Technical The Devil Is In The Details

4 speed ‘55 Bel Air sedan in my colors. I was interested in it ‘till I saw this mess. Radiator on wrong side of support. Goofball corrugated radiator hose, red clamps (?), hose too long. Wires hanging down from
support.

Siren, what the heck ? Barney Fife poser ? Heater hoses are suspended in space as siren is bolted where hoses go. Why the heater shut off valve ? One heater hose hanging on fuel line ?

Wrong style battery, no battery hold down. Welding cable used for alternator wire. Battery cables run across side of motor...Massive- cable batt to alternator ?, why ? Why not take plastic carry handle off battery. ?

Why a nice air gap intake and no Holley ? Hard metal fuel line snaked as close to engine heat as possible.

#1 plug wire wrapped around header. Split loom everywhere. AFAIK, split loom was hardly ever used on automobiles. No Vacuum Advance hose that I can see. Locked Advance race motor ? Hahaha.

After making a wiring mess, owner then spends $’s for some shiny spark plug wire covers, which IMO, do little but make it more difficult so service spark plugs.

Why the Pro Comp ignition box screwed front and center on fire wall ? ? This appears to be a very mild 350.
A simple MSD RTR 8360 should suffice.

If the devil is in the details,
there’s a lot of devil under
the hood of this ‘55 !

 

i do agree on the hose and wires could be cleaner, but rad is on the proper side for a v8, and thats a agooa horn... so maybe its better you look elsewhere

 

In my opinion all of the stuff you mentioned is pretty easily remedied. If the rest of the car is in pretty good shape and you like the car negotiate with the owner on the price. If you can get it for what you want the things you noted won't keep you from driving and enjoying the car. Your going to personalize any car you buy anyway so just chalk this stuff up to that.

 

I mean yeah, if you don't dig it, definitely don't buy it. I don't personally see anything there difficult to change to how I'd want it, so if the car was alright otherwise, price was good, I'd buy it without worry.... From the limited pics it looks clean and straight.

 

If your not going to buy the car why post pics and rank on it? Sounds like some sour grapes to me and a little childish.

 

Nothing wrong there that couldn't be rectified pretty damn easy. Do you think you're ever going to find a car where everything is the way you like it?

 

Meh....wonky things like this is what I'd prefer to fix, that way I can do it my way. I don't see anything that can't be made right with very little $ and some putzing around in the shop. This stuff wouldn't be a deal breaker for me. In fact, I'd be pretty happy if that was all that needed to be done. Most old cars would need some rework of the details for me to be satisfied anyway.....what with my high standards, and all

 

The alt cable is a ground. I think the siren is a horn?
That would be a quick Saturday upgrade day.

 

I have to agree with others above, it looks like it would be very easy to redo the engine compartment to your own liking. As to why the heater shut off valve. A great must for warm weather driving. The water still flows through the heater with out a shut off valve. And in most cases it can get warm or hot! The placement of this valve could be better in my opinion, but all is good.

 

yep, some people seem to stumble around in the dark while trying to make a ride look Cool - not everyone is aware of the H.A.M.B., or year specific sites, where you can ask questions on how to do things along the way - one thing to look at is the small brake booster - is it really compatible with the rest of the brake system - not that uncommon to mount radiator in front of cross brace on Tri-Five - but, fan next to fan is an oddity - if you buy it have fun - if you don't have fun with whatever you do buy

 

The problem for me is what else is hidden.
It could be the "Lets get it done and get it out of here" short cuts through out the car.

 

There isn't much there that I would keep....I'd nit pick a lot more than you did.

Although the radiator hose itself is fine, it's just the funky things on the clamps that look like shit.

 

I always thought that the radiator went in front of the core support for a 6 and behind for an 8. And wasn't it traditional to cut the center out of the core support to make engine swaps easier?

 

yeah, the stock V8 location is behind the core support, but many cars have it moved forward, to make room for more "stuff" on the front of the engine. This car happens to be one that should have it mounted behind the support, so the fan could do it's job.

 

^^^^^ "Detail's". Wrong core support!

 

Unusual for me to see a ride that checks all the boxes for me. To each his own. If you can’t say something nice .......




Sent from my iPad using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

No, that is the 6 cylinder location.
Early Small blocks used the short water pump.
The reason people are running the radiator in front in because they are running the long water pump (wrong for a 55-57)





Short water pump (left) Long water pump (Right)

 

Seems .like we are becoming like the right numbers and correct hose clamp restorer guys.

Sent from my SM-T350 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

I've seen worse. That wouldn't scare me away if I liked the rest.

 

A lot of guys use bits and pieces that they have laying around.
I believe the thought process is..... "Hey, great! I just saved $17 by using this from my 'salvage' stash."

 

This the HAMB....it's about the traditional look. Which this car is totally missing, under the hood.

 

This is true but this wasn’t a hey guys got a new car help me make it more traditional post. The owner probably doesn’t even know it’s posted and might not even be a member. Maybe he isn’t concerned about traditional. Obviously he is trying to sell it. Someone buy it and make it a 100 point traditional hot rod then post some pics.

 

im wrong the rad is in frt on a 6, and yes i would change alot ...

 

The items that have been pointed out are easy fixes, but it does make you wonder about the rest of the build. A lot of us start a project with the intent of doing first class work throughout, then as we get closer to having it on the road, we take a 'few' shortcuts that we intend to finish 'later', but later never comes. If the rest of the car looks like its been done well, with no shortcuts taken that's one thing, but it does make one wonder if there may not be other 'devils' lurking within. Pass or take a chance... buying an old car is always a crap shoot, its a matter of 'do ya feel lucky, punk? Well do ya?'. Hard call to make, not seeing the rest of it.

 

If you like it, buy it. If you don’t like it, don’t buy it. But what is the point of dogging on another mans car in public? What a Richard Noggin.

If I’m buying a completed car none of your gripes about this car would bother me. I know I’m going to make changes pretty quick to a lot of the details. Because I know how I am, and how I like stuff, I expect to change or tidy up wiring, plumbing, details, wheels, and maybe adjust the stance.

If I’m buying rather than building it’s because I like the overall look, and I don’t want to do the hard work. Is the body solid and straight? Is the interior something I can live with? Is the driveline and suspension reasonably solid? Is there any super rare unobtainium trim missin? At that point I can adjust the rest to make me happy.

I’m guessing I can get a project perfect for me, and the guys standing next to me are looking at it thinking “I would have done XXX differently”, but they have the good manors not to dog on my dream.

 

I think the point of the original post has been missed here.

Many people "modify" cars in this manner and are sure they have made improvements and added to the value of a car when in fact they have have done is made a mess the the next owner is going to have to fix.

Besides it doesn't cost any more money to correctly wire a car or order the correct short water pump at NAPA!

 

Looks like they moved the radiator forward to mount an electric fan on the engine side. This is a before pic of the engine in my T. Still bought it... I'm sure that there are lots of things that some don't approve of, but I really don't care...

 

Hahaha, Would I be looking at a ‘55 with 350, Muncie and non stock colors If I we’re interested in numbers matching ?

Again, RE: Radiator hose.
Cheap, corrugated hose, goof ball connectors and couldn’t installer cut it to fit. Seriously ?

 

Jenkins mentioned it in the first sentence. Saw a mess under the hood to him and appears that was enough and it is for many. There is a lot of differences between a 20-30-40K$ 55’s and ALL the 20’s owners are sure the own 40’s and they don’t.... Personally I like when I’m buy a car and I have $$$$$ in cash. I can pass, say thanks for showing me your car and move on to the next one.

It possible the seller sees “ under the hood” as a necessity to run and that’s it. My “under the hood”
is, for me, an extension of who I am. I’m not a TV show builder but know what I like, what clean and functional wiring, and hoses well placed and supported look like.

 

I had to look that up. LOL, learn something new every day.