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Re: 55 Wagon Progress
Awesome work. I know the finished product will be top notch.
By thee way it looks like you put your flexplate on backwards? |
Re: 55 Wagon Progress
First off, thanks to all who let me know the flex plate was in backwards. I don't normally wrench on drivetrains, so glad to find out before the body was on the frame. I guess all the decals gave the false sense of "this side out". Wouldn't you know, when I turned it over, the instructions for dummies was right there in plain sight!
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204106.jpg All back together.... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204107.jpg Working on another header clearance issue... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204096.jpg Removed the factory carriage bolts, they will be replaced with some grade 8 hex head bolts, and to add more clearance we'll get rid of the nuts inside and use some locking heli-coils.. http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204098.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204099.jpg ....for much better clearance. http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204101.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204103.jpg More parts added.... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204112.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204114.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204115.jpg |
Re: 55 Wagon Progress
Looking good! Where did you get the new vented brake tee bolt on the axle?
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Re: 55 Wagon Progress
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Re: 55 Wagon Progress
Ha ha . i put mine on backwards before. You couldnt turn the motor over because it was bound up against the convertor. The SFI stickers go towards the front. That way you can see them from under the vehicle.
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Re: 55 Wagon Progress
Well the stainless lock nuts showed up today, so we pulled the third member, cleaned the mounting surfaces, installed a new gasket and torqued things down.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204118.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204119.jpg We also had taken delivery of the Explorer brake kit that gives us shoes inside the rotor for the parking brake. So we have some Lincoln Versailles parts if anyone needs some... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204120.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204121.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204122.jpg Went digging through the brake hose selection at the local Napa store, Guy Auto Parts. This should work for the rear, front hoses should be here Saturday. http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204123.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204124.jpg Now we need a bracket to anchor the hose end... We came up with this design using 16 gauge CRS, and planned to clamp it under the U-bolts... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204116.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204117.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204127.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204126.jpg Now looking at it, I'm not sure I want the U-bolts off the axle housing, and may just cut the ears off and plug weld the bracket to the housing. Thoughts? |
Re: 55 Wagon Progress
Nice! Wouldn't it be better to have the flex to hard line bracket on the frame? Less vibration and flexing on the frame. Just my thoughts and not necessarily the right way. I'm in the middle of figuring out what flex lines I need on my build. Having a hard time with it.
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Re: 55 Wagon Progress
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204115.jpg
This one is the flex to the frame, and has the distribution block for each side of the axle housing. The flex at the calipers are only to allow for caliper movement.. |
Re: 55 Wagon Progress
Ok Gotcha! Do you mind schooling me on brake lines? No idea on what fittings to use on the hard lines as well as what type of flare to use. I can PM you if you want so not to derail your build thread.
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Re: 55 Wagon Progress
typically they are a reverse flare
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Re: 55 Wagon Progress
Sorry, meant to say Inverted flare
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Re: 55 Wagon Progress
Robert, I went with a tab welded on the axle tube to allow for caliper movement and kept them (tabs and hoses) away from the jounce bumpers.
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Re: 55 Wagon Progress
Yesterday we took delivery on an 8' piece of pipe, 4-1/2" OD with 1/2" wall thickness. Will come in handy as the column for the pedestal planishing hammer build..
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204128.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204129.jpg A bit more clearancing for the header tube. Perhaps this fine tuning will also add a few HP... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204131.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204132.jpg Didn't show too much detail on the Explorer brake install last week, so let's see if we can do better today.. The "kit" was designed for the big bearing rear housing with the Torino ends. As luck would have it, the Lincoln Versailles used a big bearing early style, so we'll need to align and enlarge some holes.. http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204134.jpg Bolted in place using two opposite holes and the included metric bolts, we used the axle bearing as an alignment tool for the backing plates.. http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204135.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204136.jpg Then used a right angle drill for better access in drilling the holes.. http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204137.jpg This worked for all but one hole that was directly in line with the axle pad.. So we had ordered some shorty 1/2" bits, and still had to take another inch off the length and step the diameter for the drill chuck. http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204138.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204139.jpg Backed into a corner? No problem! http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204140.jpg And here's our final version on the brake hose anchor bracket, by popular demand! http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204141.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204144.jpg Then this will get epoxy primed along with the other bare brake parts and we'll just touch up the plug welds after welding in place.. http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204145.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204146.jpg |
Re: 55 Wagon Progress
Great work on building that bracket. Do you use a file to get those crisp corners like that?
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Re: 55 Wagon Progress
Used a step drill to open the hole up to the size of across the flats, then triangular file to make the corners...
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Re: 55 Wagon Progress
With the new brake parts all prepped for paint, and the owner not too keen on blue Monroe shocks (I told her it was Ford blue just to instigate), time for some more Epoxy this evening..
Meanwhile Kyle worked on repairing the cross piece for my brother in law's press that we tore up the other night. seems the "peg" hanging down didn't have room for the long axle under, so I put it next to it. We cracked the weld around the peg and pushed it in pretty good. So to make sure he'd let us use it again, we got some replacement parts... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204147.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204148.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204158.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204160.jpg The brake anchor brackets had been spread apart and a quick coat of SPI sprayed on the inside, then clamped closed with NNVG for the remaining spray session. http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204155.jpg Quite the clamping conglomeration... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204152.jpg ....and the rest of the parts... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204149.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204150.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204154.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204156.jpg After the shocks first coat of epoxy had flashed, they got two coats of the silver Imron... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204157.jpg |
Re: 55 Wagon Progress
Well soon after the 35 Chevy returned from GNRS, Cody had it blown apart again to tackle more items on the to-do list.. One of them being inner fenders, which he had asked if we would punch some louvers in those as well. He hand fabricated these parts, seen here:
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...nerFender1.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...nerFender2.jpg He had quite a bit of work in these and had suggested shipping them down, but we aren't that far apart so I suggested meeting in the middle to pass off the parts rather than trust them to shipping. So we guessed on Parole, MD as being close to a good midpoint, and picked the Double TT Diner to grab some breakfast and catch up on his trip to Pomona. Kyle and I arrived and had made about one lap through the parking lot when Cody pulled in, so this worked to be a good halfway point between Southern MD and Milford DE. Here's what we picked up.... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204174.jpg This has a tighter radius than what we had done for the hood sides, so for the punch to better follow the contour, or sit perpendicular to the point of punch, we plan on a rotational fixture attached to the linear slide that the "trough" of the inner fender can be rolled from side to side.. More on that to come.. On the way home from Parole, we made a stop to look at an old fire truck that was slated for a total restoration. We did a quick survey of the truck and made some recommendations to the owner.. While we were there, also stumbled across another 35 Chevy. These 35's are coming out of the woodwork it seems.. http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204180.jpg Back in the shop, getting ready to re-assemble the rear. Test fitting the rear axle bearings, as the brake kit had come with some .250 thick spacers... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204161.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204162.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204163.jpg My vernier depth gauge showed that the actual distance was .203, so some trimming was in order... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204164.jpg With all the parts now test fitted, we took the rebuilt press parts back and gave them a trial run... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204179.jpg With the press back in business, the only thing left to do there is to add it in the mix the next time we spray some epoxy, and I generously offered some of the leftover orange from the trailer wheel painting, but my brother-in-law seems a bit apprehensive. Brake line brackets were removed from the paint stand, and this is the first time I noticed these Vise Grips had a Gene Winfield fade paint job on them.. http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204165.jpg Brackets were plug welded to the housing, welds scuffed and touched up with some SPI epoxy.. http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204166.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204170.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204172.jpg Newly painted shocks were reinstalled, and rear brake parts all installed.. http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204173.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204175.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204176.jpg A bit closer.... |
Re: 55 Wagon Progress
The Mini Cooper wheel bearing/hub assembly had come in yesterday (looks like this)
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204186.jpg ....so the first order of business was to void the warranty. Made a trip over to David's shop to make sure the press was still operational, and pressed the hub out of the bearing. We need a flat surface for the new material clamps, so Kyle worked on the lathe to get rid of the excess metal here: http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204188.jpg He got this far tonight... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204181.jpg These are the new clamps we'll be using, the single 8mm bolt will connect it to the flange Kyle it working on.. http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204187.jpg Meanwhile, I cut out the plate to hold the bearing... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204183.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204184.jpg The top will be folded 90* and that flange bolted to the top of the glide blocks here... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204185.jpg Once complete this should allow us to rotate the inner fenders as we punch the louvers. Oh, and finally, looking at the bare spot in the floor here.... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204182.jpg The English Wheel has left the building. It is headed to a Porsche restoration shop on Eastern shore, should be putting out some 356 parts soon.. |
Re: 55 Wagon Progress
With the wheel hub faced, the flange is trimmed...
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204189.jpg The attachment bracket.... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204191.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204192.jpg Pressed back together... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204193.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204194.jpg "test run" videos: https://youtu.be/zsDe02QEmyo https://youtu.be/1JB4kHLbjQc http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204195.jpg Material clamps should be here tomorrow, so we'll try and get some louvers punched next week. |
Re: 55 Wagon Progress
That's pretty clever. It's cool seeing it in action, even if it is a "test run". I bet that makes things easier this time around.
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Re: 55 Wagon Progress
Nice set up.
dig the cowboy boots. |
Re: 55 Wagon Progress
Incredible. Thanks for the how to.
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Re: 55 Wagon Progress
Here's the next practice panel as compared to Cody's inner fender panel..
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204217.jpg Punching the louvers in the practice panel.. https://youtu.be/n3NVTILslbE https://youtu.be/sHr2P60cqt8 Here's the moment of truth, the inner fender ready for punching... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204220.jpg Looks like our crown still exists! http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204222.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204223.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204224.jpg another view.... https://youtu.be/7tcYNZ29WTg One down, one to go.. |
Re: 55 Wagon Progress
Finished the driver's side inner fender this morning..
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204236.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204235.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204234.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204225.jpg Now to get them back to Cody so he can do some more re-assembly.. After finishing the louvers this morning, we turned our attention back to the wagon. We started installing the brake lines and found the "kit" the owner had purchased was far from a direct fit. here's the booster and master cylinder we're using... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204228.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204229.jpg As the kit had no lines to fit a 9" rear, we used a stick of stainless tubing that was left over from the Fairlane job and bent our own. http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204230.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204231.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204232.jpg |
Re: 55 Wagon Progress
Nice tight work! Love the louvering, great stuff!
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Re: 55 Wagon Progress
What degree did you flare the stainless brake line ?
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Re: 55 Wagon Progress
I used my hydraulic tool to perform the double flare, not sure on the angle, think it a 45* ???
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Re: 55 Wagon Progress
Well most small jobs I do like this you never see the part installed (like the Studebaker dash parts) so I was happy to see Cody post up some pictures this morning. Here's a shot of the passenger side installed.. It was nice to take on a challenge like this and see it actually work..
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...nerFender3.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...nerFender5.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...nerFender4.jpg I think Kyle enjoyed the break from blocking epoxy primer.. Now back to the old grind.. |
Re: 55 Wagon Progress
They should help a lot with the engine cooling being right at the exhaust ports!
Nice work as always Robert. Mike.:chevy: |
Re: 55 Wagon Progress
Thanks Mike! Yeah, I think it will need all the help in cooling that it can get. No Heat, no AC, no PS, no frills. Drive and go.
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Re: 55 Wagon Progress
Adding the rear axle vent hose, we needed a spot to anchor the second vent fitting to keep the hose from flopping around...
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204237.jpg Which is threaded with a 7/16-20 thread http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204238.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204239.jpg With Loctite added to the threads... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204240.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204241.jpg More SS brake lines... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204243.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204244.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204245.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204247.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204248.jpg With the rear brake lines complete, the rear wheels were bolted back up.. http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204250.jpg And for our lessons learned, this is what happens when you cut 12 gauge steel with a square on the other end of the shear. Dan, the blades are still sharp! http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204251.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204252.jpg |
Re: 55 Wagon Progress
Thanks for posting. I swear every time I tune in I learn something.
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Re: 55 Wagon Progress
I have a couple nice shear modified scales myself, got a 2.1 and a 3.0..... now... :mm:
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Re: 55 Wagon Progress
We started on an ashtray delete mod for the wagon, starting with this...
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204310.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204314.jpg a bit wider opening... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204334.jpg Now to remove the glove compartment door "skin"...... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204315.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204317.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204318.jpg Then used these to flatten out the flanges... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204319.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204320.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204321.jpg Looks like someone may have kneed the glove box at some point... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204322.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204323.jpg The inside looks real nice for 61 year old metal, still shining! http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204325.jpg Now time for the post anvil... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204327.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204328.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204330.jpg Here's our widening method for the inner door and the outside will get a new skin made up.. http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204326.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204331.jpg |
Re: 55 Wagon Progress
Sheet metal modification.
Note pad... Check pencil........Check |
Re: 55 Wagon Progress
Kyle continued on reshaping the opening for the glove box, and I got started in trimming the filler panel for the inner glove box door....
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204343.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204344.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204345.jpg To try and keep our shape around the lock cylinder symmetrical, we cut out a profile template... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204346.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204347.jpg Adding the bends.... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204348.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204349.jpg Looking for a proper sized circle pattern, Mickey Thompson comes through... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204350.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204351.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204352.jpg Some bead roller action... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204353.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204355.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204356.jpg Some TIG welding, we'll finish this up next time.. http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204357.jpg |
Re: 55 Wagon Progress
Impressive attention to detail.
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Re: 55 Wagon Progress
Thanks Doug!
Spent some time in the shop tonight finishing the other weld but I was on a roll and forgot the in process pics.. Have to get a new photographer, this one just isn't working out.. http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204359.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204360.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204361.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204364.jpg Or the motion picture... https://youtu.be/SD4j6tJwh7w The new Tommasini Wheeling machine is on it's way north from Rock Hill SC, we'll be picking it up this weekend. Once it's set up we can whip out the new glove box door skin.. http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ng/Loading.jpg |
Re: 55 Wagon Progress
The front brake line distribution block showed up, so let's get the front lines finished up.. My tubing bender was not getting the nice small radius I was looking for, so time for a new tool. Here's a pulley out of the furniture and hardware parts bins at the local Ace store..
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204365.jpg Here's the comparison to the tubing bender.. http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204368.jpg Bending the tubing... http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204366.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204367.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204370.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204371.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...ure%204372.jpg |
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