55.2-59 need help ... column/firewall & brake switch

[QBRacing]

so when I got my truck it was partially disassembled so I'm struggling to figure out what goes where. I've just figured out the steering column support in the cab but are now stuck on the following 2 items

column/firewall
mine was modified already so when I got rid of the 70 factory holes I had them make a patch to tidy it up. I can't find any dimensions to reshape the hole now so can anyone grab a measure for me

Brake switch
mounted in what I think is the right place but the switch isn't turning off when the pedal is released. am I missing a bracket or spacer or something?

regards
q

[jwhotrod]

that is how the stock switch was setup, I think you are not returning the pedal far enough. is there a return spring on the pedal? if not you need to add one the pedal arm should lay against the floor when released. Otherwise you will need to build a shim plate under the switch.

[bobinbc]

Agree with jwhotrod 100% on the brake switch.

On the floor hole for the column, mine is still together so not much help. On my other 57 I remember I put the column through the floor at the very top of the original hole. It was a tilt column.

This is a picture of the stock column in my current yellow 57

[dsraven]

I think the brake pedal arm has a rubber stopper on the lever part on the engine side of the firewall. this bumps against the firewall when you take your foot off the pedal. the return spring should keep the pedal tight against the stopper so the switch maintains it's setting as far as on/off plus the pedal linkage doesn't droop from the combined weight of all the parts and linkages and cause the master cylinder to stay partially applied. kinda important on the last piece.

follow this thread to some pics showing the rubber bumper I speak of.

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/...ounted.699707/

[dsraven]

I can still remember driving with my dad in the 59, the sound of the pedal hitting the firewall when he would drop his foot from the brake to hit the gas when taking off on a hill. some things you never forget, lol.

[bobinbc]

I know exactly the sound you mean Dennis. Pulled my truck out of the shop today to pull the bench seat out....good catch on that rubber bumper/donut.

[dsraven]

I quickly checked my stock of old stuff from the tuck dissasembly but didn't find lower half of the pedals with the master cyl attached. sorry man. gonna hafta wing it off those pics. you could likely fab up a pedal stopper out of a small suspension snubber or something like that iou can't find the original part.

[QBRacing]

Thanks for all the replies guys.

I got the chance to look at a 58 up close today but he has the same CPP style boosted setup as me under the cab. He never had a spring either or a bump stop. I will have a look at the jalopy site shortly.

One thing I did notice was that the lever arm on the one today was more like an S rather than a hockey stick like on mine.

[58 pache]

Here is what my brake switch looks like. I have a hose wrapped around it for a tighter fit.Mine looks closer to the firewall,possibly due to the hose.

[Russell Ashley]

The service manual says to adjust the brake push rod so that the brake pedal is even with the clutch pedal. If you do it that way you might have to rig up something like 58Apache has. If I were doing it again I would weld a nut to the side of the brake pedal arm to run a bolt through to make it adjustable.

[QBRacing]

Thanks guys. Think Ill just space it out.
I have no clutch pedal to line it up with and even removed the pivot on the chassis while I was installing the Flatout Engineering C4 front end.