My 701 saga

[kpinnc 13,659]

Drug out the old work stand. Got quite a bit more done. 

 

 

 

 

[kpinnc 13,659]

Well, a few steps forward and one back...

 

Welded and ground the notches out of the front spindles. Turned out great. 

 

Got the front axle all done up. Got the clear coat on. But then I did what I always do: I failed to leave well enough alone. 

 

The entire frame and tranny and front axle look fantastic. But some idiot put 5 coats of clear on the gas tank, and it lifted the paint. I guess I made that tank too shiny during sanding for the paint to hook up. Oh well, I'll strip the tank down and do it again. At least the rest turned out decent. 

 

I'm using a 2K clear coat. It's a two part spray that comes in a rattle can. It has a button on the bottom that releases the hardener. Pretty cool stuff. Downside is you have 48 hours to use it once you mix it, and it's not cheap. 

 

 

[WHX?? 50,619]

7 minutes ago, kpinnc said:

two part spray that comes in a rattle can.

Interesting  ... never heard of it. Pic of can?? 

[kpinnc 13,659]

57 minutes ago, WHX?? said:

Pic of can?? 

 

See below. The button on the bottom opens the hardener. 

 

My can was obviously the non-english label. 

 

Except for where I messed the tank up, the results are beautiful. 

 

 

Edited March 31 by kpinnc

[Handy Don 13,334]

Looking great! Always love the contrast of well-painted transaxle and the shiny brake drum surface!

[kpinnc 13,659]

Haven't had much time to tinker lately, but I did get some parts from Brian at K&B. Got a nice adjustable single tie rod for the 701. 

 

Also he has a "newer" shift boot that works very well on the 701. It has a flange on the bottom that fits into the hole in the sheet metal nicely. It is very heavy duty and should last a long time. 

 

 

Edited April 5 by kpinnc

[WHX?? 50,619]

I should have went with new tie rods ... lots of slop on trying to use worn out originals. 

 

On those drag link bolts with the zerk you can build severely worn ones up with brazing and filing back down to fit. 

@Lane Ranger had new ones awhile back. 

The drag link you can bore out the holes and fit trimmed oil lite bushings in. 

[peter lena 9,074]

@kpinnc  been experimenting with threaded HEIM JOINT  DURABILITY  , for years , always have a  3/8  threaded rod , and threaded heim in stock , only have to die nut rethread  , right over  original course  thread to  3/8 x 24  fine thread , cutting oil , simple screw on , never had a heim fail , have them on clutch rod ends  , steering , rods , paint them red and they all but disappear, like a drop of SUPER LUBE ,in a HEIM , like  magic  smooth , always durability /  experimenting , chronic issues are what you want , lets you  improve on every part of failure , only if you want to ,   pete   

[kpinnc 13,659]

1 hour ago, WHX?? said:

On those drag link bolts with the zerk you can build severely worn ones up with brazing and filing back down to fit. 

 

Oddly enough I had made up new ones out of stainless. The first worked out fine although drilling in the lathe was tough. The second broke every bit I tried to use. 

 

Then I made one out of a grade 8 bolt. It was a pain but worked. 

 

Ended up using originals. Gotta braze the zerk onto one of them. Note to self: leave well enough alone! 

[953 nut 57,754]

On 3/30/2025 at 8:00 PM, kpinnc said:

But some idiot put 5 coats of clear on the gas tank, and it lifted the paint. I guess I made that tank too shiny during sanding for the paint to hook up. Oh well, I'll strip the tank down and do it again.

Did you use a primer specifically made for aluminum?      Just a bit too much of a good thing, probably one coat of clear would have been plenty.

[kpinnc 13,659]

Just now, 953 nut said:

Did you use a primer specifically made for aluminum? 

 

Nope. Was wondering about that myself. I haven't painted much aluminum. Live and learn! 

[8ntruck 7,368]

  I've got a 1960 MGB project waiting in the wings.  The bonnet (hood), doors and boot (trunk) lid are aluminum.  Didn't know that there was an aluminum spacific primer.

 

Have to remember that when the time comes.

[953 nut 57,754]

Zink-chromate primer is what should be used on aluminum. It is best to sand the surface with 400 dry sanding just before painting to remove oxidation.

[Lane Ranger 11,122]

2 hours ago, WHX?? said:

I should have went with new tie rods ... lots of slop on trying to use worn out originals. 

 

On those drag link bolts with the zerk you can build severely worn ones up with brazing and filing back down to fit. 

@Lane Ranger had new ones awhile back. 

The drag link you can bore out the holes and fit trimmed oil lite bushings in. 

 

 

Some guys use the old  zero bolts with a brass bushing inserted in the tie rod hole Jim.   Tightens it all up.

 

 

[oliver2-44 10,331]

6 hours ago, 953 nut said:

Zink-chromate primer is what should be used on aluminum. It is best to sand the surface with 400 dry sanding just before painting to remove oxidation.

@8ntruck Just google painting aluminum aircraft.  Helped sand a few parts for my Dad's shop back in the day.

[kpinnc 13,659]

I think I accomplished the impossible today...

 

Got the bell crank off the lift arm without destroying either. The original center column was trashed. I replaced it but had to recover the lift assembly. 64 years of brown weld certainly has a grip! 

 

The pic below was obviously after cleaning the shaft up. 

 

 

Edited April 6 by kpinnc

[953 nut 57,754]

10 hours ago, kpinnc said:

Got the bell crank off the lift arm without destroying either.

 

You have mastered the final Wheel Horse Right of Passage to Nobility      But don't let it go to your head.

[Chris G 3,334]

Looking good so far!!!

[kpinnc 13,659]

I've learned a little about the Spray Max clear coat pictured above. It definitely works well with DRY Rustoleum paint that has been lightly scuffed with 600 grit (wet) and allowed 24 hours to reset. The clear dries very hard and has very high shine. 

 

It does not require a heavy application. Enough coats to barely look wet is all it takes. 

 

It also does NOT work well with paint that is still soft. Unlike Rustoleum crystal clear, it doesn't like going on over a wet color coat. It shrinks and roughens if the base coat is wet. 

 

But it does dry into a very durable finish. On my 701 aluminum tank where I failed (like a dummy) to use etching primer, it was so tough that I had to use a scraper to remove it, and it almost came off in a single piece. 

 

So going forward I'll have to allow the base coat to dry, then scuff it lightly. I never paint over freshly scuffed paint, as whatever you spray tends to reactivate the base. I wait 24 hours after wet sanding to apply anything. That seems to work with this clear coat as well. 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited Sunday at 01:32 AM by kpinnc

[WHX?? 50,619]

1 hour ago, kpinnc said:

work well with paint that is still soft. Unlike Rustoleum crystal clear, it doesn't like going on over a wet color coat

Madge @AMC RULES says he sets the can of red down and picks up the can of clear.  I think he uses a Eastwood clear. 

Edited Sunday at 03:18 AM by WHX??

[kpinnc 13,659]

58 minutes ago, WHX?? said:

Eastwood clear. 

 

Eastwood also has a 2K clear with the hardener release on the bottom of the can. It would be interesting to get a can of both and compare ingredients...

 

So many products nowadays are just re-badged from one company to the other. Might be worth a look...

[Horse Newbie 7,195]

On 2/28/2025 at 8:57 AM, ebinmaine said:

An average mouse only needs a dime sized entrance. 

And a bear needs what size minimum opening ?

[ebinmaine 70,551]

43 minutes ago, Horse Newbie said:

And a bear needs what size minimum opening ?

 

Is there a two foot diameter coin???

[953 nut 57,754]

12 hours ago, WHX?? said:

Madge @AMC RULES says he sets the can of red down and picks up the can of clear.  I think he uses a Eastwood clear. 

I have used it and found the3 results are very good. It is nor the two part "2K' that @kpinnc was referring to though, just a great clear rattle can.

[kpinnc 13,659]

4 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

 

Is there a two foot diameter coin???

 

They are called MANHOLE COVERS!!!