Model56s
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Posts posted by Model56s
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Nice Job!
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Great project, well done. I’ve always appreciated the detail on antique engines.
I read somewhere that rope seals should be cut at an angle so the ends of the two halves overlap. Does that apply to cork?
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Here is that restoration:
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A remarkable blog on a restoration of a 37 Buick 2-door was posted on this forum 5 or 6 years ago with lots of detail. It seems that your car is well on its way to completion.
You’ve come to the right place, there are a lot of knowledgeable people on this forum.
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21 hours ago, hursst said:
Getting even closer to complete. Finished the passenger side door pocket and door card install. Pocket was again hand-made from scratch (Photo 1), made to the pattern of an original. Here's the pocket installed (Photo 2). Here's the repro Moss door card installed (Photo 3). The Moss door cards are excellent. This was a faster install, again, due to the fact that I could just drill fresh holes, mirrored to the driver's side version, so I didn't have to worry about lining up existing holes in the door.
Last, I got my new battery. Got it installed and somewhat secured using the original style hold-down (Photo 4). Unfortunately, the battery is shorter than the originals, so everything is a little loose. I'll have to cinch it down with a cinch strap to make it fully secure. I was able to attach the original battery terminal for the negative terminal, but I'll have to relocate the original positive ground cable to the other side to make this work.
Communication didn't happen properly with the British Car shop (as I experience with almost every car shop I deal with), so I will have to visit in person tomorrow in order to get an appointment to drop the MG off for its roadster top install, start-up, and shakedown/punch list runs. I'm hoping to have the car complete and drivable by July 1.
I converted to a single 12 volt battery in my MGA and remember having to get a longer cable for one of the terminals (54 years ago!). Your MGA looks great!
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13 hours ago, zipdang said:
That tank is parked illegally. Who's gonna tow it?
I spoke with the owner while I was stopped to look at the tank. He was lending it to someone for a music video and a policeman was there who stopped the video for reasons unknown to me. The owner saw this Stuart for sale online in Europe and had it shipped. He keeps it in his unattached garage behind the house.
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11 hours ago, Stude Light said:
The LaSalle was Cadillac’s companion brand from 1927-1940. Early on it had the Cadillac’s V8 but then used the Oldsmobile straight 8. By 1937 it was back to the new monobloc Cadillac V8.
The 1939 LaSalle used the 322 cu in V8 that Cadillac introduced in 1936. Cadillac cars had a slightly larger bore for 346 cu in but other than the bore the engines were pretty much the same from 1936-1948. The M3 Stuart and M24 Chaffee tanks from WWII both used two of these Cadillac engines.
They are a very smooth running engine. Here is a video of mine.
Impressive smoothness, and the engine doesn’t have a drinking problem!😂 About all I knew of the LaSalle was the first example for the ‘27 model year was styled by Harley E.
My ‘56 Chevy truck is equipped with the 4-speed HydraMatic, the companion to the Cadillac V8 in those tanks. By the way, I saw this parked on a street in Webster Groves, Missouri last Fall. It probably has the V8 & HydraMatic drive train…
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Nice job. What engine did your LaSalle come with? I know very little about LaSalles.
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Since getting my ‘56 Chevy panel truck on the road, the intake/exhaust setup on the 235 six has had issues, mostly vacuum leaks. The original intake and exhaust manifolds were included in the sale of the engine/transmission assembly, but I decided to use the already mounted Edelbrock dual carb manifold with tubular headers. The Edelbrock intake does not fit well with headers and its ports are smaller than the head’s, so the port alignment sleeves can’t be used, making alignment very difficult. Time to go.
So, yesterday I started the conversion to the factory single carb/exhaust manifolds, which requires throttle linkage and exhaust system modifications. I want to use one of the exhaust header pipes, which requires cutting and welding. I’m still figuring out the carb linkage since there is almost no space between the exhaust manifold and the block, the route taken previously. Also, the cast iron intake and exhaust manifolds must be installed as an assembly, bolted (loosely) together. It’s a challenge to hold this reaching over the high fender.
I hope to finish this tomorrow afternoon - I knew this would be difficult and wasn’t disappointed! The first picture was taken before completion and first drive and is used here for clarity, the second is the culprit and the third picture is of the intake at trial fit.
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Keep the Starlight Coupe. That car was so ahead of its time that Stude had no idea how to improve on it.
There must be a Fiat 850 Spider enthusiast club somewhere. Take it to car shows with a For Sale sign on it and a 5’1” woman will fall in love with it just like pixies did with the 1st gen Miata. I remember when the 850 was new, no real demand in the US.Did I mention keeping the Starlight coupe?
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I’ve always thought this engine was cool. A high school classmate got a new 69 firebird with one. That 17 year-old loved it!
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The throttle linkage on my 49 Buick is over complicated like your example.
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I’ve read that the sending unit resistance should read 30 or 60 ohms depending on manufacturer when the float is up (tank is full). I’m troubleshooting my own 1949 fuel gauge.
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The "last mile" is the toughest, but you're getting close!
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35 minutes ago, cevensky said:
@Sir Gonzo thanks for the kind words.
First things first: check that your gauge is accurate-ish. Are you boiling? If not your gauge could be off. Using a laser thermometer can help you discern the temp difference between top and bottom of the radiator (i.e. is it cooling). Make sure everything is clean. Rebuilt doesn’t always mean the water jacket is clean. Similarly, it doesn’t mean your recored rad didn’t get junk run into it.
Flush it, see what happens.Water pump rebuilt?
Hose not collapsing? My rebuilt water pump in combo with junk in rad and block caused suction and collapse of the bottom hose.
Ensure the thermostat works.
Timing. Full tune up.Junked up carburetor contributed in my case.
Do you have the water jacket distribution tube?I think first place to start is with a good thermometer. See if you have hot spots and if radiator is working.
Good advice. I had a cooling issue with my Chevrolet panel truck 235 six (clean water jacket, new radiator, fan shroud, verified that the water pump was working &c.). I solved the problem by running without a thermostat and 1/2 of the radiator covered, it runs at 165 degrees and no more than 180 during an extended idle. In hot weather I’ll remove the radiator cover.
But I recommend following Gonzo’s advice first.
BTW Gonzo, anything new on the Pontiac? Love the car!
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I had a similar problem on my panel truck when installing the front fenders. It took a lot of trial fitting to take a little from the fender, radiator support and body to frame shims until everything lined up - a lot of back and forth. I kept remembering that everything fit perfectly before disassembly.
Beautiful car! Driving it will be such a pleasure on winding 2 lane country roads.
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5 hours ago, hursst said:
Spent a LOT of time wet sanding today. Got the fender knocked down to 2500 grit, but still have 3000 and 5000 to go, then start polishing. So far so good, but this fender is a real bear. Hope to have it on the car by Monday PM.
Looking forward to it! The progress is satisfying to watch.
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This looks great! I’m looking forward to a video of the first drive.
This was my high school car. I always loved the profile lines, especially the way the door slopes down to the quarter panel and the way the designer merged the quarters to the cockpit.
There are several designs that couldn’t be improved - the MGA roadster, 1953 Studebaker Commander coupe, Gen 1 Toronado and El Dorado, Series 1 XKE and a few others.
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Lots of character Mike - beautiful car! What other cars do you own?
Since you are a Chevrolet guy, here’s mine that I restored from 2021-2023.
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18 minutes ago, 8E45E said:
For structural, almost so. Rolls-Royce coachbuilders like Freestone & Webb used wood in body construction well after the second world war. Wood was shaped by genuine craftsmen, and at the time considered superior to thin steel, either machine-stamped, or hand formed.
For cosmetic trim, I would EXPECT real wood in an upscale brand, not cheap plastic made to look like wood!!
Craig
Interesting to this lover of pre-1974 American mass produced cars, and I agree regarding interior trim.
Good information, thanks.
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Thanks for capping off this great story! I enjoyed it and hope you post more projects.
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Good progress. Can you just use a water-based paint for the knob lettering? You wouldn't have to be that careful and just wipe the surface leaving only the filled-in lettering. My 2¢...
You have the difficult task with wiring done - you know where the leads go. I think you're closer to the finish line than you might think.
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On 12/22/2023 at 3:45 PM, NewOldWood said:
I never saw the car but that's what I was told. What makes you question it?
1936 was the last year Ford used any wood in their bodies. It is surprising that an upscale brand would still be using wood anywhere.
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Guys like you, EmTee and others here make me realize how little I know. It’s still fun following these projects though.
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Roger's handcrafted 1:12 scale models
in Our Cars & Restoration Projects
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Words fail. The inner lip on the cowl vent is perfect.