My 54 Conestoga project

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Re: My 54 Conestoga project

Postby Stu Cool » 2013 Sep 04 Wed 2:45 pm

With help from my friend Mike Schmitz we changed all the inside control arm bushings today. He has a GM ball joint removal tool and with just a minor modification to one of the adapters it worked great for changing the bushings. I had the whole control arm assembly off the car and the brake assemblies removed which made it much easier. It took us less than four hours at a relaxed pace to get it done. Next step will be wire brushing the entire front frame and suspension and painting them.
Last edited by Stu Cool on 2013 Sep 27 Fri 4:42 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Pat Dilling
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'54 Conetoga Retirement Project starting 2012
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Re: My 54 Conestoga project

Postby BRIZ » 2013 Sep 22 Sun 11:59 pm

great thread mr. Stu Cool - thanks for taking the time to upload the pics with your progress - keep'em coming!
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Re: My 54 Conestoga project

Postby Stu Cool » 2013 Oct 02 Wed 3:03 pm

Finally got ambitious enough to make some progress. After installing the bushings in the control arms I got my angle grinder and wire brushes out
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Cleaned them up and painted them with Eastwood's Extreme Chassis paint.
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I also took the brushes to the front part of the frame and applied the same paint. This build is a clean up and refurb, not a full scale restoration so don't expect concours quality, lol. Here is before, during and after.
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I plan to lower the car by cutting front springs and using lowering blocks in the back. Here are the front springs with 1.5 coils or about 2 inches removed. I also cut the top coil flat. Hope it is not too much. These are V8 springs from the 64 Cruiser.
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Next step, hopefully later this week, will be to get the control arm/spindle assemblies back on the car.
Pat Dilling
Olivehurst, CA
'54 Conetoga Retirement Project starting 2012
'53 Custom Starlight
Stu Cool
 
Posts: 52
Joined: 2010 Feb 24 Wed 9:40 pm

Re: My 54 Conestoga project

Postby Stu Cool » 2013 Oct 06 Sun 2:47 pm

Today I finished installing the control arms, steering and anti-sway bar. All of these parts came from the '64 Cruiser donor car.

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Next project is rebuilding brake cylinders and installing the 11" finned drums, also from the Cruiser.
Pat Dilling
Olivehurst, CA
'54 Conetoga Retirement Project starting 2012
'53 Custom Starlight
Stu Cool
 
Posts: 52
Joined: 2010 Feb 24 Wed 9:40 pm

Re: My 54 Conestoga project

Postby Mike » 2013 Oct 07 Mon 5:51 am

Looks good Pat.
Now to put everything back together..!

Mike
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Re: My 54 Conestoga project

Postby Stu Cool » 2013 Oct 08 Tue 5:04 pm

I have rebuilt the front brake cylinders and assembled the brakes. Shoes were good. I did have to take some 80 grit to the rust in the drums. Also wire brushed and painted the drums. I packed the wheel bearings and put it all together. It's ready to be a roller again now. Next is tackling the brakes in the Dana 44 and cleaning up back there.

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Pat Dilling
Olivehurst, CA
'54 Conetoga Retirement Project starting 2012
'53 Custom Starlight
Stu Cool
 
Posts: 52
Joined: 2010 Feb 24 Wed 9:40 pm

Re: My 54 Conestoga project

Postby Mike » 2013 Oct 09 Wed 5:53 am

Looking good.

What anti-sway bar is that ? Did you build the brackets ?

I put a BIG GM bar on my 59 Lark, made my own frame/control arm brackets. I'm going to transfer it all to my 54 when it gets closer to running. It's a 1-1/8" (1-1/4" ?), Z-28 bar.
I got one of the 3/4" aftermarket bars for the rear of the 54 from Frank (41Frank) and a set of his heavy duty shocks.

Mike

P.s. - I like your comment about the drum brakes over on the "Drivers" site..
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Re: My 54 Conestoga project

Postby Stu Cool » 2013 Oct 10 Thu 12:10 pm

The sway bar and brackets are from the 64 Cruiser. Which comment about the brakes. that they look huge or that they should be meet my needs?

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'54 Conetoga Retirement Project starting 2012
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Re: My 54 Conestoga project

Postby Stu Cool » 2013 Nov 25 Mon 1:06 pm

I have been working steadily on my Conestoga. Most recent sub-projects have been rear axle and suspension and installing a dual master cylinder kit from Turner Brakes. I have decided to track the project and photos on my flickr.com page rather than try to update it both here and on the SDC forum. You can see the entire project in photos here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/9729183@N0 ... 379200673/

I will post to this thread with a link whenever there is something significant to add.

Thanks for taking a look.

Pat
Pat Dilling
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'54 Conetoga Retirement Project starting 2012
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Re: My 54 Conestoga project

Postby Mike » 2013 Nov 26 Tue 7:11 am

Great, thanks Pat.

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