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I have brakes!

Bleeding the system went pretty well, but I did discover three fittings with small leaks. I just had to snug them up a bit. Leak free, now/

Then, I had quite a lot of play in the pedal, so I adjusted the push rod at the master cylinder. I had already done the major adjustments at the wheels. I think I have it where it needs to be now and feels very firm.

In cases like this, a thread chaser is better than a tap and die as they straighten the threads rather than cutting new ones over the deformed bit. Straightening the threads leaves them with a little more strength.

If they were new shoes, you may find you make need a couple adjust clicks after you've bedded them. I know know my front for sure did.

Thanks, guys! All good information.

Anyway, I have the brakes working well. Now, I just need the spring for the handbrake (to engage the ratchet mechanism). I now have a car that won’t go, but it will stop! I’m happy with the progress.

I also dropped the fuel tank. It’s in great condition, now rust what so ever. I know the tank was done back in 2004. It held up well. I only had about 4 gallons of fuel in the tank.

I’m don’t think the sending unit is operational. I have some investigating to do on that and will be consulting Kevin’s blog.

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I’m working on finishing up the wiring. I just have a few controls under the dash to do…getting the back massager out for when I’m done.

Good news is that I found the sockets for the reading/map light and the clock in a bag of misc nuts, bolts etc…from Dad.

Question…for the reading/map light, should there be a chrome bezel? See the photo below. It just looks like maybe there should be, but I don’t see evidence of one ever being there. It really wouldn’t be needed given the piece above the bulb.

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No, it's just bare like you have it as the shade covers the bulb from view.

Thanks, Kevin. That’s what I figured.

I finished up the wiring under the dash tonight. It’s a bit of a rats nest, but everything should work. I’ll come back another day and clean it up and likely re-do some of it once I find new switches. I have several that work, but are very sketchy. I have wires going to the clock, but I’m not going to hook that up yet. Same with the heater/defroster since it’s out of the car. I have already confirmed that both blowers work.

I’ll start testing everything once I get the some time over the next few days. My ground strap was a disaster, so I’m need to replace that. I also have a new fuel sending unit on the way.

Once I get the electrical tested and the new sending unit, I’ll re-install the tank.

After that, flush the radiator, change the engine oil, change the transmission fluid and differential fluid.

Then…see if she’ll start.

Another productive evening. I got all the wiring under the dash completed. I just have wires going to the clock, but haven’t added terminals for it yet.

But, I also started testing everything. The wiring is 99% good. I have three things to take care of.

1) bad ground connection at the tail light/brake lights. The work if I get to a known good ground, but not otherwise.

2) one of the three pins in on one headlight socket broke, so I need a new socket. Reached out to Flackmaster and I think he’ll have me taken care of on that one.

3) need to finish up the wiring for the clock.

For the tail light ground, everything was primered on the inside back in 2004. I think I need to get to bare metal everywhere the parts come together.

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I may have some brand new sockets as well..I'll toss a couple into the hershey box.

Thanks, Kevin….I’m thinking having spares may be a good thing as well.

I’ll need to get some advice as well regarding how to replace the socket. It looks like the brass ends have to be removed from the wires and then replaced when the new socket is on. Is that right? If so, any thought on where to get replacement brass ends or do they come with new sockets?