derekf.com

9 Apr 2020
Assembly is the reverse of removal

This kinda bounces around and I've reordered the photos so things that look out of sequence.. might be.

Strip-caulk ("Strip-calk") will seal the clutch bracket to the flange.

Accessory brackets: installed!

Headers: installed!

Tie rod end: Hits the pan!

Sigh.

Internet seems to think that raising the engine up a little, or lowering the tailshaft, or replacing the grease fitting with an allen plug, or heim joints, or a longer/taller idler arm and pitman arm are the fix.

I'm not going to stress on this currently.

This is how far I can turn the wheel (it's about 1 1/2 turns right and 1 3/4 left). Is this enough? I don't know.

It looks like the driver's tie rod is longer than the pass side a bit, so some adjustment might help too.

Also bolted up the clutch bracket and the master cylinder.

Dug the wiring out and started to install it.

Starting to look more like a car.

I wasn't happy with the "feel" of a couple of the small head bolts when I was checking the cylinders.

After I'd bolted everything up, I decided to tear it all back down and helicoil the two questionable boltholes (see blue marks on the valley cover)

Helicoils installed.

The Jegs branded graphite header gaskets probably would have sealed pretty well, based on how well they stuck to the heads.

New shiny paint on the valve covers too, and the brake vacuum hose installed (it's 3/8", had to heat it a bit with the heatgun to get it over the port on the intake)

PS pulley installed. Waiting on the last smooth pulley to put on the tensioner.

Poof, then the deliveryguy shows up and I can install the belt.

AC box is not installed.. but it fits and clears everything.

The funnel and the white cardboard under the front of the car are because I had a concern about the seals and how well I installed them, and how well they held up to 14 years of sitting. The answe is "just fine" - no drips (knock on wood).

A round of sanding and more resin for the AC box. It's close and I probably could have just used filler, but nope.

Let's go all the way: spark plugs, coils, plug wires, dipstick installed.

So my AC controls are broken? I *think* it can be welded back in place. Not a thing I wanted to have to worry about though. Wondering if I have a spare to just swap out. Wondering if I do, will the face be in better shape?

Also this will be an issue - the brake pedal switches and the column connectors want to be in the same place.

And that would be why. The brake pedal is attached to the booster (with the threaded rod at full extension); the clutch is where I put the switches. Obviously I need to pull this out and move the switches. I'd used the old switch as a baseline for where to put these but it was apparently very optimistic and/or the clutch bracket really shortens the throw.

This is part of the AC; I don't know how the plug is supposed to stay in the firewall but it certainly doesn't want to do it for me. Also it's dirty and needs cleaned.

Speaking of dirty, I pulled the old steering wheel out and bolted it up. I intend to use this wheel - but it's going to need epoxy to make it more solid and a lot of cleaning.

Pulled out the shift knob and handle, too. Don't know where the correct bolts for it went, added to the shopping list.

Not pictured:

The windshield wiper pivot pin that I broke in ~97 or so (see pic) has been replaced
I dug around in the attic for the wiper arm, and found all sorts of additional LS parts - valve covers, another set of coils with brackets, on top of the set of rods and pins, and the lifters and rockers... where did all these come from? I've never parted out an LS. I really don't know how they got there.
Also pulled out the core support for cleanup and installation. It's going to need a lot of cleanup.
Not quite sure what to make of the fresh air flap that goes inside the cowl (see this post back from 2003) but I cleaned it a little. It's not in as good of a shape as it was back in 03.
Master cylinder is bench-bled and installed (no lines yet though)

Go back to the previous day (4 Apr 2020)

	Strip-caulk ("Strip-calk") will seal the clutch bracket to the flange.
Accessory brackets: installed!
	Headers: installed!
Tie rod end: Hits the pan! Sigh. Internet seems to think that raising the engine up a little, or lowering the tailshaft, or replacing the grease fitting with an allen plug, or heim joints, or a longer/taller idler arm and pitman arm are the fix. I'm not going to stress on this currently.
	This is how far I can turn the wheel (it's about 1 1/2 turns right and 1 3/4 left). Is this enough? I don't know. It looks like the driver's tie rod is longer than the pass side a bit, so some adjustment might help too. Also bolted up the clutch bracket and the master cylinder.
Dug the wiring out and started to install it.
	Starting to look more like a car.
I wasn't happy with the "feel" of a couple of the small head bolts when I was checking the cylinders. After I'd bolted everything up, I decided to tear it all back down and helicoil the two questionable boltholes (see blue marks on the valley cover)
	Helicoils installed. The Jegs branded graphite header gaskets probably would have sealed pretty well, based on how well they stuck to the heads. New shiny paint on the valve covers too, and the brake vacuum hose installed (it's 3/8", had to heat it a bit with the heatgun to get it over the port on the intake)
PS pulley installed. Waiting on the last smooth pulley to put on the tensioner.
	Poof, then the deliveryguy shows up and I can install the belt.
AC box is not installed.. but it fits and clears everything. The funnel and the white cardboard under the front of the car are because I had a concern about the seals and how well I installed them, and how well they held up to 14 years of sitting. The answe is "just fine" - no drips (knock on wood).
	A round of sanding and more resin for the AC box. It's close and I probably could have just used filler, but nope.
Let's go all the way: spark plugs, coils, plug wires, dipstick installed.
	So my AC controls are broken? I think it can be welded back in place. Not a thing I wanted to have to worry about though. Wondering if I have a spare to just swap out. Wondering if I do, will the face be in better shape?
Also this will be an issue - the brake pedal switches and the column connectors want to be in the same place.
	And that would be why. The brake pedal is attached to the booster (with the threaded rod at full extension); the clutch is where I put the switches. Obviously I need to pull this out and move the switches. I'd used the old switch as a baseline for where to put these but it was apparently very optimistic and/or the clutch bracket really shortens the throw.
This is part of the AC; I don't know how the plug is supposed to stay in the firewall but it certainly doesn't want to do it for me. Also it's dirty and needs cleaned.
	Speaking of dirty, I pulled the old steering wheel out and bolted it up. I intend to use this wheel - but it's going to need epoxy to make it more solid and a lot of cleaning. Pulled out the shift knob and handle, too. Don't know where the correct bolts for it went, added to the shopping list.