Project '64 Cheapskate

[earl84]

Nice work on the lines, you have a lot of patience and are doing everything top notch, for sure. I have two pugs also, and they must have the same personalities as yours. One just likes to hang around, and is perfectly happy just to be by people, the other one needs to be watched or he likes to go exploring.

[diablo03]

Wow, I just made it through this whole build so far. To say I'm impressed is an understatement. Your work is amazing. If my truck turns out half as good as yours I will be happy

[chevyrestoguy]

Originally Posted by earl84

Nice work on the lines, you have a lot of patience and are doing everything top notch, for sure. I have two pugs also, and they must have the same personalities as yours. One just likes to hang around, and is perfectly happy just to be by people, the other one needs to be watched or he likes to go exploring.

Thanks! I try to do everything myself, and try not to spend much money doing it. It's a challenge, but it makes you put on your thinking cap and use things you already have. That's cool that you've got a couple of Pugs. We've had Pugs for the last 25 years (all of them were rescues), and they're definitely clowns. Right now, we've got a 9yr old fawn male and his 1yr old grandson. The young one is a handful, and we've had him for a month, but he's coming around.

Originally Posted by diablo03

Wow, I just made it through this whole build so far. To say I'm impressed is an understatement. Your work is amazing. If my truck turns out half as good as yours I will be happy

Thanks! I'm glad you like it. Half as good? You're underestimating yourself! Make it TWICE as good!

[tinydb84]

I finally read this whole thread. So cool.

[nhr3]

Your Gas Tank Vent filter was an inspiration to me. I went a bit different route but would not have been able to achieve the results without your insight into the issue. Thanks

[chevyrestoguy]

Originally Posted by tinydb84

I finally read this whole thread. So cool.

Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed it. Stay tuned, there's a lot of more stuff that I'm going to post up very soon.

Originally Posted by nhr3

Your Gas Tank Vent filter was an inspiration to me. I went a bit different route but would not have been able to achieve the results without your insight into the issue. Thanks

I would love to see what you came up with. I always try to make things serve multiple functions to try and keep down on excess clutter. Simple, subtle, stealthy.

[nhr3]

here is the link to my build http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=619304 My filter is not multi function but it is simple, cheap and does the job. it is on page 3

[nhr3]

I am watching your steering wheel progress with interest. Mine is very similar. It is a Superior that I bought new the first time I reconditioned the truck in the 80's. the chrome is marginal and like you I am considering sanding it all off, doing a brushed sand job and clearing the whole thing with SPI clear. I do like the look. The alternative would be to paint silver with metal flake. The problem I see with that approach is getting a good paint job on the metal sandwiched by the wood.

[chevyrestoguy]

Originally Posted by nhr3

I am watching your steering wheel progress with interest. Mine is very similar. It is a Superior that I bought new the first time I reconditioned the truck in the 80's. the chrome is marginal and like you I am considering sanding it all off, doing a brushed sand job and clearing the whole thing with SPI clear. I do like the look. The alternative would be to paint silver with metal flake. The problem I see with that approach is getting a good paint job on the metal sandwiched by the wood.

I bought mine at a swap meet for cheap, and what got my attention was how shallow of a dish it has, which I like. I believe that it was from a van, where the columns were more upright, and a deep dish wheel wasn't preferred. The chrome on mine is shot, and even after giving it a thorough polish job, it couldn't be saved. I decided to sand back the wood to get rid of all of the grease and dirt and put a satin clear on it to protect it. I used a red Scotchbrite instead of sandpaper. The wheel looks a lot better, and it matches the patina of the rest of the truck. Have you priced what a pristine Superior wood wheel is going for nowadays? They're going for big money, usually starting at around $150 on eBay. If need any horn parts, I might have some extra parts to help you out.

[chevyrestoguy]

I did some more on the truck today. Initially, I wanted to start making brake lines, and went to the local NAPA to get supplies. My proportioning valve is out of the '79 donor truck, so I figured that getting the proper fittings wouldn't be a big deal. Well, my NAPA did not have the fitting for the rear brake port for the prop. valve, so I decided to do something else instead.

I have been mocking up AC lines for the past few days, and I was having a tough time deciding where to locate the low and high pressure service fittings where they wouldn't look like an afterthought. I came up with an idea where the low and high pressure ports would be in the same area, and still maintain a nice, clean hose route. I wound up using the battery tray as a foundation, and make a bracket that hold both service ports. I had some 1/8" plate that I cut on my bandsaw, and bent it to shape. I mounted the service ports with 3/8" clamps on the high pressure port and 5/8" clamps on the low pressure port. I drilled the bottom of the bracket and match-drilled it to the tray. All of the clamps and attach bolts are 1" 1/4-20 bolts with nylocks. I even cut the -6 and -10 hose to length, and all I need to do is take them over to a friend's shop to crimp the ends.
I'm trying to make the hoses route cleanly and not look like an add-on, as most AC systems do. AC is not an attractive accessory.




I still need to make the -6 hose from the high pressure side of the port to the evaporator, weld new -10 and -12 fittings to the compressor manifold, and build the -12 line from the compressor to the evaporator.

[Bomp]

Im not sure if you knock it out of the park on the first try every time (me, it always takes 2,3-5 tries and a fist full of cash) to get it perfect. My case it isn't perfect but I try. a lot. re-do try again.

You make it look so easy and clean. Keeps me motivated to do it right!

Clean lookin.
Always impressed.

[chevyrestoguy]

Thanks, Bomp!
I don't always knock it out of the park on the first try, but I tend to over-research before I do anything. I also wind up buying a lot of bolts and fittings I'll never use and staying in the test-fit and mock-up stage for way too long. My biggest concern is always that the mod I'm presently working on will not work with a later mod, and I'll have to re-do everything. I really despise having to do stuff over, especially after you've worked so hard the first time.

I have a huge level of respect for the top hot rod builders like Troy Trepanier, Bobby Alloway, and Dave Lane, who never seem to get off-track and they maintain a high level of quality and craftsmanship from start to finish. That is so hard to do.

I always like checking in on your build. You have got guts, and you try stuff that would scare the average builder (like me). Just when I think that you've bit off too much, you come out of it and I shake my head in amazement. Your cab stretch mod is a perfect example.

[Paul Y]

Yours has to be the most informative and inspirational thread on the board. I have shamelessly taken your ideas and will be working them into my own build.

Thank you.

P.

[Low Elco]

Originally Posted by chevyrestoguy

My biggest concern is always that the mod I'm presently working on will not work with a later mod, and I'll have to re-do everything. I really despise having to do stuff over, especially after you've worked so hard the first time.

This.

All this stuff is lookin' really tight. Please continue.

[chevyrestoguy]

After a lot of searching, I finally found 9/16-18 and a 7/16-20 line nuts for a 3/16ths line, so I started on bending brake lines. I figured that the trickiest lines to make will be the ones coming out of the master cylinder, because I want them to tuck under the brake booster and then hit the firewall and go down to the frame rail. Because of the tight area and the complicated route, I have to rely completely on my tube jig, which happens to be a piece of welding wire. Once you make the first bend, you have to do the rest of the route on the bench and hope you got it right. So far, I have done the route all the way to the firewall, and right now, I'm trying to figure out how I want to clamp the lines down to the frame. I kind of hosed myself when I started bending the second line. I made the lines 1/2" apart, only to find out that nobody makes a double line clamp with that spacing. So, I grabbed some aluminum I had in my stash and made three billet line separators. I cut them .9" long and .4" tall, then drilled the holes for the lines and the attach fastener, and then cut them on the bandsaw. I filed the surfaces smooth and then dressed the edges on the belt sander.



I plan on bending the lines to match the firewall and then continue to the frame tomorrow. I'm going to have to do some very careful measuring because if I make a mistake, the lines are junk and will have to be re-bent.

[Bomp]

Lines are looking good.
Take it you're documenting every bend/ amount of curve of bend/ contour of frame in relation to how the lines will bend? Im dreading the day when Im there.
Once the lines are bent are you polishing them or clear coating?
Nice to see top notch updates?

[chevyrestoguy]

I'm bending welding wire with a pair of flat bill pliers in the shape I want, then matching the tubing to the wire. On the first of the tubes, I match it to the wire identically. On the second, I match the first bend, then I mirror image the rest of the run to the first tube, allowing for the gap between the tubes. When I decide to make a bend, I mark a small line with a Sharpie on the tube relative to the direction I want to bend it. I take that mark and line it up with the 45 degree hash-mark on the bender. I then take the welding wire and load it into the bender in the adjacent, smaller tube groove. Sometimes, I'll even line up and tape the jig wire to the tube being bent. Then, you make very small movements with the bender arm and constantly check your tube to the jig wire.

Don't dread it. It's actually fun and not hard to do. The tube bends easily, and if your jig is accurate, the tube will be also. You can make slight bends by hand if you're off by a little. If the tube has a whoopdedoo in it, you can lay it on the floor and tap it with a deadblow hammer and iron out the kink.

One word of advice:
ALWAYS be mindful of where your fitting is when you're bending a tube! If you make even the slightest bend and the fitting is on the wrong side of the bend, you'll have to cut the tube and start over. You can't make the fitting slide down the tube if it's not straight. I've made this mistake more than I care to admit.

I'm probably just going to leave the tubing in it's aluminized state. I don't want to polish it because I don't have a ton of shiny stuff on the engine, just the valve covers and the air cleaner. The intake and serpentine brackets have been ceramic bead tumbled and they match the sheen of the brake, trans cooler, and fuel lines, so I'm just going to leave them raw.

I'm always happy to provide updates. It means that I'm gettin' stuff done and I'm that much closer to getting this pig on the road!

[likaroc13]

Great job on those lines so far. Hope the rest goes smoothly for you as well. Definitely looks like tedious work, but it's great attention to detail!

[Low Elco]

I started redoing all of Yeller's lines last night to clean up the Charlie Foxtrot that was still there from the PO. I can attest to the line nut problem, and adapters to fit oddball stuff. I've been trying to channel Alex as best I can!

Work looks terriffic, Alex!

[rusty76]

Nice bends coming from a pipefitter.!

[chevyrestoguy]

I spent the afternoon yesterday getting the master cylinder lines bent so I could test fit them in the truck. I had to do a lot of measuring and taking the master cylinder in and out multiple times before I started bending lines. The lines are still only about 80% done, as I still have to figure out how I want to terminate them at the frame rail so they can continue to the front and rear brakes. I'm glad to be done with this part because I'm certain that it was the toughest section of lines to make.

[66farmer]

looks great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[kustombrad]

I'm grinning dude! That looks awesome!

[1963c-10]

Nice job....and really loving the billet line separators. I need some of those myself!!!

[Modges'66]

Nice job on bending the brake lines!
I bent my lines similar to the way that you described, including marking them with a sharpie, and bending them with the fitting on the wrong side of the bend! LOL!
Where is your proportioning valve going to be?