1939 Chevy coupe

[oletrux4evr]

You need a Kool Tools 468......does AN-4, -6, -8. The best $75 you'll ever spend. Other sets are available for larger hoses too.

https://www.summitracing.com/search/brand/koul-tools

[SuperBuickGuy]

which braided line did you get? stainless over rubber or stainless over PVC?

The rubber stuff is a pain, usually I wrap the line with electrical tape (tightly) then cut it with a die grinder in the middle of the tape. I then run the nut over the top (sometimes you can thread it over)*, pull the tape off, mark the edge of the fitting at full tighten, feed the fitting in, then tighten - making sure I can see my mark once it's tight (the hose can slip).

*whatever you do, be gentle and look carefully at the stainless wires - trimming off any wire that is sticking out

For PVC (which I prefer about a billion times better), I have a line cutter, then I take a small screwdriver and make the plastic tube round so I can slide the tightening fitting over the hose, then I stretch the inner tube enough so that the brass ferrel will slide over the inner PVC tube (it's not PVC, but it's not rubber), I then fight the fitting into the tube until it 'snaps' into place then tighten the nut over the outside - do NOT over tighten this one, it's not terribly weak, but if you really get on it, you will break the fitting.

now my opinion, if you bought rubber, throw it away or use it strictly for vent line. you will constantly have a fuel smell because vapor can escape that hose. The PVC stuff costs a bit more, but no fuel smell - add to the easier-to-assemble aspect and rubber line can die with buggy whips.

[1946Austin]

I got braided black poly over PVC, and I cut it with my large cable cutters that give a really clean cut.

But I found out a couple things that were causing me all the grief. First was the nuts that thread over the hose were left hand thread! So turning them CCW is the key. Second I made up a oak block to clamp the hose in my vise by drilling a hole the size of the hose, and then cutting the blocks in half. That way it clamped the hose to hold it, but didn't crush it. Having it held close to the end made threading the nut on much easier! I could thread it down until the hose bottomed out without using a wrench.
Once I got the hose on I put a drop of lube on the barb fitting and threaded it into the hose easily too. After figuring out the first one, the others went super easy! Just used a pair of crescent wrenches with taped up jaws to protect the finish. I left the last of the hose to the fuel pump long, so I can trim to length once this is on the carb.

[1946Austin]

The little bits and pieces sure take time! I installed my flexible throttle cable assembly and spoon type gas pedal yesterday. And also the kickdown bracket and cable for the 700R4. Then finished the wiring at the trunk area for lights, and fuel gauge. Pretty much ate up 3 or 4 hours.

[1946Austin]

So how does a guy fill tranny fluid in a dipstick tube that's almost horizontal? Seems like a perfect way to end up with fluid all over the top of your clean engine to me. Guess I'll have to get some clear fuel line and hook it to my funnel. Then slide it down the tube far enough and wrap a rag around the end to avoid drips.

[1946Austin]

We had one of those rare warm winter days today! Got up to high 50's, so I got out to the shop and mixed up some skim coat putty and skim coated the seams and joints I have all over the car. Didn't have time to sand today, so maybe this weekend I can get back on it and begin blocking these areas out.

[Deaf Bob]

Sure was nice today. Got a decent pic of Hood from down by Monmouth. But by the time it zoomed in, fuzzy. Also saw Jefferson.. Yep. Rare sunny day.

[1946Austin]

Sure was nice today. Got a decent pic of Hood from down by Monmouth. But by the time it zoomed in, fuzzy. Also saw Jefferson.. Yep. Rare sunny day.

Sounds like we're gonna pay for that one great day now! Rain for at least the next week or so!

[Deaf Bob]

Yep. All wet here and nasty!

[1946Austin]

Nothing going on today that could pull me away, so I put in some time on the car. Removed all the crumby fuel line and battery straps, and replaced them with good quality rubber insulated straps. Cut up the battery cables and crimped on the ends so they're ready for a battery to go in. Made up full sized 2/0 jumpers from battery ground to frame, and from frame up front to engine block. Ground all the surfaces so shouldn't have any resistance or grounding issues.
Installed the dipstick tube for the engine, and also the fan on the water pump. Need to buy a small number of toggle switches for various items so I have a way to cut them off if needed. I'd like to get the fiberglass nose on the car to begin building my framework, but this darn rain is getting in the way of me rolling the car outside to set the nose on it!

[1946Austin]

I've been pondering how to do the headlights and turn signals on the coupe. I already purchased sealed beam buckets off a Ford truck, but I couldn't see a good way to be able to adjust them for level. And then there was the turn signal issue too. The old headlights had the turn signals in the headlamp above center, and I kinda liked that. I had a couple LED type chrome pods I considered, but wasn't really sold on them either.
So I hit the Pick N Pull today and went looking for donors. I ended up pulling halogen sockets and reflectors from a wrecked Ford SUV, and tore the busted up lenses off. Then I stopped at Oreillys and got a pair of 1157 sockets. So this was what I started with:



And these old reflectors and buckets from my coupe:



I started by using an old 3" header collector as a pattern, and traced a circle around the donor reflectors.



Then I cut the reflectors down with my bandsaw, and ground them smooth to the line I marked. After that I removed the sockets from the coupe's reflectors, and opened up both holes larger. Since all the silver was off the copper reflectors, I shot them with rattlecan chrome.



After shooting them I pre drilled the donor halogen sockets and then held them centered on the reflectors and drilled one hole for a pop rivet. Then drilled the other three holes. After the new sockets were in I installed the signal sockets in where the original sockets were. I had to notch the donor halogen sockets as they were slightly large and covered the turn signal hole.







Once they were finished I took them over to my quad and used the battery to test the headlights and turn signals. They work great and the turn signals are plenty bright enough to be seen with the headlights on. I think I'll likely use LED headlight lamps instead of these halogen, just so they last longer and have no maintenance issues.

[fatguyzinc]

fantastic work as always..........

[1946Austin]

fantastic work as always..........

Thanks!

[SuperBuickGuy]

if you use LED lights, heat isn't a problem, halogens, though, get really warm... like paint burning hot.

[oletrux4evr]

Neat!