Technical What did you do with your car today? * NEW*

@2Blue2 Now that it is clean,,,,,give it some paint

 

Replace the rear axle on my -53 Chevy today.

 

From the BillyBob Shop log

October 26th 2021 Slacked off a week for dental work. Extracted a quarter of my remaining teeth and got fitted for new choppers. Mourned the loss of three that have been with me from the beginning. Wasn't as painful as it sounds. Should have cowboyed thru it better.

Quik-n-durty cleaned the remaining valves to measure them. Shined them up some by chucking them in a 1/2" drill motor secured in my bench vice. Set it running and used wire cup in the electric die grinder. Exhaust valves, in general, were in better shape than the intakes. Three of the intakes had raised "GM" and "TP" letters on their faces.

Cleaned the guide bores with Hoppes #9 and engine bottle brush. Measured the valve stems with the mic and the guides with a small hole gauge and mic. Initial readings were pretty even at "0.3317" for the stems and "0.3327" for the guides, including the new one. Must have not done it right. Gotta recalibrate, bone up on procedure and do it again.

Beer of the day was Millstream Brewing Company's Schild Brau Ambar Vienna Style Lager. Background music was Return of the Grievous Angel: A tribute to Gram Parsons.

 

One more thing checked off my list ! I had everything to build the fuel line on hand. I do have to get some 3/8 fuel injection style clamps as all I had is some 5/16. I will also slip a piece of Firesheild over the steel line when I finish it up.

 

Took the back seat out of the 29 A to get rid of a dead stinking mouse. Amazing how a small mouse can cause that much stench.

 

From the BillyBob Shop log

October 28th 2021 Recalibrated my micrometer and took another go at the nailhead valve and guide measurements. Ended up being more confused then a blind man feeling his way around the elephant.

Number one cylinder intake valve was pretty pitted so, when I ordered a new exhaust valve for the one I buggered, I ordered an intake as well. These came from Fusick Automotive Products and now I can compare them to the existing valves.

My new measurements were unclear but they gave me a sloppy .0005" average valve clearance between valves and guides. The new valves and guides were consistent with the old ones, however, and this was a good sign to me.

According to my Dad's old 1959 Chiltons manual, the valve readings were closer to a 364 nailhead than a 322. This is a head scratcher to me unless replacement valve specs changed over the years. At any rate, I have enough info to take to my friend John to help me suss out.

Beer of the day was Sprecher Brewing Company's Scotch Ale. Background music was Asleep at the Wheel Ride with Bob: A Tribute to Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys.

 

Finally after a ten year project we put some color on the A. Wimbledon white for the firewall, black for the body maybe next week.

 

Picked up some pieces from the sandblaster; went to fill a couple pin holes in the rear splash panels, decided to hold one in place and learned they didn't clear the rear hanger for the added parallel leafs. Trimmed them back, bent a new flange around the edge, and welded the corners. Then filled the pin holes. Always love finding unplanned work. I am thinking of epoxy prime and bed liner for these, good idea?

 

Worked on dash today. Installed 32 dash for model A. And fitted in sub dash for switches. Also worked on seat mounts for bench seat.

 

may be in over my head, but i finally made the move to upgrade my roadster from glass T body to steel A body.
I have the major parts for the chassis upgrade also. Now I just need to make the time to make it happen.

 

I'm telling you, that cheap ass beer you keep drinking is rotting your teeth. Single malt Scotch is much better for you

 

Nah, it is the music!

Keep on keeping on, .



Ben

 

Went to a swapmeet, with mostly american parts. Looking for 40 ford stuff in Sweden is not that easy, they where never sold new because of ww2. After twenty minutes I found something I been searching forat least two years. Taillights from Studebaker -41. Brand new repos in really good quality. I know they cost 450Dollars + shipping , toll and tax easy 600 before I have them in my hand. This was 280 dollars and igot them directly- no waitning. Score of the dav

 

Put both hot rods away for the winter sleep. Had the Pontiac out last weekend and the Roadster to a Halloween party yesterday.

 

Starting the installation of the new trans in the sunliner,it will probably nit get done as quick as I could a few years ago,

 

Those are gonna look sweet on your '40!

 

I finally got my Model A on the ground in pretty much its final form.I had the engine running a couple days ago but probably need to recheck and set timing, fiddle with carburetor, rebleed brakes, and hard telling how many more things, but it should be ready to move under its own power soon. Hopefully that will happen in the next few days. It's been a longer journey getting this car together then I would have ever imagined! I am pretty pleased with it's stance now that it's on the ground with everything on it.

Lynn

 

Got the carb swap on the 283 in my A pickup mostly done, still need to hook up a choke, and will probably need to do some sorting out , but I have a few miles in on it and it runs good. My seat of the pants dyno says there isn't much, if any, more power out of them than the dual 2GC's, but there's certainly a large visual impact.

 

dropped coupe into mate's shop to have rear axle seals and bearings and brake shoes replaced

 

Got the old trans out and the rebuilt one in,ran out of energy and patience so time to quit and finish it tomorrow. A couple years ago I could do all in one night but not now.

 

Nothing too note worthy accomplished today on our '47; but a little progress. Installed a new SW speedo and hooked up the cable. Added a couple diodes to the signal indicator wires since I am only using one indicator. Cut the tie wraps and rearranged the wires for the high beam and turn indicator since I changed ideas. Installed the cable to water temp control valve; hated enlarging the hole in the dash; but managed to not chip the paint. Ended up making a slotted socket on a stick to tighten it as a crows foot didn't fit. Made a new hanger bar for the heater as the first one I made years ago didn't account for the glove box. Made a pattern for the air box to go behind the speaker grille. Welded and sanded on my bumper guard tail lights some more; still need to add some mount plates or something. guess that means digging out the bumper.

 

Blues4U, ^^^^The loops on the fuel lines are a nice touch

Lynn

 

Thanks Lynn

 

Got the new rear springs in the wagon and slid the diff into place on Sunday. Tomorrow I am hoping to lock it down and install the brakes over the next two days. If everything goes well-here's to hoping-I will roll her out of the garage on friday for the first time in years. She will get hose job just to get all of the dirt off of her prior to yanking the dead tranny and stuffing the new engine and tranny. I will post pics in my 'finally a longroof' thread.

Mike

 

Got the roller back on the ground so I could do a final fit for the body. Looked around and all my help had disappeared. Sometimes, you just gotta work with what you've got

 

Nice! I drove a Ford F800 service truck for about 5 years, with an IMT service body with 8600 # hydraulic crane. Your picture reminds me of those days. I kept the truck at home and often travelled directly from home to the job rather than going into the shop and being dispatched from there. That often saved the customer a lot on travel time & mileage (and saved me wear & tear on my personal vehicles). It was convenient having all my tools, plus oxy/acetylene torch set, air compressor and Miller welder all in one tidy place, a complete shop on wheels. Wish I still had that at my disposal.

 

I'll sell you mine. I was replacing dock levelers for a trucking company that had 13 terminals all over the south from Memphis on the west to Raleigh, NC in the east to Columbia, SC, Birmingham, AL and points between. I looked for a truck like this for 2 years before I found it. It made me a heck of a lot of money and I didn't have to pay a helper to ride from home to the job, most of the time while he was sleeping. Didn't have to pay his motel and daily meals, either. Right now, it's serving as tool storage and comes in handy when I get the occasional welding job.

 

^^^^Daily driver perhaps?

Lynn

 

Trying to find an oil leak. Got outa control!

 

Yes.... I'm going to go thru the brakes and steering and then drive the crap out of it