I bled the brakes with no trouble. The clutch, different story. I did some on-line reading about difficulties with bleeding hydraulic clutches, I read the manual. I had a day and spent 3 hours trying to get something. I have a suction pump, so I tried using that to fill the line. The clutch line goes down from the master cylinder, and then up over the back of the engine, down the passenger side, and then to the slave cylinder. I tried pulling fluid at each end. Spent an hour here, a couple hours there when I had time. I had read about someone who removed the system and got it bled on the bench, and reinstalled. I tried this, removed the slave cylinder still connected to the line and had that out in front of the master. I finally got what looked like good results, fluid and some air bubbles coming out with each pedal press until no more bubbles. I put the slave cylinder back in, snaking the line behind the engine, only to find fluid dripping… A nick in the hydraulic line, probably from a grinder. New line installed and back to the endless pumping of the pedal, using suction. I removed the master and cut the end of the old line off to run into a can of fluid. It seemed like I was able to prime the master this way, so I put it back on. I even filled the line with a syringe. Now I was getting some fluid through the system and some air bubbles, but that lasted for about Three pedal presses. Now I decided to replace the cylinders. I connected the slave cylinder to the line and attached a hose from the bleeder to a jar of new fluid. With the bleeder open and the cylinder hanging so the bleeder was highest. Installed the master and bench bled with the short line I had made, then transferred onto the line. I pumped the pedal a couple times, looked under and saw the clear hose starting to fill. Pumped a bunch more, refilled the reservoir, and went under to look. Fluid and air bubbles were flowing, so this is the gravity bleeding I read about. Made it up top in time to add more fluid, and then back down to close the bleeder. I used a camera tripod to wedge the pedal down, and bled the rest of the air out. Then installed the slave and verified through the inspection hole that the cluch arm was moving. Good firm pedal, but… The firewall flexes a lot. I push down about an inch, then the firewall pops, flexes an inch, then the pedal can be depressed the rest of the way. I thought any flexing would be much more subtle. I have read about reinforcing the firewall for the brake booster, I guess I wanted to see what would happen, and my builder didn’t know about this issue. I’m thinking either add some ribs, or a plate, leaning more for the plate. Maybe .080 would be enough to spread the load. The brake pedal doesn’t seem to be much of a problem, it’s only resistance is the return springs in the rear drum brakes. The clutch pedal has to push the clutch disk, hydraulic makes it easier, but it’s still work.
I picked up a couple pieces of sheet metal last weekend from a friend. I need to see if they are wide enough. I’ll make templates out of cardboard, one for the firewall and one for the T-case shifter bracket.
I’m still finishing the back end. I think I found an off-the-shelf solution for the exhaust tailpipe. I’d like to get the exhaust in before closing the bed up. I’m in the process of identifying all the bed bolts, there are a few more holes to drill. It looks like I’ll have to put all the bolts in place before tightening any. Before I get to that there’s painting the rest of the bed strips. And I’m looking at an off-the-shelf Gray paint to match the interior Gray. I’d like to touch up the bad spots, and hit the area that meets the bedwood, before the wood is in place.
I have been buying Grays as I find them and decided to do a comparison. I put up a poll in the Paint section. Here:
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=822840
That jagged scrap creates a shadow so today I cut each color and pasted on the background, the background is a section in the interior cargo area. I like 3,4, and 7 with 3 being the closest.
1. Krylon Fusion Matte Deep Gray 2914
2. Krylon Matte Vintage Gray 2910
3. Rust Stop Stone Gray Satin Ace1197094
4. Rust-Oleum Satin Coastal Gray 312819
5. Rust-Oleum Gloss Charcoal Gray 7784-830
6. Rust-Oleum 2X Satin Charcoal Gray 350373
7. Rust-Oleum Gloss Smoke Gray 7786-830
8. Krylon Color Maxx Matte Deep Gray 5550
9. Krylon Fusion Satin Pewter Gray 2744
I also have a plan for the Dash and cab interior. I have no metal painting experience, but I have been reading a lot and am happy with the test piece.