First Drive of 2022 - X2

[RobertKB]

Actually second drive as I had my ‘51 Dodge out last week. However, I had my ‘53 Plymouth Belvedere out today for the first time in 2022. We had snow and cold on Monday but another Chinook (see earlier post) arrived and it was 11C (52F) today. Roads were great. It felt a little cool as it was quite windy but the car has a great heater. 
 

The 4-Door ‘53 Belvedere was a Canadian only car as far as I know. This one is a survivor including original paint. It has a few scratches and some gravel rash but is pretty good for 102,000+ miles. It had rings and the valves lapped about 30,000 miles ago and still runs strong and uses very little oil. I’ve owned the car since 1975. 
 

If you look above the roof in the second picture you can easily see the Rocky Mountains. Although I live on the prairies of southern Alberta, the mountains are only about 80 miles away as the crow flies. 
 

 

 

Edited January 23, 2022 by RobertKB

[sidevalvepete]

Great pics. Would be a dream of mine to visit that big country in a post covid world and me in good health. Something to aim for......

Thanks for posting ?

[RobertKB]

You’d be welcome here anytime. I have been to NZ many years ago, mainly the North Island. Beautiful country!

[capt den]

did you do the rings and valves while the engine was still in the car? i might do mine if that was easy.     capt den

[RobertKB]

Yes, engine was still in the car. Very slight ridge was removed before pulling pistons. Pulled pan and removed rod caps. Bearings were plastic gauged and were right in the middle of factory specs so the old girl still has all original bearings. Oil pressure has always been super. Pistons at that time looked good and re-used. New head gasket but head was not machined. This was like 40 years ago and it’s run well since……touch wood. Maybe I just got lucky but I had help from an old mechanic who was in the same car club. 

[keithb7]

Looks good Robert KB. We’re in the middle of our annual January duldrums.  Socked in with low cloud. Grey & dreary. No direct sunlight. Foggy. Staying steady around freezing point.  Snow is neither melting or accumulating. Roads are a mess of de-icing chemicals. Nah-a, no way I’m taking an old beauty out around here. I am a little jealous of your nice weather and road conditions. 
 

I have done a valve seat grind and replaced all valves & lapped-in, while in-frame.   I have not done a ring jobin-frame.  I think it would be a fun project to do. I would consider it if needed. Cleanliness is paramount and can be challenging when done in frame.  You’d be spending a lot of time bent over up top, and laying under the car on the bottom end. Could be done on a car hoist and it would be nicer.  

[Sniper]

Wildest thing I ever saw was an in car cylinder boring machine.  This video doesn't show it in car, but they could be used for that.

 

 

 

[RobertKB]

Cool video! Thanks for posting. If you did it in car, you would still have to drop the crank to avoid any shavings getting where they shouldn’t. 

[Sniper]

I'd imagine so, to be honest I would never do it in car, too hard to get it clean enough, imo.

[wallytoo]

a bit later in the year, but today was the first drive of 2022 for my truck

 

 

 

 

Edited February 7, 2022 by wallytoo

[sidevalvepete]

Yeah..that's a very nice looking truck too. It is good to see you guys out on the road. Thanks for the pics.

[DJ194950]

Is the truck insured if it falls through the ice and into the lake and disappears?? ?

 

Insured for environmental damages??  ☠️

Please that's a joke-son, per the old Loony Tunes cartoons.

 

Looks like big amount of work but fun and very interesting!!

 

DJ

[wallytoo]

58 minutes ago, DJ194950 said:

Is the truck insured if it falls through the ice and into the lake and disappears?? ?

 

Insured for environmental damages??  ☠️

Please that's a joke-son, per the old Loony Tunes cartoons.

 

Looks like big amount of work but fun and very interesting!!

 

DJ

 

all jokes aside, no chance of going through the ice.  it was 18" thick.

 

we put about 6 to 8 of the blocks under the ice where they are being loaded, which helps with buoyancy around the "opening" and the loaded truck or trailer.

[oldodge41]

I had the "41 out today just long enough to take a picture. Too much crap on the roads for a drive. I wanted to check out the new look outside of the garage. So I snapped a couple pics while it was out.