We got on the road at 2100 after work on Thursday Raced Saturday & arrived home at about 1330 on moday yesterday. Will come back & tell the story, but in them mean time here are some pics of the rpu on the journey.
Well what a whirlwind, it seemed like I was really up against it all. Starting with the broken trailer springs, then finding another trailer, blew up my compressor while loading up, troubles with wiring etc. I had had some earlier than usual nights in the shed to makes sure my wife had time with me before going away for 4 nights. So after an early start (to catch an old school friend for breakfast) working a full day, shopping for family then packing for the trip - both for me & cars - Dwight & I got away at about 9pm. Part of the issues was a non working fuel gauge in the Ranch Wagon & I had adjusted up the steering box due to some free play, thinking it was good we set off. Our first stop was to air up at the first servo we passed. Our first leg was to Canberra to camp with @edfueler we rolled into his place @ 3am after a number of fuel/coffee/check-adjust the load stops. 4 hrs of sleep saw us up & a hearty breakfast - thanks Ed - & on the road again, we traveled the day with a similar stop regime, except for a need to top up the power steer fluids the day went well. Average speed would have been close to 55mph on the freeway. We arrived at camp at 7pm. A long but good trip. We met up with friends who had set up camp before us & settled in. We were up again @ 6am to get to scrutineering in time & to prepare for race day. It was a great day on the beach lots of fun & laughter was heard. It was really nice to get the A on the beach & to punt it down the track, I think we got in 8 or 9 runs. The car went rather well considering the lack of actual run time, I had only flogged it up & down the street a few times the weekend before. We rounded out the day ratting through an old shed not far away which had once been chock full of pre-war car parts, now only the dregs are left but I was able to secure a few odd's & ends. Sunday's trip home started with a return visit to Dave's place & more early Ford shopping, the to launch off on our return trip. Destination Yass, not far from Canberra. The day again followed in a similar fashion, until while on the freeway nearing Sydney I heard a 'click' of a fuse followed by the noise of the engine stopping & I steered our circus to a stop. While attempting to find the dead short causing the particular fuse to expire a car pulled up & it turned out to be one of the Dragons (who put on the event) He hung around to make sure we were ok offering to tow our trailer & to come back & get us if needed. Once under way he followed us through the city beyond where he lived & again offered tools to help us out. This was where we stopped. It really was appreciated & an encouragement that humanity isn't fully lost & entirely self centered... After this we rolled into Yass at about 730pm caught up with friends & trundled home the next morning While this is a rambling account of our trip, it was a great time on the road a wonderful weekend away & a chance to prioritize getting the RPU closer to road going status. If you got this far thankyou, hope it has brought a smile to your face at some point.
The trunk in the back of the RPU is the one that was in my first RPU 19 years ago. Its a dodgy pic of a photo but here it is. That car was finished in 2003 & while there is some goofy about it there weren't many folk out here who 'got' what I was trying to do at the time. there weren't many bangers running around hot rod circles & the traditional rod scene was only really just emerging & held onto by a select few at the time. The memories of this car are what has encouraged me to pursue this current car so many years on.
Nothing to add of real consequence, I have been distracted by the 55 Ranch tow car, a beetle, harley & family life. I must say I was a little burnt out by the big push last year, I am hoping to get back on it in the months to come. A customer of work has a pair of Winfield carbs I may be able to obtain & while chatting with the boss about them he produced this twin throat Zenith with 1 3/16" throats, it's seized up but I am hoping I can free it up & hopefully use it, it's a little early but about the right period for the A & sized about right for a hop up.
Not yet, we have 1 at work so will get it going on there first. what fluid have you found successful? Will be looking for a hi comp head 7:1, & have a mate with a cam grinder so will have a go at a re-grind something like a 1a Winfield....
Oooooooo, best to stay on his good side I was thinking of getting one of my spare B cams reground. I would like one with a little more than a 1A, I think I have one in the coupe,, and I'm going to two 97's and would like to go a little more in the cam. Now that Clive cams is closing _ dare send a cam to them. Plus their grind for a banger was a lot tamer that a Winfield.
We have plans it's a shame somebody hasn't stepped up to buy Clive's, we were getting cam's for work ground there. Have you got a profile in mind? What kind of revs is you engine most happy at? Was chatting with @Midnight Rider about profiles a little while back.
Have you got a profile in mind? My cam runs out to 3900rpm. I'd like to run a little over 4000 - for the 10 second blast on 2nd gear. What kind of revs is you engine most happy at? I run at about 2450 on the highway which is about 55mph, but it will creep to 60 whilst I'm not concentrating. My B diamond has a Winfield head, currently runs a single 97 on an original Burns intake, winfield 6.8 head, header. I am setting up twin 97's on a riley intake. I remember David mentioning he had cams over 20 years ago. Never asked about them beyond general discussions about them
The RPU made it back into the shed after the Ranch was pressed back into service. it fired straight up, it was lovely to move it under it's own power! Hopefully I'll be able to get back into it soon, the T has turned up recently, but the A is ahead of it in the queue.
Sorry I didn't reply, your current cam sounds like one I would like to aim for, just need to set aside some shelves for a 7:1 head ... @Stovebolt have you gotten round to spicing up your A?
I haven't finished the 2 carb setup. Waiting on a second new 97 - I'm trading some stuff for it. I've been spoilt with my coupe, as it runs like a bull in a china shop, and I guess I got used to the way it goes, and still plan for more!!!
If some is good more must be better! Haha if your cam ends up loose let me know & if you want to keep it but are happy to let it be copied let me know haha
I spent some time cleaning up the shed today, but couldn't help goofing around looking at wheel alternative's. The fronts are 4.50/17's. My plan is for some 6.50 or 6.00's on a pair of 18's for the rear. In black wall's On the rear the wires are 6.00/16 & wide 5's are 7.50/16 but look huge against the fronts
Still tinkering here, our local rod run is on in about 6 weeks time & I'm hoping to drive it there, I drove the A to a mates place recently about 10 mins away, it got hot & spewed rusty water all over the car. I pulled the radiator & flushed it as best as I could & pulled the water pump apart, to find a new shaft & good bushes. On reflection when I advanced the dizzy it was fluttering & loosing power, so I am hoping that when I get the timing right, it might just run cooler. I have pulled the generator apart, skimmed the commutator, converted it to 12v & shouting it some new bearings while I was at it. Hopefully I'll have the generator sorted this week. I bought a stock loom that's braided wire so hope that means it will come together fairly easily.
Thanks mate, long slow process, we have 3 young kids & lots of commitment's but slowly moving forward. Thanks for checking in
I'm playing with the electric's today, I bought a stock wiring loom thinking it would fit straight in, but because I have extractors & RH drive the switch won't work, don't think it'll fit, so looks like I'll need to extend the wires to separate switches .
I’m late to the party here but I wanted to jump in and add my own appreciation for that intake. If that was something that could be bought I would buy one.
Thanks, it's a pretty cool & unique manifold,My mate has made 2 or 3 not sure if he'd make another, where are you @‘28 RPU ?
There was a cruise night on Saturday night, a friend has recently gotten his A banger tub on the road, he insisted on giving me a drive, so we did a couple of laps, was really nice to behind the wheel of an A again, This last one was at a local market & a club display the following day
Been working on the pickup most evenings for the last few weeks, not making much progress, or photo worthy progress, but moving slowly forward. Had a couple of friends drop round last night, we got the Radiator back on with the shroud for the first time, it fitted ok. But 1 bolt doesn't line up. We spent some time checking timing, we realized that we were loosing travel because the springs in the rod ends were pretty lazy, adding a helper spring made some difference. I hadn't timed one of these before, it kept seeming like it wanted more advance & ended up getting tangled up, Should get it sorted tonight. There's a local rod run on this weekend, hopefully will have the RPU going well enough to take in.
No test drive today, but put in some time after work & a few hrs tonight. Getting closer, it needs to be tomorrow night. I put these 40 truck head lights on there, I think they'll stay for now
Made the 12 miles to town for the show, lots to tidy up, but it was great to make the trip Will update the tale soon
The kids loved having the A at the show, this ole thing is a real beater, but it's good to rattle the cage of some of the other members of the club, there are a number of pretty trad cars & OT street rods probably 50/50 but most tidy. This car has fueled the conversation around getting young people into the club & what's achievable on a small budget. It's a heap of fun stirring & bombing around. The drive home today went ok, I have discovered a loose rear hub, the nut still has the cotter pin in it, we shimmed it a number of years ago, so will look into that. I did a headlight swap with 40 truck headlights, the stems are too long & I ran out of time to shorten them, I have 1 35/6 headlight bucket here which is the same light & has a short mounting stud, I'll pull the lights apart & swap it over, I also think I am onto another one. I didn't get the Genny wired or the new switch in, but will sneak up on those jobs as I go along. This 33 Chev coupster was a car I rode in when I was 15, my first cruise with other hot rods, now 2 states away I see it a bit again
The Jalopy Journal
