460 swap into my 58 fairlane.. need help fellas!

the kit itself was 160 or so from scarebird. -160
rotors were probably... i wanna say around -80
pads were around -40
master cylinder was like - 50
brake hoses were - 40
callipers were i think close to - 60
still gotta get a proportional valve (aftermarket) - 70 bucks.
brake lines - dunno yet.

all together i guess 500 dollars estimated. i forgot some of the prices of things so i think its cheaper. maybe closer to 400

also i took my front wheels to a shop and had them press out the hub where the lug nuts go and stuff because they were tightly pressed into the drum (hopefully you know what im talking about, im bad with terminology), charged me like 40 bucks i think.



oh and for my kickdown problem, well i didnt have the rod that originally came with the engine. but i got another 460 for my dad for his truck project he's doing and he said i can have that kickdown rod. i got it, but i have the lokar cable linkage and its not gonna work if im gonna run that.



any info if i still can use that proportional valve i gave a link to guys?? if so i'll order it today so i can finish up my brakes here in the next few weeks before my headers get here.

 

i got two packages in the mail, got my kickdown cable for the c6 and my lokar column shifter linkage. still waiting for the proportional valve.

but im curious about this column shifter linkage... anyone who has a 57-59 ford, and you have a c4 or c6 in your ride, have you used this and does it work? im skeptical right now. this is what it looks like:



the column linkage in the engine compartment is sort of lined up with the brake pedal. and this seems to be a straight rod, so im not sure if it'll work.. will i have to rig up something maybe? havent got much feedback latley on here. the next 2 weeks should have a lot of progress made, ill get some brake lines possibly next friday when its payday and start work on that. and the fuel lines.

 

Probably the best thing to do is just try to put it on. If it won't work as is, you can figure out what needs to be done to make it work. If you have problems, post pictures, I'm sure one of us can confuse things more, er, I mean help.

 

heres a quick update;

well this past week ive been waiting to get payed, (tomorrow), and when i do im gonna go buy some brake lines.

i got my proportional valve with the built in brake switch from speedway on monday, and it looks pretty awesome. im hoping to get some pre-flared brake lines with the fittings already on them, then i can just bend them with a tool vs. buying a 250 dollar double flare tool that im only gonna use this one time.

also the lokar shifter fits perfectly, i just gotta have a 2nd person help me out, my dad isnt doing so well... he might have cancer of the esophagus. the doctors think it might be in the displacia (spelling?) stage right now, if it is, they can treat it, if it isnt, they said there isnt anything they can do for him.... he's down south in LA right now getting tests and scans done. im really scared, i mean, ive had my arguements with him over the years but i wouldnt wanna lose him. the pain losing my grandpa on my bday was bad but losing my dad would be crushing, he's the one who has tought me 90 percent of everything i know.


setting that aside, i also got the kickdown and throttle linkage almost all setup and put together. just gotta buy an aftermarket throttle pedal.

also have all the rear brake components on its way from mac auto, should be here in the next week or so im hoping.

i also need to take apart my disc brakes and i need to elongate the threads on the hub.. put my wheels on there and the lug nuts wont go down all the way, hope this isnt expensive to fix!


....so this is whats on my main agenda right now:

1. putting rear brakes together
2. longer threads on front wheel hubs
3. putting the brake system all together and bleed everything.
4. finishing touches on the column shifter and throttle and kickdown linkage.
5. gotta order my rear suspension stuff too.. missing some parts that hold my leaf springs up.
6. find someplace in town to weld brackets onto my aluminum radiator and get that mounted in place.
7. fuel lines, tranny lines, vaccuum lines all hooked up...

since i ordered my crites headers about 2 weeks ago i figure i got 6 more weeks left til i get them, hoping i can get all this stuff done by time they get here. once they get here, buy a set of new tires and hopefully.. hopefully give this thing a test drive.
i would love to visit my grandpas grave on Veterans Day in my '58.

 

Hey Good luck and your dad some time life is not fair trust in god!

 

I went to auto zone and used there brake tool. I told the guy I wanted to keep it and it was like 60 bucks. You will also need a tubing cutter also, plus a tubing bender. Cutting and flaring the brake line isnt hard. Just follow the instructions. And use a little oil on the tubing so it will work easier while flaring.

Also thinking of your dad.
Your doing a great job on your car. Just dont worry about it taking too long. If you get this one done then you will want another one, then you will be out of garage space like me.LOL

 

Sears has a double flare kit for around $69. I bought one and its a piece of cake to use. Just practiced a couple of times on a spare piece of tubing and let 'er rip on the truck. Everything worked out great. Pre-bent lines only come in so many lengths and you may end up with lots of joints (leak potential) and spaghetti looking brake lines. I really encourage you to give some thought to doing your own lines; it'll be like your wiring harness, once you have them in it'll be worth it.
P.S. My prayers for your Dad. Wish mine was closer.

 

ill check out sears for that tool, i ordered some brake line off speedway and a new pedal. i got my kickdown and throttle cables all hooked up today, still cant seem to figure out that darn column shifter though. didnt get too much done today, too much on my mind.

im sitting in my bedroom right now listening to my mom laying down next to my dad as he lays there sicker than a dog, i hear them both crying and he's in so much pain. he can hardly swallow any food. i guess the dr's in los angeles said they'll have the results in a few days but the doctor said his symptons right now arent too good.

i just cant help but think how mean i've been to the guy over the years and i feel horrible, i feel like i havent been a good son. i feel like he thinks i dont love him but i do and everything he's taught me has stuck with me. i dont like seeing his truck out in my driveway thinking he might not make it to see it get done... life is rough, im just pretty scared. i know its hot really hot rod related and im just going on a rant right now but i dislike seeing him like this and knowing i cant make him all better.

 

Let him know how you feel. As a parent (and a son) I've been on both sides and assumed too much. Sometimes just a few words of encouragement & love can help bolster the fighting spirit.
My Dad taught me a lot about cars and I can never repay him enough for that. Now if I could just get my grandma's '54 Chevy from him. Yeah right!

 

Hang in there buddy, I'll keep him in our prayers

 

i should probably update you all on lots of things:

1. my dad has the cancer. not all hope is lost though.. next wednesday he is going back down to los angeles for an endoscopy or something, to see if its spread into his lymph nodes. if it hasnt, then they can do a basic procedure and scrape it off sort of.
if it is in his lymph nodes..
then it'll involve major surgery where pretty much his esophogus will be removed and cannot eat whole foods ever again, he'll have to have it fed to him through a tube.
he's never had a good break, i feel horrible for him. bad back, disabled, bad neck, tortured as a kid growing up.. i dont get why god picks on the good guys sometimes.



anyway.. setting that matter aside.. im gonna try making big progress in the next two weeks. i was able to request a few days off next week and im gonna use them to my advantage.


2. i got myself two 25' rolls of steel brake lines from speedway. i also got myself a nifty spoon pedal assembly from them too. im hoping to get my throttle assembly done by tomorrow. and kickdown too.

3. i may have figured out whats wrong with my shifting linkage. i think i have to cut off the little arm thats on the transmission itself. ill try that and hopefully that'll get sorted out.

4. i got my new longer threads for the hubs of my wheels. gonna put those on tomorrow and HOPEFULLY THEY FIT. if not i'll have to slot out the rotors and rims to make them fit. then i'll put my disc brake assembly back together..

5. i think i found a good spot to mount my proportional valve. so ill mount that up, and i got myself a double flare tool from............HARBOR tool and freight. yes i know, let me have it. i see the bash's their tools and stuff get. i'll try it out, if i cant get it i'm gonna go to a brake shop once i bend the lines to their shape and have them flare it for me i guess.



once all those are done, ill work on mounting some brackets to my aluminum radiator, getting my driveshaft shortened, and wiring up the alternator, (havent done that yet cuz i dont understand it).


my headers still havent came in yet from crites. thats expected though. its been nearly a month since my order. so i'll wait another two weeks and i'll call them to see when they'll get shipped.

 

my 'build thread' isnt that popular compared to others on here, but i like updating this for myself because its showing me how much progress i've been making, its fun reading my first posts on here from months ago.

yesterday evening i didnt work and decided why not go work on my '58 at my grandmas since i wasnt doing anything. got my shifting arm all figured out, its a little lose on the column though, i dont like that. gotta fix that somehow, but other than that, i can shift through all the gears. someone care to chime in and let me know if this is right for the 460 c6:

PRND12..?
just wanna make sure.

got my spoon pedal all rigged up, just need someone to hold the wrench as i tighten the bolts down. then i'll put the throttle cable on it and i'll have a working gas pedal finally. same for the kickdown, just gotta tighten up a bolt and shorten the length of the line.


got my proportional valve mounted in a spot in my engine compartment too. i took the speedway brake line and bent it to shape. then i went to flare it with my Harbor freight double flare tool... piece of crap. the damn thing snapped in half as i was tightening it down on the line. i let out a curse word and shook my head and thats when i called it an evening. i knew the lengths of the brake line i needed though.. sooo, i went to the local hardware shop and bought some double flared lines already cut to a certain length.

im hoping i bought the right ones that'll fit to my brake hoses and proportional valve. i'll find out saturday when i go over there next.


my dad is in la right now for treatment for his cancer he got diagnosed with. he's supposed to have major surgery sometime this month. dont know if he'll be able to help me with the brake lines/ bleeding them when, or if, i get them finished up soon.


im not gonna lie, i am very surprised when i step back and look at everything ive accomplished by myself. getting that 460 in there, all the fab work i had to do... everything. makes me feel good that i can take a car apart and put it back together with little help, that feeling of 'wow i can actually do it' is great. im not saying i dont like help, because i do need it, but when i physically cannot have my dad help me out, i am forced to read, read, read and read about how to do something, then i go over there, work on it for hours until bam, i got it figured out. i was hoping to get this thing driveable by veterans day so i can visit my grandpas grave in it, but realistically that isnt going to happen too much little stuff to do, and still gotta order some more parts and do more work on it.

i think giving myself these 'hopefully it'll be drivable by.....' isnt working so great. when its done, its done. i enjoy spending time on it anyway, very relaxing (thats if everything goes smoothly and i dont hit a wall )

 

I'd say you're learning like quite a few of us did; by necessity. Sometimes the most aggravating problems don't seem so aggravating once you've figured them out. Keep up the great work, I've been following almost since the start and I really respect the way you've tackled problem after problem and beat them. The first time you drive it will make you forget the battle it took to get there.
As an example, today I had to move my '51 F1 out into the street so a crew could do some asphalt patch work in the apartment parking lot. Just driving it out and back (only the second time I've driven this truck) was such a kick, I wanted to haul ass around the island! Thats the kind of stuff that makes all the headaches worth it. Now excuse me while I go out to the truck, sit in it and make vroom vroom noises.

 

tuesday afternoon update for my project: yesterday evening i was in a workaholic mood for my car. i spent about 6-7 hours at my grandmas after i got out of class and worked on the brake lines and rear brakes. i have all my lines done now from the front all the way to the back. got a new rear brake hose, bent all the lines with ease and no kinks in them, im just hoping i got all the fittings tightened down well enough for no leaks or anything.

i do have to get one more fitting for the small chamber on my master cylinder so it can fit my 3/16 fitting on the brake line.

with the brake lines done, i started working on my rear brakes. i have new hardware for it, the springs and adjuster, etc, but i was wondering.. if i maybe forgot to order a piece, could i use my old front drum brake parts on the rear???? or no its not interchangeable?

 

P R N D 2 1
I used my stock shift rod from the 57 for the C6.
Hope all turns out good for your Dad. U can buy bushings from NAPA for the linkage.

 

thanks shoprat, guess i mixed the 2 and the 1 up, good to know now! and i got my shift linkage all figured out. theres a little bushing though in my column shifting arm that needs replacing, just a few bucks, once i get that in there i'll have a solid shifting unit in my '58 that isnt loose or anything, because the lokar one works perfectly after i cut it a few inches.


all day ive been thinking of my brakes though, (im 21 i should be thinking of girls all day whats my problem!?), but im proud of myself that i got all those lines together yesterday!!! it took me 7 hours almost but damn i am proud of them.
i cant wait to see if i did everything correctly when i bleed them.


but before doing that i gotta get my rear brakes taken apart/ put back together.

1. the driver side rear drum is stuck. i cannot get that darn thing off. idk if my shoes are rusted to it or what, but man the cover of that drum will not come off. any suggestions on how to get that off so i can get to the brake pads and springs and all that?

2. my passenger side rear drum brake i took apart today. i tried taking it off the actual axle itself, but the spindle is stuck on there... do i hammer that off or something because that is on there pretty solid too.

3. i have all the hardware from mac auto like the springs, adjuster, all that stuff. i was curious if i can get the darn backing plate off, can i paint it? or will it not hold up to the heat?

 

I don't have any help when doing two man jobs as well. I found usually putting a vice grip on the bolt will hold it in most cases enough for me to tighten up whatever I'm doing. Usually the weight of it will hold it enough to get the nut started. I've been following your build (lurking) as I too will be doing what you have already done. I recently picked up a 59 Galaxie that will get a 460/auto setup. Keep at it, there are more people watching than you think.

 

If you do have any leaks just re-flare the line. dont cut it and re-do it, just re-do your existing flare.

1. That is a tough job. Just make sure your adjuster is all the way loose and use lots of wd-40, and just keep hitting and prying. If anyone knows of some easy way I want to know too.
2.I'm not sure what your talking about here.
3.I always paint my backing plates. If I am using rattle can paint I do like to use engine paint just because I think it covers better, just not on brake parts but on whatever.

 

I just had a 2nd thought on rear drums.
Take a dremmel tool or file and clean the rust from the axle part that sticks out in the center of the drum. That is where it will stick.
If there is a groove in the drum from the shoes, that gets kinda tricky.
Hope that helps, Greg

 

I've found that by cleaning the axle nub that sticks thru the drum and cutting the heads of the brake hold down pins off I could usually get drums off.

 

Another trick is to use a brass drift punch and tap around the hub and lugs while shooting penetrating oil in the lug and hub area. The vibration of whacking the drift helps loosen the rust and continually adding penetrating oil helps as well. By the way, PB Blaster works much better that WD-40. And like Greg said, make sure your adjuster is backed off.

 

this response made my day the other day ill admit, i like knowing this is kind of guiding other people for their builds, and it could help them out, and the fact that some people are lurking and reading this without me knowing



anyways let me update you guys.
i finished all the lines up the other day and i went to the store today to get new rear brakes for both sides.

i bought some pb blaster and wow... THAT STUFF WORKED MAGIC. it took about 30 minutes but prying with a screwdriver and spraying that stuff finally got the drum off the driver side so i can reach the brakes.


the pasenger side brakes have been compeltley taken apart and i have a diagram of how to put it back together, plus the driver side is still in tact. i tried putting it together today and spend hours there, but to no avail. kept hitting my hand against the inner fenderwell as the pliers slipped off the springs of the rear brakes as i tried putting them into place


i called crites and my headers will be here next week. i also need to try and find a place to weld on some tabs to my aluminum radiator so i can bolt it into place, so i can put coolant in their and fire it up when i get the new headers on there!

 

ps i took some photos of my alternator/ wiring. i need to wire this 'alternator exciter wire' from the rebel wiring kit but i am horrible at wiring and know little about it, i got lucky i think with the lights and stuff i did lol, but i'll need some advice on how to wire that so when i start it up the alternator is correctly wired up. ill post the photos later when i get home

 

Must be nice to be able to work outside like that!

 

here are some photos:

this is my rear passenger brake as of yesterday. some degreaser and a wire brush got it pretty cleaned up compared to what it used to be thats for sure.



now my issue with the alternator wiring. basically the guy gave me the original wiring from the alternator that went into the voltage regulator? i put a question mark because i dont know if thats the correct term for what im referring too, i have photos of it below though, its bolted to my fender.

this is my alternator now. its loosely wired right now, because im not sure what goes where, and im not sure if this is a clear enough photo for you guys, sorry :/










not sure where to begin with the wiring. not sure where that 'alternator exciter wire' would even go? anyone who knows anything about wiring care to help out?

 

Do you know what year car the alternator and regulator came off of? There are several schematics online and if you can narrow the origin of those components down it should help. Another thought is to contact Bob at Rebel Wire, I bet he'll be able to help.
I figured you'd like that PB Blaster, you ought to see what it does to overheated turbocharger bolts. WD 40 can't even come close.

 

came out of a 78 ford f250. ill have to look around maybe for diagrams.
and yea i was skeptical when i spent the 5 bucks for the can but sure enough that thing worked wonders, i was amazed

 

my dad must be a secret hamber i dont know about it because i just got home and he went over to my grandmas with me today and helped out with the rear brakes and i got one side put together but i had to stop because i have work pretty soon, but i watched as he put it together for me and i helped out, now i know what to do and in what order. so im grateful for that. and he said my brake lines looked good too, the ones i made. didnt get to take any photos today but i'll get some maybe tuesday next time i go over there.

as for the wiring of the alternator i asked him and he said he isnt too sure how to wire it either so ill do my research on that one

 

Doin' good kid.................

 

here is what i did with mine you i have the alt and set up as you you need to go to the junk yard and find a 1979-86 mustang look for the plugs you need unplug them and follow them up to the reg take it off with the plugs the other plug goes to the baterry i used abought 15 inches of the wires from the reg plug i disconected my old reg and tied the the wires from the new style into them they almost were exact match and color code as well if you do this and you are not using an am guage and you are using the idiot light in the dash make mmake sure the bulb that make the red light that reads gen is not blown if the bulb is blown it will not charge this willscrew you up if you dont know this and here are some pics of wiring and scamatics i did my car this and have had no problems and i have been through three differnt size motors here is what i did with mine you i have the alt and set up as you you need to go to the junk yard and find a 1979-86 mustang look for the plugs you need unplug them and follow them up to the reg take it off with the plugs the other plug goes to the baterry i used abought 15 inches of the wires from the reg plug i disconected my old reg and tied the the wires from the new style into them they almost were exact match and color code as well if you do this and you are not using an am guage and you are using the idiot light in the dash make mmake sure the bulb that make the red light that reads gen is not blown if the bulb is blown it will not charge this willscrew you up if you dont know this and here are some pics of wiring and scamatics i did my car this and have had no problems and i have been through three differnt size motors since