Thanks Don, I found equivalent wheel cylinders (Dorman) and shoes for all four corners at PartsGeek.com.

Because I don't have a wheel puller I decided to take Kevin's advice and pay a mechanic to install them. Finding one of those who will work on a classic car wasn't so easy, though, even for something as simple as brake cylinders and shoes.

Finally came across a family-owned shop - the owner sounded like someone who would enjoy working on a vintage car (and might charge me a little less). Now if he can just stop my twin ultramatic from leaking...

Two years ago I had Ed Strain rebuild the Easa-Matic brake master cylinder on my '55 Clipper Custom. Brakes worked great for a while, but when braking was getting soft I decided it was time to bleed them. The nut on my right rear wheel bleed valve is stripped, however. It will not budge, even at the mercy of vice-grips.

A mechanic who once restored Packards at the Petersen Museum told me he had success removing stripped bleed valves with a Grip-Tite socket:

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200810184_200810184

Alternatively, I could buy 4 replacement wheel cylinders from Kanter and replace those - however, I'm a beginner and want to avoid getting in over my head. Any suggestions appreciated.

My '55 Clipper Super runs well, but as I accelerate from a stoplight it "slips out of gear" at about 15mph (in effect, shifts to Neutral). Happens in either the first or second Drive position on its Twin Ultramatic.

If I let off the accelerator while rolling, in a few seconds it will grab again and shift normally.

Seems it might just be an adjustment, but all suggestions appreciated.

I've been soaking it in acetone/ATF, which always worked on rusted bolts for me in the past. Going to give it another try tonight. Not a lot of room to tap without pulling out the control assembly - afraid if I pull that out I'll never get it back together again.

Thanks for photos, that helps a lot

What's predator?

Owen_Dyneto - The current one is flush with the trans housing - wouldn't want to try without knowing there's room behind it

I'm replacing the throttle valve seal on my Twin Ultramatic, and trying to avoid pulling the transmission just to change two seals. The car is up on jack stands.

Transmission service manual says to "Tap the inner end of the throttle valve inner lever to push the seal out of the case..." but it's not moving (see photo). I've used bolt loosener and "tapped" the hell out of it with a hammer, but no dice.




Any help appreciated.

That would be easier, wouldn't it?

Thanks for the tip.

Good information Howard.

The arm length on the Ford unit I used was fine, but I needed to bend it upwards a tad to keep the float off the bottom of the tank, and so it would reach all the way to the top.

Maybe next time I have the tank out (if ever) I'll insert a 10-ohm resistor between my wire and ground.

In the empty position my sender read 130 ohms at full empty, so if the gauge only needs 75 ohms it will read empty when there's still a lot of gas in the tank. When I tested it sitting in the front seat of the car however, it was accurate.

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Thanks HH56, good advice.

Yesterday I was driving the car after Gumout seemed to have fixed the problem, only to have it stall on the road. Though the tow truck driver was able to start the car, he said from towing stalled vintage cars their tanks were usually less than 1/2 full when he arrived - essentially confirming your point about pinhole leaks.

There aren't any drawings of the tank in the parts list, but it's described in the service manual as "two-piece welded construction" which I assume means there's no way to get into it without having to re-weld it?

Whoever installed the electronic fuel pump neglected to add a fuel filter, and the only cap I can find that fit was an unvented one. Any suggestions for non-OEM

Cap?
Fuel filter?
Durable electronic fuel pump (if I need to replace the one it has)?

Thanks