Wedgewood64

It's about time to replace the brake shoes. I've seen relatively little on good options in the forum. Some recommendations about finding NOS asbestos. I'm sure that would provide the best stop; still, I admit I'd like to keep asbestos out of the garage if possible. I'm having a hard time imagining that everyone out there (who hasn't converted to disk) (and who likes to stop) is running NOS asbestos. Is there no second best?

Yes @ ed; I mean that's what's on my plate, 5W.

yes, the cover, that's what I meant by plate. Both the belts were missing it for some reason. I emailed Ssnake oyl once to see if they happened to have the correct buckle, they never replied. I went with one of the ones Wesco sells. Not so important to me. Especially now that I know that the car was supposed to have retractables!

Well, it's finished. I'm putting a photo of the Noico "Red" below. Gave it a nice snug feel. I had no problem with it interfering with the console, which surprisingly didn't really hassle me. (I'd done that once before, maybe 20 years ago.) I just regretted not having ordered the Mr G's trim screw kit before I started... And the LED bulbs.... I decided to fit the carpet around the rear mounting flanges of the seats--they weren't that great looking, plus that's how it was designed. I did no cuts on the front carpet pieces (except a little at the sills). On the back, I did preliminary cuts by positioning the seat rails w/o the seats, then I had to shave away a little more on the outboard sides once the seats were in. (Cutting the inboard correctly would be difficult once the seat is fully in.) Overall, the Clark's fit really well, except maybe the driver's side front, where it seems to me that their cut+ seam isn't in the right place: for me, it is directly behind the accelerator pedal, which is still flat floor, whereas it should be more to the right, where the tunnel starts. I didn't see how to jiggle it around any, especially b/c the sewn in rubber insert had to fit just so with the pedal. Anyway, the result is that there's a little bunching in the pedal area. Not visible, but if I were more OCD, it would bother me. I suppose one could go in and try to resew another seam. Don't know if anyone had this experience, but as I said, I really can't see how to make their seam lie just where the tunnel starts. Anyway, the car seems fairly quiet now, though now I'm noticing how much the doors rattle. next project. I do kind of miss the funky "old car" smell. Turned out it was just the rotten carpets...

Just checked my plate: interestingly, the car had the retractable belt option, but since I've had it, it's always been the regular belts, in the light blue. I replaced those b/c the buckle (which was missing the correct plate) failed. I think the light blue would look horrible with the 4-point. I'm not sure, I could swap out all the belts in navy (but navy is... out of stock), or just order 2xlap belts for back, and then a black 4-point to secure my boy for the next 5 years... after that, I imagine he'll refuse to sit in the back...

Sounds right, Ed. I'd looked at that support, then thought it might be a bit flimsy. But on second thought, looks like the best option. My car is light blue with dark blue interior. The (original) belts are light blue. Was that simply an owner choice? Would some people have chosen navy?

Ha, yeah, but he has asthma, wouldn't be good for the lungs. Right, I was curious if anyone had an idea about a good place to anchor the center piece, "C" on the diagram. The other two don't seem very problematic--even if my new layer of Noico hides the factory dimples. My vauge idea was that if C were placed up higher (like on the part where the spare sits), then on impact it wouldn't be pulling perpendicularly but parallel, thus bypassing the usefulness of the mounting plate. I may be overthinking, I don't know. Plus I don't want to have the pull the muffler to mount it. I did realize that I'd be a goner with my lap belt, especially with the nice axe-blade shaped dash; but the future belongs to the young. I haven't ordered this baby, just wondering if anyone had tried one and could see good solutions for the mount. Thanks all! I'll probably give it a try.

Anyone try to put these in the rear of a 1st gen? My son's too big for the child seat I had in there. I'm thinking that, because of the rather flimsy attachments holding down the seat back, mounting the "C" end on the floor as indicated won't work great. In the event of an accident, I'd imagine the whole seat back would pull out, limiting effectiveness. But otherwise, I'm unsure where to mount that end--unless over the muffler (but then I'd have to pull it, plus the angle would mean that the bolt could possibly tear through the sheet metal?). I've admired some of the 3-point shouter belts some of you have installed, but I'm not aiming for an engineering marvel. https://www.wescoperformance.com/am4point.html#

Very helpful to see that, thanks Brian--I don't think there were any shots of that on the site. for some reason I thought the piece would be upholstered, but I get it now. I think I'm going to go the upholstered route. I'll post a picture with whatever I rig up. thanks again. Nick

Thanks to Tom and Brian--Brian, if you have the details and can spare the time, it'd be great.

Anyone happen to have a photo of what the plate looks like on the bottom edge, how it attaches? I see the flanges on the top. I have the arm rest option retrofitted, but I don't have the plate. I'm happy to jerry-rig something (better than a hole...), I have the fabric. But I'm not sure what to aim for. Photo above doesn't explain how it actually attaches.

Update: can't believe it's been 5 months... Getting the Noico on, but also lubing the rear quarter windows, replacing the fuzzies. Ugh. Good thing I didn't know what a bear it would be. I'm still going to add a layer of the foam Noico (sound+heat; I think they call it "red", tho it's not) anywhere I don't think the extra thickness will matter. Then the carpet. I have the Clark's cut and sewn, looks really good. I tried the molded from ACC, but was disappointed by the cut especially--looked hacked at; also didn't have the vinyl edge at the top of the front pieces. Cost me a fortune to return, between shipping and restocking... Anyway, the Clark's looks straightforward, though on the rear piece they put the backing material where it may interfere (thickness) with the console (it's not there on the original); also; the backing is way too close to the edges that tuck under the door sill. So a little tailoring necessary, at least on the backing material. One question: there's a thread here somewhere where one of you mounted the seat brackets over/through the carpet (rear portion). Now, the Clark's does not come with the cut outs to go around the rear of the seat mount. So either I make the cuts to match the original, or I mount the bracket through the carpet. I can't really see what difference it would make in terms of function, tho I assume the mount base itself will be more visible if I don't do the cuts. Any advice?

perfect, seafoam, thanks so much.

Reactivating this old thread: since my old windlace was toast, I can't really tell how far up it went. It'd be great if someone cold post a photo--maybe especially just with the door closed, so I can see how the thing should fit at the top of the door. Many thanks.

I am concerned about too much thickness, esp. around the tunnel. Won't overdo it. BTW, the hole plug I found was actually black, and matches the hole that in my car is at the top of the tunnel roughly where the rear lighter is.

Thanks for all these pointers. Very helpful. I'm headed out to the garage now... nick

no, not the veneer, the vinyl assembly, it's stapled and nailed to the same strip that the windlace is stapled to. (left edge)

got it. wasn't expecting nails and staples. May never get the window up again... thanks!

OK, so, I had the bright idea of redoing the carpet while I had the seats out for upholstery. Idea being to put in sound + heat insulation. For the latter, I decided to go with the Noico products on amazon. Now, I don't want to go overboard. Just clean it up, I guess wire-wheel the surface rust, then some sort of primer, then the Noico. What should I do with the floorboard plugs, the ones covered over with that factory gunk? Just Noico over that? or scrape off the gunk? If scrape, does it need some new sealer? Finally, since I'm here, there's a dime-sized hole in the floor near the gas pedal. While I was pulling out the carpet I did find a plug (interior color: blue) that looks like it could go in there. But maybe not. what's the hole for? Many thanks--

Hello all, starting into some long deferred maintenance and will have to start up more than one thread. First up: I've just ordered the body manual, but while I'm waiting, can anyone explain how to get off the interior trim here? I'm trying to replace the windlace--and while I'm at it, the window fuzzies I've had around literally for 15 years. I saw a windlace thread, but I can't figure out how to get the trim panel off... I removed the rear screw, plus a screw in the door jam, but nothing's moving... Thanks!

Success! Whole thing was easier than expected. I ended up simply cutting a new gasket and sealing it. Added the ground wire. And I bent the float arm up about 5/8 inch, which was a total guess but I ended up nailing it: when full, the needle now reads F and when empty, it reads E. I was surprised that the tank itself was so clean inside. I guess I was expecting 55 years of crud, but no. The 5/16 strainer sock I ordered from Summit was too small--maybe there's a OD vs. ID problem. But I just drilled it out a bit and stuck it on. Fit well. Worse part of the whole operation is definitely emptying the tank; but bleeding it out by jacking up the back and unhooking the hose behind the front wheel was easy enough. Did get a lot of gas down my sleeve...

pulled the sending unit: my strainer sock wasn't as beat as Bill's, but getting a new one from summit. Interesting objects rolling around in tank, turned out: a spring, a rivet... Further question: the sending unit had a non-sealed cork gasket. Nice shape, totally reusable. But: to seal or not to seal? I noticed from stains on top of tank that it would appear gas got out. thanks, nick

oh, duh, right. Brain upside-down. For some reason I thought those ran in the channels for the holding straps...

Thanks Bill, Ed, Jframe. I guess I'll venture into the tank, then. Thanks Bill for reposting that picture of the ground wire set-up--I had seen it somewhere in the forum but then lost it. Those rubber insulators you added--not stock, right? What's the purpose? (Definitely need a ground with those, I guess). nick

Hello all, After determining that the no doubt original rubber hoses from the tank were leaking, I just dropped the tank, according to the procedures found on the Forum. Happily, straightforward operation, tho I still smell like gas. After doing this, I kind of realized that I didn't really need to take the tank out -- I could have just let the front end of it down, I think, and changed the hoses. Well, anyway. So it's out. Now, aside from taking on the Riviera Rattle problem (helpfully diagnosed on: http://forums.aaca.org/topic/211803-riviera-rattle-first-generation-cause-and-repair/?tab=comments#comment-1087545), should I do anything else now that it's out? my fuel gauge shows 1/4 when empty, and buries the needle when full: but do I really want to mess with that? Should I leave the nice yellow sender wire as is? And does all this moving around risk dislodging crap that will foul the filter? Any precautions on that front? Should I empty the bit of gas in there out? Many thanks in advance, Nick (ROA number ten thousand something)