Another restoration added to my list, 30’ Chevy 4dr

[chistech]

Well, I really didn’t need more going on with me still doing some finishing touches on the Olds and heavy into the 34’ Chevy pickup but I had this one on the list as the last car I’m doing for a while. The owner is an older gentleman who live close and has already done some excellent work on different parts of the car. Do to some past health issues and his age creeping up, he along with his family decided to send it to me to finish up. There are two bodies and one chassis with one body being bad. The main scope of work will be restoration of the complete drivetrain, some body w/woodwork,  fenders, roof with original type aluminum moldings, interior, and general finishing up.

 

I had picked the chassis with bad body up about 6-8 weeks ago and first did a compression check which showed two very low cylinders and a metallic knock when #6 is put under compression so 5he motor will be completely gone through. With our weather yesterday completely unseasonably warm, the day was perfect to unload the car, pull the body, strip it and the chassis of extra parts, then build a dolly to put the body on to go back to the owner. Discovered the chassis has a slight bend down where it arches over the rear axle, of course this will be addressed.I am leaving the chassis outside for one or two rainstorms to hopefully help soften up some of the hard caked up dirt that layers the whole rear of the chassis. That is where this project sits as of right now. I will be working on both Chevys as each one offers its downtime between work.

[STEVE POLLARD]

Looks like another great project Ted !

 

 

Steve

[Mike "Hubbie" Stearns]

If you're doing it, you do it right

[TexRiv_63]

You are ambitious! Now that I'm a Chevy man I must subscribe.

[8E45E]

Here's a rare '29 all restored.

 

Craig

[hursst]

Another one of your restorations is like getting the second season of your favorite show.  Can't wait to see the details of your work and hope that I can do about 60% as good with my car.  Plus, I'm first a Chevy guy.

[chistech]

2 hours ago, hursst said:

Another one of your restorations is like getting the second season of your favorite show.  Can't wait to see the details of your work and hope that I can do about 60% as good with my car.  Plus, I'm first a Chevy guy.

I have done a couple other restorations on Chevys that I documented. While they’re done and one goes back about 5-6 years ago, I could post them here, each with their own thread with all the pictures. One would be my 83’ M1009 military blazer that I did a frame off on and added all civilian comforts to including painting it Chevy charcoal gray. Another would be my 31’ Chevy special sedan which was a full frame off and another full restoration of another 31’ Chevy 5 passenger coupe which belongs to the owner of the 34’ Chevy pickup I’m currently restoring. My Chevy is the two tone brown one with the 31’ 5 passenger coupe to the left. My 83’ m1009 without it’s soft top. I was restoring the 31’ coupe and working on my Olds when I had downtime on the 31’. I also did an interior, roof, and some wood replacing on a 30’ Chevy 4dr in the same 4 year span on the Olds. 

[chistech]

4 hours ago, 8E45E said:

Here's a rare '29 all restored.

 

Craig

The landau phaeton sedan is a fairly rare car and only made for a couple years. I owned a 27’ landau sedan, it did not have the convertible roof, but looked very similar. I wouldn’t car this car all restored. It looks like the bodygot painted and possibly a new interior but the fenders still look in original condition.

Edited January 20, 2020 by chistech (see edit history)

[keiser31]

Too bad you live so far away from the west coast. This guy has a couple he wants to sell. I believe they are both 1930.

Edited January 20, 2020 by keiser31 (see edit history)

[John S.]

Ted, I thought you we done after the Pick Up? Just can't stay away, can  you? I guess we aren't gong to  the machine shop in West Virginia . John

[chistech]

This 30’ is my last for at least a long while. I might do a partial or a roof, some wood, etc., but I don’t want to feel like I “have to” get a car done. As we all know, doing these cars takes a ton of time and for those of us still working full time jobs, that means a ton of “family “ time which on its own is bad enough. Compounding that with outside contractors, who do their job for a living, taking more than their sweet time, just gets to be too much especially when the car in the garage isn’t mine. When I restore a car for someone else, even though it’s my hobby, I now become an outside contractor for them and they have, and agreeably should have, expectations of a schedule of completion. Honoring that expectation is important to me and weighs on me heavily especially when things don’t go as they should. I would say a fair amount of how I feel is my personal honor to keep my word and deliver on their reasonable expectations. Not having to honor anyone but my wife’s expectations of me just being her husband will be a big weight off of me. I am looking forward to doing some miniature gardening along with modeling right in my own yard when I start my garden railroad. No expectations and just live by my friend in TN motto, “if it don’t get done today, it’ll get done tomorrow!” Here are a few pictures of my indoor train yard/layout which the trains will travel out of, go through the back wall of my cellar, and out into a 45x55 area that will be all landscaped  with miniature plants. There will be different vignettes of things I’ve either done or grew up with throughout the layout. The trains will traverse different winding tracks with automated station stops, automated freight stops, automatic switching sending different trains on different routes on the layout, with each train eventually returning on a 15’ long wood trestle back into my cellar. The returning train will automatically activate the train on the next spur while shutting off the power to its own line. The newly activated train will then head outside, depending on it being a freight or passenger consist will determine which areas of the layout it will automatically go to. There will be a small pond and waterfall, animated with action/sound areas like a sawmill, logging area, slaughter house, etc. The whole thing will be an effort with a lot of work very similar to restoring a car. Bringing in dirt and laying track, (the dirty work) lots of wiring with electronics, fine detailing, maintenance are not really much different, just a different medium with the same sort of satisfaction of results. My goal when it’s done is to turn on the trains, grab a drink, sit out on my deck, then relax to the sounds and sights of the trains meandering around the miniature world created.

[John S.]

Ted, nice looking layout. I work part time in a hobby shop on Long Island that specializes in trains of all scales. Let me know if you need anything. John

[Gary W]

Ted..  "G" gauge?  I like it!

 

I've been working on my "O" gauge layout also.

 

 I didn't want to derail your restoration thread, but it amazes me how many of "us" have so many of the same hobbies....

 

 

 

 

 

Need to get to the scenery stuff soon.  

Thanks for sharing! 

Gary

 

 

[STEVE POLLARD]

Wow !  Very cool Ted ..... I like it !

 

Steve

[chistech]

Nice layout Gary. Why are guys like us involved in hobbies that take up so much time! LOL! 

 

Gary, you’ll like this story: had a woman call me years ago because she had read an article about me and my RC club event. She said she needed to get rid of her deceased uncles plains and trains. She told me the trans were O gauge so I mentioned Lionel and American Flyer. She got irritated on the phone at me and said that they weren’t,  you need to come here was her last words. So I got to the house, it was in a very bad part of New Bedford and when she came to the door, it was very evident she was badly disabled. She could only see outof one eye, could barely walk, severely overweight, and it turns out had suffered a stroke. Because of all this, she couldn’t go downstairs where everything was located. Turns out, she’d just throw anything downstairs she could no longer use. I could barely get down the stairs but could see a straight line train yard set up along the wall but it was piled on with mops, Venetian blinds, coat hangers, vacuum parts, etc. They right side of the cellar was more accessible and it turns out, the RC stuff was on that side so I started doing a quick inventory. After being downstairs for less then ten minutes, she hollers down asking what will I give her. I tell her I haven’t even looked at the trains yet and that I can only give half of what it’s worth as I would be basically cleaning her cellar, have to haul it all away, determine the good and bad, advertise it on eBay, pack it up, then ship it. After I told her this, she immediately insisted I make an offer. The plane stuff was worth about $550-600 and I quickly guess seeing a few train cars on the tracks that I offered her $600 for the whole cellar of stuff, minus the household junk of course. She said deal and got all excited because everyone else said they would charge her $200 to clean the basement and just take the good stuff with then. So now she says deal and asked me if I could get it out that day! I simply said no and it would take a couple days. So to shorten up this already too long of post, it turns out those trains were all exact scale brass trains made in Japan and S. Korea. The trains alone brought over $6000 and when I was done, I took $3000 cash and went by her house. She didn’t remember me at first and was hesitant to open her door then she remembered me. When I told her I had something for her she didn’t understand and then when she opened the envelope she had to sit down, then cried. Turns out she lived with her uncle who took care of her. When he died, all the relatives came in and took everything in the house they thought had value but didn’t bother to go downstairs because of all the crap. She was such a nice person who had her family crap all over her. They were mad because the uncle left her the house which was paid for! People can really suck! 

[Gary W]

I love it.  I had a very, very similar experience in my life, and it is so rewarding to simply do the right thing.  There are still good guys out there!  Thanks for sharing!

Enjoying all your work here Ted.  It's a pleasure to follow your meticulous restorations.  Keep it up!

Gary

[John S.]

On 1/25/2020 at 12:06 AM, chistech said:

Nice layout Gary. Why are guys like us involved in hobbies that take up so much time! LOL! 

 

Gary, you’ll like this story: had a woman call me years ago because she had read an article about me and my RC club event. She said she needed to get rid of her deceased uncles plains and trains. She told me the trans were O gauge so I mentioned Lionel and American Flyer. She got irritated on the phone at me and said that they weren’t,  you need to come here was her last words. So I got to the house, it was in a very bad part of New Bedford and when she came to the door, it was very evident she was badly disabled. She could only see outof one eye, could barely walk, severely overweight, and it turns out had suffered a stroke. Because of all this, she couldn’t go downstairs where everything was located. Turns out, she’d just throw anything downstairs she could no longer use. I could barely get down the stairs but could see a straight line train yard set up along the wall but it was piled on with mops, Venetian blinds, coat hangers, vacuum parts, etc. They right side of the cellar was more accessible and it turns out, the RC stuff was on that side so I started doing a quick inventory. After being downstairs for less then ten minutes, she hollers down asking what will I give her. I tell her I haven’t even looked at the trains yet and that I can only give half of what it’s worth as I would be basically cleaning her cellar, have to haul it all away, determine the good and bad, advertise it on eBay, pack it up, then ship it. After I told her this, she immediately insisted I make an offer. The plane stuff was worth about $550-600 and I quickly guess seeing a few train cars on the tracks that I offered her $600 for the whole cellar of stuff, minus the household junk of course. She said deal and got all excited because everyone else said they would charge her $200 to clean the basement and just take the good stuff with then. So now she says deal and asked me if I could get it out that day! I simply said no and it would take a couple days. So to shorten up this already too long of post, it turns out those trains were all exact scale brass trains made in Japan and S. Korea. The trains alone brought over $6000 and when I was done, I took $3000 cash and went by her house. She didn’t remember me at first and was hesitant to open her door then she remembered me. When I told her I had something for her she didn’t understand and then when she opened the envelope she had to sit down, then cried. Turns out she lived with her uncle who took care of her. When he died, all the relatives came in and took everything in the house they thought had value but didn’t bother to go downstairs because of all the crap. She was such a nice person who had her family crap all over her. They were mad because the uncle left her the house which was paid for! People can really suck! 

You are a good man Ted. God bless you. John

[chistech]

In between all the other work, got the chassis completely stripped, replaced all the broken and badly worn shackle pins, and dropped off the chassis with some other drive line parts at the powder coaters. When my son was up from Florida for work, he helped me pull the motor using my Kubota tractor loader right outside on my garage apron. It was really great having another set of hands that are also attached to a “brain” to give me a hand. Things go really fast when there’s two people for sure. The rear axle is pretty beat on this car and it had a helper spring setup attached that it extremely rusted and pitted. Two of the U bolts were rotted right through and the backing plates have some “Swiss cheese” areas. The cars owner has a spare axle and I had him order all new springs for the car as the fronts were also very bad. I found the front springs loose on the axle and it’s obvious this chassis lived a hard life at one time seeing very little maintenance “love”.

     I also did a compression check on the “rebuilt “ motor early when I got the car and it’s all over the place. It will have to come apart to see what’s going on. I pulled the front axle apart and sent the pieces to the powder coated also. The front shoes were a hard asbestos type lining which I believe is incorrect for a 30’ Chevy but I’ll do some research on it. My 31’ has a woven type lining on all its shoes and I thought that’s what the 30’ used also. So now that the chassis is out of the yard and getting attention, I’m back on the 34’ pickup. Time to pull the cab and get started on installation of the engine and chassis components.

Edited August 22, 2020 by chistech (see edit history)

[chistech]

Sand blasted a bunch of frt/rear brake parts up checking their condition. The owner had a second set as the backing plates that were on the chassis were very heavily pitted and rotted in places. The spare ones blasted up nicely and I’ll put together what I need from everything I have and send them for powder.

     Made up a HD engine stand from extruded aluminum and started disassembling the motor. Once I got into it I realized the whole motor will need work. Found a lot of rust up in the top of the motor and in the lifter valley. There is some light ridging and rust lines in the bores. The owner said the motor had been done and some things definitely were but other things don’t make sense. It looks like the head was done as the valves, guides, and springs look fairly new minus light reddish surface rust. Pistons are .040 over aluminum and I found 2-3 new lifters. Oil pump also looks new. What didn’t make sense is the oil pan was full of sludge and the majority of the lifters were not good with two being worn enough that they had lips on the edge and were tough getting out of the bore. Most are badly pitted and the cam lobes are worn with the fuel pump lobe grooved pretty bad.  Also found forward/aft movement of the crank telling me it’s time for at least a new center main bearing. 
 
So it looks like the motor needs the whole bottom end gone through with new mains, reground cam, and possibly more extensive machining. If the bores are worn i believe we can go to .060 on this motor and the piston rod assemblies will be balanced for better running. 

[John S.]

Ted, your restorations are great to follow.  Always interesting, and  informative. This Chevy is going to be another treat for us. John

[chistech]

With the 34’ chevy pickup about done (just waiting on a couple small things) I’m starting full steam ahead on this 30’ chevy 4dr. Picked up some front end parts from the powder coater and ordered some axle parts from the filling station. Installed the new king pin bushings and reamed them with my chevy king pin reamer kit. Sorted through all the brake shoes to find incorrect hard asbestos linings on the front shoes, one set bonded, the other riveted. The rears had the correct woven type linings but they were worn to the rivets so the shoes got disassembled so they can be sent to the Filling Station as exchange for a new set. Painted up a ton of small parts too. 

[chistech]

Started assembling the front axle. As is common with many of these cars the inner races turned on the spindles and one outer race would spin slightly in the hub. I stippled both spindles and one hub so all races are tight as they should be. It amazes me that many don’t know about stippling the spindles and hubs to fix a common problem. In a perfect world we could just put on a new hub or spindle but it’s not possible these days so I learned this technique years ago when doing many HD trailer axles. Found one outer bearing that will need to be replaced with a flat ball and installed a new race I had. I used my race drivers and will use one to seat the seal once I get the bearings packed with grease. I found the set of drivers in a milk crate at a yard sale for $5. They are perfect for these old cars. Got about 8-9 of them. It was a score!

Edited May 30, 2021 by chistech (see edit history)

[hursst]

You seem to be restoring these cars faster than the time it took to originally build them.  Great work, as usual!

[chistech]

16 hours ago, hursst said:

You seem to be restoring these cars faster than the time it took to originally build them.  Great work, as usual!

Actually what I’ve learned, and I know many have read my posts complaining about it, is that the outside vendors are going to take their sweet time getting things done so I will bring in two vehicles and while I’m waiting on something to get done for one, I can be working on the other. So while it seems like I’m moving fast, the front axle was disassembled quite a while ago and the pieces sent for powder. The other small pieces were blasted then primed and put in a plastic crate waiting for top coat paint. A good example of the typical wait is the motor shop has had this 30’ engine since October and has only evaluated it (I delivered it to them broken down!). I called last week and they told me they have been busy and haven’t touched it. So 8-9 months they’ve done nothing when they used to get motors finished and back to me in about 4-5 months. 

[John S.]

I love what you do Ted. Always terrific work on interesting cars and trucks. John

[hursst]

"I called last week and they told me they have been busy and haven’t touched it. So 8-9 months they’ve done nothing when they used to get motors finished and back to me in about 4-5 months."

 

My MGA engine took over a year.  There are not enough shops to do this work, so they have the luxury of taking their time.  I wish some young people could be turned on to these "lost arts," as they would have a virtual monopoly if they could learn to do these unique old car tasks; plus they'd probably be making six figures a year, easy.  No reason to go to college, just an apprenticeship or trade school.  Once you get a small client base established, you'll never need to advertise, either.

[chistech]

Been prepping and checking out the spare rear axle that was given to me by the owner of this 30’. They axle that was on the chassis is really rusty with very heavy pitting all over the backing plates, torque tube, and banjo so I told the owner and he mentioned he had another that was partially disassembled. When it got here I immediately saw the backing plates were very good condition so I sent them to powder. Not that I degreased and wire wheeled up the banjo and torque tube I realize just how good of condition this rear is in. In the spring perch pivot areas on the banjo tubes, there’s no discernible wear and the “+” grease dispersal ribs are still intact with no wear. I’ve done quite a few chevys of this vintage now and it’s the first time I’ve not seen those ribs worn away. I’m waiting on the owners son to bring me the axle assemblies so I can make sure everything is in good order then the parts will all go to powder. The powder shop has had the chassis in the back room on my rotisserie just waiting for me to tell them when I needed it. I’ll have him powder it along with these other parts and I can assemble the chassis then store it until the motor is done. The owner has already restored the brake rods, transmission, radiator, and other parts so I’ll be able to put the chassis all together fairly quickly.

[chistech]

The new brake shoes and front cables came in this past week. Front axle is now done and ready to be installed on the chassis when it comes back from powder. Got all the rear end parts and some other chassis parts ready to drop off at the PC but they’re super busy and a week behind.

    I picked up the center main bearing from the machine shop last week and sent it out to Paul’s so he could build up the thrust side of the bearing. He called yesterday and said it’s on it’s way back to me and it looks great. He said it was a lot of work to do without ruining the main Babbitt and he probably lost money based on what he charged me. It should be here next week and I’ll get it to the machine shop.

[chistech]

Haven’t posted in a while but I’ve been moving along on the 30’.  Took the badly pitted rear apart for the axle shafts then pulled the nuts, keepers, and bearings off. Picked up new, high quality sealed bearings for the axles locally. Many old car parts shops offer the replacement bearings for $70 each but I got both for just under $80. Installed the bearings on the axles and put them away for later reassembly. I found one axle castle nut split so I’ll need to get a new one.

      Spoke to a faux wood painter about sending him the set of window garnish moldings and he told me how I could prepare them to speed up his time to get them back to me. At one time someone had started to cover the moldings with wood grained contact paper so I had to pull it all off. Then the adhesive residue had to be taken off with acetone and the moldings all scuffed down with a red pad. A couple moldings needed to be blasted so that was done and all got etched primed. Now I’ll red pad them again and spray them with a high solids urethane primer. Then some wet sanding before they’re shipped out for the faux wood painting.

      Completely disassembled the starter and generator and sandblasted all components that I could. Found the generator bearing bad and will replace that. Chucked the armatures in the lathe and cleaned up the commutator. Checked the height of the mica on the generator commutator segments and they were all good. Both units had like new brushes and the magnets had solid coverings. All parts got etch primed, red padded, then painted gloss black. All thing work takes lots of time but assures a mechanically performing cars, not just one that looks good. 

[chistech]

Finished up the starter and generator, tested both, and reattached the data plates. Ready for when I need them.

[John S.]

Great work, as always, Ted.

[chistech]

Still waiting for things. Powder coater is having trouble getting the high quality powder he uses on my chassis. It seems companies are having a hard time delivering. The machine shop has just started on the head and I dropped off the rebuilt center bearing I got back from Paul’s rod and bearing. They do great work and quick too. I dropped the bearing off over a week ago. I don’t think Paul’s had it two weeks total. The garnishes are at the painter and he has started on them already. He gave me a window of 4-6 months from start to finish with the finish being clear coated and buffed. Going to the grand National show on Wednesday and will be going to pick up the body for this car when I get back so I can start on the wood restoration.

[Restorer32]

Brings back memories. The second car we restored professionally in 1979 was a '31 Chev 4 door.  Color was Cigarette Cream with Cellini Green wheels, both original colors. Turned out the Cellini Green was the same as the green used on '68 Volkswagens.

 

[chistech]

Picked this up from the powder coater and started cleaning up any powder that doesn’t belong like in some of the spring holes. Normally they don’t miss them but they did this time. A simple file or ream run through the hole lightly clears them out. I’ll be completely replacing the rear differential bearings and picked up one of the four I need yesterday. I have to order the others. Had to put the driveshaft on the vertical mill and drill out the rivet that held the pinion gear in the socket. Warmed the socket with a propane torch and it was enough to tap the pinion out. Removed the nut and both bearings then cleaned everything up. Will wait for parts again though. 
    For now I’ll start installing the front a assembly on the frame and the battery box. The powder coat came out really nice. Of course the disadvantage to powder is you can’t fill any of the pitting in the metal and this chassis has a fair amount but it will be covered with a nice durable finish. Besides, if the owner decided to show it the judges no longer climb under your car so seeing the pitting would be very difficult. 

[chistech]

Installed the front axle with the springs and drums. Installed the rear springs and put the rear banjo in place. Today was sand blast Sunday as I blasted all the brake rods after going through them and finding the best ones as the owner had extras. I removed the adjustable clevis, cleaned up the threads, and straightened all the bent ones. I blasted the steering tube and the oil pan. The owner had painted the oil pan with brushed red oxide primer then the proper dark chevy gray but the thick brush marks didn’t look good compared to what the complete sprayed motor would look like so I removed all the paint and primer. I’ve learned working on so many of these old cars now to never trust a painted oil pan no matter what so I always blast them clean. Sure enough, a typical rust through hole showed up close to the drain plug. I’m sure the owner never saw it and because he didn’t blast it, it didn’t show. Nothing worse than rebuilding a motor and having the oil pan leak after you put it in the car. These old stovebolts leak anyway no matter how good you have them sealed up so any additional ways to leak need to be fixed. Got out the mig welder and welded up the pan. Ground the weld down, sprayed some brake cleaner inside the pan in the area of the hole and checked for any weeping. Took a couple touch ups to the area to seal it. A skim coat of JB weld on the inside just for assurance was added to fill any pitting. It was a small area smaller than a dime.

      Even though I attached the springs, I have to replace all the spring bolts as they are worn almost half way through. I’m waiting on them from the filling station. This car has to have a ton of miles on it as major components are really worn and I’m systematically replacing them all as a good restoration should do. I took apart the steering box to find the remnants of a bearing cage in the bottom and a badly floating around shaft. It turns out both the upper and lower worm gear bearings have disintegrated and not only have the races worn heavy grooves in the shaft, but the upper and lower bushings has also badly cut into the shaft. I could probably turn the bottom of the shaft and press on a proper diameter steel bushing to repair the bottom but the top of the shaft is constant diameter from the upper mast bearing all the way down to the top worm bearing. I would have to fill the grooves with weld then turn the weld down but that’s a ton of work so finding another box is a much easier and cost effective idea. I have a 31’ box but I’m not sure if it will work in a 30’. I have to do some research and see.

     I’ll be getting all the blasted pieces to powder tomorrow so I can keep moving forward on this.

[chistech]

The front pinion bearing came in yesterday so i the bearings on the pinion shaft and drove the pinion back into the driveshaft socket. I made up a rivet and installed the rivet through the socket and pinion. Installed the driveshaft assembly into the third member housing then put the ring gear and carrier in place. I set the lash using Prussian Blue and ended up having a nice full tooth coverage. Assembled the third member into the banjo on the car, installed the axle assemblies with new bearings, gaskets, outer seals, backing plates and parking brake torque rods. 
     I had all the brake rods powdered along with u bolts and other small stuff I had blasted and it all came back from powder one day later. My powder guy is great as he knows I’ll only ask for something in a hurry if I actually need it fast. I don’t cry wolf and he knows that. The only time he couldn’t get something to me when I wanted was this last time when he couldn’t get the powder he uses for my work. That wasn’t his fault and after a call to bypass the local vendors rep, he believes the issue won’t happen again.

       I was able to pick up a really nice 31’ steering box locally that has new bearings and sector shaft to replace this really bad original. The 31’ fits the 30’ chassis, is the same length in the mast, and has better adjustable features than the 30’. Of course when I installed the tube on the box, then put the wheel on to turn it, the box was moving elliptically. The shaft was bent down close to the top bushing. I disassembled the box and chucked the shaft in my lathe. It was for these very things I wanted the bigger lathe as my Logan bench top would never handle it. I was able to locate the high side and using a block of hardwood with a 3lb hammer tapped on it. I got it extremely close to true then turned the lathe on. With it spinning, I tapped on it with my 2lb brass hammer. For some reason and I don’t know why, tapping while it’s spinning, though it takes a few hits, always seems to get bent things true and it did. I reassembled the box and it works perfectly with no more orbiting of the box. I set the lash and free play in the box, blasted then painted it.   It’s starting to go together quickly now as long as I can keep the parts coming. 

[chistech]

I continue to move along on this trying to get as much done as possible. Put on the rear drums, added all the brake rods, added the pull back springs, then adjusted each service brake and each emergency brake. Repaired the stop light switch and installed it. All the brake rods got adjusted for length using the special gauge that sets the angle of the cross shaft. All this takes a lot of time but now it’s done enough and ready for road trials. Everything got greased and lubed so just waiting on the new spring bolts and this frame is ready to sit on it’s wheels.

     Installed the rear differential cover. Because the new seals are all modern lip seals, a provision for the rear to breath has to be added. The old felt seals allowed that but often allowed gear lube onto the brake linings too. I took one of the rear cover bolts and drilled a small hole down the center on the lathe. A cotter pin fills the hole but allows the air to escape.

      Spoke with the machine shop yesterday and the head needs nothing other than freshening. He’s going to add seals to the tops of the guides. I’m waiting on the motor now for sure. Going to go pick up the body soon and start on that.

[chistech]

Ran a new fuel line and dropped it down off the rotisserie. On it’s own wheels now. Going for the body tomorrow hopefully. The fuel tank sender had the float broken off and didn’t register any change in resistance when moving the arm. Drilled out the grommets and took the unit apart. Found a lot of corrosion at the float arm contact area not allowing the arm to ground on the bushing so there was no continuity flow through the gauge. I cleaned up the bushing, took some brass rod, bent it, put a couple cork floats on, soldered an eyelet on the end to keep the floats on, cut the old brass rod, the new brass rod, then soldered them together with a 1/8” piece of brass tubing. Tested the resistance then Riveted the body back together and installed it in the tank.  Rolled the chassis outside for some pictures.

[Gary_Ash]

Ted, don't you think replacing the corks with some modern fuel-proof floats would be a good idea at this time?  The car looks great.  We drove by your house the other day returning from the Dartmouth transfer station - your trailer was there, door open, but you were not to be seen.  Another time...

[chistech]

Normally I do use modern floats but every one I tried was back ordered even my usual airplane supply house. These are shellacked so they should be good for a long while. If my door was open I probably would have been around. Just holler for me as I might be down by my house. If the front door of the house is open too , someone is definitely home.