Another long term storage, this time a T-1 Coupe

[Jbrooks]

They just keep falling out of the sky. This time a 56 T-1 coupe, but only off road for 18 years this time.
Got a blind call from the lady who owns it. Not real clear on all the details yet, but went in for a floor repair, that turned into a full restoration 15 years ago. Most of the repair and paint interior is finished, just needs being put back together, and then made road worthy.

The shop owner who has been working on it since the “Chinese invented arithmetic”, gave up and retired. I have not looked at it yet but from the phone calls should not be impossible. It will probably need all the stuff we just did on the 65SC,. Then engine brakes, carbs, fuel system. Hard to know now until we get into it, has not had a battery in 15 years. We will install a Vintage Trader LED lamp kit and headlight set.

Will post more as we determine what it takes. But at lease I will have a project for a while.

[JTR70]

A definite recurring theme here John. Looks very straight forward but you'll know for sure once you get your hands on it. Thanks for sharing it.

Justin

[Jbrooks]

Well, it’s not too bad. Got it moved over on the island and into storage for now. It’s Dry, no fluids, no battery etc. starting a list of what needs to be done. It’s been in restoration for 15 years, and not finished. The owner is a very nice woman, who has owned the car for quite some time. The Guy doing the restoration had a small interior shop, He is closing up and moving to Idaho. Car looks 90% done, he claims the engine and mechanicals are all done 10-12 years ago. But it dry, there is no oil in the motor, I don’t think it been started after rebuild. Gas tank is dry but clean,

So it’s going to be from scratch, I have no history or knowledge of the skills of the previous guy, except he was slow. We will start with .borescope the cylinders, the marvel oil through the plug holes. Then pump in oil through the oil filter pipe back through the pump and oil galleries , hand rotate, hoping we get some oil into the mains and rods journals. Hand oil the rockers with a hypodermic syringe. Then a leak down test, some serious spinning with the starter, no plugs to check oil pressure, and do a compression test.

Next will be the fuel. Tank looks clean, but I will use an electric pump and small fuel tank to check for leaks and floats and accelerator pump volume. If that’s all good, it’s start it up, get it to temperature, standard oil leak test, and we should be good….. next will be brakes, but that’s just hydraulics, I have lots of kits, hoses etc.

I will go through the electrical, put Jules “Vintage Trader” LED light kit in it, finish the assembly and start to drive it. Easy right…..

So the plan is to get the GO working, then the STOP, then the pixies, and see if a T-1 will still go 80 mph. It’s only been 53 years since I worked on a T-1.

thanks for following, updates as we progress

[Scott B]

This will be interesting to follow along. Always wanted to work/own a T1 Love the front nose on these cars.

[Jbrooks]

Got almost a full day today doing a deeper inspection. No fluids at all, she is completely dry. Front Brake cylinders were installed backwards, shoes pushing on the hydraulic side, not the adjuster. They all seem to have frozen pistons, but that is expected with this long off the road. No muffler or starter, missing a cover next to the battery. Lots of strange bolts and screws. But over all a very nice T-1 coupe. Have not got out the trammel pins for measuring hard points but my eye says it’s close, with a 6-10mm twist, but trammels and lasers will tell real the story.

Got the borescope in the plug holes, cylinder are ok so far, no rust or scoring, but did not rotate the crank, no oil.. The engine was rebuilt shortly before it started the restoration, and driven some, but #2 cylinder has never seen fire. Bright and shinny inside, clean plug, the others has some carbon buildup, looked like very rich mixture. But No#2 still bothers me. It probably ran but poorly, but why #2 is dead? Might be simple, a plug wire or plug, the rotor and cap are new, wires look Ok visually. We will see in a few weeks. I was hoping I could avoid pulling the “New Motor” but it might be easier on the run in test stand to trouble shoot.

Over all, no show stoppers so far. Will put oil in it via the oil filter inlet line. I have a kluge that pushes oil through the galleries into the sump. After a quart I will hand rotate the crank until the lifters and push rods start to drip. This is a slow process but it better than a spun bearings. With no starter to spin the motor it will be the only get pressure is via the oil line, from a pressure tank.

[JTR70]

Looks nice in that black paint. Interesting interior, Late version front seats and looks like the rear seat pan was replaced with a later T5/T6 version with the center hinge point for the split back rests. Cute little armrest/ center support for them too. Entire battery box has been replaced with an interesting battery cable route. You've got some correction work for sure John.

[Jbrooks]

JR
Yes lots of metal was replaced, it was sandblasted and put on a rotisserie in 2008. Same guy had it for ever, but never completed it, but he did charge her for work. And some duplicate parts and outrageous labor time. Not a 356 knowledgeable shop. I am finding Lots of “why did he do that”?

On a good note: Celeste found the starter at the old shop today. Still looking for muffler and a couple oddities.

I dropped the drums started inspecting the suspension, brakes, rolling parts. All the wheel cylinders are stuck. I did get two pistons out by running a tap inside and when it bottomed out the piston finally twisted and could be pulled. . Two lowers are stuck so fast I am afraid I will brake the tap. A little heat tomorrow. Right front wheel cylinders were backward, the rotation was into the hydraulic side of the slave cylinder. Left side was fine, but it would have had a bad pull in an emergency stop. Rear drums were turned, and I took off the axel nuts with a 3/8” ratchet with one hand. I felt like Superman, removed the cotter pin, slipped the socket I use for generator nuts to spin the drum, and be-geezus it came loose, both sides. They were cotter pinned, what else will I find.

Anyone want to guess what’s wrong with this picture?

Did get a good day in today. Lots of stupid things like every 8 mm bolt is 20 mm long. The gas pedal floor bottom portion looks like a porcupine. Lots of little things, and I sent a friends storage facility for a few weeks, until, I can get an open space at our shop, so it’s an extra 50 mile drive each day. Trying to work from a tool bag also sucks. Hope to get the borescope photos off the SD card in the morning, if so, I will photos of the cylinders below.

Sorry about the date stamp

[JTR70]

Looks like we're missing a spring down low there. Are you happy with how the bores are looking? Nothing more unpleasant than working on a car remotely especially 50 miles away!

[Jbrooks]

Justin good eye

Spent the day on brakes today. Brakes were a disaster, right front wheel cylinders installed backwards, rotation pushing into the hydraulic side. Springs in the wrong holes, shoes on backwards.. all the pistons were frozen. We ran a 1/2” fine tap in the piston bores until it bottomed out, then you can twist them loose and pull them out. It threaded the pistons but holds the same IDA so they are still usable. The threads will hold some grease for less corrosion in the future. I thought I would snap a tap on a couple stuck pistons.

All the bolts are finger tight. I thought it was strange I removed the rear drums with a 3/8 ratchet, (the cotter pins were installed) then wheel cylinders, tie rod ends, shocks, steering box clamp all finger tight. Almost like they were waiting for a torque wrench to finish. We will need to check every nut and bolt.

We overhauled the hydraulics, honed all the cylinders, installed new cups polished the pistons and cleaned the adjusters. My son JR helped today, his first 356 brake job. Good worker and I do not have to get up and down as much. But he is charging me$100.00 an hour. Above he is applying red rubber grease on the adjusters, and looking for a bleeder valve that was painted. I use a hypodermic to apply the caster bean based grease. It’s compatible with brake fluid. Keep s the moisture away from the moving parts. Every thing is painted black, car, drums, wires everything, such fun.



The metal work, floors, battery box, longitudinal, door skin, fender repairs are quality work . It’s was subcontracted out. The paint and gaps and also nice. The car was sand blasted, bear metal paint in 2009. Then re-assembly started. It’s missing lots of stuff, but most is obtainable. The interior is leather but not correct.
Engine then electrical next week, it’s a T-1 so I get to do all the little screw electrical connections.

And as a bonus my 912 reached a milestone today on the way home,

[JTR70]

The owner is so fortunate to have you guys finishing up this car. It sounds like they have been through the wringer.

[Jbrooks]

Thanks Justin

Another Sunday in the book. We got the brakes back together an adjusted. Typical drums. old shoes but still have 4-5mm of stopping left. We got the rear axle nuts torqued properly with my good old "torque dude" . We pulled the tops of both carbs, a little crusty but not a disaster. put 50cc of gas in the bowels, an naturally the jet covers leak. Got the starter installed, had the bolt but no M10 x 1.5 nuts. We got the front end put back together all the tie-rods torqued will check how close the alignment is next week.

its starting to look like there is a light in the tunnel. I keep finding things that make no scene, Like the fuel line to the pump came over the fan shroud on the left side zip tied with the carburetor line. wire harness to the coil and oil sensors under the carbs. I had Celeste order an LED light kit from Jules at Vintage Trader today. I hope to go through the wiring next week, I have Dave Bryant's 18x24" T-1 color wiring diagram, its fills the windshield and really makes the pixies behave.

[JTR70]

Love that force multiplying tool for drum nut. So you can use a standard torque wrench on the end of it to achieve the 300 foot pounds of torque it needs?

You guys are knocking things off the checklist.

[Jbrooks]

weekly up date..... Still working out of the storage facility, always one tool short. Hope to get it to the shop in a week or so. Got the cover from the trunk for Larry Brooks in Portland, a good resource for many used parts. Like me Larry has tons of spares collected over years of doing restorations.

Brake wheel cylinders were rebuilt, shoes installed and adjusted ready to bleed. Started out OK right rear went fine, then notice the left rear was leaking. It had new pipes an hoses installed. Well the right rear was leaking at the hose and the wheel cylinder . Previous guy made the pipe, but did not use Metric fittings. the started but at lease he did not strip pr cross threads Pipe on order. Mose of the bolts are finger tight while going through them, found the top left front shock bolt stripped out. the anchor bolt is inside the suspension riser so that will take some engineering to properly repair. thought about a helicoil but I believe I will insert a rivnut. I have 10x1.5 of both, its making the threads match the original position so it pulls the shock in tight and has the shear strength were rebuild, Both carburetors leaked, around the jet covers, New O-ring fixed one, so I pull both carbs to run across the test bench at home. That way I can set the floats, put a kit in them and eliminate later problems.

In the first photo , the red thing in the bleed hose is a check valve. It’s has a 15 pound spring in it. It’s takes that much pressure to overcome the check. This insures the system stays pressurized and does not suck air back through the bleeder. Not really needed, but allows me to bleed the brakes with the pedal with out someone operating the bleeder screw. I like this better than a vacuum or pressure bleeder. Really works well on the M calipers on 356c and early solid disc ATE brakes.

A new muffler on order, should be here Monday, trying to locate the pair of straight exhaust pipes. Its a Dnask so I have my fingers crossed it was made after they fixed the welding fixture, I have ha several B&C mufflers that were 1/2 a hole off and not parallel to the exhaust port on #4 . its not too hard to fix but takes a couple hours of heating and bending to gt them aligned. you fo not want any forces on the head studs when installing one. If it does not slide right on and flush with the flange fix it. If not you will have gas leaks around the gasket, or will will try to push the head away from #2&4 cylinders then you get compression leaks., an eventually ruin a head.

interior bits and jewelry on, I need to install the steering column an turn signal switch, then start on the electrics. a good week over all except for the stuff the previous guy did. such fun.


Thanks for looking

[JTR70]

That upper shock mount is tough one to repair properly at this point.
If you drill this row of spot welds and peel this lateral flap of the trunk floor you'll have direct access to the back side of the bung for a shouldered repair.

Justin

[Jbrooks]

Shock was stripped, but we put a helicoil in it worked OK. The Bolt shank is 11.5mm extends inside about 12mm so the shear load is carried by the shank, the thread are in a tension so the helicoil is only holding the shock against the suspension point so we should good.

Carbs are in the ultrasonic now for rebuild. still had the rivets in the top gaskets so they might be original.

Biggest surprise was we went to put in the starter a start the oil pressure, compression a leak down test. The previous IDIOT do not install the Positive (+) battery cable. No kidding I need to install a 3.5²mm cable through the tunnel on a completed car, with a full interior and all the other wires and BS in the tunnel. and to add to the life experience the wire harness has no wrap, just rats nest loose wires coming out of the back of the pipe.

[JTR70]

I didn't doubt for a minute that you'd get that bolt issue handled. Did you build your own sonic cleaner?

[Jbrooks]

Laser back together. Celeste bought a used wheel from eBay, another missing part, the spare tire. Anyway used and not even cleaned before shipping. We got the laser figured out and working today, so after a few minutes of test welds, shifted to cleaning. The wheel inside was coated with dried grease and dirt, typical of a well used front wheel. The laser turned all the coatings to carbon, the black dust you see comes off with a soft brush. Took about 10 minutes to bare metal. A quick wipe and it’s ready for the powder coat. I am going to like this!

[JTR70]

Glad to see you up and running again with the laser. I can see just how quickly that machine will spoil you.

[Jbrooks]

Justin

the ultrasonic cleaner, easy to build, the transducers can get pricey. I just bought one from eBay. I say get the largest one you have space for. 25 liters is good. Just get Wide and Deep, it does not require anything special, just water and a surfactant. They do an amazing job on corrosion, and impregnated oil & grease. I have even cleaned oil soaked clutch discs.