pflaming

I do not want to impose on the "Satin finish" thread so will restate my question in this new thread. First I really like the satin finish on the Chrysler. I didn't think I would. I saw a 48 Chrysler in Moro Bay CA that was sky blue, everyone turned to watch that car, and they would do the same on this black satin finish, nice look! Will take Ed's advice and put the caps back on for I have the originals, and by keeping what is I save a lot of work and money. Yet I am do think something needs to be done to stop the surface rust and protect what color exists, so I will still consider sanding off the surface rust and primer those areas, and then clean and polish where there is color. A 'satin' clear coat over all after that is what I am unsure about. So I am interested in how others 'finish' a patina look.

You might look at some Cuban taxi's, they are prone to add on options. For me, I add for function first, then for a boutiner effect. For example, on my truck will stay with the original paint but add a touch of red somewhere, probably in the hubcaps, when had red originally. Don't like the new 18" wheels which are popular in CA, do like nice wooden sideboards on the bed. Fog lamps in CA are functional, spot lights in CA are not. That's my take, yet I am always surprised what actually looks nice. Sometimes I put something on for a while to see if I like it. For example, put black electrician's tape on something I may want to paint black, then take a picture and look at it for a week and see if I still like it. Did that with my girl friend's picture, ended up marrying her 48 years ago.

All of you know paint and variations. So how does a satin primer finish differ from an original patina finish? As I understand it, for original patina the paint that is on the vehical is retained and the surface rust areas are sanded then primered. Question: Is the entire surface then clear coated with a semi-gloss or just left as is / as was? I want an original patia result on the truck shown, so I'm thinking to clean up the blue, then sand and primer the large surface rusty areas, feather sand them to 'blend'. Bumbers, running boards, mirrors would be black. Grill probably primer, depending on what I find, need a grill. Suggestions requested.

I like the two tone paint job on the finished truck. Got a side view of that?

Assuming a spark advance is beneficial on hill pull, the a vacuum advance may not have been used in flat land areas, such as parts of montana, etc. OR in a large truck with a two speed axle, the different gears may have, in effect served the same purpose as a vacuum advance which was a 'temporary' / automatic " down shift to climb a hill. All this is purely conjecture or 'food for thought'. A friend and I were asking the same question last week.

With no lock on the driver's door, I guess one just always reaches accross to unlock? The uniqueness of 'no lock' is not worth the inconvenience in these modern times.

Dodge truck gauges: The oil and heat gauges are rusty, the other two (amp and fuel) are nice and clean. I think the first two are faulty. Question: Any ideas why two are rusty and two are not!

The pump came with the block but now that you ask, the 'hot water' neck is from the engine I purchased. That important clarification means the 'neck' is NOT the correct one the pump is. Oh MY, now what? I think that means I could "plug" the orfice out of the "neck" and route the water from the water pump to the heater. Best way though is to get the correct one. One additional note, the head in use came from the block with the number starting with T. . . The BLOCK in use is a 51 by the date that is on it. I thought heads are interchangeable, am I correct on that? BUT there obviously are several styles of hot water mounts. Could be some do NOT run the water from the water pump to the heater, rather it comes from the hot water return. ' Found a picture in my saved forum notes which shows a water pump like mine. The hot water neck has a 120 +/- degree elbo with water, ONLY to the radiator. It is in a dark green pilot-house, engine is silver with red accents. Beautiful engine and engine compartment!!! Tried to post that picture but couldn't. I think the silver engine in the attached thumbnail is in a car. Maybe figure that out tomorrow; or later today now that I note the time. Couldn't sleep!! Get that way sometimes, much better than a few years ago before I retired. Nights were hell then. Life is good now! Any extra hot water necks out there? I reposted the two set-ups together for viewing convenience. The unpainted engine is mine, will someday be silver!! Hope soon! Don, regarding the rusty / removed piston. I did not continue with that engine block. I remains taken apart, now carefully set aside maybe to be rebuilt subject to what this engine sounds like and tests out when I get it started. However thank you for the tip, will try to remember that when / if I return to those rods or remove these. Paul

In another thread I saw this picture. Beautiful engine. It looks like the water pump outlet "T's" in to the hot water return 'spout' and sends the water to the heater. Maybe the elbo on my water pump is off turned a little and needs to be alliagned to match the hot water return as shown in the picture below. My engine did not have any water hoses on it so . . . I did not know. A clarification will be appreciated. PF

Do I use a shot glass or just put in a teaspoon full? of oil in the cylinders? Had penetrating oil in before. Was penetrating oil too strong? Question on water hoses? Two are obvious, to and from the radiator. There are two more orfices. One is on the water pump one is on the return mount. I would guess the one on the water pump goes to the heater and the heater valve on the back end on the head is the heater return. (See pic 'engine water pump'). Where does the water go from the orfice on the water return piece? I found a carburetor! That and gaskets are enroute. Will try to start it on Saturday! Wasn't going to post until I had it running, but the water hose issue needs a reply. Laying out the electrical lines on a 'door table', will work on a new harness until carb and gaskets get here. Always a little project to attend to when a larger one gets stalled.

I like the 'soft / muted' red color. How did you do that? PF

Because I didn't know. That being understood, I will still attempt to get the engine running to hear how it sounds, then probably do a ring and valve job as I was going to do before. Thank you for the information. Still looking for a carb! Yesterday I removed the head, cleaned up the valves with emery cloth, as best I could, then put sealer both sides of the used gasket and torqued the head down again. Did a 2nd compression test. The results were the same: 25, 50, 50, 48, 48, 50. I gather from that, that the valves is probably not the big problem, the rings need help. Cold and foggy out here in the central valley. Yesterday was 45 @ 98 % humidity, not like the cold of the plains but still cold! PF

Very nice, I'm a few months behind you, I'm still working on the engine. What did you do to the top of the cab, looks like you cleaned and sealed it, almost a 'patina' top. I like the rear black fenders and running boards and that's a good looking dash board.

I am going to give my engine a Bon Ami treatment after I get my new head gasket in. SO. . . I went through the Bon Ami thread and captured the essential test information so I could have a printed copy at the engine. Here is what I captured. In the spirit of good research I tried to give credit to all responses. FMSPEED49 Senior Member, have way too much spare time on my hands Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Oklahoma City Posts: 202 ________________________________________ Put the plugs back in, reassembled the linkage, and started her up, ran her around the block 3 times to get her to operating temp. 180 degrees 20 ounce coca cola bottle, cleaned w/ carb cleaner 1 tablespoon of powder 89 octane gas unleaded. Shaken, not stirred ( i had to say that) ran the car at approx. 2000 - 2500 rpm fan to the radiator poked small hole in side of bottle dribbled solution into carb over a 10 - 15 minute period Adverse affects = NONE Smoke = NONE had to adjust idle up approx. 1/2 turn (compression rising???) Sounds better (isn't that scientific) Let it Idle for a minute Shut her down, gonna let her cool, then test drive for the scientific seat of your pants test. I will repull compression after she has cooled back down to the same temp as the first test. Stay tuned....... The tablespoon was just seat of the pants, figured 20oz of fuel and 1 tblspoon should be a mellow mix. Test drive #1: 10 minute drive, varied speeds from 0 - 60 mph. Feels quite a bit more responsive. Idles smother. Sounds better. Pulled up the local hill with quite a bit more omph. I will need to wait for cool down to check compression so that it will be accurate; also will drive with buddy following me tonight to do the "smoke in the headlights" test. (Note new idle setting) The idle is now set more than half a screw in , to obtain the previous idle. First follow-up test The motors pretty cooled off, probably not all the way. Result: every cylinder is AT LEAST 15lbs higher than the first test. BEFORE cyl 1 70 lbs cyl 2 70 lbs cyl 3 73lbs cyl 4 71lbs cyl 5 70lbs cyl 6 74lbs The answer , YES it works! It seems to have worked really well, better than I anticipated. On a side note, if you do this, have a spare set of plugs ready, 20 oz of fuel straight down the throat fouled em out pretty good. I will also pick up a fresh oil filter and oil and I am going to look closely at the oil when I drain it , It was brand new! The powder has a clouding effect on the gas, so in theory, it should do the same if it got in the oil. **** Test # 2 **** Pull cold compression, same specs as the high ones last night (whoo hoo) ( the new specs after the first treatment stayed!!!! 1 Tablespoon Of BonAmi 1 cup of unleaded (full 20 oz yesterday) Shaken well Down the throat. Adverse Affects = NONE Test dirve = No real noticeable gain. Idle, same setting. Waiting for cool down to pull compression: stay tuned......... Motor cooled to touch YA'LL READY FOR THIS? cyl 1 105 cyl 2 110 cyl 3 115 cyl 4 115 cyl 5 108 cyl 6 111 So I guess the answer is = YES IT WORKS LIKE A CHARM with no adverse affects. also no visual change in the oil, Yet I’m gonna change it just in case. Signing off, going driving. Next report will be after a few hundred miles, unless something bad happens before then. Thanks. SOME HISTORY ON THE ENGINE TREATED IN THIS TEST: The theory was due to the cleanliness of the inside of the motor, no sludge in pan, clean piston tops, and .40 pistons, 51,000 original documented miles and had sat for 10-15 years. I figure it "wasn't seated" But I also figure, If it was using 1 qt per 100m, worst case I was rebuilding it, I even had the machine shop lined up, so I figured I had nothing to lose, If it didn't work, well I rebuilt it, If I didn't try it, well I rebuilt it. But it worked, so away we go. Btw ran her about 70 miles tonight, no visible smoke in the mirror, runs better than it ever did. NO adverse affects. More power, Easier starts, more "stable" speeds if you will. Update The bonami report is, Car runs perfect, no adverse affects at almost 200 miles now. AUTHOR REVIEW OF THE ENGINE TESTED! **** Side Notes **** Question by Niel Hoback How does Comet cleanser compare to Bon Ami on the grit scale? Greg: Bon Ami is based on a different mineral than other Clensing powders ( usually Silicate based). Its advertising used to feature a very young chick (poultry type) coming out of an egg, and the slogan was Hasn't Scratched Yet. The only other one I know of that is based on the same mineral is Bartenders Friend which was used for behind the bar cleaning and polishing glassware. Bon Ami's active ingredients are the mild abrasives sodium carbonate, calcium carbonate and feldspar. ((I will attemp to downsize the document and post it if anyone has interest.))

I did not continue with that block, but took a chance the one that came in truck miight be just as good, so cleaned it up, put the cleaned up 'rusty' head on that engine and this is where it is today. Wow, my right hand is so swollen I can't close it and so numb I can't feel the keys! Better give it some rest. PF

Results: 25 - 48 - 48 - 52 - 46 - 48. A close mechanic friend joined me for the test. Since I did NOT do anything to the valves he thought #1 might be dirt and since the head gasket was a used one and NO sealer he suggested I put in the new gasket and seal it both sides. He also suggest I use emry cloth and clean the valve edges and the valve seats. Going to use a lawn mower gas tank. Do I still run the line through the gas pump? Once I get it running, will let it cool down and compression test again, then I am going to do the Bon Ammi treatment and see what happens. This is quite enjoyable, thinking of upscaling our home, just made an executive decison, nor fewer than five garages! Will reattach the pan next, add oil and see what kind of oil pressure I get. Tomorrow or Saturday project. In the mean time I'm getting ready to try and start it by replacing all the essentials. I'm going to assume all the old parts work, repair/replace only what doesn't. Have everything except a carb, so if anyone has one for sale, send me a PM. New gaskets arrive mid next week. This exercize can get in your blood.

Good to know, (Bon Ami is for rings) compression is the result between the rings and the valves, wrote that for me to remember. Noted this morning that there are three places where oil lines can be attached to the block. One on each end and one in the middle where I think the oil filter goes California guys, anything I need to know regarding CA emmissions? Seems old cars are currently exempt if they are 'stock'. Am I correct. Need to keep that in mind.

Yes, the head gasket is temp. I guess if I get a C- result, then an good gasket and sealer might make it better. I'm thinking to do the Bonami (snake oil) treatment if the test is C- and see how much improvement I can get w/o doing a valve job. A valve job is tedious work and I'm a hammer kind of mechanic. Thankyou on the oil, will get a oil can and squirt some in each cylinder as well. Still haven't found HAMB

I didn't apply any sort of gasket sealer before I put the head on. Should I backtrack, remove the head and put a sealer on because if this thing gets a C- grade for better I going to try and start it? My carpel tunnel is really sore today, keeps my mind off my sore back! Just about forgot, any special kind of Oil? The cylinders probably still have a bit of laquer thinner in them, should I squirt some oil in the cylinders once I start motoring it? (Wish my new gasket set was here, ordered a set for APW) and what do you guys use for gasket sealer, (silver paint?) just the usual. Finally who or what is HAMB?

I saw that guage in your previous picture. Will it register oil pressure just by motoring with the starter? I was going to put oil and heat guages on when I got ready to 'start' it up. Looks like you mounted that oil gauge with some type of short pipe and elbo arrangement. Thank you for your input, it really is valuable to me. Now if I could just get rid of the new back pains!!!! Guess I may have to let up a bit after I do the compression test, got a four tablet Ibporfin sore back, not used to being a full time mechanic!!!!

Engine is going together: Cylinders and pistons look good; added new bolts, tapped the holes and cleaned the holes with air hose; used the old gasket, looks good; installed the head and torqued it down. Observations: Check all value setttings, they were 13 / 17 consistent so left them alone;takes small fingers to install the valve hold, so glad I had a rag in the base; the head has "washers" molded in. Can't figure out why some were bolts and others were bolt stubs with nuts. I used all bolts, is that OK. Went to do the compression test after dinner and discovered I did'nt have any battery cables. Also noticed that Don's picture is from a car not a truck, am I correct on that. My starter has a lever, not a switch. Compression test next then I will know if I have an engine that might run or just a cleaned up block!!!! Didn't do anything to the valves, taking a small risk there. I trust I am not boring anyone, just cataloging the 're'birth of an old engine and welcome such valuable tips like, put a cloth below those valves, and timely pictures and tolerances.

Don, I did understand that and that is what I was referring to. Will get a hand held gauge. In a post a while back someone explained that the valve is kept in by one of two means, one of which consists of two little 'wedges'. It appears that is how mine are. I have the compression tool, now need to figure out how to get those 'wedges' out. I would guess, after the spring is compressed then a good side cutter pliers may get a hold on the pieces and they pull out. I recall they are held in by the spring as it drops down over them, not sure about that. Question: One valve and spring is missing on the 'original' engine. I am going to rob one from the 'blue' engine. Can I rob the valve guide as well? Going to call VPW, will ask them also. pf

Don and Brian: Thank you!!!! Don the pictures really help. I took the clutch and brake pedals off, NOW, since the 'dog house' is off, I may just put the engine back in the frame. Might not be much more work than securing it some other way. Did not quite understand the HAMB notes EXCEPT the part to consider using a HAND HELD gauge to avoid making problems. Going to use the head gasket that came out. It is a 'copper' gasket with no tears or "burn throughs". Ordering a gasket set and motor mounts today. I think I will call VPW first.

Accessories?? Accessories?? Who needs them when you have an old car?

Dennis, just what I am doing. Not spending much money, just a little spare time and having fun in the process.