Hard Charger: Magic Legs

(NARRATOR)>> TODAY ON DETROIT MUSCLE WE'RE GONNA JUMP BACK ON OUR '69 DODGE CHARGER AND BEEF UP THE REAR END TO HANDLE SOME BIG OLE POWER LATER DOWN THE ROAD. LEARN HOW TO REBUILD A MOPAR EIGHT AND THREE QUARTER REAR FROM GEARS TO SEALS SO IT CAN PLANT YOUR PONIES.

(TOMMY)>> HEY GUYS, WELCOME TO DETROIT MUSCLE. NOW WE FINALLY GOT SOME SHINY SPRAYED ON OUR CHEVELLE AND IT LOOKS PRETTY SWEET. NOW WE'RE CHOMPING AT THE BIT TO GET BACK WORKING ON IT, BUT ALL THAT'S GONNA HAVE TO WAIT JUST A LITTLE WHILE LONGER.

(MARC)>> AND RECENTLY WE PICKED UP THIS 2005 CADILLAC CTSV WITH SOME LS POWER UNDER THE HOOD, BUT THAT'S GONNA HAVE TO WAIT AS WELL BECAUSE TODAY WE'RE GONNA JUMP BACK ONTO OUR '69 DODGE CHARGER, AND WE'RE GONNA BREAK INTO THAT REAR END. NOW A WHILE BACK WE DID SOME DIGGING AROUND ON THIS CAR AND WE FOUND OUT THAT NOT ONLY WAS IT NOT AN RT LIKE THE BADGES SAY, BUT IT WASN'T EVEN A BIG BLOCK CAR. SO IT WOULDN'T HAVE COME WITH THAT EIGHT AND THREE QUARTER AXLE FROM THE FACTORY, BUT IT'S A GOOD THING SOMEBODY PUT THAT IN THERE BECAUSE IT'S A GOOD STARTING POINT. THOSE THINGS ARE STRONG THE WAY THEY COME, BUT THERE ARE A FEW DIFFERENT VARIATIONS OF THIS REAR END, AND OURS IS ACTUALLY THE SMALLEST AND THE WEAKEST. WE CAN TELL BECAUSE OF THESE NUMBERS THAT ARE CAST INTO THE DIFFERENTIAL DROP OUT HOUSING. IT'S A 41 SERIES, MEANING IT'S GOT AN INCH AND THREEEIGHTHS PINION SHAFT, WHICH IS THE SMALLEST OF THE EIGHT AND THREE QUARTERS. IT ALSO HAS 30 SPLINE AXLES. NOW THEY ALL CAME WITH 30 SPLINE AXLES FROM THE FACTORY, AND YOU CAN ACTUALLY GET UP TO A 35 SPLINE AXLE IN THE AFTERMARKET. ANOTHER COUPLE OF THINGS WE NEED TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION WOULD BE ONE, THIS LEAK. IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S COMING FROM THAT PINION SEAL, AND IN ORDER TO REPLACE THAT YOU'VE GOT TO TAKE THIS WHOLE THING APART. ALSO HERE THE TAG THAT TELLS US WHAT THE GEAR RATIO IS SAYS IT'S 3.23, WHICH IS KIND OF A HIGHWAY GEAR. WE THINK WE CAN GIVE THIS CAR A LITTLE MORE UMPH WITH A LOWER GEAR RATIO.

(TOMMY)>> THE WAY WE'RE GONNA DO THAT IS WITH ALL THESE GOODIES FROM YUKON. NOW LIKE MARC MENTIONED EARLIER, OUR CHARGER'S GEAR RATIO IS A LITTLE BIT TOO HIGH FOR THE WAY WE'RE PLANNING TO DRIVE IT. SO WE'RE GONNA STEP IT DOWN TO A SET OF 3.73'S. NOW IT WON'T BE AS LONG LEGGED OUT ON THE HIGHWAY, BUT THAT'S COOL WITH US. FROM THE FACTORY THERE ARE THREE DIFFERENT CARRIERS, A 41, A 42, AND AN 89. NOW THIS PARTICULAR UNIT IS DESIGNED FROM AN 89 BUT IT'S STRONGER THAN THAT FACTORY UNIT BECAUSE IT'S MADE OF NODULAR IRON. SO IT'LL HANDLE ANY AND EVERYTHING THAT WE THROW AT IT. WE ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE LEAVE A PAIR OF BLACK MARKS ON THE PAVEMENT AS EVIDENCE WHEN WE GET A LITTLE BIT EXCITED. SO WE'RE GONNA INSTALL THIS POWER LOCK POS UNIT. NOW IT'S ALSO A GOOD IDEA TO GET YOU A MASTER OVERHAUL KIT WHENEVER YOU'RE DOING AN INSTALL LIKE WE ARE. NOW WE WENT A LITTLE BIT FURTHER AND GOT US A SETUP BEARING AND THIS SOLID SLEEVE. THIS SETUP BEARING HAS A LARGER INNER DIAMETER THAT WILL ALLOW YOU TO SLIDE IT ON AND OFF THE PINION, AND WHAT THAT'LL DO IS THAT'LL HELP EASE SETUP. THIS SLEEVE IS A LOT STRONGER THAN A CRUSH SLEEVE. SO WE GOT IT FOR ADDED INSURANCE. AS FOR AXLES WE KEPT THE STOCK 30 SPLINE. FOR OUR APPLICATION AND THESE BEING MADE OF A STRONGER MATERIAL THERE WASN'T ANY REAL NEED TO UPGRADE TO THE 33 OR THE 35. NOW THE FLANGES ARE ALSO DRILLED TO ACCEPT PRESS IN OR SCREW IN STUDS. MOPARS HAVE KIND OF AN ODD WHEEL BEARING SETUP ON THEM WHERE THESE YUKONS HAVE A SIMILAR SETUP LIKE A NINE INCH. YOU JUST SIMPLY PRESS THIS RETAINER BEARING AND THEN THAT COLLAR ON, AND IT BOLTS INTO PLACE. NOW BEFORE WE CAN INSTALL ALL THESE COOL NEW PARTS WE'VE GOT TO GET OUT ALL THEM OLD JUNKIE ONES. CAN YOU SMELL THE 90 WEIGHT YET? WITH THE BRAKE DRUMS OUT OF THE WAY, WE'LL SIMPLY UNBOLT THE AXLES FROM THE HOUSING AND GIVE THEM A LITTLE PRY, AND THEY'LL SLIDE RIGHT OUT.

THE CENTER SECTION IS NEXT. THE 10 NUTS THAT HOLD IT INTO THE HOUSING CAN BE REMOVED, AND A LITTLE PRY WILL BREAK IT FREE ALONG WITH THAT OLD 90 WEIGHT, AND THE CENTER SECTION CAN BE REMOVED.

THERE'S A COUPLE OF GOODIES IN THERE.

BUT WITH US PUTTING THAT NEW REAR IN HERE WE'VE GOT TO GET ALL THIS STUFF CLEANED OUT. MAN I SHOULD HAVE ASKED FOR SOME HELP.

(MARC)>> NEED SOME HELP LIGHTWEIGHT?

(TOMMY)>> DANG!

(MARC)>> WHAT'S WRONG?

(TOMMY)>> THIS THING WAS BROKE AND WE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW IT. CHECK THAT DUDE OUT. WELL APPARENTLY THE CROSS SHAFT AND THE PIN IN HERE HAS HAD SOME MALFUNCTION CAUSE IT AIN'T REALLY SUPPOSED TO DO THAT. WHAT PROBABLY HAPPENED IS THIS PIN THAT RUNS ACROSS THERE. YOU CAN SEE THE TOP OF IT UP HERE HAS SHEERED OR BROKEN, AND THEN THIS THING STARTED EATING AWAY AT THE CARRIER. MAN THAT'S CRAZY. THIS THING DIDN'T EVEN MAKE A NOISE DRIVING IT.

(MARC)>> NOT A BIT.

(TOMMY)>> WELL I'M GONNA LEAVE THIS WORE OUT STINKY SUN OF A GUN WITH YOU IF THAT'S ALL RIGHT AND GO GRAB ME A COFFEE.

(MARC)>> YOU DON'T EVEN DRINK COFFEE.

(TOMMY)>> I'VE GOT SOMEWHERE TO BE.

(MARC)>> ALL RIGHT, THE FIRST THING WE'RE GONNA DO TO BEGIN ASSEMBLY HERE IS GET OUR DIFFERENTIAL CARRIER HOUSING IN THE VICE BECAUSE THAT'LL MAKE IT A LOT EASIER TO WORK ON. WE NEED TO GET THIS INNER PINION BEARING RACE INSTALLED. THAT WAY WE CAN MEASURE AND FIGURE OUT WHAT OUR PINION DEPTH IS. IT'S IMPORTANT TO USE THE CORRECT TOOL TO INSTALL THIS RACE. IF YOU DAMAGE IT DURING INSTALLATION IT'LL SURE EAT UP A NEW BEARING IN NO TIME.

(NARRATOR)>> UP NEXT, SHIMS, MICROMETERS, AND PINIONS OH MY. SETTING YOUR PINION DEPTH CAN BE INTIMIDATING BUT NO WORRIES BECAUSE WE'LL SHOW YOU HOW TO GET'ER LINED OUT.

(MARC)>> HEY EVERYBODY, WELCOME BACK. WE'RE INSTALLING THIS SETUP BEARING ONTO OUR PINION. NOW WHAT THAT'S GONNA ALLOW US TO DO IS PUT THIS BEARING ON AND TAKE IT OFF AS MANY TIMES AS WE NEED. WHILE WE'RE MEASURING YOU CAN GET EVERYTHING SETUP, FIGURE OUT EXACTLY HOW MANY SHIMS WE NEED. THEN WE CAN PRESS ON THE REAL BEARING FOR FINAL ASSEMBLY. WE'LL SETUP THIS PINION DEPTH GAUGE, AND THAT WILL HELP US FIND THE MEASUREMENT FOR OUR SHIMS THAT WE NEED TO GET EVERYTHING LINED UP JUST RIGHT. THIS MAGNET SITS ON TOP OF THE END OF THE PINION HEAD, AND THE DIAL INDICATOR READS OFF OF IT. ONCE WE GET THE MEASUREMENT THE TOOL CAN BE REMOVED, ALONG WITH THE RIG THAT HOLDS IT IN PLACE. THE PINION ALSO COMES BACK OUT SO WE CAN ADD THE SHIMS. A LITTLE BIT OF MATH USING THE SPECS OF OUR REAR END, MINUS THE MEASUREMENT WE JUST TOOK, WILL GIVE US THE NUMBER WE'RE LOOKING FOR.

48, THAT'S WHAT OUR SHIMS NEED TO BE.

SO WE'LL GATHER UP ZEROFOUR-80 WORTH OF SHIMS, SLIDE THEM ON THE PINION SHAFT, BACK ON WITH OUR SETUP BEARING, AND IT GOES BACK IN THE CASE.

OUR NEW DIFFERENTIAL GETS ITS NEW BEARINGS PRESSED ON...

...AND WE CAN PREP OUR ARP RING GEAR BOLTS WITH SOME THREAD LOCKER. THE RING GEAR CAN SLIDE ONTO THE DIFF AND GET BOLTED ON. LEFT TIGHTY, RIGHTY LOOSEY ON THESE. THOSE GET TORQUED TO 55 POUND FEET.

ALL RIGHT WE'VE GOT OUR DIFFERENTIAL IN THE HOUSING NOW, AND I WENT AHEAD AND PRESET THE BACKLASH, WHICH WE'RE GONNA GO OVER LATER. SO DON'T WORRY ABOUT HOW WE GOT THAT. WHAT THE BACKLASH IS, IT'S THE DISTANCE IN BETWEEN THE RING GEAR AND THE PINION GEAR. IT'S THAT LITTLE BIT OF PLAY THAT YOU GET RIGHT THERE. I'M GONNA SHOW YOU HOW TO DO THAT LATER, BUT NOW WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA MANUALLY CHECK OUR PINION DEPTH, AND TO DO THAT WE'RE GONNA BE USING SOME OF THIS MARKING COMPOUND. WE'LL JUST BRUSH A GOOD COATING ONTO THE DRIVE AND COAST SIDES OF ABOUT FOUR TEETH ON THE RING GEAR. WE'LL GIVE IT A SPIN AND LET IT MESH WITH THE PINION GEAR A COUPLE OF TIMES. NOW THIS IS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR. WE WANT THE GEAR PATTERN TO BE NICE AND SPREAD EVEN ACROSS THE TOOTH. THAT WAY YOU DON'T BREAK ANY TEETH OR CREATE MORE HEAT THAN YOU NEED TO. WITH OUR PINION DEPTH JUST RIGHT WE CAN TAKE IT BACK APART, STARTING WITH THE MAIN CAPS AND THE DIFFERENTIAL. THE PINION COMES BACK OUT AS WELL, AND THAT SETUP BEARING CAN BE SET ASIDE.

OVER AT THE PRESS THE REAL BEARING CAN BE PRESSED ON WITH THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF SHIMS BETWEEN IT AND THE PINION HEAD. WE CAN THEN INSTALL THE OUTER PINION BEARING RACE. [ hammer tapping ]

(NARRATOR)>> STICK AROUND AND FIND OUT HOW THINGS COME TOGETHER IF YOU'RE NOT USING A CRUSH SLEEVE.

(MARC)>> HEY EVERYBODY, WELCOME BACK AND GLAD YOU COULD JOIN US. WE'RE GETTING DANGEROUSLY CLOSE TO GETTING FINAL ASSEMBLY DONE ON OUR EIGHT AND THREE QUARTER REAR END THAT WE'RE PUTTING IN OUR '69 DODGE CHARGER. NOW WE'RE AT THE POINT WHERE WE CAN START DOING FINAL ASSEMBLY ON THE PINION. WE'VE GOT THE BEARING PRESSED ON WITH THE CORRECT NUMBER OF SHIMS IN THERE. SO THAT'S DONE AND WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT ANYMORE, AND IT'S TIME TO INSTALL WHAT WOULD NORMALLY BE THIS CRUSH SLEEVE HERE, ESPECIALLY IN A STOCK APPLICATION. THAT'S WHAT GOES IN HERE. IT GOES IN BETWEEN THE BEARINGS AND WHAT IT DOES IS AS YOU PUT THIS YOKE ON HERE AND TIGHTEN IT DOWN, THE BEARINGS PRESS ON THAT CRUSH SLEEVE AND CRUSH IT DOWN, AND WHAT IT DOES IS IT KEEPS TENSION ON BOTH BEARINGS, WHICH IS CALLED PRELOAD. NOW THE PROBLEM WITH THAT IS OVER TIME IF YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF HORSEPOWER AND YOU'RE REALLY DRIVING IT REALLY HARD OR ON THE TRACK, WHAT'LL HAPPEN IS THAT CRUSH SLEEVE WILL CRUSH EVEN MORE AND THAT'LL TRASH YOUR BEARINGS OR POSSIBLY EVEN YOUR RING AND PINION. SO YUKON MAKES THIS SOLID SPACER HERE. THE GOOD THING ABOUT IT IS IT'S NOT GOING TO CRUSH TOO FAR LIKE THAT CRUSH SLEEVE COULD. THE BAD THING ABOUT IT IS YOU CAN'T USE IT TO CRUSH TO SET THE PRETENSION. SO INSTEAD I'VE GOT THESE SHIMS.

WE'RE JUST GONNA START WITH A SMALL ASSORTMENT OF SHIMS AS A STARTING POINT AND GO FROM THERE. THE PINION GOES INTO THE CASE, FOLLOWED BY THE OUTER BEARING, THEN THE YOKE. ONCE IT'S TIGHT WE'LL GIVE IT A SPIN. SEE HOW THAT SPINS REAL FREELY ONCE WE GOT EVERYTHING TIGHTENED? THAT TELLS ME THERE'S NOT ENOUGH PRETENSION ON THOSE BEARINGS, MEANING WE'VE GOT TOO MANY SHIMS IN THERE. SO WE NEED TO TAKE IT APART, TAKE SOME SHIMS OUT. [ drill spinning ]

(MARC)>> WE KNOW WE'RE GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION HERE. SO WE JUST TOOK ABOUT HALF OF THEM OUT AND IT FEELS PRETTY GOOD. WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW IS WE'RE MEASURING PINION PRELOAD, AND WE'RE DOING THIS WITH A DIAL STYLE TORQUE WRENCH BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO MEASURE WHAT THE BREAKAWAY TORQUE, WHICH IS WHAT IT TAKES TO GET IT TO START MOVING, WHICH IS A HIGHER READING. WE WANT TO MEASURE ROLLING TORQUE, WHICH IS ONCE IT STARTS MOVING, AND OURS IS AT 15 INCH POUNDS, WHICH IS RIGHT WITHIN SPEC. IT'S ACTUALLY BETWEEN 14 AND 19. IT ACTUALLY FEELS ALMOST LIKE A DOOR KNOB IF YOU'RE WONDERING WHAT THAT FEELS LIKE AT HOME. NOW WE JUST NEED TO TAKE THIS APART. WE CAN GET THE SEAL INSTALLED, PUT IT BACK TOGETHER, MOVE ON. THE HAMMER GETS THIS THING IN PRETTY EASY AS LONG AS YOU'RE CAREFUL AND TAKE IT SLOWLY. THEN THE DIFFERENTIAL CAN GO IN FOR THE LAST TIME, AND ONCE WE GET IT IN THERE WE CAN GET THE CAPS ON AND SNUG THEM DOWN. NOW WE'RE GONNA USE THIS DIAL INDICATOR HERE TO CHECK OUR BACKLASH. WE TALKED ABOUT IT EARLIER. NOW WE NEED TO CHECK IT AND SET IT. ALL RIGHT, WE'VE GOT LOOKS LIKE 14 THOUSANDTHS. SO NOW WE HAVE TOO MUCH OF THIS PLAY HERE. SO WE NEED TO MOVE THE RING GEAR CLOSER TO THE PINION GEAR AND WE'RE GONNA DO THAT BY ADJUSTING THESE ADJUSTORS HERE. WE JUST NEED TO TAKE THE LOCKS OFF HERE, AND THEN ON THIS WE'LL LOOSEN IT, AND THEN ON THIS SIDE WE'LL TIGHTEN IT. THAT'LL MOVE EVERYTHING OVER THAT WAY. WE'RE JUST USING A FOUR WHEEL DRIVE HUB SPANNER FOR THIS SINCE WE HAD ONE IN THE BUILDING, THANKS IAN. ALL RIGHT, WE'VE MADE OUR ADJUSTMENT AND WE'VE GOT IT DOWN TO EIGHT THOUSANDTHS BACKLASH. SO WE'RE GOOD TO GO. ALL RIGHT, WELL ALL OF OUR MEASUREMENTS ARE DONE AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE IN REALLY GOOD SHAPE. WE JUST NEED TO GET THESE ADJUSTOR LOCKS BACK ON HERE. WE'LL GET THESE MAIN CAPS TORQUED DOWN TO 90 FOOT POUNDS, AND THEN JUST TO BE SAFE I'LL PUT SOME PAINT ON THESE GEARS AND RUN IT THROUGH A COUPLE OF TIMES JUST TO MAKE SURE THE GEAR PATTERN IS CORRECT AND THIS THING CAN GO IN THE CAR.

(NARRATOR)>> STILL AHEAD, WE'LL SHOW YOU HOW TO CUT A SET OF AXLES TO FIT YOUR FANCY NEW REAR END.

(MARC)>> HEY EVERYBODY, WELCOME BACK. WHILE YOU WERE GONE I WENT AHEAD AND CLEANED OUT THIS REAR END HOUSING, GOT ALL THAT OLD OIL AND METAL SHAVINGS OUT OF THERE, AND I CLEANED UP THIS GASKET MATING SURFACE AS WELL WHERE OUR THIRD MEMBER'S GONNA DROP IN, BUT BEFORE WE CAN INSTALL THAT WE NEED TO SEAL UP THAT HOLE. SOME GUYS LIKE USING THE GASKET THAT'S MADE FOR THIS AND OTHERS LIKE ME LIKE USING STRAIGHT RTV. THEN THAT FULLY ASSEMBLED CHUNK CAN DROP RIGHT IN OVER THE STUDS. WE GRABBED SOME NEW HARDWARE AND SNUGGED THEM ALL DOWN.

WELL WE'RE AT THE POINT NOW WHERE WE CAN INSTALL OUR AXLES BUT WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING FIRST. THESE ARE ACTUALLY CUT TO FIT AXLES. SO WE KNEW THIS GOING IN, BUT IN ORDER TO GET THE MEASUREMENT WE NEED TO MAKE THAT CUT WE NEED TO GET THESE BEARINGS PRESSED ON FIRST. THE BEARING PRESSES ON FIRST, FLANGE SIDE OUT. THEN THE RETAINING COLLAR CAN BE PRESSED DOWN TO MATE WITH THE BEARING. THE AXLE CAN GO BACK IN THE HOUSING, AND USING OUR MICROMETER, WE CAN MEASURE THE DISTANCE FROM THE BRAKE BACKING PLATE TO THE INSIDE EDGE OF THE FLANGE. WE'LL LOCK DOWN THE MIKE AND SET IT ASIDE. THE AXLE COMES BACK OUT AND GETS LOCKED IN TO THE VICE. WE'LL TRANSFER THAT MEASUREMENT ONTO THE AXLE AND MARK IT. MASKING TAPE WILL HELP MAKE A STRAIGHT LINE ALL THE WAY AROUND. NOW IT'S TIME TO CUT. A REGULAR OLE SAW BLADE WON'T CUT THESE THINGS. SO WE HAVE TO USE AN ABRASIVE DISC ON A BIG GRINDER. [ saw cutting metal ] [ grinder spinning ]

(MARC)>> WE'LL CLEAN UP THE END AND BEVEL THE EDGE.

WELL WE'RE ALMOST READY TO GET OUR AXLES INTO OUR '69 DODGE CHARGER BUT THERE'S ONE MORE THING WE NEED TO DO. THAT IS INSTALL THE LUG STUDS. WELL WE COULD GO WITH AN OE STYLE SET BUT WE'VE GOT SOMETHING EVEN BETTER THAN THAT. WE WENT TO ARP FOR AN ASSORTMENT OF WHEEL STUDS. ALL OF THEIR STUFF IS 87-40 CHROMOLY AND IT'S HEAT TREATED TO WITHSTAND 200,000 PSI, WHICH MEANS THEY CAN HANDLE JUST ABOUT ANYTHING YOU CAN THROW AT THEM. THEY OFFER A BUNCH OF VEHICLE SPECIFIC STUDS AS WELL AS UNIVERSAL KITS. WE'VE GOT A SMALL ASSORTMENT HERE, LIKE THESE FIVEEIGHTHS DIAMETER NASCAR STUDS. THEY'RE GRAY BECAUSE THEY'VE GOT A DRY LUBRICANT BAKED ON THERE AND THEY'VE GOT THIS LITTLE OFFSET HERE. THAT WAY WHEN YOU PRESS THEM IN THEY DON'T SPIN IN THE HUB. THESE ARE SPECIFIC FOR CFIVE CORVETTES. YOU JUST PRESS YOUR STOCK ONES OUT, PRESS THESE IN. THESE ARE ACTUALLY A GOOD REPLACEMENT FOR OUR STOCK ONES HERE. THEY'RE JUST A LITTLE BIT LONGER AND THEY'VE GOT THAT ROLLED EDGE ON THE TIP TO MAKE YOUR LUG NUTS GO ON A LITTLE EASIER, BUT WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA GO WITH THIS THREAD IN STYLE, WHICH IS MADE SPECIFICALLY FOR AFTERMARKET AXLES LIKE OURS, AND THEY'VE GOT THAT NICE CAD PLATING. THESE ARE A BREEZE TO INSTALL. JUST THREAD THEM IN AND CINCH THEM DOWN.

THE AXLES GO BACK IN FOR A FINAL TIME AND ARE ATTACHED TO THE HOUSING USING THE OLD HARDWARE. [ drill spinning ]

(MARC)>> WELL THE LAST STEP OF COURSE, LIKE ALWAYS, IS GONNA BE TO FILL THE FLUID. SO WE'VE GOT A FEW QUARTS OF THIS ROYAL PURPLE MAX GEAR SYNTHETIC GEAR OIL. WE'RE GONNA PUT ABOUT TWO AND A HALF QUARTERS INTO HERE AND THAT'S GONNA KEEP THIS THING HAPPY AND HEALTHY FOR A LONG TIME.

(TOMMY)>> HEY GUYS, WE'RE STILL WORKING ON OUR OLD CHEVY AND WE MADE SOME PRETTY GOOD PROGRESS. NOW A WHILE BACK WE WAS ABLE TO SPRAY OUR CHEVELLE AND BOY DID IT TURN OUT NICE. IT'S MADE QUITE A TRANSFORMATION. IF YOU REMEMBER BACK, WE DRUG IT OUT OF A BARN. IT GOT COMPLETELY TORN DOWN, REMOVING EVERYTHING THAT WE COULD. AFTER THAT WE ADDED A BUNCH OF HOURS OF SANDING AND BODY WORK SO THAT WE COULD SPRAY ON A CUSTOM COLOR THAT WE'RE CALLING "BOWTIE BLUE". THE NEXT STEP THAT WE'RE GONNA DO TO THIS OLD GIRL IS POLISH IT OUT. NOW THIS STEP ISN'T REALLY REQUIRED BUT IT CAN TAKE A PAINT JOB THAT LOOKS PRETTY GOOD AND MAKE IT LOOK GREAT. NOW WATCHING SOMEONE SAND ISN'T A WHOLE LOT OF FUN. SO LET ME BRING YOU UP TO SPEED TO WHERE WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW. WE BEGAN BY WET SANDING THIS FENDER DOWN, REMOVING ALL THE ORANGE PEEL THAT IT HAD ON IT, STARTING WITH 1,000 GRIT AND THEN MOVING UP TO 1,500. AFTER THAT WE USED THE DA WITH SOME 3,000 ON IT TO HELP SMOOTH IT OUT A LITTLE BIT MORE. WE'RE GONNA BE USING A FOAM PAD TO POLISH OUT OUR FENDERS. NOW IT'S ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA TO LOOK AT THE SURFACE THAT'S GONNA BE DOING THE WORK BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT TO FIND ANY HIDDEN JEWELS. LOOK TO SEE IF IT HAS ANY DEBRIS OR TRASH STUCK ON IT BECAUSE IF IT DOES IT CAN DAMAGE OR SCRATCH YOUR PAINT YOU'RE TRYING TO SHINE BACK UP. WE'RE IN PRETTY GOOD SHAPE. SO WE CAN MOVE ON. ALSO TAKE JUST A SECOND AND WIPE DOWN AND CLEAN THE PANEL THAT YOU'RE ABOUT TO BUFF. JUST LIKE THAT BUFFER PAD, YOU WANT THIS SURFACE TO BE CLEAN. YOU DON'T WANT TO MESS IT UP BY SOMETHING BEING ON IT BECAUSE YOU'VE BEEN WORKING SO HARD TO MAKE THIS THING LOOK NICE. SPRAY ON SOME CLEAN WATER, WIPE IT DOWN, IT'S THAT SIMPLE. WITH THAT DONE YOU'RE PRETTY MUCH READY TO START SLINGING SOME GOO, WELL KINDA. THERE ISN'T ANY REAL NEED TO SLATHER THIS THING IN COMPOUND. ALL YOU NEED IS A COUPLE DIME SIZED AMOUNTS KINDA SPREAD OUT ON THE PANEL. ALSO YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE AREA THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO BUFF IS ABOUT A ONE FOOT BY TWO FOOT. YOU GET MUCH BIGGER THAN THAT, WELL THE COMPOUND'S GONNA START DRYING OUT AND THAT'S GONNA CAUSE YOU SOME MORE WORK. FIRST, LIKE WE SAID, WE'LL PUT A FEW DOLLOPS OF SOME COMPOUND ONTO THE PANEL AND SLOWLY WORK IT AROUND. YOU'LL WANT TO HAVE YOUR BUFFER SET ON A LOW RPM. WE HAVE THIS ONE ON 1,000. KEEP THE BUFFER MOVING. IF YOU STAY IN ONE SPOT TOO LONG YOU'LL RUN THE RISK OF RUBBING THROUGH THE CLEAR AND GETTING INTO YOUR BASE COAT. THIS POLISH THAT WE'RE USING HAS A TWO STEP PROCESS. THE SECOND STEP IS SIMILAR TO THE FIRST BUT YOU USE LESS MATERIAL WITH THE SAME TECHNIQUE. SO WITH A LITTLE QUALITY TIME WITH YOUR BUFFER AND A BIT OF RUBBING YOU CAN ADMIRE YOUR WORK. WELL THAT LOOKS PRETTY GOOD. I'VE GOT TO POLISH UP THE REST OF THIS FENDER AND THE REST OF THE CAR. GUESS I BETTER GET TO WORK.