Don Jordan

I was talking to a friend - he's working on a 35 Dodge. I showed him the fender welting on my Plymouth which is chrome. He asked if anyone does the welting in color (brown)? All I know is chrome and black. Any hints or suggestions? Thanks

I tried painting myself. Paint is expensive. It is a lot harder than it looks. Some of it turned out but all the mistakes got to be expensive in money and time. I finally gave up and let the pros have a go at it.

I was having the same problem. I drove 100 miles with no problems. 20 miles from home it was starving for gas. I made it home. I have (though I didn't know it at the time) 3 fuel filters. One up by the carb, one on the out put side of the electric fuel pump. I changed them both but the problem continued. I pulled the rear drum off for brakes and saw another filter between the gas tank and pump. Changed that one and that problem was solved. (of course I found I have a bent rear drum - but that's for another thread)

I specially like the wood grain look behind the instrument cluster. It looks so realistic.

While this may not be very popular I thought of a way to fund all sorts of things: sell a couple of B1 bombers, an aircraft carrier, and end the silly war in the desert. That should bring some needed dollars into the coffers. Too radical?

The story I got was he was going fishing with some friends. Somewhere in No. California (Willits I think). My father was driving and fell asleep. He drove the car over an embankment. The newspaper article said the car was air borne. It landed nose first on the passenger side. I think there were 2 guys that died. This was before seat belts and air bags. My father lost all his teeth, broke ribs. I remember as a kid we would be sitting at the kitchen table and he would pull a piece of glass from his forehead. He never really spoke of it.

I'm not good at this but if it works these are pictures of my father's brand new 46 Plymouth. I saw these when I was very little and wanted one ever since. I hope this comes through.

Is your dash painted or is that wood grained? If it is wood grain - did you do it?

My father had a brand new 46 4 door. He went fishing with some friends, fell asleep while driving and went off the road, air borne, came down on the passenger side. Since I was a little kid I saw the pictures. 3 guys died my father was pretty messed up but lived. Since I saw the pictures I always wanted one - don't know why. If I can figure out how to transfer the pictures I will post them. One side of the car is brand new - the other side destroyed. When I drive around and look at the ship on the hood I think to myself - that's what my father saw. It just pleases me. My father worked for James F. Waters Desoto/Plymouth dealer in San Francisco. He was the service manager. Some times I went to work with him and just got to walk around the garage. I was at a swap meet last year and I found a James F. Waters license plate frame - I couldn't believe it. So I've got 48 plates on the Plymouth. That's probably more information than you were looking for.

I just got my badge from the Vintage Chevrolet Club - 35 years!! Cars that were brand new when I joined are now eligible to be in the club. It's been my experience that you can follow the economy by the price of cars. When times are good, people have money, they buy. When times are slow people have less money and they sell. Me - I just buy. Can't bear to sell. And when I die someone will come in and have a big garage sale and it will all be gone. Beauty (and junk) is in the eye of the beholder.

I have been looking all over for one of those ice trays - and it's the same color as my freezer so it would match. how does one get on Craig's list? I just got yelled at by my wife for not knowing how to check messages on the cell phone she gave me. She accused me of actually dialing in a phone number instead of speed dial. I should have been born in the 40s - oh wait - I was. d-

Gentlemen, Everybody take a step back - inhale and relax. It all boils down to priorities. I just yelled at my wife for spending $75 on a needlepoint she got on e-bay. I mean how stupid is that. But then she managed to mention the $59 I spent for a wheel/drum puller. Priorities! We don't go out to dinner as much as we used to - so we appreciate it more when we do go. I had a car with over 350,000 miles on it. It is a great pleasure for me to drive from LA to San Francisco for the week end. We sort of cut back on that. Driving an old car is like going to the movies, going to the driving range, bowling, it is not something you have to do - it's just a way to treat yourself. I don't mean to pontificate but try this on for size: When I was a kid you could get cigarettes out of a machine for .25 and a gallon of gas was .25. At the turn of the last century you could buy a 3 piece tailor made suit for a $20 gold piece. Today you can buy a 3 piece tailor made suit for the same $20 gold piece. Not much has changed. When I was a kid we were not rich but comfortable - My father made $800 a month and our house (brand new) cost $14,000 (less than my car). I'll tell you when I sometimes have a tinge of guilt... when I see poor people in an old 78 land yacht barely running station wagon with smoke pouring out the back and 6 kids inside. Every penny goes for rent, food, etc. I've got 6 cars. That's a wee bit excessive. But how many does Jay Leno have? I'm sorry - didn't mean to get carried away. What started it was the guy who said we should bicycle to work. I'm an old man. By the time I got to work - if I did - they'd have to take me home in an ambulance. all this thought and thinking - I'm going for a ride.

I haven't tackled the front drums yet - but here's the rear drum. I'm told all this grief is because it has a tapered shaft that locks the drum in. I took steel wool and cleaned it and put axle grease all over it.

I got that sucker off - I got a drum puller - hit it with a BFH - after a few turns the drum popped off. I don't mean "popped" off like a cork gun or a champagne bottle. It popped off so loud that my wife heard it in the house and came out to see if I was okay. I almost peed in my pants. I don't remember who said to put the nut on the axle but thank you - it came off with such force without the nut on it I'm sure it would have gone through the wall. I've got to tell you - there is something to "the proper tool for the proper job." Next problem: the drum is bent. What will I hurt if I drive on it till I get a new one? The new one has to be rear/left. I called a place and they want $100 - is that about right? My friend across the street says to find the high spot and slam it with a sledge hammer. I don't know about the science to that.

Isn't it funny how people will make a planter out of most anything?

I have read posts about people whining about removing their rear drums. I could never see what the big deal was. I mean really - how hard can it be? It's funny how a little experience can shed a whole new light on a subject. I just broke a wheel puller. I just spent $59 on the bay to buy another one. This week end if the new puller doesn't work I'm just going to take a torch to it. I have just joined the "rear brake drum whiners club" - I'm told once they're off then the next time is easier. I guess brake drums are like some of us old men... just set in our ways.

I don't know what the big deal is - my 2 door sedan can run for 13 minutes I have some questions: do the seat belts have to be bolted to the floor? And what is the "over flow" or drip thing? I am not familiar with that. Where is Fontana? The 210 and the 10 - isn't that Pomona? Is anything set on where to meet in the morning? I hate to ask this but can you bring beer in? I know at the Pomona swap meet you have to buy their beer which is more expensive than gasoline. I just bought a new drum puller so if I can get my rear brakes done Saturday I will be there Sunday. Is there a trophy for going under 13 minutes?

It took forever to download on my computer but well worth the wait. What a great job Leno did. It was not all "Hollywood" but rather one car guy talking to another car guy. I guess that just goes to show what you can do when you have more money than God. Thanks for the site.

Norm - that's the one I got for $59. They are in Long Beach so I'm hoping I'll get it tomorrow or Thursday. It looks too small for the job but I guess I'll know this week end. I have found it doesn't really matter which one you get or how much you pay someone will find a better one for less.

I went to one auto parts store and they had the really heavy duty puller: $250. I asked the guy to please check again - oddly enough same price. I went to another parts store and he looked in all his tool catalogs and couldn't find one. Shel gave me the address on e-bay of a place in Long Beach, CA. Desperation talking here - I want to get it done. The picture of the puller looks a tad weak but it was a "buy it now" for $59. I probably could have waited it out but it's worth the money to be able to get the drum off this week end while the weather is perfect. Since I have the tool I guess it's time to do rear brakes. Thanks to all for the hints and advice.

John, thank you for the picture - I will check out auto parts stores tomorrow. Just for grins - this is what I'm working with. And it's not working. d-

Just thought I'd share this. I still haven't figured out how to make the pictures big but you'll get the idea.

Well it's not going anywhere - I will try Harbor Freight to see if they have one. I see them on the bay every now and then. At the time I thought $175 was a little costly - but now I would gladly pay. The car is up on stands, there is brake fluid dripping out - I appear to be up that proverbial creek with out the proper tool.

My friend across the street (the genius) just made a metal strip. I bolted that on the wheel so the wheel puller can bolt into 2 holes and the third arm will grab the metal strip. It won't budge. I loosened the brakes from the back (though I'm not sure which way to turn to adjusting nuts - I turned them counter cw). I've put so much pressure on the drum I'm afraid I will break it. (if it can be done I can do it) I'm a fan of WD40 but I don't really know where to spray it. The car had been sitting for years before I bought it so I don't know how long the drums have been on the car. Help!!

Someone pulled up next to me and said my rear wheel was "wobbling". I drove home put it on stands and started the car. Sure enough the rear wheel was not straight. Also I noticed brake fluid. So I've got to pull the drum. Problem: my wheel puller is designed for a drum with 6 lugs - it won't work with my 5 lug drum. Any suggestions? And I haven't even figured out the wobbling thing. I don't mean to ask too many question but can you get regular brake cylinder kits at the auto parts store? thanks