Vintage Car Thread - Discussion and Parts Requests

[Stanley Doble]

If the weather warms up and you drive around at 50 MPH with all the windows open the moth balls will disperse quicker. Ha Ha. I hope you have some nice trips this year, it is going to be a great summer.

 

[Stearmen]

We have wicked big moths here, and after a long winter they get hungry. A man was crossing the street down here last spring wearing a wool overcoat and before he got to the other side, all he had left was a handful of buttons.

Meanwhile, owners of 1937-41 Chrysler products who've struggled with the infamous unobtainable master cylinder will be happy to know this part, no. 858889, is now being reproduced and is available via ebay from Vintage Mopar Direct and will probably be available from Bernbaum, Roberts, and other vendors soon. It's selling for $199, which is a lot less than originals were going for when I was looking for a replacement a couple years ago. I can't vouch for the quality, except to say that I've used and been satisfied with the wheel cylinders I've gotten from this source.

Good thing he wasn't wearing wool pants and wool Long Johns! :embarassed:

 

[Big Man]

This is for Big man's carburetor question

1) When you stop the car there is usually still a little pressure in the fuel pump

2) There is a needle valve in your carburetor that maintains the correct fuel level

3) If the needle valve is a bit weak or leaky it will continue to admit fuel to the float bowl after the engine stops

4) Soon the float bowl will overflow

5) The gas runs down the carburetor and some leaks out the throttle shaft

6) Because the throttle shaft is a bit worn too.


All in all, this is typical of a carburetor that is a bit worn. The cure is to have the carb rebuilt by a specialist. I don't think your carburetor is that far gone yet. I suggest you continue to drive the car but consider having the carb rebuilt next time you get a tuneup.

Just putting in a carburetor kit that includes a new needle valve will cure it. But if you go that far might as well clean the carb thoroughly and replace gaskets and other parts that wear, and reset all adjustments. In other words rebuild the carb.

Throttle shaft wear is not a big deal until it becomes bad enough to affect the idle by leaking excess air into the engine when the car is running.

It can be cured by reaming the bushings oversize and installing an oversize shaft. This is best done by a rebuilder.

If you want a top quality carb kit or to have your carb rebuilt by a vintage carburetor expert contact this guy. He posts to a lot of vintage car sites and really knows his stuff.

http://www.thecarburetorshop.com/

Thank you for this information/explanation.

 

[Big Man]

Many of you may remember when I was able to finally get my hands on my dear aunt’s old ’61 Chevy Bel Air. Over the past several years, I’ve been working on getting it back running and, more recently, getting it restored. Here are a couple photos of the “progress” to-date, as well as something very interesting that was found while working on the car.


Here’s a reference photo of the car. This photo of my aunt and me was taken on Easter Sunday, 1961.




This is what the car looked like when I was finally able to get it back from my sister (who had kept it parked in a field for about seven years).




After a lot of work (and $$) getting it back running – and it is now running like a new car – I was finally in the position to start on the real restoration work. There was a lot of rust to deal with. The floor pans had to be replaced, as did the trunk bottom. Rusted places along the bottom of the doors and around the lower parts of the car have all been cut out and I’m anticipating the replacement work being completed within the next week or so. The next step will be final sanding and painting. I’ve got a time set for later in the week to pick out the materials and colors for the interior work. Hopefully, we will be back running with a finished car within the next two months.




Now, for the interesting thing that was found today. When they were cutting out the rusted area around the rear wheel-well, out fell these two butcher knives. I remember the only time I ever met my great uncle Sank. He had left home here in western NC around 1910 and “went west.” He lived for a while in Deer Lodge, Alaska before he finally settled in Washington State. As an old man (he was born in 1885), he came “back home” to visit. I remember him buying a watermelon, and we drove my aunt’s car over to my great aunt Ada’s house. We had the watermelon and the knives in the trunk of the ’61 Chevy. After we cut the watermelon and enjoyed the time visiting, we came home. Later, my grandmother couldn’t find her butcher knives we used to cut the watermelon. Everyone assumed they somehow got accidently thrown away with the newspapers used to cut the watermelon on. This was in 1967.

Well, after 48 years the long-lost knives turned up. Apparently, they somehow managed to fall down into the wheel-well and became lodged there. When a rusted spot was cut out today, out fell the knives. I remember this well, because the knives were two of my grandmother’s favorites. For years afterwards, everyone was reminded when throwing out any kind of trash after a picnic to “check to make sure nothing you want is in the trash.”

I wish my grandmother and my aunt were still here to finally know what became of those two knives. I think they would get a big laugh out of it all.

 

[jamespowers]

Many of you may remember when I was able to finally get my hands on my dear aunt’s old ’61 Chevy Bel Air. Over the past several years, I’ve been working on getting it back running and, more recently, getting it restored. Here are a couple photos of the “progress” to-date, as well as something very interesting that was found while working on the car.


Here’s a reference photo of the car. This photo of my aunt and me was taken on Easter Sunday, 1961.




This is what the car looked like when I was finally able to get it back from my sister (who had kept it parked in a field for about seven years).




After a lot of work (and $$) getting it back running – and it is now running like a new car – I was finally in the position to start on the real restoration work. There was a lot of rust to deal with. The floor pans had to be replaced, as did the trunk bottom. Rusted places along the bottom of the doors and around the lower parts of the car have all been cut out and I’m anticipating the replacement work being completed within the next week or so. The next step will be final sanding and painting. I’ve got a time set for later in the week to pick out the materials and colors for the interior work. Hopefully, we will be back running with a finished car within the next two months.




Now, for the interesting thing that was found today. When they were cutting out the rusted area around the rear wheel-well, out fell these two butcher knives. I remember the only time I ever met my great uncle Sank. He had left home here in western NC around 1910 and “went west.” He lived for a while in Deer Lodge, Alaska before he finally settled in Washington State. As an old man (he was born in 1885), he came “back home” to visit. I remember him buying a watermelon, and we drove my aunt’s car over to my great aunt Ada’s house. We had the watermelon and the knives in the trunk of the ’61 Chevy. After we cut the watermelon and enjoyed the time visiting, we came home. Later, my grandmother couldn’t find her butcher knives we used to cut the watermelon. Everyone assumed they somehow got accidently thrown away with the newspapers used to cut the watermelon on. This was in 1967.

Well, after 48 years the long-lost knives turned up. Apparently, they somehow managed to fall down into the wheel-well and became lodged there. When a rusted spot was cut out today, out fell the knives. I remember this well, because the knives were two of my grandmother’s favorites. For years afterwards, everyone was reminded when throwing out any kind of trash after a picnic to “check to make sure nothing you want is in the trash.”

I wish my grandmother and my aunt were still here to finally know what became of those two knives. I think they would get a big laugh out of it all.

Now that is quite a story! The car looks like it will be in excellent condition when they finish. Every rotted area has been taken care of and it is now solid. Good for another million miles. Great job keeping the memories alive!
Are you now going to clean up the knives and use them? I would.

 

[dh66]

Amazing odds that the knives turned up AND there was someone still around to know the story behind them. Incredible luck, Big Man. That car is a real beauty, too!!!

 

[Big Man]

Now that is quite a story!The car looks like it will be in excellent condition when they finish.Every rotted area has been taken care of and it is now solid.Good for another million miles.Great job keeping the memories alive!
Are you now going to clean up the knives and use them?I would.

I can't decide if I need to clean them up or just leave them the way they are now. I have a larger size and two smaller size knives that were part of the set that these two "new-found" knives belong to that have been here at the house and are still in daily use. Not only is finding them something remarkable, but still having the rest of the set after all these years really incredible.

 

[Big Man]

Amazing odds that the knives turned up AND there was someone still around to know the story behind them. Incredible luck, Big Man. That car is a real beauty, too!!!

Thanks. It's been a long time coming getting that old '61 Chevy back to what it should be. I'm really looking forward to having it back on the road in (barring no more complications) a couple months.

 

[jamespowers]

I can't decide if I need to clean them up or just leave them the way they are now. I have a larger size and two smaller size knives that were part of the set that these two "new-found" knives belong to that have been here at the house and are still in daily use. Not only is finding them something remarkable, but still having the rest of the set after all these years really incredible.

You still have the rest of the set too?! You have to clean up the new found ones then to complete the set.

 

[Big Man]

You still have the rest of the set too?! You have to clean up the new found ones then to complete the set.

I'm tellin' ya, my family didn't throw anything away that could still be used. They weren't "hoarders," they just bought something that was good and used it till it was all used up.

 

[Stanley Doble]

When the car is done you will have to take it to a picnic or family gathering and cut a watermelon in your aunt's honor.

 

[Fading Fast]

Big Man,

I don't even know where to begin as I enjoyed so much about your story and photos. I love the shot of a young Big Man - you look like we all did dressed up for Easter in the '60s (as does your aunt in her very nice Easter Sunday suit).

That car is fantastic and the work you are doing is incredible. I can't wait to see it when it is done and I echo Stanley Doble's excellent suggestion in the post above.

And the knives' story is fantastic - as dh66 said, amazing that someone was around who knew the crazy history that led them to be there. (After having dug my mom's keys out of our curbside garbage can - a nearly fatal casualty of extensive newspaper throwing away one day - we, too, invoke a "be very careful when throwing things away newspaper" rule.)

Thank you for posting.

 

[Big Man]

Just in case someone thought I was making all this up, here's a photo of the "re-discovered" knives with their long-separated mates that have been in use all these years.

 

[Fading Fast]

Just in case someone thought I was making all this up, here's a photo of the "re-discovered" knives with their long-separated mates that have been in use all these years.

That's fantastic. That said, I can't believe there is one person in the universe who questions your integrity.

 

[jamespowers]

I'm tellin' ya, my family didn't throw anything away that could still be used. They weren't "hoarders," they just bought something that was good and used it till it was all used up.

Sounds like my family. I am still using things my grandmother used. No need to buy more. Just use what you have.

 

[jamespowers]

Just in case someone thought I was making all this up, here's a photo of the "re-discovered" knives with their long-separated mates that have been in use all these years.

Yes, now you HAVE to make them look like their mates. Those handles look like they were turned out of solid steel! They'll outlast me.

 

[jamespowers]

When the car is done you will have to take it to a picnic or family gathering and cut a watermelon in your aunt's honor.

With the same knives---don't lose them this time.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Plodge road trip around the Peninsula between shows today with my assistant manager/Tuesday lunch companion.

 

[jamespowers]

View attachment 27076

Plodge road trip around the Peninsula between shows today with my assistant manager/Tuesday lunch companion.

Nice. Looks cold though.

 

[LizzieMaine]

My sidekick strikes a pose in the parking lot. I convinced her to to get in the car for the actual trip, though. As you can see, it's still "bundling up" weather. We tried to take a hike around one of the islands, but after sinking into snow and mud up to our shins we decided to turn back.