Worden18 Posted March 4, 2018 Author Report Posted March 4, 2018 Mar. 3, 2018: Pic is looking down the highway at the neighbor's property. Her barn is the only original surviving structure of the farmstead, and was built in 1891. Her grandparents built it. 1 Quote
Worden18 Posted March 13, 2018 Author Report Posted March 13, 2018 March 12: Loaded up the kids and dogs for a quick ride to the hiking trail. Heater came in handy as it was windy and in the low 30s. Quote
Worden18 Posted March 13, 2018 Author Report Posted March 13, 2018 March 12: Parking lot at the trail head. When we returned from our walk there was a car parked right next to the Meadowbrook. Guess they had a hard time finding an open spot! 1 Quote
Worden18 Posted March 13, 2018 Author Report Posted March 13, 2018 March 12: Final stop at the Public Library. Soon I need to tear into the rear brakes. Plus I need to make a cardboard template for a heat shield. And I'm considering an aluminum radiator. I also need to change the engine oil soon, and install one new battery cable. Quote
Uberchin Posted March 13, 2018 Report Posted March 13, 2018 If you're replacing your radiator due to overheating, that's just a bandaid. If had great success using EvapoRust radiator flush and then removing the expansion plug at the bottom of the block near the block drain stopcock. You probably have a ton of crude stuck down there. I replaced mine with a rubber expansion plug for easier access and ease of doing it each year. Quote
keithb7 Posted March 13, 2018 Report Posted March 13, 2018 Whats the scoop on your brakes Worden? Poor performance? Leaks? Thinking about a front disc conversion? Quote
Worden18 Posted March 13, 2018 Author Report Posted March 13, 2018 1 hour ago, keithb7 said: Whats the scoop on your brakes Worden? Poor performance? Leaks? Thinking about a front disc conversion? I did the front brakes 2 years ago Keith. I just haven't gotten around to the rear ones yet. They work good yet, but the master cylinder is getting spongy. I have a new replacement ready for install. Just need to get off my lazy butt and start on this stuff. . I'm not going to do a disc brake conversion at this time. This old Dodge has better brakes than most of the cars I have owned from the 60s; there's been 25+ of those in my life... 2 Quote
Worden18 Posted March 13, 2018 Author Report Posted March 13, 2018 5 hours ago, Uberchin said: If you're replacing your radiator due to overheating, that's just a bandaid. If had great success using EvapoRust radiator flush and then removing the expansion plug at the bottom of the block near the block drain stopcock. You probably have a ton of crude stuck down there. I replaced mine with a rubber expansion plug for easier access and ease of doing it each year. Thanks for the response. Engine was rebuilt last year, along with the radiator, which has been repaired twice and has a minor leak again. Doesn't run hot at all; 180 degrees no matter what the weather. Just sick of repairing the old one... Quote
Worden18 Posted March 16, 2018 Author Report Posted March 16, 2018 March 15: My son (he's 8) and I got started on the rear brakes tonight. I wanted to go at a pace that he could do and feel good about. He wants to help me, and I wouldn't have it any other way. I loosened the lug nuts for him (opposite thread on driver's side!), and he finished with a ratchet. Then he jacked up the car as far as he could, and I finished. Blocks underneath the frame and center of the leaf springs where they bolt to the axle. Then we took out the right tools and removed the cotter pins from the castle nut. That's as far as we got, but I feel good about it. So happy I have a son who is as enthused as I am about this stuff. He choses the Meadowbrook over my 2017 Challenger! 3 Quote
Young Ed Posted March 16, 2018 Report Posted March 16, 2018 Just now, Worden18 said: March 15: My son (he's 8) and I got started on the rear brakes tonight. I wanted to go at a pace that he could do and feel good about. He wants to help me, and I wouldn't have it any other way. I loosened the lug nuts for him (opposite thread on driver's side!), and he finished with a ratchet. Then he jacked up the car as far as he could, and I finished. Blocks underneath the frame and center of the leaf springs where they bolt to the axle. Then we took out the right tools and removed the cotter pins from the castle nut. That's as far as we got, but I feel good about it. So happy I have a son who is as enthused as I am about this stuff. He choses the Meadowbrook over my 2017 Challenger! You stopped right where it starts to get fun-putting the puller on and removing the drum from the tapered axle. You do have a puller right? Quote
keithb7 Posted March 16, 2018 Report Posted March 16, 2018 A puller and a big sledge? Lol. Oh and ear plugs. Safety glasses. Maybe a riot helmet. Good to see your son helping. Those are great times. My sons were the same. One hung on and still helps out a bit. The other met girls, cars, and beer. Lol. 1 Quote
Worden18 Posted March 16, 2018 Author Report Posted March 16, 2018 26 minutes ago, Young Ed said: You stopped right where it starts to get fun-putting the puller on and removing the drum from the tapered axle. You do have a puller right? Yep, I have the correct puller. I won't let it beat me! Quote
Dodgeb4ya Posted March 16, 2018 Report Posted March 16, 2018 It's great to see a kid who is interested in an old car and not playing games on the phone all day! Good going on teaching him something he can use in the future... the ability and want to work on something mechanical. That will help him and you in the future too! 1 Quote
Worden18 Posted March 17, 2018 Author Report Posted March 17, 2018 March 17: I must be the luckiest guy in the world. The brake drum on the driver side came right off after about 4 or 5 hits with my 3 pound dead blow hammer, and I didn't even hit it that hard. The passenger side maybe took about 15 hits and then it popped off. The brake shoes are worn, and the passenger side wheel cylinder is leaking. I have all the parts to fix it up right! Quote
Worden18 Posted March 17, 2018 Author Report Posted March 17, 2018 March 17: my son snapped this picture of the driver side. Can't see it here but the front shoe is very worn. 1 Quote
Worden18 Posted March 17, 2018 Author Report Posted March 17, 2018 March 17: I didn't like the thought of turning the castle nut around and taking the chance of either cross threading it or crushing it, so I found this extra thick washer with an indentation in my junk drawer for the puller to butt up against. It worked great! Quote
Worden18 Posted March 17, 2018 Author Report Posted March 17, 2018 March 17: The washer and puller in action. Quote
Worden18 Posted March 17, 2018 Author Report Posted March 17, 2018 March 17: passenger-side drum off. Quote
Worden18 Posted March 17, 2018 Author Report Posted March 17, 2018 March 17: passenger-side leaking. Will get it fixed up right tomorrow or early in the week. 1 Quote
Worden18 Posted May 10, 2018 Author Report Posted May 10, 2018 May 9, 2018: Got the Meadowbrook back on the road. The brakes work pretty good, but I’m not a great expert on the bleeding process. After work tomorrow morning I’m heading to a friend’s to put the car up on his hoist. We’ll get the brakes bled properly then. Here’s a shot while it was warming up. Felt spectacular to be behind the wheel again. My kids rode into town with me to get gas. Can’t wait to drive to work tomorrow morning! 3 Quote
pflaming Posted May 10, 2018 Report Posted May 10, 2018 We all have the things we like to follow, I like your posts. It's nothing fancy, just an honest chronology of your family and a car, I love it! I've been so busy working to complete my Suburban I'm not out and about as much as I would like with my truck. Enjoy spring and summer. 1 Quote
Worden18 Posted May 10, 2018 Author Report Posted May 10, 2018 1 minute ago, pflaming said: We all have the things we like to follow, I like your posts. It's nothing fancy, just an honest chronology of your family and a car, I love it! I've been so busy working to complete my Suburban I'm not out and about as much as I would like with my truck. Enjoy spring and summer. Glad you enjoy my posts. I just like to have fun, and I enjoy talking to people. People always have interesting stories they like to share, mostly sparked when they see my car and just have to inquire about it. I have a little story that I will share now... Quote
Worden18 Posted May 10, 2018 Author Report Posted May 10, 2018 May 9th continued: So my kids and I pull up to the gas pump at 8:30pm. After I finish at the pump a guy pulls up in his car and asks, "What year is it?" I tell him its a 51. He tells me he has a 49 Wayfarer (2 door of course) that his grandfather gave to him back in the mid-60s. He drove it until he went to Vietnam in 1970, and then his dad drove it for a couple of years. His dad stopped driving it before he got back from Vietnam because something was wrong with the engine; he thought maybe a rod knock. So the car is still sitting in his garage after all this time, not having run since the early 70s. At this point he didn't think it would ever run again, but he will never part with it because his grandfather gave it to him. He told me back in the 60s there was a sledding hill in the winter that was right next to a steep and kinda scary road. His siblings and their friends would sled down the hill, he would wait for them at the bottom with the Wayfarer, then hook up the sled with a rope to the car's rear bumper and pull them back up the road so they wouldn't have to walk back up! He said with the Fluid Drive in 3rd gear he could crawl up that slippery road. A friend of his had a truck with studded tires (legal back then...at least around here), and HE couldn't make it up that hill! Imagine that! We talked for probably 15 minutes. I told him some of the history of the Meadowbrook, and he enjoyed hearing it and had some questions. I could see by the look in his eye that he wished his old Wayfarer was running again. He's from a neighboring town, and I told him that if he sees me out and about and doesn't mind showing me his 49 that I'd be happy to look at it and reminisce with him. It was fun talking to someone who appreciated my car. ? Quote
The Oil Soup Posted May 10, 2018 Report Posted May 10, 2018 I look forward to reading about your adventures in the Meadowbrook! 2 Quote
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