Thread: Bad Ast Astro Van Build

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Sorry for your loss. CHF took my grandpa, I'll always miss him

Sorry to hear of your loss Mark

Thanks alot guys, your comments are very much appreciated. it's been almost a month since Dad passed and it seems like it's been a year... We are all okay though, getting back into the van and getting things done.
After doing some looking at my brake line routing I determined they were going to have to move... They were in the way of the coilover spring...
http://images108.fotki.com/v360/phot...MVC012F-vi.jpg
Anywho, I re-routed them to the front side of the housing. I built some new brackets to bolt the clamps to and modified a junction block to mount off to the side of the punkin.
The brackets were pretty simple 7/8th's square pieces of 1/8th plate and the junction block bracket is the same stuff bent into a "U".
http://images60.fotki.com/v361/photo...MVC003F-vi.jpg
The little brackets were drilled and tapped for the 10-24 screws
http://images61.fotki.com/v546/photo...MVC007F-vi.jpg
The saddle bracket for the junction block got clearance holes for the screws. I modified the junction block by drilling and tapping for the screws. This will slip in under the bracket and get bolted in place.
http://images55.fotki.com/v1617/phot...MVC018F-vi.jpg
I welded the brackets to the housing and mocked up the clamps and lines.
http://images54.fotki.com/v77/photos...MVC008F-vi.jpg
With the block screwed in place.
http://images16.fotki.com/v220/photo...MVC014F-vi.jpg
http://images58.fotki.com/v513/photo...MVC017F-vi.jpg
Pics of the clamps mocked up.
http://images49.fotki.com/v1508/phot...MVC011F-vi.jpg
That will get the lines routed safely. I still have to get the FlexKore lines to finish this up.
Thanks for looking
Mark

I've also been picking at the throttle cable/linkage situation. I was planning to use the Astro throttle pedal albeit a bit modified. After looking at cables (the Astro cable is a "little" short...) and getting an aftermarket cable hooked up to the GM pedal I determined it was actually cheaper to go with an aftermarket pedal. I got this one from Speedway for 35 bucks and it came with a 4' cable..
http://images49.fotki.com/v1508/phot...MVC004F-vi.jpg
This will ease cable routing also as I can pop a hole through the side of the doghouse flange on the firewall and route the cable across the front of the engine, around the back and up to the throttle linkage on the carb.
Lots of stuff coming together, just taking some time to get back into it.
Mark

I picked up some nickel alloy brake line over the weekend. This stuff is great! It bends and flares very nicely and even polishes up to a nice shine! it is made in the USA and it won't rust!
I ran both lines on the rear diff tonight in a little over an hour. And that included polishing one of the pieces and doing a couple flares...
http://images59.fotki.com/v420/photo...MVC005F-vi.jpg
Polished compared to the zinc plated stuff. I like.
http://images20.fotki.com/v422/photo...MVC004F-vi.jpg
This is the drivers side going out from the junction block.
http://images57.fotki.com/v1614/phot...MVC006F-vi.jpg
The passenger side was a little more involved but I got it done without wasting any material!
http://images55.fotki.com/v508/photo...MVC012F-vi.jpg
I will be making another bracket for the clamp you see in the middle of the picture.
http://images12.fotki.com/v335/photo...MVC011F-vi.jpg
The line routes along the back of the housing until it gets to the upper four bar bracket. It then sweeps up over the tube to the front to get it away from the shock.
http://images54.fotki.com/v77/photos...MVC013F-vi.jpg
I know it's a circuitous route but this was the only way I could see to do it cleanly.
Both lines sweep back over the axle to the brackets for the soft line (use your imagination to "see" the brackets)
http://images20.fotki.com/v681/photo...MVC010F-vi.jpg
http://images14.fotki.com/v777/photo...MVC008F-vi.jpg
I still have to sweeten up the lines and make a couple of mounting brackets but the hard part is done and it didn't take long at all...
Mark

As always, very nice work on the little details, Mark! Paying attention to mounts, brackets, clamps, and hardware sure does beat the heck out of using a bag full of tie wraps!!!!!!

Always good to see a person taking there time to do it right the first time Good work

Thanks guys! I tend to over think things but it is much nicer to have a place to mount the lines then to use zip ties. I used enough of them back in the day but brake lines and fuel lines require something with a bit more solidity (if that is a word...)

Got home from work tonight, scarfed down some dinner and headed out to the shop (after I took out the garbage...). Had this mounting boss in my head and I had to get it out...
I grabbed a hunk of 3/4 dia. steel bar stock and cut off a piece about a 1/2 inch long.
http://images15.fotki.com/v1624/phot...MVC001F-vi.jpg
Chucked it up in the lathe, ran in a center drill to get a nice chamfer and through drilled it with a #25 bit for the 10-24 tap.
http://images43.fotki.com/v504/photo...MVC006F-vi.jpg
The above pic is with no flash on my Sony Mavica.
This one is with the flash...
http://images56.fotki.com/v701/photo...MVC005F-vi.jpg
Cool.
The center drill leaves a nice chamfer to ease starting the tap. This guides the tap straight into the hole...
http://images51.fotki.com/v299/photo...MVC007F-vi.jpg
Took a few minutes to run the tap thru the block. it is a lot easier if you use a cutting fluid when drilling or tapping small holes. I use Tap-Magic and Cool Tool, both work very well on steel and non-ferrous.
http://images61.fotki.com/v444/photo...MVC009F-vi.jpg
This is where I decided to weld on the boss. Locates the line in three directions and is out of the way.
http://images20.fotki.com/v1588/phot...MVC014F-vi.jpg
I did check driver clearance to that upper control arm bolt. No worries, plenty of room. The suspension is designed to run in the top hole but you never know.
http://images61.fotki.com/v443/photo...MVC013F-vi.jpg
Well, that's what I got done tonight. How about you?
Thanks for looking
Mark

Tap Magic is great stuff but you have to be careful as it contains Trichloroethylene. it is some bad stuff.

This looks awesome, Mark! Sorry to hear about your loss; I really miss my pop since he passed, too.

Thanks guys!
Hey Charlie, Tap Magic Pro Tap doesn't contain any of that stuff. One of the reasons I buy it.
This is from the manufacturers site:
"Tap Magic ProTap DOES NOT CONTAIN 1,1,1-trichloroethane or any ozone depleting substances. PROTAP does not contain chlorine, phosphorous, active sulfur, nitrates, nitrite derivatives, amines, polynuclear aromatic compounds either as ingredients or trace contaminants."
It's pretty much all synthetic and it works very well.
Mark

I used to use it a lot back 20 years ago they changed there product, Glad you told me if the new stuff works even 1/2 as good as the old stuff I'm buying it again
Thanks

Originally Posted by cffisher

I used to use it a lot back 20 years ago they changed there product, Glad you told me if the new stuff works even 1/2 as good as the old stuff I'm buying it again
Thanks

It works. makes night and day difference running the tap thru those steel pieces.

Nice work Mark, securing the brake and fuel lines up and out of harm's way is another one of those things that's often overlooked----and causes problems later!

Thanks Dave, I feel the same way. Makes no sense to not do it and I definetly don't want or need problems with this stuff down the road.

We got a bit done this weekend. More thinking and test fitting then "done" but you know what I mean. I yanked all of the fuel filler stuff out of the van and started lookig at what I am going to do to get fuel into the new tank. I cut the old fill tube up and started looking at placement.
http://images46.fotki.com/v400/photo...MVC005F-vi.jpg
Dropping down, straight iunto the tank is the best route. The existing filler door will get filled and I'll move it to just above and a bit rearward of the wheel well.
The old location.
http://images55.fotki.com/v268/photo...MVC015F-vi.jpg
The new location. And a bit smaller...
http://images46.fotki.com/v4/photos/...MVC006F-vi.jpg
I will probably make the new fill neck out of 2" aluminum tubing. I have that bolt in fill neck from Speedway but I think I will just weld the new tube direct to the tank and connect the two tubes with a piece of 2" fuel hose.
Mel was out and we got the relay box brackets wrapped up.
He made the plate out of a piece of .090 aluminum. He made a cardboard template and then stomp sheared and band sawed the aluminum into submission.
http://images20.fotki.com/v685/photo...MVC002F-vi.jpg
Drilling rivnut holes. The fender and wheel well mounted brackets will carry the rivnuts which will greatly simplify installing the plate
http://images61.fotki.com/v665/photo...MVC007F-vi.jpg
Rivnuts installed. These are for 10-32 screws.
http://images54.fotki.com/v461/photo...MVC008F-vi.jpg
Cutting a big clearance hole in the plate so I can run wiring harnesses in thru the back. That 5 dollar scroll saw sure comes in handy.
http://images60.fotki.com/v661/photo...MVC011F-vi.jpg
The plate mounted.
http://images14.fotki.com/v390/photo...MVC016F-vi.jpg
While Mel was working on all of that stuff I was fabbing a bracket to bolt inside the box to attach relays to.
I used a piece of 2" wide .090 from the scrap pile. Bent it up on both ends and installed #8-32 rivnuts so I can bolt it into the box.
http://images56.fotki.com/v168/photo...MVC014F-vi.jpg
I laid out the spacing so I can get 6 relays in the box.
http://images20.fotki.com/v386/photo...MVC015F-vi.jpg
Drilled the holes and installed rivnuts for the relays.
http://images54.fotki.com/v77/photos...MVC017F-vi.jpg
http://images60.fotki.com/v367/photo...MVC018F-vi.jpg
With a couple of relays installed and mounted to the bracket. The relays are for the three cooling fans, the back up light switch and whatever else I find I need a relay for.
http://images14.fotki.com/v373/photo...MVC023F-vi.jpg
The box will get painted body color and all of the wiring will be hidden so it will just disappear into the fender.
Thanks for watching.
Mark