[7t4mula]

So Wed. I ran to Auto Zone to snap up a brake line flaring tool. I had never used one before, but their rent a tool program is nice for things like this. Because it was almost 90° with 90% humidity, it was a good day to work in the basement!

I thought I would be able to clip the spring wrap with a diagonal cutters, but ended up using a Dremel with a small cutting wheel to do that. Once you pull the spring wrap back, use a small pipe cutter to cut the line to length, making sure you file and de-burr well.

And it is off to the vise to clamp in the flaring fixture. It’s a two step process, the first part you drive that black plunger down on the line to expand the line to a bulb shape. Then you remove that black plunger and use the point to drive the cone shape in. The factory flared end is on the left. The new one is on the right. I would recommend trying it on a spare piece of line like I did here first, to get the process down….

[7t4mula]

Next, it was back out to the garage to connect the new lines. The Willwood fittings that clamp over the axle tube worked pretty well to secure mounting point for new connections. Notice I left some extra length to be able to recut and flare the again, just in case I have leaks later on.

Very happy with the way this came together, nice clean installation!

[VCho455]

Your tubing looks great! Many folks really struggle with getting the right bends.

[7t4mula]

Originally Posted by VCho455

Your tubing looks great! Many folks really struggle with getting the right bends.

Thanks I appreciate that. I really took my time with this, patience pays off. Especially when you’ve never done this before!

[7t4mula]

Working on trying to finish work I. The engine bay while it’s still vacant. Need to get the components in to finish plugging some of these holes!

Note to self, remember to place this passenger side cowl plug for the Vintage AC system in place BEFORE putting in inner fenders. You can still do it, just harder to reach under there.

I tried to tell my crew chief, she wasn’t speeding the process up by breathing down my neck! LOL

[7t4mula]

So what I found worked well with the cowl plug was to silicone it in place, then grind a nice long point on the ¼-20 bolt that passes through to hold it in.

You can then more easily locate the desired position of the bar it threads into on the inside of the firewall, and tape that temporarily in place. Then thread the bolt in (once you find the hole from back) under the hood again.

A little back and forth, but sometimes tape is your friend if nobody is around to hold a component in place while you attach it. That thing was really way up in there!

[7t4mula]

Working on interior door panels now. This is the deluxe interior from my 73 formula. The bottom panels were in great shape, but unfortunately, the top ones weren’t up to par to go on with the rest of the car being so new. Purchased new ones through Ames.

Anyone have a source for these large, flathead screws that hold the door pull strap in place? I’ll bet the missing one is sitting in the bottom of the door that I sold off of the 73 decades ago.

Pass side panel had a crack, so borrowed my neighbors, plastic welder and embedded a chunk of screen and a staple in to hold together. Seems like it worked pretty well!

These rear ash trays were unfortunately exposed to a lot of humidity with 40 years of sitting on a garage shelf. Steel wool seems like it’s bringing them back pretty decent.