74 ranchero refresh

The 74 after 18 years since the frame off is getting a little refresh. What I am looking for is some place that does nice re chroming for a reasonable price and local to Chicago area. next a place where I could send out my speedometer to have the face refinished. Thanks guys in advance for any help. Take care Dan

 

Well the refresh is coming along. The bumper re chroming is going to wait since $1200 for the two bumpers is a bit much for this year so that will wait. The Speedometer is going to wait as well the average price is in the range of $500-$700 for this work . The only wrong with the speedo is the trip odometer numbers have peeled off. I really like using the trip but for that price I would like to try and find another speedometer in better shape. The engine and trans are out now (pictures soon) and will be cleaning those up and making some much needed repairs. The engine will be gaskets some new hardware and a new timing chain set. The trans will get a good cleaning and repaint and because of the gear vendor unit re working how the trans mount to the cross member for an easier install. The GV unit has been the ONLY thing I paid someone else to do and they messed up a bit. With a little more thought they could have made a much cleaner install without trashing the ceramic coating on the headers and the paint on the underside of the car. Well now it is time to fix that too. Then last the engine bay will get a cleaning and paint were needed and then put it all back together and run it for another 18-20 years!

 

Here are what things look like now.....

Engine bay


engine


Trans/w GV unit



headers/ w old Jet hot coating

 

I might have a '76 speedometer NOS lying around. Next time I get a chance to look I'll let you know, if interested.

 

Yes!

 

I would do that if they were not so bashed up (photo did not capture gouges). I am going with a dark cast color this time around. That trans length made for quite the challenge taking it out of the car in one piece with the engine attached.

 

Some of those dents are mine from 30 years ago (learning curve from first time 460 install). But the real bad damage came from the trans shop when the Over drive unit and the trans rebuild took place. See what they did was not loosen up the headers so the trans could more easily clear them. Instead they forced and muscled the trans out taking chunks out of the ceramic coating. When they could not get the trans to clear they cut a piece out of the trans casting and in the act the sawzall (or what ever they used to cut) beat the crap out of one of the header tubes and the collector on the passenger side. There is only one dent that was put in on purpose. That is on the passenger side to clear the idler arm when the car is turned extreme left.

 

Thank you. I am hoping because of this the refresh will not turn in to a restore project. The plan (with the help of my friend Tony) is that will be up and rolling again buy no later than May 2019. As most projects it starts out with one thing and then rolls in to this train of thought "while I have it apart" or "While were in there" we might as well........ This one is no different but I am trying not to let it get out of hand. The primary reason for this was to correct the Timing issue and then freshen up an 18 year old rebuild and make the engine bay look new again. There are some other things that need attention and will address those as money allows. As long as it can be driven and enjoyed by May of this year it should happen. I do not want this car sitting out all summer.

 

Well finally took the water pump and the timing cover off and as I suspected there was some slop in the chain. But the chain set was the 3 key way "retarded" set. The keyway would never point straight up even it the advance setting. So that will be taken care of ASAP.


the water pump spacer was looking a little nasty as well. Some heavy rust forming at the bottom of the plate. I have a new one to replace it if this one will not clean up with sandblasting.


So that is it for now go at it again tomorrow after work.

 

The discolor is were I sprayed the solvent cleaner so I could highlight to dots on the gears. The deflection is 1/2 inch or more "replace" this one won with 3/4 inch play! Plus I am looking for that crank key way to be pointing straight up. I had this done 18 years ago. I just came out of back surgery and doc told me not to work on engines for about 6 months. So i let the shop that did the machine work put it together for me. I asked for either a 1970 chain set or a multi key way set that would allow for key way straight up. As we can see they did not listen very well. I suspected an issue when i had no low end power and idle vacuum around 11 Hg @ 700 rpm. But over all the car run good and did not want to pull it all back apart. So now we fix!

 

Chrome plated... Sounds like it should work. Any leaking issues? (we all know how chrome and adhesives don't like to stick together)