Luv2Wrench

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/323/875/ Looks very tasty... I shall see if it is possible to get some here. Update: Lucky me! My local Total Wine location has some in stock.

Not sure if I posted the last couple of video links. Here is the latest one, not really anything you guys haven't seen.

Yes I agree, it does look very nice, but you must remember not everyone has access to these special tools he's using. It isn't like angle iron and PVC pipe can be found at your local hardware store.... oh wait... never mind. Joking aside, this is another perfect example of craftsmanship. Tools are nice and helpful, but it is the guy using the tools that creates the masterpiece. Well done Dale!

I think it looks fantastic and you're right... function is pretty darn important!!!

Looking good! Love that primer color.

Any update on this? Has anyone ordered and received a battery from "Jim's Battery Manufacturing Co"?

I've now lost parts off the parts car that I specifically took off knowing that I needed them. The shop is pretty organized as well so it is likely I accidentally threw them away during a cleanup. Fortunately the things I'm missing at this point are easily purchased and not very expensive. I guess I should figure two parts cars for my next restoration!

The Youth Project sounds like a great idea, glad you guys are doing that!!

I resemble that comment.... there was one more box so I went through it as well...

I was able to put in a lot of hours this weekend but progress was still kinda slow. It seemed every component I went to put on the engine had some problem. First I tried to put the water pump pulley on. When I tightened the nut the water pump wouldn't turn. After a lot of figuring I realized that as I tightened the nut, it pulled the shaft (and pump vane) toward the front where it then locked up against the pump casting. I looked around for a missing washer or spacer but realized the spacing was the problem, I needed less spacing. I then remembered that the water pump did have a little wobble when I took it apart. I had assumed that was the bearings but I had taken it apart and they were not a problem. I measured the length of the shaft and then the depth of the pulley and realized to tighten the nut all the way down it was pulling the shaft forward. I put the pulley in the lathe and turned down about 50 thousandths and all was fine. Nice smooth rotation and no wobble. The next big issue was the thermostat. Way back when the car was built with a different style thermostat that, as it opened, would shut off the bypass opening in the thermostat opening. There are some reproduction thermostats made today but they are really pricey. There are replacement housings sold but those are very pricey. The common solution seems to be machining out the top of the housing so that it will accept a modern thermostat. Then it need to be affixed in some manner and the bypass needs to be restricted. Without a 4-jaw chuck I couldn't grab the housing so I bought a pipe nipple and flange. I put that in the lathe and trued it up. Then I drilled some holes in it so that I could attach the housing. Once that was chucked in the lathe I was able to widen the opening and make room for a modern thermostat. To keep it in place I chose to cut off a slice of a 2" pipe, cut a slot in that and then squeeze it down over the thermostat and into the housing. I used a little JB weld between the sleeve and the housing to make sure it stayed in place but the force from the fit should be enough. If I need to replace the thermostat I should be able to heat it up a bit and pull out the sleeve. I also rebuilt the distributor, finished rebuilding the oil filter and got the front engine mount bracket installed. Yesterday afternoon I spent over 3 hours hunting for the small elbow that attaches to the side of the thermostat housing for the bypass. It was something that I remembered seeing the very first time I went through all the parts after bringing the car home. I remember looking at it and thinking it was important and that I should put it somewhere important. Unfortunately it appears I thought the box with the dash gauges was just the place for it. After 6 months that seemed like the last place I would have put it... and it was indeed the last place I looked. At least I found it.

Looking good! I agree with your plan, you could do everything perfect in your paint job but if you've got a bunch of dust floating around it would be a pain.

They do ship worldwide and they probably have a distributor in the UK. I guess you should buy everything you need before England breaks off from the entire known world and floats out into the depths of the North Sea. https://www.southernpolyurethanes.com/export-info

A local section was having a car show at our athletic club today and I stopped by for a quick look. Saw two nice 300s, one a coupe and the other a cabriolet. The coupe was very well restored while the cabriolet was a survivor. It was in fairly good condition but looks a lot better in these pictures.

I responded in your other thread. I agree with David, get down to bare wood and treat with West System two-part epoxy. I would also follow with the SPI Epoxy Primer though you might call SPI and ask about applying over West System and/or bare wood. I imagine either (or both) will work but the only recent experience I have is with SPI Epoxy Primer. Way back when we would apply a wood sealer, two coats of polyurethane, rough with 220 and then paint as normal. I find the SPI primer easier to use and apply it after a typical wood sealer.

For painting over wood, I've used an epoxy primer from a company here in the states. https://www.southernpolyurethanes.com/products You'll find that on page 2, "Epoxy Primer". The trick to this guy is that, as a polyurethane, it is a little bit flexible. It will withstand some of the wood movement while also reducing the movement by reducing the moister exchange. I don't know if they ship across the pond, but the owner there is a great guy and I'm sure he will find a way. Amazing work you're doing with the tree!! My new goal in life is to be able to use my chainsaw to acquire some lumber from a tree 26 years from now when I'm 78. A more realistic goal is to still be able to start my chainsaw in 26 years.

Might get some numbers from him. How much is he going to charge you for not being able to get the rear bearing out? Does he have an estimate for the parts cost?

I'll place my money on "Hood Latch".

Cool car, cool project, looking forward to watching your progress.

Got the carbs and exhaust manifold on as well as the generator, timing cover and a bunch of oil galley plugs and such. As usual I'm missing a couple of pieces and some nuts and bolts so I'm stalled again for a bit.

Nice pics, thanks for sharing! Those MGAs are calling my name. Looks like someone stole the engine out of that station wagon while the owner wasn't around

Would never has thought it would be such a dramatic difference and certainly never noticed anything at all wrong with the first one. With the two posts close together, however, the difference is clear. The really great craftsman and artists are the ones that can see their work through other eyes and take something that is already great and make it even better. More fantastic work Roger!

Carbs look really good, you did a great job on them. I'm going to be dragging the Clogmaster out pretty soon to do the firewall and other pieces. I'm already dreading it but maybe it will surprise me and act civil.

Thanks for your thoughts, very sound advice. I am still under the assumption (delusion) that I will have the car completed this year. The body doesn't need much work so my plan is to go ahead and fit it to the frame, assemble the complete car sans some interior pieces and drive it. Get the kinks outs, make sure everything is working properly and then take the body panels back off and get them painted. It probably won't go that way and I'll probably wish I followed your advice but that's the plan for now.

It has been nearly a week since I got much work done on the car. It has been back to school time and my son has had a couple of golf trips so we've been pretty busy. I've also made a couple of tools runs, the latest of which was very successful. I managed to score a late 1890s or early 1900s Hendey shaper (15"). I haven't gotten it back to the shop yet so no pictures. I picked up some other items and met some really nice people. I did manage to get into the shop this afternoon and evening and was able to get a little work done. I had painted the exhaust manifold with a high temp paint and it needed to be cured. The directions called for heating at 250 degrees F for 30 minutes, cool for 30 minutes, heat at 400 for 30 minutes, cool for 30 minutes and finally heat at 600 for 30 minutes and cool. I also needed to replace the ring gear so I thought it would be efficient to combine the tasks. While going through the initial heating cycles I removed the old ring gear and prepared the flywheel. On the last cycle at 600F, I added the new ring gear and let everything heat for 30 minutes. The new ring gear easily slid onto the flywheel and then shrunk down nicely. I prepared some other parts that I will paint tomorrow and then I will be focused on final assembly of the engine (flywheel, clutch, pressure plate, distributor, oil pump, etc, etc) and getting it in the car. I doubt I'll make enough progress to be able to start it but I should get a lot closer.

That pipe clearly says "For drain waste and vent only". Is this another exception when working on a Crosley FOR?