Runs warm...

[Andydodge]

As far as I know the shrouds that Jim is referring to are on either side of the engine between it and the chassis rails, they were a standard fixture on mopars at least up to 1948.

[Jim Saraceno]

As far as I know the shrouds that Jim is referring to are on either side of the engine between it and the chassis rails, they were a standard fixture on mopars at least up to 1948.

Yes, and shroud is probably the wrong term. Either side of the engine compartment has a piece of sheet mettle with vents in them. You can remove them to access the engine from the wheel well such as when you do a valve adjustment.

[greg g]

The sheet metal around the oil pans that someof us have or had was a dust shield. Meant to keep road dust from dirt roads from getting kicked up into the engine compartment. They may have had some effect on channeling under hood air but it seems to me it would restrict rather than enhance the flow of air through the radiator.

Probably why the 30's cars had lots of slots and louvers inthe hoods, and when the dust sields went away in the 40's do did the hood reliefs. Gotta think that withthe cars movement there is a low pressure area under the hood that is meant to clear the under hood air out. If it gets over pressuered it would reduce air flow through the radiator.

I believe the fan shrouds became common, when hoods got lower and subsequntly so did radiators, so more air flow was required to et the same effeciency through a reduced cooling core.

[Jim Saraceno]

Well I just had her out for a nice long ride yesterday in temps of around 95. She ran at a steady 180 deg only to creep up when we were stopped at a stoplight but went right back down as we started driving again.

So it is official, my problem was the wrong (and not working properly) thermostat. I still can't believe that I hadn't replaced it when I did the rebuild!

[P-12 Tommy]

Good deal! Especially in hot weather like that.

Tom

[Joe Flanagan]

Jim,

Mine stays at about the same temp idling in very hot weather (100-plus in the DC area today!). 180 is its idle temp but in hot weather it will creep up a bit. Doesn't get any higher than that. Since it's not mobile, I don't know what it will do under load. I started it up for a friend yesterday and he said, "Let's put some seats in it and go for a ride."

[RobertKB]

Well I just had her out for a nice long ride yesterday in temps of around 95. She ran at a steady 180 deg only to creep up when we were stopped at a stoplight but went right back down as we started driving again.

So it is official, my problem was the wrong (and not working properly) thermostat. I still can't believe that I hadn't replaced it when I did the rebuild!

Glad to hear everything worked out OK. Forgetting you may or may not have done something is common, especially the older you get.

The right thermostat for a particular engine is very important and this thread will remind others to check theirs out.

[55 Fargo]

Well I just had her out for a nice long ride yesterday in temps of around 95. She ran at a steady 180 deg only to creep up when we were stopped at a stoplight but went right back down as we started driving again.

So it is official, my problem was the wrong (and not working properly) thermostat. I still can't believe that I hadn't replaced it when I did the rebuild!

Thats Great Jim, mine also had a t/stat problem, have not had 95 weather, but u[pper 70s, she ran right at 160, today it's 60s, and she is running at 150, so go figure.

How is the air cleaner, did you try it out yet.....Fred

[Jim Saraceno]

How is the air cleaner, did you try it out yet.....Fred

Not yet. I cleaned it up and reshaped the bracket so it should fit better but I want to get a rubber gasket for it and paint it up.

My other big past-time is fishing and this time of the year is some of the best fishing so my car has been neglected while I try to get to the river as often as possible these days.

Seeing we've been getting weather in the upper 90s, I'll probably cut back on the fishing and take up playing with Bluebelle again!

[james49ply]

Have to put my pennys worth in, just got hame from a 30 mile run at 60 mph, temp went to 180 and stuck there, came into town and stopped at light, stayed 180, in town driving temp went down to 170. this day it is 90 degrees. I have origional style 160 t-stat, the one that has the high crown for a non resurculating waterpump. I am happy with the way it runs, just purrs along at 60mph a bit high on the rpms (3000) I think it is time for OD?

[Don Coatney]

My other big past-time is fishing and this time of the year is some of the best fishing so my car has been neglected while I try to get to the river as often as possible these days.

As you are near St Louis then the river must be the sippi. Do you eat the river fish and do they have a coal oil flavor?

[Jim Saraceno]

As you are near St Louis then the river must be the sippi. Do you eat the river fish and do they have a coal oil flavor?

Ah-ha-ha! Well Ol' Man River is very close to me but that's not one I fish, though I see people fishing it all the time. And I'm sure some people eat what they catch.

I'm usually fly fishing the smaller rivers for smallmouth or trout, both are too precious a resource to kill and eat so if I want to eat fish, I go to the grocery store.

[Don Coatney]

Your fishing story reminded me of this.

The following transcript is from a hand written letter from Thomas Jefferson Coatney to his mother Arminda B. Coatney in Scott County Indiana

December 14, 1878

New Madrid Missouri

Dear Mother

As it is Sunday and raining I will write you a long letter and tell you how we are getting along as well as some things about our trip. We are all well at present. George and Oswil have been sick but they are getting well as fast as they can. Now I must tell you some things about the trip. We started from Louisville in a skiff. We had no beds so we slept on the rocks without any covers for two nights. Then we bought our boat. It is 7x25 with a cabin 7x14 ft. We are pretty well fixed. We have a good stove with a skillet, pot stewer, plates, knives, forks, and other things too numerous to mention. In the grub line we have plenty of meal, meat, salt, flour, apples, potatoes, beans, molasses, & game. We have plenty of ammunition, a lantern, lamp, and chimney, plenty of coal oil. For beds we have great big coffee sacks stuffed with straw. Our progress down the Ohio was slow but when we struck the Mississippi we went it skwting like opossum on a sleety limb. There is a great deal of difference in the scenery on the two rivers. That of the Ohio being a great deal the most beautiful. The banks of the Mississippi are giving away all the time with a swollen roar that sounds like heavy cannons 25 or 30 miles off. I saw a big tree go in yesterday clear out of sight.We have run into a bayou just above town. We are run with it up into the swamps to hunt and trap. Well mother I understand you have moved back to the farm so they wrote to us. I am glad to hear it. If you now have the boys with you and I reckon you have tell them I said to be good honest boys and to learn all they can and to take good care of you. Boys you must write to me. Both of you. Now don't forget it for I want to hear from you. I have not received any letters from home yet. Please tell uncle Ben to write and send me a democrat paper or two. Well mother I have written you a long letter. I will wind up by requesting that you write soon and let me know how you are getting along. Address at New Madrid, Madrid Co. MO.

Yours Truly:

T. J. Coatney

[Jim Saraceno]

Don, How cool is that to have a letter like that. That is some really nice family history there!

So what was he doing going from Louisville to New Madrid? Is that where he settled? I've never been to New Madrid (and for those not from Missouri, the accent is on the first syllable of Madrid, unlike the city in Spain) but from the looks of topographic maps, it looks to be totally flat down there.

I believe today, there are some big time rich folk down there such as the Danforths that got their start in farming. It's also the home to one of the largest earthquakes in America. It made bell ring in Philadelphia and the Mississippi flow backwards.