Thanks again TC!

Oldest Aztruck I ever worked on was late 60's, not entirely sure if it
is identical to yours.

Yep, C's and D's are the same. They cover the last 1/2 of the 60's.


Figured out a long time ago to inspect all nutplates-especially the
little #6 nutplates on the bottom cowl-EVERY TIME the cowls are off,
spray a dab of LPS2 (or equivalent) into 'em,

Then just run a tap through them with your finger tips

plus use brand new
structural stainless screws (and a screwdriver that fits properly) to
put the inside-the-wheelwell crap back together. You are talking about
maybe two bucks worth of screws to save a crapload of aggravation.

Bingo. In fact, I need to order another SS screw kit. Any screw I take out
that has the slightest ding or shaved thread goes right in the garbage.

(Great step by step directions snipped.... excellent archive material and
copied and saved... basically the way we've done it and just about the only
way I can imagine doing it.)

Nose bowls I've become a pro at and can do them by myself in only a few
minutes.

Two layers of 2 inch masking tape flush with the
leading edge of the bottom cowl on the outside. ??? masking tape?

Bowl halves together
with the bottom OUTSIDE of the bottom cowl.
(or you'll get the bowl "trapped" on the inside of the cowl and won't be
able to get the bottom wire in)

Hint: coat wire and dab piano hinge with a little Dow DC4, especially the
bottom wire because it has complex curves to follow. Also, sharpen the end
of the wire to a point, it will you feed it though the piano hinge. Be sure
you get the end of the wire past the "hook" and engaged so it won't back
out.

Top wire in, bowl will
stay in place. Baby vise grips on the bottom wire, line up the halves,
use the grips to slide the bottom #!!$$!! wire in.

Again, coat the wire with DC 4. Clamp the vise grips on the wire so they
lay horizontally, rather than vertically because when you get the wire
almost all the way in, the space between the bowl and the bottom cowl
becomes very narrow. Use your free hand to massage the two halves together
while you "screw and push" the wire in with the vise grips.

Carefully tip the
bowl aft at the top, fwd at the bottom 'til it slips fwd & inside of
the bottom cowl. The rest is pretty straight forward-but again, you do
not want to get the thing 75% assembled before you realize that you've
got a missing or boogered-up nutplate.

Random Aztruck thought-if you've got cowl flap stops that are long
screws threaded through a funky lock nut/L bracket riveted to the
firewall look and see if someone has threaded a plain nut up under the
locknut. If you put a plain nut on as a jam nut, it helps keep the
funky lock nut from shaking loose where it's squeezed into the little
L bracket.

Thanks I'll check that.

Can't help you with the springie-thingie on the exhaust.

$485 new.
OR... get 2 pieces of 1/4" x 1/2" aluminum, drill 20 or so holes through
them, thread new SS cable through the holes, punch down the edge of the
aluminum so the cable can't slip inside the aluminum bars, swage the ends of
the cable. 2 hours labor and about $10 in material.

Jim