Projects Mild custom '51 Pontiac Chieftain

Just jacked the car up, checked the driveline.
Turns out the right rear wheel had shifted slightly (despite the nuts being tight) and had a bit of runout.
Took it off, cleaned the drum and inside of the wheel and reseated it, better now.

 

You're right not to worry about the 13 MPG; every '51 Ford (all V8's with sticks) I've had since the first one in high school in 1957 up to my current ride got 14 MPG.

Keep doin' what you're doin'.

 

Yup quite happy with 13! Considering I was going 45-55 the whole way.

That's also seemingly blown all the cobwebs out, it's noticably more perky now, much more torque.

Phil

 

Running beautifully now the weather's warmed up a little.

One last drive before pulling the fuses and parking it up for two weeks, vacation time.

Phil

 

Back in town, put the fuse for the clock back in and went out for a drive.

Didn't miss a beat. It's nice to be behind the wheel again.

Phil

 

Went out tonight to get a malt. Got to the light by the bridge there in the distance and a guy in a modern Jeep decides to run his red light right in front of me.

Needless to say, I tested my brakes and they do indeed work correctly.

Comedic nosedive, squealing tires and smoke, like any good 50's movie.

Phil

 

Glad that didn't end in an accident!

 

It seems now a days people are running red lights every where. When I am stopped for a red light and it changes to green, I wait and look both ways before crossing the intersection. Too many times, just as I am about to cross, a car will come blasting through on the red. Glad he didn't hit you.

 

Absolutely. Green is "proceed with caution" anyway.

 

Just did a 55 mph run, 85 mile round trip.
Calculated 13.8 mpg which I'm pretty happy with to be honest.

Phil

 

Been driving everywhere. Real hot weather.

Had my first Failure To Proceed today in a long time.
Starter has decided NOPE. It was a bit grindy and slow yesterday which cleared up. Today it'll either spin properly or just make the lights go dim and do nothing at all.

Gonna check the solenoid contacts and commutator. I haven't touched that starter since I got the car so likely it needs service anyway.

Just not today. Probably not this week. It's too hot outside.

 

I always like to see this thread get updated!

 

Yup, but looking forward to the customizing to begin ;-)

 

If it's too hot for you imagine how that poor starter feels with all those amperes running through it! Dump a cold beer on it and give it some rest!

 

I've been too busy driving it and enjoying it to do anything to it.

That and I've got my hands full currently with my OT car needing a bunch of welding doing.

 

Pulled the starter. Quite a lot of trash fell out when I pulled the inspection cover off.
Took it to bits; found that the brushes were beyond their sell by date.

Money's worth obtained, there.

Despite the warm, went out and got roast beef poboys for dinner.

Phil

 

Just hitting up all the drive ins today.

Went get milkshakes. Need to get heavier weight transmission oil for summer.

Phil

 

We're back to this again.

I need to better understand this valve block because there's a bunch of things that the service manual overlooks in terms of actual operation.
I'm trying to figure if it's bleeding down or if it needs to have a bleed-off to better circulate the oil.
Checked, hot, yesterday the transmission fluid was correct in level but feels too thin for this time of year. Particularly as the tolerances of the valve block leave something to be desired after many miles.

There's a place in town that sells Caterpillar equipment, they should stock the oil for their transmissions. I'll give them a call. Failing that, O'Reilly list 50W TO-4 transmission oil.

Phil

 

Discovered a few high speed runs have improved the behavior of the gearbox a little.

Done some moderately long journeys (130+ miles in a day) at highway speeds.
Seriously considering adding a/c though...

 

Similar view here…minus the trees and add in a few more bugs and grasshoppers!

 

It's a good view, isn't it?!

 

The visor sucks them in,

 

Happy to see you putting the miles on Phil! Can’t beat the view looking out over that hood. The front of my car has been collecting a variety of bugs everyday.

 

Watching the temperature gauge in this hot weather...

 

Boy, that's some scary shit... and I'm not talking about the temperature!!!

 

Now that’s just funny, I don’t care who you are.

 

Plenty of places through the windshield lately.

Sugar refinery.

Alumina plant.

Grain bins.

Was a moderately cool (93°) day yesterday so took the car to work.
Ran well though it really doesn't like ethanol fuel in this heat. I filled up part way back and the station only had E10.
Horrible stuff for carburetors.

Phil

 

Super hyper mega bright moon tonight (apparently occurs seven times a century).

Stopped at the war memorial; moon just peeking out above the names.

Sunset on the horizon.

Heading back home after stopping to get fuel.

Parked up to see this out of the windshield. Super bright!

 

Thanks for mooning us.

 

I went drive a bit over the last few evenings and was dissatisfied with where my headlights were pointing.
Went on them there Googles and checked the Fed specs for these old 7"ers and spent 45 minutes screwing about driving, parking up, adjusting, walking 50 yards in front of the car and doing squats in my lane and in the incoming lane.
Finally have them set up good where they sure don't dazzle oncoming traffic (well, as little as they are designed to at least), and they light the road up properly on bright.


Anyone else get all bent out of shape about their headlight aim?