[Rachelsdad]

Quick one, as I didn't see any follow-up:

Those "front windows which open radially" are vent windows. What is particularly interesting about this era is the locking capability which disappeared when these gained cranks by the end of the decade. Hopefully, your locks still slide freely, and you have the vents opening and closing smoothly. The vent window is one innovation which has been lost to history, yet sorely missed by many of us.

Continued good luck with your work. You're an inspiration (work continues on the dismantling of my '56 Safari...almost ready to remove the drivetrain).

[Parkman51]

Ah, vent windows. That's a good name for them. And yes, enjoy a picture - they have both the cute little pin locks and a crank. Today I dropped by a local auto store and picked up some engine oil and antifreeze (I assume it takes about 4 gallons of 50/50), only to find out when I got home that I can get the antifreeze for less than half the price online. So a-returning I shall go. Also removed the short bridge line that connects the metal fuel line to the fuel pump - some varnish and some pellets of petrified petroleum poured out. Better out than in!



Today's two big questions, however, have to do with the brakes.
1. While I wait for all my other parts to start trickling in, it's time to finally excavate the master/booster cylinder from its nigh-impenetrable refuge. I think the only way to accomplish this is to go in from the driver's position, by removing the plate behind the brake pedal, and pulling the whole assembly through into the cabin. Am I right, or is there a better way to do it? Photos below - I think it's a Delco-Moraine unit.



2. I will definitely reach out to White Post - after all, 'if you think hiring a professional is expensive, wait 'til you hire an amateur.' Anyone else I should get bids from? Ideally, I'd like to have it back in a month or so, though I expect the good folks are probably backlogged.

[Rachelsdad]

I think the only way to accomplish this is to go in from the driver's position, by removing the plate behind the brake pedal, and pulling the whole assembly through into the cabin. Am I right, or is there a better way to do it

That's the only way to do it (AFAIK). It was a bizarrely new experience for me, having worked on several things - but from 1963 on up. This is a completely different animal. Now, assuming you do have power brakes (based on the other options, I'd expect so), the booster and master in a TreadleVac unit are one assembly, and you will find the vacuum storage tank mounted separately, forward on the left hand side under the hood. You'll want to check that for its ability to still maintain vacuum (on my '56 Safari, an earlier owner decided to "fix" the broken weld at the top where the tube exits the canister by using silicone rubber...don't ask). White Post also fixed up my vacuum canister, by welding the tube back where it belonged, glass beading the entire thing, and repainting.

I don't have another recommendation for you for the master cylinder/booster rebuild. On my '63, we replaced the master this time around (a few years back, and I still have returned parts in boxes) with a rebuilt one from Ames. If no core return, I'll have White Post rebuild my old one to keep on the shelf. Which reminds me...

While you are working on the brakes, take a few minutes to get under the car and inspect the brake lines. I've had much younger steel lines than yours rust through. Assuming they look solid, you might still consider replacing them with pre-bent stainless steel ones (and of course, the rubber lines at the wheel cylinders should be inspected and replaced as necessary. When your master comes back, bleeding and testing for frozen wheel cylinders will be another fun excursion, but at least hydraulic brakes are all very logical in that respect.

Last note about vent windows and my earlier mention of cranks: Early-early vents (and still later, those in less expensive cars) had vents which simply "pushed out." So, unlatch the lock, push to the desired position, and done. The bottom of the vent had a little knob to pull it back into place for locking, usually integral with the lock. The cranks overlapped for a time, I guess until someone at the factory (or in sales) decided that people felt sure enough that when closed without a lock, the vent couldn't be breached from the outside to gain access to an otherwise locked car. It's funny how some stuff just hangs around for a while.

[Sirrotica]

FWIW, In my opinion using stainless brake lines is a real PITA. Half the time they don't fit the application, plus they're prone to leaking on the flares because the material is so hard they don't conform well and leak.

Premium car manufacturers have switched to Nicopp lines for ease of bending, flaring, and sealing. Nicopp is an alloy of nickel and copper and will never rust or corrode and is much more forgiving than stainless when it comes to bending and routing brake lines.

Just my experience, YMMV,

[Rachelsdad]

NiCopp is great, and I can't argue with the logic (particularly after having fought recently with two sets of SS tans cooler lines which were supposedly pre-bent for my '63). No argument with using a real tubing bender and flaring tool, either. SS is hard as a rock, for sure.

[Safari Larry]

Good tips given above. I learned some things. Avoid stainless tubing. For tubing, including pre-bent brake and gas lines, try https://www.inlinetube.com/

Instructions for removing power brake unit are given in Shop Manual section 5, p. 5-20. Listen to those with experience (I've never removed one). For recommended shop to rebuild, you might try asking in the 1955 1956 Pontiac Facebook group. If you are looking for a local shop, give your location.

Your metal tube on upper radiator connection is correct for AC equipped. AC radiator is different that non-AC. It is mounted in front of the support assembly whereas non-AC radiator is mounted in back of support assembly. Info I previously gave for radiator hoses is for non-AC, not for your AC equipped. If you are replacing the lower radiator hose, I suggest taking the old one into a well equipped parts store and try to get something similar. I've had good luck with local NAPA parts store.

Air cleaner. I'm wondering if the previous owner might still have the top part, with silencer, and not know what it is?

Before starting the car, you might put drip pans under the engine and transmission. You will surely get some drips somewhere, hopefully not bad.

[Parkman51]

It worked!



Today's two questions:
1: How do I test the vacuum tank?
2: I've looked at the shop manual, but it's just not making sense: how do I drain the coolant? Shop manual says there are 3 drain cocks - one on the radiator lower tank and two on the engine block - but when I poke my nose under the front all I see is a mystery-maze of metal. I see nothing I can identify as a 'lower tank,' - the radiator lower hose seems to go to the engine - and I'm not sure where on the engine to look, either. There's a round hole (6" or so) in one of the metal plates under the car, through which I can see two bolts, but those don't look like 'drain cocks' to me.

[Safari Larry]

Externally, the power brake unit looks quite good for a 70 year old unit.

1. Not sure about testing, other ideas welcomed. If the vacuum tank looks in good condition, you might just assume it is okay. To test it, you might submit it in water, apply air pressure to the inlet, and look for bubbles.

2. See attached. The radiator shown is for 1955-56 non-AC, but I'm not sure about AC radiator, they have some differences. I would expect it to be in the same general location on front side of lower tank. For the engine drain cocks, you need to access them from under the car. The one on driver's side might be a bit difficult to access because of exhaust system and starter on that side. But it will be in same position as shown in photo on passenger's side. Be careful when opening drain cock from under car, don't get it in your eyes.

[Bill Hanlon]

I made a tool out of a 6" (more or less) long piece of 1/2" PVC pipe with notches cut in one end to fit the "wings" on the drain cocks. Helps in tight spaces.

[Goatracer1]

If you have to replace wheel cylinders or brake shoes make sure you order the correct sizes. I am in the process of doing my grandson's 1955 Chieftain. Turns out it has HD chassis. Several different bore sizes are offered for cylinders and different diameters and widths for shoes. Bore sizes were 1 and 1/16 in front and 15/16 in the rear. Front shoes were 12 x 2.25 and rear were 11 x 1.75. Make sure you measure yours. Wheel cylinders I got from Rock Auto but the shoes came from eBay. You must read sizes carefully though. As far as the block drains go they will probably be plugged so you will have to unscrew the petcocks and poke a wire in the hole.

[Parkman51]

Today was another Package Day! Got the sending unit and a battery clamp kit from CPR, and installed the sending unit. There was some gunk left in the tank, so I did my best to knock out what I could. The new unit went in pretty easily, and looks great.



The radiator, however, is another story, and has me flummoxed. I crawled under the car to try to access the drain cocks on each side of the engine, only to find that they didn't exist! It looks like they have been replaced by set screws, for some reason, though I could be mistaken. Maybe the cock snapped off? Visibility isn't the best under there. Next, I looked at the radiator drain cock, which existed correctly. When I tried to open it, however, the wings spun without actually opening the drain valve - so something is stripped. I expect I'll have to replace all those. Fortunately, Ames seems to have the right thing. https://www.amesperf.com/parts/14042/



Today's questions, therefore...
1. I tried to remove the entire petcock from the radiator, but I couldn't get it to budge with the poor leverage I had. Am I going to have to take the front bumper off to get proper leverage? Any other advice on removing and replacing all the petcocks/whatever's stopping the holes in the engine?
2. Give me a sanity check here. Picture below for reference - it looks like the battery holder will do nothing but short the battery when I install the cables. Am I crazy, or is there something I need to do?

[OG68]

Factory used set screws when building the engine. Some engine rebuilders or owners would replace them with drain cocks. Best not to try and remove them until you have the engine rebuilt.

[Safari Larry]

Originally Posted by OG68

Factory used set screws when building the engine.

They may have used screw in plugs when building the engine but engines were delivered with the drain cocks. I have a NOS 56 engine that has never been installed and it has drain cocks. Also the '55 shop manual p. 6A-7, tells to drain block by opening drain cocks on both sides of engine block (see attached).

If it were me, I would remove the plugs and replace them with drain cocks. That will give some idea of how much rust is in the block. If rust plugs the hole when plugs are removed, then it would be wise to do a good flush on the system to get as much rust out as possible.

Regarding replacement drain cock, Ames and CPR have them and they are different. The one from CPR looks more like original -- but you really don't care about looks of these, use whichever one you prefer. For the one from CPR, see https://www.pontiacparts.net/product...e-all-1955-75/

[Safari Larry]

Originally Posted by Parkman51

Today's questions, therefore...
1. I tried to remove the entire petcock from the radiator, but I couldn't get it to budge with the poor leverage I had. Am I going to have to take the front bumper off to get proper leverage? Any other advice on removing and replacing all the petcocks/whatever's stopping the holes in the engine?

It isn't unusual for the wing on the petcock to go bad and spin without doing anything. Replace the petcock if you can. I don't know what it looks like there with your AC radiator. Can you unbolt the evaporator in front of it and move it out a bit to get a bit more room to access the petcock?

2. Give me a sanity check here. Picture below for reference - it looks like the battery holder will do nothing but short the battery when I install the cables. Am I crazy, or is there something I need to do?

I think that is the same battery hold-down I got from CPR and it works fine, but is a loose fit on my battery. I don't think battery connections will touch it once installed (I could be wrong of course). For original correct battery hold-down with straps attached to fender, see photos from Rich Gabrielson's Safari. The correct version is hard to find, I've been looking.

[OG68]

Thank you for the enlightenment IRT the drain cocks Larry.

It's been my experience, however that when trying to remove those plugs, often results in frustration and stripped plugs. The plug becomes 'one' with the block.

[Safari Larry]

Originally Posted by OG68

It's been my experience, however that when trying to remove those plugs, often results in frustration and stripped plugs. The plug becomes 'one' with the block.

Good info Ed and something to keep in mind when attempting to remove.

[Parkman51]

Another package day today, I got all the indicator gaskets from Ames. The front indicator and the reversing light gaskets were actually cork (that's a blast from the past), and the taillight gaskets were foam. I thoroughly cleaned the reversing lights (parking lights were done last week) and installed all the gaskets. Now the reversing lenses don't rattle in their frames.



I also took the bridge hose out (between the metal fuel line and the fuel pump), and blew all the old gas out, then flushed with some acetone to hopefully clear any buildup, then just blew air for a little bit to clear the vapors. Hopefully, the fuel tank can go back in the next time I have a long day to work on the car.

As I say that, I get excited. It's still a little ways off, but E-Day (trying to start the Engine) is in sight. The to-do list before then is - remount the fuel tank, replace the bridge line, drain and flush the coolant, and change the oil.

Today I also shipped the Treadle-Vac out to White Post Restorations - thanks for the great tip, Rachelsdad - I did my research and among the shops I found, White Post had a competitive price, a great turnaround time, and an excellent reputation. The vacuum tank looks fine visually, so we're going to hope that looks are not deceiving in this case.

In the same fortunate fashion, I checked what I could see of the brake lines, and they looked OK. When I disconnected the line to the Treadle-Vac, pressurized brake fluid did start spurting out as soon as I started turning the fitting, so the system was obviously holding pressure.

Today's two questions:
1: In the list above, am I missing anything I need to do before starting the engine? I assume having the brake cylinder out won't matter, and Sirrotica's video indicated that you can't properly check the transmission fluid level unless the engine's running. Since I won't be putting the car in gear with no brakes, mostly E-day will help me check for leaks and see if the fuel and water pumps are working.

2. I intend to place an order for 3 of those cooling system petcocks tonight. Below you'll see a photograph of the cock on the radiator. What's your best tips and tricks on removing stuck bolts? I've got to try, and even if I do strip the plugs, I'm in no worse situation than I am now. I think I've got a universal fitting laying around somewhere for my impact drill, is that a good idea, or is the best plan 'a lotta lube and a lotta luck?'

[Rachelsdad]

You're welcome for the pointer to White Post. Billy (and his dad, now semi-retired) and everyone else there is/are great. Good business practices, organized operation, and above all, they know what they are doing (and enjoy doing it).

I've been meaning to say that to test the vacuum tank, get yourself a MityVac (you can find something like the MV-8500 kit on eBay new, for just a few $$). This is an invaluable tool for testing for vacuum leaks (perhaps not as visually exciting as a smoke tester, but it surely smells better - LOL). Anyway, connect the vacuum pump to the tank, and get it to about 5-10"Hg of vacuum. If the tank is solid, it will hold that pressure. If the gauge drops, you know you've got a leak (and connecting a leaky vacuum tank to the system is a recipe for disaster, not just for the braking system, but for running the engine, as well).

The MV-8500 kit comes complete with the vacuum pump and integral gauge, an assortment of hoses, fittings, and plugs, a booklet, and a sturdy plastic carrying case.

[Safari Larry]

My thoughts on your two questions:

1. Good that you have sights on starting the engine, E-day. I think you have it well covered with what you need to do. Have the emergency brake on when you start it. You can check transmission oil level with the engine running and transmission in neutral. See attached for procedure.

2. For the radiator petcock, try to remove it with open end wrench but don't round the nut with the attempt. If you can't remove it with the open end wrench, try to remove the open/close tab and then use a box end wrench or socket to access it. To remove that tab, you might try drilling out the center. Or you might try to cut it away with a Dremel tool and cutting wheel.

For the plugs in the block, do start with a lotta lube. You might try the impact drill. Best would be to heat the block around the plug with a torch and then try to remove it -- if you can. But that might be difficult to do. Be safe, have a fire extinguisher handy.

[Parkman51]

Today I did a little more polishing and installed the battery kit - without shorting anything, thankfully. Had to cut the bolts to fit under the hood, but that's expected. My brother has a MAPP gas torch that I can borrow to heat up the area around the coolant plugs, but that project is going to wait until I have a full day to work on it. We'll try to get the passenger side one, as that one's fairly accessible - if we can't budge that one, no point in trying the driver's side, which is tucked behind a great deal of equipment. But I think we'll get it! Might have to try area heating the radiator too, though very carefully - I got an open wrench on it today, but it didn't want to move. Got a few things I can try, however.

Tomorrow I think I'll work on reinstalling the fuel tank, which leads me right into today's Two Questions.

1. Should I preload the fuel line by pouring some gas in from the engine side, or will the fuel pump pull from the tank without any prefilling?

2. And should I spraypaint the tank with some sort of anti-rust coating before reinstalling? Since I have it out I kind of feel like it can't hurt, even though there was almost no rust present anyway...