Mark Haymond

My gosh, you must have a circle gauge and I see a mechanical pencil like the one I used in high school mechanical drawing class in the sixties. Is that a recent manufacture or an old survivor pencil? I bet you have a stirring motion pencil sharpener too, judging by the shape of the lead. This is a bit off topic but caught my eye.

It is shown in Shorpy site as a "motor check." I have no idea what it was checking. http://www.junipergallery.com/node/5169

Here are my photos of the faces, fun, and vehicles of this year's 2014 Clements Tailgate BBQ. About eighty photos. It was a fun and interesting day, and the technical lore you pick up at this event is priceless. http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/n-9K3VQ/

Last Minute Clements Repairs. I enjoyed the thought of not needing to prepare for the trip, just hop in the P-15 Plymouth and drive up Saturday morning. After all, except for some recent rough idling, it had been running all winter without needing attention. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." But it did not work out that way. Monday it started idling really rough, missing, and nearly stalling at the stop lights. It had a history of vacuum leaks in to past so I turned my attention to the carb and intake manifold gaskets. Got lucky. Today I used a kit and rebuilt the two barrel carb (Dodge 318 V8.) Now it has a smooth idle again. I count myself lucky two ways. One, it went south early in the week which gave me time to do repairs. Two, I fixed the right thing and did not chase ignition or fuel delivery systems. Now all I have to do is wash the car and drive up, right? What could possibly go wrong?

Paul, I sent you a PM.

These horns have to draw a lot of power through the wires. If the circuit path from the battery, through the relay (you have a new one), and to the horn connection is not good the horns may not work. You may not even get a weak sound, they may just stay silent until they get enough juice. Happened to me. Try running a jumper cable or other suitable wire straight from the battery to the horn connection to test this theory. It is a quick test, it will tell you if the horns are getting enough current.

I like the style of keeping the drive train Mopar.

I think I see a tire skate under the table. Did your tire skates get ruined? I have four nice ones you can borrow if you need them. Mark

A MOCHEVY

Ooh, what are their rules for concrete foundation walls? Are windows allowed? Just thinking as an outside observer. Don't want you to get an unwelcome surprise.

Paul, I will be happy to convoy up to Clements with you. I'll drive one of my old Plymouths and be your wing man.

Oh crap. That's hard to deal with. You can ride with me to Clements if you want.

Retirement is being good to Don Coatney. I hope to enjoy some Flathead Burgers with him.

I learned how to shift without a clutch just for the fun of it. But, just like Ricky Luke, when my own VW bus clutch cable broke I was able to drive it home. What I felt was just a stupid boyish "trick" actually saved me some money and grief. I guess I only get to pull off the BIG SAVE once in a life time because I have not had a similar clutch failure on other cars.

I drove my 47 Plymouth coupe last year. I was wingman for Paul's Dodge truck making its first extended trip. Here are my photos of the rides, faces, and a unique Dodge BBQ truck. http://markhaymond.smugmug.com/Cars/2013-Clements-Tailgate-Bar-B/n-qSjM2

A-MAZING. I just hurried to the garage to look at the engine I have taken out of my P-15. It is number diamond-P25-star-300170-star so it must be a 230 rather than a 218. I have had that engine 20 years and did not know it was a 230. Thanks guys.

When something like this happens to me I ask myself, "OK, what did I touch last?" You took off the horn ring or button and the steering wheel, so I bet the problem is there, and horn ring or button parts are grounding out the wire that runs up the inside of the column. Perhaps you could take the steering wheel parts off slowly, testing for the horn sound as you go. That may reveal which specific part of the assembly is stuck in the "blow-the-horn" postition. Fix that and you will soon be enjoying your new looking steering wheel.

I have gotten hard water stains and crud off old auto window glass using a new razor blade and patience on the edges where it builds up the most. For the rest of the glass, I have used a mild paint "rubbing compound," taking care to change T-shirt cloth often and keep the rubbing compound wet and fresh. I learned the trick from some janitorial people who could clean a stained shower door glass to look like new. It still takes a lot of elbow work, but done right, it will cut the water deposits and not scratch the glass. I love the bubbles in the window glass of my 47 Plymouth, it is part of the time machine experience.

I moved my radiator forward for the 318 engine in my P-15. I did not have enough room for the stock clutch fan, so went electric.

Clarification. I cemented two feet at a time on the long weatherstrip around each door. (I did not cut it into two foot lengths.)

It is a job that requires patience. I used contact cement, applying a trail on the door frame and on a two foot section of the rubber weatherstrip. Waited until it got tacky, and carefully pressed on the rubber. Then did another two feet. If I tried to do it all at once the weather strip had too many feet of sticky coil surface and wanted to stick to itself or the floor or upholstery. Go slow and you will like the results.

I have done it both of the ways your have described. Disconnecting at the bottom of the spindle makes it hard to squeeze the rubber seals into place and align the lower pin when you put it back together. Disconnecting the A arm near the center of the frame is less technical. BOTH WAYS ARE SCARY because the spring tension is strong enough to cause serious injury if something slips. Take off the sway bar first or the A arm will not drop far enough to release the coil spring.

My best journey was from fumbling with the unreliable English sports cars to a Volkswagen bug to two different unreliable VW vans, to a somewhat reliable 68 Ford to a restored 1950 Plymouth. I learned a lot about cars along the way. My little Plymouth has turned out to be a solid reliable car for many years now. I did not expect that I could do that.

I sold a Jaguar when my first baby came. I dreamed about it for ten years afterward. Regrets, yes. Did I make the right decision for my family at the time, YES.

Cheap thrill. I enjoy the little lamp in my P-15 hood ornament, it is one more thing that sets it apart from other cars on the road. I wired mine to the toggle switch that controls the instrument panel lamps.