my rusty dirty bump

[hedz]

spraying this piece with krano to sit over night, tomorrow will be prybar day

[hazelnut]

Being that its cast i would think hitting it with a BFHammer would finish breaking it into pieces and it would fall off.

[hedz]

i got all those dern pieces off with a crowbar and some karate kicks . every brake job i ever performed was disc on front, drums on rear, until now. sooo trying to figure out how to get the front hubs off. thinking i need a special socket to get those nuts behind the cotter pins. checked through the magazine mountain to see if i could come up with any parts manufacturers that made my hubs. came up with nothing. so i guess i'm going to try to refurbish mine. they have a ton of rust on the front and back and i'll have to get that crap off if i want a drum to sit flush. i'll give the bench grinder a shot. have a few sources for bead blasting too. also will do my derndest to finish the front drum brake job this weekend. ought to include bending some mini lines from the drum to the braided lines. ford mans coupler came in today. sent it to a fabricator i know who is making me a custom mini bracket to go on my polyurethane joint. hes going to test the studs through the coupler. if they fit then i'll pick it up and shoot one last coat of paint on it, return it, have them hammer those studs and i'll have a polyurethane steering coupler to install this weekend or beginning of next week, hopefully. would also like to figure out this weekend why two of three bolts won't fully engage my steering box. i hope it's just some trash stuck in the bolt holes and nothing serious. if it is serious, and needs replacing, i wonder if i should try to upgrade my steering to something better, or just go oem. i'm thinking oem since i'm not at the restoration stage, unless there exists a direct bolt in that interfaces with my polyurethane piece, my pitman arm, and provides better performance like a quicker ratio...

[killakobra]

uhm.... just pull the cotter pin, pull the castleated nut cover off and unscrew the nut behind it?

[hedz]

uhm.... just pull the cotter pin, pull the castleated nut cover off and unscrew the nut behind it?

yep.

took the hubs to the shop early this morning and cleaned them up with a die grinder. they were rust tirds. sprayed them with some galvanizing primer and then a black ceramic paint. the grease in the inside is still good. the bearings and seals are still good too. real good. picked up new pins and a 1 1/16' socket. just regreasing everything and putting them back on right now. just got off work.

[hedz]

the trucks on the ground. finished the front brake stuff last week. painted some grease caps gold and hammered them in there today with a sledge. also took my driveshaft into a shop yesterday and had them fully dissassemble my driveshaft. i then picked it up and went at it with a wire wheel attached to a die grinder up at my work. cleaned the whole thing the best i could with a pick, some rags, and methyl ethyl alcohol. folks my driveshaft was so damn dirty, there was so much clay packed in it. i think its permanently stained clay red. shot some rattle can galvanizing primer, then shot a top coat of some rattle can encapsulating anti rust hammer aluminum finish. The driveshaft and the truck are going to be taken to the shop monday where they will install a new carrier bearing for me, also putting in spicer u joints in place of the greased ones. The shop will also be installing a new yolk seal for the transmission and rear diff. I'm also paying them to change my transmission oil and rear diff oil with the amsol oil i have. I tried to change it myself. the pos hand pump i bought off ebay was not worth it's salt, 30$ down the toilet. if anyone can reccomend me a pump that i can use to siphon and change fluids i would appreciate it. i don't want to spend over $100.

[hedz]

the shop finished up with my truck. i got everything i listed above finished plus got two wheel studs pressed in the back(i broke them long time ago). Picked up my hydroboost and polyurethane rag joint from the fabricator. I had the bolts pressed out of the hydroboost so that i can put the hydroboost up to the firewall without interferance from those misplaced bolts. Also had a metal bracket made to stablize the rag joint - make it more rigid, and had the studs mushroomed. Also had studs from a spare rag joint coupler pressed out so that i can have a spare for the next time.

will reinstall the rag joint replacement this weekend. will make a template for a plate to be made that mounts to the rear of the hydroboost and utilizes the oem original threaded holes in the firewall meant for the power brake and will instead fasten and hold the hydrobooster.

[elgemcdlf]

Ok I am really curious as to what you have going on with the front drums. You stated you have done front discs before. The drums come off the same way as rotors come off unless you are talking about floating rotors.

[hedz]

Ok I am really curious as to what you have going on with the front drums. You stated you have done front discs before. The drums come off the same way as rotors come off unless you are talking about floating rotors.

yes i've done front discs on a 78 monte carlo, a 79 cadillac sedan deville, a 69 catalina, and a 88 caprice. i have a oem drum setup on the front. i just couldn't figure out how to get the drums off at first. i did not realize that they had been swedged onto the hubs(and sealed with rust). first off i do not have any air tools, which would prevent me from swedging them back on. later when i removed the drums from the hub still attached to the vehicle i realized that it was not possible for me to press the drums onto the hubs which is the oem approach. i'm assuming many other members on this forum who have front drums do not have their drums pressed on, but can remove them at will. My hubs have the original studs which have a thick shoulder(which i don't really like but i'm going all original on these front drums for now). I could not locate studs that had no shoulder, although i know they exist, will take more research to find them. The drums oreilly sold me have bolt holes that are too small to allow themselves to be pressed onto the hubs. they were drilled out just large enough to allow them to be swedged.

i had never removed a hub/drum off of the front of a vehicle, i have the same oem setup all front drum trucks from 72 have. The only difference on mine is i drilled out my brake hose bracket and adapted steel braided lines. after i do some work this weekend i'm going to take a bunch of pictures i've been meaning to take and post em up here.

[elgemcdlf]

Ok I am still at a complete loss.

Removal of front drums:
1. Pull the wheel (not required unless the wheel blocks access to the dust cap)
2. Pull the dust cap
3. Remove the cotter pin
4. Remove the castle nut
5. Remove the nut under the castle nut. Large channel locks will work just fine for this.
6. Smack the top of the drum with the palm of your hand and the outer bearing will pop right out into your other hand.
7. Pull the drum off.

If the drum will not come off the brakes need to be backed off a bit.

Replacement of the drum:
1. Press out the studs
2. Remove the drum
3. Place the new drum on the hub
4. Press in new studs. People that do this have a special tool for pressing in the studs that forces the new drum down over them

The hub and drum are meant to be treated as a single unit just like a rotor on any one of the vehicles you listed. Front drums are machined AFTER they are put on the hubs. I have a funny feeling you made your life h&^^ doing it the way you did it. I would definitely replace at least your outer bearings after putting all that side pressure against them.

[hedz]

Ok I am still at a complete loss.

Removal of front drums:
1. Pull the wheel (not required unless the wheel blocks access to the dust cap)
2. Pull the dust cap
3. Remove the cotter pin
4. Remove the castle nut
5. Remove the nut under the castle nut. Large channel locks will work just fine for this.
6. Smack the top of the drum with the palm of your hand and the outer bearing will pop right out into your other hand.
7. Pull the drum off.

If the drum will not come off the brakes need to be backed off a bit.

Replacement of the drum:
1. Press out the studs
2. Remove the drum
3. Place the new drum on the hub
4. Press in new studs. People that do this have a special tool for pressing in the studs that forces the new drum down over them

The hub and drum are meant to be treated as a single unit just like a rotor on any one of the vehicles you listed. Front drums are machined AFTER they are put on the hubs. I have a funny feeling you made your life h&^^ doing it the way you did it. I would definitely replace at least your outer bearings after putting all that side pressure against them.

i already finished them up. the bearings were perfect and ancient . plenty of ol school grease inside. was deffinitely a learning experience. like i said if i could do it over with more patience, i'd put in studs with no shoulders. and i would buy my drums from Kanter - i know for a fact all of their drums fit factory setups with no hassle and produce smiles across the world. screw these local dealers.

[elgemcdlf]

...i know for a fact all of their drums fit factory setups...

Factory is drums pressed onto the hubs. I have no problem with floating drums but if you are talking factory setup it is pressed.

[hedz]

back from reno. still no camera. will try to pony up for one the first week of the new year. made a template to mount the hydroboost to the firewall. utilizes 3 of the 4 original screw holes used to mount the power booster for extra stability. only problem is i don't know if it repositions the hydroboost at too sharp of an angle to operate the brake pedal. no way for me to know though until my fabricator returns to me the plate i designed. the thing that sucks about this 75 grand marquis hydroboost is that there is a solid iron neck that extends from the rear of the unit encircling part of the pedal pushrod. this is lame because it limits the travel of the rod as far as angles 360 degrees. i should have just stuck with the astro van hydroboost and gone with a corvette master cylinder. the pushrod would have had more travel. and the plate on the back of the astro van unit would look more trick modified to mate to the firewall. the holes on it can be easily filled and reloacted. hell the original bolt holes on the firewall can probably be reused making it possible to not have to do any drilling on the firewall. not so with the grand marquis unit. solid aluminum with a awkward splayed thick plate. i do have an extra astrovan hydroboost but i chopped it up to use some of the parts. live and learn. also finished the template for my alternator bracket and sent that to the fabricator as well. was interesting trying to figure out the position in space in which the arc for the bolt hole on the adjusting bracket should be positioned. i decided to use the original brackets and modify them with a single piece of thick stock. i backtracked and redesigned after seeing my friends oem alternator setup on his 289 in his mustang. ford should have offered this alternator design on all their FEs too. it just seems like a design failure. hopefully i'll get both of these brackets back around new years. got my adjustable pushrod in. seems to be a nice piece. it has the same exact size hole as the 75 grand marquis brake pedal pushrod. i thought that was interesting. interchangeability notation. i discovered that the double flaring tools that i have used are junk. i discovered that over a month ago when i was bending brake lines. i expect there to be some leaks after i try to pressurize the brake system with fluid right at the front drums from wheel cylinder to steel lines. after i hook up the alternator and hydroboost stuff, i'm going to send the truck to two shops. one to rewire my alternator. i don't know what i'm doing and don't want to try to sort out the cooked and fried mess of wires that used to function. and from there going to another shop to make my power steering lines to the hydroboost and to tidy up my braking system. they'll probably have to make new lines at the front where i said the leaks will probably be, and i'll just pay them to bleed the whole system too. i have dot 5 ready and waiting. i did not put any sort of valve in the system except for the oem distribution block. being that i have 4 drums i hope this doesn't create a problem to where i need to add more parts to the system aside from what i've already accounted for. if those things are done it will be road worthy. any other work will be extra. for safety sake i should probably do two more things in addition to what i listed. install a metal shield below the radiator to keep it from being hit by any debris (aluminum radiator is structurally weak) and weld in a plate into the gaping hole beneath the battery tray.

i've been very caught up with lots of other projects so my ford has been getting neglected. i have two monte carlos to take pics of, ones my moms. need to take pics of the 73 grand am which is growing on me and the 65 buick 225 that's about to leave my posession. keeping the nailhead switchpitch drivetrain (maybe i'll get a buick super one day or something for it ). been restoring stuff in this old shotgun i moved into. pulled out some ol school skeleton key locks and rebuilt them, polished up brass handles, refinishing the solid wood doors with stain and sealer. also refinishing an aquarium stand for boogies my python. he'll be happy perched on a wood finish instead of a blue and white pearl painted stand that i practiced on before shooting a car . doing a bunch of furniture wood sanding this weekend. that's my christmas present to myself . also got to cut up some solid wood doors that i just picked up. enough fun to make my head spin. merry christmas and/or happy holidays ladies and fellas

[hedz]

hey folks. it's been a while. i have not had idle hands however. no pictures yet. my budget does not afford cameras and since the fam is not on good terms prolly won't be borrowing a camera any time soon until something gives. been driving a 79 chevrolet monte carlo as a daily driver. changed the fuel sending unit, upper and lower speedo cable, flushed the transmission, changed the rear diff fluid, dropped a new msd hei self contained distributor in, bosch plug wires, gapped irridium plugs to 55. all new coolant hoses - everything. put a flush t in. installed a 12si 90 amp alternator. all new belts. power steering hose. valve cover gaskets. headlights, tail lights. found a monte steel wheel to use as spare. the list goes on. i have made many repairs. had to do some rewiring as well. there were and still are many shorts. whoever rebuilt this car after it was totalled forgot about new wiring. even so, it has come along quite nicely.

folks, i must say irridium spark plugs combined with a brand new HEI distributor really wake up a points car. the difference is very noticable. the results have to be nearly identical on our fe engines so i say to hell with points, hei all the way. unless of course for the original enthusiasts.

and as for the f100 not much as been done. fixed some wiring going to the license plate light. also have been tweaking designs for my fabricator. i do not have a welder and if i did i'd do all the work myself. such is the life of day by day living. but i have gone through 3 versions of the alternator bracket. i almost got it too. my adjuster was so close, only a centimeter off this time. although it would have worked i need the alternator to adjust like butter, not with force. when i get the angle perfect i will show everyone on the forum how to convert their oem bracket to this style. all it requires is some welding and some original brackets. and as for the hydroboost i have discovered a few things tweaking it as well. folks considering hydroboost for their truck need to stick with the astro van hydro booster. any hydrobooster but a classic. the classic hydroboosters such as the 75 grand marquis hydroboost have a iron neck on them. this neck needs to be integrated into the design. the end of the neck on the classic models needs to end at the firewall. this makes it necessary to have a bracket raised from the firewall a few inches. i cannot recall the length of the neck. my altered bracket design incorporates this distance. aslo a spacer must be utilized to connect the pushrod to the brake pedal. a simple piece of tubing. i am convinced less work is required of the person customizing if they were to use a newer hydrobooster. anywho, i'm still alive and still working. the other vehicles have not made any progress. likely i will sell the grandam as i just had a offer this week. and the 65 duece needs to go to my 78 monte carlos previous owners home. we have not completed the swap because my driveway is full of rusted car tirds. cheers.

[hedz]

my grand marquis hydroboost has been shelved. never should have read that sticky for a hydroboost in a bronco. what a stupid worthless article. i fully understand hydroboost and that is deffinitely the worst one to use for the 72 bumps.

i installed a master cylinder and power brake. found all the parts i needed for it. got lucky at the yards. i'm going to get my truck towed to a brake shop this next week and they will pressurize my system with some dot 5 fluid that i have. it ought to work out great. they are also going to complete the wiring on the 12si for me. i can pressurize the braking system myself but the two tiny brake lines from front wheel drums to hose brackets that i made don't have good double flares. used those crappy 20 dollar kits and went through many feet of brake line trying to get the flares perfect before i gave up, which was several months ago. they have a much more professional flaring tool than what i can afford. moving to atlanta in two weeks and the f100 will be my furniture transport . also added in 2 inline fuel filters going to the pump. the cheap plastic disposable ones. may or may not be worth their salt. i just want this ol school holley to stay as clean as possible. oh i can't wait to move to atlanta. they have E85 gas and ethanol free gas. bham has neither that i know of. closest ethanal free gas i can get is in bessemer.

i found a perfect 72 door with it's trim and a longbed passenger side long piece of trim which i need. if anybody needs a free 68 door passenger side hit me up and come and get it. i'll be in bham another two weeks before i'm in atl.

installed a new cruise control switch in the 79 monte. putting in a optima battery, brass tipped battery wires and a bosch starter i just bought to overhaul the piece. it loves the new hei distributor and the irridium tipped spark plugs. i should probably get some badass plug wires to top it off. got some bosch wires on their now and they aren't anything to brag about. found a original steel wheel so i got a real spare in the trunk now too.

i am going to install some irridium spark plugs in the f100 next week after seeing the amazing improvement in the monte. also looking for some good oem fit headlights for the truck.

been collecting front end parts for the 78. still need a good bumper and hood. one day it will be complete.

friend of mine is selling me a 307 with forged rods and pistons and a 700r4 built for 2000$ that he had in his s10. taking the turbo 350 out of the 78 and replacing the metric 200 in the 79 with the turbo 350. the 78 will get the 307 and 700r4. so i will have an extra 305 that runs real well. found a box caprice with a bad motor for under 500$ that has a super straight body and interior. contemplating buying it to put the 305 in. i used to have a police package box caprice that had awesome options. crackheads stole it before i finished the 350 that i was putting in it. i always liked that car so yeah i may end up with another. i got too many cars yall. i was extremely indecisive on the other two cars i had, the buick duece and the pontiac grand am. i went against everything i said and ended up trading the grand am back for my 78 monte rather than the buick. my final decision rested on the fact that it is a nailhead switchpitch car and that i don't own any 4 door vehicles. i hope i didn't make a mistake. too late to go back, they were both such gems though. the guy i sold the trans am to is already practically done with the build. i should have a link to his build thread in the next few days which i will post on here for fun so you guys can check it out.