West Peterson

"The Beast," hmmmmm. A possible nickname, perhaps? Actually, I HAVE been driving it every day. I figure if I get caught (since it has collector plates), I'll explain that I've been fixin' up "The Beast" for the last three years and I'm out testing each little "fix" I make. Don't know if that'll work, but it's worth a try. "Officer, I'm doing a fuel mileage test. Bear with me, please. With only 20 gallons in the tank, it shouldn't take more than 200 miles before I have the information I need."

Okay, I tried to wake up on the wall side of the grease rack today. I like cats with beans and rice. The reason I don't name my cars is because I have a hard enough time remembering the names of my wife and kids (and dog). I see no reason to complicate things any more. Wife: Laura Kids: David and Robert Dog: deaf, blind in one eye, missing one leg, goes by the name of "Lucky." (I told that to my mother the day we got the dog... went right over her head like an F-18 Fighter ) I guess I'll smoke the dog's muck in purgatory for that one! Wayne. Does your wife know you're taking Mike to the bars?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: R W Burgess</div><div class="ubbcode-body">West, What we have here is a lack of imagination! </div></div> You want imagination? Okay, I'll give you imagination... Packard: "Big expensive car that drinks too much" Saturn: "Small inexpensive car that is uncomfortable" Freestar: "Overpriced family van that doesn't have the gonads to pull the skin off of pudding." Scirocco: "Good handling car with a nice sound system"

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Steve Moskowitz</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Ron Green, don't let West get away with the 35" versus 35'...heck it is only one apostrophe away! </div></div> Actually, that apostrophy equals just a little-bit more than 10 yards in this case. Which, I might add, would be just about the right amount of space to allow between cars.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: CaptainBristol</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Basically, by tightening up the pressure on the top end, I over stressed the bottom end.Mark in Alaska </div></div> Uggggh. I hope that's not what I'm experiencing. My valve job entailed replacing one bent valve. The car runs as smooth as can be, but now you've got me worried.

And drive Dan did. When I first met him in Colorado, I saw his black 1947(?) Chevrolet convertible out front of the hotel. He greated me with a warm smile and a hand-shake. He was taking a crew up to a restaurant "a little bit north" for some Rocky Mountain Oysters. I passed on joining them, but sure would have loved to go for a ride with him.

I call my Packard, "The Packard" I call my Saturn, "The Saturn" I call my Freestar, "The Freestar" I call my son's Scirocco, "The Scirocco" Do you see a pattern?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: De Soto Frank</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The youths who "allegedly" did this were apprehended and convicted, but that doesn't bring that young mom back. </div></div> It's not "alleged" if they were convicted, unless what you're trying to say is that the convicted were innocent.

I wonder if the perpetraders are using one of those giant sling shots??? ... and hiding out in the trees? It'd be worth investigating.

Peter It's not the gas consumption I'm "worred" about, it's knowing that there's something wrong with it that bothers me. The engineer in me likes to tinker with mechanical things and make them work as designed. I think of it as a puzzle and relish and get excited about restoring the smallest of things. I know the car is supposed to be getting somewhere around 18mpg with overdrive, so I want to find out what's wrong with it. And with my slight overheating problem, the two could be related. Fixing one may fix both. I felt my rear brakes this morning after arriving at work. They were cool. Check that one off the list. The car has had a recent valve job, so I doubt that the head gasket is the problem (not out of the question, though, I guess). We have looked at the points and they appeared to be okay, but it wouldn't hurt to replace them.

Kind of a neat-looking car. I once heard there was a problem of people getting trapped in the car cuz the doors wouldn't open. Can't remember if it was because the battery went dead, or if it was because the system that operated the gullwing doors went haywire. Either way, I'd check into it and make sure it doesn't happen to you on a 98-degree day.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Ron Green</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I too like the grass however I would like to sit with my car this year and not 35" away due to space limitations. </div></div> Ron You're complaining about being three feet away from your car.??? If you were any closer to it, you'd be polishing it. Just how close do you want to be?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Owen_Dyneto</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Driving at a continuous 75 mph is really flogging an old car of this vintage. You probably should expect gas mileage to drop 35% or more between 50 and 75. </div></div> Thanks for the tips. Yes, you're right, 75 for long periods is not good. It is my plan to drive the car at 65mph most of the time. Going 75 is easy for the car, and comes in handy when getting around traffic, then settling back in at around 65mph. I'll look into getting the compression checked, changing the points/condensor, and checking the vacuum advance (as well as feeling the brakes), then get back to you if there's improvement.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: yimmortal</div><div class="ubbcode-body">i'm going to pull the radiator the problem is that i looked at it, and it looks like i have to pull off pretty much the whole front end of the car? </div></div> Yup. Probably. That's what I had to do with my 1940. The good news is that it's really not that complicated, but you need to get about four friends to help you. Please tell me exactly what fuel pump you put on and where you got it. Thanks.

I've not yet checked my compession. Plugs are relatively new, wires are brand new. Don't know the age of the points, but the engine's temperature is probably a little warmer than it should be, so maybe I need to look into changing them and adjust the timing. Carburetor is freshly overhauled and restored. Also, I suppose I might be dragging a brake or two, but wouldn't I have noticed smoke (or fire) if so. Is it possible to have a dragging brake without any physical signs? I noticed that unless I was on a really steap hill, the car tended to slow down when in neutral going down long, Pennsylvania mountain roads (turnpike driving).

Is it possible that it's reading in kilometers??

After 1,400 miles of driving my 1940 Super 8 with overdrive, I realized roughly 10-11 mpg. Thinking something wrong, I crawled under the car and noticed the bottom of the fuel pump was saturated, but not heavily dripping. I tightened each of the several screws about 1/4 turn. Another 220 miles and my mileage "jumped" to 12mpg. In the beginning, I was driving 65-75mph for a while, so I slowed down to see if that would help. At 55-60mph hardly any change. The last 220 miles were done at 55-60mph. If my mileage is the same at 55-60 as it is at 75, it's a no-brainer how fast I'm going to be driving. Any suggestions as to where all he fuel is going. I've been told that I should be getting better than 15, even close or better than 18mpg. My dad's car gets more than 12 (same body style) and he doesn't have overdrive.

I forgot to mention that I let a young man drive my car today. He just recently got his driver's license. He was highlighted in Antique Automobile an issue or two ago. If you remember, he took his driver's test in a Model T Ford, the same Model T Ford that he is driving on the Glidden Tour. Also, that certain 1924 Buick touring is one heck of a good looking car.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: R W Burgess</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Ok West, you've had a whole day of touring around the Gettysburg area and not a word. I thought you were a reporter of some kind??? Wayne </div></div> Wayne, There's only one computer here in the hotel, and It's not easy getting onto it. I do not have a portable computer with wifi (I don't even know how to spell it, let alone HAVE it). This Glidden Tour has been wonderful. Extremely well planned and organized. Very impressive!!! Being my first Glidden, I don't have anything to compare it to, but from what I'm hearing, they have outdone themselves. My car is working great. I'm losing coolent, and I'm not sure where it is going. I think possibly my radiator cap may be malfunctioning. I had a flat on Tuesday, and got it repaired with a new tube. Back on the road to day with no problems. Got to visit with my boss for a few minutes... AND got a kiss from Kim Miller.

The story about the wreck is true. The tongue of the trailer broke off for no apparent reason. The trailer headed over the guard rail and hit a tree and immediately stopped. The 1933 DeSoto, of course, did not make the same immediate stop that the trailer did and kept going down the hill. I'm sure it's a total loss. There have been pictures of the wreck sitting on the table in the hospitality sweet. Sad sight. From what I'm hearing, the fault seems to be the trailer manufacturer, though that's one side of the story. I don't know if the trailer was overloaded or not. I've seen a lot of interesting... questionable... trailering practices in my time. Just last weekend I saw a Dodge Durango pulling an enclosed trailer with a Mercedes 540K on board... in the mountains of Colorado!!!

Susan I was only at the C&P show for about a half-hour on Sunday morning. That's where I picked up Bob Stevens on the way to Gettysburg. I wanted to see how the car ran on the Glidden Tour before I decided to take it to Hershey. So far... so good. Had one flat tire, but other than that it runs great. The main "problem" is that with overdrive, I was expecting to get at least 15mpg. I'm only getting about 10. That gets kind of expensive, when I'm used to getting close to 40 with my "business" car. The Glidden Tour went through Hershey today, so at least I can say "I took it to Hershey." I may still bring it to "Hershey" in October. Have to see how "she" works on the way home. I will be by myself the whole way home, so I hope it goes well.

Driving my Packard, I stopped at the Cars & Parts swap meet in Springfield on the way to the Glidden Tour. I was there for about a half hour and they handed me a trophy and a goody bag!!!! Cool.

I must be the only one who understood Joe's (Packards42) tongue in cheek remark. Well, leaving tomorrow morning (Sunday). I would find it difficult to take my kids out of school, but how I wish I could. I used to, when they were younger. My oldest has been to Hershey 4 or 5 years in a row when he was in grade school, but high school is much different, especially with the classes he's taking. I don't think even he would consider missing, because of the fear of falling behind.

Joe I haven't even started looking into working on my system yet, so I don't have a clue. I know there's some sort of unit about halfway between the engine compartment and the trunk (a wide spot in the road, if you will), and I don't know exactly what that is either. I know it's all mentioned in the diagram I have, but I haven't looked at it for a while. Priorities. My plan is to bring the car to Hershey this year, so if you're at Hershey, give me a call and I'll be happy to let you look at anything you want. 937- 478-6613. Also, I'd be happy to delivery that compressor that I told you about last year. He hasn't budged on his price.

Terry, You're right, they made some tag toppers that say "Repeal the 18th Ammendment." I have a couple of them. Some were red, white and blue. Mine are orange with black lettering... perfect if you were attending Princeton.