Olddaddy

I have been building engines for just over 40 years and I still get a little worried when I start one for the first time.....insecurity I guess. My current and last engine build is a fairly seriously built 230 for my Suburban wagon. I finished it up a couple of years ago and it will probably be another year before the car is assembled to the point of starting the engine. Plenty of time to worry over it until it starts and runs like all of the ones before it did.........

Well, if you scrap the old DeSoto front clip I could use one or both of the front spindles. People keep asking me to convert them to disc brakes and although I am pretty sure it can't be done with my type caliper brackets I'm thinking about giving it another try. Send me a pm or email me at olddaddy@rustyhope.com. Charlie.

I only go where Tim Adams goes............

If buying another car would move my wife out............I'd buy two!

The key to removing them is to sit and stare at the holes for awhile.....if you drive them from the wrong side you make them tighter in the hole. I've seen them deformed to the point I had to drill them out, very slowly. Once you are sure which way to drive them a good short handled sledge hammer and a round punch or drift will work. I've use smaller center punches and ground the point flat. I've always used something hard since the pins themselves are pretty hard. I have also heated the upright with a torch before attempting to drive the pins out. My least favorite job on a front end rebuild.

At the rate things are going in the country that Ford motorhome will be prime real estate in no time at all. I might want to rent it Don if you could spare it for awhile.

All he needs now is a set of my disc brakes on the front end..............

Where are you located? I've got a complete running 318/904 combo, and a 3.9/A500 V-6 combo in my shop. I'll trade you either one.

The kit is one of mine. I've had one email from you and have heard nothing more until I came across this post. I don't know what you mean by the bearing being too loose in the race. The kit was designed for this bearing/rotor/race combination and it has worked on every kit I have sold, both cars and trucks for almost 15 years now. How you solve the "problem" is up to you, but if you choose not to accept my solution it is hard to help you. If you install the parts specified per the instructions the kit should work. I am happy to help you in any way and I am not frustrated with your situation. If you put the kit together and something rubs or the rotor wobbles, or the caliper doesn't line up there may be something more I can do to help you. Whether directly or on the forum I stand behind my work. I have nothing to hide about these kits, they work. Barring something unusual with the vehicle itself or getting a mis-marked part they are as foolproof as I can make them. No one knows more about these kits than I do, but I can't help you if you do not contact me or accept my advice. Let me know if I can do anything more for you.

Officially 102 F today, but hotter in town where I work. Heat lingers into the evening making rest hard to come by before midnight. Utility bill nearly as much as the mortgage now so no relief unless it rains. A hurricane would be a nice break in the heat, I'd take the risks. Good thing global warming is just a trick of the liberal left, we'd be sunk for sure if it was real........

In my next life I want to be Tim Adams................

I would be very interested to know who the "well known", but un-named header builder is......If you want to make your own and can't get a flange cut I can cut you a flange set, but it would be for intake and exhaust as I can only cut 3/8" thick, not the 5/8" to match original. Moose would be a very good source as he has made more than a few already. I am still in the someday phase of making up tube intake/exhaust setups. It's still pretty far down the list and to be truthful I'm getting old. I find I am less motivated than I once was and the market is smaller and smaller and time is harder to come by etc.......If I live long enough to get my wagon back together I might then be more gung-ho! I have a very patient customer currently waiting for me to finish his suspension and brake rebuild, hope he lives long enough for me to finish too.

I have a pdf file of a rebuild article from a Dodge truck restoration book. It covers everything from a stock rebuild to a hot built flathead. I also have the Tex Smith chapter in pdf. PM or email me at olddaddy@rustyhope.com and I'll send it to you. I think 150 hp out of the later engines is pretty possible. My 230 is balanced, bored over .030, block decked .010, head shaved .060, stainless valves, 2bbl carb, dual exhausts, electronic ignition. I would guess I am not too far below 150 hp with this minimal build. If you were really serious and could cross drill the crank, make some better pistons, better cam dual 2bbl carbs or supercharger etc. 150 hp should be easily achieved.

That is really impressive! My Suburban is my baby, but yours is light years ahead of mine, well done. I really like the rear end setup and the work done on the firewall. You are going to have one seriously nice car.

I want to remove the old glass from the front door window channels without removing the channels from the doors. I have removed the vent window upright channel to give me some working room. I have always considered myself to be fairly resourceful, but this one has me defeated. I am not concerned about damaging the glass as it is being replaced with new glass. However, short of dynamite I see no way to pry, prise, press, pull, beg or threaten this glass out of the channels. Anyone have a tip or advice?

Squirrels are rats with a perm................take a look at Craiglook.com. You can search every Craigslist in your area and the nation to find the part you need. You can also make one up from foil/foam insulation used in streetrods, this guy has a pretty good price and is a real car guy to boot: http://www.lobucrod.com/

Tim, I am going to hijack your thread.......what do you guys do to get to sleep and stay asleep? I am often unable to sleep past 3:30 am no matter what time I go to bed or how tired I am. My eyes open, my brain is ON and I am awake for the rest of the "night"..........

You can weld the upper and lower halves together as well as the small vertical seam above the wheel opening. I did the ones on my 50 Suburban. The key is stitch welding, start and stop and cool. I wouldn't weld more than 1/4" at a time in one place say every 12" apart. I would also recommend cutting the original welds to allow you to pull the lower half inwards and align it with the upper half. Otherwise you will have a lot of bondo on that upper half of the fender.

What's your reason? I ended up welding together a pair of steel gate frames for a dumpster enclosure. I didn't want to do it, but the money was just too good to turn down right now. My daughter needs her tonsils out and the insurance company insists they are a pre-existing condition......thanks for the health care reform! I did the work within view of my wagon, so at least I could think about working on it.......next weekend.

Well, everybody over on the Hamb really likes this foil/foam stuff sold by Lobucrods, it's call EZ Cool. I'm considering that and anything else that might do the job. Any advice?

After many delays and problems I finally managed to spray the Lizard Skin insulation in my wagon. It went surprisingly well and I am happy with the result so far. I spray all of the interior surfaces that will be covered by upholstery or carpet. I sprayed the lower firewall and inner fender surfaces and the backsides of the fenders. I had two of the 2 gallon pails and could have gotten by with one really. The biggest surprise was that the stuff is black. I would have sworn it was white! One suggestion is to wear old clothes, anything it lands on it sticks too, so lots of masking tape also. I would wear long sleeves and gloves if I did it again. I will follow this up with the foil/foam sandwich material, but next up is the undercoating under the floor. Progress!

I can't decide if the old Plymouth is a cool use of an old beater or the sad end of a once noble automobile......It is cool, but kinda sad at the same time. However, the Model A fountain is totally cool!!!!

I think they call them Depends..........I love being banned, can you give me a hint on the forum name? I have been banned from a number of places I do not wish to frequent.

Having heard the Ed Zachary disease story I appreciate being elevated by a "cut up" above that status. There is just something right about a 2dr wagon, from any angle, in any shape or size.

Well, Borgward, Goliath or whatever it is, I want one! That thing is really cool. Makes my Suburban wagon look like a Goliath!