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Installation Tips For Those Tough Spots

Most every pre-’48 car came with fender/body welting, consisting of a simple combination of a narrow strip of vinyl (or similar material) folded over a small-diameter woven cord and glued shut. Its purpose was, and still is, to insulate one piece of body metal from another when bolted together—not an electrical or temperature insulation, but essentially to eliminate squeaks and rattles, and to prevent paint from chipping (or cracking) as the two pieces flexed and vibrated together under normal road use. Generally referred to as fender welting, this product can also be found throughout certain car models; used to mount grilles, running boards and bumper gravel shields.

CIMTEX RODS SUPER CAMEO: PART 4

In parts two and three of The Auto Builder’s Cimtex Super Cameo series, we followed along as Cimtex Rods primaries Tim and Darrell Cimbanin instatlled one of Flat Out Engineering’s Corvette C4/C5 front and rear independent suspension crossmember kits beneath a 1956 Chevrolet 1/2-ton pickup chassis.
Of course, this was followed by the actual installation of the 1984-1987 Corvette C4 rack-and-pinion-steering-equipped IFS and the bolting up of the 1984-1987 Corvette C4 IRS, which makes for a pretty nice-handling street truck.
Along the way, some modifications to the Corvette C4 front suspension were made for the sake of simplicity and an enhanced ride. For openers, Flat Out Engineering designed its kit to incorporate a pair of 12-1/2-inch Aldan Eagle 659/450 coilover shock absorbers, which replace the somewhat antiquated GM designed Owens Corning Corvette C4 monoleaf fiberglass front spring.

A Tough Act to Follow

Though clutches rank below power-adders on the desirability scale, they are every bit as important. In fact, you’d be better off not spending the time and money on a trick blower or turbo kit if you do not plan on upgrading the stock clutch assembly. Sure, it is possible on some applications to improve the performance of your motor without a clutch and pressure plate upgrade, but you can only take things so far. Eventually, the engine will let you know by racing to the moon when you least expect it. Your clutch will likely slip under full throttle, and most probably at the highest load. Better hope you have a rev limiter or things can really get ugly. But have no fear … Advanced Clutch Technology (ACT) has come up with a variety of effective combinations to cater to the needs of performance enthusiasts and racers.

Spotlighter

Project ‘67: Part 9

Putting a Stop to Our Project ’67

Author

Carrie Fesler

Story & Photography

Introduction

In the long continuation of our Project ’67, the 1967 Chevrolet C10 buildup, several major components and systems have been previously addressed, most notably the Goodwrench LQ4 6.0-liter 366ci Escalade engine buildup by Arizona Speed & Marine. This included the versatile Magnuson Radix supercharger, 4L60E transmission, and numerous performance parts and accessories.

Addressing the Power and Brake Performance

Continuing along those performance lines and all-out fashion, we would need to contend with the great amount of power this engine package would deliver. Initially, we can’t say that the stock brakes on the C10 were ever designed for the shear torque that would be applied to these assemblies, so it would eventually be necessary to address the stopping performance as well as the go performance. And, after all, brake upgrading was a part of this project plan from the beginning.

Baer Racing Solutions

Baer Racing in Phoenix is known for its beefy solutions to all matters of braking considerations. In our case, the recommended solution was a complete set of brakes, including the Baer Track Plus system for the front and rear. Baer Racing has been developing brake upgrade kits for well over a decade now, and it has easy-to-install kits for any number of applications. Starting with a replacement kit for the Fox Mustang chassis, Baer soon increased the number of manufactured systems to over 150 different kits, making it one of the largest selections available for parts, complete systems, rotor replacements, and other related options. Each of Baer’s kits is designed for installation with no welding or fabrication of any kind.

Brake Kit Features

For our C10, both the front and rear brake kits feature Baer Claw Track PBR two-piston aluminum front calipers with PBR one-piston Pin Drive rear calipers. Matching large-diameter drilled and slotted rotors—13-inch front and rear—replace the 11.6-inch (front) and 11-inch (rear) OE units. For the standard ’67 GM pickup (available in six-lug or five-lug), the Baer brake kit increases the front track by 0.375 inch on both sides and more on a drop spindle. The standard increase on a typical Mustang II front suspension, as our truck is so equipped, is 0.300 inch. Due to the larger diameter and contact pattern of the rotor/caliper, there is an increase in the amount of braking force generated, and the larger rotors are able to absorb and shed more heat, which keeps the brake system working correctly under difficult driving conditions. This is just what we were searching for in this demanding application.

Installation Process

So, with the selection of parts complete, the Chevy was taken to Baer’s facility for the installation of the brakes. Hal Baer and his team quickly equipped our project with the required upgrades, and we were on hand to follow this installation along so that you could see exactly what is involved in getting this job done. Keep in mind that your Chevy pickup doesn’t need to be modified as much as this one is for you to enjoy the benefits of these brakes. Check out this installation to see just how straightforward it is, and then you can decide how much brake you need to give your Chevy real stopping power.

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