Projects Building My First Roadster in San Francisco

Yeah, having good memories circle back around is one of the joys of our existance and they aren't something you can purchace in a store or order out of a catalog.

 

Nice garage shots. The Country Club Malt Liquor sign !!!! Now that brings back some memories of my misspent youth.

 

I LOVE this pic Joey!!!!!!! Can somebody edit(photo****) those ****bo**ers outta that great pic!!!!!!!!

 

I think it’s better with the late model stuff in the background. The juxtaposition of Joey under a 50’s hot rod wrenching on the sidewalk with everyone else in late model **** boxes parked curb side, his buddy’s bikes snuck in with the mix, paints the full picture.

That ****s rock and roll. It’s real.

In other roadster related news I saw another person having trouble with leaking wheel cylinders. And ***us in Minnesota had some words of advice I thought would be worth adding to this thread/ the hamb.

Jeff/***us in response to a posters new cylinders leaking:

ive had alot of issues with repro front wheel cylinders, i found that some have a taller piston than stock so the cup gets pushed past or up to the teed hole

me: been seeing this more and more lately

Jeff:
been 10 years or more ive been dealing with it, i machine a little off the tip of the piston where it touches the shoe, i do it prior to installing any of them

me: any brands better than another or are they all hit and miss?

Jeff:
they are all the same, different boxes same plastic wrapping between 99% of the brands, bought 4-5 different brands about 7 years ago and all were same packaging different boxes

maybe someone can measure a stock piston so we all have a point of reference?

 

Joey! What a good time so me to be adding: finding this info on the wheel cylinders!

- also that ****s about the tips, rules about the oil can that holder kicks ***, I missed one a few years ago but it didn’t have a holder! I bet those caps really sparkle in the sun, maybe polish the wing nuts?

ok new- additional info! right between these tangs is where you need to give it some attention. That slot needs to be 1/16 to 1/8 deeper!

the shallow slot is pushing the piston to deep and causing it to leak. You could also could fix it by fiddling with the brake shoes where they attach to the wheel cylinder but then next you or someone else changes shoes you’d better remember or you put the new shoes on and get leaking cylinders.

Jeff says he puts them in his mill but at 1/16 to 1/8 that’s easy work with a hand file.

we need to get a stock piston to measure and add to this thread so we can all have the info

 

The lighter colored unit with the pointed tangs is correct the darker one is aftermarket and need machined. thats how far off this one was. Working on more info. Stay tuned while Joey enjoys his buss ride

 

Ok looks like what we need to measure on a stock piston is the bottom of the piston to the bottom of the slot. and then make your new pistons slot the same.
The tangs and the top of the piston/cup are not uniform so it needs measured from the bottom as shown.

 

@Tim I got it from the first pics, but the latest ones show it better!!!
It's the distance from the piston to cup face (on the table surface) to the shoe slot.

Joey, since you mentioned square headed bolts, This came to mind.
Weld a bump on the flange behind each hole, so it prevents the bolt from turning while still allowing a wrench to hold it. Provided the threads are clean, this would allow quicker install and removal. One of those little details a hot rodder would do.

 

Jeff/***us said he doesn’t really measure them anymore he just right away pulls them apart and takes a 1/16 off on the bridge port to make the slot deeper before he even puts them on the car. But my brain is my brain so I’ll see if any of the ones I have are lose enough to get apart. Probably have a hamber have a lose one to measure before I get there haha.

 

The green painters tape on the floor of the garage reminds me of the tape Les Nesman put on the floor to designate the walls of his office!

 

Hi! Project is coming right along!
What’s your source for these rabbit ear wing nuts? Are they 3/8”?
Need them for 4 banger OHV conversion rocker cover.
Thanks!

 

@hotrodA He mentioned them a while back in this thread. They are like most of the special fasteners that adorn the build, old and found by digging, IIRC.

EDIT: Found them!
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...-san-francisco.1204990/page-156#post-15605297

 

I seem to recall the wing nuts were 10mm, but hold onto 3/8 NC well enough.

 

I’ve found the wing nuts in doorman drawers before but they aren’t everywhere.

conveniently I can’t walk past a wall of those bins and not look in every single one of them lol

 

Thanks, guys!

 

Fuel tool for fuel pickups, on the pickup. It’s aaaaaalllll coming together lol

 

Those darn brakes!

 

Go Joey Gooooooooooo...

I'd start it...jus' sayin.

 

Because you know if you have a car that runs but doesn’t have brakes even in San Francisco your going for a drive lol

 

A friend of mine & I have both got Banger powered A's, he has meticulously gone through everything & finished each part then fettled it till it is right,

I on the other hand have followed the path of least resistance & the rough enough is good enough approach.

Conclusion - Dwight enjoys each outing, parks the car & doesn't need to think of it.
Me, well nearly every drive I need to create a mental list of the things that need fixing, without even getting to making it look good,
Well done @J.Ukrop for your methodical approach it will bring much enjoyment to your driving experience. I am so excited for you