Shawn’s ‘72 Driver

View and post your 510 project(s)
User avatar
Byron510
Moderator
Posts: 12658
Joined: 01 Jul 2003 23:06
Location: Maple Ridge, BC

Re: Shawn’s ‘72 Driver

Post by Byron510 »

I haven't driven the car save for a trip around the block for a brake test. Shawn phoned me back twice this week to thank me for the work. He thinks it sounds great. I was personally hoping it would be a bit quieter. Not that it’s loud, but it’s certainly louder than a newer car.
For comparison, I can't wait to fire up the Memorial car with its actual OEM exhaust with resonator in place. I wonder how quiet it will be?

Byron
Love people and use things,
because the opposite never works.
User avatar
Byron510
Moderator
Posts: 12658
Joined: 01 Jul 2003 23:06
Location: Maple Ridge, BC

Re: Shawn’s ‘72 Driver

Post by Byron510 »

It's been a while since I posted about my brothers car - so it's about time...

But the update isn't huge.

I went by to visit with karnutz, and picked up two sets of his 1" RCA's or bump steer spacers. Nice parts, and good conversation. Good to meet you... again... after so many years.

\
Attachments
DSC09000 (Small).JPG
DSC09000 (Small).JPG (42.43 KiB) Viewed 3923 times
Love people and use things,
because the opposite never works.
User avatar
Byron510
Moderator
Posts: 12658
Joined: 01 Jul 2003 23:06
Location: Maple Ridge, BC

Re: Shawn’s ‘72 Driver

Post by Byron510 »

Jeez - been some time sine this thread got a new post...and it's been equally as long since the car has been driven!

I talked my brother into getting some insurance on the car last weekend. We've been talking about getting this thing back on the road ever summer since it was parked in 2013, but this year it actually happened. The dust layer was immense! You could hardly see out the windshield!
2017-06-25 After 4 year hiatus (Medium).jpg
2017-06-25 After 4 year hiatus (Medium).jpg (161.72 KiB) Viewed 3476 times
After a wash pretty much done inthe dark, at least we could drive it safely. With tags installed, we took it for a test drive. The brake pedal was low again, and as I look back through this thread it looks like I rebuilt a set of calipers for it while it was sitting. Add this to the list of todo's.

Here's the cat in my new but yet to be finished shed;
IMG_9059 (Medium).JPG
IMG_9059 (Medium).JPG (200.34 KiB) Viewed 3476 times
Another item I couldn't live with was the ass dragging stance - not a look I am fond of. Many years ago I'd machined up this set of spacers for another project, but dug them up a few years ago and gave them to my brother. Thankfully they were in the car, so I installed them.
IMG_9060 (Medium).JPG
IMG_9060 (Medium).JPG (142.95 KiB) Viewed 3476 times
IMG_9063 (Medium).JPG
IMG_9063 (Medium).JPG (168.29 KiB) Viewed 3476 times
The stance was improved, but still needs work. Icehouse low up front would be good, but I need to tuck the exhaust a bit better first.
Here's a pic after the spacers were installed;
IMG_9064 (Medium).JPG
IMG_9064 (Medium).JPG (297.45 KiB) Viewed 3470 times
Compared to the photo at the beginning of the post, it is improved, but still needs more work. I like 510's with a rake to the front, personally. But it's my brothers car, I'll get his input on whether we are raising the rear, or lowering the front.
Love people and use things,
because the opposite never works.
User avatar
Byron510
Moderator
Posts: 12658
Joined: 01 Jul 2003 23:06
Location: Maple Ridge, BC

Re: Shawn’s ‘72 Driver

Post by Byron510 »

After another test drive on Saturday, it was revealed that the BMC was actually bypassing, which was causing a lower pedal. Very slight pressure would allow the pedal to drop really low, and I got to test the pressure differential switch - it worked! and it confirmed that the BMC was done.

The only option I could find locally was a Raybestos brand BMC, PN MC39561 - there simply were no other suppliers. It's a Taiwanese made unit and I'm pretty sure these are the units that guys have been having issues with regarding very short seal life. Unfortunately beggars can't be choosers, and this is the only option I had. There was one in stock at the Lordco warehouse, ordered it and had it Saturday night. Also while installing the rear spring spacers on Saturday morning, I saw that the drivers brake flex hose was also near done, with the outside sheath cracked and separating. So I just replaced both rear rubber flex hoses since I was going to have the brake system apart anyways. I was glad to know that these were still available under Beck/Arnley PN's 730192 and 730218. For a while a few years ago, both side were not available - but that may have been a local stock issue. The drivers (LH) side rear hose (female/female) is the unique one as I have not found another application. The pass side (RH) hose can be substituted for a front caliper flex hose as it has the same fittings, but is a bit longer. In this case I got both the right ones, so that was nice. My only comment is that I really wish the hex on the fittings was the same size. these have been changed from 19mm to 17mm hes, and the line no longer locks in the retaining clip. They are still held in place, but can rotate which is a bit of a PITA, especially when removing them.

One comment on bleeding the BMC - I had a hell of a time getting fluid into this unit and start pumping it through. I'm not sure a if a pressure bleed was necessary, but I really did have a heck of a time getting the first few ounces of fluid pushed through - took quite some time. A bench bleed of the M/C may have helped, but I didn't want to drip brake fluid all over the nicely painted under hood area. After finally getting the system bled with the help of my daughter at the pedal, I realized that this nice clean fluid didn't look right next to the dirty fluid in the CMC, so that system got bled as well. The CMC was new when we assembled the car. And since the car has less than 200 miles on it, this change in fluid colour is a bit concerning. I'll have to watch it. Here's a photo of the old and new fluid in both.
IMG_9069 (Medium).JPG
IMG_9069 (Medium).JPG (128.1 KiB) Viewed 3471 times
IMG_9070 (Medium).JPG
IMG_9070 (Medium).JPG (136.38 KiB) Viewed 3471 times
The next job was to install a passenger seat belt. From someone here on the forum (Jordan I think), I'd bought a set of later style recoil belts years ago for Shawn's car. However one of the front ones had a broken latch mechanism. So I installed a rear one up front, but it's pretty short and hard to reach - I'll have to find a another one in the future.

Next on the list was bumpers - I really think these cars look better with some kind of bumper on them, especially up front. Also I need a place to put his license plate and make the car legal. So late Sunday night my wife and I drove the car out to my workshop in Delta and picked out a couple bumpers from my parts stash. I pulled out the last late rear bumper I have, and a re-chromed front bumper I had done for the Bronze years ago. I also found a lock for the gas door, but came up short for a front seat belt base. Taking advantage of the holiday Monday morning, I started the installation which actually started with swapping out the re-chromed bumper on the bronze. My wife have me a hand with the removal part, and the swap went quickly. thankfully the nuts all came off without an issue. Next up was the organization of the bumper brackets for this car, and I tapped out the bumper mounting holes as paint and undercoating had been sprayed from both sides throughout the rebuild of the car. I took another drive up to the auto parts store to buy the M10x1.25 X 30 bolts needed to install the bumper brackets, and also pick up the M10X1.25 nuts to bolt on the bumper to the brackets. The washers that were ion stock were really small in outer diameter, so I picked up some fender washers which were HUGE! It was like one extreme to the other - but it worked. I wish I'd had time to paint the brackets, but these bumper are kind of temporary as I hope to buy a set of Dave's new bumpers from FutoFab as these need some lovin! Here are the huge washers in place.
IMG_9087 (Medium).JPG
IMG_9087 (Medium).JPG (138.59 KiB) Viewed 3471 times
The front bumper bolted to the brackets without much issue. The inner bracket on the RH side required a little tweak which was handled with two large crescent wrenches.

The rear bumper posed a few more challenges. This used bumper was purchased many years ago - completely covered in saran wrap. But the bumper bracket bolts to the bumper itself are quite rusted and I didn't want to get into removing them - so it was installed as a unit. But it didn't line up very well and I had to use washers as spacers to level out the bracket against the bodywork. I didn't want to stress the rear panel and crack the paint. Getting the washers in place was fun, as you can see by the photo I used masking take to hold the washers together and maneuver them into place. The upper one was especially challenging, trying to get the washers in place, and wrapping my had around the muffler to get a nut on the bolt... it was fun..
IMG_9090 (Medium).JPG
IMG_9090 (Medium).JPG (166.74 KiB) Viewed 3471 times
Again - this bumper is also temporary, so this will work for now. Dave's new bumpers will look great on the car in the future,and the car is "legal" in the meantime.

So here are some pictures of the car with the bumper installed;
IMG_9082 (Medium).JPG
IMG_9082 (Medium).JPG (134.14 KiB) Viewed 3471 times
IMG_9083 (Medium).JPG
IMG_9083 (Medium).JPG (137.11 KiB) Viewed 3471 times
IMG_9084 (Medium).JPG
IMG_9084 (Medium).JPG (184.74 KiB) Viewed 3471 times
The bumpers look presentable and make the car look a bit more complete.
Now to find some emblems in the stash, and install the Skillard door sill plates we bought for the car at Canby a couple weeks ago.

Once side effect of the car sitting for 4 years was that the tire actually flat spotted. I'd hoped that the 1.5 hours drive to my workshop and back at an elevated speed would have helped, but they still have a definite flat spot on them - any ideas out here to correct this? Seems a shame as the tires are literally brand new just before being parked. I jokingly said I could turn them round when I get my big lathe installed later this summer! I hear this was a really old school trick with tires back in the 50's and 60's.

All in all, a good weekend spent puttering around on the car. The gas gauge seems a bit intermittent, and there's only one light in the gauge panel working making it pretty much unreadable in the dark. And I still have to figure out where both front marker lights don't work. But the short list of to-do's is getting shorter and my brother can now take the car out and enjoy it.

Byron
Love people and use things,
because the opposite never works.
User avatar
two_68_510s
Supporter
Posts: 3894
Joined: 18 Apr 2010 11:20
Location: Ben Lomond California

Re: Shawn’s ‘72 Driver

Post by two_68_510s »

The skinny little bumpers do complete the cars look, which is great!
Joel

2 '68 510 2 door sedans
'95 240SX


“We will either find a way, or make one.” – Hannibal
User avatar
Byron510
Moderator
Posts: 12658
Joined: 01 Jul 2003 23:06
Location: Maple Ridge, BC

Re: Shawn’s ‘72 Driver

Post by Byron510 »

So the car has sat in the garage for the last two weeks an not moved at all since this recent work was done. I was in the shop last night and noticed that the fluid in the clutch master cylinder had turned colour already...damn! Must be a CMC or clutch slave cylinder going bad, I can't think of any other reason for the fluid to change colour this quickly, especially on a car that wasn't even driven since the photo above was taken. The CMC was new when we assembled the car, but it's 6 year old now, even if the car sat for 4 years. So now to figure out which part has failed.
Guess we aren't done yet.

Byron
Love people and use things,
because the opposite never works.
Three B's Racing
Supporter
Posts: 1288
Joined: 03 Mar 2009 11:58
Location: New Hampshire

Re: Shawn’s ‘72 Driver

Post by Three B's Racing »

Byron, I once had the exact same issue and it turned out to be the CMC. It's seals deteriated rather quickly do to incorrect cheap seals the brake fluid ate away at. It's a crap shoot when buying these things.
"Lastnight the wife said oh boy when your dead you can't take nothing with you but your soul oh "Think"
- John Lennon
User avatar
MarkReidHRC
Supporter
Posts: 124
Joined: 08 Jan 2018 10:32
Location: Langley BC

Re: Shawn’s ‘72 Driver

Post by MarkReidHRC »

Byron, thanks for the link. Great project! Lots of good info.
If all else fails... try again
User avatar
Byron510
Moderator
Posts: 12658
Joined: 01 Jul 2003 23:06
Location: Maple Ridge, BC

Re: Shawn’s ‘72 Driver

Post by Byron510 »

You know, I just Ned to make a comment about the simplicity of our beloved 510’s.
A little rain fell earlier this evening, and my brother was caught out in it just after dark this evening. He called to say his wipers were being intermittent, not coming on right away when the switch was pulled.
Thinking it was a fuse box or connection issue, I checked the usual suspects. Ruling that out, I turned on the switch about the fifth time and low and behold - no function. I gave the one wiper arm a slight nudge - and off it went. Parked the wipers and again - no function. This tune I just barely tapped the motor, and sure enough - off they went!
Being the guy I am, I figure is something mechanical in the motor, likely a dirty commune or such. Removal of the motor ensued and two 8mm bolts later and the rotor is dissected from the component. And sure enough, one brush was stuck in its slider. A little cleaning of the brush and it’s holder, and all’s good again. A little scotchbrite on the commune cleaned things up quickly. Sure there was wear on the brushes, but after 50 years - I’m supprized that damn thing still works at all! I’d say the brushes still had 40-50% of their life left - the wiper motor may outlast the car at this rate.
It took us about 20 minutes to figure out assembly, holding all three brushes back while inserting the rotor and getting the commune aligned again. Put it all back together with cleaned and re-lubricated bearings and work gear - and it’s good to go.

What I love is the simplicity. Most new cars could have a component like this disassembled, much less serviceable. It’s just such a joy to have a little job, and it’s done. The essence and love of keeping old cars going. I’ll never get tired of it!

Byron
Love people and use things,
because the opposite never works.
Post Reply