Topics

I learned something new this week. My brother in law bought a '89 Olds Bravada that was a drug impound car that had set for about 2.5 years.  We couldn't get it to start when we loaded it on the trailer so we just dropped it in his driveway. He just replaced the brake lines and master cylinder and wanted me to help him bleed the brakes so I asked him if he got it running. I figured he would have to remove the injectors and other parts and get the gummed up mess out of everything. He said yes, it runs great.

He found a YouTube video on starting these FI cars that have sat a long time. You put in fresh gas with the Rislone 2 part fuel system cleaner. Then remove the air cleaner tube and place your propane torch at the airflow intake. Turn on the gas and hit the starter. It fired right up and ran fairly smooth. After it ran awhile it begin to run off the gas in the tank but roughly. He turned on a little propane again and left it run for awhile and it smoothed out. When I got there he just reached into the car and turned the switch and it lit instantly and was silky smooth. I would have never believed it. Next time I have to start one of these I'm taking the propane torch and leaving the either at home.

Tom

Went out to do some sanding and grinding and kicked on the compressor. It ran fine and pumped up and shut off. I was just getting into tight corners with my small air grinder and not using much air. Then the next time it started it just made a loud hum and kicked off the circuit breaker before I could get to the switch. The flywheel turned a little before it hummed and quit.

It turns freely by hand and I just put on a new switch a few weeks ago because the old one was leaking air. It's been running just fine for 10 years and never had a problem except for 2 switch replacements.

It's a Sanborn 60 gal. vertical 5 hp magnetic start that cycles between 145 and 175 psi.


The switch clicks on and off but nothing else happens. Not humming or anything. Any ideas?

Tom

Has anyone ever seen a Modern truck built in Bowling Green OH? Modern was the brand name. My son's office is in the building where they were built. Limited info he has shows several body styles around 1913. They used Continental engines and were rather expensive starting at $1350.00 for a basic flat bed and going close to $4000. for open busses.

Tom

Jimmy Shine's '34 pickup sells for $87,00. at Barrett-Jackson.

I toured the Universal Technical Institute campus in Phoenix today. It is an impressive facility to say the least. We observed the diesel truck lab, GM lab, dyno cells, and  high performance areas but what I want to share on this forum is the custom engine building lab.

Here you have a wide selection of components to assemble an engine of your own specification. Then you install it in one of the T buckets there and take it over to the chassis dyno. After you run it in and make your power pulls you can make changes as you wish to try to improve on the numbers. This is way too much fun to be school to me.

After seeing the labs, classrooms and observing classes and students I would highly recommend looking into UTI if a career in the automotive field is in your future.

Tom

The only one.

It was getting dark and was way too crowded to take photos downtown at the Cruise so these are ll at the auction park.

https://tebcollection.shutterfly.com/1024

Tom

Now that the weather has broken has anyone given any thought as to having a build day?

Tom

I have had a crush  on this car since I was a kid. I didn't see it in the catalog so I was very surprised to see it at the Auctions America sale in Auburn. Mr White was setting there and he has owned the car for 20 years. It sold no reserve for $100,000. A lot of money for an early T-Bird but here you are buying a Doane Spencer car and a lot of hot rod history.

In contrast, there was a white '55 Bird in the corral for sale asking $4200. Lots of mud in the quarters and a new paint job trying to hide it all. I would hate to see that car stripped. The good point is that all metal is available so it would be a good hot rod builder.

The Doane Spencer car has the coolest Y Block ever built, in my opinion. Here are a few photos. I also have a video of the car running and driving out of the building and another of of sale call. I'll post them too later.

Tom

Crap. Files are too big. I'll have to put the pics in an album and post a link.

Measures 15" by 7.25 wide, 3" center to center on the lugs and has a 3.75" center hole. May have come off a Ford van in the '80s. I saved it from the scrap a long time ago and am about to use it for an air hose reel if it's only value is scrap aluminum price.

Tom

Your sign project is taking shape in Edgerton. They have the frame up and there is a stack of concrete blocks there now. Looking forward to watching it come together.

Tom

Since I've had my Lincoln 175HD mig (240 volt) for almost 4 years now I thought it was time to get it up and running. I have some bodywork and exhaust on the stepside to do this summer plus the Cavalier has a patch panel that needs to be installed.

So what is the best way to go? Just go to the welding supply and get  (rent?) a tank or buy my own tank and have them fill it. Harbor Freight had a stack of them the last time I was in there. I can't remember the price.

Even though I haul liquid argon at about 4000 gallons at a time I have no way of filling my own tank. We aren't in the bottle gas business.

Tom

http://ecta-lsr.net/

We had better get humping on the  Crosley.

The Auburn Fall Auction (Auction America by RM) starts tomorrow. There seems to be a good selection of hot rods and customs listed for the auction and there are always a bunch of them in the cars for sale corral. Lot numbers 5191, 5186, 4029, 4221, and 3106 I find very interesting.

Friday afternoon and evening will be the cruise in around the courthouse square in downtown Auburn. It has became one of the biggest one day events in the area with the cars circling the square and many adjoining blocks. This is also right in the middle of the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Festival. lots to see and do.

I'm heading over in the morning and will be going back each day.

Tom

http://www.auctionsamerica.com/events/event.cfm?SaleCode=AF11

Thanks to Hagerty  Newsletter. Lots of photos. I want the Stude.

Clik here

Frank,

Driving by in my elevated position in my truck this overgrown old yard seems to have a lot of old stuff in it. Are you familiar with it? You can drag the picture around for a better view. It's US 20 and Fulton-Lucas Rd.

Tom

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=41.671089,-83.877493&spn=0.002532,0.005659&t=h&z=18

I was working on the truck today (yes, I know that's a shocker) and thought I'd share a few of the small things I did to solve a problem or two. We all come up with little things that may be a great help to others even if we don't think they are any big deal. Feel free to add your own.



I had a straight heater hose fitting in the water pump that was pointing right at my fuel filter. The hose would have bent enough but I was worried about kinking it once it got hot. Here is a 3/4 inch 30 degree fitting that was original to a Corvette and probably other GM cars as well. I got it repro from one of the Corvette parts houses. It kicks the hose out around the filter just where I need it.

Tom

The topic came up at Frank's yesterday as to what was the cheapest Chevy roller cammed crate motor. I found that the standard passenger car and light truck  Gen1 small block replacement engines for applications up to 1995 were both flat tappet cams. To get a roller you need to step up to the ZZ4.

If you want to save a grand Pace sells a ZZ4 long block (no intake, water pump, pulleys ign. ect) for $3249.

Here's the link.

http://paceperformance.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=194848

Tom

I anyone going to the Barrett-Jackson, RM, and Russo and Steele auctions in Scottsdale next week? I'll be going out on Sunday and coming back the next Sunday. My son and family will probably be tired of me by then.

Just thought I could get together with some of the guys if any of you were going to be there.

Tom

Looking at the braided shielding battery cables in the Speedway Motors race parts catalog and wondering if 4 ga. 100% copper cable is enough. I will need about 40 inches with an eye on both ends to connect the stock Chevy starter (9.3:1 350) to the Painless remote disconnect mounted by the battery tray.


I have a 1 ga. cable for the ground already. What do you think?

Tom

I'm finally getting the engine install completed and may even run it in sometime in December. It's been fun building an engine but it is time consuming.

Tom

I have my engine looking fairly nice in my pickup project but the old rusty iron exhaust manifolds left a lot to be desired. I didn't really want to go the full tube header route for several reasons and short headers that were coated or stainless were out of my price range for this budget project. Then I remembered that my wife's '81 Corvette had stainless tubing short headers that were the same dimensions as the cast iron ones. I found a pair that a friend had removed from a project car and brought them home for less than $50.

Once I got them home I removed the shields from them. In the picture they look rusty but it's just discoloration. These are stainless and 27 years old.  I then cut off the AIR tubes with a cut off wheel. There is a portion of the AIR tube that extends inside the header tube that needs to be ground out also. Then the holes can be welded up. The factory welding is not show quality by any standard so some time spent with a grinder will be in order for a smoother look. This stainless is not polish quality so a sanded or media blasted finish is about the best you can hope for. You could also coat them if that is the look you like. I used a flapper wheel to start to clean them up and in the last picture the holes aren't welded shut yet but you can see that with a little elbow grease you can have a pair of good looking stainless headers for a fraction of the cost of aftermarket ones.

One thing I found out several years ago when I had the manifolds off of my wife's Corvette, when I had to replace the AIR check valves, was that they use the same old metal and fiber composite exhaust gaskets that used to come with every small block top end gasket set. On the Corvette they never come loose or leak so they should do as well on a hot rod. For some reason GM wants a fortune for these gaskets but you can go to NAPA and get a 1981 Corvette Exhaust manifold gasket set for a few bucks.

When looking for these the 1981 Corvette used a 2 inch outlet just like the iron manifolds. In 1982 they went to 2 1/2 inch. Also the same basic thing was used on the C4 Corvettes starting with the 1984. They are usually plentiful at Corvette swap meets. Don't pay too much for them. Most people that take them off just throw them away.

Photo 1: The old iron manifolds.

Photo 2: The Corvette manifolds with the shields removed. The AIR tubes were removed with a cut off wheel and will be welded closed.

Photo 3: The headers are not any wider than the old iron manifolds and will fit in close to the engine. They do point straight down and don't tuck in like block huggers but they should fit a lot of different applications.

Picture 4: Here they are after spending a few minutes with a flapper wheel. The holes are yet to be closed up. I'm thinking I will get them media blasted and then go back over them with a Scotch Brite wheel to shine them up again.

Picture 5: Here is the gasket that I mentioned above.

Tom