..

DBSS1234 · « **Reply #42 on:** October 07, 2013, 09:44:25 AM »

Continuing with the restore the parts and reassemble the car approach here are some of the restored parts (front sway bar and front lower "A" frame struts). The three yellow stripes were faint but visable on the sway bar so I repainted them after refinishing the bar. Looking at the build sheet I found in the car it shows "Y" for the sway bar (Yellow). It would have sucked to be color blind and work on the assembly line at Ford!

DBSS1234 · « **Reply #43 on:** October 25, 2013, 10:16:44 PM »

I am finally getting to bolt some parts back onto the car! This is the restored front suspension. All replaced parts are NOS except for the LH upper "A" frame which has an after market ball joint (you can tell by the bolts holding it on instead of the stock rivets). I just couldn't find a nice NOS one.

dianne · « **Reply #44 on:** October 25, 2013, 10:17:57 PM »

1 word: BEAUTIFUL!

DBSS1234 · « **Reply #45 on:** October 25, 2013, 10:25:50 PM »

Thanks Dianne. As soon as I get the rear axle and front brake parts restored and mounted I will post picutres of them also.

dianne · « **Reply #46 on:** October 25, 2013, 10:29:56 PM »

Just wants to get me there on my wagon! Thanks for posting that, it was awesome!

74 PintoWagon · « **Reply #47 on:** October 26, 2013, 08:18:29 AM »

Very nice indeed.

DBSS1234 · « **Reply #48 on:** October 27, 2013, 07:15:53 PM »

Front suspension and brakes are done! Here are a few before and after pictures. I look them and can't quite believe it, and I did it!

Alpine615 · « **Reply #49 on:** October 27, 2013, 07:31:20 PM »

VERY impressive!!

dianne · « **Reply #50 on:** October 27, 2013, 08:40:13 PM »

WOW, that looks awesome!

DBSS1234 · « **Reply #51 on:** November 07, 2013, 08:51:58 PM »

Finally bolting more restored parts on the Pinto. This time it is the rack and pinion steering gear assembly.

dianne · « **Reply #52 on:** November 07, 2013, 09:12:42 PM »

Dang, that looks better than new!

That's pretty awesome actually! I don't know if I can do that, but I would like to try with the Mustang. Are you getting new springs?

DBSS1234 · « **Reply #53 on:** November 07, 2013, 09:19:31 PM »

Front springs are original, sandblasted and refinished. The rear springs are new, one of the old ones had the top leaf completely broken in two. I hung the rear springs up to paint tonight, I should have them painted and installed by the end of the weekend.

dianne · « **Reply #54 on:** November 07, 2013, 09:28:45 PM »

Quote from: DBSS1234 on November 07, 2013, 09:19:31 PM

Front springs are original, sandblasted and refinished. The rear springs are new, one of the old ones had the top leaf completely broken in two. I hung the rear springs up to paint tonight, I should have them painted and installed by the end of the weekend.

When you're finished, how close to new do you think the ride will feel? I have some squeaks in the wagon, is taking it apart like you are the only way to fix it, or can you clean, scrape, replace any bad gaskets, bolts that are rusted, and so on. Paint also I guess if you want it to look decent. Is what you're doing the only way to get a new ride feel again?

dianne · « **Reply #55 on:** November 07, 2013, 09:30:36 PM »

Your work looks so perfect it's almost like someone photoshopped it for a magazine.

Alpine615 · « **Reply #56 on:** November 07, 2013, 09:31:29 PM »

I hope this isn't a stupid question, but how did you deal with the pitting on some of those parts? When I restored my suspension, I did not have a compressor, so I had to pay to have them blasted. They looked great, except all the parts looked like they had a texture to them. Yours look, as dianne said, brand new...here's a pic of my pitted parts:

dianne · « **Reply #57 on:** November 07, 2013, 09:42:01 PM »

Sanding with 80 grit and spending some time with it might do it. Or an orbital sander with 40 grit and smooth with 80 with a vibrating sander and then 200. That would provide that new look I think. Yours look good. Mine are minor surface rust only, so a light sanding and paint would do most of it. I don't know if that would only be cosmetic or show or if it makes for a new ride drive. I'd be happy with a perfect ride. I'd like to know how the new springs did. I compensated with air shocks and it didn't make a difference.

His is too perfect LOL, actually looks fake it's so good!

DBSS1234 · « **Reply #58 on:** November 07, 2013, 09:54:06 PM »

The only way to get the surface pitting perfect is to fill the pits with filler, sand, fill, sand, prime, sand, prime, sand and paint. I was going to wait and show the rear axle from start to finish but since you asked here it is in process. As for the ride, new ball joints, bushings, and rubber isolators should make it ride as new. Remember this isn't a Lincoln, so the ride will never be like new cars.

Srt · « **Reply #59 on:** November 08, 2013, 03:45:15 AM »

Excellent!

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Author Topic: The Restoration Of my 1977 V-6 Pinto Crusing Wagon (Read 54477 times)