Jockeying For My Turn In My '53

[keithb7]

It's a great problem to have. My 18 year old is in love with "My" '53 Windsor. He calls it "Our" car. He loves to take it out at every opportunity. I am under constant pressure to keep it up and running. Improving reliability.

When I bought the car in May this spring, he was with me to go view and inspect it. He was the first to drive it when we test drove it at seller's house. 

He enjoys working on it too, under my direction. He washes and vacuums it at any opportunity too. I can't complain. He does not have the same level of mechanical experience as I did at 18. Between working full time this summer, chasing girls,  and maintaining an active social life, he's surely not around much. Lol.

It seems I can't get through everything repair/maintenance-wise, as quick as I would like to. As soon as one thing is done, he's asking for they keys again. I am slowly getting there with all the little things on the car. 

"The '53", he calls it, was down for a month while I did the valve grind. He was involved and helped. Upon first flash up at the end of the job, he had a massive grin. I let him do the first test drive. He's doomed. I'm feeding him vintage car adrenalin at every opportunity. 

This weekend I think I'll postpone the next job, (master cylinder rebuild) and let him drive it. I'll tackle that over a few evenings next week. I'll be scheduling him to join me on the project. He needs to know this stuff, as some day he wants the car to be his. In addition to my massive rolling tool chest. He'a going to be waiting a long time. I'm 46. 

I'm certainly enjoying our car time together while he's still around. He was saying last week, "Dad, the '53 is the best thing you ever bought."... I laughed .

 

[Don Coatney]

Great to have some young interest but I don't think postponing break work to let him drive is such a good idea.

[Young Ed]

Just now, Don Coatney said:

Great to have some young interest but I don't think postponing break work to let him drive is such a good idea.

so don't take a break from the brake work  

I was thinking the same thing too.

[Don Coatney]

1 minute ago, Young Ed said:

so don't take a break from the brake work  

I was thinking the same thing too.

So youngster Ed give me a break/brake. I claim old timers disease.

[keithb7]

The Brakes work very well and appear set up good. They are dragging a little at times. I estimate the master cylinder relief port hole may have some scale in it possibly. New full rebuild kit going in. 

[knuckleharley]

3 hours ago, keithb7 said:

It's a great problem to have. My 18 year old is in love with "My" '53 Windsor. He calls it "Our" car. He loves to take it out at every opportunity. I am under constant pressure to keep it up and running. Improving reliability.

 

Seems to me that no matter what other work you do to the car after this,you have already won the "biggest trophy".

[keithb7]

More fun: https://youtu.be/IUHH5BdFtvk

[Worden18]

What an awesome car man.  I really like that style of Chrysler.  Watched 3 of your videos on youtube.  Your son isn't doomed, he's blessed! 

Ask him to work on it with you at every opportunity.  Wanna drive it?  Then you work on it.  Those are my rules anyway LOL

Looks great man, congrats on a super purchase.

[keithb7]

Thanks Worden. It's my first vinatge car. Now I am discovering all these vintage Chyslers that I had no idea about. Hard to pick a favourite. So many great cars. I love the L6. So simple. So smooth. I want at least one from every 5 years. 1928, 1933, 1938, etc. Right up to my '53. I got one. A good start!

Edited July 8, 2017 by keithb7

[dpollo]

My 28 Chrysler is a 4.  My other cars, a 35, 40, 50, and 51 are Plymouths  plus a 52 Fargo pickup are all six cylinder powered.    In the past 50 plus years they , and others like them, have taken me anywhere I have wanted to go in a car or light truck.  Overdrive helps for highway running but the 35 and the 40 get along just fine without it.