Bryan G

I bought a flare tool years ago for use on some lines for my heating oil tank. I was unimpressed with the quality of my flares, enough that I used pre-flared lines when I did my brakes. That's me chickening out! Better to learn to do it right. Another skill you can count. Perhaps next time. If you haven't bought a flare wrench yet, that is one tool worth spending extra on. The one I had from NAPA did a fine job of rounding-off nuts! I bought a used Mac at the flea market and was amazed at how much better it works.

The Jaeger design is unique and seems to use a magnet to move the escapement, rather than a "winder". Mine had just plumb wore out. It would take a good watchmaker to replace the shaft, and my emails to a couple shops went unreturned. I finally found a NOS unit for my car that wasn't too expensive. After oiling and adjustment, it works quite well. A key to all the old automotive clocks is that they were supposed to be serviced regularly, just like all clocks and watches back then. The old shops probably cleaned them in carbon tet; these days they pull them apart and throw them in an ultrasonic cleaner. I've dabbled with old clocks and watches enough to know I shouldn't be trusted with anything too valuable! Anyway, aside from cleaning they need some good clock oil, but not too much. I learned that years after drowning one in WD-40!

The ads still work...they make me want to go buy a Plymouth! I have a large collection of magazines from that era, each one a true time capsule...and the "commercials" are the best part!

I switched to a 6v alternator last year while I was working on getting my generator patched up. I plan on switching back for originality, but I'll admit it's a tough decision. A lot to like with the alternator. Mine whined pretty bad at first, and I'll notice it from time to time. It's the rectifying circuitry, from what I understand. With the quiet exhaust on my car it can actually be louder than the engine! Funny (to me), I had an old Impala and what I always thought was the sound of that 283 was actually the alternator. I know that because my Chrysler sounds the same.

Something new that my New Yorker started doing: keyed ignition, the key springs back from start to run just fine...when cranking, the starter is running for about a second or so after I release the key. Now, the factory setup grounds the solenoid through the generator armature (I believe that's correct) so it has no power once the engine is turning on its own, but I'm temporarily running an alternator. But this issue didn't creep up until this past week. Has to be either the switch or the solenoid, right? I'm just curious if anyone else has had this problem, before I go trying to diagnose it. (intermittent enough in nature that I suspect it could be hard to nail down.)

Loren, I hadn't thought of the need to extend that line for use with an overdrive. Glad I wasn't the only one who had to do an extension, and that's a good tip for finding the fine thread. Our town is that same size, with just one independent hardware store. I spent a lot of time looking all around, not wanting to trek to another town to complete my project. They did have some short lengths of rod in a drawer but it was all coarse, at least in the sizes I needed. Now, if I could weld...

Non-detergent oil in general is getting hard to find. Often the stuff you do find is a poor grade. I had another car with a factory recommendation of 20w. Since the engine hadn't been apart I didn't want to risk running a detergent oil; mostly I used 30w but for a while I was able to find 20w from Kendall (they actually call it 20w20.) Perfectly clear. Anyway, there were 2 grades of non-detergent, SA which is just straight mineral oil, which went obsolete around 1932. SB has various additives and is what our cars were designed for. As of 5 years ago, only a handful of companies were selling something that met SB. I no longer see those type of designations at all on non-detergent oils. It seemed like not that long ago that Tractor Supply stocked 20w SA but it's no longer on their website. So I guess it's either 30w, maybe special order something, or just use a modern oil.

Well, I've been fooling around with my parking brake for at least a year and half. As mentioned above, I'd replaced the lining for the 2nd time. Everything adjusted to specs but no-stop-em-mopar. I decided to replace the one thing left in the equation, the cable. I shopped around and Andy Bernbaum had as good a price as any, $111 as I recall. (Some of the descriptions others didn't inspire confidence, either.) The replacement cable has a modern nylon sheath vs the original which is made of metal. It does have a quality look and feel. Bernbaum makes a big deal about making sure you give the exact model so they can match it up. What I should have done: remove the old part entirely, so I could compare old & new side by side. Instead, I just started replacing it at the top end (which I figured would be most difficult.) That went fairly smoothly. When I got down underneath, though, I found a real problem: while the sheath length seemed correct, the lower end of the cable isn't long enough to reach. The cable is held tight in a bracket on the transmission, so I tried letting it hang loose, reasoning since the top end was secure, it might work. No. Too much slop. Another issue is that the cable routes between the transmission case and the transmission crossmember. Because my rubber mounts had collapsed with time, I couldn't feed the cable through. I just cut the end off the old one to get it out, but I ended up jacking the transmission (carefully) until I have just enough clearance to pull it through. It's not the main sheath that is too tight, but the clamp that holds it tight in the bracket. Just not enough room for that to pass. After some head scratching, I came up with a MacGyver solution to the "shortcoming". I could just use a length of all-thread and a coupling nut to connect it with the threaded end of the cable. The trouble is, the cable end is fine thread and my local hardware store only has course. Not wanting to throw in the towel, I dug around their bins and found an automotive stud that was coarse on one end and fine on the other. So, with a couple couplers and some all-thread...I was in business! The photo shows the finished results. With this I was able to get everything nice and tight. With much anticipation, I let down the jack and backed the car down my driveway a bit where there is a slight dip...the handbrake worked! The ultimate test: it's pretty flat where I live (coastal plain) but our downtown is in a valley. They run soapbox derby races down there...so I motored on down, set the brake, and it held!!! Thank God for leading me to the solution The other thing I did while I was at it was to rig up a buzzer to warn that the brake is on. Even though it hardly worked, I would always set it...and way too often I left it on. Like most of our cars, mine has a built-in warning device to flash the driver's map light if the brake is left engaged with the key in the run position. Fat lot of good that does during the day! So, I found a NOS 6 volt buzzer on eBay (Edwards brand, possibly still in production) and placed that under the dash. I tried just rerouting the wire from the bulb but I found I have too much of a voltage drop, apparently at horn relay (where this circuit gets it's current) and while it will run the flasher/bulb it won't energize the buzzer. Someday I'll see about tackling that problem but for now I just tapped another source of run-only 6 volt to power that switch. It works great...no way will I ignore that obnoxious thing! Really stoked that I accomplished something today. Figured I'd pass it along, in case it can help someone else along the way. Oh, and the tip that started this thread? I don't have a lot of slop in mine at that point but I was able to wedge the ends of a scrap of flat copper into both sides, to help sturdy it up. I think that helped.

I've often envisioned the meeting, when they were designing our cars: "Gentlemen, the roofline may be a bit lower this year, or perhaps a tad higher. Sam, you can throw on more chrome if you'd care to, or eliminate it altogether. Roy, on the windshield, one piece, two piece, heck-go three piece, as far as I care! But, my friends, if you expect to be working here for any length of time, let it be known: the lower tie bar shall fit not 1/4", nay, 1/8" further forward than absolutely necessary! I shall be watching, gentlemen, my ruler out the ready. That is all!"

I've installed those cheap "pulse type" pumps in several cars, mostly no-name units bought new off eBay. I did wear one out at about 5 years. All of those were for temporary use (back-up/priming/vapor lock days) but if I were looking for something in lieu of mechanical I'd go for something better. If you're running points, I'd say run it to the accessory side of your ignition switch so you can use it for priming without worrying about burning out them out. You could add a switch under the dash to turn it off...a good theft preventer, as well. If you're running an ignition that can be left in the run position, you could just wire it to that position.

I've toyed with the idea of trying my hand at upholstery, to the point that I drug home an old heavy-duty Singer. I have a lot of practicing to do, but maybe some day I can follow your lead!

I wish I was as far along in my mechanical abilities at age 22 as you are. I can tell we're a lot alike, but I'm nearly 30 years further down the road, and it took me until last year to pull a head. Much of the joy for me comes from the research, including teaching yourself to do the work yourself. Once you're done, YOU will be the expert. The only work you'd ever have to farm out at that point would be because maybe you don't have a lift or all the tools. A project like this is a great confidence builder. When you do have a mechanical failure, because you've been through the car so thoroughly yourself, you can pinpoint the problem without too much drama. The engine in my Chrysler didn't look much better than that, but my cylinder walls weren't rusted so bad. That 3-4 head gasket break isn't unusual. I had it happen on a flathead six Ford. My engine was stuck solid, too. The trick that worked for me to get it unstuck was to pull the pan, wheel my floor jack underneath, line it up with one of the center crankshaft throws...and start pumping. Took about 3 pumps, the car started lifting up, then POP! Easier, I think, then trying to beat them out once the engine is out. Worth a try, at least. These cars are not junk, as you well know. They were above average for their day. You're on a good path, my friend!

Ditto, I was afraid of flares (did some line for my oil furnace once, which was passable, but a leak there won't cause my house to crash into a ditch!) That new stuff is a dream to work with.

Unrelated, perhaps: I fought a problem with hot brakes. I'd set them just right, then the first time I pressed the pedal, too tight/wouldn't spin easily. Bad return springs at the drums, they'd lost too much tension.

I bought my master cylinder & all wheel cylinders from Rock Auto. I think it's a fairly safe bet that there is only one factory over in China cranking them out, and putting them in different colored boxes. I didn't have any real issues with any of those parts-they all worked. Part of me wanted to go the White Post route just for that tiny extra bit of originality.

Tempting to tap my cylinder. Just have to be super clean about it. Last night I was browsing Andy Bernbaum's and noted they're now offering a rebuild service on these boosters, $600.

I try to keep a can around, just in case. I really can't remember using it on an automobile, just various stubborn small engines.

Good timing here, too! I've been fighting mine for over a year. I burnt up a new band from Bernbaum. No matter how I adjusted it, it was either too tight when the brake was released or too loose when it was engaged. Last weekend I installed a NOS band, with proper gaps per the OEM shop manual, but no stopping power. I'm not going to tighten it beyond specs this time, but work to find the root cause. I noticed that the last band wore very unevenly front to back, and I think the shim would help with that. Everything else on mine looks okay...I'm planning next on buying a new cable to see if that will fix the problem. We have a little hill downtown, and if I could get the car to hold on that incline...it would make my week!

Wipers: I've taken a couple apart (off a Ford, but all those old Tricos are similar.) I tried various lubricants to get them going but nothing worked so hot. Ficker's Wiper Service does a good job with decent turnaround. It's also a good idea to go through and make sure all the linkages are well greased. Now, some models were electric from the factory (my 49 Chrysler is) and I wonder how hard it would be to rig one up, assuming you found one? But I do agree with Loren, I greatly prefer using the old tech. The old Ford I had came with the dual pump. I rebuilt it myself but must not have gotten it right because it never seemed to offer much boost. I added a "soup-can" vacuum tank, a 90's era F-series truck part that includes a check valve. Painted black, it didn't look out of place under the hood. Didn't really work wonders, though. Brakes: my car has the factory power brakes; when I got the car the vacuum line was still connected (fairly large line off the intake) but the brakes lines were unhooked. I couldn't find anyplace to connect a return line to the master cylinder, so I reason that someone replaced it long ago with a non-power model. Probably the only thing they could get? One of these days I guess I need to find the part number for the correct model, and start searching. I'd like to have it all back to original and working. It's certainly workable with manual brakes. The other challenge is getting the stock booster rebuilt. None of the places I've called would touch it. As I recall, Steele Rubber lists the diaphragm in their catalog. I figured I can call them and see who's buying 'em! My ears do perk up a bit at the idea of an aftermarket add-on booster. There's plenty of room underneath to install one where Chrysler did.

Glad you posted that! I used to have one identical but advertising a dealer in West Virginia. In a weak moment I threw it on eBay. Looking back, I'd rather have had the clipboard vs the cash.

On my car I could barely see the red and green lights. I had the cluster apart for something else and found that the old plastic had rotted, as some is prone to do. I fished through my junkbox and found some indicator lamp lenses that fit the holes just right, and now I can see the turn indicator even during the day.

Some more excellent information that I didn't have before. I had previously envisioned the bellows as being rubber. Greg, I had thought about the "spiked" option...sure seems like it would be fairly easy to do. Not sure what kind of load that would be on the bolt and how it would hold up, or how a Tip-Toe shift would react to direct drive. Not sure it would care? But I'm going to be more optimistic-I'm not going to have to try that route! I wonder if, back in the day, many transmission shops offered resealing? My mechanic is checking with someone he knows to see if they have the Miller tools or any experience with these. I know of another really good, old-time auto transmission rebuilder but it seems a stretch that he'd have spent time with these.

Dan, that's an idea I hadn't heard of...and something I'm seriously going to consider. Of course, I suppose it matters just where the leak is coming from and if it's not the rubber seal I wouldn't think it would help much. Anyway, a real option.

What!? Another fluid drive leak thread I've read most the old threads, plus some on the HAMB and AACA forums. What I know: seals/seal kits are readily available. Bernbaum, for one, has a full kit for the later style (or to upgrade an older unit to the newer style) for $480. The question is, installing it. Even if I had all the tools, which I don't, I'm not sure I'd trust myself to do it right. Maybe I could convince my mechanic friend to tackle it...but it goes back to the tools again. As it stands, these are the options I see: I talked to Chris at Bernbaum; I can ship the coupler to him and he will have it resealed for $1400. Resurfacing is an extra $275, and of course shipping will be involved. 2 weeks turn around and he says they guarantee it. I talked to Gary at Robert's; he doesn't offer the seals nor does he have anyone that refurbishes the units. He suggested I check Hemmings as he thinks there is someone advertising in there that they do it. I must have thrown away my last copy. Previous threads suggest the advertiser might be Northwest Transmission Parts; discussions also mention failed attempts at bearing replacement by them. I haven't called them yet...maybe they will do just the seals? I didn't see anything about FD on their website. Moparmall.com states on their site that they will replace seals and bearings (really?) for $1517. I see in old discussions that some folks on here have the tools and maybe could do the work themselves. Is there a guru in our midst who does resealing and has a decent amount of confidence in turning one around? Is there someone who rents/lends out the tools to replace the seals? Or, does anyone have a known-good fluid drive unit for a straight 8? Where I sit right now is that my FD works fine, but drops a quart on the ground in about 200-300 miles. I even tried tossing in a pint of engine oil stop leak (which seemed to slow it down for a week!) If I had in my backyard my dream garage, complete with 4 post lift and transmission jack, I'd take a different stance on this. As it is, I feel like I'm asking a favor of my mechanic to deal with pulling the unit, then having this '49 Pushmobile taking up space for 3-4 weeks.

A very strong list. You probably already have them stashed somewhere, but some shop rags and/or paper towels. And: more than twice I needed to MacGyver something and wished I had a piece of aluminum foil. (Once used a piece wrapped around a leaking float; good enough to get me home.) I've also been saved by a tube a Krazy Glue!