The Scoot Rides Again!
Hello rust lovers, welcome to the Free Model T! This week the garbage garage was updated with a new roof and 48 gleaming solar panels; their energy burning away the chains of electrical oppression that the utilities have shackles upon Southern California! I’m truly one step closer to being a crazy self reliant prepper, hunkered away in his mountain compound fixing all that is broken.
“So what?!” You ask, “That’s not what we’re here for!” You indignantly pull a pitchfork from behind your person and begin to yell “We’re here to see what happens IN the garage!”. Worry not, I’ve got you covered. That garage that was packed to the rafters after I moved in? Here it is now:
Clean and empty and- wait! What’s that there at the back? A lift! That’s right rustlovers, my very own drive-on lift. Looks like the garbage garage has become the gorgeous garage. But what good is a garage if it’s not used? What is it for? I’m glad you asked.
I’ve been spending most of my time focused on 2 main projects. My new ’99 Jeep XJ “Harambe” and my 1962 Scout 80 “The Scoot”. The latter has garnered a lot of interest but has been a much bigger project than you would expect from something that only took a few hours of work to drive out of the woods.
- The wiring harness was eaten away.
- The carrier in the rear axle was hashed.
- The brakes were bad.
- The fuel pump didn’t pump.
- The hoses were eaten away by rats.
- The gas tank was full of debris.
- None of the lights worked.
- No horn.
- No wipers.
- No gauges
Next up was the fuel pump. The fuel lines and vacuum lines had been eaten by rats and I actually found mouse poop inside of the vacuum pump. Oh, did I not mention the fuel pump is also a vacuum pump to run the wipers?
After much soaking and scrubbing the fuel pump looks good and works well. So what about those vacuum wipers? Seized. I had to get some gaskets online then clean the dried crust that used to be grease out of the motors. Yes plural, the driver’s and passenger’s are separate. Ive never worked on vacuum wipers before and know most people hate them but I think they are one of the neatest things I’ve ever fixed! Literally every source I found said to use a different kind of lubricant in the motors but I talked to the most knowledgeable old man around and he said vasoline so that’s what it has.
I changed the hoses and vacuum lines and fixed a few wires and started using it around the property but still had no lights and 2 wires hanging under the dash to start it. Oh yeah, no charging system either!
I converted the old generator/regulator to my favorite GM 3 wire alternator and started digging into the literal rat’s nest of wires that were all green. I don’t mean the copper was exposed and corroded… well that too. I mean from the factory they used only green wires! On purpose!!! I ended up having to fabricate an entire harness from tip to tail.
Once everything was wired and working it was time to change some oils:
- Engine
- Transmission
- Transfer case
- Front axle
- Rear axle
- Front knuckles
I ran some oil system cleaner through engine and changed the oil and filter, then popped the cover off of the Dana 27 rear axle. The oil didn’t look the worst but the pin in the carrier was sloppy. Boo. I went down to border parts and grabbed a new carrier, seal set, bearing set and shim packs.
If you’ve never had the pleasure of working on a D27 please know that the pinion depth is set with shims. Shims pressed on behind a bearing race. Sigh. Then the preload is set with shims. THEN the gear lash is set with shims PRESSED ONTO THE CARRIER BEHIND THE BEARINGS.
It took an axle novice like me about 8 solid hours to get it perfect (out of the car on the work bench) and then I had to set the axle end play with- you guessed it- SHIMS!!! Shims that I had to make out of shim stock. What I didn’t say was that I had already spent about 90 hours scraping, cleaning, degreasing, pressure washing, wire brushing, sandblasting, welding, drilling, customizing, priming and painting the axle housing, brake backing plates, drums, mounting brackets and basically every tiny piece that wasn’t a bolt. I replaced all the bolts. It was all perfect. It was beautiful.
Pics:
Now she’s on the road. After a dead smooth trip to the gas station in the rain with the top off and the windshield down I drove it to the trueline car show 15 miles away. It was good. It also leaked from pretty much everywhere but the rear axle after a real drive. On the way home the Dana 20 twin stick transfer case started making some noise so I guess I’ll work my way forward restoring the undercarriage.
Watch out for it in the future of The Free Model T or see my day to day dealings on Instagram
