Do brake shops still do "arcing" or "fit to drum" grinding or is that something else that EPA has now declared illegal.

When I had a brake job done on a Pacific several years ago, they measured the drum ID, set the machine then ground the shoes to proper arc. If that service is still available maybe they could do the same to your excess.

Interesting question. I've never seen a non padded cover. The way manufacturing was described above would seem like it would be too big without the padding. Does yours fit well in the corners where things curve in all directions?

Believe most lower Clippers just had the painted panel but pad was optional according to the build codes Brian posted earlier. Execs & other seniors had the pad standard. The same part number is used for the upper metal panel in 55-6 so assume pads would be same shape but different colors.

Article on CNN.com says GM expected to announce Monday that Pontiac will cease.

Believe O_D's glovebox door tag may be same as mine with the original purchasers name. Interesting is color. His dash is copper and tag is gold, my dash is gray and tag is silver--color co-ordinated to the max it appears..

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Try this link for then & now. Click on fuel pump for more info.

http://www.maritimedragracing.com/then_and_now_automotive.htm

The naked valve in post 393 is what is in the bottom of the 3 silver cylinders in last picture post 395.

The place selling the reproduction cylinders and valves is here--click on his "see all products" for the rest:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&_trkparms=algo%3DLVI%26its%3DI%26otn%3D2&item=250368480699&category=42606&viewitem=

but there are probably others. Said they were made in New York but don't know which of the other window and convertible repair companies are there. Assume the ZIS is 6 volts which is what these valves would be?

Don't remember the details of the assy. It might be a rotating seal like used on AC compressors. It appears the tool is a spacer to roughly center the seal or cover because after that it asks to check with a feeler gauge.

I think a careful alignment by eye and maybe even make a spacer out of a small square of wood that is slightly less than the width between seal and shaft. Use the feeler gauge on top of the spacer in 4 places like the book says.

Think the important thing is that if it does rotate, it is not also trying to move side to side at the same time like if would if not well centered.

EDIT Is there a machined area inside the cover where it rotates & seals or just a pocket for the assembly and the sealing surface is somewhere else?

What O-D said, and the operative word is pliable. Out here sitting in desert sun the stuff turns stiff as a board and splits & tears VERY easily. There was no saving mine, also the padding turns very gummy and just disintegrates. That may be the worst in trying to get enough out to make the new pad smooth without damaging the vinyl. In your cooler climate, we'll hope for the best.

Dave
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Sorry to hear the project didn't generate enough support but you & Dan did try.

One thing I didn't and still don't understand is the engineering and production costs involved & apparently a requirement for so many up front. The reasonable price part is debatable--although don't remember hearing an actual just a guestimate--but I haven't priced pistons for anything lately so you may be right.

It would seem that there should be blanks available for someone's close but not quite right piston. A machinist, micrometer, and original piston could come up with some numbers to plug into a CAD/CAM setup without spending a career at it. Why then would it not be feasible to make a few sets at a time as needed--add +.010 or +.020 to the numbers and make another set etc..

Maybe someone more versed in this aspect of production can tell me what I'm missing in the big picture. After all, any TV hot rod or motorcycle show out there shows them machining a custom wheel at the click of a mouse.

Also congratulations and lets keep good thoughts some of our other friends here also have the same good fortune.