Trans Am Fuel and Red Sled Brake Plumbing

Today on muscle car, we take the mystery out of fuel and brake plumbing. The guys head to Vegas for

Macos Tool Expo and Ford Sporty sprint hits the road.

Hey guys, welcome to muscle car. A tribute trans AM alter ego, Street fighter and Red Sledder. All missing two critical systems, brake lines and fuel lines. Now, installing these can be pretty exciting. If you get it wrong,

watching a car go up in flames or even into the wall can be pretty entertaining unless it's your car. So to avoid that kind of thrill, you might wanna take some notes today.

Now, since the trans

fuel injector, we're gonna have to use high pressure lines and special fittings to connect it up to the LS seven and a high pressure fuel pump. A Detroit speed hooked us up with a stainless steel gas tank. It comes with a fuel pump and sending unit and it's custom made to fit between our tubs. When you're dealing with a custom tank, you'll probably be using a universal seating unit, which means that universally don't fit anything until they're modified

for the sending unit to give the correct reading the float needs to pivot at half the depth of the tank. So I'll cut the bracket down and adjust it before installation.

When installing a fuel sending unit, you wanna make sure to position a fuel float, pointing side to side,

not front to back.

This helps prevent the false reading caused by fuel sloshing in the tank

for the gauge to be accurate. The float arm had to be shortened to half the depth of the tank. Otherwise, the float will bottom out showing you still have fuel when the tank is empty.

I made a simple wiring harness for a pump and a sending unit using a water tight connector. That way, if we ever have to drop the tank out, we can unplug it. It's no big deal, but we still need a connector for a fuel pump. This thing was designed to work with our tank and an LS series motor, but our LS seven doesn't use a return line so we can plug this one up.

Some lock tide will ensure that no fuel seeps past the threads

with the return plugged up. I can install the feed site and drop the pump in the tank.

And here's a little self preservation tip for you guys. When you're working on a gas tank only use a brass drift. Never use steel. Steel can cause sparks and sparks and gas tanks do not mix

next. The harness I made can be attached. Then the first piece of fuel line that I've already formed.

Bring me

the tank was sent with these stainless straps. Now, they not only look good and match the tank, but we also won't ever have to worry about them rusting.

I've prebent all my lines using 38 inch aluminum tubing. So all I need to do now is drop them in and clamp them down.

Now, late model engine swaps have become popular enough that the aftermarket has really stepped up to fill in the gaps. Now, Russell makes this adapter so it's easier than ever to hook up your A N fuel lines to your factory fuel rails. I put in this flexible piece of hose. That way, the movement of the engine isn't gonna fatigue our fuel lines. Now, don't forget.

A N fittings use a 37 degree flare as opposed to 45 on the inverted flare. So you're gonna need a special tool to get that one right.

All of our projects still need brake lines. The impala is getting them today while the body is off the chassis. So it'd be easier for you to see what's going on and there's a lot more to running brake lines than just laying pipe back in the day when juice brakes first came on the scene, it was all about steel, but nowadays, you got a lot of options

when red sled was new. It came from the fact with raw steel line which is prone to rust and corrosion and can lead to brake failure. Today, you can choose from galvanized steel or stainless steel. Galvanized is cheap, easy to work with and easy to find. Stainless is a little more expensive, but a whole lot better to look at. Since red sled is a high end build, we'll be using the stainless. First step is to mount the flex line.

Always make sure that you leave enough slack in the line So it doesn't pull or stress during suspension travel.

Since these are full floating calipers, we need to put flex lines on all four corners. The nice thing about 60 muscle car frames is they're thick enough to be drilled and tapped. Try that with a late model import

Mao's hydraulic flare tool is one of the best ones out there and it comes with di to fit the most common size of the tubing.

It's a lot easier to mark your lines without the body on the frame. If you're working in tight quarters, just measure carefully before you make each bin.

They don't have to be exact as long as they seal completely and don't interfere with any moving parts. They'll be safe.

This line bender from Godman, high performance is easy to use and gives show quality results.

It's size specific. So it's more precise than universal benders and gives tight bands without Kinky

got a few more bins to make. So I'll work on those while we take a break when we get back, we'll show you how to make your own line bending tool for next to nothing.

Coming up muscle cars. All star visit to Vegas,

Tony

Schumacher.

Ladies and

gentlemen.

Hey, welcome back. I've got the rest of the bins made on this piece so I can go ahead and attach it to the T that I've already installed on the car. The T fitting is a number three A N which is different from the inverted flare we're using with the adapters. On the other end,

it doesn't really matter the style you use. But like Rick said earlier, the flare angle is different. So make sure you use the correct flare tool for the style fitting. You choose

aluminum fittings are also available. They're great for nitrous and fuel systems, but they're not designed to handle the P si of a brake system. So stick to the stainless here

with all the lines bent and the flares made. I can complete the system. These made for you clamps will keep everything safely in place.

Now, there's a lot of different tools you can use for bending brake line and fuel line. But if you wanna save a few bucks or if you just dig on building stuff,

I got a 10 minute project for you that'll take some of your scrap and turn it into a useful tool.

Build on a budget, muscle car projects that save you time and money.

All you need is some square stock, some various size tubing, a welder and a saw or a cut off wheel.

This piece will form the main body of the tool. I also need four sections of tubing in various sizes.

When welding the tube into the base, make sure to place your beads so they don't interfere with the lines you'll be bending.

After letting it cool down, you can get to bending. Now, this is really pretty self explanatory. The smaller tube here

that's for tighter bends

and the bigger one

that's for bigger bins

and these will cover just about anything in between. And this tool probably won't completely replace a professional bender. But I'll tell you what it comes in a

handy when you have to bend some tubing that's already been installed in the car. We got a lot of tools in the shop. Some of them are hand built and some of them I would never try to build myself, but a lot of them do have one thing in common. The name Matco.

So we're heading to Las Vegas to check out their latest innovations at the Matco Tool Expo 09.

And it's happened here.

The Caesars Palace Ma

brought in distributors from all over the country to show up the latest and greatest in the tool world.

Yeah, because this Expo is a car guy's dream.

They pretty much got anything you could ever need. Keep your project moving forward

and we're going to be checking out all that stuff in a little bit. First. I have some unfinished business. Now, Matt co is a sponsor of record breaking top fuel driver Tony Schumacher. And they're going to be presenting this toolbox to him here at the Expo. Not until I'm done with it.

I started on the back of the shop and after some stenciling and airbrushing, we packed it up and shipped it to the expo so I can show off my pin striping skills.

Looks good. It's gonna look better on than Vegas lights.

Tony Schumacher blasted on the scene and he's dominated top field drag racing

and with Matt co in the US army backing him up, looks like he's going to be the one to beat for years to come.

I designed this box as a tribute to his many achievements and throw in some army themed graphics because after

all, hey, his nickname is the Sarge.

And if he keeps setting records by this time next year, we're gonna need a bigger box.

All right, dude, I still got some work to do in this box before we can give it to old Tony. So I better get to work. All right, man. While you're finishing that thing up, I'm gonna go check some tools out. Cool. Sounds good.

You'd think that laying down some lines would be difficult around all this activity. But getting a chance to meet some fans really made my day. Hey, I haven't got a chance to sign a few autographs.

Hey, Rick gotta come by and take a peek at this thing, man. Well, hey, they gave me a call and said that you were like the winningest dude ever in top fuel. So all these records, man, I mean, they're outstanding records, but they're meant to be broken. Well, you got a whole bunch of them

in there. It took me quite a while to get all those painted on. I bet it did

next

year. Keep it up, dude. We need a bigger box. Yeah.

Best toolbox on the planet. We're gonna fill it with the best tools and

awesome, great graphics. So I really

appreciate it. Thank you. Well, I tell you, I still have to add one more color to this whole thing. I'll come back a little while I take a peek right on. Thanks for

the last color I'm adding is army yellow. It'll give the finishing touch to this one of a kind.

Hey, Rick, I heard you over here laying down some lines so I had to come over and check it out. Cool. I see it. They're showing off all the brand new tools on the big screen, all kinds of new cool tools for 2009 that we're really excited about. You're doing some great work here. Awesome. Thank you. You need some help. Maybe I could grab a brush or something. That's right. I think I got to cover it, but you could do a tossed a break for me. All right, I'll do that.

Lots more muscle car from the Matco Tools Expo coming up later in the show

today is flashback, a 1964 Ford Falcons friend

in the history books of the muscle car era. There are the groundbreakers and then there are the cars that just never quite made it off the ground

victims of poor design. Wimpy Motors or sometimes just plain bad timing like this 1964 Falcon sprint

first by

the story begins back in 59 when Ford released the Falcon its first compact car and it sold like hot cakes, nearly half a million. The first year alone

with the dawn of the muscle car era in the early sixties, Ford decided to spice up its popular compact by dropping in a small block V8.

They added a sporty option package and called it the sprint.

The engine was the 260 cubic inch challenger and it put out to get this

100 and 64 horsepower. Now that ain't a whole lot of muscle, but it nearly doubled the output of the base motor and it only cost 238 bucks a real bargain at the time.

It also came with a chrome dress up kit

and a big Ford 390 police interceptor air cleaner which gave the engine a more powerful sound

underneath the suspension and brakes were beefed up and a throaty muffler was added.

Plus you got sporty features like bucket seats, a

console, deep dish steering wheel that 6000 RPM tack mounted on the dash and a three speed on the floor.

Now, this sprint was upgraded to the optional Borg Warner T 10 4 speed for a little added control

throw in some wire wheel covers, chrome badges and a rag top option.

And the Ho Hum Falcon was transformed into a sweet little ride.

They could do 0 to 6 in 11 seconds and take the needle at 105. Not bad for just under three grand

all 64 Falcons got a total redesign with the more squared off body, a mean looking grill and a distinctive arrow side cove that gave it a little extra zip.

Unfortunately, none of this was enough to stop the stampede that was approaching.

This was 1964 after all the year Ford was unleashing another compact sports car

one that borrowed heavily from the Falcon.

You may have heard of it.

The mustang,

the pony car trampled the sprint just as it got out of the starting gate.

Ford tried to revive it by dropping in a 200 horse 289 late in 64 but nothing could compete with a mustang frenzy steep in the nation,

especially when you could get a fully loaded sting for just a few 100 bucks. More than a sprint.

Ford retired this front after 65 and the Falcon returned to its roots as an economy car,

hot rotted versions have been a fixture on the drag strip ever since

today. People still love its crisp clean space age looks and it's a favorite among custom car builders.

The 64 Falcon sprint may have never quite attained true muscle car status,

but it's certainly got our respect

up next. We're back to Vegas for tools, tools and more tools.

Hey, we're here at the Mao

to expo in Las Vegas. It's

Mao's 30th anniversary and the expo is not only a great way to celebrate America's best tool brand. It's also a chance to check out what's new and Hot

Swing Art is gonna be just over four degrees, which is phenomenal if you can take it from a creeper seat,

fold it right down into a 40 inch creeper. A whole array of tools in three different voltages with one charger. It does not just end with cordless. We have air tools. We have our pit bull 38 inch version, a two ton quick to load low profile service check.

MS C

11 service cart.

It starts as a very basic three drawer cart

but it can be customized to be whatever a technician needs while Tommy was checking out what the expo has to offer. I was finishing up Tony's toolbox. Well, hey, Rick, incredible finish product. Tony. Cool. Thanks, buddy. It's done.

Looks beautiful. But I gotta tell you when I they actually emailed all this stuff over to me and told me what I had to put down there. I went back and had to read it a couple of times. I'm like, oh my God, are you serious? Takes a great group of guys to make it all happen. So we,

we set these records together. We win races and we win championships together. But, uh, you yourself did the box and you made it look great.

Well, I gotta tell you, man, I am honored to be a part of it. Thank you. And I hope you enjoy it. It's fantastic. It's all yours, man.

Yeah,

there you are, man. I've been over there working. Sorry, brother. Uh you didn't ever call.

Uh huh. Yeah. Whatever what you got. It's a tour controlled socket, man. It's pretty crazy.

What's it? Do?

Don't worry about it. You can drive it,

go

check out some other two. All right.

Is it led or what is it led?

So, batteries last a long time,

200 out. So you can see the valves.

And so

that's pretty cool.

Come

on,

that's for the brake wires for the tubing.

J

now I gotta put up with you all.

We need a set of those.

What do you think about it, man?

The place is off the hook, dude. I never knew that they really had this much stuff, man. It's crazy. Oh, that's cool right there. Yeah, but you won't ever use it.

I might have to use it. I might.

Yeah, you're right.

We've had a great time here at the expo. We've seen some awesome new tools and met some fantastic people, but like, all good things. It's got to come to an end. And for this week we're out of time. So, until next time we're out of here, let's go hit the table. I'm feeling a little.