Captain Obvious

Yes it was. And yes I am! Some twenty-something dropped a Bugs Bunny reference in conversation a week ago. I'm not sure he even knew what he was really talking about. The topic was what type of monster lives under a bed and after suggestions of troll and gnome, someone suggested gremlins. The 20-something remarked that gremlins were only on planes. I did suggest to him that you have to hit em juuuuuuust right and got a glassed over look, but I didn't research further.

Haha!! "Lookit here son, I say son, did ya see that hawk after those hens? He scared 'em! That Rhode Island Red turned white. Then blue. Rhode Island. Red, white, and blue. That's a joke, son. A flag waver. You're built too low. The fast ones go over your head. Ya got a hole in your glove. I keep pitchin' 'em and you keep missin' 'em. Ya gotta keep your eye on the ball. Eye. Ball. I almost had a gag, son. Joke, that is." — Author Unknown

Thanks Captain Obvious.

Maybe you didn't mix it thoroughly enough and it didn't cure completely?

You want info? Here's your man: @Derek

Well I know it won't make you feel that much better, but you're not the first one to do this. A local buddy of mine did the exact same thing to his pulley. Glad you didn't lose the chunk behind the front cover. That would have just added insult to injury. I've messed with lots of keys of various designs working on machinery in addition to cars. Most of them are snug (tight) enough that they don't fall out with gravity, or a magnet, but that's not always the case. I'm not sure a new key will be any tighter, but you'll find out when you get your replacement. So, to help make sure if doesn't happen again... First, put the pulley on with NO key, just to get a feel for how it goes on. You should be able to feel and hear it clank against the hard stop shoulder on the crank. Pinching the slinger and all that... I've heard some of the pulleys are so tight that you have to use the center bolt to actually jack the damper into place, and I'm not sure how I feel about that. Get a feel for how it SHOULD go on, and then make sure the key slips gracefully into the slot inside the damper. If the key won't go into the slot on the ID of the damper, then it'll rock out of position when you try to put the pulley into place. Just take it easy and remember, you're not the first!

Bummer. That's what happens when you torque the crank pulley nut down without having the key and damper all situated correctly before applying mucho force. The key is supposed to be able to rock in the slot and find it's proper "happy" location. But if you get it rocket too far before you start fitting parts together, it's possible to rock it backwards and get it cockked into a position where the force is normal (perpendicular) to the install direction, and as you found... You can crack the brittle damper. So I got a question.... Where is the chunk(s) of cast iron that snapped off the back of the damper? Is that stuff inside your front cover now?

Seconded. That really sucks. So did the cops show up and saddle her with responsibility for the accident in the form of a ticket. Failing to yield the right of way? Failing to follow traffic control markings? Something like that? That will help a lot when her insurance company cold shoulders you after she tells them it was your fault.

And I certainly hope you are planning to keep it dry, because if you don't, it's going to melt into rust like the rest of them. Think about it this way... You have years of un-realized pent up potential rust. You can see a tiny bit peeking out here and there, but if you let it get wet, it's going to come out with a vengeance to make up for lost time.

Wow. I'm impressed. I think that might be the cleanest all original 280 I've ever seen. With good pictures, I can usually find fault or untruths in sellers statements, but on that car, at least from the pics, I can't find any. I can't find any evidence to contradict the claim of original paint, and it has been kept in wonderful condition. Based on the cleanliness, I assume that it was rarely driven in crappy weather, and was always stored in a garage. Original paint, radiator and cap, master cylinder, windshield washer tubing, vacuum hoses, EGR is intact, original exhaust system, original frame rails, and the list goes on... Just look at that original yellow chromate! Only things "wrong" are the sunroof, it doesn't have A/C, and it's a four speed instead of the five. I'd trade you for mine in a heartbeat. Even with all the improvements I've done on mine. In a heartbeat! Congrats. My only regret is that you didn't pay more. I like to believe my car is worth more than that, and now I'm not so sure! Now change all the fluids, put in new fusible links, and install relays for the headlights and starter solenoid. Also check that the radiator mounting wings on the upper sides of the rad are still attached. I've seen them come off before, and yours look a little flakey.

I misunderstood then. I thought this was a mix of some that had the recess and some that did not. Mix of stock and aftermarket. As you were!

If the stock lash pads have a recessed area for the valve stem tip on the underside, then simply measuring the overall thickness is not a suitable measurement to compare against one that does not have a recess. The important part is the distance between the valve tip and the follower face. If there is a recess on the underside, you have to subtract the depth of the recess. So I don't know exactly how you're measuring the pads, but if you're just putting the two of them next to each other on the table and saying "one is thicker than the other", you may not getting the full story. I also don't know if you are including the height of the locator "wings" on the top of the pads either. The height of those side wings are not really important. You only care about the location of the grooved out face between those two wings. Kinda hard to describe with just words... If this doesn't make sense, let me know and I can whip up some sketches.

Great... Sounds like the helicoil was installed by the same guy who but my rebuilt starter together. Glad you found it before it was too late. So, since they claim the helicoil is a "normal repair", are they going to take that one back for refund? Or are you stuck with the cost?

Now there's a concept I've never seen mentioned anywhere ever before!!! Wonder how much market there would be for something like that! HAHA! One thing to keep in mind though, is that the resistor trick can only be used to supply additional fuel, not take any away. The leanest it's going to run is with the sensor connected directly with no extra auxiliary resistance. So if you're going to use a microprocessor to adjust a "resistor" based on O2 feedback, the first thing you'll have to do is adjust the original system so that it runs lean. That way, the processor can add in additional resistance to compensate. Yes, I think it could work. No, I'm not going to do it.

Oh how I hate rebuilt components that I did not do myself. That helicoil should not be in the sealing path for brake fluid. The seal should be made at the beveled surface inside. Assuming, of course, that the helicoil is installed straight and square to the seal, and is actually the correct metric thread for the application..... No guarantees on any of that! I hate rebuilds!!

Thanks for the cover. You're the best!!

I'm not sure how well that procedure would translate to other languages, or how much sense it would make to someone who's native language is not English. You might be about to find out...

Yeah, you can't spin the clip around the back because of the shape of the yoke. The way it's on is the only way it will fit. If Wheeeeeeeee!! had to use the hydraulic press to get those caps in, I suspect the clips are like belt and suspenders. Haha!! Sounds like something I would do. That unmistakable sound of something going awry under much pressure. Might not have needed them then, but I hope you were wearing safety glasses!!

@Bruce Palmer What is your recommended process for dealing with needle alignment on the three screw 72 carbs when the alignment cones have been sheared off? Is that addressed in your instructions or your video? I thought I had seen some documentation about how to handle this in the past, but I can't put my fingers on it. I mean, I know what I would do, but for someone who doesn't understand the issue... What do you guys recommend?

The nut in the center of the disk is a clutch tension. Better too loose than too tight. If it's too loose, the clutch will slip before the mast is all the way up. But if it's too tight, the rope you are trying to push will (as you discovered) buckle.

Oh, and hoping I don't sound pessimistic. I forgot to mention... Hoping it works great, and thanks for digging up the alternative!

That's what I meant about only the tips of C-clip legs making contact with the yoke and the center portion floating out in air. Because of the beveled edges of the yoke, you've only got contact on maybe 25% of the entire circumference. Here's to hoping that's enough!

So you're saying you can't get that brake line installed unless you loop it under the parking brake cable? Can't you rotate the banjo connection to another position that would put the line in a better location? I know that many calipers have cast in features that help prevent the banjo from spinning while you turn the bolt... If your caliper has that feature, maybe you could cut one or more of the tabs off?

Hmmm... They should sorta travel together, but I think I'd put the brake hose on the other side. I just don't like the looks of the brake line looped around anything. Have you made up your mind on the carbs yet?

Clean enough to eat off. Looks great. Did you remember to mark the parts so you get them back together the same way?