65 SC Resurrection starting.

[Jbrooks]

The FDA put my welder in detention…. Before the field inspection report was finished, some Safety bureaucrat in DC sent an email to the west coast head cheese in Long Beach . He sent me an email declaring the machine is non compliant with 5 different federal regulations. They had not even seen the report that too Five Hours for the inspector to do. He has not submitted it. Best of all the report no longer counts, I am DETAINED.. Seems my import papers, don’t match a DATA BASE somewhere. So now I am on double secrete probation. I have until 18 July to get into compliance or return or destroy the welder. And best of all the only thing they will tell me is the 5 things…… no details…

• Noncompliant Product Report - 21 CFR 1002.10
• Noncompliant Certification - 21 CFR 1010.2
• Noncompliant Identification - 21 CFR 1010.3
• Noncompliant Required Labeling - 21 CFR 1040.10(g)
• Noncompliant User Information - 21 CFR 1040.10(h)

I may need a break in

[JTR70]

Caught up in the bureaucracy, what a PIA! Sounds as if you have one of the first machines of this type here in the US? What's your next move? Sorry to hear this.

[Jbrooks]

Justin

Well I just have to mitigate the 5 discrepancies and get the data into the FDA data base by 18 July 2024. I have ask the vendor for the test data. then I get to do another inspection, then file a new form with Customs and apply for re entry. If I can't make that date or get an extension, it has to be exported or destroyed. The CFR21 1010 says the vendor has to refund the cost, or provide a machine that meets the regulation. I bet eBay, PayPal and AMREX are going to like this one. but its the Govt that says no, not me.

I am just glad we went out and picked it up from the customs bond warehouse. If not I would be paying $85.00 a day for the bonded warehouse storage while all this plays out. The Local FDA and I had a good plan. Then only 3/4 of the way through it, someone up the chain in DC said detain it. The FDA guy in Long Beach is the Head of the West Coast is just doing what he was told. The inspection report has not gone out. So now I an on "double secret probation".

But on the bright side, I have it, it works great, and if I have to destroy it, I will take the refund and but one from AMAZON that is already here in the USA. I will have this car stripped by then.

as a side note we have not had it over 500W output so far. sheet metal, backing plates etc clean up at 100W. I still give them quick media blast for the tooth before applying powder, but the brake disc look like cast iron, with no finish. It welds 18Ga with a .5mm bead, you can hardly see the wel, and hammer tough.

[JTR70]

Oh my god, Very fortunate that its not at the warehouse. Keeping my fingers crossed that you'll get through all of their hoops before time runs out. Yes, sounds like you were just getting it dialed in. Keep us posted.

[Jbrooks]

Back to work. Spent the last few days on carburetors. These were the hardest ones I have ever done. After sitting for 38 years, the fuel reverted to tar. I had each one in the Bergman’s carb cleaner for 24 hours, then the ultrasonic for 5-6 hours they were still full of the remains of fuel. That brown stuff was black and hard like coal. These photos are after the cleaner and ultrasonic cleaning. They still have clumps of remnants. 2-3% better after each 90 minute cycle at 90C in the ultrasonic.

I then spent an hour or so in the hydroblaster on the passages , I finally got the cleaned out. I am a little concerned that there might still be a hidden chunk in there some where I did not get. But the jets will catch it before it gets in the cylinder. I flowed the glass spheres and water at 100 PSI through every passage for 5 minutes so fingers crossed.

Then on the bench for assembly, float adjustment and a leak test. All good now. I may put them on my 912 and run them for a week or so to adjust them. I usually enjoy card rebuilds, but these gave me second thoughts, to the point I was looking at Chinese knock offs. But I thing we are good
thanks for looking

Got the carbs dialed in now, so on to brakes. Bob sez the stoppers are important

[Jbrooks]

The “ Stoppers” back on, rebuilt calipers, new hoses, master cylinder, laser cleaned disc. They are cast iron gray, no tool marks, nor pad polish yet


Flushed cleaned and filled with DOT5 purple fluid. Power coated the calipers black, parkerized the bolts. I wanted yellow but the owner wanted it to match the car. I have yellow on my 912, they are hard to see, but I have been ask if they are carbon by a GT2 guy

[JTR70]

Dust shields and calipers look nice.

[Jbrooks]

Doing a couple fuel pumps this week. Its been a few years since I have one them. I got them completed and ready for the dreaded C-clip on the shaft. Then I remembered a photo I saw on Paul Hatfield's web site when looking for replica belts and fuel hoses with the blue stripe for a restoration. He posted a trick for the C Clip install. I thought I would share, just made one its pretty easy.


The black coupe progresses. I keep finding things that I have never seen before. How about a clevis on the trans end of the clutch cable, frozen to the lever, and the pin frozen into the clevis. We spent a day an a half to remove the pin. I tried everything almost dropped the trans to access it. Finally ended up cutting the clevis with a torch to remove it. Save the cable but gee-wiz how many hard things will I find.

But over all its coming along fine. fuel systems are done, stoppers on, front suspension one. When I get a couple more parts the engine will go back together and its will be ready to start to drive. We plan on a few hundred miles shake down, then into a bare metal paint, interior cleaning an carpet kit. hope to drive it this month.

No news on the LASER, the FDA is a very large pain in the butt. The vendor is every helpful, but I o not know if we will be able to comply with the FDA requirements. I did a 0.50mm weld on some 18Ga sheet, the weld is almost invisible. no filler, no grinding just fused the metal.

Justin

i thought you would enjoy this spot weld video. They all do this

https://youtu.be/2rVY41z_a08?si=jzm8Dc03tg3qLDdY

[JTR70]

Thanks for the video. The spot weld penetration through those thicker gauges is amazing! He seems like he's here in the US how is he able to hang onto his machine? Whare is the video on the fused metal? Thanks again John.

[Jbrooks]

Started reassembly of the engine today. We have a couple scratched cylinders, but they are 0.0003-5 deep. Five ten-thousands is not allot,May smoke at first, but should be fine. The scratches are from the broken rings we found on tear down. There was no taper or ovaling of the cylinders. The pistons measure nominal so we will just replace the rings, and put it on the test stand for a couple hours. The engine has been rebuilt in the past. The rod side clearance is ok and it spins freely. We pre-oiled the bottom end got clean oil through the litters. I think the bottom end is still fine from the last build.

If the motor has any strange noises or crank/bottom end problems we can address them later. The goal now is to finish the engine assessment and maybe get a few miles on the car. New rings and gaskets should work wonders.


Got cylinders #1&2 on, doing deck hight and compression calculations. With some luck we can get it on the engine test bench by Wednesday for a couple hours. After that we will drive it for a few hundred miles for a shakedown. Then into interior and finally disassembled for paint.

[roy mawbey]

John well done on getting that motor sorted and nearly ready to run. Good photos and like you think it should work out well.

Looking good
Roy

[Jbrooks]

Have the engine back together, checked deck clearances, honed the cylinders, new rings,. Installed the Tins, new j- pipes and heat exchangers. Danask made them, only took a few hours to save the OEM muffler, and make them fit. Add oil, do a valve adjust, , static tune, some minor tweaks and it ready to put on the bench.


we plan to start it up, listen and measure the temps etc. Then run it the test stand for a few hours to monitor everything, Then a final tune and tweek,install it back in the car for a couple hundred local mile to shakedown any issues,

Then it goes over to Bob for paint.

[Jbrooks]

Finally got the motor to 95%. Off the assembly stand and down to the tune up bench today.

Saving the muffler was 1/2 day. Back in the olden days, a very accomplished German mechanic, fixed the exhaust. But he fabricated new S-Pipes and gas welded them to the muffler. He did a super job, not thinking about the next guy. Both heat exchangers needed replacing. Danakys replacements were OK, just a few mm off in every direction. We had to rework the muffler side to get the to fit.

Got it on the tuneup stand late this afternoon. Did get a chance to spin it over with no plugs for 30 seconds. Have good oil pressure, and the rockers and squirters worked. Will sprn it some more tomorrow. I always like to see a quart of oil through the push rods and squirters before I put the valve covers on.

but we progress on the engine should be running tomorrow.

[JTR70]

You've obviously built an engine or two. Lots a great tips here thanks. Whether its a new muffler or a new fender they all need fitment and tweaking don't they.

[Jbrooks]

Got the engine running today finally. The mouse that was storing rat poison in the transmission was also building a paper nest in the left side of the muffler. We cranked it for over an half hour building oil pressure, looking for leaks, checking compression, timing the oil pressure light on and off. Then when it was time I pushed the coil power button, and a stream of brown confetti came squirting out of the left pipe. A short moment of “wait…..what button did I push??” What is that? It looked like a snake about 6-8 feet long, then shredded into pieces. I must say never seen that much stuff in one muffler, forced an emergency shutdown. But all is well, just a nest. She fired right back up.

Ran ok, has a bad idle circuit on #3 and a minor exhaust leak. Main jets work but can’t get to 3K yet. Over all considering what we started with it’s fine. Probably some coal in the bottom of the idle passage on #3. We will get to it in the morning. But it holds oil, does not smoke so far and sounds good. The bottom end sounds solid using a stethoscope probe, rocker squirters are strong. Overall she’s a runner. Tomorrow I will pull the carb, take it apart look for a blockage. Replace an exhaust gasket, hook up the rest of the instruments, and let her run. We will put an hour or so at 2500 RPM then 3500 for another hour, then change the oil, filter, sump and stick it back in the car.

Got a new battery and new Pirelli Cinturatos are at the local post office. We progress with the resurrection finally some light in the tunnel.

[JTR70]

Congratulations John, you are really making some head way on it. That old muffler was a palatial nursery for those critters.

[Jbrooks]

Justin

The engine goes back in tomorrow. Hagerty has been warned, Five new Pirelli Cinturato’s ready to mount. Finally get it out and wash off the dust, get it back on the road. Put 6 gallons of gas through it on the stand. Carbs balanced, timed, tuned and solid. She’s a runner, finally. A little smoke on acceleration but looks to clear up. But off now to the road testing. .

[roy mawbey]

John well done indeed I think Justin was correct you must have a lot of experience in doing this type of work it shows in the measured way of you doing it. To be honest both you and Justin really make my forum reading so interesting. You both invest in the right sort of tools and equipement to attempt jobs that many would be frightened to start, let alone finish !!
I cannot really understand why there are not more followers of these threads with such clear instruction. on what you are both attempting?

Maybe you might allow me to ask you both a question about a problem I seemed to have solved after many years of it annoying me. My 356 A with the Zenith 32 NDIX carbs always started perfectly when hot or cold . I did have hot start problems before but solved it when I had the starter overhauled and the covered solinoid brushes in the sealed box proved the problem. I had already replaced the starter bushing. I also replaced most of the carb gaskets including the top one with the (5 or 6) 8mm screw bolts securing the float bowl cover to the main body.

So my problem seemed to start with the introduction of Ethanol to the fuel. If I left the car for a week I had to turn the motor over for say 30 seconds for the mechanical pump to fill the bowls with fuel tillI heard the engine try to fire. I then stopped , pressed the accelerator 4 times to the floor and normally it would start. But it had annopyed me as I could not find any leaks anywhere etc.

Now by chance I had the air cleaners off and thought I would see if the 8mm bolts were tight. Remember I had put new gaskets on some yeara ago. Well, I got 1/2 turn on each screw . I also noticed a brown line ( no drips) under the gasket on one carb. Took the car for a run and left it for a week. Then could not believe it got in the car turned the key and it started first time I was amazed !!

Now guys tell me the 20mm or so void above the floats to the top cover obviously has air I think the petrol below to the top surface has evaporated because of the Ethanol over the 7 days and has exited out of the 'gap' between the top cover loose gasket and the carb body? Now the car now only needs 2 presses of the gas pedal and its a perfect start.

Just tell me are my assumptions correct ???

Sorry to take up your space John !!
Roy

[Jbrooks]

Roy

I started to have that problem on my 912. the fuel drys out and the accelerator pumps don't work until the bowl is full. I put a hand squeeze pump from an out board motor, between the tank a the pump to prime the carbs. I also wired a momentary switch from the Batt on the voltage regulator to the starter solenoid so I can push the button to crank the motor and work the linkage at the same time from the back of the engine. Its kind of a pain to open the deck lid, squeeze the bulb and crank. you can tell when the float valve closes, its ready to start. it starte also helps spin the motor when working.

resurrection progresses… engine back in, Gas tank and fuse system in the morning. Had the new tires mounted tonight, May be on the road shortly. Clutch adjusted with a P35A, engine back in ( with the carbs installed), thanks to the magic jack
shortly.

thanks for looking.

[JTR70]

That plate is an adjustment tool? Measures how far the throw out bearing is being pushed out? She's getting there.

[Jbrooks]

Justin is right, that’s a P35A factory tool, used to set the throwout bearing at 50mm from the face of the bell housing. Proper factory set up will help eliminate the broken clutch cable syndrome.

Last piece of tin done, just a little long for the small ovens. Seen hanging on the trolly. So I broke out the big dog, almost forgot how to program it. Got to use the trolly again, the rails make it very easy getting things in and out. Went to temp (400F) in 7 minutes, took over an hour to come down to 150 so I can open the doors. The insulation is overly efficient, and the PIDs learn each time you use them making it faster to get to temp. . The more I use this thing the more I like it. Not too bad for a scratch built , home made oven, and it will do 40 turkeys at thanksgiving.

The first photo shows the trolly in the oven, and the transporter on the ground. The trolly it has wheels that fit the oven rail system. The transporter with rails has swivel casters on all corners, with pins to align it with the oven rail system. The trolly holds the parts to be coated, the transporter moves over the shop floor, carrying the trolly, from the powder coating point, into the oven. It makes heavy or bulky items easier to manipulate. They also make it easy to spin the entire trolly for powder application. The control box has four Proportional Integral Derivative Controllers ( PID ), driving four Solid State relays, controlling four pairs of heating elements. The PID/SSR’s control the current, from a few mili amps at cruise, to 15A on start up. The allow “ just enough” current to attain and then maintain the set temperature..
.

Stuffed the motor Friday, awaiting a hood kink repair, before I put the gas tank in. Spend a day fixing the heater valves adjusting the heater and defrost. All is well, hope to drive it this week. Rear Tin looks pretty good, for the amount of rust it had. Getting close to paint.

[roy mawbey]

Wow John said it before but really you do have some great gear to sort these jobs !!

Roy