Breaking the clutch and heater tubes loose . . . HELP ! !

I just finished marking and "step cutting" my pan, got the clutch and throttle tubes cut loose at the back (I'll weld in a replacement mount later) buy cutting away everything. STILL trying to figure out how to break the welds on the heater cable and e-brake cable guide tubes. I ground away as much of the external welds as possible, even tried small hole saws, but the remaining welds are stronger than the steel.

Some folks have recommended that I cut the tubes flush with the frame horns, hammer a drift into the remaining tube and wobble it around until the welds break. Is this the way that it's done? Sounds a bit gorilla. Also seems like I risk losing the tube inside the frame horn once/if the welds break and I remove the drift.

Anyone shorten their own pan? Any idea of how these tubes are shortened?

Thanks !

T

I just used an angle grinder with a cut-off wheel to get the rough cuts done, and finished it up with a dremel with a cut-off wheel - one of those resin jobs with the special 1/4-turn attachment.

The angle wheel was too big to get in there and get the last of the weld to release, but the Dremel was small enough to get in there to get the job done.

I used to use a torch with a very small tip but it was pretty messy - the cut off wheels work well and then, after everything is shortened up with a foot of tubes sticking out the back you just fill the cuts with weld. Later, cut off the tubes about 1" from the pan metal - nice and straight - and deburr the ID of each.

Before you weld everything up, make sure that you can slide the e-brake handle end of the e-brake cable through the tube. It's easy to put too tight a curve in it and restrict the ID so that the terminated end won't go through. Not a big deal, since you cut off that end, anyway, but it's nice to have adequate clearance in there.

I figure that the tubes are old and have some internal rust etc.
I remove the tubes replacing them with new steel fuel lines. ~Alan

"one of those resin jobs"

Are those the wheels that look like they're made out of solid light brown sandpaper sand and wear out in three or four seconds . . . ?

So, cut the tubes flush at the frame horns and dremmel the welds until the tubes break free?

Rather than have shortened e-brake cables made, should I just cut the handle end to length and use cable stops on the ends?

I'll get a professionally shortened clutch cable for sure, the throttle cable will need to be long anyway to reach the turbo/carb set-up, so that'll be stock length. The heater cables are no big deal.

Anythings else, any tips or ideas or suggestions before I head out there tomorrow afternoon?

Thanks-

"one of those resin jobs"

Are those the wheels that look like they're made out of solid light brown sandpaper sand and wear out in three or four seconds . . . ?

No, the one I use looks like black fiberglass matt made stiff with resin and has a metal, butterfly-looking hole in the middle, which fits a special drive made for the dremel. Push the wheel onto the fitting, give a quarter turn and let it go.

It'll last for 5+ minutes of constant grinding.

Thanks !

Would I find the at Lowes or Home Depot? I'd like to get this finished up this week and don't want to resort to mail order if I don't have to.

Any place where Dremel tools and accessories are sold.

Called something like Heavy Duty resin Cut-off Wheels

Once again, THANK YOU ! ! ! But if I fuck this up, I'm blamin' you, boy ! ! !

Well, took a bit of time this afternoon and bought one of those Dremel adapers and a pack of metal cutting blades. Cut all of the tubes free from the frame horns and rear of the pan and hooked up some tie down straps to ratchet the two ends together come tomorrow or after the rains end. Took a half of a blade all together . . . gotta say, those blades rate right next to fulcrum and lever as one of the sweetest tools I've ever used.

Gordon, you deserve your own holiday for all that you do around here !

If I EVER get to Carlisle, or even next year's German Car Day, dinner at a nice restaurant is on me for sure.

Thanks, Buddy ! !