Restoring Rusty

[Gregski]

i figured getting the passenger side out would be easier than the driver side, but I had no idea the driver side would be impossible, if any of youz have any special tips or tricks, please share, as I am getting real close to busting out the fire wrench on this piece

pics of the passenger side removed, this side looks saveable (this side is also what LMC Truck sells) I have have not seen the replacement for the driver side

[rusty76]

Hmmmm....

[400/400]

What's giving you trouble on the drivers side?

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by 400/400

What's giving you trouble on the drivers side?

parking brake pedal is in the way to get more of an angle on the panel to pull it out, but I don't want to turn a simple job into a big one and take the parking brake mechanism apart if I don't have to

the panel is wiggled loose but feels like it's still stuck on something in the large hole

unlike the passenger side where you can take out the glove box and see what you are doing the driver side feels like I'm building a ship in a bottle, very restricted access

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by rusty76

Hmmmm....

well said, I'm going to pound a few beers and think on it over night

[greg64]

Hey Greg, glad to see more progress. I haven't had my driver's side vent out, but to me, it looks like the e-brake pedal has to move. Now, I have had the pedal out, and it's not too hard. The cable clips in, but you may have to relax the adjuster nuts underneath to get enough slack in the cable. I do know you can get a replacement pedal pad from LMC.

[Odaroloc]

This build is pretty cool! Ive rarely read through every post in a build but i did on yours! Keep it up man!

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by Odaroloc

This build is pretty cool! Ive rarely read through every post in a build but i did on yours! Keep it up man!

Oh boy, better watch what I say, seriously though thank you very much, I try to be entertaining but always like to share something that may be useful to another truck owner, I know I've benefited a ton from this forum, lots of very helpful folks on here

[Gregski]

Took power napping to a whole new level today, needless to say it was a rainy day, sometimes you just need a day off, time to catch up on Wheeler Dealers show, ta da

[rusty76]

What's a power nap? Lol. I just fall asleep.

[Gregski]

anyone's who's ever bolted an aftermarket part to their truck or two, knows that sometimes it starts a domino effect where if you replace this you have to replace that, then you have to replace that

well, my Rochester Quadrajet had an internal fuel filter, my Holley does not, our trucks, at least mine do not come stock with an inline fuel filter either, you can see where I am going with this, I wasn't too comfy running it without a filter so I rented a flare tool kit from AZ and decided to put my big boy pants on and remove the pipe fitting off my hard line and put a nice DOUBLE flare on it so I could fit an inline fuel filter

[Gregski]

let me add to that, that I have no idea, absolutely no idea why the person at AutoZone asked me what vehicle, year, make and model I needed to rent the flare kit for

also I had to purchase the pipe cutting tool as it is omitted from the tool kit, yet there is a snug little place where one may have fitted at one time

so let me walk you through my first flaring experience

first I could not even use the cut off tool I paid good moneys for (at least for the initial cut) because the darn thing would not fit on the pipe with the pipe nut / fitting on there, so I had to use a hack saw

[Gregski]

ok, you know how poor craftsmen always blame their tools, well let me just say this was the worst tool I ever rented, hee hee

first we want to have a word with the person on YouTube who recommends we lube up the tube with some lubricant, yes that is a fantastic idea if you want it sliding down and out of the tool instead of having a flare put in it

also needless to say everyone always demos a straight pipe that they flare, well in the real world this thing is a snake, I'm just saying

the tool feels like it is made out of pot metal, the tube at 40 years old is no longer round but an octahedron

[Gregski]

so I go to put the first bubble in it with the 3/8th adapter, the thing you are supposed to tighten slides off on one side, the tube hits me in my head, but I press on (a little pun there for ya)

I keep going I take the adapter thingie out and squeeze the tube just with the press thingie and end up with the ugliest half double flare you have ever seen, so ugly I will not be showing you any pictures, we will just collectively say

"IT'S A TRUCK !!!"

and move on to the before and after photos

[Gregski]

So lets summarize this inline fuel filter install.

Greg likes actually being able to see if fuel is getting to the carburetor, not to mention being filtered, bonus!

The Greg discovers that he has a 3/8th hard line going to a union/coupling with a 5/16th nipple, then to a 5/16th rubber hose, then a 5/16ths filter then 5/16ths hose and 5/16ths swivel fitting

... this inconsistency bothers Greg.

Should he convert it all to 3/8ths or 5/16ths?

[rusty76]

It looks good. It takes time to learn to do flares and so on. Bending pipe is a "see it before you get there kind of thing."

[greg64]

Greg, sorry you had so much trouble with the flares. I think your solution will work fine. About the fuel line size, either will work, especially on the pressure side of the pump.

For contrast, I connect fuel filters (for carbs) upstream of the pump, on the suction side. My thinking is that if it ever leaks, it'll suck air and not leak fuel, which might lead to the engine stalling. A leak on the pressure side of the pump could be bad (although really, the pressure is really low).

[motornut]

Originally Posted by Gregski

So lets summarize this inline fuel filter install.

Greg likes actually being able to see if fuel is getting to the carburetor, not to mention being filtered, bonus!

The Greg discovers that he has a 3/8th hard line going to a union/coupling with a 5/16th nipple, then to a 5/16th rubber hose, then a 5/16ths filter then 5/16ths hose and 5/16ths swivel fitting

... this inconsistency bothers Greg.

Should he convert it all to 3/8ths or 5/16ths?

I'd switch it all to 3/8,going down to 5/16.sounds like it would restrict the flow.

[400/400]

Originally Posted by Gregski

parking brake pedal is in the way to get more of an angle on the panel to pull it out, but I don't want to turn a simple job into a big one and take the parking brake mechanism apart if I don't have to

the panel is wiggled loose but feels like it's still stuck on something in the large hole

unlike the passenger side where you can take out the glove box and see what you are doing the driver side feels like I'm building a ship in a bottle, very restricted access

I see. My truck's an '85 with AC so I didn't have the vent to deal with on the drivers side. Looking at your pic I agree with greg64 that the e-brake pedal will probably have to be moved out of the way.

Also forgot to mention in my last post, nice progress on your build.

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by motornut

I'd switch it all to 3/8,going down to 5/16.sounds like it would restrict the flow.

My thoughts exactly, but why does the carb come with the 5/16th fitting, and why do they only offer it in the 5/16th on their website? Just things that make you go hmmmm?

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by 400/400

Also forgot to mention in my last post, nice progress on your build.

Thank you I really enjoy working on this truck. I hope you all do too.

[Gregski]

I think I forgot to ask, and be honest with me, does this Caddy air cleaner look stupid on this small block. Its the one LMC truck has though I bought it for half price on eBay, I didn't expect it to be the size of an actual UFO. It may be at home on a big block but it sure takes up a lot of real estate under the hood.

The dilemma is this, if I keep it my buddies tease me that I would have to rename the truck from Rusty to either Darth Vader or Marvin the Martian, and I aint too keen on doing so.

[Jake Wade]

I don't think it looks bad Greg. I do think a classic 14x4 air cleaner would look better. That's just my personal opinion.

It appears in the photo of your fuel line that there is a slight kink before entering the carb inlet.

You may can get a 3/8 banjo fitting for that holley so you can run 3/8 all the way

I usually put my inline filter on the suction side of pump.

[flashed]

I like the air cleaner ,old style all the way.

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by Jake Wade

It appears in the photo of your fuel line that there is a slight kink before entering the carb inlet.

Dang, you are good, I see that too, yes it bothers me.

Originally Posted by Jake Wade

You may can get a 3/8 banjo fitting for that holley so you can run 3/8 all the way

I could not see one on the Holley website, nor at AutoZone, O'Reilly's, or Pep Boys, if you find one can you shoot me a link, please?

Originally Posted by Jake Wade

I usually put my inline filter on the suction side of pump.

I would love to do that, great idea, it would cut out about a foot of plumbing, but does that mean I need to swap my bowl for a opposite side inlet / passenger side one?