alsancle Posted May 19, 2017 Share Posted May 19, 2017 That video is awesome! Bolt that thing in to a gokart frame. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r1lark Posted May 19, 2017 Share Posted May 19, 2017 Opened for me too. Great sound out of that 80+ year old muffler!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F&J Posted May 20, 2017 Author Share Posted May 20, 2017 (edited) 27 minutes ago, alsancle said: That video is awesome! Bolt that thing in to a gokart frame. In my best Fonzy voice....ehhhhh...I'm bolting in the dam car, . No kiddig, In the AM, I will install my SW mechanical temp gauge in that plugged hole on rear side of the head. Same thread; 1/2 NPT. I normally don't use that gauge on all barn find jobs, unless I have an apparent issue, but why not? ...it won't take but a minute...if I can remember where it is....my buildings are a maze of stuff, growing more as my aging auto frriends donate their entire stash of fantastic bits that I use nearly daily. Then power wash it good, get it in the shop, drop pan to clean, and do the rear main rope seal, and maybe Pease has a NORS leather front crank seal,,,,then paint, I think they were gray...and replace flywheel with a mint one, look at the disc,,,,and in she goes. 22 minutes ago, r1lark said: Opened for me too. Great sound out of that 80+ year old muffler!! Anybody who knows me, realize that I don't worry if I say I reused a good old USA trans bearing in favor of an unknown quality offshore bearing...and why I was thrilled to find an old original muffler Some folks here probably would change every dam thing with potentially garbage quality new parts...I don't care if they do...but I sure don't. All calmed down know, and did get the vid to open....I mumbled there in the beginning to my kid........I was pointing to the compression bubbles at number 2 or 3 plug gasket. I swapped the broken plugs for new ones that my 84 yr old friend gave me in a huge stash...but no new plug gaskets, He had them in a baggie marked 68 mustang... he's restored many DOZENs of cars, but I only recall a 65 Mustang 6-stick red conv, and a white hipo 4 speed 66 conv. Here is a pic I wanted to show before I got stressed....taken in 1935 when first finished... it was built to a boattail by the legendary Frank Kurtis in 1935.. from a wrecked 34 coupe, for a guy who worked at Don Lee Cadillac in socal. This is the first version, and then the later undated mods done by whom?. Note the black version lost the big running boards in favor of small step...and it has the very rare factory rear skirts that a hub cap attaches to.. There is a nice side pic of the newer version, but I don't have it yet Edited May 20, 2017 by F&J (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsancle Posted May 20, 2017 Share Posted May 20, 2017 The boat tail is cool. If we are doing Lasalle show and tell here is another one. http://theoldmotor.com/?p=150974 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F&J Posted May 20, 2017 Author Share Posted May 20, 2017 10 minutes ago, alsancle said: here is another one I found it surprising at first, that the all time favorite custom grill to use, which was a LaSalle grille, ....and it's gone but then I "got it", they wanted people to know it was Marmon power, I'd bet. it brings a point to ponder.... these two cars show that modified cars indeed were around then (like your Special), even as 1 year old models, but very shunned by the "vocal" stock-only guys on AACA and elsewhere.. Mine will never see any mods what so ever, but I don't dislike these...they are a part of US auto history, and I like looking at auto history of all decades. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsancle Posted May 20, 2017 Share Posted May 20, 2017 Frank, any car guy that wouldn't love either of these two is not a car guy. Theoretically the CCCA should accept my Stutz as it is documented by a professional body builder who advertised and built a series of cars. It was done on a new chassis which I also have documentation of. Not a home build. But regardless, if it was done by somebody unknown but prior to WWII I would love it just as much. If it was done in the 40s or 50s I would still love it but not quite as much. I could equally love those two Lasalle's if somebody finds either one 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F&J Posted May 20, 2017 Author Share Posted May 20, 2017 6 minutes ago, alsancle said: Theoretically the CCCA should accept my Stutz as it is documented by a professional body builder who advertised and built a series of cars. It was done on a new chassis which I also have documentation of. Organizations and more importantly, individuals, can be subconsciously "trapped in a defined box". Missing the tree for the forest.. I was trapped in that box.... that I must have been unaware that if I stumbled on to the fact that a certain precise "make, year, and model" could totally knock my socks off after getting to know the workings of it, it's running and driving behaviors, engineering masterpieces on so many mechanical and structural components, ......but was a car with a few years newer body style than I never would consider owning, or even looking at one, just to ponder it. This car "handed me my ass".. .I would not feel this way if it was a 33 LaS V8, as those can't possible be as good as this "32 Olds" straight 8 engine design .. ......but I'm working on the Nash today while waiting for a customer. I'd like to try getting the 32 Hupp steering wheel removed without damage, and see if it can work on the Nash column. . 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F&J Posted May 20, 2017 Author Share Posted May 20, 2017 1 hour ago, F&J said: Missing the tree for the forest.. On two of my old build threads on hamb, common protocol is to have viewers speak up when they saw a solution to some fitment issue "solution" that I just plain missed... one of the many plusses of any build thread that has lots of pics... You guys should have yelled at me when I said I hated to pull the head off to fix the two snapped off head bolts. I said I knew many more BOLTS would break.. keep reading... The customer showed up just now and wanted to see the motor. He asked if it needed rebuild, I said "no, but I need to somehow fix the broken "head BOLTS"....I didn't even finish that last word....and DUH...most are normal studs with nuts like most old engines had.. how the heck did I miss that? By the way, yesterday I finally looked at this engines hand stamped serial number, which is also a number match to the car serial number on these cars. It is something like 00000613. A VERY early car in the new-for-34 Straight 8. It must be that eartly ones as well as the 32-33 Olds were conventional stud/nuts? I never looked at the 32 Olds conv motor in the junkyard last month, as far as nuts/studs.. I took a quick couple pics of 2 more engines here, but the other two are also all head "bolts", and the only one of the three survivor 34s at the estate that I took it's head off for valve repair was also all bolts, not nuts. All of these other 34s here are "mid to late" 34 serial numbers the 35 car: the 34 car : So, whew....I now will be taking the head off when the engine gets into the shop. There are a couple more "bolts" that I will slice the heads off with a 4.5" cutoff wheel, rather than snap them, and then it will make removal of those easier after the head is slid up, and off. Those many nuts will not be a problem to remove at all. Sweet.. ....and because the head is now going to be removed, as well as the brazed up intake manifold, which if removed, makes it so easy to pull the valves out for a quick reface/ and regrind of seats. I have the valve grinder as well as the seat grinder stuff...al vintage Sioux brand bought for dirt cheap at two different swapmeets. Looking "gooderer" now this morning.. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chistech Posted May 20, 2017 Share Posted May 20, 2017 Enjoyed watching the video. When I first talked with Don about an offer on the Olds, I told him I would give "X" amount only if he would let me try to get it running and if it ran. He agreed. With the car being stored in 66', I was keeping my fingers crossed there were not major issues. Some Marvel down each cylinder, cleaned points, bypassed car wiring, gravity fuel tank, and cleaned plugs had me about ready. Didn't run any water on this day. Turning with a hand crank found #3 exhaust valve hanging up so a few taps with a hammer and screwdriver down through the plug hole had it freed up. Didn't even clean the Stromberg EC-2, just filled the pump bowl with fresh gas, squirted 10cc gas in each cylinder, put the plugs in, hooked up the wires, and gave it a spin with the starter. In about 20-30 seconds it lit off and just purred, nice and quiet. Idled like a dream too. These Olds motors (this is a 6cyl) do run really nice and later inspection showed worn cylinders, bad rod bearings, burnt exhaust valves, and the wrong, over length timing chain! With all that it still sounded and ran good at that startup. Better than some after rebuild. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chistech Posted May 20, 2017 Share Posted May 20, 2017 The 32' Olds uses bolts, not studs on the 6 & 8. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r1lark Posted May 20, 2017 Share Posted May 20, 2017 1 hour ago, F&J said: The customer showed up just now and wanted to see the motor. I somehow missed that this is a customer's car. So, you get to have all this fun and get paid for it! Too cool! So far this has been a really enjoyable and informative thread, looking forward to seeing the progress. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F&J Posted May 20, 2017 Author Share Posted May 20, 2017 3 hours ago, r1lark said: I somehow missed that this is a customer's car. So, you get to have all this fun and get paid for it! Too cool! So far this has been a really enjoyable and informative thread, looking forward to seeing the progress. Ok, I am not a literary genius with a degree.... yes, he is a customer, but he was picking up a radiator support panel for a 86 Ford F350 dumptruck that I did rot repair/structrural work on.....and, he dropped it off here when MY LaSalle was still in the parking lot. So,....he now spots the engine right where the garage entrance is..and wanted to see MY motor. He then asked if I will be here later today....dang...more sidework coming in. A fullsize Mercedes V8 gas sedan, rolled out of his steep driveway, the back end T-boned HARD by a tree. He had brought it here for a look in January when his twin brother had me doing a moderate front hit on a 76 Bug, The Mercedes are known for "crumple zones" that collapse as the damage is occurring, and a harder hit leaves damage in the zones quite far away from impact. A light hit only crumples the first ones. Ain't the first crash work that I did on this car of his; I put a forward front frame clip on it some years back. It is a 1986 model It was buckled directly under the back glass at front of trunk floor. He was surprised that I said that my tooling won't pull that flat, as I just did a very impressive pull/save on the bug. I said go find a shop with a "pull post": a "sometimes portable" thing that slides under a unibody, and grips the car on the rocker panel pinchwelds, then a hydraulic ram pulls on a chain from it's "post" to slowly pull a car back to shape "before any panel repairs can be done".' When he dropped off that radiator piece, he said no shop will do it without doing the "whole" job. So he said he was going to chain the car between two trees, the front end secured to one tree, then twin comealongs tied to each huge rear bumper attaching points. So he showed up later today, and I cannot believe what a super job he did. The wrinkles are totally GONE in the floor...I thought I was dreaming! So, now I need to book a spot for the final work. I hate rot repair on cars that go back out in our road salt, and crash work is "sort of ok" with me, but I wanted to take the summer off. These guys all kept me going in some VERY sparse times, so I will not now refuse them. Payback time, if you understand? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r1lark Posted May 20, 2017 Share Posted May 20, 2017 Got it! I just misunderstood. And I understand about helping out good customers that supported you in lean times. A lot of places seem to forget about the people that gave them a chance when they were just starting out, or kept coming back when the economy was bad. People like you are few and far between these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F&J Posted May 20, 2017 Author Share Posted May 20, 2017 1 hour ago, r1lark said: And I understand about helping out good customers that supported you I really need to find a very short way to say something about how two of my customers/friends, gave me the path to restart my new life 15 years ago.. (most customers of mine, I refer to as friends over time) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsancle Posted May 21, 2017 Share Posted May 21, 2017 2 hours ago, F&J said: I really need to find a very short way to say something about how two of my customers/friends, gave me the path to restart my new life 15 years ago.. (most customers of mine, I refer to as friends over time) It seems that "customers" or "clients" or even "bosses" or "employees" can become friends over time when mutual respect becomes clear to all parties. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BillP Posted May 21, 2017 Share Posted May 21, 2017 I call people that help me accomplish a task "lifetime vendors". My lawyer, accountant, banker; my backhoe guy, my tree guy, drywall guy, HVAC guy and on and on. Once you find that guy, he or she's the first one you call, and yes, inevitably, you become friends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F&J Posted May 21, 2017 Author Share Posted May 21, 2017 (edited) 16 hours ago, r1lark said: Got it! I just misunderstood. And I understand about helping out good customers that supported you in lean times. A lot of places seem to forget about the people that gave them a chance when they were just starting out, or kept coming back when the economy was bad. People like you are few and far between these days. 12 hours ago, alsancle said: It seems that "customers" or "clients" or even "bosses" or "employees" can become friends over time when mutual respect becomes clear to all parties. 1 hour ago, BillP said: I call people that help me accomplish a task "lifetime vendors". My lawyer, accountant, banker; my backhoe guy, my tree guy, drywall guy, HVAC guy and on and on. Once you find that guy, he or she's the first one you call, and yes, inevitably, you become friends. So where do total complete strangers on build threads fit in?, either as the thread owners or just observers with a suggestion?? We don't know their age, color, economic status, ability level, etc, and simply don't ponder those things, as it does not matter...but we can tell sometimes, that that person stopped to take one more pic "just for you" as they knew you were right at that spot on your own car....or took time to observe something that needed a suggestion... I am off to the shop ... Edited May 21, 2017 by F&J (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsancle Posted May 21, 2017 Share Posted May 21, 2017 I would say that 1/2 of what I consider my good car friends started off as "internet buddies". Would you agree that within about 10-12 posts or so you can figure out if you like someone? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JV Puleo Posted May 21, 2017 Share Posted May 21, 2017 Interesting, it's pretty much the same for me. There simply aren't any brass car guys in my area - at least that I know of. With one exception, they were all older than me and are, sadly, gone now. I have two friends from HS who are serious "car guys", more so than I am but neither has ever had a brass car. One of the reasons I'm so skeptical of the "getting young people involved" threads is that I don't remember many "young people" being interested even when I was young. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsancle Posted May 21, 2017 Share Posted May 21, 2017 The Model T crowd is everywhere, but is that considered brass? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F&J Posted May 21, 2017 Author Share Posted May 21, 2017 2 hours ago, alsancle said: The Model T crowd is everywhere, but is that considered brass? I once asked you if your Dad ever met Don "Scout" Carlson, in Kensington Ct, AKA D&D auto body....big series 29-31 Packard roadsters being his fetish,.and his shop restored customer bodywork on antiques forever. He gave me a tour when I was there to get leads as to where the milk crate of my missing Nash parts were.(he knew) Out back in storage room, he showed a 190? Cad, and said "every collector always has a one cylinder Cad"....then a 09 T...."every collector has an 09 T, right?" Lol. He was 80? then.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JV Puleo Posted May 21, 2017 Share Posted May 21, 2017 (edited) 8 hours ago, alsancle said: The Model T crowd is everywhere, but is that considered brass? Yes, I suppose they are. Personally, I've never liked the Model T and have never been tempted to own one though I admit they are the only brass cars I've seen on the road around here. My reaction though is personal, not a reflection on the owners and based more on history than mechanics. I started out with a 1927 Cadillac and spent most of my 20s working on Silver Ghosts and PI RRs. I had a PI at one time, albeit a huge sedan with a dismantled engine. The result is that really small cars just don't interest me much. If I'd my druthers, I'd have a 48 HP Locomobile or a big Peirce Arrow but that isn't going to happen. Besides, you can still buy just about everything for a Model T. Where is the challenge in that? Plus the fact that a lot of the so-called brass Ts have later engines with electric starters. Edited May 22, 2017 by JV Puleo missng word (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsancle Posted May 22, 2017 Share Posted May 22, 2017 Frank, I'll try to remember to ask. If he was big in the CCCA then my dad would know, but if he was more of a pure Packard guy then maybe not. Did you see the 31 845 Roadster on eBay? I'm not a green fan but the green on that car looks fantastic. JV, always interesting how we gravitate to a particular place. I think the T is probably popular for just the reasons you may not like it. Have always liked the P1 Springfields and they have felt "reasonable" for some of the lesser body styles. The 2 convertible sedans that Gullwing was selling were pretty cool. But, having never driven or tried to maintain one I'm just observing and do not really know anything about them. I assume given your location you have been over to Mr Laferriere's place? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsancle Posted May 22, 2017 Share Posted May 22, 2017 A picture of the Packard. http://www.ebay.com/itm/1931-Packard-Super-8-/232324524448 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JV Puleo Posted May 22, 2017 Share Posted May 22, 2017 14 minutes ago, alsancle said: I assume given your location you have been over to Mr Laferriere's place? I've never been to his new location... I did go to his house once to look at a car for a friend in Texas. The fact is, I'm not really in the market for anything. I have my current project which, realistically, I'll probably be at for another 8 or 10 years and I'm 65 already. I don't even have a garage at my house so about the last thing I'm interested in is another old car. Personally, I like Ghosts better than PIs but both are fine cars. What they aren't is like any American car I've ever been exposed to in that they can be quite complicated. I can remember going to look at a big Packard with my late friend EA Mowbray... he said, referring to the engine compartment, "no wonder people like these...there's practically nothing there." What I especially like is the astonishing attention to detail that EVERY part received... when I'm making stuff I find myself thinking "how would Sir Henry Royce have done this." I know that's a bit over the top, but if you strive for that level of perfection, falling short isn't so bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edinmass Posted May 22, 2017 Share Posted May 22, 2017 AJ- I am sure you parents know Don quite well. I visited him last year, he must be close to 90 now. He lost his wife two years ago. One of the few guys who were in the hobby when it started and are still with us. He has lots of different cars, Packards and T's seem to be his favorites. But Caddys and Lincolns as well as one off coachwork are still in his garage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BillP Posted May 22, 2017 Share Posted May 22, 2017 Alsancle says, " JV, always interesting how we gravitate to a particular place." Recently, I've been more aware that it often depends on where we start. When I was six or seven, my dad had a Springfield Rolls. I think he bought it for 400 and sold it a few years later for 6 or 800. It was a grand car and fun to ride in. So I like old cars too. He had several airplanes so I became a pilot. His war was WWII, mine was vietnam. He liked guns and hunting, me too. We don't slavishly follow along after our dads, but frequently, the acorn falls close to the tree. This may have been Dad's Roller Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsancle Posted May 22, 2017 Share Posted May 22, 2017 Eddy, I'll ask him today. The complexity of the P1 is something you hear a lot. I'm a big believer in "doing what you know" and there are only so many cars you can get comfortable with in in one lifetime. The other thing about Packard is a guy can start with a $1500.00 110 and work his way up the ladder to a 3.5 million dollar Dietrich Split windshield and never leave the marque. I don't know if there are any other manufacturers were you can quite do that. You are usually stuck at the bottom, middle or top of the range. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F&J Posted May 22, 2017 Author Share Posted May 22, 2017 8 hours ago, edinmass said: But Caddys and Lincolns as well as one off coachwork are still in his garage Ed, Thanks much, for letting me know that Scout is still alive. when I was there 8-9 years ago, he would only work a few hours a day, then visit with friends at some eatery. He hinted like he still liked to "cat around" (flirt) with the ladies He was doing some wood repairs to a 29? Standard? roadster Packard. A big one was next to it all done up...maybe I recall a 640 number? IDK these cars. I heard the nickname of Scout from a younger guy back around 1972, when Don had some field-find parts cars for sale. I was there buying a $200-ish 1929 Desoto roadster cut-down that Don found in a field in New Hampshire. I was restoring an ex-hotrod 29 roadster. The younger guy who worked with Don was into Morgans and did not care for US vintage cars. When I was there for the Nash parts lead, Don sat at his old cluttered desk, looked through the rolladex, and pulled out Shultz's name/number, said the guy runs a tacky curio shop in coastal CT in upscale Westport? I forget. Don then told me my Nash came from Carlisle in the 80s, flat towed by Schultz, then went to central CT, to some $$guy who owned a lot of gas stations.... who bought the Nash and Shultz's 31 Cad v12 sedan cut-down. Don then said Schultz visited "here" some year or so ago, saying he still had a milk crate of parts that went to my Nash !! He said keep calling him, you'll finally catch up with him. What an adventure this was turning out to be. I Did hook up with Schutz who was 80? and that led to me buying his red 67 Mustang conv that his wife drove for years but sat in a barn for 20. it was a fix-n-flip for me. Shultz was sounding on the phone like money was wanted for the parts, like feeling out how much he could get... I get there, we go into the back storage room of the antique/curio shop, and he must have had spent an hour cleaning a big area on the floor and had every single piece all laid out as to what fit where.. He said "it's yours" when I asked how much..."it belongs on your car...take it". ..going backwards in the Nash/Cad story: ..After Schultz sold them, then the two cars rusted badly in a wet garage for 20 years more, ....then a pair of father/son flippers who Don knew very well, sold me the Nash, and Bob McGowan was somehow a broker/contact/parts sorter for a Virginia V12 collector. I talked with McGowan, as I had his front seat in my car, and asked if he had my back seat or the top to mine..nope. Back to the Carlson collection, he showed me a 1931? Cad open front? limo, said it was Mrs, Ward's of Montgomery Ward company. I don't remember all the cars he showed me, but you sure can tell the spark was still there. Don told a us a funny story that day; Don has a lot of facial hair...and has an unlit big cigar stub in his mouth normally.....his friend said to Don "you look just like F-'n Lassie taking a S---t " LOL Life's journeys.... all too many to share here... Every step, leads to another contact, to yet another great adventure...THAT is Fact!! . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F&J Posted May 22, 2017 Author Share Posted May 22, 2017 23 minutes ago, F&J said: Life's journeys.... all too many to share here... Every step, leads to another contact, to yet another great adventure...THAT is Fact!! I don't mind you guys talking about cars/people on my 34 thread...we ARE a dying breed in many aspects... Yes a few select marques will always have the "money'' followers, but those are sort of like rare art pieces in the upscale society... Most of us readers here on AACA are cars guys, not into it as status/art/money flashing. The great part of being lower income my whole life, but not realized until recently by me...it has me starting with hopeless stuff a moderate income person does not want firstly, and secondly does not know how it possibly can be salvaged. That led to me learning how to make something useful out of a "pile"....and meeting SO many interesting cool people, when chasing the parts I need... At Don's shop back in 72, I asked about a shiny restored touring body hanging in the rafters or loft. I was told it belonged to a long time customer who brought just body parts to D&D for resto-paint. It was a a teens Dodge. I later somehow hooked up with it's owner, Bob Knight of Millis, Mass. Bob had a senior quality 27-ish big Chrysler roadster he showed me, but I was there buying the back half, lid, and rear fenders of a 29 Ply roadster.($100).. he, he, I was going to, and succeeded, building that Carlson 29 Desoto into a 2nd roadster for me. Bob was an semi-elderly white collar guy, a tad bit too heavy as to potential life shortening heath risk...maybe stuck behind a desk with zero exercise. His income let him buy a complete extra 29 Ply basket roadster for just a few tiny parts to finish a senior quality 29 U roadster. If not for the lack of proper funds, I'd never have had so many travels and adventures, and have met so many people in so many income levels or so areas of New England... Heck I even sold a brass era car to Albright back when we were both young...yes he was a flipper even then, I believe from Pennsylvania. His purchase of my oddball car, led HIM to more purchases of the same Marque, but perhaps ended up underwater and donated two of his later "same Marque" purchases to Don Garlits Museum ...likely a tax write off. See what some are missing? When you are out there flipping for funds for your own car, you end up on a lifelong road of entwined adventures.... but there are no signposts along that road. You just go along like a leaf in a brook, no set plans, the leaf may sink, or it may end up getting to a warm sunny ocean beach I'd not trade my life for anything... Too bad I did not know that even 10 years ago... . 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F&J Posted May 22, 2017 Author Share Posted May 22, 2017 one more post before I get to work today. Concerns a "leaf in a brook" journey of mine that sometimes dispels some random comment on the web that may cause an unwarranted bad feeling towards a person or business, that might be untrue.. Also concerns making a Car Forum much better?..and may dispel a persons view of a certain type of car has no interest anymore...Or change your view that "that guy is filthy rich, and posing" When I was still flipping, and maybe back around 7 years ago, I saw an ebay listing from Dragone Classic cars in Bridgeport CT. A notation of "cleaning out our parts car lot"...a 25 Star touring, cut off to a depression era pickup....up for bid, unknown reserve, a buy-it-now for $1500. I was ready to hit the BIN button, so I called the number listed. It was George Dragone. I asked only one question: " I see it has 16" 40s wheels on the back with wide whites...all I need to know is if it has the original rear axle?" (I don't play games) He either looked or knew that it was, then said it comes with a bunch of wood spoked wheels that may fit...you can have those too. So, because two people were playing games bumping it up all morning at $50 a clip for entertainment, now sitting at $700-$800, I hit the BIN. George said not to come to haul it during showroom hours, come on Sunday. My son and I did. He had the Star lined right up at the gate, so we went in the showroom to pay and get paper. He then started us on a tour of the showroom...the stuff for sale...he kinda gave the "normal salemans' tour...but it was so quick...then kept heading for the repair shop where customer stuff is instead...for some reason. His excitement about certain cars was showing and growing. He is a hard core car guy, without any doubt to me. His tastes are selective, different that mine, but I knew money is not his main game in cars. .IMO I owned the Star only 6 days....Ran drove sweet! The rear spokes were cut off very close to the stock rear hubs, I used the Ford T wheels that George gave me, and I got them to fit perfect. George said he found the Star sticking out of a barn in Pennsylvania...bought it by knocking on the door, his guys got it to run, and he used to drive it around Bridgeport back streets on weekends with a grandson/or nephew....till it quit and had to be towed back to the dirt lot. It was just a cracked distributor elbow housing that someone had wired together. The dist popped up, and quit turning. I took it to a local "farm show/pop-engine-tractor show" that is starts Friday eve set up, camping out till Sunday PM. Great times then as my son was into tractors to drive there. The Star sold instantly by a huge older guy I knew by sight and name only...my then to become good friend Kenny, with a S-load of early cars on the family farm.. He does early Dodge fours because he still had his grandfathers 23 Dodge sedan bought new, that was cutdown in the 40s for farm use. Kenny knew the back body was in one of the barns so it was restored to original in the 70s...wheeew that was a typing event Kenny is now a VERY good friend, we share and donate parts, we share leads, etc. Kenny says "they're all gone now", meaning the older car friends he knew. He also says "nobody want's this old stuff anymore" Well, there are some that do...go find them Joe who just started the Mitchell resto thread, but told me by PM first, that he did not think his stuff would fit in these days,,, or not authentic enough, and noboby has brass on the net anymore...DUH, let's try to fix that ! A web site forum cannot grow without help, in the somewhat disappearing interest of the older cars. Do you prefer to post on the main board/read about people sitting on the couch complaining that some jackarsed TV drama car series sucks, or do you prefer seeing sh-- happening? Peter G, the AACA webmaster gave us great tools to do nice threads...pic space etc. It was, and is a LOT of work for HIM. Please share your stuff, we don't care the year make ,model...nor care what your skills lack or not. Help it grow, and doing a thread helps others off the couch, or find a solution to their project, or spark interest. and may help another old car get saved by a casual onlooker who wants to join in...and buys a car "nobody" wants... I need to work today...bye Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsancle Posted May 22, 2017 Share Posted May 22, 2017 Good words of advice Frank. I try hard to only post positive comments. If you knew me you would know that doesn't come naturally :). Of course, I do have hard time controlling myself with regards to my disdain for whitewalls, trippe lights, doodads, and guys that walk around a high end car auction with a NADA price guide in their hand. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F&J Posted May 22, 2017 Author Share Posted May 22, 2017 4 hours ago, alsancle said: If you knew me you would know that doesn't come naturally :). I am now going to use my own advice on myself, that I gave to a member that asked here on a PM, "don't fall for the drama inducing comments of others... save that wasted adrenalin for your restoration". and: You have a right to tell Ed that the Murphy looked pretty darn spiffy with blacks in the original factory pic of it, compared to his fetish of the whites on it, in the pic (at Amelia?) Friendly banter, that's all it is. A friend never takes it as hate. >>>>Today, I decided to take the LaS carb off to get it to run better for a final test....one hour run time to make sure of no heating issues, etc. I need to know before powerwash, then get it inside, out of weather..Soon! I have old books, but I just take things apart, and try not to loose things, Carter WD-O multi-fit type carb...1940 era. Not right for it's choke system, but I don't seem to have a correct 34 carb. The running issues seemed Vac leak, but a hint of dirt moving around in bowl, too, The base gasket was one leak I knew would happen, as I slapped the carb on only to fire it to see if it was removed for a rod knock. Then I found a missing Vac line fitting, which was the other one. Pencil laying on that "base gasket". Other pencil points to a very typical issue of gasket shrinking on used or NOS carbs. You need to take them apart even if NOS. pic below: shows another shrunk gasket...this one only leaks dust into the venturies, not a running issue at all.: All my adventures have connecting stories, and people...The last owner of the estate, the car collector, had but only one long term close car friend named Bob Sr, who I was also very good friends with since 71...... when one of his 3 boys that I all knew, introduced me to Bob. Bob was the guy who said those fateful words to me: "Ever hear of the Hershey Swap?" LOL Bob Jr is a close friend who stops by here sorta weekly, and in a vintage car, unless winter salt on roads. He is well off, and has true showcars like the dark green 51 Chevy pickup I posted on AACA recently, and restored his Dads 31 deluxe A roadster for himself, a car Dad had since 63. ..and others. I posted pics of that here someplace too. Bob started two long running businesses then sold out in high market times. The first was a gas station with a very busy repair shop, so he knows how to fix cars. Ok, so Bob Jr says to me one day: "find me a 60-62 Valiant TWO door, a good one" I said "yea right, in the rustbelt?" Well this was at the beginning of the first year at the estate... The widow calls me up one day saying she heard of two lost cars her husband had stored at some guys home near me...please go get them for me.. A 47 Ply conv, and a 48 Ply coupe. The guy said her husband bought them but needed a lot of time to find storage...yea right This guy never knew he had later passed away. He shows my Son and I the conv out in a side field, showing remnants of a rotted blue tarp, a real project. Then I asked where was the Coupe?, He said "in my 2 car garage". The coupe had all fenders off for resto, and entire suspension apart....then I asked if the "other car" was for sale in the garage.. . Guess what it was LOL You may get sick of hearing of my "leaf in a brook" new life, but here is proof: A 62 southern car, slant six with his "hopeful" desire of a "standard trans", too,..... Found yet 2 weeks after he asked. Went for $1500 as Bob is a hard bargainer...I was told "Twenty Five Firm" by the owner. Chat more, the guy says he got it from so and so, "do you know him? " Heck yes, he is customer, and I mentioned recently on AACA about I was the guy who finally got his wifes 47 Ply woodie fixed...after 5 years screwing around at another old timers shop. I fixed it in a half hour It all flows together for me...."your results may vary"...if you ain't a leaf ....yet.. Anyways, I was rushing to get the carb back on so Bob could see how nice it ran...he always says he has to get home at 3:30...So today he keeps trying to get me to slow down, and I said your "wife will not be happy if you are late, so I am rushing" He said I don't need to explain nuthin" to her. He,he... We ran it for at least 45 minutes, no issues except weather was getting damp and cool for the rain we have right now. The heat riser is stuck open, so the ( the black colored part in my pic) base of the carb was not quite icing up, but heavy dew on exterior of it, and Bob said water droplets mixing with air inside... no biggy, just a temporary issue. I forget what else I was going to say for now.. . 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F&J Posted May 24, 2017 Author Share Posted May 24, 2017 Back to reality, I must get the cars off the lawn, get fenders and other big pieces inside somewhere. I mentioned moving cars around to get more bays, and it is tough to plan.. I said I'd add one more garage door on the backend of long shop, before Autumn. But the rotted orig chassis from my Conv was there, I made the hard decision to cut it up for a body stand like Christech did with a spare rotted one. I finally went with the same cut at firewall he had done, and it turned out to be the best place when I got it on the trailer for it. I used a Plasma, as well as Impact for two leafspring bolts. I need those 9 leaf for mine. And, I had a large dirt pile on the blind side of shop where I need to park the two sedans, to get them off the lawn, and easier to get parts from....also hidden from any neighbors view completely. That dirt is needed in front of the new doorway....it is a slope there. 2 jobs at once, remove dirt pile and use for fill. Such a pain with one person. Decided not to use the bucket crawler for safety, working alone. Had to move so much junk to get at the dirt piles, so that took forever..Sons boat, his project truck, the 29 chevy tractor, rear ends,etc.. Here is 29 front wheel ended upon the new body trailer for now, when moving dirt, then cars/ Some Grunge Music group is called Alice in Chains.... Here is .(1962)..ALLIS with Chains....tire chains, that I modded for super grip with 2X the crosslinks. Second set I made in 35+ years of working it HARD..one set wore out.. Yes, it pulled that trailer UPHILL on the lawn to get there. Just like a tractor pull, it rose up as it started to bite...don't let off...lean forward for more weight, it went gradually up to 2 feet, then settled down as it was moving good. Steering was close to nil, unless I leaned forward. You can see where I removed dirt, The old machines work fine to get something done for cheap, but they have slow acting hydraulics, sloppy bucket pins, so it is way harder to level a mess. As the tracks go in a dip, or out, the bucket naturally moves up or down , and slow hydraulics can't react quick enough.. Got it fine, just takes longer. 3 flats, two diagonal tires leaked down in a minute, so Keystone Cops ...back and forth on those tires with air hose, to get it to winch off better. Ooops I forgot about this issue with a light tractor when the weight goes off the tail onto ramps. Could have changed the oil and rotated Allis's tires...lol. Hood is up as it was rattling before...it is not that ugly look if down This is the tractor frame I welded back together a few days ago...can't understand why it was broken. he.he ...looks like the weld job is holding ok Was getting to 5 or so, and I was going to try for the really tough 34 sedan test move. Haul it up the back way, up a steep bank. no rear drums, one destroyed tire, one bare rim on the fronts.... My son showed up to get a canoe as he had a fishing friend appointment..too busy to help me....so he said I should rest till the AM, as he was so shocked at all I did. Well, the task looked like a real challenge so he said "i'll give it a try". I did take a video on his cell, no idea if it was on, he had to look, said yes...so it was a shaky start. The video started too late to see the crawler nose down in dirt, he was 5 feet in air, crawler was on it's front tippy-toes... It can't flip over, it just looks like insanity. We have our own hand signals over the years, for noisey times. He gave the signal asking if the bucket is close to clipping the rear roof, my signal was I don't give a s... It is a junk body. Then my signal was forget going backwards with crawler, turn it around and drag that heap through the dirt. We had been trying to keep the rear half up in the air before, to go easier, but the hill defeats that ability. . . ok , I only "rough dumped" the dirt pile near the new door spot: The last car is not tucked up closer to the 35 sedan yet...the crawler had let us know the coolant water had all leaked out when I had the video going. I did refill but at the time of that last chain pull pic above, it was hot enough again, to backfire up the pipe and quit. Sounded like it may be a big problem, but an hour later it started like new. I will give the final movement in AM...then lift each end of both cars to get them up on blocks, like at Pick- a-Part junkyard cars. Video, is still on Sons cell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F&J Posted May 24, 2017 Author Share Posted May 24, 2017 Nobody bumped their own thread up in 9 hours...so I will add: I woke at 4am which is odd, so I got an early start, as forecast looked semi good. Got rained out after 1 hour, but did move the 34 sedan in it's final spot next to building, and only had time to block the front of chassis up. Then used the crawler to move the 29 tractor back, so I could get to my body dolly trailer with the Allis, when I needed it. Moved crawler to the yellow 34 shell to get ready to lift it super high in front, to slide dolly trailer under...but rain got too heavy. I did order a out-of-print Crestline Car ID book from their huge series of mixed makes. It is Cad-LaS. Should be very good like the other Crestline books. I spotted it while ordering a Crestline DODGE STORY for friend Joe, and he also wanted a copy of my Standard Catalog of US cars by Kimes/Clark that he really likes. Got all three coming. I don't have time to cut head bolt studs off of the "only 34 engine worth a look" at bores, for Joe. Or go back to junkyard to see if the 32 Olds 8 is stuck...it maybe is not, or not bad, as it still has the waterproof aircleaner design...meaning water can't even splash in the carb in a downpour. We have everything else to make his driveline complete except driveshaft, but I may have donor pieces to build one. We also don't even have one original carb, but plenty of all the many things on a motor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F&J Posted May 24, 2017 Author Share Posted May 24, 2017 It stopped raining an hour later, so I went to get the body dolly trailer to haul it near the air hose, but the tire broke both beads. Took the wheel off, soaped up the beads and added air but can't find a leak anywhere with a soapy brush. The body on that lawn was the last real task of the LaS mess brought home, so I wanted it moved to other side of shop. I used a twin J hook setup so it won't tip sideways. Came in with bucket from the side to leave room for trailer. Nothing went very well from then on. ^^^ here I am trying with a long 2x4 to force the body to the left, but it was all uncooperative. Finally realized the tops of trailer fenders are too tall, and I already knew I can't cut them off as they hold the back half of the trailer on, by design. So, I did get it on good enough to get it moved, then when going to drive the crawler off that lawn, I hauled the rotted parts that fell of the 34 a week ago when it was going to be unloaded. So I am happy that lawn mess is over. Took a coffee break and finally knew what I could do to get around the trailer fenders issue: I will just make 4 simple short metal posts to weld to the trailer deck and then to bottom of the dolly car frame, and it will all fit right onto the bolt hole pads, like I needed. Maybe 4" tall, so it will be very easy. Glad I left it by the door where I can reach with welder. Super good 1.5 days for me. Seems I'm getting my stamina back to 40 years old ^^^^ you should be able to see the sedan body is 4"+- ,too high off of the shortened LaS frame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F&J Posted May 25, 2017 Author Share Posted May 25, 2017 this mornings update is a rambling post... More than a week ago, my son said "I know you well enough to know that finally getting the deal accepted on the LaS conv, has not hit you yet...even though it has been in your shop awhile"... he was right. Keeping it short to prevent a novel in one post. When I first saw the survivor 34 maroon conv buried in a dark back corner at the estate, buried in stuff, I first thought: " It's a fat-chick later style" from the era right after my favorite era of 32-ish. My next impression, looking at the sexy low chromed windshield, was wowee. Months later was asked to haul it home to put missing parts on, if I could figure out where they were stashed, get it running, ready for Auction at Dragone's. The trailer ride home I previously posted on how the suspension a weight behaved. NICE. Then arriving at home, I had to put in in the storage barn a few days till I finished a customer car. It was backed up to the door very close tpo the busy state road, and the car was being "quite noticed" by passersbys. One 40-ish woman driver almost broke her neck as see kept looking, even as she passed out of it's view. This is likely the FIRST customer car I ever took arrival pics of: I did not realize at that time, that the car was starting to grow on me. Fast way further forward, after searching her home, her husbands office, his home basement, and both barns at two locations... I realized that this long, long time collector/flipper settled on 34 LaSalles as his final act. Each year brought more reasons why.. At some point we talked of bolting the second one loosely together for C/L or whatever, but as I ended upo robbing so many of it's stash of parts set aside for the disassembled conv project car,( for the 3 survivors), we both knew it was a money losing situation for her. Some time later I expressed interest in all the remaining parts, parts cars, and the conv shell stored at the "junk storage barn". She then wanted to get that barns keys to see what I wanted. She then said they look awful, I want you to have them..(at no cost). I refused. I offered a "charge card" for fixing the remaining projects he left behind. She does not do things like that in her chaotic busy business. I then gave a cash price which she "reluctantly agreed to", as she offered them as a gift to me for helping her "5 year plan" of having all cars and parts gone, so she could rent spaces. That was a Friday afternoon. No contract. My Son lined up a total of 3 pickup trucks, one mason dump truck, and three car trailers for a leave time here of 8AM Sat. She called me at 7AM saying NO. Devastating situation. But I carried on, and continued my work for the 5 year plan without any dislike for her...actually as time passed we became ,at the least, "friends" talking about all sorts of non car stuff. This spring's phone call to "get the last 3 cars remaining" to charge the newer batteries, and get them ready for what seemed to be a wake up call, to perhaps cut the reserves to get it over. I knew it was time that perhaps the rotted cars would be scrapped. I stepped to the plate firmly and went for that deal again. Same results, except she thought they were sold/gone, so lets go look.. She looked, then said please take them for free, you have helped so much with this nightmare so far. I still refused free, and actually bumped my final price from before. I said your heirs or contacts may not see why you gave them away. She then said "I won't tell my family", or I will tell them I got cash. I still refused saying I do need a legal B.O.S. with REAL dollar amount to register it and pay taxes on. I asked her to clear it with heirs and she phoned the next morning in a cheerful voice, "you are going to be happy.... they all agreed,and stay on with the 5 year plan". So, last eve coming home from much needed store errands, the cars all moved off my lawn, stress is gone....It hit me....I did finally get this new girlfriend, even if she is a fat chick 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F&J Posted May 25, 2017 Author Share Posted May 25, 2017 Needing an overdue rest, I got in the shop at 2:30pm this afternoon. I was going to go ponder the wood sill project on the LaS.. but spotted the only running board from the yellow desert sedan that is going on my car. It has one of only 3 of the long stainless moldings that we found on the 2'nd, and last estate trip. All mangled, as nobody bothered to take them off. They are 7 feet, 3.5" long !! and a couple feet hang off the front end for the fender.. First, get the nuts holding it on, off. Even a desert car, they did not want to loosen. Any clip is usually a very thin hardened retainer held with a welded stud on later cars, or early cars like this may be a tiny carriage head, that will simply spin and strip the square hole. See the mangled, bent around part at front ^^^ I use a 4.5" angle grinder with grinding wheel or cutoff wheel, as it is faster. Or if in a tight spot, the die grinder with smaller wheel, seen in the pic as well, in a tight spot^^ This is NOT a "how to",.... this is the worst one I've ever tried, and is a needed test to see if I can, or can't fix it ^^^ here is the gentle unbending of the front that was wrapped around. Try not to let the two cracks get worse, hard to see in above pics, but the cracks do just start to be on the decorative side also. We need to get all the old clips/bolts off, some will slide off either end, others are trapped, from severe damage at both ends. You use tools you find, or tools made from scrap, to try to open the crushed lips to get the clips off, as they add weight, and are in your way. I bent a scrap piece of thin steel to act as a dolly. Get something in there so you can tap down the high parts, without collapsing the folded edges...then it would be harder to open them later. Being a test to see if this strip can be saved, let the worst area be for now, but support it so the cracks cannot get worse. I taped a thin-style paint stirring stick to the cracked weak area: Below is a very nasty deep gouge, that looks far worse in person, this is a test, as well as gaining/regaining skills/techniques: Some people use an arbor press or use a unplugged drill press to push the dents out with homemade tooling. I prefer hammer and tooling, but holding the piece steady, on edge or at an angle, is frustrating. (in some pics, you see different types of wood blocks clamped to the work table, and an old heavy part of a vise from my Dads 1950s repair garage, as just weight to steady it. >>>You dare not put heavy scratches on stainless, as you'll need to file them away. You need every bit of thickness of it to do the final "pick and file" method at the end. ok, we need a dolly that can fit in there... So I tried looking for a thin headed, proper diameter carriage bolt. Who saves a cut-off useless bolt without threads? ME, I found it in my oddball bolt bin. A light contouring of it's head to remove the raised "hardness logo", and try to get the same dome shape curve: ^^^ the square part was too wide, so a quick groove at opposite sides of square, and it slides on. Below, the bolt needs to be on solid ground to be a dolly; that is a 1" thick steel block it is sitting on. Above ^^^ you can see some progress. We are not only doing direct dolly hits on high spots, we also need "off dolly" hits in some areas. Pic below is odd to explain: Dented strips like this can need hits from the sides, or at any particular angle-of-attack. But how to hold that bolt? Not wanting to use my vice, as it is a confined area, I stuck it in a hole in that junk vise at an angle, which kind of wedge-holds it good enough for a couple minor hits at edge...or severe angle As you get closer with the roughing out, you need to clean it to make it reflect light. Body dent work is purely the "study-of-light"...reflected light. I ran it on the wire wheel, but got a tad bit too agressive and gave a slight mottled finish...like I said I needed every molecule of stainless for the pic-and file fussy work: Above, you can see the shine and how it gives a better idea of defects. I ran out of "overworking myself-desire" late in the afternoon, so that is it for now. You can see there is a inward depression at that lower edge. This is a perfect example of needing "off dolly" work. The carriage head outer thin edge, will be precisely at that depression, then the body hammer is used on each good side of that edge. You work both sides, but also use "on dolly" to help it when needed. It will make sense if you ever try it. I choose to now finish the customer 34 Ford truck in the next several days...but I kinda jump to tiny things like this, on breaks, just to "mix it up"...so I may post progress on this one particular spot over the weekend...including file and buff 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BillP Posted May 26, 2017 Share Posted May 26, 2017 Really interesting. The kind of shop and proprietor you'd want to pull up a chair near the wood stove and sit for a spell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F&J Posted May 26, 2017 Author Share Posted May 26, 2017 57 minutes ago, BillP said: Really interesting. The kind of shop and proprietor you'd want to pull up a chair near the wood stove and sit for a spell. Do yourself a huge favor to your spirit... a start by watching this trailer of the best TV story of all time,... if you lust for the old things, the old ways, the old way of simple life, simple pleasures...the craftsmen that were all so common and just doing their work for others, with things they had. The program was produced and first shown by Public Television channel 2, WGBH Boston, Mass, for a series of like programs, called "Odyssey", 30+? years ago. I have not found the complete 1.5? hour program on the net, but it gives some address of where it can be ordered from a private company, it seems A small segment is on YT, but it does not give the total feel .........of the way the producer intended. You will not be disappointed, rather you'd be in awe of the producer and subject of Ben's life 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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