The 1977 Freebee

[Oldschoolbuilder]

A friend had this car laying around and when I saw it I was really attracted to the body lines. Long story short he gave me the car. I towed it up to my shop last weekend and played around with it a bit and got it to fire up. Figured now I can do some minor mechanical work on the motor and see if I can get it to stay running and then figure out what direction I want the build to go.

This weekend I got under the car to see what gems might be awaiting me since it sat outside for the better part of a decade. surprisingly there are only a few spots on the drivers side floor that have cancer. But the surprises didn't end there... oh no. The bottom of the fuel tank is pretty much non-existent, I can literally reach up into the tank and touch the sending unit. Guessing I will be replacing that. The rear suspension is pretty much hammered, the panhard rod is bent and kinked, and both trailing arms are bent. Few issues to sort before she makes any sort of maiden voyages.

[DRUMMOND]

Welcome to your new addiction

[Nanonevol]

Welcome and good job saving another Spider! That smog stuff can go unless you're in Cali.

[Oldschoolbuilder]

New thermostat, water pump, coolant "T", and hoses where picked up and installed. I used a long flexible wire brush through the engine block and as far into the head as I could while running a hose into the block to clean everything out.




Next I tried running the car with a fuel line tucked into a jerry can...with no luck. So I installed an electric fuel pump and found That the fuel line was clogged and broken. Luckily I happened to have one I could rebend to fit, then we had some luck and she fired on her own steam. Then the gent I got the radiator from gave me the number for a guy who had a fuel tank for me... and a new panhard rod. So now she holds petrol and runs on her own, the only thing left is to try and drive her.



I did have to replace the accelerator pump on the carberator, but the car has sat for 25yrs so I think I'm still doing well.
The clutch was stuck on the first drive attempt, but after about 1/8th mile it freed right up and started working like a champ.



A few trial and error minor items but the car runs and drives well. Next I need to go through the fluids in the drive train, I made sure everything was up before driving it but now I want to drain and add fresh. Then some new trailing arms, and finally start figuring out the electrical issues. Nothing in the car works except the ignition and the electric fan is hardwired to a constant on with ignition power

[Nanonevol]

Plan on a new timing belt ASAP and I'll bet you need to replace the "Guibo" - the donut shaped thingie on the driveshaft.

[Oldschoolbuilder]

I didn't realize I lost the top half of my post.

The timing belt and tensioner pulley have been replaced as well. The radiator is new also, thanks to a really nice guy from a craigslist add.

[Oldschoolbuilder]

Plan on a new timing belt ASAP and I'll bet you need to replace the "Guibo" - the donut shaped thingie on the driveshaft.

Part of why it took me so long to get anything done on the car was waiting on the timing belt and pulley. When I first got it I didn't know it was an interference motor, luckily before I got to far along with it I joined the forums here and found that out. I'll have to look at the "Guibo" I did hear a little bit of noise from under the car on gear changes.-Thank you

[RRoller123]

I would replace every fluid in the car, and make sure that you change the gearbox to NAPA GL-1. Chances are that it has lube in it that will attack the brass synchros, put in there by an unknowing PO.