38Buick 80C Posted September 3, 2023 Author Share Posted September 3, 2023 So using the new, EXPENSIVE, flaring tool today. First discovered no 5/16" line clamp, fine one can be purchased. Fuel line will wait. Moved in to 1/4" brake line Same results as normal old school flaring tool. Stainless steels lines slip in the clamp, gets pushed out of the way instead of flaring. So much for that...waste of money. One of the few times you will here negativity out of me, but I absolutely hate flaring stainless. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Model56s Posted September 3, 2023 Share Posted September 3, 2023 Hi Brian, I had the pleasure of meeting you and your father on separate occasions at the National meet in Lisle last year and regret finding this post only last week. I would have enjoyed a conversation as I was in the middle of a body-off-frame restoration of my own at the time (since finished). Is there a reason you aren’t using NiCop tubing? 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38Buick 80C Posted September 3, 2023 Author Share Posted September 3, 2023 31 minutes ago, Model56s said: Hi Brian, I had the pleasure of meeting you and your father on separate occasions at the National meet in Lisle last year and regret finding this post only last week. I would have enjoyed a conversation as I was in the middle of a body-off-frame restoration of my own at the time (since finished). Is there a reason you aren’t using NiCop tubing? First I'm hearing of NiCop tubing. I've just always used stainless steel for new lines during a restoration. I'll have an update shortly with some success. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Model56s Posted September 3, 2023 Share Posted September 3, 2023 NiCop is an alloy of nickel & copper and can be bent by hand, with no kinking if careful. The tubing took double flares nicely in my cheap handheld flaring tools. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38Buick 80C Posted September 3, 2023 Author Share Posted September 3, 2023 (edited) Ok so gave up on the expensive tool. No it can't be returned it's been too long. Any way a handful of the lines I bought for 1940 Buicks need to be modified. Either they are for 90 series Limiteds instead of 80 series Limiteds (which would be the same as my 80 series Roadmaster. Or there was simply something that changed 2 years on. Anyway some bending cutting and reflaring are necessary in order to make them work. I.e. they are almost correct so they can be reused, but need slight adjustments. Namely they are: 1. the fuel line from the pump to the carb 2. The brake line between the brass divider block and the rear brake hose to he torque tube. 3. The brake line from that runs front to back on the torque tube to rear axle First I cut back the lines where necessary Then deburred them by hand with this countersinking tool Then I was reading on line about line slipping in clamps and it suggested heating them up. So I heated the snot out of them to cherry red... This did the trick with the old school flaring tool (didn't work with the power tool) for a single flare. For brake lines with single flare I use a brass insert that crushes in place for a good seal. Forgot who told me to do that but pretty sure it was someone on this forum. Brake line installed... And away we go with progress. Edited September 3, 2023 by 38Buick 80C (see edit history) 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38Buick 80C Posted September 3, 2023 Author Share Posted September 3, 2023 On to the fuel line First need the clips off the old line Then a bend and flare. Not thrilled with the bend made on my tube bender but should be fine functionally and well hidden. Then I cleaned up the vacuum line between the vacuum advance on the distributor and the carb base. I wire brushed it and used a gold card paint to get it a bit more copper in color. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38Buick 80C Posted September 3, 2023 Author Share Posted September 3, 2023 A few other minor items. The supply side line of the fuel pump is installed so I put the rear passenger splash pan on. Still need to do the vacuum lines on the pump so holding on the final splash pan just yet And installed the brass fitting for the line from the intake to the bottom of the fuel pump And then redid the brake line on the torque tube. Made note of size and lengths of stainless tube I will need to do the brake lines on the axle to each wheel along with the vacuum lines to and from the fuel pump. I will order those from In-line Tube shortlyand bend them myself. I did find I had the wheel cylinders on the wrong rear wheels so... 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38Buick 80C Posted September 3, 2023 Author Share Posted September 3, 2023 Pulled the car out of the garage for room and swapped those, no photos. But it gave me incentive to do one last thing for the day. My old NASCAR mechanic days come in handy and I had this tool for decals. Got a few bubbles that will come out And a beauty shot to finish 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38Buick 80C Posted September 3, 2023 Author Share Posted September 3, 2023 Oops forgot these from first of the morning. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Model56s Posted September 3, 2023 Share Posted September 3, 2023 beautiful 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmTee Posted September 3, 2023 Share Posted September 3, 2023 Looking good, Brian! I looked but didn't see the breaker plate ground wire on your distributor. You can see mine is on the vacuum advance screw with the other end attached at the cap retainer. I wasn't sure whether under the vacuum advance screw was correct, but that's where it was and I don't see any other option... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38Buick 80C Posted September 4, 2023 Author Share Posted September 4, 2023 20 hours ago, 38Buick 80C said: Brake /Clutch related... But don't recall where the clips go... Clutch related I believe. And if memory serves me spring attaches to the body. But no I haven't looked through my photos or the parts book yet. I figured out where the clips go Thing is I'm about dead certain I don't have those clips installed on my 80C either... and I already had one throw out bearing fail on that car and I have some pop out of gear issues with the car too... Might be looking for some more of those clips in my supply and making a run to the storage place to drop the pan and install them 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmTee Posted September 4, 2023 Share Posted September 4, 2023 Is that spring for the clutch linkage? Connected to that "C" shaped link formed from square stock? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38Buick 80C Posted September 4, 2023 Author Share Posted September 4, 2023 48 minutes ago, EmTee said: Is that spring for the clutch linkage? Connected to that "C" shaped link formed from square stock? no the clutch spring is on the car, connected to the C shape piece as you note. The spring in the photo is the brake spring. It connects to a about a 4 inch long wire hook looking thing with an eyelet on the end.. so not the body. I have seen the eyelet wire recently so now i just have to find it so I can connect it to the chassis and install the spring... that and the u-shaped piece that is u-shaped again and goes around the wire to the rear brakes have gone missing. I have them... just have to recall where exactly in the vast depths of my parts department I stored them. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38Buick 80C Posted September 4, 2023 Author Share Posted September 4, 2023 14 hours ago, EmTee said: Looking good, Brian! I looked but didn't see the breaker plate ground wire on your distributor. You can see mine is on the vacuum advance screw with the other end attached at the cap retainer. I wasn't sure whether under the vacuum advance screw was correct, but that's where it was and I don't see any other option... I will have to check. This is an NOS distributor I used. If it is not there I am sure I have one either in the parts inventory or off the distributor that was on the car... or both! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38Buick 80C Posted September 4, 2023 Author Share Posted September 4, 2023 Lite progress today. Clips installed Rubber boots on the positive battery cable Eyelet wire and installed Brake adjustment covers and installed Speedo cable and clipped Parking brake cable sheath rubber grommet and install And then the cable And clipped I still can't place my hands in the parking brake u shaped piece to finish that job. 😡 Finally put the brake pedal pads on too. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38Buick 80C Posted September 4, 2023 Author Share Posted September 4, 2023 Ordered the remaining tube needed today. Gonna place an order with Bob's for some Hershey pick up items. Got to call Tachney for a couple pieces too. Need the gas tank back and need to cut in the electric fuel pump and filter. Finally the air cleaner needs some dents removed and then I needs to be painted. With above I'm about out of chassis scope to work on. 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmTee Posted September 4, 2023 Share Posted September 4, 2023 (edited) Do you have a leather 'bellows' (i.e., sheath) that goes over the brake cable ahead of the U-shaped piece? The one on my Century basically fell apart the first time I attempted to adjust the parking brakes. I am wondering if anyone stocks a replacement, or I guess I will go the shoe repair guy to have one made... Edited September 4, 2023 by EmTee (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38Buick 80C Posted September 4, 2023 Author Share Posted September 4, 2023 I have the spring that goes in it. no leather left. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmTee Posted September 4, 2023 Share Posted September 4, 2023 I'll post a picture of what's left of mine... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
195354 Posted September 6, 2023 Share Posted September 6, 2023 Brian Great build it is moving along. In my town one hose house builds flared lines and rubber brake lines. They also fab fuel injection lines for a few applications. Not every hose house can build rubber brake lines special training and fittings. One of the gents will come out to the shop or house and fab the needed brake lines as a side hustle. He has all the needed tools. I have been told it is worth it. I just found this out last week when I was grabbing a few hoses. He has done this for more than a few rigs in our area. In the future might be worth asking your hose supplier if they do this. I will either take a sample in and have them build the line or if needed have him come out to my project, I hate flaring lines. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38Buick 80C Posted September 17, 2023 Author Share Posted September 17, 2023 A small amount of progress that took a good bit of the day to work through. Received 6' lengths of stainless tube from inline tube. First up was the vacuum line from the fuel pump to the intake. And installed Then brake lines at the rear axle Also got all the spark plugs wires from Bob's and put them on. And with the vacuum lines on the fuel pump I installed the remainder of the splash pans (and got the missing L-shaped bracket from Tachney). 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JanZverina Posted September 19, 2023 Share Posted September 19, 2023 Wow, Brian - great progress and beautiful work and attention to detail. So much so that it might be a shame to put a body over it! (only kidding... partly). Although my Buick is a '63 Riv it's always interesting to see how things were done 25 years or so earlier, and there seems to be lots of things that didn't change too much as far as basic principles and assembly processes as well as smaller fittings, etc. Keep up the good work! -Jan 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmTee Posted September 20, 2023 Share Posted September 20, 2023 Brian, do you have the rubber boot for your starter solenoid? Bob's has them. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38Buick 80C Posted September 20, 2023 Author Share Posted September 20, 2023 1 hour ago, EmTee said: Brian, do you have the rubber boot for your starter solenoid? Bob's has them. I do. I noticed it the other day that I need to install it. Thank you for pointing it out had I missed it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Gelinas (XP-300) Posted September 22, 2023 Share Posted September 22, 2023 Now that LaBaron Bonney is gone who would you use for upholstery for a 38 Buick? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38Buick 80C Posted September 22, 2023 Author Share Posted September 22, 2023 4 hours ago, Dave Gelinas (XP-300) said: Now that LaBaron Bonney is gone who would you use for upholstery for a 38 Buick? I bought fabric only from SMS. Arrives today per UPS. Like my 80C everything will have to be made from scratch, not kits were available for the Roadmaster from LB/HC previously so kind sleeves off the vest... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Gelinas (XP-300) Posted September 22, 2023 Share Posted September 22, 2023 2 hours ago, 38Buick 80C said: I bought fabric only from SMS. Arrives today per UPS. Like my 80C everything will have to be made from scratch, not kits were available for the Roadmaster from LB/HC previously so kind sleeves off the vest... I will keep any eye on your interior progress. Thank you for the info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38Buick 80C Posted September 22, 2023 Author Share Posted September 22, 2023 4 hours ago, 38Buick 80C said: I bought fabric only from SMS. Arrives today per UPS. Like my 80C everything will have to be made from scratch, not kits were available for the Roadmaster from LB/HC previously so kind sleeves off the vest... Meh well was just carpet and it was wrong... So they are sending me my correct order.... Rest of the fabric arrives Tuesdays 2 hours ago, Dave Gelinas (XP-300) said: I will keep any eye on your interior progress. Thank you for the info. Might be waiting a while on that as the body has a ways to go. Might be able to get him going on door panels and seats using dad's car as templates to copy. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmTee Posted September 23, 2023 Share Posted September 23, 2023 20 hours ago, 38Buick 80C said: I bought fabric only from SMS. How long has the wait been so far? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38Buick 80C Posted September 23, 2023 Author Share Posted September 23, 2023 1 hour ago, EmTee said: How long has the wait been so far? All things considered not bad at all. Order placed 8/4/23 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smartin Posted September 23, 2023 Share Posted September 23, 2023 It's quick if they have the stuff in stock...but if it has to be made, look out for 1-2 year wait time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil morse Posted September 23, 2023 Share Posted September 23, 2023 Speaking of SMS, I don't want to hijack Brian's thread but I wanted to briefly mention a possible problem that people should be aware of. Brian and others of you are undoubtedly experienced enough so you would see this coming, but I got completely blindsided by it and really got burned. The issue is what is considered a "yard" of fabric. When I decided to do the front seat only of my '41, I got an estimate from a shop that said that they needed 2.5 yards of fabric. I ordered 3 yards from SMS, and it took nine months for them to make it up but I was very pleased with the match. Well, last week the time finally came for my date with the upholstery shop to have the job done. I dropped off the seat cushions and the bolt of fabric only to get a phone call later in the day from the guy at the shop saying, "I can't do this job with the fabric you gave me -- there's not enough." He acknowledged that he had told me he needed 2.5 yards, and that I had given him 3 "yards." But here's the kicker -- it all depends on the width of the bolt of fabric. His estimate was based on a width of 60" (which is wide enough so one piece extends the full width of the seat). The fabric that SMS supplied had a width of only 50". He said that 60" is standard and that's what he expected to get. Being new at this, I just assumed that a "yard" of fabric was a standard measure in the industry, and neither SMS or the guy at the shop had said anything about width. So now I'm back to square one as far as getting fabric for the job. SMS has no more of the fabric that they made up for me, and the stuff they supplied is clearly not enough. And I can't even just put the cushions back in the car while I sort this out because the guy at the shop had already pulled the fabric off them before he discovered the problem. I would be very curious to hear from people about what happened here. Do I have a legitimate complaint against SMS? (I paid them about $500 for the fabric and shipping.) Should they have told me that what they were supplying was only 50" in width? Or should the guy at the shop have alerted me to this potential problem? Again I don't want to hijack Brian's thread with some kind of prolonged discussion of this, but any advice I could get on this would be most appreciated. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloo Posted September 24, 2023 Share Posted September 24, 2023 (edited) 1 hour ago, neil morse said: Do I have a legitimate complaint against SMS? No. I don't believe so. If anything I would be a little perturbed at the trim guy for assuming 60" when he made the estimate. Where did that come from? I guess I can see how mistakes could be made if the guy doing the job and the supplier were not talking to each other. Having worked in an auto trim shop when I was a teenager, I can tell you that you HAVE to specify width. Linear yards are a standard for length. The only "standard" for width I am aware of is 54". While 60" material is a thing and not that terribly uncommon, and while those 60" fabrics are usually intended for something involving a car or a boat, if no one specified I would expect 54". I have also seen 40". That was probably mohair. Edited September 24, 2023 by Bloo (see edit history) 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil morse Posted September 24, 2023 Share Posted September 24, 2023 2 hours ago, Bloo said: Having worked in an auto trim shop when I was a teenager, I can tell you that you HAVE to specify width. Thanks for this, Bloo. I'm not happy with your answer, but I certainly respect it. Lesson learned, although too late to be of much help for me now! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38Buick 80C Posted September 24, 2023 Author Share Posted September 24, 2023 19 hours ago, Smartin said: It's quick if they have the stuff in stock...but if it has to be made, look out for 1-2 year wait time. this was just yards of fabric... up next seat covers and door panels for the '58 Limited, but I am not ordering those until fabric is in hand. Just couldn't have that much $ sitting with a company that has the reputation noted above. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38Buick 80C Posted September 24, 2023 Author Share Posted September 24, 2023 13 hours ago, neil morse said: Speaking of SMS, I don't want to hijack Brian's thread but I wanted to briefly mention a possible problem that people should be aware of. Brian and others of you are undoubtedly experienced enough so you would see this coming, but I got completely blindsided by it and really got burned. The issue is what is considered a "yard" of fabric. When I decided to do the front seat only of my '41, I got an estimate from a shop that said that they needed 2.5 yards of fabric. I ordered 3 yards from SMS, and it took nine months for them to make it up but I was very pleased with the match. Well, last week the time finally came for my date with the upholstery shop to have the job done. I dropped off the seat cushions and the bolt of fabric only to get a phone call later in the day from the guy at the shop saying, "I can't do this job with the fabric you gave me -- there's not enough." He acknowledged that he had told me he needed 2.5 yards, and that I had given him 3 "yards." But here's the kicker -- it all depends on the width of the bolt of fabric. His estimate was based on a width of 60" (which is wide enough so one piece extends the full width of the seat). The fabric that SMS supplied had a width of only 50". He said that 60" is standard and that's what he expected to get. Being new at this, I just assumed that a "yard" of fabric was a standard measure in the industry, and neither SMS or the guy at the shop had said anything about width. So now I'm back to square one as far as getting fabric for the job. SMS has no more of the fabric that they made up for me, and the stuff they supplied is clearly not enough. And I can't even just put the cushions back in the car while I sort this out because the guy at the shop had already pulled the fabric off them before he discovered the problem. I would be very curious to hear from people about what happened here. Do I have a legitimate complaint against SMS? (I paid them about $500 for the fabric and shipping.) Should they have told me that what they were supplying was only 50" in width? Or should the guy at the shop have alerted me to this potential problem? Again I don't want to hijack Brian's thread with some kind of prolonged discussion of this, but any advice I could get on this would be most appreciated. Thanks! My upholstery shop did note width needed. SMS did not. I bumped my yards significantly. I don't mind extra. 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38Buick 80C Posted September 25, 2023 Author Share Posted September 25, 2023 Fabric... 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38Buick 80C Posted September 25, 2023 Author Share Posted September 25, 2023 Also arriving today a freshly restored radio!! 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmTee Posted September 25, 2023 Share Posted September 25, 2023 Where did you send your radio? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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