Re: '57 Ford Custom 300 Tudor Sedan
 

Well that's very disappointing about their customer service. What a shame. Hopefully it works this time.

Re: '57 Ford Custom 300 Tudor Sedan
 

Somehow I've missed a few updates here, like my sub got broken? That MC setup looks slick Vic and I'm sure with that much invested you'll get it working. The whole car is super sexy and your thread photos are like a magazine layout. Congrats on the new whip too!

Re: '57 Ford Custom 300 Tudor Sedan
 

HOt stuff! Glad it got straightened out.

Re: '57 Ford Custom 300 Tudor Sedan
 

I'm pulling for you Vic, hopefully it bolts right up and works as intended.
I will be watching for the update where you claim victory!

Re: '57 Ford Custom 300 Tudor Sedan
 

Thanks, John. I always figure a picture is worth a thousand words. :lol:

Saturday afternoon, we went to the KCI Cruise out by the airport. They only have it once a year in the fall. It was a beautiful afternoon and there were a ton of cars there. We took the Challenger and had a great time... even though it attracts a lot less attention than the '57. ;)

Earlier in the day, I finally got the end mill I needed to counter bore the stainless trim for the eyeglass screws. The c/b lets the screw head sit down in the recess so it doesn't snag when you wipe it down with a cloth. I used the same Avery double sided adhesive as before to attach the trim. But with three screws per side, it shouldn't move when the engine gets hot. At least that's what I hope. I used a little dab of JB Weld on the backside of the screws to seal and retain them. You barely notice the screws at all. The valve covers switched sides, so the PCV now sits in the rear, closer to the fitting in the back of the carb. I'll have to reroute the vacuum line but that's easy.

Re: '57 Ford Custom 300 Tudor Sedan
 

Details!!

Re: '57 Ford Custom 300 Tudor Sedan
 

Very nice Vic, I like the nod to the cars side trim.

Re: '57 Ford Custom 300 Tudor Sedan
 

Thanks, guys! I spent some time working on routing the lines today when not sweating in the yard. Removed a tree to save myself $100, all the while mumbling... car parts, car parts, car parts!

The new bolt pattern for the machined firewall flange is now correct so I bolted it up to mock up the lines. When I tried to thread in the supplied hose fitting from H-T, I noticed the threads seemed to get tight after a couple of rounds but long before the inverted flare tubing made contact. So I removed the unit and put it on the bench for further investigation. Turns out, they did what you see a lot with metric power steering units. In the early 80's the factory switched from 5/8-18 inverted flare fittings to M16x1.5 o-ring fittings. The two threads are very similar, so crafty car guys came up with the little brass inserts that fit in the o-ring bore and convert the metric back to SAE. Except that the two threads are not an exact match. What happens is that after a couple of rounds, the dissimilar thread pitches start to bind up. Most guys will dial up the grunt and force the two threads to get along, but you know me.

As luck would have it, I happened to have a M16x1.5 to -6AN adapter in my spare fittings box, so I removed the brass insert and re-plumbed the end of the Teflon line with a 90 degree -6AN fitting. Then threw the 5/8-18 inverted flare fitting into the spare parts box. I figured something might be up because all the threads on the booster were oddball. Where the m/c bolts to the booster, it appears to have bizarre M11x1.75 LH threads. They might possibly be 7/16-14 LH, but regardless, neither bolt is to be found from any of my sources. The H-T solution was to run a 3/8 socket cap screw thru the threaded hole and use a nut on the backside. Of course, the hole in the booster is larger than the pilot diameter on the flanged end of the m/c, so it slops all around. I'll sleeve it to center the m/c properly, but will probably use the redneck bolt fix since I don't have time to get studs made that will fit. We'd like to take the '57 to a show next weekend and the season is winding down quickly now.

Re: '57 Ford Custom 300 Tudor Sedan
 

Now see I can just hear those guys at the shop when they were remanufacturing it, I am gonna screw this guy by using some obscure thread pattern that no one and I mean no one uses and he can't even get <enter evil machinist revenge laugh here> Mhmm.

Re: '57 Ford Custom 300 Tudor Sedan
 

What show are you and Kathy looking at going too?...

Re: '57 Ford Custom 300 Tudor Sedan
 

Well in this case, I can't really blame Hydratech. This is how the boosters were originally manufactured. H-T just incorporates the adapter plates and pushrods for a specific application and maybe does a little "dress up" before sending them on the way. But whoever designed them with the weird threads in the first place needs to have their head examined.
It's the "Built to Perform" show in Lone Jack, MO on Saturday, October 3rd. We've never been to it, so I have no idea what the turnout will be like. Right now, the weatherman is a bit pessimistic, but we'll know more when it gets closer. Meanwhile, I need to get the plumbing done and the brakes bled so I can do a test drive. Had to order a few fittings from Jegs that won't be here until Wednesday, but if I get motivated I'll make it. ;)

Re: '57 Ford Custom 300 Tudor Sedan
 

Work work work... LOL

Re: '57 Ford Custom 300 Tudor Sedan
 

True that, Dan!

Got a late start this morning running some errands, but did manage to get the braided SS hoses cut to length and hose ends installed after I got back home. The return line from the booster to the PS pump is cut to length but waiting for a fitting from Jegs. The one I had didn't match the existing one and they're so close together it was very obvious. With the hoses under control, I got busy on the spacer ring for the m/c. I scrounged up a piece of aluminum round from the scrap box and worked some lathe magic on it. Fits like socks on a rooster now. The ring will take up the slop and keep the m/c piston and the booster pushrod aligned. Tomorrow I'll start bending the SS hard lines that go between the m/c and the front/rear brake lines. The Jegs order also includes new SS tube nuts and sleeves as I didn't want to destroy the original lines. If this deal doesn't work out, I may need them again. ;)

Re: '57 Ford Custom 300 Tudor Sedan
 

Nice work Vic...

Re: '57 Ford Custom 300 Tudor Sedan
 

Wow, I'm sorry to hear you've had so many issues with the hydratech booster setup. It makes me wonder if I'm just lucky or ignorant to these issues on my setups. Looks like you've got it figured out. Nice work, as usual.

Re: '57 Ford Custom 300 Tudor Sedan
 

I think it's just me being overly critical, Duane. All the time spent waiting on the booster unit and the endless runarounds took the fun out of what should have been an interesting project. However, I continue to believe the unit will perform as intended when it's all said and done. There's always problems when the metric world collides with SAE and different folks solve those issues in different ways. If I end up with great brakes, I'll forget all about the hiccups. ;)

Re: '57 Ford Custom 300 Tudor Sedan
 

Nice work on the valve covers Vic. Glad you got the hydrobooster also, hope the booster works out this time around.

Re: '57 Ford Custom 300 Tudor Sedan
 

Hey Scott, thanks. I was hoping to have it all together for a test this weekend but looks like it will be delayed again. The (in stock) parts I ordered from Jegs on Monday morning didn't leave their warehouse until this evening. Tracking info now says they'll arrive on Saturday. Just gotta relax... took me 25 years to get to this point, so a few more days won't kill me. ;)

Re: '57 Ford Custom 300 Tudor Sedan
 

There will be quite a few very nice days coming up that you can take full advantage of and enjoy the hell out of it before winter sets in.

Re: '57 Ford Custom 300 Tudor Sedan
 

You bet.. and I plan to do just that!

The post office delivered my Jegs order ahead of schedule this afternoon, so I did some tube bending. Previously, I'd bent up some aluminum welding rod to use as guides for the real deal. Carefully straightened the coiled SS tubing and used the front guide to lay out the bends. The photo makes it look pretty close, but trust me when I say, I made at least a dozen trips between the underside of the car and the workbench getting the ends to line up just right. AN fittings no likey offsets or angles!

With the front line installed, I got busy on the rear line. All I had left to do was to flare the end that connects to the m/c. That's when I realized the flaring dies wouldn't fit the cut length I needed. The solution is to build the line from the opposite direction. So that's my project for tomorrow morning. ;)

Re: '57 Ford Custom 300 Tudor Sedan
 

Looks great Vic! I'm facing the same battle someday. Anxious to hear your results!

Re: '57 Ford Custom 300 Tudor Sedan
 

I feel your pain. It took me several tries to get my lines re-bent. I purchased a pre-bent line kit, but with my custom setup, I needed to fix the master cylinder to frame lines.

Lines look great! Nice work, as always.

Re: '57 Ford Custom 300 Tudor Sedan
 

Good lookin' stuff. Glad you're getting on top of it. Hope to see you tearing up the street soon!

Re: '57 Ford Custom 300 Tudor Sedan
 

Thanks guys! I'd hoped to be able to do a full report tonight, but other stuff got in the way. (Some welding, helping my brother replace a u-joint in his truck, several long distance phone calls and so forth.) Anyway, I finished all the plumbing last night and followed the recommended steps to prep the unit for service. Unfortunately, with the car back down on the ground, I had no power steering. After some anxious moments, I realized everything was acting as if there was no pressure coming from the pump. Then the light bulb went on and I recalled when I reassembled the spool valve into the pump, I wasn't exactly sure how it was supposed to go. Instead of checking an online resource, I made an (incorrect) assumption about which way the spring went. After consulting a rebuilder resource, I realized my error and set about fixing it. Fortunately, it was a very easy to do, so once the valve was in the correct location, I went thru the steps again and the power steering is now working. With company here, it was too late to make a test run, so that will happen tomorrow and I'll let you know how it goes. Oddly enough, the pump never complained at all about the misconfigured valve. I'd have thought it might whine a little, but it was quiet as a church mouse.

Re: '57 Ford Custom 300 Tudor Sedan
 

Very nice work Vic. That really looks great.

Re: '57 Ford Custom 300 Tudor Sedan
 

Sooo clean. Nice work Vic!

Re: '57 Ford Custom 300 Tudor Sedan
 

Thanks, guys!

Well, I took Maybelline out for a drive this afternoon and I believe all systems (transmission, steering and brakes) were performing the best they ever have. I wasn't sure what to expect with the brakes since the only bleeding I'd done was using the reverse pressure method, where you pump the fluid from each corner back thru the lines into the m/c. Afterward, I didn't even gravity bleed or "pump and hold" to evacuate any remaining air. However the brakes worked very smoothly and applied with very little effort. No pull to either side when braking at low or high speeds. Didn't try a panic stop, but it felt like there was enough power to easily make 'em lock up. So despite all the heartburn associated with the vendor, the booster unit seems to work flawlessly. WooHoo!

The lessons I learned were:
1) Don't assume they know your setup. They may tell you they have it covered, but verify all the measurements. For me, the problem areas were the firewall bolt pattern, the firewall to brake pedal distance and the master cylinder actuating piston depth.
2) Go ahead and pop for the extra $$ to buy one of their master cylinders. That removes it from the list of things that can go wrong. In my case, my SS Brakes m/c was off just enough to not work. Even though it was in perfect operating condition, either it or the booster rod would need modification. H-T threw a fit over my request to modify the rod, so save yourself the grief.
3) Be prepared for a long wait. They may promise 2-3 weeks delivery but add at least two weeks to their estimate.
4) If something does go wrong, it will be your fault. (See lesson #1) And get ready for another really long wait. Paying customers go to the back of the line.
5) Don't get mad and call BS when you hear the same lame excuses over and over. You may need them at some point down the road. If you've burned your bridges, the only resource you'll have is the collective wisdom/stupidity of the internet. Don't ask how I know this.

I'm really looking forward to this Saturday. There's a cruise/BBQ at Vintage Fabrications in Independence, the weather is looking great and my alignment guy says I should put a few miles on the old girl before my appointment on Monday. Sounds like a perfect chance to mix business with pleasure.

Re: '57 Ford Custom 300 Tudor Sedan
 

What a relief, glad you got the hydrobooster setup the way you want it and hopefully you can have many trouble free miles out of it.

Re: '57 Ford Custom 300 Tudor Sedan
 

The engine compartment looks clean enough to eat off of.
You worked hard to make everything perfect and it shows, I see many more awards in Maybelline's future.
Well done Vic.

Re: '57 Ford Custom 300 Tudor Sedan
 

Glad it up and running well. If I'm lucky, I may see you out at Vintage.

Re: '57 Ford Custom 300 Tudor Sedan
 

Thankfully, Chip made it out to the Vintage show. Just as we pulled into a parking spot, the power steering hose puked the last of the fluid out of the reservoir and the pump started squealing. There wasn't any oil up topside, so I knew the problem had to be underneath. But there was no way to get to the lines to find out what happened. We were parked on a steep incline in grass that came up to the rocker panels.

As I was dialing information for the number of a local towing service, we bumped into Chip and his son Aaron. Chip graciously offered to go get the rollback trailer he's used several times to transport CRLS and haul Maybelline home. So that's what we did. After stopping to buy some PS fluid and hitch up the trailer, we made it back to Vintage Vehicles and refilled the reservoir which allowed me to drive up onto the trailer.

On the way home, our alarm company called to say they'd dispatched the fire department to the house for a carbon monoxide alert. When we got there, they had already left but the alarm was still active. Kathy cleared it, but it fired back up again very quickly and then we had an instant replay. The fire truck arrived in short order (firehouse is right around the corner) and the guys came in with their meters and checked the whole house. We finally decided that when I started the Ford to go to the show, the fumes must have filled the shop and it took awhile for them to migrate to the detector. All in all, more excitement than I'd planned for.

The leak turned out to be a loose fitting, so it was an easy fix. Chip had brought along some wrenches but it would have been impossible to get under the car without a jack. Today my plan is to retighten every fitting, top off the fluid and purge the system again. Tomorrow I have an appointment to finally get the alignment finished. Hopefully, nothing interferes with that.

Big thanks to Chip and Aaron for bailing me out!

Re: '57 Ford Custom 300 Tudor Sedan
 

As the saying goes. "It's always something." Or so it seems to be with my vehicles. Either needs attention, or wish list items... At least you know what needs to be done.

Re: '57 Ford Custom 300 Tudor Sedan
 

It sounds like packing an aluminum jack and a basic portable tool kit wouldn't be the worst idea in the world while you are still bug testing the car.

Re: '57 Ford Custom 300 Tudor Sedan
 

All's well that ends well, glad you got it all worked out.

Re: '57 Ford Custom 300 Tudor Sedan
 

Glad we got you and Miss Kathy and Maybelline home ok. Made for a fun afternoon, and we got ribs out of it at Dad's, so right on! Glad the fix was an easy one!

Re: '57 Ford Custom 300 Tudor Sedan
 

While we're on the subject of bug fixes, I spent most of today fixing a mystery failure. I took Maybelline to have the front end aligned yesterday and on the way home tried to run the power windows up. Neither side worked.
Earlier on the way to the shop, I'd closed the passenger side but left the driver side window open, so I know the passenger side was working. When I picked the car up, both sides were down. I was a bit puzzled, but assumed it must be a fuse. However, at home the fuse checked out so now I was really flummoxed. This morning I started tracing the wires and found I had 12V into both doors as should be the case. Plus I could hear the relays click when I pressed the up and down switches. That meant the problem had to be in the PW motors. To go any further, I had to pull the window frames, the armrests, the door handle and the upholstered door panel.

My upholsterer told me when I picked it up that he hoped I'd never have to take the doors apart as it took a lot of tweaking to make the panels and trim fit correctly. So now here I was, doing that very thing. When I laid open the interior of the door, nothing seemed amiss and the relays were putting power to the motors. As a last resort, I removed the motor / gear drive from the rest of the assembly and voila! it actuated. I carefully reassembled it and the window worked perfectly. The rubber cushions that acted as the bottom stops were totally squished out. It appears as if the window channels crashed into the stops and destroyed them. I replaced them with firm plastic stops that will prevent the windows from overextending in the down direction. Now all that's left is to reassemble everything. Oh, and I also need to readjust my tie rod ends to center the steering wheel properly and re-do the shim packs so they're all the same style shim. ;)

My buddy Steve passed along a couple of man cave items he got from his son, Charlie. For the last couple of years, Charlie's been working with the Hatfield and McCoy bunch to launch their whiskey and more recently, with Richard and Aaron to get Gas Monkey Cinnamon Tequila out into the stores. Below is a picture Charlie took of Richard with an LED backlit sign Steve made for them. Pretty cool!

Re: '57 Ford Custom 300 Tudor Sedan
 

Nice stuff! Now if he'd go to work for Tito's Vodka, we'd be in bidness!

Re: '57 Ford Custom 300 Tudor Sedan
 

Winter Update:

It's been awhile since I last posted, so I thought I'd catch up on a few things. We've been to a few shows this fall but the car cover is now on Maybelline for the winter. We were invited to the KCI All Speed Expo a couple of weeks ago and had the car on display there. They only awarded one trophy per class but we were edged out by Ray Worth who owns a Harley dealership here in KC. Oddly enough, his car was a '57 Ford Custom with a fuel injected Boss 521 Jon Kaase engine. I felt like we had a more detailed car than his, but there was no getting around the impact of that powerplant. We had a great time anyway and bumped into a number of folks we know.

The hydroboost brakes work like gangbusters, but the increased line pressure found one more small leak that was easily fixed by tightening a bleeder valve a little more. Not sure if I mentioned that the trans leak turned out to be a missing o-ring on the downshift lever. With that fixed, the only leak that remains is a very tiny one from the rear main seal. After the car sits for a week or two, there will be a spot about the size of a half dollar under the bell housing lip. Not too bad after all is said and done.

I've been mulling over what to do next and have arrived at a difficult decision. I'm completely out of space to work on anything. I could store one or two vehicles at Subtropolis to free up the necessary room, but still, my present cash flow would hinder progress on CRLS. So I'm testing the market at the moment. We listed Maybelline on Hemming's website a few days ago and the print ad should go out the first of January. If it sells, I'll have both the room and the money to proceed with the truck. I'll let you know how it goes. Till then, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of you!

P.S. Speaking of Christmas, my (early) present from Kathy was a new set of hoops for the Mopar. Added some needed sparkle. ;)

Re: '57 Ford Custom 300 Tudor Sedan
 

Thanks for the update Vic! Merry Christmas to you and family!

Re: '57 Ford Custom 300 Tudor Sedan
 

Good luck with the sale Vic. Somebody will be getting one sweet ride! What's up with the 305 I saw on the tube?