The Resurrection of Foam Car - 63 T6B

[Don C]

Front, fully extended KYB measures 16.5"...interesting.

[Jack Staggs]

I just measured 2 Boge and 1 Koni. 14 1/4" bolt center to bolt center. These were old shocks that I pulled out from under the bench, possibly OG. PreA shocks are shorter, IIRC.

[Phil Planck]

My apologies on my Boge measurement. I did a quick check this morning while getting ready to pull the 912 out of the shop for a fall color ride, as we are at peak leaf color now. So, had my going to town clothes on and tried not to get them dirty. Went out tonight, and got the same measurement as Jack on my new, Mexican Boge's at 14 1/4". I pulled out the old shocks and they measure 15", but are an off brand: made in Italy with the word FIAT stamped on both and non-matching numbers on them.

Phil

[Phil Planck]

Set the pedal rod free play at 1mm on the bench:



Installed throttle lever asm. and pedal asm. for final time, I hope:



Installed dual m/c and all hard lines:








Phil

[Don C]

Good move on that mechanical brake light switch!

[JTR70]

Looking good Phil! I take it that the dual master kit went together for you relatively painlessly?

[Phil Planck]

Thanks Justin

M/C install went pretty well. Bought a new left(passenger) line from Stoddard just to avoid the hassle of getting the flare right. Had to reshape it a lot and it was barely long enough. The original right side line had a lot of surface rust and would fit, but used one supplied by Zim. Way too long, so had to add some creative shape. Flange thickness at the bulkhead barely allowed nyloc nut provided by Zim to get full thread engagement. Will remove and add some blue Loctite just to be sure.

Now, this one pisses me off - not related to M/C. Went to clean up threads for the accel pedal and the nut on the Stoddard bracket broke loose and started spinning. Bolt is stuck in nut. I am going to have to drill a hole adjacent to this nut and tack weld it to the bracket. Will do the same for the other nut, even though a bolt went in fine.

Also, not studying ahead, I may have to remove the drivers knuckle to remove the steel sleeve for speedo cable, if it is in fact there. New system replaces 2 parts with one rubber guide/seal. Will see if it goes in the hole when it arrives from Stoddard.

2 steps forward - one back

Phil

[JR]

Phil,
I have been following your FOAMCAR thread as you progress.
I am not a guru on aftermarket parts, but what I have seen at 'the shop' is that MANY aftermarket parts need great massaging to get them to work or fit. So many of these seem to be outsourced and the QC follow up sucks!
When the mentioned 'supplier' is asked about them the usually answer is, 'Gosh we sell a lot of these.'
My comments relate to both sheet metal and mechanical parts.
It even occurred that you order a T6 piece and they send you one for a T5.
Go figure.
Not only slows up progress on the project, but proceeds to make the 'supplier' suspect.
Then you try and track where their parts are coming from so you can not order one from a different supplier and receive the same crappy product.
Just saying!
Dick

[Phil Planck]

Dick
I agree, and if I had not bought this part so long ago, Stoddard would be hearing about it. I had planned to get this problem fixed today, but did not feel like contorting myself in there today. I have developed a limp the last 4 weeks, which I have never had, and the doctor said I tore a muscle at the hip. Said I need to start stretching before I do whatever I was doing to cause the tear. Now have to go to phys. therapy to try to heal the tear. Anyway, need another chapter in Bruce's upcoming restoration book for, er, seniors, listing the various stretching exercises needed before starting the days resto session. I know, get a rotisserie.

So I did a mostly bench project. I did manage to get the speedo cable sleeve extracted from the back of the spindle using a tap. One time when it was nice that the grease was in there:


Next up was the grease cap, as the square hole was no longer square:


I measured the square end of the cable and it is 5mm. Just happened to have a piece of 5mm copper tube, so inserted a piece in the hole and welded what was left closed:


Pulled the copper tube out and nice round, 5mm hole:


Also just happened to have a small, flat file that was 5mm at it widest section, so used that to square the hole to 5mm sides:


Next was to test fit on the cable - my luck day:

[DG58INNM]

Clever repair Phil.

I feel your pain on the parts. Every time I buy a few things, there is at least 1 item in the bunch I look at and think it really wouldn't have been any more difficult to make it correctly.

DG

[JR]

Yeah nice job Phil.
Guess it is getting 'chillier' in our home state of MI.
Yep-stretching could help then I would be too tired to do the resto stuff. I am done by 3PM each day 'helping' down at the shop. Pushing 82 doesn't leave much energy left.
Have been watching my alma mater Western MI play Eastern MI this afternoon.
Keep on truckin'!
Dick

[Phil Planck]

I had no luck at all trying to weld the nuts that came on the floor board bar. Ended up pounding them into the hole, drilling the hole out large enough for a real nut(10mm atf) and welded those in. To keep weld out of the nut threads a wrapped a strip of copper around a longer bolt and threaded it in tight. Very hard to get an accurate weld reaching up in there. So, warning to those who still have time, check the integrity of those nut before installing that bar. I will put some antiseize on the bolts as this is a rust prone area. Nuts are now welded in and weld ground flush to bar. Terrible project, but it's done. Here are the old, crappy nuts that were on the bar and the copper clad bolt:

[bbspdstr]

Phil, you are not the first with the bad gas pedal attachment nut problem. I am always saying I need a big banner hung across the shop proclaiming "ASSUME NOTHING"....such as each and every part that is bought being inspected for possible flaws and shortcomings. As you must know, my personal campaign with the serious vendors since the '70s has been to make "counterfeit NOS." I think anyone would pay a bit more for such parts if they were the same as NOS and not based on "kit car standards." Anyway:

The "proper" nut is to the right, above, but either would be fine, but the T weld nut could have been used from outside-in with a tack weld on each ear.

The old repros used to come with a 1/4-20 Riv-nut. Wasn't worth the trouble to correct that....I just made my own foot board support/pedal mounting parts. Now, the major sheetmetal vendors of such parts supply 6mm nuts, but an extra tack is still done prior to final installation.

As far as my up-coming book, "Restore Yourself"......along with tips on fixing your 356 on an energy budget, it will include an ad for my latest invention; the Ejecto-Creeper.
With a handy remote that can be piggy-backed with your Medic Alert, the creeper is sat upon, then lowered by the remote to get under your 356 and then when you wake from your nap, raised to a seat again that can tilt to let you stand up easily.
This is a comfortable creeper with a massage feature and small speakers for soothing music while you "work" but the "work" is optional.
With a prescription from a sympathetic doc, Medicare may pay for such a device.
There is a self-propelled feature, too. The remote can steer it wherever you want it to go, especially if the kitchen and/or bathroom is on the same level as the garage. If the bathroom is not easily accessed, you will have another option....it all Depends how you want to handle it.

For any REAL "work"...yes, a rotisserie has helped me since I made a few in the '70s.....way before that was an age-related number.

-Bruce (with a bad back, bad shoulder, bad hip and a barometer for a left knee from 50+ years doing stupid 'car stuff')

[Phil Planck]

Bruce
The bracket had the "proper nut" you show, but it started spinning at the crimp - not crimped tight enough. For whatever reason, I could not successfully tack it. If I had done a test install with a brand new bolt I would not have discovered this. Fortunately I used a used bolt with a few bunged up threads. Bolt went in but got a little tight on removal and nut started spinning. Anyway, I removed both and replaced with regular nuts.

Regarding your creeper, it sounds pretty good, but won't even consider it if it won't go over little nuts, electrical cords and cables laying on the floor. Otherwise in auto drive mode it's going to come to a fast halt and you will continue on your way. Then we would have to deal with HSHA(Hobby Safety and Health). Oh, I missed the part about it coming with full body straps.

Phil

[Phil Planck]

Slow day today. Heated brake drums to install 4 new bearing races. Installed new pedal buffers and longer backing plate steering stop bolts from Stoddard. Advertised as 19mm long but package and measurement show 18mm, so I only gained 1 mm, but no stress on rubber brake hose at full lock.



Phil