Tune-up adventures preparing for the DreamCruise

[DonaldSmith]

Somewhere I heard that an adventure is something that turns out unexpectedly because it was not adequately planned. Had to tune up my car before next weekend.

My 47 DeSoto was running like crap. (technical term for $hitty.) At least the tailpipe was not sucking in the glove I held over the end, but the glove was flapping. Some time ago it would suck in a bill, but the hanging valves must have loosend up.

I tightened the manifold nuts, to rule out manifold leaks. The nuts in the middle were loose. I removed the carb to remove the upper heat shield, to get at some of the nuts. The carb was loose, too. I crawled under the car and tightened the legendary thirteenth manifold nut.

The vacuum gauge reading was good, but still some stumbling.

(Tip to the not-so-swift: When you remove your vacuum gauge, plug up the pipe the hose was on, or the engine will really run like crap, if it runs at all.)

Took the distributor out, to adjust the points. There was some minor roughness at the points, but no real burning or deposits. I filed the points and set them. An eccentric screw helps move the points for adjusting, after the lockdown screw is loosened. I set the points and then overtightened the lockdown screw and stripped something. (Somewhere in there is another tip to the not-so-swift.)

Took the distributor to the bench and removed the plate that the points are mounted on. Luckily it was the the screw that was stripped, not the plate. Found a matching screw and cut it to length. Put everything back together and set the points.

Distributor is 180 degrees off, with No. 1 at 1:00. Considered setting it right, but the plug wires not the right length. Will defer until the next set of plug wires.

Went to a local car parts chain for plugs, anyone's but Champion. They had some AC Delco that were black, looked wierd. Went to another chain and got Autolite 258 plugs. (Lawn motor type.) Put them in, worked fine, but they are so short I had to cut about 5/16" off the silicone boots on the plug wires. Also 3/4" hex rather than 13/16, but what do you want on a Saturday evening when the good parts places are closed? You know, the places that have listings for 47 DeSotos. Besides, they were only a buck and a half each.

So the car is running well enough that I can drive around in high range, leave the Fluid Drive clutch out at stops, start up with out stalling, and experience the mystical Tip-Toe upshift. I even cruised Woodward Avenue here in beautiful Berkley, Michigan, just across from Royal Oak.

We are a week away from the annual Woodward DreamCruise, but the classic cars cruising Woodward each evening are getting as thick as flies on $... Each evening, people are out watching the cars.

I'll have some family here this weekend. We can watch the Friday night parade and the all-day saturday DreamCruise. I'll even venture out with my 1947 DeSoto Custom Suburban 8-passenger sedan.

[JohnS48plm]

Don, We were cruising on woodward on Sunday afternoon in my wife's cousins Model A Ford. There were quite a few nice cars cruising around. I wish I could get back for the big cruise next weekend. John

[jd52cranbrook]

Glad to hear some other members are out here. We will try to be out every afternoon and night now. Except Saturday, the actual cruise day supposedly. Woodward will be a parking lot four lanes wide for 16 miles I bet. We will park and walk. Awesome to see all those different types of cars on the road.

[DonaldSmith]

Southwest of Woodward and 12 Mile.

Anybody want to drop by? Send me personal message.

[jd52cranbrook]

Sent you a note Donald. Was out tonight,,,,,, very cool. Took some pics but with the wrong setting,,, ,, Will try to do better next time.

JD