So I just traded my dad my Mustang for his 53 buick special since I don't drive it and my 49 convertible isn't running yet. Its a nice clean original with 78000 original miles. So I'm driving home it's running great other than it needs shocks desperately, I get home wash it then take it and put 5 gals of gas in it, I'm half a block home when it starts running like crap. Now I can't even put it in first without it stalling. It won't even idle without some gas. It feels like it's missing real bad, backfiring up the carb and spitting some black sooty shit out the pipe (I had to clean it off the grill of my wifes car) I check the timing, I run it with different gas from a can, mess with the carb and the points checked for vacuum leaks, none of which do anything good or bad. It's all stock straight 8 3 on the tree. Any ideas???
How long has it been since your dad last drove it and you washed it, and took it for a spin? Sounds like the fuel system is all gooked up. Maybe a combo of new gas freeing up crap in the tank and the float or needle in carb sticking. What do the plugs look like? I'd imagine if you are shooting soot out the pipe, then one or more are fouled out by now. Pop the top off the carb, see what is in there.. Pull the plugs, and clean or replace them, and run it off another fuel source. I didn't think about getting water in the distributor though.. see if theres condensation in the cap.
I did run the car from a can of gas same thing. The distributer was dry, the points how ever look thin not sure if that would affect that, I'm going to pull the plugs tomorrow.
Sound like you need to put some fresh gas in the tank and take it out and drive it like you stole it! Blow the soot out of it,and see if it starts to behave more normally after that. You might need to rebuild the carb or put fresh plugs and wires and tune-up stuff on it to get it back into good running shape.Doesn't sound like its a real major problem, just some tinkering should be all thats needed! Good luck....
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