My "New" car, 79 Monza HB

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Re: My "New" car, 79 Monza HB

Postby 77nighthawk » Sun Feb 14, 2016 10:53 pm

Ok, dropped the motor and tranny in the car today, and was working on getting the position right, to finish fabbing the motor mounts. The frame mounts, and motor perches I made, are lining up pretty good. I was working on installing the left header, when I noticed that the motor looked too far forward, and too far to the right. I forgot to cut the tab off of the tranny, no big deal, I'll find my saws-all, and take care of that. Then I noticed that the header was hitting on the k member. I then looked under the car, and saw that the #7 header tube was directly under the lower control arm. I don't think that this tranny crossmember is the correct one, some input from someone on this, would be VERY helpful. It looks like everything needs to go back about 1 to 2 inches to me. Someone please let me know if the tranny crossmember is right, or wrong. Brad

Here's the pic's I took, hopefully, someone can help.

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If it don't scare me, I don't want it.

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1979 Monza hb
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Re: My "New" car, 79 Monza HB

Postby 77nighthawk » Sun Feb 14, 2016 10:56 pm

Here's the rest of the pics.

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If it don't scare me, I don't want it.

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1979 Monza hb
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Re: My "New" car, 79 Monza HB

Postby 77nighthawk » Thu Feb 18, 2016 12:36 am

Just got the info I needed to proceed. Looks like the tranny is in the right spot, just have to clearance everything to get the motor in the right side to side position. I'm hoping the rear header tube on the left side will clear the lower a-arm, once the motor is in the right spot. I have a k-member that has already been clearanced, so I will swap it into the car, and cross my fingers. Brad
If it don't scare me, I don't want it.

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1979 Monza hb
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Re: My "New" car, 79 Monza HB

Postby zeke » Thu Feb 18, 2016 6:46 am

Nice
Last edited by zeke on Sun Feb 21, 2016 1:48 am, edited 2 times in total.
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zeke's 79 Monza Project

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Re: My "New" car, 79 Monza HB

Postby 77nighthawk » Sun Feb 21, 2016 12:17 am

Wow! Spent all day in the garage, and it doesn't look like I got much done. Bolted the torque arm in, changed the tranny crossmember, sections of the headers in and out multiple times, motor plates in and out, clearancing them a little each time, removed the k-member, and tried to bolt the clearanced k-member in but it is tweaked, and won't go in. Left the k-member out for now to try and finish getting the motor in place, will clearance the one that was in it, and put it back in. Only have one more header tube to install, the right rear one, but still have to open the hole up for the tube to go through. Once that is done, I can finish the motor mounts. I will have to modify the tranny crossmember, as well. I'm pooped! Brad

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If it don't scare me, I don't want it.

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Re: My "New" car, 79 Monza HB

Postby 77nighthawk » Sat Feb 27, 2016 10:40 pm

Worked on the motor mounts today. Got the mounts fabbed, tacked, and while I was pulling everything apart to finish weld, one tab broke the tacks. I went ahead and welded what was together. I'll put it all back together tomorrow, and tack the one piece back, then pull it all apart again, to weld it, and paint the mounts. Brad

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If it don't scare me, I don't want it.

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1979 Monza hb
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Re: My "New" car, 79 Monza HB

Postby 77nighthawk » Sun Feb 28, 2016 10:45 pm

Went back out today, and worked on the Monza again. Put everything back together again, tacked the left motor mount tab back on, pulled it all apart, welded it, and painted both mounts, and frame plates. Is it me, or does paint take ten times longer to dry, when your waiting on it? Once the paint was extremely tacky, I put everything back together. I did get the last header tube installed, now I just have to make or modify a tranny crossmember, and clearance and install the k-member, and I can move on with the rest of it. Man, this is taking a lot longer than I had anticipated. I still want to have the car done by spring, and it I stay at it, should be able. Brad

P.S. the last pic is purely motivational, and I'm gonna need a new hood.

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If it don't scare me, I don't want it.

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Re: My "New" car, 79 Monza HB

Postby Monza Harry » Sun Feb 28, 2016 11:27 pm

Brad, well I haven't tried this with these newest paints, the old enamel responded well to a little preheat before painting, [torch hotplate or oven 250* MAX] this will give you a nice "through hard paint job just about triples the life of the old enamel spray bomb paint jobs. Lookin' Goood! Harry
I'm not a hoarder I'm a preservationist 78 Monza Spyder (~Soon(ish +/- I guess) To Be 2+2 with Spoilers)
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Re: My "New" car, 79 Monza HB

Postby 77nighthawk » Mon Mar 14, 2016 9:37 pm

Hey Harry, thanks for the compliment. Update time. Went out to the garage 2 Saturdays ago, to modify the tranny crossmember, and found that the tranny had slid about 4 inches to the passenger side, before I had welded the mounts. :bang: :bang: :bang: Disgusted, I went back to the house. The next day, I went back out and took everything back apart for the billionth time, and removed the frame perches. The day after that, I took them to work with me, and cut the tabs off, and stripped the paint off of them. After work, I went home, and modified the tranny crossmember, to insure the tranny didn't move on me again. This last weekend, I installed the frame plates, positioned the motor(again), and welded the tabs back on, in the right place(hopefully). I took them to work with me today, and painted them. When I got home this evening, I installed them(and of course scratched the new paint). I bolted the driver's side header in, hopefully for the last time(I doubt it). I will try to get out there tomorrow and do the passenger's side header and starter. Then I just have to clearance the k-member, and install that. Then all of the other good stuff. I got my new shifter in, hopefully it works ok. If anyone has feedback on the shifter, let me know good or bad, before I install it. Brad

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If it don't scare me, I don't want it.

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1979 Monza hb
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Re: My "New" car, 79 Monza HB

Postby Monza Harry » Tue Mar 15, 2016 9:19 am

Hey Brad I didn't try that exact shifter, but I do have a set of Hurst Lighting Rod's, LOVED that look back in the day, but like most I looked at back then, being a small car the shifter angle is all wrong. I would have to pull the shifter way back or change the handle as it interfered with the dash in Park and Reverse. Something to check before you mount it/own it. On our cars they all have a curved handle to move the shifter forward and the handle back. I still haven't decided exactly what to do with the Rod's I still like the look and I am hesitant to bend and re-plate the handles and less inclined to make new ones, as I would have to pay to copy the engraved Logo on the handles and plate them too. Harry
I'm not a hoarder I'm a preservationist 78 Monza Spyder (~Soon(ish +/- I guess) To Be 2+2 with Spoilers)
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Re: My "New" car, 79 Monza HB

Postby 77nighthawk » Tue Mar 15, 2016 7:04 pm

Hey Harry, I pulled the console out of the Monza, to replace the thrashed console in the Nighthawk(I think they're the same). So I'm hoping that I can move the shifter back a little to avoid smashing my knuckles into the dash. I'm toying with the idea of making a custom console, that curves up into the dash, to house the tach, some other gauges, and some switches. I happen to be a sucker for the t-handle shifters. There's just something about them, I can't resist. But what's with the plastic knob? Plastic ain't cool! O'reilly's has an aluminum one on the shelf, for about $30, I'll have to go get it. Brad
If it don't scare me, I don't want it.

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Re: My "New" car, 79 Monza HB

Postby zeke » Wed Mar 16, 2016 5:52 am

Damn garage gremlins moved the tranny over when you weren't looking. I hate when that happens.

Solid mounts look good! :th:
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Re: My "New" car, 79 Monza HB

Postby 77nighthawk » Wed Mar 16, 2016 9:43 pm

Hey Chris, thanks. Those garage gremlins suck, and I doubt I've seen the last of them, knowing what all I have left to do. Maybe I should try bribing them with a box of donuts, and a case of beer. Brad
If it don't scare me, I don't want it.

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1979 Monza hb
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Re: My "New" car, 79 Monza HB

Postby 77nighthawk » Sun Mar 20, 2016 9:49 pm

With everything that's going on here, I did manage to work on the Monza a little. I got the right header and starter bolted in, and had plenty of room. I clearanced the k-member, and also got that installed. I'll try to get the driveshaft cleaned up, and installed this week, as well as trim the front of the tranny crossmember(it's touching the tranny pan), paint, and install it. I have a few other minor details that I also want to get done to the car as well. Brad

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If it don't scare me, I don't want it.

the growing collection
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1979 Monza hb
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Re: My "New" car, 79 Monza HB

Postby 77nighthawk » Sun Mar 27, 2016 10:23 pm

Well, I didn't get a lot done this week. I had to go to the ER with my mom late Monday night. She was in the hospital till yesterday, and starts chemotherapy tomorrow, so my minds been on other things all week. Monday after work, I did manage to get the passenger side header, and the starter bolted in, before I got the call from mom. I also got the water pump and alternator bolted to the front of the engine, to see how much room I had to work with as far as fans go. Today, I went and bought new 5/16" steel lines to run to the tranny cooler in the radiator. Brad

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I also had this come in, for the Monza, for a little extra "attitude".

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If it don't scare me, I don't want it.

the growing collection
1977 nighthawk
1979 Monza hb
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Posts: 243
Joined: Thu Feb 24, 2011 1:26 am
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