Sanity Challenged OT!!

[55 Fargo]

Hi all, well it is March the 5th, but here in Manitoba this means it can still be cold winter weather or melting spring sunshine, well unfortunately it is still dang cold , last night it was -18, today it went up to 2 or so.

I am feeling a little blue ,maybe a little cabin fever, " now this is an understatement". After seeing how nice its getting in the Southern States, I am feeling a little green with envy, even though it is totally white outside here. I have been reading about some of youse guys, going for cruise and cruise- ins, etc, now this makes mee a little more like the horse all worked up in a paddock.

So what do you do when this happens, you go for a ride , yup, thats what I did, it was -5 outside, started up the Coupe, went down the gravel road, got to the highway, it was bone dry, as it has been cool, so I go for a highway cruise , speeds up to about 55 to 60 mph, heater going full speed, temp runnning about 160, lots of funny looks from other drivers.

Now I gotta be nuts going for a ride this time of year, when it's this cold, but heck I could not resist, I love to drive this car any chance I get, and she isn't even finished yet. If I had another driver, say a P15 or something that was on the rougher side, I would no doubt drive it year round, just for the pleasure of it:) ...............Fred

[anthonyb]

no ice cream?

[55 Fargo]

Not today my friend, just a steaming cup of Tim Horton's Coffee, Canadas premier coffee house......Fred

[Rodney Bullock]

Fred, I dig it. The weather will be accomadating soon. It was kind of hot here today. It was surprizing as we were in the junk yard and it got hot. When I get that cain fever I take a ride just like you. It makes me feel better. That's why I go to atlantic city and york because if it's to cold to drive my cars I am still around the hobby and it's folks. We all will be sharing pic's soon so be patient.

[greg g]

We had a sunny 40+ degree day here today (supposed to turn to crap tomorrow, the famous wintery mix) I might have taken the coupe for a spin as the roads were dry. However they are covered with salt dust from a couple of heavy applications last week. So not wanting to reintroduce my car to sodium chloride after 30 years, I decided against it.

[55 Fargo]

Trust me Rodney, -2 is cold for me,at this time of the year, no hang on, I have had a brain freeze since November, don't even feel the cold, not sure why I stayed in this place Canadians jokingly call "Winterpeg", Because Winnipeg has long cold winters, although we have nice hot humid summers, but of course they are short and go by fast....................Fred

[Ed Griffin]

May be it's March 5th up there but it's March 6th down here:D

Weekend was shorts weather and yesterday it spit snow. Tomarrow forecast is something like 99% chance of accumalated snow. Arkansas is getting it's fair share now. It cant touch what you guys get but it's still enough to stay in the garage. Those pretty yellow flowers that bloomed this weekend are brown and curled now.

Been out and about in the old truck but moved it in the garage to replace weatherstriping and after spending way too much time trying to get out 3 torx head screws in the window channel, tonight will be doing some drilling or grinding to get those 3 screws if the last one can be reached.

Guess all I'm saying is find one of those stubburn sections of your project and you'll forget all about cabin fever.

[55 Fargo]

I here you Ed, the other day I cleaned up and paint under the front apron just below the rad, and in front of the front end parts, maybe tomorrow will give it another coat. I still need to paint the genny and oil filter housing, going to give the engine another coat too.

As soon as the weather is decent I am going to have a new tail pipe made and installed, will have them rebend my front pipe too, as when I had it made, it wasn't quite right, might get rid of my 22 inch Smithy, not sure yet I kinda like the sound of it, but at 45 to 60 mph it is loud.

This is what I have done on the car since last November, re-wired about 95% of the car, bought gas tank from Tanks.inc, fabbed mounts, installed tank, ran new lines, ran new wires for the new sender unit, altered the sender to fit, installed and everything is working well. Removed old wiper motor and installed spare, cleaned and repaired it first, works very well, bought and installed new wiper blades.Last October, I swapped in a 3.73 diff, to replace the 4.30 diff I had, I also cleaned up and painted the entire underneath of the car, so I have been busy.

After the exhaust is done, I plan to go through the brake system again, it is all new, but want to verify everything, go through all of the front end, prep and paint the front end parts, and front fender wells,swap the sppedo glass and maybe the speedo head with one from my parts coupe.

After all the mechanicals are done, I plan to start the body work, one panel at a time...................Fred

[Norm's Coupe]

Fred,

I haven't had my coupe out of the garage at all since sometime around the first part of December. I have gone out and started it up to let it run awhile a couple times a month, but just let it run in the garage.

To keep the cabin fever down we have to find other things to do in the winter months. Like some kind of inside hobby. I've gone to mostly picking the Mandolin this winter and putzing in the basement shop. To get out of the house bought season tickets for the wife and I to the Cabaret downtown. Next Sunday have tickets to a dinner theater for the wife and I. Last show for the season at the Cabaret is April 12th. Should be warm enough to go outside and play in the garage after that. So....we keep busy inside during the winter.

We've enjoyed the Cabaret so much this year we're already looking forward to when it comes time to buy more season tickets for next fall - spring. Great musical plays and dinner there.

[55 Fargo]

Norm ,sounds like you an the Mrs have had and enjoyable winter. I do have a few iinside activities, mostly watching my 2 yo Daughter and 5 yo Son, now that can keep me hopping, trust me. I figure once the both of them are in school, it will free up some time for me to pursue things I just don't seem to be able to get involved in now.

I know you are from the South Norm, or the gateway to the south "Louisville", and I know you enoy living in the Milwaukee area, for family and other reasons, but I am quite sure if I lived in the States, I would choose a warmer climate area than say ND or Minnesota, mind you Minneapolis is one of the nicest cities in the world in my opinion........................Fred

[Young Ed]

Good job Fred I was gonna have to speak up there. Hope someday you come down to mpls

[55 Fargo]

Ed its been a while, but I have been to your city at least 6 times, first time I was less than a year old. How about you ever been up to Winnipeg, they used to have a big snowmobile race, the Winnipeg- St. Paul 500, wonder what happened to that one....................Fred

[Young Ed]

When I was maybe 6 we went into Canada to a Fort. I dont recall the name anymore. Somewhere I still have a canadian dollar from that trip. Haven't been up their since.

[55 Fargo]

Would it be Lower Fort Garry, if so I live about 10 minutes drive from there........fred

[Young Ed]

Fred this would be something close to the border north of Duluth. We were camping in duluth and went to canada for the day.

[Normspeed]

Fred, that's great that you got the coupe out and went for a drive. These old cars were built to be used in almost any climate, and yours is living proof of that. I'm proud of ya! Driving an old Mopar will put a big grin on one's face right away.

The south has warmer weather but it's a trade-off. Having missed out on the affordable days in the SoCal get-rich-quick housing market, I rent a small place for an outrageous amount of $$, and it doesn't have a garage because it's a rear house. So when I hear of all the great work you got done over the winter, I get the blues too cause at my place working outside on 50 degree F. winter nights just ain't fun. My hands cramp up wrenching in the cold. So I go all winter with only some weekend time to work on the P24.

If you get that Chrysler down this way for a visit, I've got driveway enough for another car and plenty of floor to sleep on:eek: I can think of several area P15-D24 folks who would love to hook up with you. C'mon down!

edit: I tried to calculate the distance from my town to yours but RandMcNally.com couldn't handle it! Locked 'er right up!

[PatS....]

Hi all, well it is March the 5th, but here in Manitoba this means it can still be cold winter weather or melting spring sunshine, well unfortunately it is still dang cold , last night it was -18, today it went up to 2 or so.

I am feeling a little blue ,maybe a little cabin fever, " now this is an understatement". After seeing how nice its getting in the Southern States, I am feeling a little green with envy, even though it is totally white outside here. I have been reading about some of youse guys, going for cruise and cruise- ins, etc, now this makes mee a little more like the horse all worked up in a paddock.

So what do you do when this happens, you go for a ride , yup, thats what I did, it was -5 outside, started up the Coupe, went down the gravel road, got to the highway, it was bone dry, as it has been cool, so I go for a highway cruise , speeds up to about 55 to 60 mph, heater going full speed, temp runnning about 160, lots of funny looks from other drivers.

Now I gotta be nuts going for a ride this time of year, when it's this cold, but heck I could not resist, I love to drive this car any chance I get, and she isn't even finished yet. If I had another driver, say a P15 or something that was on the rougher side, I would no doubt drive it year round, just for the pleasure of it:) ...............Fred

Fred, we have been mostly sunny and warm for a couple of weeks now. Forecast for today (Friday) is +10c (50f).

Gotta love those Rocky Mountains!!!! (that's where we get the warm dry air for those who don't know)

[55 Fargo]

Normspeed, I have been to Glendora a number of times in the past. One August trp in 1989, I left Fargo ND on a Saturday morning, rolled into Glendora CA, 8:30 Sunday night, now that was travellin quick, I was driving a 1989 Pontiac Firefly, there was a gas war in the LA area, bought gas for 58 cents a gallon.....................Fred ps even if the car was 110% mechanically sound, 2100 miles is a bit far for the car, unless I trailer it there

[55 Fargo]

Just came back from another 10 mile ride, outside temp around 0. This time I blocked the rad with cardboard, then temp on the highway rose up to 200, so I pulled out the cardboard, when Igot home the engine temp was around 165, the top of the rad was warm, but not hot, the top of the engine itself was warm but not hot, wonder why the temp went up to 200 so fast and then came back down, after I removed the cardboard in front of the rad, you wouldn't think it would make that much difference.

Last summer my engine would get hot only on high speed high rpm runs,this would be indicative of what? I may have my 47 Chrysler rad re-cored and replace the 47 Dodge rad I now have, maybe it is suspect, but who knows, the block is clean, the water tube was pulled and cleaned, the water pump is pumping like crazy......................Fred

[Young Ed]

Fred there is a pretty decent test you can do with just the garden hose. When its warm out of course. You block the lower hose outlet and fill the radiator with water. Then unblock and see how far the water shoots up. The shop manual actually describes this and has a guideline for how far up it should shoot. We did this on dads 50 ply and discovered his radiator was clogged up with a mouse nest!

[55 Fargo]

Hi Ed, I ahve doen this before, the water jumped up pretty good, I then had the rad boiled out, the flow is decent. Tim Adams also tested it for me, with good results, I bought the rad form Tim.

I really need to find a solution if I am dealing with an overheating issue again this spring. This what has ben done to date, 3 freeze plugs removed, the block rodded out, the water tube removed, cleaned and put back in( Itwas Brass and in good shape), new thermostat,new waterpump. Not sure what else it needs, I don't think the head gasket is leaking exhaust gas into the waterjacket, but who knows this could be a problem..........Fred

[Normspeed]

I thought my old honeycomb radiator was good. No visible blockage, a hose run into the top would drain out of the bottom quickly, but it was running hot under extreme conditions, like weather over 100 degrees, climbing hills towing the teardrop. I picked up a freshly recored radiator, at the same time the engine was rebuilt, and now it runs so cool that I recently changed thermostats to get it running a little warmer.

[Norm's Coupe]

I was always told not to put anything in front of the radiator to block the air while driving. Was taught it was ok to block off the wind when the car is sitting overnight for example but be sure to remove the block before driving, otherwise the car could overheat.

[Young Ed]

Norm I thought you lived in WI. I keep the radiator of my dakota blocked all winter long. Last year I didn't remove it until july when the engine started to get a little hot. Only way to get decent heat out of that thing!

[Norm's Coupe]

Yep, I've live in Wisconsin since 1971. However, I grew up in Louisville and that's where I learned not to block off the radiator. I've never blocked off a radiator in a car though, even at night. Never used a heater to keep the engine warm either. In all that time I only had a problem starting a car once. That was back in 1972 when it got down to about 60 or 70 below with the wind chill and about 40 or 45 below actual temperature. Always had good heat in all those cars too, regardless of outside temperature without blocking off the air to the radiator.