Technical What are you working on?

Reclayed the pistons just to make sure the valves will clear the notches.

 

That there is my tidbit of learned knowledge for today. I've never heard of a remote thermostat (before just now).

 

I got the yellow Victoria a few months ago and just got the blue Victoria. They're pretty but need improvements so I'm working on them

 

Was getting ready for a big get together Saturday morning, so Friday afternoon I began cleaning up my '39 Chev coupe. I happened to notice my front axle that I painted with Duplicolor silver mag wheel paint had turned from gloss silver to flat silver over the last 5 years. I've used it before on mag wheels and it held up great, so not sure why it oxidized?
Tried to shine it up, but the axle, tierod, and rag link all silver wouldn't shine up. I finally grabbed my pads to lay on, and a Scotchbrite pad, and scuffed up all three parts. Since my chassis is all Rustoleum gloss black and still looked like new I grabbed a quart of gloss black and brush painted the axle and other parts. Looks great, and hope it holds up like the rest of the black has!

 

Still doing upgrades on the Tudor and trying to have her back on the road for the big end of season show/shine in two weeks, but it’s getting to be that time to start making the ‘list’, putting stickers on everything and packing stuff up for the upcoming swap meet (Oct).
Seems like I have to psych myself up more and more for each swap now as vending seems more like work than fun these days.
AND I hate making the ‘list’, but my ‘helper’ says I can’t do any wandering/shopping and leave our tables if I don’t have a master price list for her.

 

Screw packing boxes today.
Tackled the grimy exhaust instead.
Love the golden brown sugar look but had to clean the grime off from the last road trip.
No way to save the look so back to ‘clean’ everything went.
But she’ll brown up again.

Didn’t bother with the mufflers and here’s a pic of one dirty and one done.


Ram horns took a little more effort and no where near perfect, but good enough.

 

Nearly finished fabbing headers for my 34, Glen

 

We continue working on the '33-34 Ford frame. The rear bends are fully welded, the right rail still needs a bit straightening. We built in a 6" kick-up over the rear axle. Also working on the box plates, welded in six M12 (1/2") nuts for a bolt on X-member.

 

I worked on extinguishing flames !

Doing rear brakes on the T yesterday I use a plastic tub to catch the brake clean I use with a long stiff bristle brush to clean things with. The brake clean itself was evaporated today just leaving the brake dust stuff in the tub.
I had the tub behind where I was working by a good 3 1/2 feet, next to the go-kart chassis.



Grinding rivits on the front drums today, pointing sparks directly at the floor as to not spray them all over the place. I'm wearing shorts and I feel heat on my leg, I'm thinking there's no way I set myself on fire. I set the grinder down and look at my shorts and socks, no fire so I look behind me and hot damn, that tub is on fire.
I mean really on fire, the entire inside of the tub is spewing a 2 1/2 foot tall flame higher than the go-kart gas tank. I'm thinking that's a vented cap those flames are right next to, I grab the tub to move it outside, but it's real pliable, I'm thinking that thing has been burning awhile.
So I slide it over in between the Henry J and go-kart, not a lot of free space for these flames to go, my first thought was grab the fire extinguisher and that's never a first thought for me, but that thing is cooking !
So on the way to the fire extinguisher I see a towel so I decide to smother the flame instead, then tossed it outside. That tub was really thick plastic not easy to turn pliable, sure burnt the shit out of that long bristle brush.



So be careful out there guys.

 

Wow, scary!!

 

You're lucky you didn't get poisoned by the fumes of burning the residual brake clean in the tub! That stuff is nasty when heated, and deadly too!

 

I was doing some simple maintenance on my '39 Chev coupe and cleaning the differential cover when I happened to look at my driver's side rear spring shackle. I have new springs I installed 4 years ago, but still use the old threaded spring eye bolts that screw into the spring eyes. The ends of those bolts are threaded and have a 90 degree zerk fitting to grease the threads inside the spring. The bolt had unthreaded itself about 3/4" And nearly pulled out of the outside shackle bar! Only thing that stopped it was that 90 degree zerk fitting or it would have come completely off.
I jacked the car up to unload the springs and removed the center bolt that holds the two shackle plates together, and removed them. The threaded center bolt has tapered ends like a Morse taper for a chuck, so I grabbed the exposed end with vise grips and screwed it back in place. Reinstalled the plates and cinched the retaining bolt down as tight as I could without snapping the 5/16" bolt. Thought about putting some Loctite on the tapered ends, but decided to leave that off and just keep an eye on it in the future. If it tries to back out again I'll put some blue or red Loctite on the tapered ends.

 

I would recommend orange Loctite as it holds better than blue and is still removable.

 

Never heard of "orange Loctite". Red yes.

 

https://www.permatex.com/products/t...rength-removable-threadlocker-orange-gel-5-g/

 

Working on straightening out some Holley 94's on this buggy...
It hasn't been on the road yet...but he is getting close....
Has a Yblock that came out of @metalman '57 Rancho....

 

Finally getting some stuff done on the wagon. Doubt it will be driving before the first of the year but hoping for some shake down runs before next summer. All in anticipation for LF4

 

Weighing my options for the Rzeppa joints on the driveshaft of my Pullmax P6. They’re making noise when the gearbox is shifted to an offset position. The rear joint looks fine but the front is showing some wear and definitely some metal to metal contact where there should be none. If I can get off work I’ll bring the assembly to the drive shaft shop and get his opinion. Plan B is to do some light machining to touch up the pockets and replace the 3/8” balls with some 10.5mm. This is a bummer because I had the machine sold until I noticed the noise.

 

Absolutely beautiful work on the fuel lines except for that rubber hose running from the fuel pump to the log. There's gotta be enough steel line left over for a rigid line.

 

Getting a real workout the last few days with the grinder, wire wheel and sanding disc, repairing and refinishing my welding table. Flipped it over in the yard so I can do the underneath parts.
Same with the shelving unit over yonder. Flipped it over cuz I'm gonna trim the gussets and shorten the legs to get the upper shelf to a reasonable height so I can use it for a workbench. A couple repairs and some paint and some good quality plywood for the work surface.
Then it's the big steel cabinet's turn.

 

After finishing the chassis and screwing up the transmission, I decided to start get the body mounted and start the bodywork. This will be enough to keep me busy all winter.

 

I dug the T out of the corner after doing brakes all around and drove it over to my son's work for the annual inspection.
I think that was the first time for driving it anywhere this year, nice 70 degree day for it too.

 

Stripping down the hood. Aside from uncovering the old patch repair. Found an old flame job.

 

@JohnLewis archaeologist

 

That looks nice.

 

Wish I could just find something that makes me money lol.

 

Thanks @ladyhrp but it will never be as nice as yours.

 

I'm not getting any younger, and my 26 year old granddaughter wont have me around to repair and maintain her late model OT car. So yesterday she asked me to check her brakes, and I told her to come over and bring her "work clothes". She arrived ready, except for glove, which I supplied her on arrival. Got her car jacked up and told her to remove center caps on the factory mags, and start removing lug studs. (No lugnuts on her car, just conical studs.)
Then we went wheel by wheel as she has 4 wheel disc brakes, and she replaced pads at each wheel. Seemed to actually be enjoying it, and I told her if she's still planning on getting my old Austin gasser when I'm gone she better keep learning. I'll call her to help the next time I'm working on it and she can help me too!

 

good on you to raise them right.
'have done similar with my daughter,
she's 41 now and has the mindset and skills to tackle most anything on her car or house
of course being her dad I never say no when she asks, and she knows she needs to be there too.

 

I tried with all 5 of our kids, and so far it only took with two. My oldest is a real car guy, and was out helping me when he was in diapers. Youngest daughter is also a car gal and knows things. But the other two girls and a boy would sell a car if the battery went dead. Fortunately my granddaughter can do more on cars than her mother, and is really mechanically inclined.