Car 495 - Small Gas Coupe

[LittleLiner]

Brakes.     The metro comes with front disk and rear drum power brakes.   I have removed the front brakes and will only use the drum rear brakes.  The Metro brake booster and master cylinder have been discarded.  I will be using manual brakes.  The master cylinder I have decided to use is from a VW Karmon Ghia.  To fit the VW Master I had to modify the brake push rod and fabricate an adapter to mate the M/C to the Metro brake pedal assembly.

The Metro brake push rod was too short.  A VW Push rod was closer to the correct length but the VW clevis was not compatible with the Metro brake pedal.  So I took the Metro clevis, re-threaded it to accept a long bolt, and then filed down the bolt to fit into the VW master cylinder. 

The bolt pattern for the VW master cylinder differs from the Metro Brake Booster bolt pattern so I had to fabricate an adapter from plate aluminum.  (via . . . drill press, hacksaw and files).  Here is the rough adapter test fitted on the pedal assembly before the holes for the master cylinder bolts were drilled.

Here is what it looks like when assembled.  Imagine that the adapter and master cylinder are in the engine compartment and bolted to the pedal assembly through the firewall.

After this gets mounted I will start to run new brake lines to the rear brakes which will be rebuilt.  Also have to mount the brake fluid reservoir.

[kiwi belly tank]

With that shooort WB & weight bias you might find yourself going backwards if you stomp on the rear brakes at speed. Are you losing the front brakes for weight reduction? Or are you planning to stop on chutes?
  Sid.

[manta22]

I'd keep the front disk brakes and convert the rear drums to disks, then add a proportioning valve in the rear brake line. Stopping from high speed puts a lot of energy into the brakes as heat. Four disks are better than only two front ones.

You don't want to run off the end of the course with your azz clipping buttonholes in your shorts!

Regards, Neil  Tucson, AZ

[LittleLiner]

With that shooort WB & weight bias you might find yourself going backwards if you stomp on the rear brakes at speed. Are you losing the front brakes for weight reduction? Or are you planning to stop on chutes?
  Sid.

I'd keep the front disk brakes and convert the rear drums to disks, then add a proportioning valve in the rear brake line. Stopping from high speed puts a lot of energy into the brakes as heat. Four disks are better than only two front ones. . . . .
Regards, Neil  Tucson, AZ 

Good points guys . . . . I removed the front brakes because they were total junk, worn out rusty clumps.  And at the time I thought it would reduce rotational mass and weight.  If the brakes are a problem I'll consider reinstalling new front disks.   I have no plan (or need) to run a chute.   . . .  remember. . . this car might go maybe 105 to 115mph max  . . . probably a little less.  The engine only puts out about 55 lbft of torque..     In any case the shake-down runs will be around 80mph or less.   If the brakes are lacking at that time I'll attend to it then.

[gas pumper]

We run a slightly heavier car at LTA, it's a 57 Chevy, and run only stock rear drum brakes.  We have been to 122 mph and have to keep driving to get to the turn off. We use more brakes driving in the pits than stopping on the track. It's a different world for us low speed racers....   

[gkabbt]

We run a slightly heavier car at LTA, it's a 57 Chevy, and run only stock rear drum brakes.  We have been to 122 mph and have to keep driving to get to the turn off. We use more brakes driving in the pits than stopping on the track. It's a different world for us low speed racers....   

And a fine looking XO/GCT '57 at that.....From the July meet:



Gregg

[LittleLiner]

The mounting bolts for the master cylinder do not clear the original opening in the firewall so material had to be removed from the firewall. (Before and after photos)

Reinstalled the pedal assembly and the VW Master Cylinder.  This illustrates the joys of working totally alone.  It would be easier if one of my arms were about 8 feet long and had at least three elbows.  Since that won't happen here is a way to hold the master cylinder and adaptor plate in place and prevent the bolt from turning while I attach the nuts holding the pedal assembly inside the car.


Obtained brake lines from NAPA and Advanced Auto Parts.  The lines are Poly Armour products, 3/16 inch tubes with SAE 3/8th fittings.  Adaptor fittings are used to mate the line to the master cylinder M10 1.0 Bubble port and to mate the lines to the M10 1.0 Japaneese Flare flexible lines in the rear.  The poly armor lines bend by hand.  All the required tube end flares are already made so no flare tool needed.

[LittleLiner]

Battery Cutoff switch . . . . The battery will be mounted in the engine compartment behind the headlight assembly so it seems the best place for a cutoff switch is in the right front headlight.  Fortunately the Geo lights are plastic.  Drill holes and mount switch.  Will install cables after the battery is mounted.  (Note to self - buy battery)

[lmfoley79]

What's your WB and weight bias? We run rear discs only on our Subaru 101WB 70%rear bias and have had no tendency for it to get crossed up after the lights. I've leaned on the brakes pretty hard in the loose stuff and it won't even lock the wheels.

[LittleLiner]

What's your WB and weight bias? We run rear discs only on our Subaru 101WB 70%rear bias and have had no tendency for it to get crossed up after the lights. I've leaned on the brakes pretty hard in the loose stuff and it won't even lock the wheels.

WB is 89 inches.  (that's the stock WB for the Geo)  Weight bias is to be determined. 

[LittleLiner]

I received a PM awhile back asking me about the shift linkage.  I had already installed the parts  and I didn’t take any photos of the parts before they were installed.  Here are the after installed photos. . . .

Like the clutch, brakes and gas pedal I have tried to use the Metro shifter to shift the Suzuki bike trans. 

The shifter is connected to a fabricated bell crank mounted below the right rear side of the engine.   This photo shows the assembly viewed from the right front.  The bell crank (C) is a piece of aluminum plate bolted (D) to a part of the shift linkage from a 2003 Honda CBR600RR (A and B) that was attached to the Honda engine shift shaft.  That is threaded into the lower end of the Suzuki shift rod (E) (the threads matched).  This is all activated by an old spare tie rod (F) running forward from the original stock Metro shifter lever.  It all pivots on a bolt run between a pair of salvage 3/8 inch rod ends.  A few short pieces of 3/8” id tube are used as spacers to prevent the bell crank from walking on the pivot bolt.

Another view from the left side.

Closeup from above.

This photo shows the metro shifter rod (G) and the old microsprint tie rod (H).  Cut off the forward end of the metro shifter rod.  Slid the old tie rod into it (perfect fit, dumb luck), cross drilled two holes and inserted bolts to prevent the tie rod from moving.
Not exactly an engineering masterpiece. But the thing works really well without the need to weld or buy anything.  All done with spare parts and bits from old projects.

[LittleLiner]

Hood pins. . .   All the original hood latch parts had to be discarded because I needed that room to fit the engine.  So this left me needing hood pins.  Found a set of pins on ebay for less than 10 bucks,  picked up a piece of all thread rod and two coupler nuts and installed them.  I ran the mounts up from the wheel wells because the upper cross brace under the hood has been cut and weakened while installing the engine.  Therefore I needed the longer mounts to reach down to the wheel well sheetmetal.

[Milwaukee Midget]

Getting back to the brakes, I like losing discs.  Drums can be backed off to where you have zero contact, whereas discs seem to always hang up a little bit. 

I ditched my fronts on the Midget - 80" wheelbase.  Just applied the rears g e n t l y and cautiously.

With driver, I'm probably at 45/55 f/r weight bias, given the cage and battery relocation.

[LittleLiner]

Knocking off items from the to-do list.  A lot of ten minute jobs that end up taking three or four hours each .  Such is life . . .  However slow -  it is getting done.   Today mounted the battery.  Per the rules  "All batteries shall be properly secured with metal framework and fasteners."  While I am not sure what constitutes "properly secured" I think this will do the job.  The key component is a small aluminum loaf pan secured to the fender well with all thread, wing nuts and some flat steel.  The battery is a new GEL cell from a GSXR 750. 

There is a steel bracket attached to the bottom of the pan (not visible in photo) and fastened to the fender well.

Also have most of the exhaust system fitted up.  Will post photos after the brackets are fabricated and installed.

[tauruck]

Looking good man.

Lots of innovation and creativity.

All the best. Mike.