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TravisL17

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Everything posted by TravisL17

  1. I purchased a 6v to 12v converter for my car. Simple hook up, only4 wires. Pos and neg for 6v input, pos and neg for 12v output. I can't recall if the case of the converter needed to be isolated from the vehicle chassis. Then I purchases a double socket 12v power outlet with a plastic housing. Mounted the power outlet and converter under the dash so it wasn't visible. With the housing being plastic, it's insulated from the 6v positive chassis of the car. Then you can plug in your AM/FM transmitter or cell phone charger, etc. I think the whole set up cost me around 25-30 bucks?? I ran mine off keyed power so no risk of a parasitic draw. My car doesn't have a radio, so I use a small Bluetooth speaker and my phone for music. And I can charge both items using the set up I installed. Works well for me.
  2. I like hearing stories of good customer support. So few companies now days seem to care about their customers.
  3. Nice job on the rad mounting. As for the clearance, it's close but I've worked on worse serp belt set up. Ever changed a serp belt on a Super Duty 6.7? Those are a fun time. I'm enjoying seeing the progress updates on TODD.
  4. I was fortunate enough to have folks here warn me about the pin falling out. I staked mine in, so far so good...
  5. I did the same thing kencombs recommended. Had a round magnet that I attached to the drain plug using The Right Stuff gasket maker from Permatex. It's a really strong RTV sealer. The magnet stuck to the drain plug well on its own, the RTV just gave it a little extra help.
  6. This thread made me think of this picture I saw a while back. Makes me laugh as I also have a preference on washer direction. It likely doesn't matter much, it's more of a habit and being particular.
  7. Today was a great day making memories and hitting a milestone. It's a bit of a story, so hang in there. Back in October 1996, Ed and Jane bought a 1950 Meadowbrook with around 69k miles that had spent the last 14 years in storage. It was the first classic car they owned together. Over winter and spring they put in a lot of work, bringing the car back to life. In June of 1997 the Meadowbrook attended its first Back To The 50's car show in St Paul, MN. Over the years they made a lot memories with the Meadowbrook and cataloged most of them. They took a trip to Mackinac Island that included a ride on the S.S. Badger ferry across Lake Michigan. For Ed's 50th birthday they drove it to Tulsa Oklahoma to attend the opening of the time capsule with the 57 Belvedere inside. After 22 years of ownership and declining health, it was time for them to sell. In January of 2019 my wife and I purchased the Meadowbrook with around 92k miles on it. We hit it off with Ed and Jane and formed a friendship. We've gone on a few car cruises with them and keep in touch throughout the year, sending them pictures and updates as we make family memories with the Meadowbrook. Earlier this week I realized the Meadowbrook was 68 miles from turning over 100k. Ed's house is 67 miles away, it was meant to be. I called him up and asked if he'd like to ride along for the rollover. He was in! Today was the day! With my wife and son along, we headed down to Ed and Jane's house. Busy doing math in my head, I missed a turn along the way and didn't quite make it to Ed's house before running out of odometer. So I stopped on the side of a quiet road at 99,999.0 miles and had Ed and Jane meet us. Knowing that he'd likely want to drive, I saved the last mile for him. After a few minutes waiting on the roadside they pulled up behind us. I asked Ed if he'd like to ride along or drive, of course he said "drive!". He was overflowing with excitement to have the opportunity to drive the Meadowbrook again, and for such a milestone! Ed never stopped smiling and commenting how much he's missed the Dodge and how great it drives. We stopped for a couple photo opportunities, just before and right after the rollover mark Then Ed drove back to their house. He let my son drive their Harley Davidson golf cart around their property while we hung out for a while chatting about life, cars and of course, the weather. I had also put together a small gift for Ed and Jane to mark the 25 year anniversary of the Meadowbrook attending Back To The 50's. I found the spot they parked in back in 1997 and took the same photo during this year's 50's. I framed it with the dash plaques by their respective pictures. 25 years of growth and change makes the background hardly recognizable. But I knew it was the spot because of the silos and water tower in the far distance. Out of appreciation, Ed and Jane gave me some incredible Dodge advertisements. I had secretly admired these from the first time I went to their home to look at the Meadowbrook before purchasing it. I had found similar advertisements online over the years, but none this nicely framed. Today is a day that I will always remember. I know Ed will too. I had no idea it would mean so much to Ed to be a part of hitting the 100k mile mark with the Meadowbrook. Making memories is the best part of owning a classic. Get out there and make some memories while you can!
  8. Safe travels! A friend once said to me "If it can make it around the block, it can make it around the world". Moral of the story, enjoy the drive. Don't think about the "what if" because it takes the fun away. I've driven my Meadowbrook on several long trips and it's always been memorable. Traveling in a classic is different, in a great way. Have fun!
  9. I've been thinking of you lately. We were down in your neck of the woods last weekend at the Elmer automotive and toy museum. I'm glad to see your back! Congrats to you and the family on the new baby girl. Sorry to hear about the rough times, I can't imagine what that was like. I'm looking forward to your posts and outings this season. Hopefully this summer our paths will cross.
  10. I did pistons, rings, rod bearings and deglazed the cylinders, all done in chassis. I figured if guys did that for years in service stations across America, it'd be worth doing to keep the car on the road until I can rebuild the original engine. All cylinders measured outside of spec for out of round and taper. I put about 300 miles on it last season until snow fell. I put about 500 miles on it this weekend. So far less oil consumption than before, no smoking, better power. Not an ideal repair, but worthwhile in my opinion. Especially if there are budget/time constraints.
  11. Talk about a small world! You're putting a Datsun Z powertrain in a Plymouth and I've got a 240Z in my shop getting put back together after being painted Plymouth's Sassy Grass Green! Looks like people can't be mad about your choice since these 2 projects basically balance each other out!
  12. With the front end sitting high due to no engine/trans and the front bumper being off, it screams potential gasser! But with a flathead in it. Old school speed equipment, isky cam, straight front axle etc! It wouldn't be the fastest car on the strip, but it'd be a fun challenge to see how far you could go with it.
  13. You're absolutely right Sniper! I got used to seeing ours about 2 feet off the ground while it was up on stands for the last couple months. As I was bringing it down, it just kept getting lower, and lower, and lower and lower. For a second I started wondering if I forgot to put the front end back together! Also, get that oil changed in your truck soon ?
  14. I always love hearing the memories old cars bring back for people. We've let our 11 year old son drive the Corvair a couple times down the road we live on. He now has his heart set on his first car being a red convertible corvair. His idea originated from watching Happy Days. He wanted the car that Richie drives, a red 53 ford convertible. My reply to that was "what's wrong with the Desoto that Howard drives?!"
  15. There's a guy local to me who is REALLY into Corvairs. His older brothers ice raced them for a bit long ago and then moved onto something else. They gave him all the Corvair stuff they had when he was teen and he has been into them since. Hes got decades of experience with them.. I bought a few parts and got some tech advice from him, really great guy. Helped me out of a jam with an incorrect choke unloader on one of my carbs. I really like the limiter strap idea! Once I learned that people were racing these cars it set my mind a bit at ease about the handling. Plus my wife is not an aggressive driver in the slightest. I love the story of outrunning the lower powered mustangs and camaros! After driving a Corvair, I can understand how fun it would be to make one faster! This one is a Monza 900, the highest trim level before the Spyder. It's either 80 or 84 HP with the Powerglide. It's by no means quick but after an evening of driving, my wife loves it and says she's very comfortable driving it.
  16. I'm new to Corvairs, from what I've read 64 was the first year for that upgrade. I think it was a transverse leaf spring. Clark's Corvair has been my go to for parts on this car and I know they have front and rear sway bars you can add. I'm not sure if they sell an add on transverse leaf spring, guess I never looked for it. Corvairs have always been a car that I'll stop and look at when I see one because they're so different than any other American car of that Era. I never considered owning one until now. I can say that it's been fun learning about them and a pleasure to work on. Growing up listening to all the hype about their handling problems, I am very surprised at how easy it is to handle.
  17. We had been casually looking for a classic car for my wife to drive around. She's driven the Meadowbrook and doesn't feel comfortable with it. As much as I wanted it, another early Mopar was out of the question. I came across this 63 Corvair and pondered it a bit before I showed it to my wife. She was smitten. As a 16th wedding anniversary gift to her, we brought it home late January. I began going through the car, making it safe and reliable. Today, after a lot of hard work it came down from the jack stands and hit the road. We took it for a shakedown run and picked up our son from school. Then took it to town for pizza and ice cream. 67 miles clocked today. There are a few minor bugs to work out and some tuning to do yet. My wife is looking forward to a lot of miles with it this summer. Cruises, car shows, and general transportation. The car is more teal/aqua than it looks in the picture. No hubcaps in this pic because I left them off to make it easier to recheck lug torque and hub temps.
  18. After 5 months since the last drive of 2021, I got the Meadowbrook out today for the first outing of 2022. I changed oil, topped up the tires and fired it up. The Meadowbrook fired off quick and ran better than I remembered. I forgot how much of an improvement the new pistons and rings made. We took it on a 35 mile round trip parts run. We got a few things for the Corvair we picked up over winter. It's a bit dusty, but it sure is nice to see it in the sunshine again! 2022 will be a big year for the Meadowbrook. 1,539 more miles and it will roll over to 100k. This year will be its 25th year being back on the road after sitting in storage for an unknown number of years. Looking forward to another season of driving memories.
  19. Lower engine RPM also means lower oil pump speed which means less oil volume. If your engine is already tired, the low volume equates to lower oil pressure at low RPM. Combine that with the high load on bearings from lugging an engine and it's a recipe for increased bearing wear.
  20. Cruising around at 50's is the best part, especially having fluid drive!
  21. TravisL17

    Motivation

    I agree with doing a small project. Pick something that's an easy win. Sometimes I'll do something easy that's been on "the list" for a long time because it's a low priority. Once completed, it feels nice to have it done. I'll keep doing that until it get motivation to tackle something bigger or higher in priority. It's works for me. Another good one that's essentially free is making minor adjustments, cleaning old grease and dirt off components or hitting grease/lube points. It's maintenance that needs to happen and can usually be done without having to spend money. Fixing or adjusting minor things that annoy you but aren't critical are another motivator for me. Sometimes I'll just live with minor inconveniences because I have more important things to fix. When I'm low on motivation I'll address one of those items. Things like a sticky latch, loose handle or knob, things like that. The main thing is to get out in the shop and keep moving!
  22. Congrats on the successful rebuild. It's an incredibly rewarding experience. I'm happy for you!
  23. Looks like a Motorcraft carb to me.
  24. Glad to hear your search is finally over! Sorry for not being able to help you out with a trailer. It's still loaded with marine engines, sitting in the pole barn.
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