Pulling Drivetrain from my 1960 700 sedan- clutch work

[UnklLarrVair]

Okay, New topic!
I've set this weekend as the time to pull my engine and drive train in the '60 Sedan to finally change out the clutch and find that annoying "knock" that happens when the clutch is let out. I think it goes away once you get up to speed but it just sounds like a clunker and I haven't driven it very far yet because of it.
While I have the drive train out I'm plan to do the following:
- change the oil pan gasket.
- change the main seal in the bell housing
- check the transaxle and install new seals for the axles and input shaft (snout)
- clean and re-lube the rear axels
- change out he seal at the trans shifter input shaft (original 3 Sp)
- Clean up the shrouds and possibly repaint to spruce up the engine compartment
- Replace the thermostat (I'll take pics because the 60's use a single bellows)
- drain and pull the gas tank, clean and seal, fix sending unit if possible
- check out the brakes and flush the fluid

Pretty ambitious I know, but all necessary to be able to drive it any distance and I AM driving it to the 50th Anniversary at Hult's on Oct 3rd!! I'm hoping to get as much done this weekend as I can. Larry 2 will be helping me and the weather is supposed to be really GREAT! Watch for updates...and pics!

[Goozer]

Awesome, Awesome, Awesome!!! Way to go Larr! Can't wait to here what you found to be the problem.

Man, i really wish i could be there and help out!

[UnklLarrVair]

You're welcome in the garage anytime! Come on down!

[Goozer]

I would love to, but have the show from 7:30am - 4pm + parade afterwards. We have folks coming sunday night for a grill out also.

When we fire up the Tech Sessions again, i will be there.

[UnklLarrVair]

I had a productive weekend cleaning the garage and then getting 700 sedan up on the ramps in front and jacked up onto stands in the back. Since it's a 1960 I knew it would be different than any I'd worked on before (even though I have the '60 coupe under wraps in the back of the garage still). I'm very sure this is the first time the engine has been out of this car, because the backing plates for the rear brakes are actually shiny new under the axel bearing flanges! We didn't break any bolts and everything actually came apart with out much trouble.

The shrouds are really different on this model year and I got schooled because without removing the lower shrouds first you can not get the front and back cover shrouding off. It's out and on the roll-around dolly so I'll have to raise it with the chain fall to get them off since we pulled the bell housing off to clean it up right away.

[Goozer]

Dude, that is so cool! One forgets just how 'unique' the 60's were. No heating provisions like later years.

Almost simplistic - yet complicated when it comes to the fan. Very interesting.

I can't wait to see how this beauty shines up after your don't freshening up the paint. Good work!

[UnklLarrVair]

I bought a new bolted flywheel after I purchased the '60 because of the sounds coming from the clutch area. Lots of people including Larry Claypool and Lon Wall confirmed the strange noise was a bad flywheel. I also have a new clutch disk and throwout bearing along with seals and pilot bushing to complete the project. I have bolted my own flywheel in the past but decided that if it was up to me to get that done then this project would drag on for ages. As you can tell it's taken me almost 2 years as it is to this point of pulling the drive train. This was supposed to be a winter project and would have been a great Tech Session but I want this car to be in the 50th Anniversary show. I also want to be able to drive it... so JUST DO IT!

A new 5 gallon can of parts cleaning solvent was purchased and it will get a real work out before I'm done. It looks like oil has seeped out everywhere and the road grime has caked itself under every cover. I was pretty sure someone had done the O-rings of the pushrod tubes but now I'm not so sure! After the top shrouds were removed you could see that the top cover looks like it's leaking too. No problem- I've got a gasket set and those gaskets are readily available. The oil cooler was almost plugged with lint and pine needles saturated in oil. I'm not sure how well it was cooling really. I do not plan to get inside this engine farther than this but I will replace as many external gaskets and seals as I can while I have it out of the car. Getting the majority of the grime off of it is another priority. Once it's resealed and gasketed I hope to have a clean running machine worth of showing at most car shows.

[Goozer]

Would a preasure washer and degreeser work? Would the aluminum stand up to it?

We like shinny new parts!

[UnklLarrVair]

Yeah I was considering that once I get the bell housing back on with a new oil pan gasket. I want to try it in the parts I have off before I dunk them into the parts washer to get the heavy stuff off. The shrouds are very nice and I don't want to destroy the paint that's on them by being to harsh in cleaning them. The 3 speed trans and transaxle on the other hand will get the power washer treatment after soaking in Purple Power degreaser for a while. I plan to reseal them and change out the lube in both anyway. That reminds me, I need to get a Clark's order ready for couple of the gaskets and seal I don't have.

[SpyderMan]

Larry, I had some tin cleaned at my favorite machine shop. he used a supper heated water bath and they turned out great!! I dropped them off oily and they looked like new when I picked them up. It was also cheap, it might be worth a check.