Plymouthy Adams

that little shop helper is looking for his original water mark on the tires...

I prefer wet sanding with a squeege on the side..the squeege will highlight any pinhole that is not visible in dry sanding. As you wet sand you can rinse as you go..the water will produce a gloss that will simulate the very appearance your top coat is going to provide you..ripples, depressions and such is amplified. As I cannot see your gelcoat finsih on the glass fenders, I can say a lot of glass products are very rippled/wavy druing lay up...suggest you try wet sanding..if you have trouble seeing what you need or just not confortable, dry it off and proceed with a familar process. Dry sanding in my experience will result in the paper loading up...these little dabs of dried paint stuck to the paper actually will scratch your primer.

This is not a common generic style sender..probably your only sorce for this may be NOS or Atwater Kent I think was mentioned at another time. This unit has a constant value resistor mounted with a floating (float arm) ground that divides the resistance as it moves so that whatever is on one side of the guage, the balance is felt on the other across the resitance spectrum. (approx 28-30 ohms) ie 10 on A 20 will be on B 15 and 15 or 25 and 5 etc etc...

your noise explained in the above could lead you to believe excessive bearing clearance for sure..as you have not yet been able to plasti gage them all..it is still a guessing game..process of elimination is painfully slow and can get costly...hopefully you will find it fast. As your engine is apart right now..the link I just sent in may not help you at the minute..I do like the use of the timing light to sync the noise as you ground the cylinders. Sound can travel and amplify...sorta off subject here but I would have sworn I had a nest of squirrels in my den overhead..I mean right in the corner..If I got up to investigate it seems to go away..sit back down at my computer and here they go again...two months later and the babies are still there...I say wait a minute..little trespassers should be grown by now..just by luck I was standing in the doorway opening to the front porch..I have a windsock there..it was barely moving BUT the metal clip was riding on a cast iron bracket right where there was some flash metal...it was resonationg and as it was mounted to a heavy oaken beam that ended about 1 foor inside my den overhead..it was acting as a sounding rod..squeaking like furry little critters. I would have lost money on the bet I would find a nest of varmints overhead. Luck to you Pete..sure you will find it..not that much moving down there when you stop and think about it...

Here is an interesting read on the subject..good head on approach with finding the problem foremost with less cost for parts/tools eating your budget. Chrysler mech said that my 2.5 4 cylinder was diagnosied as wrist pin noise..inherent to the design, nothing can be done.....matter of fact they all slap their silly little pistons was the answer..just keep in mind the the silent chain is not always silent.....enough said here...funny how the same pistons, inserts etc just shut the hang up with the new guides and proper tension. Only reason the car was at the dealership was a EGR recall and I mentioned the noise...220,000 miles later...these same wrist pins are still in there...we allhave stories like this I'm sure..any way here is the link...... http://www-personal.umich.edu/~jfarrugi/images/vanagon/engdiagnosis.html

Have you considered the possibility of a wrist pin knocking?

Some states are very very tough on vin number removal for any reason..it is illegal period point blank bar none. If evidence of removal for repaint even and affixed back in place...can cause for car to be destroyed by the state..yeah..check it out..this is for real. While working the electrical upgrades on the 41 I noticed that mine is riveted in place but appears to be the same type that is used on the cowl lacing..can be taped out from behind and put back in place...it is best if keeping a car inoriginal form but painting, to show the immediate area about the tag with original paint and untouched in anyway..I would like to refinsih my number plate but will probably leave as it where is...

I agree Norm..some catalogs and retailers that are SPECIALITY shops like to gouge out the yang..take those welding clamps I showed not long back 4 for 30.00 from a certian state of the art retailer for body repair versus 8 for 4.99 at Harbor Freight and they are the same product. I somehow got a mailing list..sure it was through a certian magazine I subscribed to..they feature 165MPH bar stools etc..file 13..never crack the binding..

guide coat...

nla

Generally when blocking primer for final coat a grit of 500 is used, can go to 600 if you wish, but remember the bite is a bit less..when blocking use clean water with some liquid dish detergent, this cleans, prevents buildup on thepaper and also acts as a lubricant when blocking. Always block with the longest block you can use in the area..longer strokes versus short ones with a 3 1/2 will prevent wave often seen down the side of a vehicle. Piant on..Paint off...primer maily ends up on the shop floor as you will soon see...

Paul..check this against the engine number..this should be just above the generator on the engine block, just under the head...if all is well and your engine is still the same one this may be the matching number. Years ago, and the DMV should know this, the engine number was sometimes used to register a vehicle..further it is said that this number will be stamped on the frame of the car near the tip up at the rear axle drivers side. If that number is on the engine..piece of cake..if not but on the frame..explain the engine is not original and hopefully find the frame number...with it in either position should prove the idenity of the car.

imagine that..I have actually seen tires regrooved ...did not cross my mind that this was the tool..I think these are still pretty much in demand with some circle track racers...

yeah..and when they get home we will see just how stupid that "I have a headache" line really is after working all day...of course it may be true after painting and welding fumes...lol

one of them there exercise taxes..where they exercise their right to take your money...

read and heed as you deem applicable.... http://www.automachperf.com/breakin.html

by appearance and by name on the device I think this woul be used by the old body repair industry to shape lead during collision repair work.

Pressure is made by the pump....excess oil pressure is diverted by the pressure relief valve..loss is evidenceof leakage..leakage is at the bearings...and I quote the following... LOW OIL PRESSURE If the pump appears to be in good condition, that leaves the bearings. Check the clearances on the main bearing closest to the pump (since this has the greatest effect on pressure), and clearances on the furthest rod bearing (since this will show the greatest wear). Main bearings and low oil pressure are like peas and carrots...

nla

I like that holder but these oil containers were not around when our cars were built..we had glass jars from bulk fill or round cans that had to be opened with a church key or self puncturing oil spout. I would like to find that holder you diplay over here..I have yet to see one..I usually lay an extra plastic quart container as shown in your pic between the battery and the firewall.

Mike..number one reason for the starter to drag is the rear bushing (end plate where the brushes are is worn to an enlongated state allowing the armature to drag). This bushing is available sometimes off the shelf at a NAPA store but if you have a local auto electric and battery shop..just carry in the end plate and get a new one.. Removable is easy..it is oillite material. very porous self oil bronze, score the old bearing down the side top to bottom and then drive a thin bladed screw driver between the bushing and the housing..it will crack like baked clay and come out..just intall new one, first soak it for some time in oil to fill all the pores..an arbor press is ideal for installation..however I have been known to use a socket flat end and tap them in place.

I have never been able to get withing 12 foot of a gator before he jumped and run...no joke and I have tried a many time..except for one instance in a 10 foot boat I had a moma gator of equal length after my butt and bumped the boat as I came around a bend and almost onto her nest...that one had me nervous...I used to put in at a landing at night that was wall to wall gators almost ..every 10 foot was a set of eyeballs looking at you when you skimmed the water with the light...they love frogbellies...go look that one up...Brad probably knows what is meant by gators and frogbellies...

when the points burn out..you have been warned..actually the first sign of condensor break down is that it will run and idle without problem out of gear..all the way through the rpm scale..however load it down and its instant fall on its face..will not pull itself off a spot of peanut butter...AC Delco condensors were notorious for this in the early seventies..only line to trust was KEM brand in the gold and yellow box...better points also as they had the phenolic breaker cam.

Frank..not sure of the reason the vendors did not show at your meet, but here local at our the cost of doing business went through the roof from the people renting spaces to the point that making a meet profitable for them was marginal at best. I know this for a fact as I have asked them in person when attending another swap why they no longer come to the afore mentioned site. Sad part is that the attendance is increasing, car coral attendance was up and gate fee was up...there is the ever present GREED factor running rampant. So in some degree the sponsors are forcing these people to turn to avenues like E-bay based on dollar return for dollar invested. All they care about is today, what's in it for me...not everyone has the annual return instincts like the Swallows of Capistrano...

seems like that is the way here..all the work left to do and the guilt that goes with putting it off....