Jan 18, 1999- I cleaned the frame today. (It took a lot of sandblasting!) The sandblaster worked well. It changed the rusted metal to sparkly silver. It only did a 3/8 inch circle at a time. This was very slow work. I used a combination of sandblasting and wire brushing, using the sandblaster in the corners. I had to cover my face because the sand kept hitting me. At one point, my nose started bleeding because the sand had worn through the skin (ouch!). Then I decided to cover my face with an old shirt, which worked well. I only used a bag of Black Beauty sand because I kept sweeping it up and sifting it and reusing it. Finally, I finished wire brushing the frame making it ready to paint. Perhaps soon I�ll have the engine and thins cooked because Bill came over and asked what needed cooked.
Jan. 30, 1999- The engine is off being cooked. I painted the frame with my little brother, Daniel. He seemed to have fun. I welded the frame and straitened the front spring mount out with the torch. (I have to go back to school because of a Dance Ensemble performance. I have to run the fly rail.) The paint used on the frame was Rustoluem primer. I cut off the front bumper.
Feb. 20, 1999- I painted the frame black and the engine blue.
Feb. 27, 1999- I repainted the engine. I painted the bottom of the engine block, the bell housing, the brake lever, and the timing cover chain.
March 4, 1999- I�m home early for spring break. (I wish I could have had my jeep when I was stuck in the snow.) I painted the exhaust manifold, the front pumpkin, and the brake mount components. I was able to make the movable vent work in the exhaust manifold. That was difficult. Dad helped. I ordered parts and they still didn�t come yet.
March 6, 1999� Danny came over. We spent a long time getting the bumper in place. It looks good. I put the engine mounts on the frame. The spring-plies weren�t dry yet, so I couldn't work on them. I had fun.
March 10, 1999- A while ago, about the 8th, Danny and I put on the springs and started to put the transmission back together. I found that the synchronizers were broken so I sent for new ones. Yesterday, Bill and I put the new bearing in the engine. They weren�t the right size. They have to be a .020 bearing to fit right. I think this engine was worked on before. Now I�m sanding the cylinder walls with 600 grit paper. It should be fine enough. This took the rust out nicely.
Later- I found out that the pistons are .040 over, the connecting rods .030 over, and the main bearings .020 over. I had a hard time removing the camshaft bearing. I used a hacksaw and a small screwdriver, ugly, but it worked. I cleaned the pistons, the rods, and the camshaft.
