I had all last week off of work for my sons school vacation and the weather was really nice! was going to get him out there with me to tear down the roadster for inspection. unfortunately I had some problems at work that required my attention so I spent most of the week working from home. had plans to spend most of last weekend with the family but managed to sneak out to the garage and tear into my spare side shift box which didn't have the parts I needed for my 39 and pull the heads off my flatmotor to make sure all was well there... ordered the parts for the tranny now I need to make a list for the the flathead... basically just gaskets and the bearing that goes in the crank for the input shaft.
Started at 2pm on Sunday and got the transmission in by 2am... let's just say that: I didn't remember a "Jeep-whisperer" buddy's comment about matching the torque converter to the flexplate until AFTER I had put the tranny in the first time, and I HATE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS!!!!! working with drop lights in the dark sucks, and I REALLY HATE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS!!!!! I still feel the driveway in my shoulders, hips, and back- this getting old thing really sucks too, and I TRULY DESPISE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS!!!!!!!!! Okay, I feel better, and happy that I can pull out into traffic (with my kids in the car) with confidence again.
Mac, I hear you loud and clear. I have been doing a C6 to AOD swap in my 390 powered F-250 shop truck since Thanksgiving. It has been a comedy of errors..... 1. Buy new Quicktime FE-to-AOD bellhousing under the guise that it will fit the stock 12" convertor. 2. Buy all other necessary components for the swap (Lokar TV cable, shifter, yoke, U-joint, etc). 3. Set aside Thanksgiving weekend to do the swap. 4. Find out halfway through Friday afternoon that there is no way in HELL that thing is going to fit the 12" Convertor. 5. Spend the entire next week on hold with Holley's (they own Quicktime now) ridiculous excuse for customer support trying to confirm exactly what torque convertor you are supposed to use with this particular belhousing. Turn's out they don't have a clue and tell me to call Lentech. 6. Owner of Lentech answers the phone and tells me I need a custom 10.5" convertor and input shaft change. FUCK - there is $1500 I did NOT budget, and it will double the value of the truck....(to be clear they were extremely helpfull and that is greatly appreciated.) 7. I thank Lentech for the time and advise, but I need to determine if this is worth it or not. Well, the C6 is leaking all over the place and slipping, so it needs a full re-build anyways, so what the Hell, Proceed with the AOD. 8. Order Torque Convertor and input shaft from Broader Transmission. 9. Parts arrive the day before I leave to go to the Grand National Roadster Show. Well, the truck won't get put back together this weekend. 10. 3 days after returning from GNRS, work decides that I need to head back out to the LA basin for a week and a half. 2 more lost weekends. 11. Finally Back home, and I got the input shaft swapped, and the trans back in the truck. 12. Fire up the truck to set the TV pressure, and there is NO FUCKING line pressure. WHAT the SHIT, I just pulled this trans out of a running, driving F-150 a few months ago, and it worked great. 13. OK, what did I change??? The PUMP. I pulled the pump to get measurements for Broader and the pump gear fell out, Box of Doughnuts says that I did not put it back in the right way. 14. Last weekend - Pulled the trans back out of truck (I have this down to under 1.5 hrs now). and sure as shit, the pump gear is in backwards (this explains why the torque convertor was quite tight to the flex plate), and now GALLED to HELL from running with too much axial thrust on it. 15. Order a new pump (another $150), it arrives this afternoon. Guess what I am doing this weekend????? 16. Wishing I just would have done the ZF 5 spd swap and been done with it already...... I HATE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS TOO
It's going in my '28. Now maybe all the old guys at Cars and Coffee won't make fun of me for my crappy interior!
If it were my driveway, it'd be a cinch (downhill all the way )- but I was at Brad54's, and everything worked out fine (car is running great- knock on wood), just took forever... (book said 4.1 hours for the whole job, but that's inside, with a lift, etc).
DONE! Steelback shell is in the basement. Glass doors gain weight with age. Had to move a lot of distractions, 1922 Speedster frame, bundle of clapboard siding that needs stain, original engine out of Dad's Roadster, parts for my Grandson's A chassis. Basement is about ready for a visit from American Pickers. Bob
Weather forecast for the weekend is looking pretty good. I've got a new welder to learn to use, a mostly full tank of MIG gas, a big spool of .030 wire, and a bunch of scrap to practice on. Goal, right now, is just to learn to fuse metal together better than I did last weekend. Sent from my iPad using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
My 27 t needs everything but I decided to try a cheap engine turn switch panel Sent from my SM-T530NU using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Another weekend underway, listing crap on that auction site and moveing things in the basement and maybe work on the Steelback late Sunday. Bob
Put stuff/tools away after a week of chasing a noise in coupe.(success) Look at homes for sale in warmer climates. Really!
Junkyard run this morning picked up some small parts for the DDs. Was going to start the oil changes this afternoon, but spent it installing a new sump pump instead. So, tomorrow is a garage day, I hope. Anybody use Tracker front seats in a rod? Was looking at a junked one. They look pretty narrow, might be just the ticket for a 30s coupe. Sent from my iPad using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
View attachment 3470041 View attachment 3470041 Got my closed car A w/s frame apart.saturday morning... I traded a pr. of '29 roadster w/s stantions for a '30 deluxe w/s frame Saturday afternoon... I've got a stock A rolling chassis in the yard... Now I only need a pair of '30 deluxe upper w/s stantions and that finishes a '31 roadster body pile... That stantion search will be my ... Sunday service... PS. Someone had hogged out the wheelwells for axle clearance, and cut a slot in the upper quarters for the rollbar, one side was patched. ...
I will try to go out to my shop on sunday. Trying to get rid of a hellish head cold. Damn I feel like SH#T!!
Got the torino from hell all done and the proportioning valve starts leaking. What's next on this piece of crap. Got my F100 axle drilled . Used a 1 inch hole saw. Easier than I thought it was going to be.
passing on a buddy's holesaw tip, drill the centering hole, then turn the bit upside down in the chuck, this lets it turn in the centering hole without the flutes enlarging the hole, letting the holesaw wobble, making your finished hole too big or out of round ...
Finally got the rear brakes done on the Hudson that I started on 2 weeks ago. Also put a turndown pipe on the exhaust where the muffler rusted off. Will run it like this till I can get exhaust done. I kinda like how the flattie 6 sounds straightpiped. Took it out for a cruise for ice cream. Hadn't driven it since Christmas and I have missed it. Sent from my A520L using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Helped a buddy finish a convertible top install on an OT car yesterday. Today we take my Ford over to his shop and look at my exhaust, to see if I have everything to swap out my LOUD cherry bombs to Dynomax oval mufflers. Cold here on the Island, 13* right now.
Since this was last week I could say I achieved my goal, get through Det Autorama and not be there til 1am. Was home by 9pm so a win/win. This weekend? Pick up a 34 Packard roadster and spend some time fondling a Ferrari 512 bbi. Both are done, now my goal is sleep...
Local collector has a BUNCH of early packard ragtops...seen them... i have heard it's the largest collection in the US...? [Bob [Bear/ Bair/Bare ? ] He holds a viewing every summer... So. Paris,
Bob Bahre, his collection may not be the largest but is sure is one of the best. He built a real nice race track in New Hampshire too. Bob http://www.norwaylake.com/classic_cars___bob_bahre_col.htm
The brother-in law spent the weekend with us, so nada on the shop. He just left so I'm going to do some quick cleaning in the shop and then watch the race.
Got 3 more to do. Started with a Steve Hackett concert Friday night, then Buffalo Motorama meeting Sat morning, gym, Three Stooges film festival with the wife at 7pm, Church on Sun morn,gym, Fund raiser pizza-fest for Boy Scouts, and THEN back to shop to work on trophies.Some times you have to do the family thing instead of the car thing and reconnect
If it's not the largest it's surely one of the most valuable. Packard customs to die for, and as if that's not enough he Lives in Hannibal Hamlin's place (V.P. under Lincoln). It was the 1st time I experienced genuine envy of someone's collection/location.
Basement move around is going well, will post photos tonight. Got to thinking about starting another thread "Hoarder Packing" after throwing a broken Duncan yoyo in the trash. Bob
Funny, I like automatic transmissions,(something about hooking up and going fast without 5 gallon bucket fulls of broken parts, yea, I know, I know, I'm not "manly") but I feel exactly the same way about hydraulic lifters!
The Jalopy Journal
