Project update (long)

[rearview]

Spent some quality time with the 51 Wayfarer this weekend.

When I got the car, the generator top bracket was broken (used a bungee cord!!!) and only one lower bolt halfway dangling in the hole. Hacked up a chrome upper alternator bracket for a small block chevy and replaced the hardware that was missing. Now I have a spare bungee!

Switched the car back to 6v positive ground.

Removed solenoid choke assembly by breaking both studs off and tinkered enough to make that work.

Picked up a NOS Stromberg carb kit from guy in Milwaukee a couple weeks back, so I pulled the carb (car ran like garbage when transitioning from choke to normal) Cleaned the crud off the carb and found out no rebuild is necessary. The 3 screws that hold the 2 halfs together were VERY loose. Tightened them up and intalled the carb and a clear fuel filter. Started up (using vise-grips for choke) and ran much better. Took carb back off again because I forgot to drill and taps the studs for the choke solenoid I broke off earlier. Put that whole deal back together again, fired right up (with working choke now) but deteriorated as it warmed up. Found idle mixture was WAY too lean (only 1/2 turn out) Adjusted that and now it runs like a top.

I've got new points, cap and rotor, but I'm not going to put them in because I don't want to mess with a good thing.

Did some investigating on the parking brake. Appears the arm is bent where the cable attached, plus the cable is very frayed up top. Looks like it's time to put it up on the stands and do the service brakes and the parking brake. And maybe put a 1" drop on the back or so. Then it's of to the exhaust shop (probably in spring)

Bob

[RobertKB]

Sounds like you are having fun. Nice to see someone go back to 6V positive. You have a nice looking car and will have years of fun with it. Not many of that body style around. I have my eyes on a '49 with that style body but so far no luck talking the owner out of it. It's pretty sad but is certainly restorable.

[randroid]

Bob,

I enjoy reading about other people's problems and how they fixed them; I'm about to put "PIGIRON" back on the road and it helps my morale a bunch to know I'm not the only one running into walls because it helps me see the light at the end of the tunnel.

I used my '48 4d SD as a daily driver for about eight years before I parked it for some minor repairs two years ago, and I have no doubt everybody on this forum knows where I'm going with this so I shan't interate. I miss rolling down the road in a car most drivers today couldn't even figure out how to start, sitting on an over-stuffed couch in front of a roaring fire when the heater's running and cruising in OD at 65 mph getting better than 20 mpg. There isn't much glory in driving old iron when you think that perhaps a Dodge Charger Daytona might not have cost us a hell of a lot more, but the pure satisfaction is intangible.

Continue to keep us posted, please.

-Randy

[Normspeed]

Glad to hear you're getting some stuff done. Nice looking car too. Today I swapped speedo drive gears and took some height measurements so I'll get the back end the same level as the front soon.

[rearview]

Thnks for the compliments and the support.

The wife had a gardening meeting tonight, so another garage day for me.(BTW.. why are there gardening club meetings in WI in January?)

Got it up in the air on stands and knocked the wheels off. There's tons of Georgia red clay packed around all the suspension and tranny cross member, around the clutch pivot, etc. Most of it has been there for eons since it was rock hard and covered in grease from the leaky front pan seal. I easily knocked 4-5 lbs off (no kidding) Front suspension and steering components seem remarkably tight still, so there is some money savings. Probably spent most of it's life out in the boonies or running down a long dirt driveway.

Investigating the parking brake a bit more, the strap mechanism under the car on the trans works freely. Looks like the failure is from the trans mounts getting soft and allowing the trans to sag down and to pinch the cable against the cross member, causing heavy chafing and preventing cable movement. Anybody seen this before? Does anybody have a good pic of theirs that I can look at?

Bob

[Normspeed]

The cable on my 53 has worn a series of grooves into the cross member from rubbing all those years, but I'm lucky, it's not pinched yet. Sounds like yours will correct itself when you replace the motor mounts.