1955 Ranch Wagon Cruiser

[I-R-POPS]

Nice! Looking like great progress.
I really like your front suspension.

 

[DJ3100]

Got a piece of bulk 3/16 brake line 12' long and slipped 10' of clear hose over the outside. Flared both ends and added a coupling and plug to the leading end.

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Ran it through the frame with the fuel line.

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The differential shop replaced the side gears in the third member to mate up with the 31 spline axles they sold me. The didn't charge me, but the 20 minute, 2 day job took 7 days. Anyhow it's in the axles are in the brakes are on.

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[Old Iron]

Running the lines through the frame sure makes a clean job.
Will you be running the wiring through the frame too ??? For the lights, etc.

 

[DJ3100]

Running the lines through the frame sure makes a clean job.
Will you be running the wiring through the frame too ??? For the lights, etc.

This is the first car I have done in a while, the trucks I have done had the wiring in the frame. I have to keep reminding myself that the wiring will go in the body.

The 4 link brackets and the exhaust being at the edges instead of in the middle didn't leave a clear, cool path for the plumbing on the inside of the frame. Inside worked out easy enough and it does look pretty clean.

 

[Old Iron]

This is the first car I have done in a while, the trucks I have done had the wiring in the frame. I have to keep reminding myself that the wiring will go in the body.

Duh, I went brain dead on ya

 

[DJ3100]

Brake lines

I got one of these after I struggled getting good flares with 2 different cheapo - made in China- flaring tools. It has always made perfect flares.

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Until yesterday. I bought this super easy to bend brake line, made a couple lines the flares were junk. I did about 15 tests trying everything and none of them worked.

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Here's some of them.

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So, just to check it out, I tried flaring some of the older, less easy to bend brake line.
It's the black one.

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So, I went to the Irish auto parts store and bought a few sticks of the black stuff and had no issues with the flares. I finished almost all the plumbing I can do without the body.

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[DJ3100]

Or maybe you need to use it before you paint the frame?[S
Can it be painted over?[S
I just used POR15 over my rusty stuff. It's on the bottom anyway, and the car sits too low to see under it without a mirror, so nobody will see it anyway.

I painted over some of the green runs. It covered well and didn't bead up, so I think it is not any kind of wax. It had dried for about a week. I do think it would work better to do it before painting the frame.

 

[Torchie]

Looks like lots of progress. [P [P [P
Torchie.

 

[8literbeater]

That looks like the same NiCopp brake line that I used. Maybe it works better with the piece of junk flaring tools.

 

[jfg455]

Looks good. I personally would like to have a support somewhere in the middle of the fuel and brake lines (I know they are inside the frame) to reduce possible flex cracking years down the road.

On the hard lines I use the 304 SS stuff from Summit racing. I bought a hydraulic flaring tool because the stuff is tough to flare and bend. But it looks good and you never have to worry about rust issues, well up here in the NE anyways.

 

[DJ3100]

Looks good. I personally would like to have a support somewhere in the middle of the fuel and brake lines (I know they are inside the frame) to reduce possible flex cracking years down the road.

On the hard lines I use the 304 SS stuff from Summit racing. I bought a hydraulic flaring tool because the stuff is tough to flare and bend. But it looks good and you never have to worry about rust issues, well up here in the NE anyways.

Good input. Supporting the lines inside the frame would be good insurance.
Any ideas on how to do that? I thought about closed cell expanding foam - opinions?.

I don't use the SS just because of the additional cost and lack of local availability. I have never seen any brake lines rust out here.

 

[jfg455]

Any ideas on how to do that? - opinions?.
I have never seen any brake lines rust out here.

Mild steel lines last 3 years up here then they fail. I did think of your dry warm air out there after my post...

It is hard to get a mount inside without an access panel or hole of some sort. One way I've done it in the past is drill (2) .25" holes about 3/8" apart and use a zip tie through the frame, around the line and back out the second hole. A piece of tig rod can be used to snake the line up where it needs to be and can be taken back out afterwards.
Or use a single 3/8" hole, run the zip tie around the line and back out the same hole. Then put a 9/16" long piece of 3/16" brake line through the loop you now have on the outside of the frame rail. It will act like a Tee when you cinch it down tight.
Other option is use a regular style line mount but you will need various magnets, pliers and screw driver with a ton of patience to get it mounted while working through whatever small hole you have near the area.

 

[Old Iron]

8/32 J-bolt
Drill a 1/4" hole in the frame, run the hook of the bolt through the hole, under the line, turn it so the hook is up, pull line against the inside of frame, tighten nut and cut the extra length of the threads off.
You may have to cut the return part of the hook off some to get it in the 1/4" hole.
If you use a larger j-bolt just drill the next size larger hole so you can maneuver the hook trough the hole.

 

[DJ3100]

Thanks for the input and ideas.

Here's the first one on the fuel line. Cushion clamp with a nut on the inside and outside of the frame. I think I'll try Old Iron's technique on the rest.

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[DJ3100]

Following Old Iron's suggestion, but with 1/4" bolts, I heated and bent.

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Cut the heads off.

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Found some existing holes. The big one let me get a TIG rod in and move the line. The clamp/bolts aren't straight on the outside, but the brake line with the hose around it is tight.

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Here's a fuzzy pic of a clamp looking through a hole on the opposite side.

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Got the drive shaft in and made an adjustment on the passenger side exhaust to get more clearance with the cross member. Filled the differential - took about 10 minutes per quart (2.5 quarts).

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[jfg455]

Never thought of the J bolt idea OI. I like it.[P

 

[DJ3100]

Yeah, the J bolt thing worked out well.

Here's the fuel pump being installed. Walpro 255 Hi Flo.

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I used 1/8" thick Felpro cork for the gasket. Brushed a thin coat of Permatex#2 on all surfaces, let it tack up and assembled (first time I ever read the instructions). I tried to tighten all the screws evenly - they didn't make the lowest setting on my inch pound torque wrench.

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[DJ3100]

exhaust tips

Here's the exhaust tips in the bumper.

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Oops wrong pic - that's in the back yard Sunday.

Here's the exhaust

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[DJ3100]

Engine harness

I have been contemplating the engine harness for 10 months - modify it myself, have someone else modify it or buy a new one. Finally decided I can either do the mod or I can't - time to find out.

Here's the start.

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Really, what is involved is removing the pins (wires) from the green and blue connectors according to the pin out schedule; removing the loose wires and whatever they are attached to. Kind of makes sense when you get into it.

Turns out, the hard part is getting the wire wrapping off. There is a bunch of it.

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JFG 455 said to put the stripped harness on the engine to figure out how to route the wires. That was a great tip. I was able to figure out where most of the connectors go.

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These don't seem to have anything to connect them to. They are on the passenger side at the rear of the engine. I'm guessing they are supposed to communicate with an automatic transmission and I don't need them with the T5. Haven't found a source that confirms that.

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Also don't know where this one goes. It's near the blue / green connectors driver's side, front.

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[studebaker59]

harness info

Try lt1swap.com he has print outs for lt1 harness and ls1 free info.