keithb7

My wife and have a couple of very different vehicles. I own a 3/4T Dodge Cummins turbo diesel 4x4 truck. I don’t like compromising. Not do I like asking people for favors. I can tow or haul whatever I need to. In any weather. I can trailer my vintage car if wanted. Tow my RV for summer holidays. Make dump runs. Pick up furniture. Pick up my old engine blocks at the machine shop. When needed 4x4 over a mountian pass in the winter....Whatever. Sure it burns fuel, but it does all I ask of it and more. Some folks need a stepping stool to get in it. Ya gotta shut it off to order at a burger the drive thru. I love it. My wife drives a very efficient and small Honda Civic. It’s very low to the ground. So much so that I do struggle a little to see a curb out past the front fender. It sips fuel. I have experienced up to 50 mpg on hi-way trips thru the flat desert states. 1.5L turbo automatic. Cheap to operate. Plenty of pep on tap. Cheap travel costs when going on road trips. We’re pretty fit and approaching the end of our 40’s. I can see that at 55 and up it might be a PITA to get in and out of. An SUV would probably be better suited for us in out senior years. The diesel truck may very well be an even bigger PITA to get in and out of. My son has a Toyota SUV. It seems easy to drive. Loading bulky items in the back is easy. 4 door convenience. I can see how an SUV fits many folks. It isn’t necessarily great at anything except versatility. It’s does a little bit of everything, sorta. Easy for Moms to get kids buckled up. Easy load height for groceries. Good visibility. AWD or 4x4 good for Canadian winters. I think I just talked myself into my wife’s next vehicle.

The car had an electric fuel pump on it when I bought it. There were no fuel lines for the mechanical pump present. I want to go back to a mechanical pump. I will likely have a backup 6V electric pump also. I had to get creative and come up with some type of rigid fuel line, connected to a hose to allow for engine vibration. I am not sure what stock looked like, however I came up with this. Hopefully it will work.

I assume the tranny is the M5? My fluid drive tranny can be finicky to go into reverse gear. Sometimes I have to engage a forward gear, release clutch, load up gear, then try reverse again. It’s always eventually gone into reverse. Never left me stranded. However, perfect it ain’t. Linkage wear over multiple joints adds up. One more thing I’ll eventually get to, linkage adjustment. I’ll add it to the list.

Here is the new headlight harness that my wife built. Rubber round grommets fit in the original round socket in the light pod. Seals up the wiring nicely. 12V head light harnesses were purchased. Wires and connectors extruded, and re-wired with 14 ga wires. The black ground wires solder to the inside of the pod. I'm not sure I like that. Any corrosion on the hardware that mounts the headlight pod, means poor grounding, poor amp flow, and dull headlights. I cleaned up everything for now and left it grounded as per original layout. I may run a ground wire back to the chassis somewhere to improve electron flow.

Being 6V, the gauges are dimmer and more yellow in real life. I lightened the photo so the teeny light in the headlamp pull-switch would show up better in the photo. Regarding the broken step rod, I took a chance and bought a used carb on E-Bay. My carb was missing the ID tag. I discovered that If you look at enough carbs, and scratch your head long enough, you can pretty-well tell when the incorrect description of a carb on the Ebay, is the right one you need. The ebay carb was dirty, old, needed rebuild and was $15. I bought it and hoped that when I opened it up, the metering rod was inside, in 1 piece. Jackpot! The carb appeared to be an exact match to mine. The metering rod was inside and an exact fit. I mic'd and compared diameters too. A great fit. I got lucky. I finished up the carb and re-installed it. The engine ran well, once I found a vacuum leak and dealt with it. I also dropped the fuel tank and had it gutted, cleaned and re-sealed , like new. Today I am attempting to hook up the original fuel system again with a diaphragm fuel pump. Having fun here now bending and flaring my own custom made fuel lines. Other progress this week included working head lights again. The headlight harness was all replaced with new. We're making our own harnesses here. I am upsizing all the wire too for better amp flow in the 6V system. No 12V (16-18-20 gage) sized wire will be used anywhere. All minimum 14 gage. Some 12, 10 and 8 gage too. All crimp-on ends are completed with solder and heat shrink for long term reliability. Some of the original cloth wires in protected areas appears, good. In those instances I am butt-splicing in wires in with a crimped ring for a connection, then solder and heat shrink too. I built a complete rear chassis harness. Every day it gets a little better. I am excited to finish up the fuel system so I can start it again and check headlight out put with the generator revved up.

Today we have actual working head lights. Hi and low beam! The headlight indicator jewel in the headlamp pull-switch lights up too! Exciting steps as these items have not worked in what appears to be decades. The electron flow improvement-work continues. Sure is fun making progress. I’ll maintain a 6V system with generator and regulator. I am reviving this car. Not restoring it. I am not replacing wires with period correct cloth covered wires. Two 6V relays will be installed for ho/low beam head light circuits soon. As someone mentioned elsewhere on this form, I seem to fit into the old car hobby. Not the collector car hobby.

Buying an old car, in some cases can be affordable. Even in the future, if prices continue to drop. The old cars become easier to acquire, sure. Initial purchase prices may go down. However the cost of ownership still goes up. From my perspective, the repairs, maintenance, upkeep, parts prices, freight, costs etc are going to have a huge effect on the vintage car market. Those costs are already today, taking a toll. I cannot imagine paying hourly labor rates for a mechanic to keep my old cars going. Around here if you can’t do it yourself, you’re in for a very thin wallet, and lots of lessons in the art of patience. I’m not sure there is a working, licensed mechanic within 500 miles, that knows how to troubleshoot and repair the fluid torque drive semi-auto tranny system in my old Chrysler. Why would they? There’s too few of these cars on the road with owners willing to shell out big bucks for labor costs. Cars for me are a great hobby. I am not looking to make a profit. I know people who spend $4k/yr on golf. What do they get when they cash out? Zipp-ola!

I was hoping I could move this along to someone who could use it. Pulled from a 1938 Plymouth P6. Free to someone in needt. Id' rather not scrap it. For reference the 201.3 engine was in 1934 to 1941 Plymouths. The 1933 Dodge also had the 201.3 optional engine. Seems like a good crank if someone has a need. Located in Southern interior of BC Canada. More details and pics here: https://forums.aaca.org/topic/335636-1938-mopar-2013-crankshaft-standard-size/

I think the seller's actions are a little extreme. However, I can understand the frustration of trying to sell. There seems to be no end the idiotic, disrespectful people who contact you as a seller. People who low ball you with a text before they have even seen the car. Then there are those who set a date to meet and don't bother showing up or updating you. Then the idiots you told to "go away and leave you alone" come back to harass again with another text. Taunting you again with condescending remarks. We haven't even touched on the the scammers who work off-shore on an oil rig and want to buy your car. Buying is easy....Selling is not for the faint of heart.

It’s hard to tell someone that their dream in not achievable. Anything is possible. You need to decide what you are willing to do, or go without, to make your dream of owning and driving a vintage car, a reality. A determined person will do almost anything within the law, to get the result they want. I bought a nice clean 4 door Chrysler. A 1953. You can get these big old beauties for great prices. Actually buying the car might be the cheapest part of this endeavour. I paid $5,900. When I bought it, it looked almost as good as it does today. However, I have spent another $3500 on mechanical repairs. Making it reliable, safe and comfortable. I have so much more I’d like to do yet. I do all my own repairs. I imagine if I paid a mechanic to do the repairs, I could easily double what I’ve spent so far. Having a home garage, lots of tools, experience, confidence, and funds, are key to owning a vintage car...Well for most of us. If we had tons of money for discretionary spending, who cares right? Go get whatever you want. My experience tells me that if funds are tight, you have limited to no mechanical experience, you have no shop space & no tools, this is a recipe for disaster. The idea of owning and enjoying your dream vintage car will likely fade away soon after the initial honeymoon period ends. Unless you can address a few things. I had other hobbies. Then I purchased 2 vintage cars. I gave up some of my hobbies. I really, really, enjoy my cars. It is indeed a great hobby and is extremely rewarding when you perform your own mechanical work.

I have an original Mopar 201.3 Crankshaft that came out of a 1938 Plymouth P6 Deluxe. Standard size mains and rods. It has been sitting for years and has some rust. I took it to a machine shop for inspection. We took some scotch-brite to a few journals to remove rust. Thrust shows little to no wear. Oil slinger looks good. I was told the crank could be machined and used. Markings read: 612456. Flywheel flange has 4 mounting holes. $$ Free to a good home. Either you pay freight, or if you are near by come pick it up. Willing to ship. Located in Souther Interior of BC Canada.

This car is a beauty. I would love to own it. Yet I have other cars and no more space. The discussions around here lately about this period of cars is certainly interesting. The cost to restore many cars has exceeded what the market will bear it seems. Even if you do the work yourself. In many instances parts, shipping costs, etc seem to total up to be more than its final sell price, for an average car. It's unfortunate as fewer and fewer cars will be restored in the future I fear. This Model T would be great in the hands of an average back yard mechanic who is a vintage car lover. Doing your own repairs on it would be very rewarding and not difficult. Patience will be needed to sell it, it seems. There is a buyer out there somewhere. At what price? It's hard to know. Good luck with the sale. If I win the lottery tonite I'll be in touch. - K

Here’s how things go in Canada from my perspective. I live here. -Seek out required parts -Learn they are most always in the USA -Learn most sellers won’t ship to Canada. If they agree to ship, expect an extra $50 added to actual shipping prices. -Pay ridiculous actual shipping prices for parts. -Pay ridiculous brokerage fees to couriers like UPS and FedEx to export your parcel over the border. -Expect CDN government to charge you GST and PST tax on a $50 part shipped in the mail. Then tack on a $10 handling fee. Just because they can. Whatever savings you think you’ll save in Canada, will be eaten up in freight costs.

Are you pulling the engine or only doing an in-frame refresh? If heads come out I’d consider new guides. You can do you own valve grind by hand if you are patient. Lap in the old valves if they are good. New valve stem seals, if it utilizes them? New spring retainers. While you are at it, do you drop the oil pan and roll in new main and rod bearings? How about the front and rear seals? Front cover gasket?...Hard to stop when you are in that far. I get it though. A couple thousand miles a year. Just some limited work makes financial sense. I was in the same position 2.5 years ago. Did a valve grind. Should have done some valve guides at that time. I didn’t. However 3700 miles later I’m certainly enjoying the car. It burns some oil thru the guides but not too bad.

My wife gets called to the garage once in a while. She’s got the most skilled little hands. She does so much work with them, yet they are so small. Her hands fit in tight spots where I cannot gain access. She’s started impossible bolts for me. Picked up lost tools and other parts too. She has no issues climbing up, over, under anything I am working on. When she helped me change a cylinder head gasket when I was 20, I knew she was a keeper. That was 28 years ago. Since then she’s help me lift up and line up transmissions, pull engines, hold up mufflers, line up almost anything you can think of. She has no idea what she’s looking at, what it does, or how to fix it, but she does exactly what I request. A great helper and life partner. I’m a very fortunate man. She’s up for anything.

One more from my last Sat’s photo session. My 1953 Chrysler.

The options in the poll are ok, but of course there are more options to buy parts. I buy a bit from ebay. Some from forums like this one. Some from other specific business’ web sites. Some from my local contacts here in my town. Some from local swap meets. Some regional swap meets. Other places too like Craigslist or Kijiji up here in Canada. I hope to go to Hershey some day. Sort of a bucket list thing. Likely the big Portland annual swapmeet is a more realistic trip. There there are fellow marquis groups members in Facebook. Facebook marketplace too. I’ve got my fingers into a lot of pots it seems. I generally am patient and am always looking. Last month I picked up an engine, tranny, clutch & related parts for my old Mopars. I didn’t really need it but for $125 I said “I can make room for that”. No freight. Right here in town. Gotta love it.

Todays colors are quite nice. My 1953 Chrysler.

I also saw the Krit in Reno. First one I ever saw. Their logo certainly got my attention. At that time it was a non-issue.

I am excited about my recent baby steps in my project. I have been working on wiring. We now have dash lights! It’s cool to sit in the car, in the dark garage with only the dash lights on. Great for nostalgia.

I read somewhere that it was about 1938 when Chrysler Corp started up the engine factory in Canada. There they only made the 25” long cylinder head sized block, I learned. This engine could be bored up or down to suit small and larger engines up to the 265 ci. I believe the same block could be used for a smaller 218 ci engine. Different cranks were used too for various stroke lengths to match cubic displacements. I think the 265 is the largest flathead 6 cylinder Mopar car engine. Is that right? I realize they made a bigger straight 8. Was that 8 ever cast/poured in Canada? Did Chrysler Corp make any 265 engines within the USA? Or were they all poured at the Canadian foundry and shipped to the USA for cars built there? Were the shorter 23.5” head size engines destined for USA built cars, all made in the USA? Pic just for fun. Its a 201 vs a 218 crank. Thx. Keith

Is it a single horn with a long snout?

Some more thoughts on electron flow....Welding! We clamp a ground cable to a metal object. Then we control volts and electron flow from the tip of the welding gun, to the metal and back to the ground wire. Again, electrons moving so fast that they melt metal. We literally melt the metal pieces together using electron flow. Thicker metal needs more amps. We can only get so many amps from a 120v home welder. So we can only weld metal that is thin. Car body panels are thin. So these 120v welders work pretty well for autobody work. If we need to weld thicker metal plate we need more electron flow. So we up it to two or three phase 240V power. Now we’re talking! We can melt thicker metal now and join it together. Electron theory is just that. A theory. We can't really see it and touch it. We can measure it. We can control it and make it do things for us. It’s there. We sure can feel it when it goes through us. Ouch.

I’ll attempt to simplify car battery electricity. Just because it’s fun. This is for the folks who said they don’t understand electrical stuff. Here’s my simplified version. The battery has a chemical reaction going on inside it. All the positive charged electrons are connected to positive terminal post. All the negative charged electrons are attached to the negative post. Electrons don’t necessarily like to be separated, nor charged positive or negative. They like to be neutral. If all the negative and positive electrons are allowed to mix together in a battery to us commoners, “it’s dead”. The electrical differential is gone. It makes no power to turn anything “on” any more. So back to the positive and negative electrons. They are dying to get together and will do so at the speed of light, at any opportunity. The negative electrons will rush over to join the positive electrons when a good pathway is provided. Try laying a steel wrench from one battery post, connected to another and you’ll see. Those darn electrons will move so fast and so furiously that they'll heat up the steel wrench and melt it! So we don’t do these things. We have learned to harness and control the mass flow of electrons. So in a car for example we hook up one battery terminal to the car frame. We call it ground. It’s not really ground. It’s a metal frame. Electrons move really well through metal. The other battery post we connect to various electrical loads to make them do work. Then we connect the other side of the electrical load to the car frame. So we then have a complete circuit back to the battery. Electrons can flow from the battery, to the load, like a starter or head lamp, whatever, and make that item work, and then the electrons flow back to the other battery post, via the car frame. They’ll travel fast but we have designed things so that only so many electrons are needed, and can go through the electrical load and back to the battery. We control electrons and we measure them by reading amperes or “amps”. We can use resistance to slow down the flow of electrons (amps). Also smaller wires and smaller electrical motors too, for example will use less amps. Only so many electrons can squeeze thru a small wire. If too many try to slam thru a small wire it’ll get hot and melt. By using wires to control and direct the flow of rushing electrons we can move them safely. If we get a “ short”and too many electrons jump to ground via a “short-cut” back to the battery a fuse will melt, (if one is used in the circuit) Rendering the circuit dead. Then there’s no further electron flow. However most old cars have too few or no fuses. The old cloth wiring eventually erodes and turns to thread. Wires that are not properly secured can vibrate and rub, then rub the outer insulation off, exposing the core wires. Imagine that exposed wire, now touching the metal car frame, giving the moving electrons a free quick path back to the other battery post. Via the frame. Maybe no fuse is used. Now electrons are lovin’ life! Moving at will with no barriers or other restrictions, back to the other battery post. Moving at the speed of light, these pesky electrons create heat, fast. Real fast. Wire insulation then melts & catches on fire. With no fuse to stop the flow, flames quickly appear. Easily engulfing your old car as it burns to the ground. If you install a battery shut-off switch it has the same effect as removing 1 battery cable from the battery post. You stop the path of electron flow. Nowhere for them to go. No possible short to create a fire. Stay tuned for a watered down story about 6v vs 12v versus 24v systems!