Technical What did you do with your car today? * NEW*

The jalopy drag ‘41 Champion made some forward progress. I haven’t built a car in 6 years.

 

I’ve always had to build up my tool collection around having a one-car shop—so I have a small reciprocating hammer, a small drill press, a small ‘31 roadster, a small block Ford… you get the idea. So the smallest functional press I could find was designed around a Mittler Brothers press, and I love it. It works well. I’ll just TIG weld in any panels I create if I need a piece bigger that 24” wide.

https://www.mittlerbros.com/starter-kit-4-dome-louver-bench-press.html

Some day I dream of having a two-car garage.

 

I took the bucket to a free car wash ... ugh I mean show

 

About as small as they come

 

Buddy returned the 27 on 32 rails I mentioned my previous post. Turned out my kid had a (sorta street-roddy) frame on his deuce frame stack; so that came to the shop to check over while waiting for the A coupe to turn up for it's tune-up.

 

Came up with a way to get rid of the mufflers and keep my tailpipes.

Pulled the seat, Ripped the 20 year old carpet and insulation out, started laying down a layer of sound deadening material / insulation. I should have the new carpet in by Friday.

 

Neither... More like the one on the left but it's used one handed (one jaw is spring loaded, when you use it, that jaw applies more pressure on the bolt). I'll try to take a pic next time I'm at the workshop. Swearing and cursing is a part of our masochism (currently trying to order two front drums for something as common as a 64 Mercury - two minutes at O'Reily, 2 weeks here in Austria)...

 

Recently decided to retire my 55 yr. old timing light, and broke down and bought a new fangled one. Wasn't sure if I'd like a new hi tech timing light, but gave it a try. It's actually a pretty cool tool, and I've been playing with dialing in advance on all three of my old cars, and watching the timing light zero the settings as it tells me rpm's.
I'm usually a dinosaur, and avoid modern technology, but I think I like this new timing light!

 

Got the gauges and gauge panel installed and wired. Didn’t have time to get the tach done. It will go in a tach cup on the steering column.

 

Went to the Sally B’s Cafe car show Saturday, took the Nova, won Best Gasser!

Really fun to win, except we had the only “Gasser”, so we actually won 1st and Last Place! Lol!

 

@SilverJimmy Any progress on the 37/38 Chevy that Tony (RIP) hooked you up with? Maybe a Best Gasser contender next year?

 

Went to pick up some race fuel

 

After avoiding and pushing them around the garage for a year or so; I actually worked on the fenders for our '47 a bit and gave them a coat of Slick Sand. Best of all it didn't start to rain until just after I pushed the last one back into the garage.

 

Installing Hilborn injection on my back up 427 BBC .

 

My friend picked up the old A coupe that we are going to redo for his son. Wasn't able to get up to the shop to start planning as I ended up in the VA hospital for a few days; but think I will get up to the shop tomorrow I think.

 

Drove 2 1/2 hours each way to look at a ‘30 A pickup as a possible next project. Didn’t buy the pickup, but the wife and I did have lunch at a still-functioning A&W Drive In. Not a bad day.

John

 

I carefully measured twice, then cut and threaded the stainless rod that I was going to use for carb linkage. Put it all together, went to install it on the carbs, and it was only 3/4" too short . Closed the garage and opened a beer .

 

Measure once and cut (and thread) twice, I always say. The number of beers opened should correspond with the number of objects you had to make over again. When it's a bad day, it only seems worth it to just keep on cutting short and opening the corresponding beers.

 

A new day dawned and after my second cup of coffee, I marched out to the garage determined to get it right this time. Measured once, cut once, threaded to the right lengths, added parts and installed. Damn, I'm good .

 

Put in some more wood in the '31 Chevy and test fit the rumble seat door. No pics, sorry.

 

Replaced the lower A-frame bump stops. I had left the stock ones in after installing AeroStar front springs. The right one was split. Cut off 1” this time. I hear I’ll get a better ride, we shall see Saturday.

 

Put my passenger door panel back on after figuring that the sill plates i cut wont fit if they are sitting on top of the carpet... now going to figure out if i "shave" the carpet down if the sill plate will sit low enough to not interfere with the door.

 

Busy day. Changed the jets in the center carb on the Stude pickup - from 55s to 61s. The plugs looked very lean.

I had a dream about the 392 in my old boat. I should have pulled it out and put it in the shop a looong time ago but instead I sprayed it with Sta-bil fogging spray and covered it with tons of tarps. I woke up sweating, afraid it has seized up. So I uncovered it and tried to turn it. It turns fine. WHEW! I pulled the plugs, turns nice with no rough spots. I sprayed it again and put the plugs back in. It has no miles since being freshened years ago. I’ve just got to set aside the time to fire it up. It’s just too nice of an engine to just sit around.

 

Ha! I have a whole pile of stuff like that in the corner of my shop. And a fridge with beer of course.

John

 

You're one up on me. I have to walk across the driveway to the house to get a beer. There's no room in the garage for a refrigerator .

 

Finished installing the door panel trim, wiped the dust off (micro fiber cloth and quick Detailer) and now ready for the weekend... well almost, still need to check the fluids.

 

Nothing to the car but had to add some rocks to the driveway at the garage so I can get the 55 in and out,the rocks had washed away and the frame was hitting the apron every time it went in and out.

 

Decided I wanted a little more info on the operating conditions of the overdrive trans in my Tudor, so added some gauges. Making this car a better “long haul” type hot rod has been a royal pain, but as the wife keeps reminding me; “it’s your hobby, you’re having fun”.
.

 

Pulled my F100 apart to sort the rust in the front out. Never done rust repairs before and dare I say am enjoying it (see how long that lasts) have the old fender to practise on

 

not trying to bust you-but round(ed) corners will be better ...