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MCfan

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Everything posted by MCfan

  1. Glad to hear you found and solved the problem, John. After replacing that roller, you will have the fun task of getting the whole assembly wormed through that small opening in the inner body panel. I had to use a 12V power source to move the lift arms a couple of times before getting it back in place and connected to the window tracks but maybe you are more of a Houdini than I am. Good luck.
  2. John, if the window glass being all the way down is preventing you from removing the regulator assembly from the tracks, I would try to move the glass up manually. A locking suction cup or two used on the inside might get it started and high enough where you can get ahold of the top of the window and pull it on up. I seem to remember that the track the linkage wheel runs in is attached directly to the glass so you'll probably have to reposition the linkage as you push/pull the glass up. If your motor was still working, it would be easy raise the glass or at least pulse it in the correct direction while you try to lift the glass upward. However, if you have already disconnected the regulator assembly from the inner body panel, you should be able to lift the glass while repositioning the linkage somewhat without running the motor. If you have to disconnect the arm guide wheel to escape the window track, I suggest carefully drilling that pressed-in axle stud out from its backside rather than risk breaking the wheel. It should be easy to weld that axle stud back in place later. I've never removed a rear regulator assembly, but I have installed two of them and distinctly remember having to use 12V power source to reposition the lift arms several times to snake the whole assembly through the relatively small access hole in the inner body panel. I don't know why it would be any different to take one out. Just a thought: If you unplug the factory harness from the regulator motor and attach a portable 12V power supply with the positive lead to one pole of the regulator, it should move the arms either up or down when you touch the negative lead to the regulator frame. One of the poles on the regulator is a horizontal blade, the other is vertical. I don't remember which is for upward movement, but you can easily test each one to find out. I know you say the regulator motor doesn't work properly and clicks when power is applied but I'm going to stick with my stripped gear theory. If that is the case, you will need to manually "help" the motor move the arms upward initially to engage intact gear teeth. There is a relay in the factory power window system but I have never hear it click on any of my Montes. It is simply used to energize the system only when the ignition is turned on.
  3. John, It sounds to me like your regulator motor is actually working and the clicking you hear is the worm gear on the motor shaft skipping over teeth on the drive gear inside the regulator housing (see photos). While the worm gear and/or some of the drive gear teeth may be damaged, I suggest you first focus on seeing if you can free up the glass travel as it seems to be bound up. I would NOT run that regulator motor any more until the window glass and linkage arms are confirmed to be free to move naturally. You may still have to remove the seat, back cushion and side panel to get access to the linkage and window glass just to free up/repair whatever is binding. Examine the linkage carefully for worn or broken guide wheels on the ends of the linkage arms and for dry/greaseless tracks for the guide wheels. There are also physical metal stops to keep the window glass from dropping too far which can come loose and may bind up the linkage. lf you determine the window glass and operational linkage are indeed free to move naturally, then you may need to replace the entire regulator, especially if teeth are damaged/stripped off the drive hub inside the regulator housing. NOTE: there is a strong coil spring attached to the linkage that is retained only by the compound force of the drive gear and worm gear. Anytime you separate the regulator motor/ gear box from the linkage, that spring (unless it is broken) will whip that linkage arm around with dangerous force! Fortunately, I don't believe it is possible to remove the motor/gear box from the linkage unless you first unbolt the linkage and remove the entire assembly - a challenging task, especially if the motor will not operate the linkage which has to be collapsed just to get through the body sidewall opening (see photos). If/when you get the regulator/linkage assembly out of the car, BE SURE to secure the linkage arm with the coil spring on it BEFORE you remove the regulator motor/gear box from the linkage (see photo with screwdrive blocking the arm). I'm guessing your "new motor" comes as an integrated assembly with a new gear box. If not, you'll want to open the original gear box, clean out the old hardened grease and repack it with fresh grease. Good luck!
  4. Mike, you can rest assured that Chevrolet did built 589 1970 Monte Carlos with 402 V8s and 4-speed Muncies. Several members in this club own one (including myself) that can be verified with Build Sheets. I believe some club member (possibly Overdrive) is building a data base of known/documented 402/ 4-speeds ('70 & '71) in existence. However, just from what has be shared so far, it doesn't sound like the car you are considering is one of them.
  5. Nice work, Bryan! That is the first time I have seen their digital control panel. They sure didn't try to make it look period-correct or anything close! Your design is far superior! There must be real advantages to the digital controls but the manual controls that were available when I installed my CAA system in 2010 had a stock (non-AC) control appearance and used control levers and cables like the stock system. I had heard they no longer offered manual controls - bummer. At least they should adopt your design for their faceplate.
  6. That may be the part number for the entire assembly or for the dealer installation kit for RPO V32. Page 893 of the 1970 Monte Carlo Assembly Manual lists all of the individual part numbers including the guard (3972331-2), cushion (3972335) and each of the attachment bolts, washers and nuts. It does not, however, ever show #3974022 anywhere on that page. Two things I neglected in my initial post: 1. The guards come as a pair with an "R" (Right Hand) and an "L" (Left Hand) stamped on the lower back side so be sure you have an actual pair as they are not interchangeable. 2. The template that came with the NOS pair was invaluable for precisely locating the holes (you must be certian the template is perfectly vertical when you mark the holes). It is easy to make a template by simply tracing the bumper-matching edge and bolt hole positions of one of the guards on stiff cardboard and then carefully cutting it out. I made a single template with front guards on one side and rear guards on the other. Worked fine.
  7. Good for you! I think first gen Montes look partially naked without bumper guards. I have managed to find and install three pairs (two rear; one front) on my two Montes. One rear pair was NOS in the original box but those don't show up very often. I got another complete set from a member here that was pretty rough but I planned to completely refurbish them with rechroming and new rubber strips anyway. I stripped the old rubber and attachment bolts off all four pieces and sent them to Tri-City Plating in Elizabethton, TN for rechroming. After they returned them, I cleaned and painted the insides with Bumper Chrome spray paint, installed new rubber strips from the Parts Place and installed them on my '70. It cost $75 apiece for the replating and around $40 a set for the new rubber strips but those prices have probably gone up by now. I have some detailed installation photos for both front and rear guards, if you are interested. Good luck.
  8. It'll be a hot day in February before I order from OPGI again! Oh, wait .... that might be tomorrow! 😄
  9. Bruce, you possibly want to keep your '71 all original but if you really want to add A/C, I suggest you give a hard look at the Classic Auto Air system for the '71 Chevelle. If you contact their service/support reps and tell them it is for a Monte Carlo, they will ship the kit with extra long hoses to accommodate the stretched front end. That kit is very straightforward to install (some but not too much work), takes lesss room in the engine compartment and preserves the function of your lower (kick panel) astro vents. You used to be able to get the manual 3 lever/cable control system (see photo) but they may have moved to total digital by now.
  10. John, I currently own a factory heater only '70 that I have installed Classic Auto Air in (as shown in the photos below). As I said in my prior post, I had to remove the A/C box from a '70 SS that I also owed for eight years. Three of the four pictures I sent earlier were of that car, not the '70 non-A/C car I still own and drive in FL. Sorry for the confusion. Good luck with your project. Based on all you have already done, it sounds like there is probably no going back now! 😄
  11. John, I'm not sure I can help you much with your questions. The A/C and non-A/C systems on first gen Montes are worlds apart in size, complexity, controls and operation. Maybe you have figured out a way to replace the vacuum operated functions with the three levers and cables of a non-A/C panel but I but I am highly skeptical. The three manual levers on the non-A/C panel control Fresh Air, Heater temperature and windshield defrost. As you know, with an A/C box all of that stuff is controlled by the various positions on the top lever on an A/C panel by using vacuum circuits. IMO, you would be much better off just using the right hand side of your A/C panel after installing an A/C delete plate on your firewall. I had to remove the A/C box from my '70 SS (to "de-mouse" it) so I know how complex it is and how it fundamentally switches between heating and cooling. Since the sole function of the lower lever and cable on the A/C system (see photos) was to manually flip the door that connected the air box to the A/C evaporator on the engine side of the firewall (simultaneously blocking the heater portion), you can just leave it in the far right position. I can't imagine that deactivating the A/C portion of your system by removing the engine compartment components would also deactivate the heating portion including its vacuum operation. If you really want a heater-only control panel, I'm pretty sure you are going to need an original heater-only box plus an A/C delete plate. In addition, your A/C car does not have the Astro Ventilation system that a non-A/C car has (i.e. no knobs to operate fresh air inputs on the dash ends or in the kick panels. If you want to have an operational Astro Ventilation system, I suggest you find a non-A/C car in a salvage yard and strip out the entire system including kick panels and dash vents. Sorry to be a pessimist but I would never attempt what you are trying/hoping to do!
  12. Hi, John, My '70 was built in Baltimore with a heater only system. When I acquired it in 2010, I immediately removed the factory heater box and controls and installed a Classic Auto Air system. Since I seldom throw anything away (thinking myself or someone else may have a need for it someday 😄), I put all of the factory parts in a big box and put it into storage. I has now survived three different storage system moves but I believe it is all intact. If you are seriously interested, I can pull it out of storage and take some photos for you of what I have. At this point, I don't ever plan on returning my car to its original low-option configuration so I can make these parts available. I would think a salvage yard might be another good source for you but it would require a good deal of work to remove everything from a junked Monte. Just let me know. Thanks.
  13. Nice find!! Always helps to have an original Build Sheet!
  14. I had installed the new gauges and sensors about two weeks prior to discovering the blown seal on the original water pump. I was making a 27 mile round trip 3 or 4 days a week and noted that the new water temperature gauge was reading 180 or better. I had been checking the gauges frequently because I had recently changed my motor oil from 20W/50 to 10W/30. I don’t know if possibly some of the higher temperature was due to a less than full radiator which I was topping off weekly due to the leaking water pump. I know what it’s running now and that it has reduced occasional detonation due to the 11.9:1 compression ratio using the same fuel mix.
  15. I completed the installation of a new higher pressure and flow water pump, a rebuilt power steering pump and a higher amp alternator a couple of weeks ago. I've had several opportunities since to drive my Monte ten miles or more and everything seems to be funtioning well with no leaks (fortunately). I was crusing about 55 on a mostly deserted rural road this weekend and decided to snap a photo of my new gauge set that shows the water temperature holding steady just below 170 degrees. That's a nice improvement over the 180+ degrees it used to run. Of course, crusing in 70 degree weather is different than idling in traffic on a 95 degree day, so its nice to have that cushion. So far, I can't see any disadvantages to having the higher pressure, higher flow water pump.
  16. Welcome, Kevin! Great to know of another ‘70 BB 4-speed survivor! A couple of questions if you don’t mind: Which Muncie do you have (M20, M21, M22)? What rear end ratio do you have? What brand of tube headers and are they full-length or shorties? Thanks.
  17. Paul, that's really cool and looks like something my FL son-in-law could us at his party barn. Do you mind sharing a link or name for the provider? Thanks.
  18. HAVE owned??!! You are a lucky guy! Surely you didn't let that Cranberry Red '70 slip away!? 🤨
  19. Jeff, you are correct, even a G70-15 would be moved 1.3" further outboard (see first illustration below). Here's some numbers and illustrations to back up what others have said and you have also concluded about those wheels on the rear of a first gen Monte. A stock rally wheel is a 7x15 with 4.3" backspace (+8mm offset). The wheel you mentioned is an 8.5x15 with -25mm offset. The difference in positioning of the tire/wheel combo is 8 + 25 = 33mm or 1.3" further outboard with a G70-15 equivalent tire. If you were to consider running a larger tire on the rear, such as a 275/60-15 (which many of us currently run), it gets even worse with 2.45" of reduced outboard clearance compared to a stock rally wheel/G70-15 tire combo.(see second illustration below) If you were to compare a 275/60-15 on your proposed wheel to something we all know works, a 275/60-15 on an 8x15 wheel with 5" backspace (+12mm offeset), you can see it would still have 1.46" less outboard clearance. (see third illustration below) The current outboard clearance with the known combo is right at .75" without trimming the wheel well lip so I seriously doubt it could fit even if the wheel well lip was completely trimmed off. All illustrations were produced by the Tiresize.com Wheel Offset Calculaton Tiresize Offset comparisons.pdfTiresize Offset comparisons.pdf
  20. MCfan

    Anniversary

    Congratulations to you both and Happy 53rd Anniversary! The secret words for a long marriage are, "Yes, Dear!" Nice that our wives tolerate both us and our Montes. Wed in '68, I introduced my wife to a new '70 Monte Carlo right after I finished college. I've had two others since and she has remained tolerant ... so far! 😄
  21. Thanks, Joe and Tom! Yes, it is apparently a vent hole. I had neglected to notice the weep hole on the bottom side of the original pump which is also on the bottom side of the new pump. Air blown in the top hole simply exhasusts through the bottom weep hole. Regarding the higher pressure/flow spec, I really debated before I ordered, wondering if that might create other problems elsewhere in the system. The fact that I had replaced the original leaking radiator (still have it in storage) when I received the car in 2010 with an aluminum unit and that I sometimes see the temperature creep toward the upper limit when idling in traffic on a hot Florida day, swayed my choice in favor of this unit. Guess I'll find out sooner or later if the system can handle it. I just installed a new set of gauges with new sensors/senders so I should be able to tell how it's performing. Thanks again for your helpful replies!
  22. I am in need of some advice regarding an extra feature (hole) in the new water pump I am preparing to install on my '70 402. As shown in the photos below, the new pump is virtually identical to the original pump except for a 9/32" diameter, unthreaded hole in the front top side of the casting. Since it is unthreaded, it may simply be a vent or weep hole but I want to be sure it is not intended to be otherwise functional before I prime and paint the new pump Chevy Orange. The new pump is a GMB 130-1320P which I recently acquired from RockAuto and it is supposed to be a direct replacement except that it has a higher pressure and flow rating than the original. I am hoping that is pump will work, even if I need to tap and plug this extra hole. Can anyone share their insight regarding this extra hole and what its purpose is? Many thanks!
  23. Yes, and there are a few other "personal touches" like the wheels and additional badging beyond Dick Harrell's. I believe Tim said he was the third or fourth owner and wanted to leave it largely as it came to him. One thing he did do was replace the tube headers with correct re-finished exhaust manifolds. There are several Concours d'Elegance cars among the musuem contributors so they have a wealth of knowledge and an appreciation for originality.
  24. Yesterday I was fortunate enough to see (in person) the Dick Harrell-modified 1970 SS454 with an LS6 engine! It is beyond rare and in immaculate condition. Tim Pestinger, long-time owner of this one-off Monte Carlo, graciously hosted myself and my son-in-law in a private showing of this and many other incredible cars owned by himself and his brother, Tom. I was visiting my hometown, Salina, KS, yesterday afternoon and had arranged with my cousin, Greg, who is a friend of Tim, to see the rare Monte Carlo in his private collection. Much has already been written about this car and its history on this thread so I won’t repeat that, but it was really special to see it “in the flesh”! Tim actually drives his rare Monte on occasion and says it is a joy to drive – quiet, comfortable and fast! He has refused some outrageous cash offers and steadfastly maintains that it is not for sale. That’s understandable when you consider some of Tim’s other cars, like his white 2017 COPO Camaro (1 of 69 built) that is never driven and his Rally Green Nova Yenko clone that he personally rebuilt from the ground up to factory specs. Tim and two of his brothers each own a 2010 Camaro Hendrick Motorsports 25th Anniversary Edition by Callaway (number 9, 10 and 11 of 25 built). Tim and Tom Pestinger have also been greatly involved in the collaborative five-year project to create a new car museum in Salina known as The Garage. Jay Leno was present for its Grand Opening about a year and a half ago. Although they were technically closed while changing their quarterly feature section from Corvettes to convertibles, Tim got us in and gave us a private tour of that fascinating place. I think we can all be glad that one of the most unique first gen Montes ever created is in the good hands and care of Tim Pestinger. In the past, he has featured it in one of The Garage museum’s two large rotating display platforms so it’s getting more public exposure than just sitting in a private garage. Many thanks, Tim, for preserving and sharing your unique LS6 SS454 Monte Carlo!
  25. Wayne, you are wise to use some type of safety restraint for that job. The first time I did it, I pried the spring out of the lowered control arm socket and it still had enough compression to go bounding across the garage floor - fortunately I was not in its path. The next three times, I used an internal spring compressor! It's a bit of a Houdini exercise to get it positioned (after removing the shock, of course) but it can be done and is well worth the safety it affords (see photos). Good luck. Stay safe.
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