Restored plates and covers

After way too many weeks, I finally finished the latest batch of small parts. The master cylinder inspection plate, transmission inspection plate, and both the transmission and transfer case shift boot retention rings have been sand blasted, primed, and painted. I also got brand new shift boots since the ones that were “there” for the most part where all but destroyed.

Poor Ike started out with this on the floorboard:

Under all that old metal was a little bit or rubber and a very torn transmission shift boot:

Then after sand blasting:

And now reinstalled:

Unfortunately I found out the hard way that my transmission shifter had been modified at some point in the past. The original shifter would have either had a threaded 5/16″ end, or a small extension that came out of the top that is about 1/4″ for the shift knob. When I looked at my shifter, the knob, which isn’t the right one, was held on with threads, but the end wasn’t actually threaded. Without knowing that the push-on style was 1/4″ or so, I figured I needed the push on.

After receiving the parts yesterday, I noticed that there was no way for this shift knob to go onto the shifting rod. Looking closer, it appears that my shifter was originally a push-on, but that at some point the tapered end either broke off or was ground off and a larger threaded knob was forced on. I’m going to stick with what I have for now, but I may end up having to look at other alternatives when it comes time to finish the restoration. For now, the incorrect knob will be used.

The next parts and pieces to get the blast and paint treatment will be the door channels and eyelets that I took off a few weeks ago. Unfortunately I ran out of sand before I could finish blasting them, and Harbor Freight hasn’t had any in stock the few times I’ve gone to replenish the stock.

Hopefully the weather will ease up a bit and I’ll be able to take Ike out in the desert for a quick run this weekend.