What it cost me to own a $500 car part 11

"StudyStudyStudy" (jesterjin)
04/28/2015 at 14:10 • Filed to: 240z, project car

Finally, now it was time to run the brake lines.

My originals as can be seen in earlier posts (potentially) had deteriorated into nothingness. I was surprised the previous owner had said he had driven it. I imagined they had one good brake attempt left before it would have burst.

So according to the internet, one should upsize the master cylinder to accommodate the rear disc brakes and the larger toyota calipers. I found out after several canceled orders and calls to all the autparts warehouses, that one could not buy a 280zx master cylinder which was 15/16 compared to the 7/8 of the factory. Luckily some searching on craigslist and I found one and snagged it with a couple of 20’s. I took it to my favorite chain store and they were able to ship it out and have it rebuilt for quite a song, but I finally got it. Combined with a rebuilt brake booster and Tilton reservoirs which took an age to finally get in, I was on my way.

I had purchased some CuNiFer lines (copper, nickel, ferric aka iron) which were very easily bent by hand in a datsun kit. Bending the new lines would have been easy had the post office not decided to bend the package into an S on delivery. I took it to complain, but the post office seemed indifferent, to their eyes, they delivered the package and it could be unbent, so they told me to shove off.

So after undoing their bends, I put in my own correct bends and started routing.

T-fittings in metric were nearly impossible to find and I had to convert to standard.

After breaking a few of the cheap flaring tools, I went ahead and ponied up for a nicer tool from an online catalog. Along with some bending pliers it made short work of the install.

I then brought the proportioning valve for the rear into the cabin along with the hydraulic brake as I had seen on some other websites.

I brought it through the ash tray so there was no noticeable rise in the brake line to trap any bubbles.

The E-brake on these cars are notorious for fraying. With my conversion to disk, my options were fairly limited. I decided to bring the assembly inside and build a lever arm to activate it to cables running in the back.

With the brakes taken care of, I moved onto fuel.

I bought my hose from the fuel cell to the little fuel pump I bought.

I really had no intention of making much power so this 15gph fuel pump seemed adequate (so little did I know)

Following a series of bends I brought the stupidly small 1/4 inch lines to the front.

Lessons learned:

It is hard to argue with indifference.

I can’t fathom the mind of someone who bends up a straight package to an S and decides it will be OK.

Cheap flaring tools suck....

Metric flared T’s are nearly impossible to find.

Buy pipe bending tools, kinking a long section of line is really sucky.

Put the bloody nut on before you flare the end. If you forget the nut and think that it will be ok to put the nut on from the other side, make sure you bloody put both the nuts on before you flare the other side.

Cutting off a perfect flare you just made is one of life’s small sadnesses only a few people will know.

If you put the nut on make sure it is past the bend. The nut won’t travel around a bend very easily...

Costs:

50 - CuNiFer Datsun kit

80 - Ridgid double flaring kit

30 - Tilton reservoirs

25 - Spool of low pressure fuel line 1/4 inch

50 - Spool of steel hardline for fuel 1/4 inch

50 - fittings for AN-barb conversions

40 - 15gph 2-4 psi fuel pump

50 - new cable and lines for makeshift parking brake

Total Spent: 7625

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DISCUSSION (3)

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > StudyStudyStudy
04/28/2015 at 14:16

Kinja'd!!!

Unassisted steering FTW!

Birddog > StudyStudyStudy
04/28/2015 at 14:29

I’m loving this series.

When it comes to special tools I learned, a long time ago, that it’s better to spend a lot once than a little twice. Once you have the flaring and bending tools you won’t look at pre-bent stuff again.

StudyStudyStudy > Birddog
04/28/2015 at 14:35

Thanks, it has been pretty entertaining to write and organize the mountain of pictures.

I agree once you have the correct fabrication tools it is hard to justify paying a huge markup for a simple piece. Although I am beginning to appreciate well made pieces more and more.