For you Newbees

[ptwothree]

This is a friendly warning to those of you who have got into the 'old car hobby' recently.You really need to check these cars out before you hit the streets. They are 60 yrs old or so and who knows what tey have been thru or what has been done prior to your ownership.  Car might look shiny and all chromey, neet as a pin.  Or it could be something that was recently dragged out of a ditch that's been home for the last ....???

Do yourself and all of us a favor and go over the front and rear suspension and steering.

I say this because no matter what the PO told you, you just don't know what you don't know.

I am going thru the front suspension on my '52.  All was ok with the left front....got to the right front and found this......

This is the nut and pin that hold the lower control arm to the spindle.  The nut is finger loose in this pic.  Not good.

So the message here is that just because you pour some gas into the carb, fire it up and go for a cruise, doesn't mean it is safe to do so.

Suspension, steering and brakes......check 'em out before they check you out.

[dale]

A complete brake job is the first order of business too.  Those old lines can corrode from the inside.

[captden29]

my thing is to do the brakes first. you can inspect a lot when those parts are removed.a car that drives is great, a car that stops is better.    capt den

[Plymouthy Adams]

2 hours ago, ptwothree said:

This is a friendly warning to those of you who have got into the 'old car hobby' recently.You really need to check these cars out before you hit the streets. They are 60 yrs old or so and who knows what tey have been thru or what has been done prior to your ownership.  Car might look shiny and all chromey, neet as a pin.  Or it could be something that was recently dragged out of a ditch that's been home for the last ....???

Do yourself and all of us a favor and go over the front and rear suspension and steering.

I say this because no matter what the PO told you, you just don't know what you don't know.

I am going thru the front suspension on my '52.  All was ok with the left front....got to the right front and found this......

This is the nut and pin that hold the lower control arm to the spindle.  The nut is finger loose in this pic.  Not good.

So the message here is that just because you pour some gas into the carb, fire it up and go for a cruise, doesn't mean it is safe to do so.

Suspension, steering and brakes......check 'em out before they check you out.

 

This message is equally important to some ole timers as well.......those that become complacent in their routine work...maybe taking a shortcut, or the I'll get it next time mentality...hopefully these just end up as shot in the foot and a flatbed ride home and no other casualties.  If doing any work...make a check list and double check your work.  Majority of problems that arrive here are owner inflicted due to either poor workmanship and usually always during a routine they had done before in the "surely I did this right" in their mind and question everything beside the work they just completed.