"Never ever gonna be a shiney new street rod", and that's a good thing!!!! Thank you for being a great custodian of this car. You two clearly belong together. Cheers, Stewart.
If it were me, I'd use a light grey primer and worry about it later. the red would stand out too much for me haha. Love it.
Old-Soul, I agree with you but the grill shell already was red oxide when I got it so the quick simple solution is spot the bare metal the same way. At least until after Bonneville when I am not so much under the gun to get it going. Dave
I have made progress on the 29 AV8. I actually got to drive it around the driveway loop today 3 times at about 7pm! I think I may actually get it done in time to take it to Bonneville in about 10 days. It is going to get some red primer on the bare spots until after that trip. Also the roof won't get done until after as well. My "to do" list is down to 1 page. Here are a few pics from today and the recent past. I got the "B" powered 31 Coupe out recently and got it ready for a camping trip with the T Bums. Dropped the pan on it and found the oil pump screen totally plugged with timing gear fiber as well as the pan. I had replaced the gear with an aluminum one last year. Anyway, while out on that trip, I got to feeling really weak and couldn't stand up without getting very dizzy and nearly passing out. Made it home but Monday morning July 24th I could barely get out of bed. Couldn't stand up to take a shower so I filled the tub. Passed out briefly on the john, then got in the tub. Couldn't get out. Had to text the wife, "HELP!". She showed up from work pretty quick and helped me get out only to pass out again, then once more only this time I went completely rigid, head went back, eyes rolled back and quit breathing. Wife said she was freakin' out, started beating me on the back and calling 911. When the EMT's got there I puked up a huge mess of black blood. Hauled to local hospital, was given transfusion and Air Link flown to Bend hospital and was in ICU for a day and a half, then to a private room. Was told I had 3 bleeding ulcers and had lost nearly half my blood! Got out 3 days later and have been feeling pretty good and went back to working on this car to get it ready. Guess I got lucky! I tire easily now so I set a chair nearby. I think I'm gonna make it! Dave I did get some matching paint mixed up so I can spot it in later.
Ran new wires for the head lights and turn signals. Dimmer switch will be here in a day or two. Got the new hoses on it and filled the radiator. Tightened hose clamps a couple times, leaks seemed to have stopped. Still have to finish throttle linkage and pedal. Got the brake cylinders and master freshened up. Has all new lines. Welded up new tabs in the 32 grill shell, where they had broken. It will go on as soon as I am sure water pumps, hoses, and radiator are behaving. Front seat needs to come out soon to remove upholstery and resew it and reinstall. Got a new rear window cut for it. Can't seem to find the rubber u channel stuff in all my junk. Pretty sure I have some new ones somewhere. Will be looking for a replacement rear end in the near future. Axle tapers are very rough, one end thread is weak, bearing race on housing is ugly. I am thinking a V8 rear end swap. What is the best, '39-'41? Shorten the drive shaft? Already has '40 brakes. Anyone know the best setup please let me know. I'm searching on here as well and hope to find the answer.
Wow dude, glad to hear you are ok!!! The car means nothing if you don't have your health and family to share it with!!
I pulled the seats out yesterday and then today I removed the bottom front upholstery to get it resewn as many of the seams had the thread popped out. I took it to a local shop to have them sew it as I can't even get to my upholstery machine, buried in the back of the shop. Will pick it up tomorrow. I noticed on the inside of the blue vinyl it had what I believe is a date code. It says, COL 8 59. Gordon came by today and I asked him about that and he said that would be about right. It was late 1959 or early 1960 when he did the interior. I also fired it up for him. It fired right off. He was pleased. I think it was in the '70's the last time he heard it run. He brought me another box of spare parts for it too. I told him I wanted to have him try to take his wife for a ride in it when it is ready. He thought she would really like that if we can get her in it. She doesn't have hardly any use of her legs. I have just over 1 week to get it ready to take to Bonneville. Pretty sure it is gonna happen! Radiator and hoses are all water tight. Still need to re adjust brakes and of course put the seats back in. Got lots of little things to do and 1 major one, that being the top. It has a white painted piece of plywood for a top. I have a new wood kit for it but it just isn't going to get done before Bonneville but that's not going to stop it from driving. This will be my wife's first trip to Bonneville. I think she will enjoy it nearly as much as I do. I camp in the truck parking lot just off the hi-way on the road to the salt. My friends always have an awning right at the starting line of the long track. Stop by either place and check the old A out. That's all for tonight, Dave
Well, I am more than a little disappointed. The Sedan is not going to make it to Bonneville this year. Just too many bugs to still get worked out. Worst ones are both water pumps leak badly. I don't want to dump radiator juice on the salt, nor do I want to get fined for doing it! So I guess I will take one of my other old cars. I did get the front seat bottom sewn up and reinstalled. Got the brakes properly adjusted and they work good. Now I am fighting rust in the gas tank plugging the fuel line. Gonna have to clean that out I guess. It looked so nice in there I didn't expect that. It was empty and dry when I got it. Got the rear window in. Got the tail pipes installed. Sounds good with the Smithy's. Still need to hook up the new wires I ran to the headlights and front turn signals. Dimmer switch is in as is throttle linkage and gas pedal. Floor boards are in with a stock type rubber mat. I did drive it a couple times but not far as the fuel line would plug, blow it out, head back home, only to have it plug again as I pulled in my driveway. Steering box (early Cadillac) is pretty loose and sloppy. Will have to work on that. It has been 2 weeks since my near death ordeal. I am probably about 80% or better. Work hard one day and rest up the next. Worked on my son Kenny's dirt circle track truck Friday and Saturday setting up suspension and then found the welded up spider gears were no longer welded! That was done before he bought it. One of the gears was in multiple pieces and others chewed on. Another set of gears on Saturday and off to the races we went. He says after suspension work it will run where ever he wants to put it. He got a strong 3rd in the main. Haven't decided which rig will go with me to Bonneville. Most likely ones are my '36 Dodge Brothers pickup or my '31 Model A Coupe. The '31 Roadster Pickup and the '24 DB Roadster have been there before. Look me up! Nice to meet other HAMBers
Took the Model A Coupe to Bonneville. The other rigs have been there before. Had a great time. A lot of wild weird crazy and cool machines there. If you haven't been, ya need to go. Salt was not too great this year. They had to move the long course because of problems with the surface. The rookie course is a hoot! 37 mph Vespa w/sidecar from France. Brine Shrimp streamliner, about 6 feet long with a Cushman engine. Don't think they even made it through the course! Danny Thompson in Challenger II, did like 435 or 439 mph on Saturday, Then threw a rod on Sunday doing the backup record run. Parade this Saturday in Culver Oregon and Crawdad Fest afterwords. Madras is getting filled with people for the Solar Eclipse, supposed to be 100,000 people in our 6,200 population town!. After that this Monday, then it is back to working on the '29 AV8! Dave
Well Dave sounds like you are having a great time even without the Tudor. I can think of worse problems to have than which cool old car to take to Bonneville! Lol. Just get it ready to take next year.
Hopefully I can get the '29 done enough to take it to Monitor Wa for the Flathead Reliability Run September 23rd. Ordered new water pumps and a few other things for it yesterday. Dave
Glad they're still doing those, I went a couple years back and it was one of the best auto related things I've ever attended.
you should have gone to the emergency the first time you went dizzy twice in the same day, I went SLOW one morning, thought it was a stroke or heart attack... it was dehydration from sweating a ton for days in a row working / playing in the garage... have now doubled my water intake... you ARE lucky... you are now running on free time, make the most of it... we hambers are rooting for you !
Yeah, well...... Being a type 2 diabetic I get highs and lows on blood sugar so dizzy is not too unusual. Also, my wife said I was having the same symptoms as her co-workers at the post office. She said they had a bug going around. I knew I wasn't feeling good but had no idea I had ulcers! I would of thought something like that would of gave me some warnings, not just flip off my main switch, so to say. Thanks for rooting for me! I'm doing great. Dave
I drove the '29 again this evening. Got all the lights working except for the brake lights. Something is wired wrong as the wire from the hyd. master cyl. switch goes directly to one of the brake lights instead of to the turn signal switch. When I touch the hot wire and the brake wire together only the left brake/turn light works. Nothing works when pressing on the brake pedal. Both rear turn signals work. So it is a wiring issue AND a switch issue.. Even the speedo light works, as does the high beam indicator and the turn indicators on the dash. I have not replaced any bulbs or had to even take them out to clean contacts. The wiring from 1958 is all vinyl and in good shape except for the headlight and front signal light wires. Not sure if I burnt them getting too close with the torch or if they were that way but I replaced all those and a new dimmer switch as well because there was nothing left of the dimmer except the screw terminals. I also replace the fuse panel on the firewall with a similar 5 fuse panel as the old one was warped bad and contacts were pretty much toast. Another thing that added to the grief was all the wiring had green insulation! I also am going to add a rear license light as all it had was a socket hanging by a wire which came from behind the plate. I found a pretty small rectangular one that will work nicely. Less than a month until Monitor WA Flathead Reliability Run! Gotta keep after it. Dave
I am a Diabetic too Dave, I had better pay attention too... As dizzy spells are common at times. Sent from my XT1585 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I love your 1936, what a nice Dodge! Way better looking than mine. And not to mention more complete. Does it still have a flathead in it? Sent from my XT1585 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
go dwl go ! fire this spring at the garage were my late buddy Sam's Bonneville '33 3window was stored... burned flat... glass body just disappeared ... alum. 351 heads a puddle... he passed years ago, but his boy did 202. ??? a few years back...
Yes Jack, I put a 1958 230 flat 6 in it. The '58 '59 are the highest horsepower 230's. 135 or 138 depending on where ya look. The original 201 was 70hp I think. Dave
Today I got after getting this going again. After lunch I installed a pair of new water pumps, soldered up 3 leaks in the radiator, and put new brushes in the starter. Got it all back together in time to drive it to cruise night tonight! My question today is how did the starter know I got new brushes for it the day before? It worked fine the night before, I got the brushes delivered, then went out to work on something else and the starter wouldn't turn. Shhhh! Don't tell the generator I got brushes for it as well! Starter works fine now with the new brushes. Water pumps worked great, no more leaks. Flushed the radiator and block well, then did a 50/50 antifreeze mix to keep the rust at bay. Here are some pics after coming home from cruise night. Next order of business will be to rub out the dulled paint a little bit. Lots of scratches and dings but I like it that way. And no, the orange bungi cord on the battery is not staying! So no digs about that! Once I am sure everything is up to snuff I will put the hood top on again. It is a pain to open and close every time ya need to mess with something. I need to pull the latch system off and replace the screws that hold it to the hood side as they are all different and loose as well. The rattle drives me nuts! Later, Dave
The car is looking great! The engine bay is cleeeaan! I'd drive that thing all day long! Nice job getting her running. You sure do have a lot of cars though! LOL I see a nice coupe in front of the garage door.
Thanks! That Coupe is my '33 Plymouth with 331 Hemi project that took a back seat to this one when I brought this home. I'll be getting back to it before too long. Dave
Been working on the sedan nearly every day getting it ready for the Monitor Flathead Reliability Run the Saturday. Got a horn mounted, made filler blocks for the holes in the floorboard around the pedals and steering column. Cleaned the vinyl of the interior and got screws in the dash rail. Got rubber floor mats in it. Lights are all working. Lengthened some hood rods and installed them. Really help stabilize the radiator. Got the front splash apron installed. I am rebuilding the front passenger kick panel as it was broken up. Using the old covering on a new panel I made. Plan to buff out the paint tomorrow as it is dull and grimey. Think I will grease the u-joint too, just thought about that. All other lubes are up to snuff. The ride is much better after I reworked the front spring and shackles and bushings but I put a little too much arch in the main and the next leaf spring. I would like to either take a leaf out or de-arch them main. On second thought I think I will reverse the eyes and leave the spring pack the same. It needs lowered a bit in the front now.The left front shock is leaking so that will need replaced soon. The rear axle threads are not great so I have new nuts to install. That should help be able to tighten them better. My list is getting shorter! Oh yeah, nearly forgot. The stock gas tank had rust on the inside top of it. I filled it with a feed grade molasses and water mix and soaked it for about 2 weeks, being sure to add a bit of water as it evaporated, keeping the level up into the filler neck. Drained it once and filtered out any rust bits, then refilled it and left it full again. Finally I drained it and flushed it several times with water. Blew it out with air the best I could, then ran a couple gallons of gas through it, let it settle, then drained the gas into a bucket, then filtered it into another gas can, stopping when it got down to any water, then poured that water out, cleaned the bucket and repeated that process until no more water. I then filled the tank to the filler neck with gas and in the process added a bottle of Heet gas drier. After running it a couple times I got about a half of the sediment bowl full of water. Took that off and dumped and cleaned it. So far no more water or rust chunks. Biggest problem with the rust was it was plugging the fuel line or more correctly the petcock elbow, plus it dumped a bunch into the sediment bowl. So far so good! Keep fingers crossed for me please! I will try to get some more pics of my progress but may be after Monitor. I will also post pics from Monitor in the other section about that run posted here: https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/east-west-flathead-reliability-run-2017.1069292/ Dave
Hey Dave did you stay up all night?? Its the middle of the night for you! Looks like you made a ton of progress. Would love to see pictures but they can wait. Get some rest!
Yeah, I'm a night owl for sure! I start reading posts on here and time slips away. We are in Cashmere WA, camped here for the weekend. Went to the Hot Rod Cafe in Monitor this evening for Friday night cruise and dinner. Half dozen cars, and extra nice people. The owners are terrific people. Somehow he always remembers me. Better memory than me! Flathead run is tomorrow. Hope weather is good. Car is doing well. Old and crude but still going. Too much like me I guess. Met Rusty Bill from here on the HAMB. Several others to meet tomorrow hopefully. Dave
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