Barney

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okayfine
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Seatbeltpros.com

Post by okayfine »

Got seat belts. Ordered two 3-point retractors, and 3 lap belts, all in navy blue. They arrived over the weekend, and today was the first day I had time to work on Barney. I've only got the front 3-point belts installed, but they were the most critical.
seat belts.jpg
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I'll get to the rear lap belt installation when I can get the car in the garage and up on stands. Way easier to deal with than jackstands on the driveway.

In other news, the next WTF moment. A PO installed power brakes using an aftermarket pedal assembly. Stock would have had an under-floor BMC setup. Barney has a top-hinged pedal. Main problem is that the brake pedal is about 9" from the firewall at rest, and only gets to within 6" of the firewall during application. This is not really safe (from a use standpoint) or ergonomic. So I'll need to pull the pedal, pie-cut the pedal bar, then weld up.
brake pedal.jpg
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Because when you spend a silly amount of money on a silly, trivial thing that will help you not one jot, you are demonstrating that you have a soul and a heart and that you are the sort of person who has no time for Which? magazine. – Jeremy Clarkson
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okayfine
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Re: Barney

Post by okayfine »

Pie-cut the brake pedal and TIGed it back. I love my TIG. Moved the pedal about 3 inches closer to the firewall, and in much better relationship with the gas pedal.
IMG_6486.JPG
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Added a new brake pedal pad since I was there.

Also finished my BMC brace. Split clamp on the steering column, braces going up to the bottom BMC bolts. There's much less flex of the firewall, though it isn't eliminated. Good enough for now. To really improve it I'll need to build something in the engine compartment like I've seen Aussies do to 510s. But there's only inner fender sheetmetal in the engine bay of Barney, and it's nowhere near as strong as the 510's engine bay.
IMG_6487.JPG
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New wheels are in and drying after paint. Should be early next week for some new tires and mounting.
Because when you spend a silly amount of money on a silly, trivial thing that will help you not one jot, you are demonstrating that you have a soul and a heart and that you are the sort of person who has no time for Which? magazine. – Jeremy Clarkson
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okayfine
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Re: Barney

Post by okayfine »

New wheels are on. Pulled off the ZZTop wheels and dismal tires. Pulled off 215/75/15s which were too big for the car, much less too bloated for anything short of cruising. And even then, these tires are in such poor condition that the car will most likely ride tons better with new rubber, even with less profile. And another thing - the actual tread width of the outgoing tires is pitiful!
IMG_6495.JPG
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6" of actual tread width...from a 215!

So, I fixed that up. I bought a set of 17" steelies, beauty rings, and baby moons. The baby moons are B/Oed, so they're not here yet. I got the steelies mounted with some rubber Monday afternoon. 215/55/17, so I'm cutting a little over 1.5" from the tire diameter, good for front tire clearance while steering, and a 5-percent gain in gearing. Which can only help try to offset the increase in rotational weight, for 17x7" steelies are not light things.

However, take a look at the actual tread width gained:
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Adding 1.5" of tread width, from the same "215" section tire. These are just Kumho ASX, nothing fancy, but cheap enough, and good enough for what I'm going to do in the near term.

A shot on the car. Once the baby moons arrive I'll take better pictures.
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Now, while doing this latest work, were any of the castellated nuts for the balljoints and tie rods tight? Sure, some were. Did any have cotter pins? ...nnnnnnnnnnoooooooooooooo... Did I then spend the next three hours nut-and-bolting the front suspension? Yessir. I want to love Barney just because it's obvious no one else has ever done so.
Because when you spend a silly amount of money on a silly, trivial thing that will help you not one jot, you are demonstrating that you have a soul and a heart and that you are the sort of person who has no time for Which? magazine. – Jeremy Clarkson
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James
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Re: Barney

Post by James »

Car looks amazingly better with those new rims!
Finished is better than perfect......
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duke
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Re: Barney

Post by duke »

Man, the wheels totally transformed the car! Looks like a great project Julian.
Duke Schimmer

'72 2-Door 510
"Simplify and add lightness."
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defdes
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Re: Barney

Post by defdes »

duke wrote:Man, the wheels totally transformed the car! Looks like a great project Julian.
X2 man....chicken shit to chicken salad!
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Mattndew76
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Re: Barney

Post by Mattndew76 »

Oh man that looks great. I voted for 225/55-15

No more 90's billet stuff
An Idea doesn't work unless you do.
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two_68_510s
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Re: Barney

Post by two_68_510s »

Good job on that pedal Julian, looks very factory.

Yeah, the direction you have taken with the look is right on.
Joel

2 '68 510 2 door sedans
'95 240SX


“We will either find a way, or make one.” – Hannibal
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okayfine
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Re: Barney

Post by okayfine »

Someone bought the steering wheel off CL, maybe someone else will want the rims? Tell your friends! http://ventura.craigslist.org/pts/5021790326.html The price isn't realistic, but leaves room for the inevitable CL low-ball offer.
Because when you spend a silly amount of money on a silly, trivial thing that will help you not one jot, you are demonstrating that you have a soul and a heart and that you are the sort of person who has no time for Which? magazine. – Jeremy Clarkson
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okayfine
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Re: Barney

Post by okayfine »

Wheeler Dealers UK has gotten ahold of Barney's fraternal twin brother:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjVbuTFY0Hw
Because when you spend a silly amount of money on a silly, trivial thing that will help you not one jot, you are demonstrating that you have a soul and a heart and that you are the sort of person who has no time for Which? magazine. – Jeremy Clarkson
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okayfine
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Wheel Trim Decisions

Post by okayfine »

So the baby moons arrived. They're not very "baby," they're friggin' huge. Easily 8" diameter, but I didn't measure. Instead, I put them on the car.

Steelie shot, for a refresher:
Steelie.jpg
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Baby moon:
Baby Moon.jpg
Baby Moon.jpg (163.72 KiB) Viewed 4268 times
Profile shot with the moons on:
Double Moons.jpg
Double Moons.jpg (212.63 KiB) Viewed 4268 times
And, with the beauty ring:
Beauty Ring.jpg
Beauty Ring.jpg (169.17 KiB) Viewed 4268 times
I'm not sure it needs the beauty ring. It does class it up a bit more, just not convinced it's worth the $200 for the rings. Thoughts?
Because when you spend a silly amount of money on a silly, trivial thing that will help you not one jot, you are demonstrating that you have a soul and a heart and that you are the sort of person who has no time for Which? magazine. – Jeremy Clarkson
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two_68_510s
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Re: Barney

Post by two_68_510s »

Seems to complete the design, but that could be 60 years of conditioning!
Joel

2 '68 510 2 door sedans
'95 240SX


“We will either find a way, or make one.” – Hannibal
RONSLYCHUK
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Re: Barney

Post by RONSLYCHUK »

I say keep the rings. They look good.
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PoorMtnKid
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Re: Barney

Post by PoorMtnKid »

I second the rings..... Looks good
looking for pass. side arm rest
greenthumb
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Re: Barney

Post by greenthumb »

third
keep the rings
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