Jacquiline, My 1946 Plymouth Special Deluxe

[OUTFXD]

Sanding the bondo back uncovered a small dent that also hadnt been worked and simply covered with Bondo.

[OUTFXD]

The tools of a proper redneck bodyman.  two Saw horses, A bit of plywood covered in Cardboard. a DA sander and a dead blow rubber mallet.

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First off I  paint a line around the area to be worked with a paint pen.

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Apply a little elbow grease and work out the dents from the outside in "Flattening" the bends caused by the damage.

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I worked on the small crease on the back.  Sadly I was loosing light and the temperature was dipping so.... its not perfect , but I will work the rest out later with a body hammer and dolly.

[OUTFXD]

And some gloss black to finish it up, it was getting proper cold so the paint was runny.  I will fix it later  with some 600 grit sand paper.

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also... why are my pictures posting upside down?

[Booger]

dude your doing a kick butt job. thanks for taking us along

[bartenderfloyd]

Nice job

[OUTFXD]

So,  its been a week or so and she still starts on her own power.  So I think *knock on wood* we finally have the starter issue fixed.

 

 

On to the next project.  there is a four or five inch dead zone in the steering wheel. and then she kind of darts in the direction I am turning the wheel (no suspension slop so I dont think its worn out parts).  She also kind of wanders the road.   I am thinking the alignment is toed out a touch.  I called around to various shops.  Most places wont touch a car this old. I did manage to find an old mom and pops place that will do it a couple towns over.  The down side?  They are booked till the end of April. Booked an appointment.

 

On to the next project.  She has a bizarre coolant leak.  I can fill the coolant system and dive all over the place with out loosing a drop of coolant.  Parker her over night and the coolant has all disappeared the next morning.  No Coolant in the oil. no obvious leaks.

 

Yesterday I went for a drive.  came home,  engine was full of coolant and no signs of leaks.  A few hours later I went out and did a visual inspection.  found a SMALL drip from the bottom of the water pump.  I couldnt tell if it was from the gasket or from the weep hole.  I theorize that when the engine was warm, the parts expanded and sealed the drip off until the engine cooled hours later and the parts contracted letting the coolant quietly dripped out as I slept.

 

The thermostat and the water pump have RTV squished out of the seams.  so SOMEONE has been in there (anxiety flare).  But was it one of the guys that knew what they where doing or one of the kids that was trying to build a cool car as cheaply (and without experience) as possible?

 

Pulled off the Thermostat housing and sure enough.  No Thermostat. (Someone theorized it would be missing earlier in the thread)  and about 1/3 of a gasket soaked in RTV *Rolls eyes*

 

Currently soaking the thermostat housing in Vinegar to remove the copious rust on the inside and Trying to get the radiator out so I can pull off the water pump.

 

Wish me luck!

Edited March 29, 2022 by OUTFXD

[OUTFXD]

Got the radiator out,  water pump came out easily. It had an old fragile gasket sealed with copious amounts of RTV (Chants "I was once a teenager, I was once a teenager").  and I mean a LOT of RTV.  I was concerned that it might have restricted water flow.

 

Looking at the bottom of the water pump.  the freshest newest rust appeared to be around the weep hole.  so I am guessing that despite their best efforts,  The leak was from the water pump not the gasket.

 

Looks like the pump is meant to come apart.  So.. I submit to you.  Am I better off trying to rebuild it or just getting a new one?

 

Edited March 29, 2022 by OUTFXD

[FarmerJon]

I think rock auto still has water pumps for fairly cheap. The service manual details how to check and rebuild the original one, I kept my original to do "one day". 

Hopefully you will have less problems finding the correct thermostat, with all it's pieces, correctly made, than I did, but I suspect it is a problem with ALL parts store brands. 

 

As far as the loose steering, there is a large rubber pad on each side of the steering box mount. As they fail and fall apart the box is able to move more and more. There is also some adjustment in the box to take out some slop between the gears.

 

Good luck

[OUTFXD]

I have to wonder,  Seriously,  Was I ever this bad?  The RTV in the hole on the left  fell out when I touched it.  it wasnt AS bad as the hole on the right

[Young Ed]

That looks like a modern pump already so I would just get another one. 

[Art Bailey]

I got a Gates 43538 water pump from Rock Auto last year for my 237. Just checked Rock Auto in case I was steering you wrong, they have them for the '46 Plymouth, it's a different part number. I saved the old carcass in case one day Mexico stops sending us water pumps. My understanding is that rebuilding a water pump is a tricky business, requiring tricky machinist grade skills.

 

Edited March 29, 2022 by ratbailey

[Sam Buchanan]

Water pump rebuilder:

 

http://water-pump-rebuilders.com

[OUTFXD]

Got the grill out.  For SnG Streamed an hour of it on my Twitch channel.

 

Not sure if there is much call for that kind of thing but heck.  someone has to be the first!

 

https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1443450889

Edited April 1, 2022 by OUTFXD

[Bryan]

On 3/29/2022 at 6:06 PM, OUTFXD said:

I have to wonder,  Seriously,  Was I ever this bad?  The RTV in the hole on the left  fell out when I touched it.  it wasnt AS bad as the hole on the right

As others have mentioned, you might want to tap the edges of the distribution tube to make it fit better in the hole. Makes the water go thru it instead of around. If you're really feeling good, pull the tube and clean it if you're this far along.

[Bryan]

Finally found the picture I was hunting for.  Behind the D tube.

[OUTFXD]

Just a quick build montage of the work I have done so far. https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1444906174

[bartenderfloyd]

1 hour ago, OUTFXD said:

Just a quick build montage of the work I have done so far. https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1444906174

Well...you have one more subscriber now.  I love seeing the work done live.  And the montage is great.  It is amazing how much work you have put into the car.  It is really paying off!

[OUTFXD]

Found some markings stenicled upside down on the  frame.  I assume original. Not sure if this is "Well documented" or not.  Hopefully someone will find this useful. For reference it reads

"  9 . 4 . 48 . 78 - 22 "

 

Edited April 16, 2022 by OUTFXD

[OUTFXD]

Starting to look sexy!

[OUTFXD]

So,  I took the headlight buckets out. Following the precept of do it now or you will have more work doing it later I took them apart, Wirebrushed, cleaned, primered them, I painted them and undercoated the outside. 

 

Now I realize I have no idea how to get them back together.   I know one of the springs was missing when I took them apart.  but how do the "Molly screw"s for adjustment attach??

 

I Searched for guides on the web sight and on the YooHootube but came up dry. 

 

Any help accepted!

[OUTFXD]

I managed to get one of the headlight buckets cobbled back together,  The other will have to wait till I can afford some replacement hardware.