Racer X

My photography processing computer, after left foot rework a few years ago. The PC tower on the left is the one for my music processing.

You guys make me feel like a neophyte. My first computer was a Pentium II hand me down. My stepdaughter bought it used from Boeing surplus (back then Dell didn’t have the contract). She fiddled with it, then gave it to her brother to use for recording music for his garage band. It didn’t meet his needs, so he bought a new one, and asked if I wanted it. I said sure, he brought it over and I stuck it in the corner. Mrs. Racer 2.0 pestered me to do something with it or get rid of it. So one day I set it up, and turned it on. Then there were a bazillion calls, first to the boy, then his sister. Eventually I got it running, then got online with one of the free internet access services, with a 28.8k telephone modem. That was 1998. It didn’t take long and I upgraded to a 56k modem, then cable through my TV cable company. At first it was I the one calling the kids for help. But it didn’t take long before I was upgrading the processor and memory, then building a new computer from scratch. I bought a seat of AutoCAD, and Photoshop. Then it was the kids calling me for help with their computers. Since then I have built five machines, two with dual head video cards, one for CAD work, one for photography work. One of the single display machines I use for digitizing my vinyl record collection. A friend said my computer room looks like a display at Best Buy.

Vicarious.

I got enough merit badges, so I don’t need to shake hands. Besides, Covid, eh?

Badges? We don’t need no steenkin’ badges! Besides, I have enough already.

I’ve been there.

Oil pressure rule of thumb is 10lbs for every 1,000 rpm. So ten pounds at idle is plenty, at 7,000 rpm 70 to 80 psi is fine. A good quality (read Stewart Warner) mechanical gauge is best. For the diamond pleated covering, a heat gun helps to get it formed and stretched over the irregular shapes of the tunnel and floor.

The mailbox came powder coated black. I wet sanded it with 600. Then I taped off the flames, and shot the colors one at a time. I used two stage automotive base coat/clear coat paint. The color goes on and dries quickly, so each color can be done shortly after the previous one. By the time I had my gun cleaned and the next color mixed it was ready. After the colors were done I removed the masking, hand pinstriped a line around the flames, then mixed and shot the clear coat. It has held up well, the picture was taken after about 12 years after the paint was laid down. I wash and wax it once a year. My neighbors have all asked if I would paint their boxes, but shy away when I tell them how much it cost.

If they can be turned on a brake lathe, and still be in spec, they are serviceable. Otherwise they aren’t worth much at all.

Don’t “dent” the pipe to make clearance, doing so is a poor solution. You should be able to adjust the position to the system so there is adequate clearance.

I apprenticed at an automotive body shop as a teen, late 1960s, early 1970s. Learned the trade from a guy who made body and paint his life’s work. I’ve painted a lot of cars, pickups, big trucks, a couple of tractors, and dozens of refrigerators. I even painted my mailbox. Good tools go a long way toward an acceptable result. I still own all the tools from then, and have added HVLP spray guns back when the paint systems changed. Devilbiss is among the best, and all I own, both suction and HVLP. The difference is in how the gun handles the material. A good spray gun will produce an even spray pattern, a cheap one will not. Always clean the gun thoroughly after every use, especially with today’s catalyzed paints. Once they cure out, it is impossible to remove them from the passages inside the gun. Take good care of your equipment and it will reward you with good results for many years.

If you can find a y pipe from 2” to 2.5”, it would be the perfect solution. Otherwise your best bet will be to find a competent fabricator who can build up a y connection that slip fits onto the header, then has the outlet at 2.5”, using mandrel bent pipe, in stainless. Also, using a tig welder will produce better welds than using a mig, and a stick should not be used at all. The mandrel bent pieces can be had from several exhaust specialty supply houses. There is one out in Utah, can’t recall the name at the moment. Using non mandrel bent pipe will dramatically reduce the flow, so it is important to use mandrel bent pipe.

Two questions. Is that lift in your garage? And, where did you get the exhaust?

Hope you didn’t hurt the input shaft bearings in the transmission running the engine and no grease in the tranny.

With the age of the car, and if it has been long enough since it was last registered, it is possible there won’t be any record of it. If so, a new title would be issued, clear of any branding for salvage, etc.

Or one could file for lost title, get a new title for the car and move on with a full restoration.

Doesn’t everyone?

RIP Bob.

I have a love/hate relationship with MSA. Many years ago I ordered crankshaft and rod bearings. They were shipped loose in a box of packing peanuts. When they arrived every bearing shell had damage. I contacted them and they were incredulous, even told me it would be OK to install them and run them. So I sent them back, paying shipping both ways. Fast forward to early this year. Started getting my 72 back into driving condition. Ordered a bunch of stuff, clutch, clutch cover, thermostat and housing, cam cover gaskets, head gaskets, and a dozen other items. Like you, the order was delayed, with no communications. I called them, they said they sent an email. Never got one. Turns out there is some problem with their email that they can’t work out, and other customers also have had that problem. So they said there were some items on my order that were on back order. I asked that they send what they had and send the rest later. The head gaskets and cam cover gaskets showed up, packed loosely with the heavy clutch and pressure plate. The gaskets were destroyed from the clutch cover bouncing around in the box. They sent it FedEx Ground, an 800 mile trip, from LA to Seattle, that actually had the package go through Las Vegas, Salt Lake City, Boise, Portland then Seattle. Took two weeks, The gaskets were destroyed. The box had the beginning of a hole in it from the clutch cover, and was one toss away from being ripped open. To their credit, they sent replacement gaskets, no charge. A month or so later the pan gaskets and a harmonic balancer arrived. They had wrapped the pan gaskets around the box the balancer was in, rather than packing the gaskets in a flat package. Again, the gaskets are not in good shape. I give up on them. Don’t care if they have all the Z stuff, and good prices. They do have a guy who is a member here, maybe you can reach out to him. Or not.

If the cable is seized inside the sheath, and you aren’t reusing it, then cut the cable to get it out.

What @Patcon said. Release the tension on the cable by backing the adjustment off.

Don’t cut it. It was together before, so it should go together again. You just need to work out the puzzle of getting things in the right place for assembly. As @Patcon says, pictures will help us help you.

At least its made in the USA.

We are currently producing the 767/KC46 on a seven day production rate, meaning every seven M days (an M day is a scheduled manufacturing day, which doesn’t include weekends or holidays) one rolls out the door. Since I’ve been in the program we have built mostly FedEx freighters, alternating with the KC46 tanker, with (in the last year) three UPS freighters and two white tails. So roughly twice a month a FedEx 767 rolls out the door. Interesting you comment about the lav, as the UPS planes have customer variables that require us to pay attention for the differences in the build. It requires we review the drawings, use different tooling, and locate, drill and install a number of different structural components. One unique thing about Boeing compared to Airbus is the custom build of every airplane for the customer. Airbus doesn’t custom build airplanes for their customers, and doesn’t allow customer representatives in the factory. In addition to the FAA representatives, every customer has reps who inspect every step of the build process from raw materials to the final preflight on the flightline. Even though they look the same, the KC46 tanker is considerably different. It is about 20 feet shorter overall, the cargo doors are smaller, the structures are different and more robust to hold the fuel cells in place, there is a provision for refueling the plane itself on the crown aft of the cockpit, and there are two man doors behind the cockpit, one on each side, as opposed to the single left door on the freighter.

Nice. The 757 has been out of production since October 2004, so that airplane is getting close to 20 years old. I’ve been one the crew that builds the 767-300F forward body section since September 2020, and also have done some rework on the wings. We build a freighter, then a KC46 tanker, then a freighter, then a tanker. Most, but not all, freighters are FedEx, we have had a few UPS come through, and a couple of white tails (planes for an undisclosed customer). As a structures mechanic I work overbar, meaning I don’t have a regular work package every day. Instead I do rework, follow unfinished work down line, and cover bar work when other mechanics are absent. Prior to working on the 767/KC46 program I worked on the 777 program, mostly wings, including 4 years in the spar shop building the rear wing spars. With the new 777-9 going into production the legacy plane has mostly been freighters, and some of those were for FedEx. Been almost seven and a half years at The Big Shed. It is cool being part of the build process of these awesome machines.