Tom442

I went to a different (better) shop to do my alignment. drives straight! Still have some issues. Dual gate needs some adjustment. Brakes have a hard pedal. Booster was new or rebuilt? from Booster Dewey I believe. I have vacuum, check valve is okay. I have a feeling the combination valve is stuck. I bled them and did not get good flow to the fronts. Rear cylinders flowed well. I shouldn't have cheaped out by using the combo valve from my donor disc car. Wish me luck.

Tom
68 442
70 F85

Stevec

Hey Tom I have a hard brake pedal on my 68 as well,I didn't have a lot a vaccume so I installed a vaccume pump and it's a little bit better but still hard to stop.

I am going to replace the 1 1/8 bore master cylinder with a 1" bore master cylinder.
The previous owner installed a disk conversion kit and since I've owned this car the pedal has been rock hard and just not effective.

Let me know how the combination valve swap works out!

Thanks

Tom442

Steve!
I tried a couple of things today. I disconnected the line from the rear master cylinder connection. Installed a steel line back in the into the reservoir (like bench bleeding). Depressed the pedal hard (read stomped as well) several times to try and force that valve or shuttle back to where I think it should be. I then re-attached the line for the rears. Bled the rear cylinders. Took it for a ride and no change. So if it is stuck, blocking flow to the fronts, it's not going to give. I'll order a new combination valve tomorrow and start over.
Tom

Stevec

Tom I have a new master cylinder with a 1" bore and I hope to get installed this week.
I'll keep you posted!

Tom442

Steve! Did you get that 1" bore master cylinder put in? I bought a new combination valve and installed it Saturday. Bled it out real well. It seems to be a softer pedal now but I am going to get a really strong right leg. A one inch bore master cylinder sounds like the next thing to throw at it.
BUT, I finally got a vacuum gauge on it, if the gauge is right it is only pulling 8 at idle. I wish I could remember 14 years ago and how the brakes were before the restore and disc swap....getting old kinda sucks.

Tom
68 442
70 F85

Stevec

Tom, yes i installed th e new master cylinder and its a little better but I think I found the problem.

The previous owner did a front disk conversion but never changed the proportioning valve so thats next on my list.

Tom442

Steve, Who did you get the one inch master cylinder from? Did the PO put a combination valve on the car or is it the original distribution block?

Stevec

I got it from Summit and the previous owner never changed the combo valve when he did the disk conversion.

Mochi

Looking good tom. Did you ever get the top done?

Tom442

No, my convertible top has not be done yet. I will have to sell off some spare and duplicate parts to finance that project this winter hopefully. Meantime, I am cruising around and keeping an eye to the sky for rain clouds.
I put the hood on yesterday....what a pain in the butt. It still needs some adjusting though. I took these pictures today.

Tom
68 442
70 F85

Stevec

Tom,I installed a 8" dual diaphram booster and it's ALOT better! I am still running drum brakes in the rear but that will change this spring/winter.

My brake parts so far:
8" dual diaphram brake booster
1" bore master cylinder
4 wheel disk brake combo valve
Ssbc 4 piston front brake calipers,will install matching calipers on rear.

car_designer

The car is looking great Tom!

Eddie Hansen

Finally got caught up onthis thread awesome nice work

NDERISE

i like theoriginal look to the paint on the floor boards, did u paint them and if so what paint did u use
thanks ray

Tom442

Thanks Eddie,
She's tucked away in the garage for the winter. I go out and talk to her now and then and tell her that we'll sneak out if we get a warm weekend.

Ray,
I shot DP90 on the floorboards first. The gray looking stuff is a sound deadener called E-Dead. It was a brush/roll/spray on stuff. I think the company is now out of business. I then put a layer of 1/4" DynaLiner down and then installed the carpet. Seems kind of a wasted on a convert. Oh well, seems to help with the sound. Main reason was I wanted to try and reduce heat from motor/tranny and exhaust...but wait...if I left the AC in the first place?

Eddie Hansen

Lol, as I was reading this I keep seeing that its jake from state farm commercial..lol your wife asking you who your talking too..lol.

Tom442

Positiveray

Tom442 Did you use the rubber eyebrow gaskets above the headlights? My headlight buckets seem to droop on each side just a little (the LH side - Driver side seems to be a little worse... They really droop when I try to install the rubber gaskets between the chrome eyebrow and the radiator core support surface area. 99 out of 100, 1968's have this drooping eyebrow problem where they don't align with the fender corner trim... Any Suggestions? (New to the forum - June 2015) Thanks for any help you can give me. POSITIVERAY

Tom442

You know PositiveRay....I do not recall there being rubber gaskets on my headlight buckets to the core support. I'm going to have to check out the assembly manual. I don't remember them being there when I took it apart. I know for sure they are not in there now.

Positiveray

I looked at some pictures I took over the years and the eyebrows are back in the exact same place they use to be... but set a little lower than what I see on some cars... The hood location is critical to both the upper end of the hood (windshield area) and lower end (eyebrow area) of the hood... meaning that it looks like the hood was never designed to be flush with the eyebrows (without the rubber gaskets). When all the parts are assembled to the radiator core support, there is little room for error... My fenders are set at the right height, my radiator core support is as well. All of the bolts, screws and etc., go in without any problem. I guess this was just an engineering screwup. I would like to see a close up picture of your eyebrows and hood alignment... if you can take a few. I appreciate your effort and help. I have had my car for about 10 years and have enjoyed doing the rebuild... but at 65, I need to get it finished and start enjoying it again. I will post a picture of my car (headlight area) too....

Tom442

I used SEM Pearl paint on my seatbacks, sides and armrests. I'm not happy with the color as compared to my upholstery. Has anyone used the Parts Place (Cutlass/442) INTERIOR RECONDITIONING SPRAY PAINT (M28 - PEARL) 12 OZ CAN? And can I spray that over the SEM I currently have or should I try to pressure wash it off and start fresh?

allyolds68

The front of a 68 is just a mess. The driver's side of the front part of the hood is poorly stamped and I'm convinced that the driver's side fender stamping was never right either. The rubber fillers were an early production thing that apparently didn't work out.


In case anyone didn't see this post by Tony D'Amico on Facebook here's the Bulletin:





They probably found out that in the first week of production none of the hoods would close so they eliminated the gasket....lol

allyolds68

Tom,

68 is Parchment and I believe 69 is Pearl. Dean Franco knows the difference better than I but I think you're ordering the wrong color.

dnmfranco

68 is pearl and 69 parchment . I used the pearl from parts place and worked out well. I recommend using vinyl prep after throughly cleaning them then the paint.

allyolds68

Other way around dude


At least I'm sure they CALLED it Parchment in 68. I'm just not sure what it really LOOKS like. You've got a 68 442 with a Parchment interior though

Positiveray

Well.... I've spent the last 3 days doing my upholstery! Those hog rings can hurt when they get away from you during installation! I'm cut up, bruised and had and arm cramps in all evening... and I'm only 2/3 finished. (Don't forget, I'm 65) I have one bucket seat left to do. It is looking pretty nice, but UPI foam is not form fitted, so... I have had to trim a little off the lower portion of the foam back section to get the back cover to fit the frame and then had to glue cotton muslin all around the perimiter and hog ring it to the frame, then let the covers sit out in the sun (110 heat index in Tulsa today) just to get them pulled over the foam. I am just leaving my seat surrounds the off-white as they came from UPI... For those that want to watch a video on "how to" install bucket seat covers.... just look up "Legendary" 1970 Chevelle and it works for all 1966 - 1972 A-body's. Ain't this fun ?

Tom442

I bought these covers from Fusick 15 years ago...I swear Pearl was the color!

According to Fusicks current catalog;
1968 Cutlass ‘S’ and 442: Specify Holiday Coupe, Sport Coupe or Convertible when ordering. Colors available
are Black, Light Blue, ‘68 Blue, Pearl and Ivy Gold.

and Legendary catalog says;
(C) color codes:
(100G) Black
(204G) Metallic Parchment
(332G) Light Metallic Blue (Requires Sample Approval)
(333G) Teal Blue
(502G) Dark Red
(645G) Willow Gold

dnmfranco

Yes any manufactor labels it pearl. Def as you know has a metallic aspect to it unlike 69 which is parchment no metallic.

allyolds68

So 68 says Parchment but it's really has a pearl color? I haven't had a white 68 interior Olds since I crashed mine in 81 but I didn't remember it being a pearl

dnmfranco

manufacturers call it pearl due to the metallic aspect to it. 69 parchment has no metallic aspect to it

allyolds68

Dean

So 68 is called Parchment in the assembly manual but it's really a Pearl color????

dnmfranco

It def has a different sheen than 69 parchment which is a duller shade. I think the pearl name was derived due to the metallic . Here is a pic of a seat , you can see that it has a gloss sheen to it where 69 parchment does not .