Another 1958 Caballero

Discussion in 'Station Wagon Projects' started by 58Caballero, Jun 2, 2022.

  1. 58Caballero

    58Caballero In the Shop

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    Does look like brake lines but won't be able to see where they go until I can get it on the lift. Neighbor is the local old car guru and he's who initially spotted/questioned what it was. Trailer brake makes more sense but thought curious enough to ask here. Regardless, the car still has "poise!"
     
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  2. 60Mercman

    60Mercman Well-Known Member

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    It’s got it in spades. Lol
     
  3. Silvertwinkiehobo

    Silvertwinkiehobo "Everything that breaks starts with 'F.'"

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    Another thing that came to mind is a type of "line lock," that prevents the car from rolling with a loaded trailer attached. Does the actuator 'snap' between positions, or does it move smoothly but not lock in either position? As I recall, while you have your foot squarely on the brake pedal, you set the line lock, and it traps the pressure. Then to release, you press on the brake pedal, and unlock it.
     
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  4. 58Caballero

    58Caballero In the Shop

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    Mechanism/cable is frozen so can't move it.
     
  5. Silvertwinkiehobo

    Silvertwinkiehobo "Everything that breaks starts with 'F.'"

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    "Well, unfreeze it!" Haha, just kidding. Can you get a really close look at the unit, maybe find a builder's plate or hanging tag?
     
  6. 58Caballero

    58Caballero In the Shop

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    No plate/tag that I can see but I think your probably right and it's some sort of "line lock." Some of the lines have been cut/crimped so it's certainly not functional. Won't know where the others go until I can get it on the lift. New distributor cap, rotor, points and condenser tomorrow and hopefully try to star her up.

    IMG_1575.JPG
     
  7. Silvertwinkiehobo

    Silvertwinkiehobo "Everything that breaks starts with 'F.'"

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    Looking at that makes me think it's a line lock.
     
  8. 58Caballero

    58Caballero In the Shop

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    It's alive!!!



    Cranked right up after new dist cap/rotor/points/condenser. Water pump is seized so didn't run long, missing on at least one cylinder and some noise probably from stuck lifters. All in all, not bad for not having not been cranked in probably 40+ years!

    Also had rear axle up on jack stands and got forward/reverse wheel turn. And I found a set of fender mount mirrors I believe like on Joe's '58?

    IMG_1583.JPG IMG_1582.JPG
     
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  9. Silvertwinkiehobo

    Silvertwinkiehobo "Everything that breaks starts with 'F.'"

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    So change the oil, put in 10w-30, but sub in one pint ATF for 1 pint oil, and once the pump's replaced, fill the cooling system, fire it up and run it for about 1 hour, cycling eight minutes idle with two minutes at 2000 RPM. Doing so has a good chance of freeing stuck lifters. But if they're collapsed, you won't have spent a bunch of money finding out.
     
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  10. jmt455

    jmt455 Well-Known Member

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    Congrats on getting it running!
    Your mirrors are in great condition; nice score!!!
     
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  11. 58Caballero

    58Caballero In the Shop

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    Mystery solved - it's the manual override valve/pull handle for the Air Poise system. Received copy of Chassis, Body, and Dynaflow manual today and it's shown clearly in there. Compressor/tank have been removed.

    Also found what look like a couple of bullet holes in the floor. Maybe, given the air poise leveling system, she was running moonshine in a previous life!
     
    Last edited: Jun 13, 2022
  12. moparandfomoco

    moparandfomoco Well-Known Member

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    Is Air Poise GM-ese for the level air suspension found in the other '58 GM cars?

    Man if that was a moonshine runner, it did it in style!
     
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  13. Silvertwinkiehobo

    Silvertwinkiehobo "Everything that breaks starts with 'F.'"

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    Or a previous owner was a fumble-fingered doofus. After all, the bullet holes were in the floorboard.
     
  14. 58Caballero

    58Caballero In the Shop

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    Pulled the water pump to find a good bit of rust/crud so it needed a good flushing. Well there's flushing and then there's redneck flushing! Been working on a wildland firefighting engine for a private land mgmt org so figured I'd put it to use.

    IMG_1605.JPG IMG_1607.JPG IMG_1608.JPG
     
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  15. 60Mercman

    60Mercman Well-Known Member

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    Necessity is the mother of invention. Looks like it should have flushed a bunch of gunk out of there.
     

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