1952-59 Ford Couple of Questions

Got a couple of questions. I just bled the brakes but they feel, the only way to describe them, squishy. Any ideas on what to do next.

Second, I am wanting to rewire my 53 from a 6 to 12 volt. How hard is it and am I biting off more than I can handle. I don't have a lot, well any, experience.

thanks

 

There are many things to consider when building and bleeding your brakes.

First... Are you using stock components? If so, standard bleeding proceedures apply. Make sure your master cylinder is bleed properly and you have no leaks. bleed your system with the drum the the longest distance away from the master cylinder and work your way around the car back to the closest. I use a pressure system on the master cylinder for easy one man bleeding. Many kits available. Sometimes letting the system sit over night will help pool up the smallest air bubbles and make it easier to bleed them out.

Second...If you are mixing various components like disc brakes, metering valve, dual master cylinder, rear drum brakes, power booster or manual for correct pedal ratio. These components must be matched to each other for optimal preformance. I use MP Brakes for my component design. They match every component to be used and offer excellent advice. They are all I use and I have never had braking problems. If your system is matched bleed brakes as described above.

The soft pedal you're feeling is air in the system that has to come out. If you are not feeling comfortable get professional help and get them done right! Your car is too important and costly to ignore good brakes. Spend some money here and make sure they are correct. It's peace of mind and well worth it.

Wiring??? I used a Ron Francis wiring kit that took only 4 hours to wire the entire car! It took longer to get rid of the old stuff!!! I've used their kits in all the cars that I have built... well worth the cost and so easy to use. Look them up on line.

Good luck and I hope that I have helped here.

 

I think Geno's right, you've still got air in the system. Brake bleeding is a two-man job: one guy pumps the brake pedal until it gets hard - and holds it - while the second guy opens the bleeder valve, then closes it again quickly, before the brake pedal sinks all the way to the floor.

If you wait too long to close the valve it'll **** air back in as the pedal returns to the "brake off" position. Tell your buddy to keep pressure on the brake pedal and hold it down until you tell him to let it back up. Sounds complicated, but you'll get the hang of it pretty quickly.

"Pump, pump, pump, pump...hold it...open quick, and close. Pump, pump, pump, pump...hold it...open quick, and close."

I start with the bleeder valve closest to the master cylinder, with the goal of replacing most if not all of the fluid in the system as it "chases" the air down the lines and out the bleeder. When the master runs low on fluid, fill it up and keep on going. You'll need a couple of quarts of brake fluid to get the job done.

Brake fluid tends to absorb water from the atmosphere and can rust the brake system if not freshened up, especially on an old car that has sat for a while. The new fluid will also help keep the rubber parts soft and fresh.

Once you've got all the air out of the closest bleeder, move on to the next closest and so on. You'll probably get some pretty smelly and discolored fluid coming out of the bleeders at first. Be sure you get fresh fluid coming out before you stop. Once you're done you'll know the system is full of nice, fresh fluid...and all the air is gone.

If you still have a soft pedal after bleeding the system, chances are you've got a bad master cylinder. You'll have to replace it or rebuild it. The '50s Ford master cylinder is very simple and easily rebuilt by a beginner...with experienced oversight! You don't want to screw this part up.

When you do get a nice high, hard pedal, get your buddy to hold pressure on the brakes while you inspect every inch of the brake lines and hoses for signs of leaks, heavy rust or rotted rubber hoses. Replace anything and everything that looks doubtful.

And keep inspecting them on a regular basis, especially if you didn't rebuild them with new hoses, master and wheel cylinders.

But always remember Geno's main point: If in doubt, get professional help. It's a lot cheaper...and safer...in the long run!

Good luck!

Eric

 

Always start with the bleeder furthest away from the master cylinder - right rear.

 

As far as the wiring goes it will take some time but with patience its not that bad,Ron Francis does make a good kit but it is pricey and mostly GM friendly, lots of folks here on the HAMB rave about the wiring harnesses from Rebel Wire all USA made and very good prices for your Ford I would use the 9+3 kit.When you contact them let them know you are a HAMB member,guys say if you have a problem they are very phone friendly to work with.Contact at: www.rebel-wire.com our old Fords used cloth insulation on the wiring and if it's like mine was you touch it and it falls off.I would recommend pulling out the dash to rewire it,first because it makes getting at everything easier and also it's likely that you will find rust issues around the heater area and lower part of the windshield and repainting will be easier to dne other thing that is kind of neat is that you can get a great look by replacing the old dash lights with colored LED's for a custom look,since you will be changing them to 12 volt anyway.

 

Hey Guys, I want to take Felty's wiring a step farther, but in a slightly different direction. For his benefit and my own...

If the wiring in the car is junk, it's a no brainer...put a kit in it.

But what if the 6 volt wiring in the car still looks pretty much like brand new? Instead of tearing it all out and putting in an entirely new wiring kit, is using the voltage drop resistors for the guages/radio(?)/ and replacing all bulbs a comparitive way to go? And in that instance which drop resistors are best? What other things need to be switched out to 12 volt pieces? Ignition module for one I know? ...what if planning to ditch the points system in the distributor? What's the best electronic ignition option for the '53?

I'm current;y in search of a specific list myself so I don't overlook something and fry it, once I get to that point here.

Felty, are you going to be running an alternator or a generator?

 

Though I've never read it, I've seen a 20-page book on changing 6-volt to 12-volt in the Speedway catalog. Claims to have all the answers. I think I will invest in a copy next time I order from Speedway...which probably won't be long at the rate I'm going. Not that I will ever actually change a system over, but I'd like to know a lot more about it than I do now.

Keep in mind that it's almost impossible to get a dead short in a 6-volt positive ground system that will produce sparks. The wiring can be absolute junk and still operate properly and be relatively safe.

Not so with a 12-volt negative ground system. Any short in a 12-volt negative ground system will produce a shower of sparks, and instant fire in the highly flamable 50-year-old fiber insulation under under the dash of your precious Ford. Your dash and upholstery can be a m*** of flame before you can get your car stopped, open your trunk and get your fire extinguisher into action. Trust me on this.

So, in my humble opinion, either keep your 6-volt positive ground system or rewire the car completely with a well-designed and quality manufactured kit, changing it to 12-volt negtive ground at the same time.

It's just not worth the risk.

Good luck!

Eric

 

Thanks for the responses. I think I'll bleed them again. I'm wanting to replace the generator for an alternator.

 

Here's a place that has all kinds of 6-volt positive ground alternators: one, two and three-wire depending upon how you want to set yours up.

www.AlternatorParts.com

I've not done business with them, but their website leads me to believe they'd have just what you need. Their prices are pretty darn good, too.

Give 'em a call and see what's up.

Good luck!

 

Saw this message from a flathead group. It's about the book in the speedway catalog.

"I a book on the subject. ""The official 12-volt conversion Guide""
Don't know who said it was the official guide on this subject, BUT"
They were wrong. It says it is a step by step guide to everything you need to know. Ah, wrong. Probably one of the worst I have ever read. 28 pages of nothing. I guess I have been ripped again.Don't know who Randy Rundle is, and don't care. But he is good at ripping people off.,"

Not sure about it now, I was thinking of getting it, but may just wait and see what the wiring kit says.

 

By his tone, I'd say the guy has a chip on his shoulder. I still plan on buying a copy. If it's really as bad as this guy says it is, I'm sure Speedway will take it back. Once I've read it I'll let you know what I think. Hopefully the guy is wrong. We'll see...