I have spent the past 3 weeks intergrating the Datsun and bmw wiring harnesses, lots of fun. But I got a chance to check all the wires, replace some bad connections and get rid of lots of unused circuits.  I also got rid of all the electrical tape wrap and replaced it with this cool woven split harness wrap, you can add or remove a wire at anytime.

This is the Pelican type box I'm using for the relay board, switched and unswitched fuses, hoping to get a tighter length on all the wires on the final install.

Here is what got cut out of the harnesses,

I have always felt that the parking brake sits too high, I'm for ever grabbing it, pushing the button and trying to get it to go lower.

So that problem is fixed now, repositioned the mounting holes and cut some longer threads on the linkage rod.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Whoa... They managed to stuff an angle grinder in the original harness? Those Germans thought of everything!!

Oh, and I forgot... I didn't like the perpetual Viagra posture of my parking brake either and I lowered mine too, but I did it a little different. I ground a little material metal off the parking brake assy where the two parts come together and limit the down travel. So now mine still uses the original mounting holes, but it lowers a good bit farther down than original.

I don't think I have any pics, but I'll take some when I get the chance. I thought I had some in my parking brake spring thread, but not only didn't I mention that, but all my picture links are dead:
http://www.classiczcars.com/topic/49952-parking-brake-handle-return-spring/

Not sure what happened to the pics...

11 hours ago, Captain Obvious said:

Oh, and I forgot... I didn't like the perpetual Viagra posture of my parking brake either and I lowered mine too, but I did it a little different. I ground a little material metal off the parking brake assy where the two parts come together and limit the down travel. So now mine still uses the original mounting holes, but it lowers a good bit farther down than original.

Do you mean the metal rest that the brake light switch attaches to? I cut that off but couldn't get the handle any lower.

No, I think it was material off the ratchet gear itself. I'll take a look today and see if I can refresh my memory.

Sad part is I've done two of these now (mine and my buddy who was with me at your place), and I don't remember the exact process. Some stuff you just don't think is ever going to come up again...

Here's a sketch of what I did to the parking brake assy. Note that it's a hardened pawl on a hardened gear so a file will just skate. You can't do it with a simple file. I didn't trust myself with a grinder, so I used a small square profile diamond file. I'll see if I can get an actual pic of what I did, but in the meantime, this should describe it.

So at the "new" bottom of travel it doesn't click because there aren't any teeth, but you can adjust the at rest position like this. After making this mod, it made the addition of my return spring (other thread) even more necessary:

Well I did a little digging to try to refresh my memory on exactly where I removed metal to allow my parking brake handle to sit lower, and I still don't know. A little embarrassing. I took a couple pics of the assy on the car (with the parking brake removed), and it looks like I may have cut a new rack gear or two at the bottom of travel. Kinda hard to believe, because the teeth look perfect and I don't remember putting that much effort into it!

If you want to wait, I've got a plan. This past summer, I bought a new rubber seal for the parking brake pivot ball under the car, and I'll take this off season opportunity to replace that seal. In order to put the new seal in, I'll pull the brake assy and take some pics.

However, if you've got the ability and opportunity to lower yours by relocating the mounting bolt hole, then that should work great too!! 

been away for a while... love this thread!

thanks for making my saturday night ;}

16 hours ago, rossiz said:

been away for a while... love this thread!

thanks for making my saturday night ;}

Your welcome sir.

Couple of things you must have if you're going to do serious work on these engines is a 3/4" drive torque wrench and a special  holding tool that you can see off to the left of the crank nut, the crank hub nut requires 325 ftlbs of torque.

Electrical is all working now and I have pulled the entire harness, engine is now out for the last time, I hope!  Next time it goes in should be final assembly.

 

12 hours ago, grannyknot said:

Couple of things you must have if you're going to do serious work on these engines is a 3/4" drive torque wrench and a special  holding tool that you can see off to the left of the crank nut, the crank hub nut requires 325 ftlbs of torque.

With apologies to 'Crocodile Dundee':  "That's not a torque wrench.  THIS is a torque wrench!"

Reached a milestone to today, all pre-chemical dip work has been completed now. All new brake, clutch and fuel lines have been made, fitted and removed, also finished building the rotisserie so when the car comes back from the dip I can start working on right away.

I couldn't find a better place for the Megasquirt ECU than the glove box so before installing it I covered it with thick plastic sheeting in case of a leaking windshield seal that I don't notice in time.

Captain O, I think I figured out what you did to lower the hand brake, with this little tab cut off the hand brake handle drops about 1.75"

Here is all the new brake and clutch lines, you'll notice a Wilwood 2lb residual pressure valve I installed just after the proportioning valve for the rear brakes. After reading many threads about the lack of good a parking brake when you convert over to rear disc brakes I did some measuring and found the rear pistons only move 1/10th" when fully engaged, this is plenty enough movement to hold the car but only if the pads are right next to the disc. The 2lb residual pressure valve is going to eliminate one of the possible causes of parking brake woes.

Here she is almost stripped and ready to go, hopefully the next photos I post will be be of her being lowered into a boiling acid bath.

Thank you! thank you! That looks just like the parking brake handle in my car. it's a little embarrassing when I can't even remember what I did!!:

Also what is that residual pressure valve? Never heard of that... I'll have to read up. But in the meantime, won't any residual pressure in the rear lines encourage the rear shoes to drag? Is that an alternative in case the rear auto adjusters don't work right?

And lastly... You absolutely MUST get a couple pics of the shell in the boiling acid!! That's going to be a site to behold! (as opposed to a sight to be unseen). @siteunseen