'46 Chevy Shorty

[Tango]

Thanks for the kind words folks. Now to get back to the shorty.

Meanwhile...I am still up for a bus nut gathering and chat session next Sunday afternoon. Any other locals interested?

How about sometime around 3 in the afternoon?

[cadillackid]

Lovin the BUZZ!! sorry i like BUZZ bewtter than MOAB for the name... i still think cool-ass-heck 4 wheeling when I hear the word MOAB...

alas il;l; be at the florida Ocala skoolie gathering and wont be able to make houston in time for sunday.. or if I did, it would be one heck of a drive...

I did get my bus put back together anbd it seems to run good though..
-Christopher

[M1031A1]

I was there TODAY!!!!! Got pics of Buzz and his patrol kitty too. Too tired to post anything. Going to bed to get up early again tomorrow............

M

[Tango]

Well Dangnabbit! --- Cadillac can't make it next weekend and I missed M today!

Ah well...at least I got a little more done on the shorty.


I decided to take a shortcut and make my firewall out of Foam Core. Not. But it is the final fit template. And I even threaded the rod I'm replacing the fuel solenoid with and fitted a shiny red knob! Those solenoids are to me a weak link. Why not just have an "On/Off" pull rod?

ONWARD!

PS...Hope some of you locals can make it next Sunday around 3 pm but either way...I'll be there drinking.

[cadillackid]

Cool idea to template in foam core, why can't you use a pull rod? I know the Bosch pumps had the manual valve on them, I was thinking some had to make an external fuel valve you could use then gut the valve out of the Cummins pump? Or is the valve external to the pump?

Although maybe it's just easier to Velcro a spare solenoid under the dash or put one in your emergency kit.. I carry a few electronics bits for the redbyrd so I at least have s fighting chance if I break down.
Christopher

[Tango]

Howdy Cadillac...hope you can make it down this way one of these days.

I am using a push rod. The older, mechanical Cummins (3.9 & 5.9) like mine employ a solenoid and actuator unit that is fairly bulky just to open and close the fuel supply. When activated by the ignition, it moves a lever attached to the actual valve. All I did was eliminate the electrics and actuator and attach a simple push/pull rod directly to the lever on the valve. One less item to go South, but now I do have to remember to turn the supply off & on. Had the same arrangement (from the factory) on the DD 6v53 that was in my old BB.

[cadillackid]

I like the manual control... it also means that you can drive if your alternator goes defunct and you kill the batteries!!.

I remember driving dads IHC scout that way... lost the alt, it was a DAMN HOT day. so I ran the A/C till the battery got so low the compressor clutch slipped and the signals no longer flashed... and still drove another 2 hours.. got home before dark... and was REAL careful not to stall it on the clutch!

of course you an allison electronic so not sure what happens if the trans computer goes dead.

-Christopher

[Tango]

Ya, I have wondered about that too. I was originally going for "pure" mechanical including the tranny but the idea of going through ten gears in slow moving traffic while overdeveloping the muscles in my left leg wore me out just thinking about it. The Allie will have the only Puter on board, but it will indeed be a critical one. Surely there is some kind of a hack around any such situation? Spare batt just for the trans? Hook it up to the genny? 400 AAA Copper Tops?

[Tango]

Hmmmm...has anyone had an Allison go into "Limp Mode"? And if the TCM goes out, will it still "Limp"?

[FlyboyHPD]

Looking forward to seeing everyone tomorrow. I'll be at ReHab about 1:30pm.

[cadillackid]

Originally Posted by Tango

Hmmmm...has anyone had an Allison go into "Limp Mode"? And if the TCM goes out, will it still "Limp"?

I believe all but the 3000s will Limp because they have mechanical shift linkages, where as the 3000s.. (3060) are electronic...

from what ive read you would have R-N-{D} - stuck in 2nd gear no lockup

-Christopher

[Tango]

Interesting Cadillac. Mine is a 2200MH 6 speed and I went with a mechanical shifter rather than the electronic. Hopefully, I should at least be able to move even if the TCM goes South. Will have to check with the local Allison guru and see what I can find out. I'll pass along whatever I discover.

[Tango]

And now for something completely different...

Given the headaches associated with the limited space under my pointy Art Deco hood and around the Cummins, I am now investigating a remote Hydroboost and remote reservoir brake system. Turns out you can use a clutch master cylinder then assemble some other parts and hoses to build something like a race car setup. Saw several in online forums built by a chap out in CA that got great reviews from the owners who had similar problems so it is worth looking into. Does not require a very large master at all. Just a 3/4" piston but the output is huge after the boost.

I am researching the masters as we speak and find most are tiny enough to easily tuck in behind the engine on the firewall/dash. The Hydroboost itself can basically go anywhere within about six feet, so that presents many more options than trying to shoehorn everything right on top of the engine.

We shall see.

ONWARD?

Let's hope.

[cowlitzcoach]

Back in the day when the boosters were vacuum the booster units were mounted in a lot of different places on the truck and bus chassis.

Most of the hydravac units were pretty large but the master cylinder was relatively small. IIRC, the MC on a Loadstar was the same part as what was used on the light line 1/2-ton and 3/4-ton trucks. Once dual circuit brake systems were mandated the Loadstar chassis buses came with two hydravac units, each of which was served by a separate circuit from the master cylinder. Those two hydravac units were HUGE and were a monster to bleed all of the air out of them if you ever had to break into the system.

I have toyed with the idea of adding a hydravac unit to my '65 Travelall since it was an option back in '65 so there are donor units out there including the mounting bracket. And the cost is very affordable.

It is a little hard to go from a 1995 Suburban with hydraboosted ABS brakes to four wheel unassisted drums on the T-all.

[cadillackid]

why not just use a regular booster like on a scout for the T-all?
-Christopher

[cowlitzcoach]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

why not just use a regular booster like on a scout for the T-all?
-Christopher

I have a manual transmission that has a wet linkage. To swap over to a regular brake booster would require changing to a 1967/68 pedal linkage with 1967/68 only linkages to work a wet clutch linkage and a regular brake booster.

If I was going to go to all the trouble of changing pedal linkages I would swap axles to modern GM axles and get disc brakes on all four corners and swap out the manual for an automatic transmission.

It is much easier to run a line from the MC to a booster on the inner fender.

[Tootalltechie]

My 74 Chevy bluebird has dual hydrovac systems and power steering. I'm researching converting to Hydro boost with electric backup pump.

Sent from my SM-G530W using Tapatalk

[cowlitzcoach]

Originally Posted by Tootalltechie

My 74 Chevy bluebird has dual hydrovac systems and power steering. I'm researching converting to Hydro boost with electric backup pump.

Sent from my SM-G530W using Tapatalk

Why would you want to do that?

It won't be cheap and I doubt you will gain very much in braking ability. The booster is still working on the brakes you already have.

Your '74 engine should have plenty of vacuum to boost your brakes. The vacuum tank should be good for at least a couple or three brake applications before you are out of vacuum.

Since you already have power steering I can't see why you would bother making the change.

[Tango]

My '46 came with a monster HydroVac attached to the frame. Almost hated to remove only because it was labeled...

"Bendix Aircraft Company"

But then HydroBoost is a whole different animal.

[Tango]

OK, here we go...or is that...STOP?...

Bit the bullet and purchased the first brake component. A Wilwood clutch master cylinder with a 3/4" bore. It comes with a couple of reservoir options including a remote mount that I will definitely be using. The Hydroboost will also be remote courtesy of a custom brake outfit called Vanco in SoCal. It will likely wind up attached to the frame...somewhere.



Ah, the joys of refurbing a 70+ year old Skoolie!

ONWARD!