IROC Wagon Project

[ssbrewskyaz]

Thanks Ed for posting those photos. I tried to respond from the road the other night and got so frustrated with the site I shut it off. Not sure how it went from simple to not simple but it did.

Again, thanks for the reference photos. I'll put them to use this weekend!

Scott. ...

 

[ssbrewskyaz]

Jack,

I think the problem is going to be finding eyelets that look like the stock pieces. The guys that make some Border Patrol parts for us have eyelets but I'm not sure of dimensions and so on. Otherwise, I would suggest finding some old cables, cut the cable off clean at the eyelet, drill the wire out and epoxy your shortened wire in. Might even be able to silver solder but it usually takes a lot of heat and the rubber/plastic covering will likely evaporate. I suppose you could stick the cable through and weld a small ball bearing to the end so the cable won't slip back through. There's a way to do this, just need to find some junk parts to experiment with. ...

 

[Longroof79]

Scott,
I actually experimented with an old cable by cutting off the end, as you suggested. I tried drilling the end of the eyelet.. to no avail..it just won't drill thru. I don't think the cable ends were soldered. From what I can ascertain, they appear to be crimped. I was hoping I could find something identical...or very close, and have them crimped on the shortened cable(s).
I'm guessing that the piece of cable that's still crimped onto the eyelet is just too tough to drill into. Another thought...although kinda cheesy, would be to cut a small section out of the middle and use clamps for outboard marine steering cables to fasten the two pieces together.
I would assume it probably would screw up the paint in those areas.

Another thought might be to cut a slot out of the eyelet(with a cutoff wheel) in order to fit the end of the stripped back cable, and then weld the eyelet to the cable. But, I think the cable core is stainless. I may not have the capability to weld it.


Also as you said, finding the eyelets with the proper dimensions is going to be tough.

 

[bishop gp]

Have you thought about a short length of chain covered in heat shrink. Or the boat cable done up in heat shrink or liquid vinyl or flex seal to keep it from scratching the paint? Could you get rid of the eyelet and crimp the cable to itself like they do on some of the newer truck tail gates? Or maybe even modifying some side post battery terminal replacement pieces ,sorry just brain storming over here

 

[Longroof79]

Have you thought about a short length of chain covered in heat shrink. Or the boat cable done up in heat shrink or liquid vinyl or flex seal to keep it from scratching the paint? Could you get rid of the eyelet and crimp the cable to itself like they do on some of the newer truck tail gates? Or maybe even modifying some side post battery terminal replacement pieces ,sorry just brain storming over here

Mr. Bishop, you brought out some good ideas and suggestions...thank you..I appreciate that.
Modifying a side post battery terminal sounds pretty interesting...but they may be a little too soft strength-wise. I will check out some pickup tailgates for more ideas.

Sorry for the hijack, Scott.

 

[bishop gp]

Crimping the cable to itself is also something they do with the cable bicycle locks and your welcome i hope it helps

 

[Longroof79]

Crimping the cable to itself is also something they do with the cable bicycle locks and your welcome i hope it helps

So, in other words, bend the cable end to make a loop, if you will, and crimp the end to the cable itself. Yes, come to think of it, they do use that method to make bicycle lock cables.
Those methods should broaden my horizons...thanks again.
If I decide to use the loop method, I was wondering how I would secure the end to the cable..
The chain method doesn't sound too bad either, however, I'd like the finished product to almost look stock..not that it really matters that much.

 

[bishop gp]

I assume your talking about securing the cable to itself id say either some kind of crimp ring you can put the cable through then smash it down in a vice or i believe they sell a bolt on type securing thing( sorry dont know the name of it off the top of my head) that resembles the base of the bolt on battery terminals

 

[ssbrewskyaz]

No Worries Gents, We're all friends here trying to help each other out. ...

 

[ssbrewskyaz]

As previously stated, I’m bolting on every part I have for this jalopy and we’ll see where it goes from there. Focused on finishing the tailgate today, had a few knick knacks to sort through and took my time screwing on the little pieces.

Thanks to Ed’s camera skills, I got the springs installed correctly, also installed these little widgets. Not sure what their actual name is but they preload the endgate somehow. If I don’t know the correct name, it’s a widget.





And yes, I had to rob a complete car to get two hinge pins so I’m still looking for replacements. OPG has them in their catalog but says they’re temporarily discontinued. I suspect they purchased the remaining GM inventory and now need to contract out a reproduction?








Not sure what the purpose of this piece is either but the engineers said it needed it, so I stuck it back on.




So other than the rubber, I think I’m done with the tailgate. …