1990 Miata

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PostPosted: Tue May 26, 2015 10:52 pm
Here's the new project:
Front20Left20Quarter20View.jpg

af1d38bd-33d4-4ca2-858b-2bbde611cbe3.jpg

Rear20Left20Quarter20View.jpg

Rear20Right20Quarter20View.jpg
1968 Coronet R/T


ACTS 16:31



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PostPosted: Tue May 26, 2015 10:57 pm
Looks like a good base. What do you have planned for it?

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PostPosted: Wed May 27, 2015 10:04 am
Having a conference call with the owner today.
He wants the original blue color but may opt to change interior and top color to a tan/saddle color.
1968 Coronet R/T


ACTS 16:31

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PostPosted: Thu Jul 02, 2015 4:43 pm
Turns out the car had A/C at one time but someone removed the compressor and left the lines laying on the splash guard.
AC hoses.jpg


Owner wants A/C working again so I began taking out the parts that need flushing (condenser, lines, cooling unit) and those that need replacing (drier and expansion valve):
Splash guard was pretty hammered and will be replaced:
Splash Guard.jpg


Receipts show the valve cover gaskets have been replaced at least 4 times. So plenty of goo to remove:
Front Suspension.jpg


Everything is a tight fit and tucked way:
AC Drier Old 2.jpg

AC Drier Old.jpg


Condenser and drier assembly removed:
AC Condensor Removed.jpg


The cooling unit is under the dash behind the glove box. Has a coupler on each end to hook to blower motor and A/C ducts.
My first look at it:
AC Evaparator Box 1.jpg


Pulled the glove box and support rail and had slightly better access:
Cooling Unit Access.jpg


Cooling unit removed:
Cooling Unit Removed.jpg

Cooling Unit.jpg


All that to get to this expansion valve:
Expansion Valve.jpg


From here everything will be dismantled, flushed with cleaner, new parts and seals installed and then reassembled.
1968 Coronet R/T


ACTS 16:31

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PostPosted: Thu Jul 02, 2015 7:58 pm
Replaced the front rotors:
New Rotor.jpg


Notice a nut missing from the lower control arm:
Missing Nut.jpg


Bolt holding the lower ball joint was backing out:
Bolt backing out.jpg


When cleaning grease from bottom of engine I came across the broken off piece from the dip stick:
Dip Stick Broken.jpg


Owner sent an email. He is going to a Miata show this weekend and may change his mind on the color scheme.
1968 Coronet R/T


ACTS 16:31

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PostPosted: Fri Jul 03, 2015 10:05 pm
Replaced the Expansion Valve today.
The Cooling Unit is held together by clips:
Cooling Unit Clips.jpg


The proper way to remove these without bending or breaking them is to insert a flat blade screw driver:
Clip Removal.jpg


Then lightly pry the clip open:
Clip Removal 2.jpg


Found a little dirt and debris:
Leaves.jpg


The bulb sensor is sealed and needed to be uncovered for access:
Expansion Valve Bulb Sensor.jpg


The old expansion valve was removed and all the debris removed. The box was cleaned inside and out. The lines and cooling unit were flushed with Johnsen's 6544 AC flush and blown out with compressed air.
I highly recommend this Typhoon Blow gun for this type of work. The volume of air and pressure is phenomenal: http://www.amazon.com/Acme-Automotive-T ... B0012SAXT2

All the o-rings and seals in the system replaced with new and the box reassembled;
Expansion Valve New.jpg

Cooling Unit clean.jpg


The fun part will be getting this puppy back in that hole under the dash.
1968 Coronet R/T


ACTS 16:31

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PostPosted: Wed Jul 08, 2015 8:01 pm
New Carpet is going into this thing and when I got to looking at how the old carpet was installed a problem arose.
Notice that the carpet extends under the heater unit:
Carpet at Firewall.jpg

Carpet at Firewall 1.jpg


Tried to slide out but wasn't happening. So I decided to take the dash assembly off so I could get the heater unit out and see what was holding that carpet so tightly.
First thing was to unhook battery cables so I didn't eat an air bag.
Remove the airbag from the steering wheel
Air Bag Back side.jpg

Air Bag Connector.jpg


Had this little retaining string:
Air Bag String.jpg


After a couple of hours removing the steering wheel, column housing, instrument cluster heater control, etc. etc. I removed the Dash assembly:
Dash Assembly removed Left side.jpg


Removed the heater unit and there it was! The little plastic carpet retainer positioned dead center under the heating unit. :knockout:
Carpet Retainer Under Heater Unit.jpg


:splat: :splat: :splat: :splat:
1968 Coronet R/T


ACTS 16:31

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PostPosted: Wed Jul 08, 2015 8:19 pm
I give you a lot of credit - I could not tolerate all that mechanical work.

That would look nice in a tri-stage orange and a couple of pearl white metallic stripes on the hood and trunk deck. You ought to suggest that to him :mrgreen:

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PostPosted: Fri Jul 10, 2015 5:35 pm
Nice write. Will be nice having that AC blowing cold again....hope that guy is paying you well.....

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PostPosted: Fri Jul 10, 2015 9:18 pm
Removed the kick panels, foot rest, sill plates, wind lace, and these seat belt retractor covers:
Seat Belt Retractor cover.jpg


The a few more of those plastic retainers:
Retainers behind seats:
Rear Deck retainers.jpg


Retainers under retainers:
Back wall retainers.jpg


Retainers under the seats:
Retainer under seat.jpg


Retainers under the console:
Retainer under console.jpg


Retainers behind the seat belt retractors:
Rear Deck Bumper and retainer.jpg


Retainers around the rear deck:
Rear Deck upper retainers.jpg


Did I mention there were a ton of these retainers? Finally the carpet is out:
Floor Pans Driver.jpg

Rear Deck Driver.jpg

Fire Wall Passenger.jpg

Floor Pans Passenger.jpg

Rear Deck Passenger.jpg
1968 Coronet R/T


ACTS 16:31
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