Tired iron

Thanks everyone. All this info was just what I needed. I pushed a new wire up thru the little hole at the steering box end until it came out up at the steering wheel, left a good amount of slack wire in the steering column, and crimped new bullets on each end. Job done. And since I'm pushing 12 volts thru the horns, they really rip!

hey gang, I've been working on the non-functional horn in my meadowbrook only to discover the horn wire that runs up the steering column is missing. No wonder i couldn't find the end that plugs into the horn relay! So, i'll pull a wire up thru the column but and fashion some sort of contact point, but it'd be really helpful to see exactly what that contact point should look like. All I have at this point is the little sketch in the manual. Anybody have a picture they could share?

I went down that rabbit hole of learning how and doing the upholstery of my dodge meadowbrook. I learned lots and it was really a lot of fun. Online upholstery supply shops make it easy to choose whatever materials you want. A used walking foot sewing machine runs about 500-700 on craigslist and there's so much help on Youtube university. Not for the faint of heart or those with limited time, but otherwise can really be a rewarding experience for those of us who want to "do it all" on our car projects.

Glad to hear! Upwards and onwards!

Hi Sniper. I wasn't meaning to challenge your skills or experience (though I can see how my post might read that way!). Just to point out that I've had the experience of a car battery reading 12 or so volts on a voltmeter, but then, under a load demand, not being able to deliver enough ooomf. I didn't want the OP to think that his battery is good and not the problem just because he gets a reading in the vicinity of 12 volts on a voltmeter and without any load on it. Or is this not correct? Ready to learn something here!

in my experience, you can't really tell the health of the battery with a voltmeter. You need a load tester. Reasonably priced at Harbor Fright, or take the battery to an auto parts store and theyll test it for you. Sounds like you may need a new battery.

Absolutely, do everything while you're in there. This isn't an easy job and often you need a special puller, a torch and a sledge to do the complete job...so, one time, done right!

The large wrinkles happened because I didn't get the seam right when I sewed the horizontal seatbottom side piece to the vertical seatback piece. That, then, made the angle of the two pieces a little off which then crowded the corner with extra material after I sewed it all up and began fitting. The original upholstery was gone, so I had to guess as to where to place this seam, using pictures off the internet as a guide. Next time, I think I'll actually staple the two pattern pieces together at my proposed seam so I can make sure I get the angle just right before sitting down at the Consew. Live and learn! In the two years I've been a regular to this forum, I've observed all the support and comraderie, along with the wealth of knowledge about these great old cars. You all have been such a great resource and I thank you all.

It is stitched. Did the best I could with no pattern to follow. This is my first upholstery project!

Thanks, everyone for the kind words. I gotta say...I really have enjoyed digging into upholstery work. At least my hands don't get greasy! And now I can drive it without sitting on a milk crate. Sorry, I don't have any in-progress pictures.

I've got the front seat finally finished. Sheesh, this seat was way harder than the rear. Not perfect, but so so much better than the rotting thing that was present when i got this meadowbrook. Now carpeting and then the interior is finished.

if youre renting a dolly, maybe just rent a full trailer instead and get the whole car up off its wheels.

There are numerous sources online...search automotive upholstery supply. A good place to start is Sailrite. Re-doing door cards isnt difficult and kinda fun actually. Take off knobs and then figure out how to pop the clips out that hold the card to the door. Once off, youll see what they do to cover the cards. Then do a bit of learning at YouTube university. 1/4" foam, couple of cans of 3M spray adhesive, fabric(s) of your choice and you're off and running. And, by the way, I usually pay 10-20 bucks a yard for upholstery fabric and vinyl.

if the tank is in good shape, and its just the pick-up filter screen that is plugged, you can unsolder the pick-up tube where it connects to the tank and then pull it out. then clean it, or remove/destroy the screen, and then solder it back in. And, absolutely, no flame for the soldering...just one of the big old soldering copper irons that you heat remotely. I'm not wanting to start a long thread about gas tank explosions...just offering up a trick to use IF the tank is worth saving.

i dont know if this helps, but a clutch throw-out bearing for a fluid drive is a different length than for a conventional manual transmission.

Hope this helps...

Ive got my front seat out (Dodge 1950 Meadowbrook) for re upholstering right now. I'll snap a couple of pictures after church and get them on here.

Do not use the 3m sprays. They wont handle the heat when the sun bakes your roof. I learned that the hard way. Tho expensive, the Weldwood Landau contact cement is the best choice according to the pro upholstery community. Doesnt come in spray cans. A gallon can is the smallest amount. You can get it on Amazon.

You are on your way! Swap that old clutched motor out of the Rex for a new servo motor and you can sew super slow...helped my confidence alot.

Thanks all for the compliments. One of the reasons I've posted this work is to encourage you all to experiment with upholstery work. I hadn't ever used a sewing machine and I've found it to be not that difficult to learn. Heck, if we can learn how to fine tune a MIG machine and run good beads we can learn how to run a good stitch, I figure...just new tools. And not really a lot of tools. A sewing machine with a walking foot and scissors and materials from an upholstery supply mail order shop. That, this forum and YouTube university and you're off and running.

Thanks much, and I did! Now I've got to get to work on the front seat. I saved the hardest part for last.

I guess I should have just started a build thread a while back! When I bought this rust bucket, I'd didn't think it was going to be saveable...but you know how that goes! I justified putting some lonely into it by having it serve as my upholstery classroom, which has turned out to be a good call cause I've sure learned a lot. Here's the back seat done and temporarily in cause, we'll, I was too excited just to see how it looks.

Uffda! (from a fellow Minnesotan)

Well, I happen to know the story. The Buckner family homesteaded up at the head of this 60 mile long lake called lake chelan. Buckner mtn is named after them. One of the boys grew up and stayed on the land. He got himself a mail order bride in the late forties from Oklahoma named Lena. He arranged to buy her a new car (now my car) and she drove it all the way across the country by herself here to chelan to begin her new life up at the Buckner homestead. The car was brought up on a barge. Both Lena and the car lived their whole lives up there. I bought the car for 200 bucks, sight unseen, and it came back down on the barge to me. I named the car Lena, of course.

Thanks. I couldn't have done it without out all the help I've gotten from you kind folks!