Normspeed

Only problem is, it isn't an Allis-Chalmers orange.

The guy has to have his safety gear when he's busy being a garage dog, right?

Thanks Ralph. Trouble is, most of the replacement parts are made from pure unobtanium.

I took my entire heater out for summer, to keep the inside temps under 110 and to provide more underhood air circulation around my cranky carbs.

Edwin, if you have a dashboard heat control with a cable you might look for one of the remote cutoffs. I use mine as a temp control.

Hey Fred, if it turns out to be a rear window for a 55 Stude Commander, I could use a spare:D

Same paint scheme. Lou, got any more pics of that red fastback?

I don't know a thing about the top, but welcome to the forum. I really like your car and your Tiki as well. Here's a pic of mine.

Are you from the Havasu area?

My doc won't give me flu shots. Seems I have a mild allergy to eggs, although I still eat them. But flu serum is based on albumen (egg whites?) and the doc doesn't want to inject the stuff.

Speaking of injections, seems like this season the local TV news folks have taken a great liking to broadcasting footage of people getting the needle stuck in them. Especially close up shots. I can't think of a bigger deterrent to folks getting the shot. Idiots.

I wish they had marketed utes in the states. I realy like that look.

I notice the Valiant name was used a bit differently in Australia. That black one, here, would be a Plymouth Valiant (cool intake on that one) and the second valiant, here, would have been marketed as a Dodge Dart.

At first look I liked it, but too many unneeded changes for my taste. Headlights, taillights, side vents, hood scoop, tube grille, lake pipes, tilt wheel, and that dashboard...is that weathered plywood with black paint, or what? I'd like it better if they had maintained more of a period custom roadster look. What are those headlight units? They look so familiar but I can't place them.

Robert, I've used the ignore list a couple of times and yes, it's handy. If I recall correctly, you still see the thread, it just blanks out the ignored member's posts. I don't think I've added to it after that toy car guy was hanging around:D

But, come on, admit it, your 53 would look great chopped, channeled, sectioned, pancaked, primered, and powered by a SBC....

Lots of interesting cars there. I like that 37 Ford convert. And the teardrop.

The cloth I used was not the thick coarse weave, it was thinner and finer. The liner was sort of collapsed so I had to prop it into shape with some wood sticks inside until the resin on the outside set up. After it was done, a little sanding on the edges and a coat of satin black paint and it was literally stronger than new.

Lou, you are cruisin in style!

Joe, if it's the cardboard stuff, I've had good luck with glass cloth and resin. I did my glove box liner with it and it came out nice and strong.

It's difficult if not impossible to match the bias tire look with the radials, but I sure like the way my car handles with the radials. Much more predictable particularly on the highway. Also I don't find it all that hard to turn that big diameter steering wheel, even when parallel parking. I run Michelin 15" radials in place of my original 6.70 X 15 bias plies.

Fred, some of the carpet sets I've seen advertised have some sort of plastic grommet instead of the surged edges. Maybe some auto carpet searches will pull up a source.

Seems like some time back, one of the forum guys posted about having his carpet cut so he could get to the M/C? Can't recall who posted it.

If you have the time to do so, might be good to cut your main floor pieces and place them in the car with some heat source to "settle in" before you start snipping:D

Seems a shame if that one gets passed by.

That Grey 1923 Rickenbacker is maybe the nicest roadster I've ever seen.

One of the great moments in the car-nut profession! That motor looks real clean Greg.

PS, let her run a while before making any judgements about how she runs. Takes a while to blow out the cobwebs.

There's some good info in this thread. Robert, I admit, I haven't recently tried the dry axle approach, but thus far I could say that either way it is a pain to break those drums loose. This last go-round had me daydreaming about that mustang rear brake swap...

If you have not done so already, clean all rust of the axle and the new hub you must got. I would not put anything on your axle, just leave it dry.

Frankie, I think you are I may be distant relations. I can imagine my son telling this same story. In fact, we were just today discussing horn options for his wife's VW project. He was leaning towards a 150 db horn he took off his sickle, while I was thinking of one that played tunes...

Eureka!

What a great cruiser! Beautiful car, a good one to keep fairly original. I hope you continue to post here about this project.

Having just recently removed all 4 drums twice, first for inspection then for a thorough cleaning with brakleen plus some adjustment tweaks, I gotta hear more, Greg. Anything that makes this easier is good info.

After being reassembled for only 3 weeks or so, it still took an impact wrench followed by a BFH and Tee-adaptor to get them loose again.

Your method hadn't entered my mind before, but it sure sounds lke a great one time fix. Have you tried this on your car? Pics?

Take another track on this. While it is apart, take the drums and hubs to a machine shop. Have them remove the rivets holding the drum to the hub and seperate them. Then have them drill out the lug bolt threads and press in some half inch lug studs.

Now reassemble the hub to the axle with the key and the nut and the cotter key, torqued to the proper load. Now slip the drums over the new lug bolts. If you want to you could slip a couple of spring nuts over two studs, but its not necessary. Now put you wheel and tire on and tighten your new lug nuts. They will center and retain the drum on the hub just like a grown up modern car.

Next time you need to service the brakes you just pull off the nuts, the wheel and the spring nuts if used and remove the drum, leaving the hub and axle in place. If you need to service seals, bearings and axles, you have the hub to pull the axle out with.

Had to give some specimens at the last doctor visit. I found the facilities were well set up and maintained.