64 Jigsaw project

[Lee]

Wow Fraser that is a great collection of parts.
At this stage I think the only part I am missing is a top shoe spring. The reason my right rear brake locked on was a spring snapped and the shoe jammed on the drum. I have got spare mopar ones somewhere so will search them out and see if they are correct length and tension.
Did the weld and grind to the backing plate today. Went great.
Decided to try assembly brakes off the car. Worked fantastic. Used wood clamp to hold shoes together. Cut a groove in the end of a steel bar and used as a tool to hook top springs on. Used vise grips so spring end started near end of bar.
All my adjusters are identical. Manual says there are left and rights, mine all lefts.
My backing plates are not 64 as the shoe holding springs are at the bottom half of the shoe.
Started bending my new brake lines but I need a 180 deg bender. One I borrowed is a 90 deg. Buy one tomorrow, $30 Kiwi.
Cheers

Once again Tony, admire how you are working through problems. I wouldn’t worry a whole lot about the top spring pressures. The originals called for something like 77# on the primary and 100+ pounds on the secondary (I may have that reversed), but any kits sold in the aftermarket are pretty generic. It’ll work OK as long as there is sufficient tension to return the shoes.

I once called one of the better known Lincoln suppliers to ask whether he had the “proper” springs for my ‘62, and he wasn’t even aware they were different.

Don’t know if you can get the copper-nickel alloy lines in NZ, but those are soooo easy to bend, you can even do it carefully by hand and nobody would even know you didn’t use a bender. Another tip is to fill the line with sand or glass beads from your blaster, and then bend away by hand, even with steel lines. The beads keep the line from crimping.

Also, I probably don’t need to tell you, but make sure you double flare all your lines…

[TONY NZ 64]

Morning Lee,
Great to know that most springs will fit. Fingers crossed that I find my mopar spares.

Yes to the copper lined tube. When I order a coil , my mate who was working in the shop said upgrade to the copper because it is much easier to work with. My first flare came out perfect. I want to remake the front lines first before engine goes in. These require a tight 180 on each end where the flexy pipe attaches. If I have a correct shaped steel pipe, say 2 inch, I could finish my bend using it as inside support. If that makes sense.

[1Bad55Chevy]

Copper lined brake tube.

I first thought you said copper tube...

[Lee]

I don’t know anything about copper lined. You should obviously not use pure copper for brake lines.
This is the alloy I was speaking of.
https://www.jegs.com/p/JEGS/JEGS-NiCopp ... 4/10002/-1

[TONY NZ 64]

Must be cooper-nickel I have got. Very easy to bend. Saw a youtube clip on making 180 deg bends without actual tool. Tried it and work perfect.

Photo as promised of 70s night.
Wife and I are on the right, my brother and his wife on the left. My wife car, 59 Buick electra out of LA 4 years ago.

[Lee]

Nice looking car (you guys aren’t bad either)
At one point, I had a ‘58 Lincoln, a ‘61 Chrysler, and I nearly bought a 59 Buick just so I could complete the trifecta of canted headlight cars.

[frasern]

Looks nice and warm there, if we had a new years '70s party, everyone would be wearing a parka!
My Buicks headlights were still juuuuust a little canted in '62, now they are coming back, started a few years ago with that "angry" Jeep.

Back to brakes, Tony, do you have the aluminum front drums, or steel? If someone put the '58 drums on there, they were slightly smaller. Only about .030, I think, and if they have ever been turned they should be okay, but something to think about.

[TONY NZ 64]

Summer here so raincoat not getting a lot of use.
Yes I do like the angled headlights on the Buick. Being a 6 seater we try to pack the guests in.

Yes I have the alloy drums, will check fitment today.
So you saying I have 1958 backing plates ? My new shoes were ordered under the presumption that they were for 64 brake setup. They fit perfect so far. Am I going to have issues further down the track ?

Made my first brake line. Very happy. Tube is Canada made. Fairview brand. You can see the copper inner.

[frasern]

If you have alloy drums, then you should be ok. Linings got a little thicker in '63, so drums were larger, but very little. Backing plates should be the same anyway, but here are '63s.

Upper left may be a '67, but you may notice the fronts use the lower pins, rears use the uppers, as the lower position would bind with the brake cable. My '62 is the same.

[TONY NZ 64]

Cheers Fraser,
Just grease packed wheel bearings for front right and put the drum on. Runs super smooth BUT inside of drum does seem a long way off the shoes. Have wound adjustment screw 1/3 of way out. Looks like 5mm gap. That a long way for cylinders to push out. Drums don't have a wear lip. Will investigate further. DON'T want to have to order new drums. That be some serious cash for shipping.

[frasern]

With new shoes, I don't think they should be that far out, how do your adjusters compare with this?

I would adjust them as per '58, then check the adjusters.

[TONY NZ 64]

Where does time go. Sorry for slow reply.
I fitted the driver side and the drum started rubbing on the new shoes when adjusters were 1/3 way out.
My adjusters are nowhere near as wound out as the ones the right in your photo.
Fitted the steering arms etc in readiness for motor. Will fit dash face and steering column

[TONY NZ 64]

What lenses go in the 2 rectangle holes on the left of the indicator arrow please.
I can not recall removing them.
Thanks

[Lee]

Left is rear door warning, and right is high beam indicator.

[frasern]

I will better explain the picture; those are the correct Lincoln adjusters, one is all the way out, one is in. The in one is 4 inches overall, 3 1/2 inside the grooves. We don't know, for certain, what your adjusters are off of, if they are smaller, you will need to adjust them farther out to get started.
For adjusting my Buick, you adjust them out as you turn the wheel until you can't turn it, then adjust in 12 clicks, I expect '58 Lincoln was similar, but the number of clicks will depend on the number of detents on the star, I don't have that spec, but we also don't know what adjusters you have.
If it were me, I would set them all that way and check the pedal, if it is low or high, adjust all four the same number of clicks.