BACK to school means different things to different people, but in the case of Project Starliner, it means the students and instructors in the automotive program at Kildonan East Collegiate have returned for another school year. With the body of our '61 Ford Starliner still mounted on the rotisserie, it has received its initial skim coat of body filler to smooth out slight imperfections and move closer to getting the surface ready for final paint preparation. No rush here, there's actually a fair amount of finishing work required before we can even think about laying paint on the car.
Over the summer we finally did receive the back-ordered exhaust headers from Ohio and our 390 cubic inch Thunderbird Special V8 waits on the engine stand for its next stop on the engine dyno.
Many restorations tend to focus on the powertrain, paint and upholstery and while all are very important to the performance and overall final look of the project, there's an area that lurks underneath that requires equal attention. While it's hardly visible, a safe and solid chassis should be considered the basis of any successful restoration. When we left you last summer, the chassis was about to enter the Automotive Technology shop for an analysis of what would be required to rebuild the brake, steering and suspension systems.
With more than 100,000 miles (160,934 kilometres) on the odometer our chassis would obviously be in need of some work. The fact that it was separated from the body also allows us unencumbered access to remove and replace components, so at this juncture it makes the work easier and also doubles as a useful training aid for the school. The first order was to remove the old brake lines and fuel lines and replace them with new tubing. These items are prone to corrosion and road damage over time and replacing them is a wise move to head off future failures.
Upon closer inspection of the chassis, instructor Murray Malcolmson found some components were marginally still serviceable, while others such as brake linings, hydraulic wheel cylinders and rubber suspension components were in need of replacement. It was a clear-cut case of choosing the full meal deal, go big or go home, in for a penny in for a pound. No matter how you say it there's an important step in our restoration project that can't be ignored and yes Virginia it is going to cost some money, but it's probably the best money spent on a restoration. If it can't handle the roads, steer straight or stop when required, it's going to be a frightful trip every time you have it on the road.
Then there's the obligatory Manitoba Vehicle Safety Inspection. Any project car you purchase will have to have a new vehicle safety inspection certificate issued before it can be registered for the road, so attention to these systems is an absolute must.
Rubber deteriorates over time and braking systems rely on rubber cups and seals to hold the hydraulic pressure exerted to operate the brakes. Wheel cylinders can be rebuilt rather inexpensively with available kits or purchased outright and replaced, as can the rubber brake hoses that carry fluid from the hard lines of the chassis to the wheels. Suspension systems have rubber bushings present in the upper and lower control arms and sway bars and should be replaced. Rear wheel bearings and seals shouldn't be overlooked either as time and wear works against these items as well. Hard parts such as coil springs, ball joints and tie rod ends can be evaluated for wear and replaced as necessary, but in our case we elected to replace everything but the springs.
New components including brake drums, ball joints, control arm and stabilizer bushings, shock absorbers and new emergency brake cables are just a few of the parts Project Starliner will receive and most can be easily sourced and purchased both at local parts distributors and through restoration suppliers. Plan on spending an average of $1,000 to $1,500 for the necessary rebuild components for a stock restoration. The cost will escalate if you decide to upgrade from drum to disc brakes or add rack and pinion steering installations or make suspension changes, but no matter which way you choose to go, safety and reliability should always be your first and foremost consideration.
Comments or suggestions for our Starliner restoration? E-mail me with your ideas.
larry.dargis@ freepress.mb.ca
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