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Showing content with the highest reputation on 09/07/2022 in all areas

  1. Howdy flathead folks! I’ve checked in here & there but haven’t posted in ages. My slapshifter swap is still going gangbusters but my exhaust has been an ever increasing source of headaches. Well not literally, but given a longer drive probably would be due to exhaust leaks. Still haven’t installed my new heater core- honestly it was too hellish of a summer here in PA to drive the truck a lot or work on it in the heat. I originally built my exhaust starting with 1 5/8” chinese stainless block huggers. They had decent welds, 3” collectors, and a really nice thick flat flange on the head side. And they were like $120 or some outrageous cheap price on amazon. My budget was on its last legs at that point, which is also why I used rediculously oversized and loud 3.5” in/out flowmaster 40 mufflers I scored off Craigslist. The other side of the coin- the bad parts- were that the #7 tube needed a huge dent to clear my rear passenger side upper control arm pivot, the collector bolts were almost impossible to reach and kept self loosening, and after about a thousand miles both sides started to blow holes in the welds where the ‘star’ fills the interior of the 4 pipes as they collect. I installed ‘stage 8’ brand locking collector bolts which solved the self-loosening problem but then they were almost impossible to access for further tightening and the percy’s brand ‘dead soft aluminum’ collector gaskets began to slowly smoosh thin and leak from vibration. Also the pinhole leaks on the star welds got worse and worse leading to bad sounds, stinky exhaust in the engine bay and cabin, and false lean o2 readings messing with the EFI. So I bought a set of hedman block huggers. They collect farther down and present a much thinner profile while increasing my tube size from 1 5/8” which is suitable for a warm street 318, to 1 3/4” which is more right for a hot smallblock or street 440. I’m hoping to feel a touch uncorked at WOT but I’m sure the 512” will like it better all over. Just removing the passenger side header was a huge chore- it’s trapped/stuck between the block & frame. Today I finished pulling it though, and the hedman just dropped in as easy as pie!! Fingers crossed the driver’s side fits as easily. I still have to check plug access but it’d be hard for it to be worse. I needed special $$ plugs for the 4 corners and fiberglass boots on every plug to fit the last exhaust. I also ordered a set of 3” borla xs pro or whatever their $100 muffler is, along with a 3” mandril bend kit to make new downpipes and complete exhaust. I’m planning to cut off the 2.5” 3 bolt collector flanges from the hedmans and add 3” tube with a set of Vibrant brand V-band gasketless collector flanges. As long as I don’t warp them in welding they should offer one bolt collector tightening and no leaks!! So I still have to buy a couple new O2 sensor bungs, and fabricate everything all up, but I have high hopes that I’ll be cruising in style this fall with no stink, mellower but still rowdy sound, and maybe even enough more ponies upstairs to feel on the butt dyno. I hope everyone is doing well and looking forward to more smiles per gallon after this dumpster fire of a summer! *here’s a pic- you can see where I beat the dog-poo out of the SS header to clear the UCA pivot and the mocked up hedman clears by a mile
    3 points
  2. I had to laugh at the line ("I know folks in the southwest that tan snake hides with anti-freeze") (speaking of snakes) Vladimir Lenin is mummified in what we use for anti-freeze today. His body has been on display since the 1920s in Red Square. They give him a dunk in the stuff for a week once a year and touch up his makeup. The moisture in his remains has long since left being replaced by the anti-freeze thus achieving the goal that was called "The immortality Project". A little too creepy for my tastes I am afraid. If it has kept Lenin's corpse from stinking for nearly a century, (nothing could help his ideology however) I am sure a few mice won't stink either.
    3 points
  3. It's unlikely oil is coming out of the vent but if it is plugged the pressure that can build up in the diff can push oil past the seals. Find the vent (on top surface of the housing on my P15) and make sure the cotter pin in it is free to allowing venting. Many times the leak is at the pinion shaft near the universal joint. The seal can wear a groove in the drive flange which then passes oil....along with the old seal being hardened. Sometimes a Speedi-Sleeve is installed on the flange to allow the new seal to function properly. https://www.skf.com/us/products/industrial-seals/power-transmission-seals/wear-sleeves/skf-speedi-sleeve Here are photos showing how the sleeve works, in this case on the crankshaft pulley. The worn seal surface: And the renewed surface after the sleeve is installed.
    2 points
  4. A rod knock will sound just like that....a knock, and you can sometimes feel it. Usually only makes the noise when under load. A "tick" is more likely a tappet coming out of adjustment. And will make the sound at idle and load.
    2 points
  5. Factory shipping tie downs....they were to removed by the destination dealer.
    1 point
  6. Still diggin on the ole pile of parts.... The low down in the dirt low ridder crew sometimes will post how low their rigs are...well this ole pile is more than a 1lb Maxwell House coffee can is... I want to be able to fit my floor jack under the frame and guess what...it fits... I I gave up on trying to fabricate motor mounts...I went the fine folks on Facebook and I got motor mounts from a fellow in Canada Horton is the shop name... The motor went farther back too...I am learning everytime you move one part it effects 6 more things...so now we gotta figure out all the logistics again...motor is set back about 12" from where it would have sat in the Camaro/Nova front clip... Now we gotta do a hydraulic clutch now too... Speedway to the rescue... More cobbing to get everything to fit... Then my 10-15 year old welder took a dump...never happens when it should but it served me well... Still tweaking on this new horse... I wanted to see how it looked as it sits right now.... The folks at Vintques Wheels are building some new wheels for me....cant wait for that... So now we are piecing the floor panels in place... One bite at a time...
    1 point
  7. Is it leaking at the axle tubes (#3) or the center section (#1)? I would clean the area well and drive around for a while to find the source of the leak.
    1 point
  8. I put my fuel filter, which is a modern all steel unit sold at NAPA, between the fuel pump and the carburetor. I just bend the line out a ways to get it away from the exhaust manifold.
    1 point
  9. Domiest - nice project car - if you need to check any thing that was original - my 1948 car is an unmolsted one owner 38K mile car. Original paint chrome and wood never refinished. Took the engine out and rebuilt it and detailed the engine compartment. Lot of work to build one of these as factory picture shows I colorized.
    1 point
  10. SURVIVOR: Spotted this'n on the FB from several inattentive einsteins who shared the same link within hours of each other
    1 point
  11. Just want to introduce myself. I just picked up a 53 Coronet and was told this was the place to be. Always been a Ford guy, but when I saw this beauty, I just had to have her. As get into it further, I'm sure I'll have lots of questions. Thanx, Roscoe Clyde
    1 point
  12. IT LIVES! But I painted it without any filler over the welds, and it needs it. I’ve been putting in ridiculous hours working on this bike and it has been well over 100° every day. Fortunately I’m used to living in the desert after all of these years. Not that it’s enjoyable, Working in such heat, but for me it is possible. I am 100% glad that the contest is over and I’m not worried about the deadline. I never wanna have another job with a deadline and my entire life. LOL Anyhow I went for a ride and did some wheelies and bopped over some curbs and this bike rides pretty well with little danger of pedal strikes because I didn’t lower it too much. Steering stability improved because it has 3° more rake, and some actual positive trail!
    1 point
  13. Maybe they are for tying down the car during shipping?
    1 point
  14. Just adding a dead rodent tale here... Some years ago I had a neighboring farmer who had just rented out a spare house on his property to some city folks who wanted to live the good life in the country. A couple of weeks later they told him how good the water was - much better than the treated tap water that they had in town. This prompted my neighbor to take his landlord responsibilities seriously and keep his tenants happy with said supply. The water source was from a well fed by an underground stream near his cowshed, covered by a concrete lid. On lifting the lid to have a visual check he was mortified to see a dead rat floating in the well. Of course he fished out the carcass but then anguished over what to do next. He was hesitant to tell his tenants, not wanting to see them leave and did his best to avoid them for awhile. A couple of weeks later his wife answered the phone and shortly after told Maurice, my neighbor, that his tenant was coming over to talk to him about the water. Farmer Maurice was sweating. On arrival his tenant told him that over the last week the water had developed a funny taste and would it be possible for him to check it out. On doing so, he found all was well. No more rats in the water. But of course he then wondered whether he should put the dead rat back in the well...obviously his tenants preferred the rodent flavor.
    1 point
  15. I am told that the best bait for snap traps is Toosie Roll. If you warm them up they can be molded to the trigger and made hard to steal. Apparently mice like chocolate. I've always used peanut butter but this year it will be Snap Traps and Toosie Roll with a Decon chaser.
    1 point
  16. Well if- All new electric vehicle roofs will be made of 100 % solar panels per a new law! Not yet passed, but- In Ca. the legislature LOVES passing new laws, does not matter if the law is needed but bonus pay is rewarded for writing laws that get passed. Since all legislators want the extra $$, they all vote for the new law- - - At least it seems this way to me! Maybe if they all took extended vacations in the heavily drug gang controlled areas of Mexico-- - plenty of choice locations are available for their pleasure! Maybe there would be some light - - - Too much already said so I will let this go. DJ
    1 point
  17. Ha! Yes not going to meet my goal of getting it on the road before my 50th next month. A baby and wife not working to care for our daughter has slowed me down a bit.
    1 point
  18. One more damn thing to break. Opinion voiced ?
    1 point
  19. it has been one of the toughest skills to master when working on anything vintage or antique: effectively dealing with people. There are all kinds of people in this world, and it seems a good chunk of them find that the only way to improve themselves is to bring others down, with insults, spitefulness, marginalization...I have to be very careful whenever speaking about this old truck, as I have run into some downright bitter behavior from vendors, neighbors, relatives and coworkers alike. Spending my resources on something of value is a foreign concept to folks who prefer more, ummm, socially active behavior. I went to get a haircut one Saturday with this truck, and the barber, who noticed me wheeling up in that buggy, started talking about it when I was in the chair, and with straight razor in hand, tells me that I would be better off spending my $$$ on a new truck than wasting it on that old clunker...I most definitely agreed, kinda hard to argue with that. Coincidentally, I began cutting my own hair a few weeks later. Anyhow, the main reason I made the dry run to this tire shop was to gauge their reaction to the subject vehicle, as the wheels are a dead giveaway that I am working on a vintage vehicle of some sort. That 180° attitude change was not a first for me, however. On the disappointing ride home yesterday, I recalled running into a similar problem back in '04 with another tire store in the next county over. I found a tire store that would work on lock-ring rims, so I found some used tires and brought them the old tires to pry off the dangerous rims just to move the truck around until I got the truck running reliably and found some newer tires. About a year later, I found a pair of newer tires that they mounted with no problems; a year after that, I found another pair. When I brought the spare in to put on a newer tire, the counter guy I had dealt with each time before boldly told me that they did not work on lock-ring rims...when I reminded him that they had done the work just a few months before, he denied that, saying they never worked on any lock-ring rims, ever. I pointed to the two guys in the shop that had done the work before, and he said they did not know how to work on those rims, then asked me to leave...and I haven't been back since. When I meet folks, and they ask me what I do for fun, I mention about tinkering with things, just to keep out of jail...idle hands being the work of the devil & all. If they press me on that, I'll mention some of the mundane things I've fiddled with here & there, then carefully segue onto a different topic. I never bring this truck up until I know somebody well enough to mention it. And folks who are proud of everything they do in their life don't really understand why I don't talk about my collection. Not wanting to be the cloud in the room, I decline to explain the real reasons, but rather I give'm some dumbo reason like "ohhhh it must've slipped my mind" The trial run at the new machine shop I found last year was somewhat encouraging, as they knew how to work on flatheads...but they said they would call me back about fees (the lady running the counter was the wife of the owner who does all of the machine work), and I have not heard from them yet. They specialize in dirt track race engines and cautioned that they stay busy in the winter months, so my worry is that I bring them a flathead and they continually forget about working on it to the point where it becomes "lost"...I ain't got no time fer that
    1 point
  20. I like your post a lot Mr. Neal. It pretty much says it all. One of the things it highlights is something none of of here on this site even contemplates. We all love and appreciate the old machinery and the ways of yesterday. But for every one of us......there are legions who don't care one hoot about it. And from what I have observed their numbers are growing exponentially. No manners....no character.....and no soul. If it doesn't have tats, an app or a facebook account it doesn't even exist. No point in even trying to understand or appreciate it. Jeff
    1 point
  21. I had to stop at a locksmith a couple of weeks ago on business, and noticed they had antique car style keys hanging on the wall, so I got one cut for the '48. The original was nearly twisted off in the ignition cylinder from a doofus state inspector who had responded "oh yeah no prob" when I asked him if he knew how to start the truck for its annual vehicle inspection years ago. The new key is quite stout, so I went about lubing the door key cylinder with Marvel Mystery Oil every few days, jiggling the key to agitate the inner workings. Well lo & behold, the key turned today a little bit...about an hour later, the door was locked for the first time, as no one in the family had tried to lock the door before since the beast has lived in the country since coming home from the dealer And as with a lot of things I've had to deal with lately, this success was tempered by a subsequent trip to the tire shop that I had visited just the day before. They had new tubes in stock for the old 6.50-16s that have failing tubes, and told me that they specialized in working on older vehicles & equipment. They agreed to swap out the tubes so I can at least move the truck around until I get new tires later on down the road. But when I showed up today, I was greeted by a different counter guy, who had just dealt with four argumentative customers in a row before asking what I wanted (never a good sign). He pops off that they don't work on tube tires at all, and when I cautiously pointed out that was not what I was told yesterday, his annoyance only grew...he then said they didn't have the tubes in stock, but I pointed to the shelf where we were looking at them yesterday (smoke started coming out of his ears at this point)...we went outside to look at my old tires in the back of my truck and he became indignant, saying that it's against the law to work on any tire more than 7 years old...at this point, one of the well-tatted techs on smoke break chimed in that he don't touch that old shhhht...this whole time I'm thinking these bubbas are pulling my leg, as this place has been highly recommended by quite a few folks, their facilities are well-kept, the shop and parking lot are full of customers' vehicles almost non-stop, and the folks working there are touted as good people, which is what I had encountered yesterday. But today was a much different story...anyhow, as I was attempting to ask if they could dismount one of the old tires off of the rim so I could repaint it, both of them guys started walking off while I was in mid-sentence. I was stunned to say the least...I reported this to the last two guys who had told me to go there, and one of them made a phone call as he does a lot of business with them folks (fleet manager). He sent word back to me that there was a misunderstanding and that I should go back and try again...yeah I'll get right on that...or I reckon I'll dig out the breaker & spoon bars and wrassle them old tires off them rims myself, more than likely with the aid of colorful phraseology and a little blood-letting. Which is probably what I'll have to do with the lock-ring rims I've been eyeballing on the two 1-tons in the driveway... but the new key works in the door, soooooo...woo-hoo
    1 point
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