'70 Nova LY6/TH400 6.0VVT
02-21-2018, 12:01 PM
#1361
I'm not sure what you mean by a swage feature. The cable is just plain wire cable. Swaging and crimping are very similar processes so the terms often get used interchangeably. They are both ways to reduce the size of a fitting like this. I think the difference has to do with whether you apply a single action or if you do multiple or high frequency actions to bring down the size.
There are other types of cable ends where you unwrap the wire and install a small piece of hardware inside that wedges into the fitting. I don't have the room for that kind of thing. I'm sure I could find a cable end with similar shape to the factory LS1 brake cable ends, but this turnbuckle idea is very easy to source at the local hardware store.
There are other types of cable ends where you unwrap the wire and install a small piece of hardware inside that wedges into the fitting. I don't have the room for that kind of thing. I'm sure I could find a cable end with similar shape to the factory LS1 brake cable ends, but this turnbuckle idea is very easy to source at the local hardware store.
02-21-2018, 12:08 PM
#1362
Mine was right around $37 off Amazon. I've used it probably a dozen times, the support for the pushing die has quickly become wobbly and turns as you pump the ram closer to the stationary die. It ends up crimping fine, just needs some attention to "alignment" as you're closing the dies closer together.. but what more can you expect from a shockingly cheap Chinese tool?
02-21-2018, 12:11 PM
#1363
I'm not sure what you mean by a swage feature. The cable is just plain wire cable. Swaging and crimping are very similar processes so the terms often get used interchangeably. They are both ways to reduce the size of a fitting like this. I think the difference has to do with whether you apply a single action or if you do multiple or high frequency actions to bring down the size.
There are other types of cable ends where you unwrap the wire and install a small piece of hardware inside that wedges into the fitting. I don't have the room for that kind of thing. I'm sure I could find a cable end with similar shape to the factory LS1 brake cable ends, but this turnbuckle idea is very easy to source at the local hardware store.
There are other types of cable ends where you unwrap the wire and install a small piece of hardware inside that wedges into the fitting. I don't have the room for that kind of thing. I'm sure I could find a cable end with similar shape to the factory LS1 brake cable ends, but this turnbuckle idea is very easy to source at the local hardware store.
02-22-2018, 11:25 AM
#1368
02-23-2018, 12:02 PM
#1369
Last night I knocked out a second, mirror image bracket for the parking brake. I made these out of 1-1/4" angle iron and incorporated a few angles to put the cable in line with the parking brake lever and maintain wheel clearance. Here you can see the 9/16" hole I drilled to accept the factory brake cable PRIOR to cutting it with a bandsaw so I would have something to hold onto while I drilled. This tab is cut at a 5 degree angle so when viewed from above, the cable is routed inward toward the center of the car and away from the wheel.
Here are a couple more shots of one of the brackets. They are 5" long measured at the top edge with a 10deg angle cut at the front. When looking from the side of the car, the 10deg points the cable downward at the front which matches the angle of the parking brake lever. If you are doing an LS1 brake swap on an unmodified rear end, the angle needed here will be less; I intentionally rotated my brakes a bit to add clearance with the leaf spring. The holes for the u-bolts are 5/8" diameter and 3-1/2" apart. The parking brake tab is welded on with the hole about at the center of the top of the bracket. This position was based on holding a ruler against the parking brake lever and drawing a line into the angle iron to ensure the cable would pull in line with the lever.
I was finally ready to cut the ends off the original cables. I used a pair of bolt cutters which made easy work of the 1/8" cable.
Next (not shown), I put tension on the cable system and used vice grips to hold the cables while I marked where the ends would need to go. I did this with the factory cable adjustment all the way out so I would have adjustment to add more tension once installed. I did not worry about marking each side at equal length; instead I measured the difference side to side under tension so I could compensate when attaching the ends. I found one side was about 1/2" shorter than the other, so when I attached the ends I moved each side by 1/4" from my mark so the cable lengths would be the same left to right when finished.
As described previously, the cable ends are 3/16" zinc turnbuckles with 1/8" aluminum cable stops from the hardware store. I crimped to the cable stops using a hydraulic hex crimper. The parking brake cables are the original cables from my Nova and other than the ends they are not modified.
Lastly (not shown), I grabbed a couple of 3/4" diameter x 6" compression springs from the hardware store. I cut 1" off the end using bolt cutters, thereby reducing the length to 5". I started by attaching the cable end onto the parking brake lever, then put the bracket into place (compressing the spring), and finally I connected the other end of the cable at the frame end. It was not easy to get the turnbuckle over the lever hook, but with slack in the system it could be done. Here is what the finished assembly looks like.
Cost of the hardware was as follows: $5 for a length of angle iron. $1.50ea for the turnbuckles. $0.50 each for the cable stops. $6 for the pair of compression springs. $1 ea for nylock nuts to attach to the u-bolts (you could put the brackets under the main u-bolt nuts but I wanted to be able to R&R without messing with the leaf springs). Total for the cable and bracketry comes out to about $16.
After adjusting the cable I was able to get good feedback from the parking brake pedal and pop release. Here is a video of it in action.
I am very happy with how it turned out and I hope it works as well as an OEM drum-in-hat parking brake should. I have a sloped driveway and I do not like relying on just the internal pawl on the transmission.
Here are a couple more shots of one of the brackets. They are 5" long measured at the top edge with a 10deg angle cut at the front. When looking from the side of the car, the 10deg points the cable downward at the front which matches the angle of the parking brake lever. If you are doing an LS1 brake swap on an unmodified rear end, the angle needed here will be less; I intentionally rotated my brakes a bit to add clearance with the leaf spring. The holes for the u-bolts are 5/8" diameter and 3-1/2" apart. The parking brake tab is welded on with the hole about at the center of the top of the bracket. This position was based on holding a ruler against the parking brake lever and drawing a line into the angle iron to ensure the cable would pull in line with the lever.
I was finally ready to cut the ends off the original cables. I used a pair of bolt cutters which made easy work of the 1/8" cable.
Next (not shown), I put tension on the cable system and used vice grips to hold the cables while I marked where the ends would need to go. I did this with the factory cable adjustment all the way out so I would have adjustment to add more tension once installed. I did not worry about marking each side at equal length; instead I measured the difference side to side under tension so I could compensate when attaching the ends. I found one side was about 1/2" shorter than the other, so when I attached the ends I moved each side by 1/4" from my mark so the cable lengths would be the same left to right when finished.
As described previously, the cable ends are 3/16" zinc turnbuckles with 1/8" aluminum cable stops from the hardware store. I crimped to the cable stops using a hydraulic hex crimper. The parking brake cables are the original cables from my Nova and other than the ends they are not modified.
Lastly (not shown), I grabbed a couple of 3/4" diameter x 6" compression springs from the hardware store. I cut 1" off the end using bolt cutters, thereby reducing the length to 5". I started by attaching the cable end onto the parking brake lever, then put the bracket into place (compressing the spring), and finally I connected the other end of the cable at the frame end. It was not easy to get the turnbuckle over the lever hook, but with slack in the system it could be done. Here is what the finished assembly looks like.
Cost of the hardware was as follows: $5 for a length of angle iron. $1.50ea for the turnbuckles. $0.50 each for the cable stops. $6 for the pair of compression springs. $1 ea for nylock nuts to attach to the u-bolts (you could put the brackets under the main u-bolt nuts but I wanted to be able to R&R without messing with the leaf springs). Total for the cable and bracketry comes out to about $16.
After adjusting the cable I was able to get good feedback from the parking brake pedal and pop release. Here is a video of it in action.
I am very happy with how it turned out and I hope it works as well as an OEM drum-in-hat parking brake should. I have a sloped driveway and I do not like relying on just the internal pawl on the transmission.
02-23-2018, 02:15 PM
#1372
Thanks guys! The list is getting really short now. Just a few things to reinstall then I have to plumb in the prop valve and bleed fluids. Won't be too long. I'd have it knocked out this weekend but I have family plans at a local indoor water park. It should be back on it's feet next week baring the unforeseen.
I also ordered a set of retractable rear 3pt harnesses from Morris Classic. I would adapt things myself but I really wanted a ready-made safety solution for my boy. He's grown out of his car seat in the last year and I want more than a lap belt over him. I will probably just install one side for now so I can use the original lap belts on my daughter's car seat (the Morris retractors do not have a locking mechanism for best car seat installation). Eventually they will both be in boosters and I'll install the other side. This will give me added peace of mind when I take the kids cruising.
I also ordered a set of retractable rear 3pt harnesses from Morris Classic. I would adapt things myself but I really wanted a ready-made safety solution for my boy. He's grown out of his car seat in the last year and I want more than a lap belt over him. I will probably just install one side for now so I can use the original lap belts on my daughter's car seat (the Morris retractors do not have a locking mechanism for best car seat installation). Eventually they will both be in boosters and I'll install the other side. This will give me added peace of mind when I take the kids cruising.
Last edited by -TheBandit-; 02-23-2018 at 02:22 PM.
03-01-2018, 12:51 PM
#1379
Thanks Doug!
Yes it does. I have been doing most of my cutting outside for that reason, but it seems to blow or get carried in no matter what I do. Would be nice to have a standing or wall mount dust collector to pull it in, but I don't have the space for that. I am probably going to rearrange the shop after the car is back on the road and I'll try to better isolate the wood fab.
Yes it does. I have been doing most of my cutting outside for that reason, but it seems to blow or get carried in no matter what I do. Would be nice to have a standing or wall mount dust collector to pull it in, but I don't have the space for that. I am probably going to rearrange the shop after the car is back on the road and I'll try to better isolate the wood fab.
03-01-2018, 03:36 PM
#1380
Alright that's it. I can't keep it a secret any longer. Here are the actual new wheels and tires (no photoshop this time!). They 18x8 4.5"bs and 18x9 5"bs (both 0 offset) Rev Classic 107 with GM "derby" style caps and 235/40R18 and 255/40R18 Michelin Pilot Super Sports. Pictures show the rear tucked at ride height and fronts still at full droop. I can't wait to get the car on the ground. The back is going to sit a lot lower than it used to. Unfortunately the tires get lost in the shadows in these photos.
The "rubber band" look is going to take some getting used to. I like my sidewalls plump and juicy but I went the other direction to get "more better" modern tires. The wheels are a throwback to my first 7 years with the car. Back then it had 14x7 and 15x8 and steel rallies with 195/60R14 and 275/60R15 if I remember correctly.
I'm embracing the "restomod" theme with this car. I want a vintage original feel with modern performance. Hope y'all like my choice but I understand if you don't!
The "rubber band" look is going to take some getting used to. I like my sidewalls plump and juicy but I went the other direction to get "more better" modern tires. The wheels are a throwback to my first 7 years with the car. Back then it had 14x7 and 15x8 and steel rallies with 195/60R14 and 275/60R15 if I remember correctly.
I'm embracing the "restomod" theme with this car. I want a vintage original feel with modern performance. Hope y'all like my choice but I understand if you don't!
Last edited by -TheBandit-; 03-01-2018 at 03:48 PM.