I used a 3mil plastic sheet for painting. It popped right out. I just have it bolted in place and can remove it as soon as I admit I messed it up... lol

 

Yep, that's noisy lifters/rockers you have there.

 

Don't leave that rocker out of adjustment too long, or it will hammer itself to death and take out the pusrod, and rocker too.

 

After I got the rockers reset. I was driving around and managed to get a job. I should start sometime this week painting aluminum bass boats. After I get a some cash saved up, I'll start getting some stuff done that I've been putting off. like driving around with out a dash or heater..... Its a very easy way to find all the little holes in your firewall btw.
Thanks for all the help along the way this far.

 

Made a little progress today. Its still a bit ruff around the edges, but its getting there.

 

Today at the bass boat plant where I work. I overheard some friends talking about getting some aluminum brackets made for one of there projects at home. As long as you pay for the material and time, they will help you out. I'm thinking of going this rought and just wrapping my curent dash in plastic for later use. (It still looks kinda crappy).
Any one know what all I would need to have them cut the basic shape out on a water jet and then bend it with a large metal brake?
I'd like something like the attached pic, but with out so much stuff on it.
Just gauges, switches, radio, and glove box lid.
Thoughts?

 

Not sure what they would need to do it on a water jet? Most the time if I need some aluminum sheet cut and bent, I make my patterns from stiff cardboard, and then tape it all together to test fit and trim. Once I know the cardboard fits I cut the taped seams and take the flat pieces to a sheetmetal shop to have them cut out.
But before I cut the pattern apart I use my angle finder gauge to check and record all the angles of each bend. Then I make up a drawing and number each piece, so they can bend them to the angles I recorded. If tabs or flanges are needed to rivet the pieces together, I build them into the cardboard patterns, so they can also be built in, or I make up tabs from scrap pieces if that's easier.
I have a small sheetmetal brake that will bend up to 30" long metal that I purchased at Harbor Freight. So if the bends are not too long, I usually bend them at home, so I can tweak the pieces for any fine adjustment.

 

Dash is still on hold....

In other news, I'm replacing my mechanical fuel pump. I found out that its crap after I was cruising in mid-town traffic and she started to sputter. I whipped her into a parking lot just as she shut down.
I popped the hood and started looking. I noticed that the fuel filter looked bone dry or was full. (Its the clear glass type.) I went to give it a shake to check which one it was. It was dry and very hot. I then felt the pump and it felt like a BBQ grill.

From what I've read ,a mechanical pump with a return line will keep cooler fuel circulating from the tank to the pump and back. It should prevent vapor lock. (as fair as I know).
Any thoughts on this?

 

I know the glass filter have been said to cause leaks. But I havent seen one. The pump shouldnt get any hotter than the engine. There arent many moving parts there to get hot. So yes you may have had a vapor lock issue. The if you pull the pump off and push the lever down with your finger over the outlet. It should hold the vacuum. Otherwise the diaphragm is shot. If it stays collapsed then you got heat issues. I have seen that before. Return style pumps can actually heat the fuel. Constantly circulating warm fuel back to the tank will eventually bring the temp of the fuel up.

 

Good point. The pump I have already has the return outlet on it. I've seen them capped off before. Will this damage the pump in the long run?