Aaron65

No idea on gears, but that's a beautiful car! Wow!

Agreed! Never hurts to ask though...I wish I would have picked one up when a quite nice driver was going for 4 grand or so!

I think once I reupholster the seats and put in new carpet I will have doubled my investment in pretty short order. Are you planning on reselling it?

My '53 Special was originally Glacier Blue with Imperial Blue top...someone had painted it a lighter blue, and did the firewall, dash, and truck, so I stuck with the lighter blue when I had it repainted. Looking at the example up top though, I now wish I would have gone with Glacier Blue!

That is quite literally my second favorite car in the entire world...behind a '41 Continental. Even the color combo is perfect. Get rid of those wheels and I may be the most jealous man in the world...good score!

Is it a custom bodied Fiat meant to look like a cross between a Lancia and a Cisitalia?

I just had mine painted last winter...I had a fun time disassembling and reassembling everything. It's a great feeling when she comes back all sparkling new!

Well, I think I solved the #8 loosening problem by using a locknut (not the kind with nylon insert), but there's a definite minor leak between #6 and #7. Ugh. I might just leave it. At this point, the idea of having a leak is bothering me more than the leak itself...it's barely audible...I just hate when things don't work right!

Oops...I forgot to mention that when I used the copper gaskets, I coated them with graphite and oil...now I'm beginning to understand why I'm so frustrated with this!

The reason I tried to eliminate the gaskets was that that big old manifold moves around so much that it moved the gaskets, either shifting them and then burning them out, or wrinkling them up. The copper ones REALLY wrinkled toward the front of the engine--so much that the number 3 exhaust port was partially plugged by the gasket. I used a standard (non-nylon) lock nut today, and it seems to work, but I've also discovered a slight leak at the #6/7 area of the manifold. I'm wondering if I'm ever going to beat this, but to be fair, it's never been totally sealed from manifold to head since I've owned it (5 years), including 2 exhaust manifolds (1 milled), headwork (to be fair, I'm not sure if they checked the plane of the exhaust ports at the machine shop), and numerous gasket sets...I wish they would have split that manifold from the factory!

The manifold has been surfaced Willie...and John, the nut's not bottomed. The shop manual calls for 25-30 ft./lbs on the straight 8, so I'm not overtorquing them. And the strange thing is is that it didn't happen when I used the gaskets. And it's only this one stud...the rest stay perfectly tight always. The rear stud on a straight 8 is much longer than the rest, and uses a block to hold the last intake runner and exhaust manifold runner in place. It's kind of a weird setup, unlike the rest of the studs.

No french locks on the straight 8...I wonder if the heat would cause a lock washer to lose it's temper, but I guess I could try one...I'm about ready to try a valve stud nut...I'm not too worried about correctness; I just drive it around.

This feels like one of those threads where I'll get no response, but here goes... I eliminated exhaust manifold gaskets on my 263 because I was sick of replacing them yearly...now I have a strange problem...the #8 exhaust bracket/stud/nut combo keeps loosening up after a few miles driven. I tighten it to 30 or so ft./lbs., and sure enough, after several miles I can hear the slight ticking of an exhaust leak. When I return, the thing's loosened up to 15-20 ft./lbs. I've tried cleaning the threads on the stud, a new nut, flipping the bracket around, loctite, a star washer...soooo, any ideas? Anyone have this problem? Could I try a jamb nut of any sort?

I fabricated a piece of metal that I bolted to the heat riser to pipe flange, and made a hole in the other end to loop the spring onto. That way I could bend my new "hook" to keep proper tension on the spring.

I had the shocks on the '53 rebuilt 4 years ago, and they don't seem very effective; however, on cold mornings the thing rides like a dream. I can only figure that since cold oil is thicker, some thicker oil may help. I'd like to drain these things and fill them with maybe some heavier motorcycle fork oil...any ideas on how to drain them? Any alternative ideas are welcome, and I'm not above pulling them off to drain them from the filler either. Thanks!

I loved the exhaust dumps! Are they vacuum operated or mechanical?

Oh yeah, a little tip that I found somewhere in internet-land...if you break the pinion crossshaft bolt when removing your axles to replace the seals (and I hope you don't...it can be a pain to get that thing out), a Chevy 12 bolt one is a direct fit...mine had been broken and whoever broke it didn't bother to finish the job. Luckily it was hanging on by one thread, so an easy out got it out...

Well, do you get the Buick Bugle? I wrote an article for them about a year ago regarding the replacement of the torque ball seal and prop shaft seal. It's a decent sized job, but certainly not insurmountable if you are mechanically inclined. I got my torque ball kit from Fatsco transmissions, because they had no core charge. It cost about 90 dollars and came with decent instructions. I usually get my other parts from Bob's Automobilia, which also sells torque ball kits. If the differential isn't making noise while driving (mine even makes a touch of noise), it's probably OK. You'll want to check your brake shoes for fluid contamination. Finally, Old-Tank (on this board) recommended in one of his posts to drill a drain hole a few inches from the differential in the bottom of the torque tube itself for any transmission fluid that gets past your new seals..I did that, tapped it, and used thread sealer on the bolt...and now I drain a bit out about once a year. I'm not sure these things were leak proof even when new, but the drain will allow you to ensure none gets to the rear end anymore...good luck!

Yeah, by removing the cap to remove the pressure you've lowered the boiling point of the anti-freeze, causing the leak...or so it seems to me. I thought mine was running pretty warm (at the top of the normal band) one hot day after lots of freeway driving then idling), so I put my infrared thermometer on it and it was running 200 degrees. Not really hot at all. It boiled over once (plugged radiator) and it didn't puke coolant until the gauge was pegged at H. I have a 7 blade Cadillac monster limo fan on mine and even idling keeps her pretty cool. They show up on ebay pretty often...the 6 blade ones are more common...

I think that you can really assume it's a little plugged...especially if it's original to the car and never been serviced. That's a lot of time for crud to build up, and your standard in-car flush doesn't get it all. If it's in good shape, a boil out shouldn't be more than 50-75 dollars, and could make a world of difference. It could also bring about some real issues, like pinholes, etc. I had to have mine recored to the tune of $475, and that was 3 years ago.

Well, I have left this car sitting in the back of the garage for about 3 or 4 days now, and the only leak from that area is a rust/water drip from the road draft tube, which is undoubtedly somewhat rusty inside from being 57 years old. I'm hoping that's all the leak was and I misinterpreted it...the cooler doesn't seem to be dripping at all. I'll keep you all posted if my diagnosis changes! On an unrelated note, it's no wonder these old things are so greasy when you get your hands on them...I pulled the engine for a rebuild three years ago, and it's got an oily film over all kinds of stuff underneath...3 years and it's dirty.

Thanks for the pics! I'll take a peek underneath soon...Looks like a small handed job getting it out from inside the car. Only 2 bolts though...and 2 fittings, and 2 hoses.

Well, the old '53 is occasionally leaving a few drops of antifreeze mixed with trans. fluid. I'm assuming it's the cooler...I've never studied the cooler at all...anyone know where one of those would leak that kind of mixture? Can it be replaced in the car? Any other thoughts? Thanks for any input...I've already replaced the front pump seal and o-ring and torque ball seal...can't be too much else left (knock on wood).

I just had the windshield and back glass installed in my Mustang...The labor for both windows worked out to under 100 dollars, including molding installation. IMO, that was money well spent. Once again, you can do it, but why take a chance on screwing something like that up or breaking a windshield. The price included coming to my house to install it.