Technical Fuelish Mistake

3spd, I did suggest that in my OP when I suggested I did not think going North would look very ggod and run into linkage issues.

Denny, waiting for you to chime in. You have to have something rolling around in that hotrod head of yours that will work.

 

He mentioned that in his original post. he wants to avoid it.

I'd change the lines. To me modifying the radiator rod is going to look like poor planning.

 

What are your motor mounts like? Any chance of lowering them (or t******* the rubber)?

 

If Packard can do it with grace and simplicity (form follows function) why can't we? The clearance is for removal/installation of the air cleaner. The 8 cyl cars with the low cowls got this treatment to the radiator support rod. The 12 didn't need it as the air cleaner was in the center of the engine/compartment.

 

I sure do Billy, how many marbles do you think it will take?
I've revisited this thread/debate more than once, and was sure I had a solution for you, but
I kept ending up at the intersection of "Senior Moment" and "Mr. Obvious" Drive.
I really can't add much more than others have, except maybe to tie in your fuel lines/support rod clearance problem with your hood and air cleaner decision.
Sometimes the "step away" approach is your best engineering tool.

 

I tried that approach today. I figured I'd try it sober...that was stupid. A couple of beers later I found myself asking...myself, "how do I know if the radiator is at the right height?" anyone got a measurement for a stock full fendered car?

 

Bingo.....kinda.
The number(s) you are asking for will only be a starting point, even if your car/parts and the reference car are original. In your case, IIRC, all of your body/ch***is components are from the aftermarket. I think you still need to decide on how you want the car to look.
On a car with all front sheetmetal in place, the individual parts still need to be where they need to be to look right, a car with no hood or even just open hood sides requires much less critical placement of the radiator.

 

There are days Denny when I am convinced I am in over my head. That was a couple of years ago but I struggle on.

 

leave that 'blower' thing off !
.........or go with the advice on post 10.

 

How did you get this far without fitting a hood?

On a bone stock model 40 car, the hoods and grill look like they run up hill ie the nose needs to come down to get a nice flow out of the body lines thru the hood. Now Once one thing gets moved around, like channel, body shim, fore and aft placement- a there's no way to know where it belongs without fitting a stock hood or building a hood to fit it. If there's no hood, or fenders to be ran, grill and rad just goes where it looks good to the eye.

The Inner fenders, grill & hood work in unison as a unit and that unit works with the body.
& The radiator follows the grill.

 

Do it right !!!!! get rid of the three twos and go with a four barrell.,.It will run better and look more sensible too...
three two,progressive linkage on a blower??? be serious..

 

31, uh...I don't own one? I have been trying to make a paper template of the hood (rootlieb request and another thread topic) which required mounting the radiator and grille, while I was mounting the radiator and grille I needed support rods, when I installed the support rods I realized it hit the fuel line (subject of different thread I started this week)...get it? It's like the song by the Fi** "one things leads to another" (More like one "thread" leads to another). Thus I am where you find me in todays installment of "How the Hot Rod Burns".

I am fitting inner fenders at the same time. Will not be running hood sides, may not even run the top but I've always wanted a louvered hood so I probably will...some of the time.

Recipe for frustration: take an aftermarket body, add two aftermarket inner fenders and an aftermarket Drake grille hung on a new radiator. Pour in gracious amounts of bourbon and mix with MIG and grinder until either it looks good or you don't care anymore.

Judging from the inners, I just about have the radiator at the correct height, hoses line up, measurement from radiator cutout to firewall cowl is spot on at 33". I'm just getting a bit frustrated

wbrw32, seriously? I could rain thunder on you for suggesting that one had it not been for a moment of weakness last night that I actually dug out my 4 barrel adapter and laid it on top. I quickly came to my senses and reminded myself that cool is not always easy. The 4 barrel is right for some but mine is the road less traveled...of course I hope it is traveled by a tow truck occasionally.

 

Ok, as to bending the radiator support rod, that one picture/suggestion? Looks a bit juvenile doesn't it? Why would it get bent there and so small besides? Were it my build and I wanted the focus on the plumbing (it looks nice as it is) I'd put the 1st bend maybe an inch or 2 behind the radiator connection. Step it outward at an angle. Run it almost all the way back to the cowl mount area, but again bend it an inch or 2 before that point. The end result would be something the casual observer would miss. You may even be able to bend it in once spot, like at the radiator, then let it "slowly" taper back to the cowl mount. No interference, an engineered look, a clean solution to an uncommon problem. Only a milk crate and a cup of coffee (or your favorite relax beverage) is needed to decide the final solution. I'm not there or I could make it really clear what I'm suggesting. Good luck with it...

 

What about the banjo fittings that tap all three carbs in a row? single inlet on front, through fitting on middle and through on rear? Speedway has them under vintage carbs.

 

Oops, missed that. I'll keep thinking.

 

Highlander, I'll play with that tonight. I have been immersed in fuel linkage issues as well so I am trying to solve all three issues at the same time.

 

[QUOTE="Bandit Billy, post: 11390594, member: 254716"

wbrw32, seriously? I could rain thunder on you for suggesting that one had it not been for a moment of weakness last night that I actually dug out my 4 barrel adapter and laid it on top. I quickly came to my senses and reminded myself that cool is not always easy. The 4 barrel is right for some but mine is the road less traveled...of course I hope it is traveled by a tow truck occasionally.[/QUOTE]
Billy.depending on whos calling it "Cool"...just because a man "can" do something,does not make it "Right"..also change your wording above to frequently rather than occasionally....Been there done that,back in 1960

 

It is pretty hard to tell from the photos just how hard you are up against the hood rod. Also I run all my fuel lines in SS tubing so really haven't done much with aluminum tube. This said you might try to trim about a 1/2 inch off the fuel block end of the tube and then try tapping the line down in the area where it crosses under the hood rod. Is there any chance of rolling the hood rod 90 degrees to the left at get some room ? Not sure this is even worth .02 cents really. Good luck with your project.

 

The shape of the bend in that Packard support is what I see normally in this case. Though it's typically bent out away from the engine instead of up over it. Do it them both and it looks like it was done on purpose

 

wbrw32, you are killing me. LMGHAO. (Laughing my gear head *** off). If I knew what I was doing it would be easier, cheaper, less time consuming but not as much fun. I've never had a blower motor, never had 3 Stromberg's, never had a flathead, now seems like the best chance to do all the above. If we go driving someday, make sure you bring a tool box, a flask and don't say "I told you so".

 

Why don't you post up some better pics of this avatar of yours. And some other views too.

From this bs grainy view it Looks like you could come out of the carb with a tight 1/2 bend and dodge the rod then square the line with the other 1/2 bend and 90 into your fuel block.
Make the rear line match mirror image.
Center fuel line, 1/2 bend out of the carb and 1/2 bend into the fuel block.



Highlanders ideas are awesome.
With a better pic I'd bet moose would be able to photo shop the bends in the support rods at the radiator so you can see it. It would come between the front fuel line and the radiator hose

 

I'll toss the lines back on and snap some pics for you. I could mill the base of the front carb for about 1/4" if I had to.

 

wbrw32, this is for you. Off topic but in a funky way, On topic. "That SOB would freeze up in summer in the middle of the equator..." Keep your friends close, the tow truck closer!

 

Billy,Thanks for the photo...and your sense of humor,,,,Many on this board would get pissed off...Just keep on posting
about your success and i will eventually say.."I told you so"

 

I have been originating mortgage loans for 25 years, nothing can piss me off at this point in the game. I'll try my best to avoid that line from you.

 

I think banjo fittings are the answer. I installed some this past summer (got them from Uncle Max) and they go on easy and look good. If you really want to keep the fuel block, move it to the firewall and run black rubber hose from the banjos to the block. That's what I do.

 

8BA crank rotates CW when viewed from the front.

 

Disconnect the rad support rods at the radiator , fabricate a bracket a couple of inches wider than the existing mounts on the radiator . drill two holes to mount to the existing radiator mounts and two further apart to reconnect the support rods. The mount can be straight or curved slightly down and/or back if you need to clear anything else like the ( future) hood. Once it is polished and fitted it will blend in with everything else and become "invisible."

 

97, that has legs, ill check it out tonight when I get in the garage.

 

58 posts and 6 days and you may have the simpliest solution right there....