60FlatTop

Try drawing a schematic of the radio circuit from the battery positive post to the negative post. Then make a sketch of the actual route detailing the junctions and connections. You'll probably see the problem right away. Bernie

If you want to double your money, figure out how much you have in it and multiply by 2. Just curious, did you buy it without knowing a fair price? Bernie

Did you put the drum back on the lathe to make sure it is still round? And watch out for those old time mechanics. Sometimes all they did over the years was age. Bernie

What the heck, pretty close to the same angle as the '54:

I read this forum because I have developed a burning desire for a 1940's Super Clipper. That said, can you imagine the discussions around the circa 2050 estate sale of this one: Bernie

Sold!

I would measure the resistance of the device, allowing for a minimum resistance in the wire, switch, and connector. Then plug it into old faithful E=IR where E=6 volts and R is your ohmic value. "I" will be your current (Intensity). Give it 30 to 40% overdraw and select the closest fuse available. It should be fine. Bernie

When removing those old hoses I like to take the clamp off and then use a razor knife to slice the hose above the connecting nipple and just peel it off. Then you don't risk twisting a heater core fitting. Bernie

Auction commentators, where do they get them? Maybe they plants seeds and grow them. A friend of mine and I used to sit in the non-bidder area for the Kruse auctions at Fall Hershey. We were rolling in the aisle listening to them. I think there was a big bus parked by the stadium for them to ride in. We knew they could never find the place on their own. Tricky lil devils though. I remember all the '60's two door hardtops had the doors opened during the auction. Two door sedans were left closed. The "sip and bid club" members might think they were hardtops. Watch that at the next auction. Once in a while Dean would get up there and hustle bids. He could squeeze money out of cast iron; a real treat to watch him in action. A man on the eternal search for the uninformed buyer. (That was our motto at the tire shop when I sold cars as a teenager.) Bernie

This store in Gran Rapids should be able to help you out: Northwestern Auto Supply, Antique Auto Parts, Old Car and Truck Parts For Sale, Engine Parts, Grand Rapids, Michigan . Lennie is really good. Bernie

I see this is an old post. Maybe the car is still sitting.If it was at my place I would pick up 4 1955-57 Chevy motor mounts and use a carpenter's lathe to "machine" duplicates. Those simple Chevy mounts are real handy. Bernie

I used to care for a 1949 Hudson Commodore 8 that the owner would let sit for long periods of time. Whenever he got it out four cylinders would have low compression. About the third time around, roughly 3- 2 year storage periods we determined that those were the cylinders sitting at the bottom of the stroke during storage, the tightest fit in the bore. After a prescription of driving 200 miles, he brought it back and everything was normal. Splashing hot oil around the inside of an engine cures a lot of problems. My goal is to drive each car 15 miles a week. It makes them run well, they have to be reliable, and it takes away the tendency to defer maintenance. Bernie

Almost as much fun as reading, pictures are good, too: Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum I live near Rochester, New York and had a 10 AM meeting in Maumee, Ohio. Staying at the Auburn Inn and stopping by the museum seemed the most logical thing to do. Bernie

None of these guys would change a split rim: The boss said we don't change split rims and we don't flirt with rattlesnakes. We always sent the customers to a truck shop where they had the tools, experience, and a cage to inflate the tires in. Bernie

Now pick up Rolling Sculpture by Gordon Beuhrig. It is an insightful one. I got both when they first came out. For a real good time read Sloan's My Years with General Motors back to back with Iacocca. The tone of the two will make you smile. Bernie

Although the gauges are nice, a well maintained cooling system is more reliable than a gauge. Don't run hoses and belts that are more that 10 years old (7 years is good), check the pulleys for wear and be sure the crank damper is OK, Open drain cocks to be sure rust and sediment isn't building up, change the coolant and flush (it could cost $50 to do it annually, what's you cat worth?), use a thermostat if the car came with one, if water drips from packing when the car sits it will probably draw air into the system when it is running. Bernie

Denny. I got out of the Navy in November 1971 and had a whole string of cars like those. Most never got finished, however I have had some really nice cars. The best cars I have owned were the ones I paid a fair market value for. The bargains always were passed on to a new owner in short order. The most valuable thing I learned was that each car in those pictures you have needs an average of 300 $100 jobs. Don't let your wife do the math on that one! And the math always works. In 1971 we couldn't get online. Today I could see myself at the Charleston, SC naval base running thins search: Cars Trucks | eBay , might have to copy/paste. That is all the Ebay cars from 1934 to 1965 priced between $4,000 and $8,000- Buy It Now. That is a sweet spot for a buyer. You can buy up to $16,000 in someone's investment, not counting labor, and be driving tomorrow. When you are young learn to maintain cars. When you are old learn to buy someone else's work. If you'd like a real nice white '60 Electra 4 door send me a PM (10 years of my work). I'm considering a reduction. Bernie

Well, with a name like Denny and a AB address, I bet you aren't a German citizen looking to import the car. Even so, I would keep shopping. With no title it is best to just walk. Some states might issue a non-transferable title that converts to transferable after one year. Cars from open air museums have enough problems and expenses without ownership issues. Bernie

I have reconditioned center links. Sometimes there is a plastic sleeve on the pivot shaft that breaks up and leaves a lot of play. If you use a die grinder to remove the weld from the back cup the ball and shaft can be nudged out in a press. Make a new sleeve with stiff teflon tubing from a plastic supply house, check the wear on the ball. If it is OK slip it together and lightly heli-arc the retaining cup back into the assembly. No more chasing the tar strips and biased tires will drive well. Bernie

To the original question, you can "sound out" rod bearings. I haven't done it in a while, like decades. You take a 10" socket drive extension and hold it firmly against t\each bearing cap. Then give it a light rap with a hammer. I always used a brass hammer. As I remember, the good bearing have a nice ring to them. Excessive clearance makes a dull thud. If you have a bad one and you do eight, you'll know. Main bearing caps are easy, just drop one at a time. It doesn't take much to drop a few rod caps. Wipe them off and look for a dull gray surface; any coppery color and they are fried. Sometimes you see a small chunk missing, a little 1/8" triangle or rectangle. That is not a big concern as long as no scoring shows on the shaft. Our breed of Riviera is half a century old now. They have had opportunities to sit for very long times. The long term storage events are not usually planned. If they were the owner would change the oil so it sat with fresh oil on the bearing surfaces. More likely it just got parked with slightly contaminated oil. The acids suspended in the oil will etch the bearing material over time by oxidating the surface. Start the car up and you can wipe away .001-.0015 easily. That added to the original clearance will get you .004 or .005 and a slight knock. Remember "What you don't wear out will deteriorate with age." Wearing stuff out is fun. Finding it all shot from sitting is pretty sad.\ I dropped the pan on my Riviera before computer slang made PIA a common term. It is a PIA. You need to raise the engine a few inches. The exhaust needs to be removed. The tranny lines and fan shroud need disconnecting and removal. The four pan bolts above the crossmember are hard to do even raised. I found a 1/4' drive socket with a flex extension best to get those lil guys. At 50 years old we are pushing the limits on an original engine. Whether it is wear or long term storage deterioration, it is probably time to consider a rebuild. I did mine right around 2000 when a piston disintegrated. That's when I dropped the pan and found it full of Chiclets. Bernie

I just got my official Car Guy Gift Shop website up and running. The link is in my signature. I listed more details in the Forum Commercial Advertisement section. There is a link to an Amazon store with some nice books I picked out and a link to buy a Gift Card. It is one of those dream businesses for my old age. If if works, Great! I'll do my best to grow it and provide all of you with good stuff. Amazon has a lot of good car books and tools. A $20 gift card would be just the ticket, just remember to go into amazon through my site. I'll get a few bucks to spend on my cars. Thanks, Bernie Oh, ask children to leave the room before you click. It might scare them. Bernie

Well, there are always those parts pickers: Bernie

Restraint IS my least recognized attribute. Bernie

I ground the coil wire. Just a jumper wire with two alligator clips will do it. Then you don't have to disconnect the primary wire at the distributor. Bernie

Here's a picture of some boat tails. I was just wandering around the junkyard I hung out at from 12 years old: Bernie