TodFitch

Originally they were silvered. The problem with silver is that it tarnishes easily. Modern reflectors typically use aluminum. If it is a design with a separate reflector then a glass coating is put over the aluminum to reduce or eliminate oxidization problems. Your old sealed beam headlights are "PAR 56" bulbs. The "PAR" stands for "parabolic aluminum reflector" the 56 is the diameter in 1/8s of an inch (i.e. 7 inch diameter). I understand from a retired astronomer that large astronomical optical telescopes also switched from silver to aluminum because, while aluminum is not quite as good at optical light frequencies as silver, it could go much longer between polishing and re-silvering operations.

One of the issues with NAPA Online is that the search pages can't be linked to. At least I haven't figured out how. I think you are referring to their Echlin fuel system parts CRB 25066A which, if you search Google for that also turns up http://www.capitolsupply.com/gsa/catalog/4-3-265-cid-l6-5399661/carburetor-kit-25066a-napa-crb25066a-25066a-napa-crb25066a-cs7422470.html which I think is linkable. That link says its for a 1952 Chrysler Windsor with a 265 cu. in. engine. Not sure if that'd be the same for the era Plymouth.

I lost interest before the end of the video. The owner did seem a bit off-putting... And I wonder why he thinks that chroming the headlight reflectors (not lenses as he called it) would be a good idea. Chrome makes a lousy reflector for optical systems.

Drifting to sleep in the back seat, with the mohair smell and the sound of the old L-6 engine roaring away the miles on US 80 on the way home from visiting relatives in California...

Thanks for posting that PDF, I'll be updating my database to show those cross references between Chrysler numbers and McCord numbers shortly.

See: http://goldenstateregion.com/events (I try to post events I think might be of interest to Bay Area members of the Golden State Region on its web site.) Direct link to the event information is at http://clubs.hemmings.com/clubsites/mpotac/friendship.html You just show up, pay your entrance fee and park. This show is the fund raiser for that club and keeps them in business. I'm not a member but don't mind handing them some cash to keep them going.

See http://www.ply33.com/Parts/group9#9-23-21 Your P11 201 motor uses service package 891448. From what I can tell that was superceded by the same service package used for the P15 era cars. In the US that should be available from NAPA or anyplace that carries Best Gaskets: NAPA number NOS 21814 Best Gasket number GS12034X I don't know if that is the same seal and package needed for the 25" block or not.

I'm not sure if there are any of those toppers made up by David Maxwell left. Nick DeSimone would probably know. For myself, Dream Machines is one of those events that I've "been there, done that". I'd rather just write a check to the Coastside Adult Center for my donation to their cause. On the other hand, the Mid-Peninsula Old Time Auto Club's "Friendship Day" in Redwood City on the 15th is an event I enjoy. New venue for it this year, instead of being up on the hill at Canada College its down on the bay at 1400 Seaport Blvd. This is a relaxed (no 1000HP noisy tractor pulls and gazillion general spectactors) non-judged event. Usually people show up early and leave early, so morning is best for seeing just a wide range of cars and chatting with others.

Over the years I've tried a number of different things. At present my favorite is the electrolytic removal process. Non-toxic, doesn't eat away at good metal, no smells, very fast, etc. Longest I've had to leave something it to get it totally clean was over night. A little more work to setup as you need a sacrificial electrode and you need to haul out the battery charger rather than just filling a bucket with chemicals, but well worth it. For small parts like nuts and bolts I don't find the electrolytic method as good as there are too many things to wire up. So those go into the vibratory cleaner I got from Harbor Freight. I don't like it anywhere near as much as it's quite noisy and unless you have the right media very slow or too aggressive so you have to be a bit more careful.

I hope you don't get flak for the statement... It is my understanding, perhaps mistaken, that the advertised "mounted tire diameter" it the number you are getting by your chalk method. I just pop off the hub cap and measure from the center of the axle shaft to the garage floor but your method should result in the same number.

Exactly what problem are you trying to fix? Is the adjustment cam not rotating with the hex head?

Which cam "bolt" are you referring to? There is a large bolt head on the back of the backing plate that does not unscrew. It just rotates the minor adjuster. The brake shoe pivot points are also cams but they aren't bolts. To loosen/remove them, remove the hub and brake drum and you'll see flats that can be held with a wrench while you loosen/remove the nuts on the other side.

I've taken quite a few highway trips this winter and it is 300 miles each way to one of the places I volunteer at. Anyway with the cruise control set at 72 this winter I averaged 45 MPG with the ethanol debased gas. Last year without ethanol I averaged 52 MPG. Same car, same driver, different fuel, about 15% decrease in mileage.

I think we scared him off... Looks like he is still at one post total. I hope not as from his vehicle and writing style he'd fit in pretty well. Edit: Guess not as he posted while I was writing. Welcome aboard!

That is already becoming an issue with high mileage cars using less gas. Some states are now talking about a mileage use tax either in addition to or replacement for the gas tax.

Not sure where you are hearing environmentalist "propaganda to the contrary" as all the environmental stuff I read (and being a left coast person I read lots) says that corn ethanol is an environmental disaster. But, despite our quite different political views, I basically agree with your post.

"hybred vehicles"? Methinks you meant "flex-fuel vehicles".

I wonder if they are surface hardened and if so how much they can be ground before they are scrap.

Works for me.

Might be the cunifer brake lines that many imported cars have now. A copper-nickel alloy that is rated for brake service and has greater resistance to corrosion than steel. But the lower corrosion part means that it reacts chemically to fewer things in its environment than steel. So I'd expect that brake fluid would not be contaminated by it. Assuming, of course, that Ford uses that type of line. Not a bad idea to flush the brake hydraulic system periodically anyway. Especially if you are using a hygroscopic brake fluid like DOT3.

I think you meant TMI....

Big some F word Deal.

Of all those TLAs, I think TLA is the best (Three Letter Acronym). I'm the type of person that thinks BFD stands for "big furry dog".

Interesting. Before yesterday's post I did not know that they setup assembly lines in forward areas. I did know that they shipped things "completely knocked down" for assembly overseas, but I assumed that they were assembled in England or, later, in secured areas well behind the lines. And then last night I watched Tunisian Victory from http://www.archive.org/details/TunisianVictory1944 where they showed the same forward area assembly but not just for trucks. Apparently the same type of procedures were used for tanks, aircraft and railway locomotives.

If I recall correctly, the economy/business versions of the 1930s Plymouths used a carburetor with a smaller bore than the normal one. Sounds like adding carburetors (increased effective bore) would be moving in the wrong direction for economy. But there are so many variables including the driver and driving conditions that I would be surprised if the number or size of properly calibrated carburetors was the major factor.