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Dave's 1929 U Resto project

Started by Crazydave, November 04, 2013, 02:42:35 PM

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racertb


Crazydave

#76
Time to update, while I have a little time. Back to this summer.....

I see I left off with some goals for the year, didn't quite get them all (most) done. It still does not have a top, or new wiring.......

While pulling the radiator out I noticed the lower boot was split on the bottom side toward the front. Hard to see, and the water would have ran to the bottom of the rad shell and dripped as it was. So I cut all new boots and filled radiator to check for leaks.

Just capped and filled no pressure, no leaks. This lasted about 4 trips until the dripping came back, so out it comes again. Also fixed a mount for the shell.

Almost had to go to an ag dealer to find hose large enough in diameter, for cutting the new boots. Always bring a tape measure on a parts run....

Crazydave

I pulled all the wheels, inspected and replaced bearings if needed (one outer front) and even pulled the drum off of one wheel and gave them all a good inspection. Wood is solid and tight.

Time to get the credit card out....


Coker was great to deal with, got setup and shipped no problems. 20" tires seem to be harder to find and less selection.



Again Frank to the resuce with the right tool for the job and literature to boot....



I quickly decided that I must possess one of these tools and jumped on Ebay and grabbed what was available, not as great as Franks, but it works!



The last owner started the attempt to get this car back to its former glory, and put new tubes and flaps in but left the old rubber. After a short 10 minute learning curve, I was changing these out quite quickly. I might have been a hell of a mechanic about 70 years ago...... 8)





I cleaned the rims up the and painted them while apart. Not too bad of a project.

chetbrz

Hi Dave,

It looks like you have taken advantage of some locally nice weather.   72 here this afternoon crazy for December 27th.

Chet...
http://www.1948Plymouth.info           Web Master - Forum Administrator - AACA member

Crazydave

I'm trying to catch a up summers worth of activity, unfortunately that was likely from July. Currently sitting at 9 above... but it has been mild here as well this winter.

The story will continue... when get some more time to load pictures etc. 

racertb

Looking good...keep the posts coming!

Crazydave

Looks like its been a while, I'll try and get this thread caught up. The last 1.5 to 2 years have been very demanding at work. Not leaving a lot of time for this kind of recreation. So lets start were we left off...

Summer 2015

Just get all new rubber and tubes on the old Gal, just in time for my local Threshing show. (Always seems to be my motivation to actually get any work done on this car last minute) Since the front was apart I did a few other small things, one of which was take a closer look at the home made distributor base and got the other bolt in it to help hold it down. Much easier to see how the holes line up when you can get a straight on look. She started right up like always, it had been sitting a number of months and off to daycare I went to pick the kiddo up. (Just in a neighboring neighborhood)


This was a moment before it happened.....(Isn't that car a site?)

Crazydave

Around the corner I went, making a slight timing adjust with cable (always looking for the perfect tune) and it just dies. Like you turned the key off. Get it home and off the road by means of my wife pulling me with the golf car through the neighbors yard. Start trouble shooting and find this.


That's a problem. By tightening that base down, the aluminum must of distorted and caused the shaft to bind, then break. The slot on the end is offset and the mounting bolts go in at a slight angle.
So I tried to make one, but lack proper equipment.



But I had that other base that was a mirror image of the one I needed. Took it apart and the shafts were the same. But the drive tab had descent bend to it, I suspect it was installed 180 degrees off in a previous life and I was a little scared to try and straighten it. I installed it both ways and it wobbled the base and had an audible timing change while it was running. So I put it in the vise and gave it a shot. Got it straight and running how it was. This was of course after the show was over..... 

Crazydave

#83
December 2015

I find out someone is street rodding a 29 ply couple. And he is located in the neighboring southern state about a 3 to 3.5 hour drive.  Off I go with Frank as a co-pilot. Pickup most engine compartment stuff he will part with, long block and trans. And 2 key pieces I desired. An original distributor base!! And a Kingston vacuum canister in good condition.



Crazydave

Progress is slow in 2016. Working a lot. Still playing with car. Take it to the park or around for short drives with kids, family etc. They get a kick out of it. And its in a condition where I don't have much concern about people climbing all over it. It serves its purpose as an old car that is more than looks. (not taking a shot at anyone, more so defending my cheapness to not make it nice :) )

So here we come up on that summer Threshing show again. Car is tuned and reliable enough I can cold start it with the crank. Have little concern about its reliability. But up until this point it has done short low speed runs. First 2 days of the show it rained like hell. But Sunday it was nice and sunny, so I decide hey, lets drive her the 8-10 miles to it. Get out on a faster county road and set sail with a trusty Iphone with a GPS app as a speedometer with a top speed set in the mid 40's. Sure be nice to have a tach in this thing. Actually giving the car a real work out tells me she is tired (lots of smoke at higher rpms) and probably has never been opened up or overhauled.(which I can confirm at least back to early 50's) Get on the top side of a hill and lift off the pedal a bit to keep the RPMs in check, unload the motor a bit and ting ting bing. Instantly the motor tone changes, I can tell I lost a cylinder. Get pulled on a side road. No clanging, no oil still running but poorly. Pedal this thing home as fast as I can. No power, doesn't sound good and I have my doubts it will start again if I let it die. Garage and go to the show. Curiosity gets me later that night, pull all the plugs out. Turn it over with the crank. Notice nothing out of the ordinary, time to check the compression.  #4 75 PSI   #3 50 PSI   #2 0 PSI   #1 60 PSI.

Hmm see a problem  ???




Crazydave

Fiddled with that stuck intake valve and it snapped right back in to place. Threw the cover on and finished the summer out.

Questions- You could see how dirty that thing is, is there a good way to flush it? Currently I am running detergent motor oil in an effort to slowly clean it. ( I Think ?)

Do you think just being full of crude made the valve stick? Dirty guide? Weak spring? Bent valve? What should be the top safe RPM for this thing? Makes me gun shy to go any distance at a higher speed.

What would be considered a healthy compression reading on these motors?


So the car is still currently topless, I plan on ordering a wiring harness shortly. Need to fix a radiator leak. Have some original parts I have been working, I'll get that original base installed and reluctantly change it back to vacuum canister. The reliability worries me, the electric pump I put on has been rock solid no issues. But this car will be primarily on a trailer. And originality is a duty, of the finder of a survivor. 

Articifer Tom

Looking good Dave . Keep backing as close to original ,a little a time . I would use the electric pump and solve one problem at a time . All the specs for your engine and chassis are on the  " Plymouth ,The First Decades " web site . It has great info .
                Tom

Articifer Tom

Dave two other comments I have . Gates still makes the 2-1/16 rad hoses that looks like wrapped material, as originals .  Looking at from a distance your using hose clamps . If you need some original wire ones let me know the exact size . I am willing to contribute to your cause .
                                                            Great Work   Tom

chetbrz

Quote from: Crazydave on January 07, 2017, 05:58:09 PM

Do you think just being full of crude made the valve stick? Dirty guide? Weak spring? Bent valve? What should be the top safe RPM for this thing? Makes me gun shy to go any distance at a higher speed.

What would be considered a healthy compression reading on these motors? [/i]

So the car is still currently topless, I plan on ordering a wiring harness shortly. Need to fix a radiator leak. Have some original parts I have been working, I'll get that original base installed and reluctantly change it back to vacuum canister. The reliability worries me, the electric pump I put on has been rock solid no issues. But this car will be primarily on a trailer. And originality is a duty, of the finder of a survivor.

Hay Dave,  enjoyed reading all your posts.  As far as the stuck valve, any and all the things you mentioned could be contributing factors.  Based on your adventure I think the stem was just gunked up and hadn't seen that level of speed in a great number of years.  These flatheads are not good engines for high RPMs.  The BHP is only rated as 34hp @ 2,800 rpms.  Hitting 45 mph with the GPS is close to your limit.  Add a down hill and you are doing 50mph.  Very scary in these old cars especially on wooden wheels.   :o

My car can cruise all day at 35 - 40 mph but the engine sounds best around 35 mph.  Probably 1500 - 2K rpms.

You can leave the electric pump in-line and use it to prime the car if your vacuum pump runs short.

I know how hard it is to work a full time job and try to do a car restoration.  I spent 10 years on my 48 and there are still plenty of things left to be finished.  Maybe get to them someday when I have nothing else to do.

Cheers,  Chet...

http://www.1948Plymouth.info           Web Master - Forum Administrator - AACA member

Crazydave

Thanks Tom. I have the correct clamps on the shelf, I think they wouldn't reach around the new hose as its quite a bit thicker. I'll have to look up the gates hoses.

Chet, I fully agree with the 35-40 MPH range. You have to be pretty attentive at 40, with how soft they are sprung. (At least mine feels like a horse carriage) When I did the tires, I checked the wheels out thoroughly. Even pulled a drum or 2 off. Amazing how tight they got them and how they hold up. I am more concerned about getting hit by someone not paying attention, not much structure in these old things. That is why the kid only rides around in the neighborhood and at the farm and shows. It also still has that nice thick plate glass......