Now Complete Restoration / Pulling my 1969 'Bee down for strip and paint

[birdsandbees]

Heater box into place today, with what the consensus says is the correct yellow/zinc nuts.

Had snapped the studs off on the ebrake assembly when removing, best I could find to duplicate was some 5/16 bumper bolts I massaged a bit, then TIG'd them in place. Painted so they don't rust.

DO NOT install your Ebrake cable grommet before it's on the cable. Don't ask how I know that they cable head won't go through! Luckily the metal tabs played nice and will allow me to do it again shortly. Back to the shop to install the Ebrake assembly and drivers vent box.

[birdsandbees]

 

[Wingnut426]

Great job and great pictures!  I see one thing you may need to address. You bolted the steering column plate to the firewall.  You may find like the E-brake grommet, you need to install the plate to the column first. The plate needs to move freely to adjust the column so the shaft is centered in the tube once the column is bolted at the top where it meets the dash.    Keep up the good work! WINGNUT

[birdsandbees]

Thanks! White grease under the bolt washers so they don't gawl the paint, plate is sitting loose! 

[CDN72SE]

I'm lovin' this build.

[birdsandbees]

I'm lovin' this build.

THANKS.. hopefully you have yours back soon and can start the same assembly process!

Got my ebrake cable installed to my assembly. The Ebrake assembly installed into the car. OEM grommet through the firewall and I couldn't leave the lower hole bare so put an open style grommet in it as well. Cable is run ready to hook up the rear ebrake cables.

Drivers side vent stack installed, as well as the clutch / brake pedal assembly. New gasket on the vacuum booster and it installed. Tested out the booster function (before I installed the master cylinder) by pushing the pedal fully in and it returns fully out. Was hard to push the first time and after a loud POP it worked fine. Was the plastic plug I put in the vacuum port hole shooting across the shop.. so I think I'm good!

Had fun getting that brake pedal to booster linkage in. Finally found you need to lift the brake pedal right up level.. then turn the rod end so the hole faces down.. insert linkage.. insert bolt and then turn into place!

Measured the piston rod length before installing the rebuilt master cylinder, per the shop manual. Ready to bleed when I have the lines in place for quick hook up..

About ready to put the dash back in!!  

[birdsandbees]

 

[birdsandbees]

 

[moparnation74]

Great progress...looks amazing!

How tough was it putting the e brake grommet on?

[birdsandbees]

Quite easy... once I took it back out of the firewall !!  Gave the three metal tabs a hard pull with a good pair of pliers to pull up tight. Thinking I should have put some glue or RTV on the back side before doing same, but I'm not removing it again!

[birdsandbees]

..and looking at my own pictures... I think I turned the linkage plates around when getting it in place. Picture of the linkage before installation has the "reliefs" forward, based on the pedal large bolt. Is there a reason for those "cut outs / reliefs" in the area between vacuum booster bolt and brake pedal bolt? Do I have it backwards.. is it going to bind on something?

[lukedukem]

I can look at my car in the morning to see what goes there.

looks like i missed the other hole, but the guys are right, it is not factory. i snapped a pic

Luke

[birdsandbees]

Disregard the hole question Luke... brain fart!!! It's for the speedo cable! 

[tan top]

Thanks TT ! Those are the kind of tips that add to the thread for anyone down the road. Hopefully once I have my car back together someone can follow a lot of this to get theirs back together if they didn't take detail pics on tear down. I have thousands, and even that isn't enough some days!  

Fighting the flu, that my wife was nice enough to bring back with her from Cuba, so not getting a lot done. Should have listened to my Father when he said "always wear a condom and never kiss them" ! LOL

Got my restored wiper arm assembly bolted into place and snugged up. Terrified with the harder foam in the gasket kit than stock that I'll crack the housings. Going to let them settle for a few days and see if they need another turn of the nuts.

Steering column plate loosely in place, along with a new clutch rod boot.

Can anyone tell me if the foam gasket should be in the open that much, or was the original trimmed back closer to the openings edges??  

i'm a bit late on this  , have a look here !  unrestored low mileage 68 ... looks to be like the new repop  except old  

  , also  from memory think  mine was trimed right to the edge or what was showing had  decomposed   ,

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,128129.0.html

[birdsandbees]

THANKS! She'll get left full size then and since my foam kit was the denser less bubbly foam it should stand up well. 

[birdsandbees]

..and looking at my own pictures... I think I turned the linkage plates around when getting it in place. Picture of the linkage before installation has the "reliefs" forward, based on the pedal large bolt. Is there a reason for those "cut outs / reliefs" in the area between vacuum booster bolt and brake pedal bolt? Do I have it backwards.. is it going to bind on something?

Anyone on the pedal linkage???  I tested it and the pedal can go all the way down to hit the floor, so it's not binding up top on anything! Maybe I should just turn it around before I go putting the dash in and then it's a none issue.

[moparnation74]

I was referring to getting the new grommet onto the parking brake cable.  I should have clarified earlier...

[birdsandbees]

I was referring to getting the new grommet onto the parking brake cable.  I should have clarified earlier...

The firewall grommet went over the head of the cable fairly easily.. took a good push but not as tough as I thought it would be. The non factory grommet that I added to the lower hole.. I had to put it on the cable first as well and then put it into place.

[birdsandbees]

My 55th Birthday today.. and a treat out of the mail box. Dodge specific mirror base and stem. Mine the plating is peeling and I was going to paint. Not no more... 

[Dino]

Happy birthday Wayne!        

[birdsandbees]

Thanks Dirk !! Wanted my car done for the big "I can drive 55" !!! but happy enough that I have my headliner in!   Cleaning up the shop tomorrow so I have a clean bench and then can rewire in a new dash harness bulhead to get rid of the old crusty connections and then hope to install the dash over the weekend. Still have to restor my cluster, but that can be done later. Want to get the shell on the hoist, get my brake and fuel lines in, the engine / K frame and rear axle assembly. Fuel tank, exhaust, etc...

[Dino]

You're moving along just fine me thinks! Set a new goal of driving it before you turn 56 and you'll find you can take it easy all of a sudden!   

[birdsandbees]

Not a lot done today.. wife went figuring skating yesterday and fell during a figure 8. Been up all night and through the day checking on her hourly with a mild concussion.

Installed my new Speedo cable and was glad when I took it out of it's cardboard package it had a grommet on it. Looks like a bitch to install and I was one of these grommets short for my fuel tank vent line! Now I'm good!

From yesterdays Top Tan post of the '68 Belvedere... I noticed the brake master cylinder reinforcing plate was held by a gold / zinc nut and I happened to just get 4 extras from Jeff Brown!  

New dash to cowl clip nuts in place, ready to bolt the dash in place.

A reminder that I need to put the inspection # back on my passenger door. Wish my graphic artist daughter was still with us, but I bet her little sister can pull it off for me! 

Passenger vent control hooked up before dash goes into place and uncovered my dash so I can clip and crimp 22 new female connectors tomorrow into their new bulkhead connector. No need for an electrical fire this far in...

[birdsandbees]

 

[BDF]

Moving right along B&B!
Hope your wife is doing well also!
May I ask where you got your speedo cable? I reviewed thread a ways back but didn't see that.
Thanks, Brent