#64belair

[designsbyandrew]

Got the new 3.73 Yukon gears and bearing kit for my 64 Bel Air. The hole in the bottom of the cast iron 3rd member case has been tig welded shut. Getting ready to set up the pattern on the gears once they are installed in place. The car should be a heck of a lot quicker with 3.73 gears over the stock 3.36 gears. Look out Hemi Chargers. I could hang with you before, now I might just walk away from you. 😆 #designsbyandrew #60smuscle #64belair #chevrolet #chevroletbelair #3rdmember #yukongear #ringandpinion #gearchange #tigwelded

[designsbyandrew]

Here's the rest of the carnage from the missing pinion gear tooth. The third member case is in good shape other than the exit wound. Just have to clean it up and braze up the hole that is about a half inch long by quarter inch wide. I only found two little shards of gear material stuck to the sides of the case. No other metal went through the gears or posi. Glad it was a clean exit for the tooth. I never heard any loud noise like a pop or bang right before I started noticing a whine that got a little louder. Luckily the posi unit came away without damage. That thing wasn't cheap 10 years ago when I put the diff together. I am upgrading from the 3.36 gears to a 3.73 set as it would make the car have more pep taking off. I'm curious to how much quicker the gear change will make. I have encountered a couple of Hemi Chargers that I just barely pulled away from messing around with. I have about a 500 lb advantage over them with less horsepower. So when it breaks, cry over the bill, upgrade it and motor on! #designsbyandrew #bella #64belair #xframe #bbody #chevroletbelair #chevrolet #car #cars #60smuscle #differential #broken #ohshit #windowmaker #lostmytoof

[designsbyandrew]

Finally got the wiring all done and the grommets I made installed for the wiring passing through into the car for the heater. I relocated the blower motor relay to under the dash and went to a 5 pin Bosch style relay versus the old metal housing type used from the factory. I have replaced a couple of the stock relays due to corrosion and they aren't sealed from the elements so reliability isn't very high. I also went with a 96 Nissan Sentra blower motor resistor card versus the old wire wound resistor pack from the factory. I have been through two stock resistor packs and they are getting expensive if you can find them. Reliability hasn't been all that great either. I drive my 64 often so I am more into the go side of things than show even though show is nice. It's been a long summer working on the car doing floor pans, a complete rebuild of the heater unit with 5 custom fabricated replacement panels for the rusted out sections in the heater along with a whole other list of items done along the way. The heater will run you out of the car in about 15 minutes even without the carpet installed. Should be much warmer with the interior back in. I have always froze my tail off as long as I've owned the car. Rusted out panels within the heater and holes here and there throughout the firewall from missing grommets etc were most of the problems. I almost gave up a few times along the way but am glad I didn't as the car is so much nicer to drive now. Just goes to say, don't give up when you are just on the other side of the hill to finishing. #designsbyandrew #restoration #xframe #bbody #bella #64belair #chevrolet #belair #grommet #custommade #60smuscle #realmetal #landyachtz #ironsides #heaterbox

[designsbyandrew]

More fiberglass heater duct repair. The masking tape on the edge is there to form a trough so it will cure in place. The chips in the edge of the fiberglass are where the defroster hoses attach. I have some other cracks and chips to fill in on the other side once this side cures. Easy repair as you can sand off and contour the epoxy after it hardens. Cheaper and easier than looking for another housing that is 50 years old. #designsbyandrew #bella #64belair #restoration #xframe #bbody #chevroletbelair #chevrolet #car #cars #60smuscle #realmetal #landyachtz #ironsides #heaterbox #fiberglass #fiberglassrepair

[designsbyandrew]

Heater unit is in and all cables are hooked and work. Had a few issues along the way getting it back in. This is the second time I've had to take it out and put it back in since owning the car. Never have liked underdash work as it always seems to be a pain. I have a couple of things to pick up and it should be getting wrapped up sometime tomorrow if, and the key is if all goes well. Still have some wiring to do on the heater unit. Getting closer. #designsbyandrew #bella #64belair #restoration #xframe #bbody #chevroletbelair #chevrolet #car #cars #60smuscle #realmetal #landyachtz #ironsides #heaterbox #acbox

[designsbyandrew]

Second coat of paint dried overnight with the help of a heater. Today's goal is to get the new firewall insulation pad installed along with the heater box under the dash plus anything else possible. Getting closer. Can't wait to take it for a ride. #designsbyandrew #bella #64belair #restoration #xframe #bbody #floorpans #bella #floorpanreplacement #sheetmetal #chevroletbelair #chevrolet #car #cars #60smuscle #realmetal #landyachtz #ironsides #heaterbox #firewallinsulationpad #freshpaint #reassemblyday

[designsbyandrew]

Got the heater core fitted and mounted with the brackets that hold it in place. I also had to massage the tubes slightly as they didn't come out the direction like they are supposed to. The end tanks on the new heater core are slightly larger than the original one I took out along with no dimples for the mounting bracket screws to clear the tanks. I gently dimpled the tanks to clear the screws as cutting off the end of the screw wouldn't cure the whole problem. Shouldn't have leaks due to a screw rubbing through the end tank. Been a long process in rebuilding and making the unit functional again but it should work well after. All part of the rebuilding and restoration process with old cars. #designsbyandrew #bella #64belair #restoration #xframe #bbody #chevroletbelair #chevrolet #heaterbox #heater #heatercore #60smuscle #car #cars

[designsbyandrew]

Made a fair amount of progress this evening on building foam gaskets and test fitting they too halves of the heater box together. Until painting all of the fasteners, you don't realize how many hold the heater together along with the inner fender panels. Spent a fair amount of time cleaning them up. Some required being run across the wire wheel before painting. I got all but one gasket cut out and glued in place for the heater box. I still have to cut out more gaskets for the ducting and outer blower motor housing once that gets cleaned up. Starting to resemble an actual heater unit. #designsbyandrew #bella #64belair #restoration #xframe #bbody #rustrepair #heaterbox #paint #rustoleum #rustoleumpaint #chevroletbelair #chevrolet #64chevrolet #gasket #handbuilt #handcrafted #madewithpride #elbowgrease