Vintage Car Thread - Discussion and Parts Requests

[splintercellsz]

It's Hot August Nights here in Reno, so there are thousands of "Vintage Automobiles" driving around downtown. I was hoping to take more pics, but my main camera died, so I was forced to use my Gal's cell-phone camera thing. If I can find a way to go downtown, I will probally make a video w/ pics, pending on the amount I could take, but we shall see!

1942 Willys Jeep that I loved... hence the overboard amount of pics for it.

 

[1930artdeco]

I am hoping to go next year with my car...We will see if I can afford it.

Mike

 

[David Conwill]

My dad got to Hot August Nights back when I was in high school. He always talked about going back. It must really be something. I wish we'd gotten to it.

Any updates on the Plodge, Lizzie?

 

[LizzieMaine]

I just got word today that the rebuilt/resleeved master cylinder is on the way back from the shop, and will hopefully be installed by the end of the week. Meantime, I've finished rebuilding the radio I found for it, and it's buzzing merrily away on my kitchen table even as we speak. That'll get installed as soon as the car is back here, and that, one hopes, will be that.

 

[Rathdown]

Lizzie, you're amazing...

 

[AtomicEraTom]

I posted this elsewhere, too, but figured it could work here, as well.

Picked this up on Sunday. Got it at a good price, V8, automatic. It's very solid, especially for a Wisconsin car. The only rust through I've found so far is on the passenger side rocker, which is easy to fix. The frame is solid, the doors line up right, all the glass is good and the windows roll up and down. The trunk looks like brand new. The only serious issues I have as of now are that it needs one tire, a carburetor and intake, it needed a battery, but I had an extra laying around, the front seat isn't stock, and it needs a headliner. Nothing too major.

Right before we bought it, the guy had redone the front end, the steering box, the shocks, the exhaust, and a few other typical repairs. Think we're really gonna come out ahead on this one.

 

[Carl Miller]

nothn like a mopar in grabber green!

 

[Carl Miller]

A lot of good footage here

[video=youtube;7LpPKAhW9-s]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LpPKAhW9-s&feature=youtu.be[/video]

 

[AtomicEraTom]

I can't wait to clean up the paint, possibly repaint, and get the Roadrunner decals on her. She's gonna be a beauty!

nothn like a mopar in grabber green!

 

[LizzieMaine]

The Plodge's master cylinder, all rebuilt and shiny, arrived today -- $145 total for the rebuild courtesy of Hagen's Hiway Auto Parts in Washington. Considering there's a rebuilt 1937-41 Mopar cylinder on eBay right now for a hundred dollars more than that, I'd say I got a pretty good deal. If all goes well, they should have it installed tomorrow, and I might actually be back on the road by this weekend.

 

[splintercellsz]

:eusa_clap

 

[Talbot]

The Plodge's master cylinder, all rebuilt and shiny, arrived today -- $145 total for the rebuild courtesy of Hagen's Hiway Auto Parts in Washington. Considering there's a rebuilt 1937-41 Mopar cylinder on eBay right now for a hundred dollars more than that, I'd say I got a pretty good deal. If all goes well, they should have it installed tomorrow, and I might actually be back on the road by this weekend.

The wheel cylinders were OK?

 

[jamespowers]

The Plodge's master cylinder, all rebuilt and shiny, arrived today -- $145 total for the rebuild courtesy of Hagen's Hiway Auto Parts in Washington. Considering there's a rebuilt 1937-41 Mopar cylinder on eBay right now for a hundred dollars more than that, I'd say I got a pretty good deal. If all goes well, they should have it installed tomorrow, and I might actually be back on the road by this weekend.

:eusa_clap:eusa_clap:eusa_clap:eusa_clap:eusa_clap

 

[LizzieMaine]

The wheel cylinders were OK?

They thought so when they were working on it before, and when they took the master off I could easily push the piston in with my finger, which suggests that the seals were pretty badly worn. With the rebuild, I can no longer do this, so it'll definitely make a difference once it's back in. When I had it on the road before there was no pulling to any side when braking -- I just had to pump the pedal three or four times to build up the pressure.

If the wheel cylinders do turn out to have issues, though, they're nowhere near as hard to find as the master -- Hagen's has them in stock for $60. So we shall see what we shall see.

 

[vitanola]

They thought so when they were working on it before, and when they took the master off I could easily push the piston in with my finger, which suggests that the seals were pretty badly worn. With the rebuild, I can no longer do this, so it'll definitely make a difference once it's back in. When I had it on the road before there was no pulling to any side when braking -- I just had to pump the pedal three or four times to build up the pressure.

If the wheel cylinders do turn out to have issues, though, they're nowhere near as hard to find as the master -- Hagen's has them in stock for $60. So we shall see what we shall see.

SPLENDID!

Best of luck with the wheel cylinders.

I'm sure that you will be bck on the road in no time, Miss Maine.

 

[Stanley Doble]

Don't know if this is the time to mention it or not. But pre 1967 cars had master cylinders vented to the atmosphere. This means it is a good idea to change the brake fluid every 2 years. This gets rid of "stale" brake fluid and prevents corrosion in the system. Brake fluid will absorb water and protect the system from rust but eventually it gets saturated and can't protect any longer.

 

[LizzieMaine]

The Plodge is back on the road! Brakes are working perfectly now -- they suggest putting some mileage on it and then bringing it back in about a month to fine-tune the brake adjustments, so I'll be doing that. I took it out for a shakedown drive this afternoon, about twenty miles worth, and got it cruising comfortably in third gear at 40-45 mph. There's a lot of torque in third -- no shifting down necessary on most hills.

One item of concern -- when I got home after the drive it seemed to be running hotter than it needed to be, up to about 180 degrees, and there was a lot of smoke around the oil breather. I let it sit for a bit and then started it up and it seemed to go back to normal. Balky thermostat maybe?

And the headlights are out again, which means I won't be driving it to work tonite. Clearly whatever connection they tightened has come untightened again.

 

[Stanley Doble]

A little smoke out of the breather after shut down is normal especially if the car has not been driven much lately. It indicates moisture and gas vapors being driven out of the oil.

180 is no cause for alarm if the cooling system is in good shape. If you can get a cheap electronic temp sensor, it can be educational to check your engine and radiator. If the front of the engine head or block is significantly higher than the back, like more than 10 or 20 degrees, it can indicate a problem with the cooling system. Likewise cool or cold areas in the radiator can indicate scale or blockage.

If you check your rad cold it should have at least 2 to 3 inches of air space above the coolant. If the tubes are covered it's OK. Your radiator was not pressurized. But if you like you can add a coolant overflow container like the new cars, and if you have a tight fitting gasket on the rad cap, have a sealed cooling system like the new cars.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Ah, good, I was hoping it might be something simple. It's not been driven much the past month, and this was the longest drive since I've had it, which means the longest drive it's have in five years.

The headlight fuse was blown, and I've replaced it and it hasn't blown again, so I dunno what that was all about. I'm going to take a chance and drive it to work tonite, and we'll see if it gets me home.

 

[jamespowers]

Ah, good, I was hoping it might be something simple. It's not been driven much the past month, and this was the longest drive since I've had it, which means the longest drive it's have in five years.

The headlight fuse was blown, and I've replaced it and it hasn't blown again, so I dunno what that was all about. I'm going to take a chance and drive it to work tonite, and we'll see if it gets me home.

It should be fine. If you have a spare fuse, bring it.
I would get the radiator rodded or at least backflushed eventually. That will tell you if anything needs replacing. They can be sure that it isn't clogged or needing a new core. Just a thought.