Yeah he's a local guy who is at everything usually I see him all the time. Super clean and runs smooth as a sewing machine. Sent from my rotary phone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Last few months I've been helping a friend install airbags on his very off topic Nissan. Then all the quarantine stuff hit. Iowa still isn't in full lock down for some reason so we went downtown Des Moines and took advantage of the empty streets and got some pictures. Enjoy. Check my IG if you're curious about the off topic Nissan @redzula Sent from my rotary phone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
So after watching @TimM playing around with a citric acid bath cleaning up some rusty parts I decided to give it a try. Soaked a VERY crusty 8ba intake I pulled out of the basement of a hoarders house we were demoing a few years ago. It was only every going to be a wall hanger so what's to lose. Also threw in a frame flathead oil filter but in hind sight I should have spent a lot more time cleaning the old oil out of it first.... I hadn't even opened it just drained what I could and tossed it in the bath. The oil made its way out and made a mess if things. Also could have gone a lot stronger with my mix cause after 48 hours the intake was still crusty. So I'll probably mix and soak again later. Overall it turned out pretty ok to me. Outside the filter is ready to restore but inside has some goopy nasty thickened oil in it still. It was a fun little science project. Ended up filtering the solution with an old bedsheet and a kitchen strainer and keeping it and dad has been soaking some random crap in it lol. Pics To drain and filter it I decided to take it to the storage unit to limit any messes at my house. What better way to transport 10 gal of nasty solution than the front seat of the hot rod in a tub that's old and cracking haha. We made it safe as it's only a few blocks away. And finally the nasty shot. Used a magnet to fish the metallic stuff out of the solution just to see how much there was. Sent from my rotary phone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Was going to add this to the post last night but then I realized what time it was. We've been working from home since March due to the virus. Luckily I'm still working so money was still coming in and I can't complain too much other than saying with the kids, dogs and go ey do list at home it has been hard getting any work done here. Then mother's day weekend I get a call from my boss saying that he needed to know if I'd consider moving to TX. He needed to know if I'd consider by Tuesday (4 days) not officially either way just if I'd be open to it and think about it. Basically last year our company bought a larger chain of C Stores in NW and TX and we went from 120 stores to 405 overnight. Thought we were going to be let go and replaced, then were told we weren't, thought it was done since my team (construction) travels to stores a lot already figured we'd just keep on rolling from Des Moines. Now with 300+ of our stores south of OK it bi longer really made sense to have an office in IA. So since then we've been waiting to hear the specifics of moving packages, promotions, raises, etc. So I can make the ultimate decision if if we stay here and find a new job or move to TX with them. Honestly I'm kind of excited for the potential move, meeting new people seeing new things, etc but we'd also be giving up a lot to do it since almost everyone we've ever known is up here. Well the drip dead date to learn my fate us set for next week. Of course I'll be on vacation that we've had planned since last summer. But if we go well need to be down there Sep. 1 little more than 7 weeks away. We would be moving to the Fort Worth area. I started a thread a while back to try and understand more about TX from some fellow hot rodders. Should be an interesting end to an already completely insane summer/year. That out if the way I've been wanting to go to Torquefest in Dubuque for a few years. And with all the craziness this year and unknown we finally did it. I've heard recently it seen more and more mousetrap builds but we didn't care there was still plenty of cool cars there .. and if you've followed this thread at all you already know I barely took any pictures because apparently that's just who I am lol. I did get some pictures of the main ballroom cars Some a little dirt traction action Re-met @Bugguts But last time we met I knew him as an auto body instructor whose class joined my instructor and class on a trip to a SKILLS competition over 10 years ago I'm not sure who challenged who but I was planning to race John Wells Roadster in the dirty drags but last minute car trouble for John meant I just stuck to the bracket racing. First round I went against the orange Willy's wagon above and won. my kids were excited for me apparently lol Second round I went against an LT1 powered 53 Chevy and got destroyed. The girls were heartbroken haha I can tell you it felt much faster in the car than it looks in the video, but 12 seconds to go maybe 100 yards or so is hilariously slow. We stayed in an Airbnb for the first time ever. and our neighbors put on a 4th if July fireworks show well into the night. Parked the car with almost no parking brake on the super steep hill left it in gear turned the wheels into the current and found a rock to chock the wheels cause I was nervous it was going to roll it someone would mess with it and knock it out if gear. I guess I was just paranoid because it was exactly how I left it in the morning Lastly here is the obligatory girls had a boatload of fun and we're asleep in the car right after we left picture And yes I trailered it because I didn't want to deal with "are we there yet" for 4 hours in the sedan. Well that and it's just easier. Sent from my rotary phone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Finally washed the torquefest dust off of the sedan yesterday and took the fam for pizza and ice cream. Ran fun on the way there but started popping and backfiring on the way home. Today I checked the plugs which all looked ok. Took off the cap and rotor cleaned up the contacts. And put dielectric grease in the wire terminals. But.... That didn't fix my problem. Should have cheaned the points contacts while I was in there but I forgot. It's easy enough to go back in I suppose. Any ideas where to look next? I'm still thinking ignition side so checking the coil, condenser, and points was next on my list. On to the TX move possibility. We have been waiting to hear details on moving bonus, cost of living wage increase, and role change wage increase. Finally heard back on the first 2 and my boss has a meeting for the 3rd early next week. But right now it sounds like we'll be moving south in the next couple months. That 3rd piece would need to be way off for us to stay here. So that's exciting.... And terrifying. Housing markets are flying right now. Because of that I won't tear into the flatty too much before the move. Was already thinking of pulling it this winter to find and fix some leaks and other small issues I've noticed since putting it together. (Leaks, clutch adjustment, oil pump, etc) so that will be a bit of a project. Sent from my rotary phone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I tried some of cheap easy ignition parts Condenser Coil Took off the distributor and Emery papered the contacts a little to eliminate that as an issue It helped a little. It doesn't pop and backfire anymore but still dealing with the power cutting out (think a couple cylinders not firing) while accelerating. It idles alright but the power comes and goes while getting on it. Probably going to leave it for a bit while we iron out the move, but if you have any ideas send them my way. Sent from my rotary phone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
messed with the car a bit today I sprayed the exterior of the carbs and intake with carb cleaner trying to find a vacuum leak. Supposedly the idle should change when a leak is present. Probably not the best way to check that but it was one of those things someone told me could help find a vacuum leak years ago and it stuck with me. Regardless I didn't notice any changes. I tried a new ballast resistor. (I'm at the just replace the easy shit first stage) worked for a bit but a couple blocks into my test drive the missfire returned. Ohmed the plug wires to both confirm no cross sparking. and double checked that I got the wires back on in the correct places when I messed with it last week. Pulled the plugs. Cleaned them all and reinstalled without taking pics of them all first. Test drive no change. Pulled them again and took a pic this time Top to bottom 1-4 on the right 5-8 on the left if you notice anything I don't. At this point I've checked or changed the entire ignition system outside of plugs which were new last year. Process of elimination I need to check the fuel lines, bowl, pump for any issues. While I'm at it I'll probably run a compression check to eliminate any mechanical issues. But that will likely all have to wait until after the move. Speaking of which we finally heard all the details. And now have a coupe days to decide if we more or I find a new job. Currently leaning towards leaving winter up north and heading to TX. Jen and I spent a long weekend in Dallas/Fort Worth checking out the area and putting places and neighborhoods with the maps we've been looking at since this all started. Crazy times ahead. Hope y'all are staying safe. Adam Sent from my rotary phone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Ok this morning I adjusted the c clips for the accelerator pumps so they had a little more throw/more fuel. After doing that though I checked plugs and they were black and sooty. I.e. Rich The car still had the same symptoms but now they didn't start to show until longer load (long uphill) or more load (harder accel). To me it seemed like once the carb ran out of the extra fuel from the new AP volume issue came right back. I'll take that a couple ways. 1. Fuel may be the issue after all 2. Accelerator pump circuit seems to be working as designed 3. Fuel restriction is somewhere else and I need to adjust the AP circuit back to where it was and keep digging. My next plan of attack is the main fuel line/fuel pump/bowl. Makes more sense to me that there would be 1 restriction affecting everything rather than both carbs acting up at the same time and in the same manner. Haven't opened fuel yet but this morning I adjusted the c clip on the 94's accelerator pumps to the longer travel/more fuel hole. Ran better but still hesitated under heavy load or a longer load and pulled a plug and looked rich and sooty. I.e. fuel may be the issue but accelerator pumps seem to be working fine as it seems to stumble after depleting the accel pump fuel. Ground strap to the block is tight. Sent from my rotary phone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Ok so posted on IG and FB but I took the fuel pump apart there was some sediment/rust in the pump bowl. Other than that the pump looked brand new.which isn't too surprising because I rebuilt it when I had the motor out a couple years ago but nothing in the screen at all so I sort of assumed it stopped there... ...Wrong. Since I didn't find anything in the pump I kept going and took the carbs off one at a time. And each bowl was full of this shitty toilet water looking fuel and a bunch of sediment. So obviously the original tank or original front to back line is rusting inside. Cleaned them as best I could without dunking or ultrasonic cleaning anything. Using liberal amounts of carb cleaner spray. I'll wait to fully rebuild until after the move. Yes you read that right we are officially moving to Fort Worth, TX our Iowa house went on the market today if you happen to know anyone moving to Grimes, IA. Basically it's going to sit until I move the car down. Probably a little behind when we move the rest of our stuff. And in the mean time I will gather a tank and carb kits and use those projects to break in the new garage. Oh and for inspiration I watched "the California kid" for the first time ever last night man that coupe is bitchin and Sheriff Roy sucks... A lot. Sent from my rotary phone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Anyone know if the stock fuel pump pumps enough for 2 94's I mean I never really considered that when I out it together and haven't really felt like it was inadequate just more curious than anything. And bored while I wait for the new tank to arrive. Sent from my rotary phone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
What a freaking year. We sold our house in IA in 4 days. Bought a house in TX. There was about 10 days difference in closing dates and had to shack up with my folks. With 3 kids and 2 dogs in the basement spare bedroom 10 days felt like an forever lol. Life was super crazy the week of the move. Including a 22 hr trip to TX to sign paperwork, then back to IA to finish loading the moving trucks. Once back I put my former UPS loader skills to work and packed it full floor to ceiling the entire length of the box. We've been Texans for almost a month now and so far it's been great. The neighbors and neighborhood are nice the weather is 70-80's. Last couple days it's been cooler only getting to mid 60 lol. Dad says I'm already losing my thick Iowa skin. We missed a couple big snow storms that ran through ia right after we moved. Oops. Sorry not sorry. Car is still running like crap. Which is giving me headaches. Pops and sputters whenever it has load on it. I talked about the fuel issues previously but now it wouldn't crank unless I jumped it. So I loaded it up drug it south and then parked it in the street for 2 weeks while we moved in and got the garage somewhat set up. Finally get a spot cleared and moved it inside and started looking at the starter solenoid as that was where I thought my issues was. Put on a new solenoid I had in the glovebox but it was a newer style and didn't seem to be working right. So I bought a new single post style like the original one was and that showed up today. But it didn't want to work either. Apparently the battery needed charged and I probably didn't NEED the new new one but it looks better so not that upset. Plus I found my battery charger which had been MIA since the move. After watching my huskers get plastered by ohio state today I decided I needed some wrench therapy so I started replacing the rusty old fuel tank. Drain plug was rusted in place so I drilled a couple holes to drain it. The caged nuts holding the tank in we're rusted and just spun in their cages. After fiddling with them a while I was able get a decent angle and cut out the bolts with a sawzall on the mounts on the rear side of the tank but couldn't get to the front bolt as easily. #3 wanted to help. This lasted about 5 minutes. To help make room to get at the front bolt and because a have a new tank to install I decided to use some tin snips to hack out out a chunk on the bottom side of the old tank. And yep it was pretty nasty inside. I tried bolt cutters but mine were too small. So I called it a night and I'll try again tomorrow. Cont'd. Sent from my rotary phone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Before a ventilated the bottom side if the tank Figured out why the old sender wasn't working. Float had a hole and was full of fuel. New tank came set up for a 5 bolt sender but my new sender is a 6 bolt. Yes I could have just ordered a different one but figured drilling new homes would work too. Drilled the holes and put some nutserts in the tank I'll keep working on the front mounting bolt tomorrow and get the old tank out. Need to get some fittings for the new tank because the fuel line hookups are different than the old tank. After that's all done I have some carb rebuild kits. Hopefully a charged battery and clean fuel will fix my drivability issues. Sent from my rotary phone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Those frame mounts bolt to the frame and the tank. I remember doing a dance trying to figure out if I bolt it to the tank or the car first to get it all on or hold it in place and then add the mount last lol. upside is once they are off you can replace them and throw the shitty ones in to the trash! @TexasSpeed @Dan Hay are local to you now I believe. Dan and you can talk about not being up here for 30 degrees and snow with a shared joy lol
Got the old one out .. ended up just chopping off the front mount with the sawzall and the I was able to get to the bolt and finally get it off. So I picked up some new bolts and fuel hose and started putting it all back together. Starting with this ugly ass vent that came with the tank. Bent a simple equally ugly bracket and bolted it to the fill tube mount. Don't have a picture but I painted it and the fill tube black to hide the ugly. Bolted the front of the tank in and routed the fuel and vent hoses and was getting ready to weld nuts to the baskets in the rear and realized that even though I bought the nuts and bolts at the same time I never actually made sure they fit each other and of course the nuts we're too small. Moved onto the fuel line and decided the stock line was pretty bad so I decided to just run the hose up to the electric primer pump I put in a few years ago and now the hose was too short. So today was a 3 steps forward 2 back kind if day. Oh well what's one more day. Sent from my rotary phone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
How'd I miss this thread? Glad you're moved and settled. Where abouts did you end up? We moved a little farther south in July to Crowley, TX, a suburb of Fort Worth on the south side. Because 4th kid and 3 car garage.
We are in the northern suburbs. Right in the border if Ft Worth and Keller, TX on the FTW side of 377 and Keller Hicks Rd. Girls are in Keller Schools and in a rare positive if Covid were able to start online in Keller before we ever left Iowa then had a week after the move of online before they switched to in person. (socially distanced and masked up if course) They've located all of the kids in the neighborhood and street behind us already and seems like we've barely seen them since we moved in. But that may just be the difference between 24/7 and 20/7 lol. Sent from my rotary phone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Well buttoned it up (Other than the carbs at least) pulled the bowl at the fuel pump and cleaned it. Used some eastwood spray for clearing lines and cleaning paint guns etc on the fuel line from the pump to the electric primer pump. Which is the last bit of stock fuel like left. Didn't seem to get much out so I reconnected everything. And primed the system again. And the bowl was murky so obviously the spray dislodged something. I'll probably just keep cleaning the bowl a few more times until it stays clean while the muck clears itself. That's also the reason I didn't do the carbs yet just figured they would just get dirty again right away. That will be a near future job. Anyway fired the car up and it seemed better than before but wasn't able to test drive it and the main problems were under load so we'll see how that goes. Planning to drive to a cars and coffee I found in the am and I'll either make it or turn around and come home if it is still acting up. One thing I did do was charge the battery up while everything was apart and that seemed to fix the no crank without being jumped issues. Wishfully thinking that my entire drivability issue could have been a poor charge/battery which would be nice and also probably means my next to do list project is rebuilding the generator which has been suspect for a while. I'll just keep plugging away. I listed it for sale last spring and I'll probably be trying again before too long cause I'm getting the itch for the next thing. And that means finally getting to work on/build my 36 pickup. Which has been a back burner project since I've had it. And since I don't have the room for both here in TX and I'll use the cash from the sale to help jumpstart the truck. My HOA is gonna love me lol. Sent from my rotary phone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Took the carbs off to rebuild. Pretty straight forward except that I realized carb #2 (rearward carb) the needle under the accel pump nozzle was missing. 100% on me from last time I had them apart and carb #1 was missing the little soft spring that goes under the accel pump to help return throttle plates to full closed. Pretty sure that's been missing the whole time and I only just now noticed. Regardless got both items ordered. Decided to pull the Intake as well because I had a thought that my drivability issue may be mechanical. (Spark, fuel, compression right). I've checked most of the ignition, replaced or gone through most of the fuel system, and got nervous that there was a bigger issues at play and the motor had a broken spring or lifter etc and had to check it out. Fortunately it all looked great inside and I had just gotten stuck in my own head again. Oh well it was actually a blessing because it gave me an excuse to fix some things that have been bugging me since the rebuild #1. I wanted to get back to a consistent base tune to start from so rebuilding the carbs was a good time for that. #2. I Wanted to adjust the linkage better between the carbs. Eye level on the bench is the best time for that IMO. I'll reinstall the intake with carbs attached and ready to go (like they always are in the ebay ads lol). That's the plan at least #3. Probably mostly a me thing but when I bent the stainless fuel line originally I coiled it backwards like a dummy. And it annoys me whenever I look at it. I've been looking at replacing that with a fuel block and rubber hose to reach carb. Not sold on that yet. #4. This is the big one. Remember a couple years back when the fan dropped while driving and dug a few hundred pinholes in my radiator. Well the issue is on my used ebay I take the fan bracket bolt holes are stripped out. You had to try to tighten the bolts enough so they didn't back out. But not enough to spin the bolt around to being lose again. I was finally able to use enough locktight that it has stayed for the last 2 years or so. But with the I take off I can actually fit the holes properly with some timeserts or similar. I'm always checking the fan to make sure it's still on good and it'll be nice to not worry about it anymore. #5. Lastly I don't think the vacuum reference to the distributor is very well sealed. Which I suppose is one other area that may be causing my misfire Getting away from the carbs I have had the horns off since the motor was out and since my folks were coming to visit asked dad to bring the horns down with him. They haven't worked as long as I've had the sedan but I decided to try and fix that so I can fully register the car in TX instead of just the antique registration which technically has limits on where and when you can drive Took them both apart. Cleaned them up and got them working again. The previous owner disconnected the wire in the column and shoved foam inside the steering wheel to prevent the horn from blowing. Figured out (with the actual horns out thankfully) that the reason he did that was there's bare wire where the wire exits the box and caused the horn to just stay on all the time. Turns out the PO just made them not work in purpose rather than fixing the bad wires. Anyone know where I can get a replacement end like this for the horns connections to the relay? Long story slightly shorter I got it all working as it should and now just need to replace the bare/broken wires for a permanent fix and I'll finally have a horn. Oh last last thing. I decided instead if ordering a a new Intake gasket from speedway I wanted to try and find one locally fron an individial to try and meet another car person in the area. Made a FB post and found a guy near Granberry, TX and when I went to meet him he ended up giving me 4 gaskets. 2-3 usable and a box of 3 holley 94s 2 were Missing the top cover but still no complaints and he gave it all to me for free because he was "happy to see a young guy interested in this old stuff". Pretty fun little trip and his shop was chock full of flatheads and hotrod parts. Saved his phone number immediately. Sent from my rotary phone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Giggle inducing lmao Happy Thanksgiving y'all Sent from my rotary phone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Reassembled. Minus the 2 carb parts I haven't received yet. Whenever they show up I'll get that fixed. Next problem I drove the car to get pizza. At night with the lights on. And the headlights and dash lights kept flipping from normal to dim. Every couple seconds. Not super concerned with locating the actual issue as I've needed to address the wiring from the day I purchased the car. So instead of trying to find some random short. I'm going to put a new harness in. After looking for a couple days now to fine a universal wiring harness made with vintage cloth wires. I've come up empty with the exception of the highway nostalgia kit that's like 4x more expensive than normal kits. Unless you all know of a cheaper option. I'll probably just go with a normal kit and wrap the wires with nice looking cloth loom in visible areas. More to come on that. Should be fun. -Adam Sent from my rotary phone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
The Jalopy Journal
