Thanks...yeah, definitely..... I used the one that came with the accelerator pedal just to do the go-kart around the block but it was just that a trial thing...definitely adding a second spring
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Got the push rod on the hydraulic slave cylinder adjusted last night, goes into gear a whole lot better now. :o
Been working with FFR on my front caliper, they are seeping brake fluid (not really dripping). I've tried the aluminum crush washers that came with the kit, switched to thicker copper washer, nothing worked. I think this is one of the cause of my brakes not being 100% right, the the other is I haven't played with the proportioning bar yet so that may help too..
I took some photos of the mating surfaces where the banjo fittings go and sent them to FFR. I'm guessing these are not new calipers we get probably re-man. The mating surfaces are pitted & corroded and the threads looks really chewed up.
When I got my kit I could screw the banjo bolts into the rear calipers with fingers only, no issue, on the fronts I couldn't, the bolts would screw in so I knew they were cross threading but I needed a wrench every 3/4 of a turn of the bolt to keep going, felt gritty in a sense, I know why now. Hoping FFR can get me new calipers.
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Front brake job (replacing the stock seeping calipers) is done, about ready to take it out around the block. Actually decided to upgrade brakes to drilled and slotted rotors, powder coated calipers and carbon ceramic brake pads...the whole kit came from PowerStop. Upgraded the stainless steel flex brake line too.
Also flipped the front coil over shocks upside down so I am able to easily adjust the coil now for proper ride height. When they were in the other way there was no way to get the adjustment tool in the space it was.
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Stops so much better now...I'm much happier with the brakes.
Also had my son take a small video (although he didn't take a very long one) of it physically being go-karted around the block so I have video evidence of it on the road. :o Sorry about the audio, it's 30-40 mph wind gust today in SoDak.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/FdVrKwH1rihTKZjG9
Brought the body home last night...now I'll start prepping everything on the chassis (removing the temporary stuff I installed for go-karting, adding the door hinge brackets & misc aluminum panels, etc) as well as prep the body (cut out the cowl access holes, holes for door hinges, tail light holes, etc.) to be able to get the body installed on the chassis.
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Did some prep work in order to get the body set on the chassis this weekend. Installed the door hinge brackets on the frame, cut the access holes in the cowl of the body and marked up the cut out for the door hinges as well as the fastener mounting line for the body on the door sill
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I was watching StreetRodJim's videos and noticed that making the roll bar holes in the waterfall is a bit of a PITA.
When you get to that task let me know, I have an idea that needs a guinea pig, LOL.
I was thinking that if you could find a short length of tubing that slips over the receiver you could angle cut the end of it to roughly match the back side surface of the waterfall. Then slide the tubing up against the waterfall with a blob of modelling clay in place to mark it for a pilot hole. Then use tape or a clamp to firmly butt the tubing up against the waterfall. Then go at it from the top side with a roto-zip bit in a Dremel, etc. to open up the hole.
We are basically in sync....I was actually thinking about two methods:
1st Method) - Using a short piece of PVC piping to fit the hole with the general angle of the waterfall but then load the end of the tubing with chalk which would press against the waterfall as it comes down to mark the location on the inside of the waterfall.
2nd Method) Center a punch in the receiver some how, also using chalk on the end to mark the center of the hole on the inside of the waterfall as it comes down....the bad thing about this method is it would only mark the center, not the oval shape of the hole but I could drill that hole, put the waterfall on and then take a zip saw to cut out the inside dia. of the receiver and trim from there.
I use Play-doh all the time to make an imprint marks where one part contacts another.
It's one of my favourite and least expensive tricks.
The idea of using metal tubing for the slip on piece was that you could use it as a guide for the roto-zip. Just like what they do for an outlet boxes behind drywall.
2x4 across the back with holes at the correct spacing for the roll bar to go through it. Place rollbar through 2x4 and onto the mount (without waterfall in place). Tack 2x4 to body, remove roll bar, place waterfall, insert rollbar and you now have the ends of the rollbar to mark the outside of the waterfall....
What is the part number for the Power Stop brake kit? I need to upgrade my 33 brakes.
Thanks,
Bob
Cleaned the whole body with wax / grease remover, then smoothed out the glue lines, cut the door hinge holes out, trimmed the trunk lip per instructions, unhooked all the temporary wiring, and set the body on the chassis...all went pretty well.
It's just set on there for now, I have not fastened it down yet. but its starting to look like a car now.
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Body is mounted to the chassis now. I guess it's time to start on the doors and other panels and share in the pain I'm reading the majority of the folks are having or have had with the panels.
Agree... I guess the good news is after doing several restoration of classics I've come to learn to expect the unexpected. I can't tell you how many times I've welded / cut / rewelded / recut, etc. doors, fenders, quarter panels, hoods, & trunk lids to achieve a decent fit....the biggest difference here is fiberglass which I worked on a 75 vette many moons ago so I have a "little" bit of experience but not much compared to metal.
Like you said, it's all part of the experience and I learned long ago that you need to look to the end goal verses the pain/frustration of the moment. All good. I also like a good challenge.
I think you need to have a strong "Life's a journey not a destination." kind of ethos to take on one of these kits.
Otherwise one can buy already built without having to put in all of the time, effort, and cost.
Doors installed, turned out great....found a bunch of issues at the start but corrected them all.
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Issues found:
1) Door template for the hinge hole is 1/4" too narrow between hinge holes which is causing the door to sit lower than the body and throws off the belt line.
2) The full length door bar that bolts to the striker is bent at a 90 degree angle yet the door edge the striker sits up against is over 90 degree, by not catching this originally I was putting undo strain on the fiberglass causing twisting.
3) The angle of the full length door bar does not match the angle of the side of the door that the striker butts up again, which prevents the other end of that bar holes from lining up with the hinge bracket holes. If you force the holes to line up you can physically see the fiberglass shell twist which I believe is causing a lot of people the dreaded twist issue.
As pictures show above, once I figured this stuff out and corrected the bracket bends and corrected the hinge holes in the door shell, everything lined up really nice. My first attempt on the drivers door before figuring this out was like everyone else...door was too low, it had a nasty twist in it, and just wouldn't line up no matter what.
From start to finish ~7 hours with both doors installed and things lining up nicely. Very pleased.
WOW! Really nice job. I finally got both my doors mounted and latching OK. but they still are not as nice as yours and I put way more than 7 hours into it. Any more details on the bracket bends you adjusted appreciated. I'm working on the power windows now.
Too bad you didn't have a chance to take before and after (bending) pictures of the door bar.
Looking good!
Actually did, just couldn't get them pulled / posted last night for some reason
Before:
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After:
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Holes are also a touch too small, opened those up
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Once mounted by the striker due to the face angle they bent by the striker being off the holes at the hinge bracket don't line up. When I forced it to line up and bolted it down I could physically see the door twist
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expanded the holes so I didn't need to move the bar, bolted it down, mounted the door and whamoo, everything lined up
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Nice photo tutorial!
This is definitely going in my back pocket for when the time comes.
Ha, yes!! Nicely documented. I didn’t manage to get out yesterday but you’re right on all counts. The (at least gen2) ‘glass parts seem to fit great but the metalwork isn’t quite right. I see the exact same slotting and angle issues. But the shells line up perfectly - trunk too - out of the box.
I’m hoping to get back out today to follow along.
Fit the steel to the door, not the door to the steel. Makes so much sense. Fun to learn all the tricks from experience.
Can you tell me what the part number is for your upgraded Powerstop Extreme front disc brakes.
Thanks,
Bob
Congrats, good to see someone making sense of this. Gen 2 might be a bit better after all...
Steve
For the life of me, I don't understand why FFR doesn't have a tech support page where they post stuff like this. Imagine the number of calls it would eliminate not to mention lessening the frustration for the builder. Of course, the ultimate (other than not making mistakes to begin with) would be for them to proactively push information out by email to builders based on serial number which of course is in a database with the revision level of the various components in their kit so they know who to contact for each issue/correction...
Steve
Trunk lid installed...no huge issue there, just a lot of on and off for trimming the gaps and adjusting the hinges but I'm used to that on the other cars I work on.
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Thanks,
Did the upgrade improveve stopping power?
Bob
Night & Day difference, but keep in mind, I have only tested the brakes in go-cart mode so we are not talking 60+ mph to a dead stop but I'm confident the upgraded brakes will do that because even from 30-35 mph down to a dead stop the original brakes took much longer to stop than the upgraded brakes. I'm guess once I do an official pad break-in the new brakes are going to be better yet.
Are these the pads that came with your KC130126 brake kit?
https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo...jsn=__GIP__4__
Yes, the Z26 Extremes came with my kit
2nding the nice Nice photo tutorial comment, thanks for sharing!
Can you take a picture of the way your pivot arms are mounted on the door frame. Just curious to see how it all comes together.