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I have a plastic "TANKs" brand fuel tank in my 48 Chevrolet convertible.  For some reason no matter what I've tried a leak developes around the sending unit.  I wonder and have had a few folks tell me it is the different rates of expansion between the plastic tank and metal sending unit flange.

Any suggestions on how to stop this other than keeping less than 1/2 a tank of gas in the tank?

I know this is not a hot rod but I have found excellent advice here.
My wifes 2007 Mercury Milan with 105,000 miles has developed an annoying, to her, squeek first thing in the morning when the car sat overnight after the brake is released and she applies the brakes while backing out of the driveway. It only occurs first thing in the am.
I have tried PB Blaster which stopped it for a couple of days but it is back again.  The cable is mostly shielded so I can't really get a lot of lube on it.  This am she said the noise was there and she had not set the emergency brake ove night.
Any suggestions.  Thanks.
Bill

Some of you may recall a fire I had in my F-1 in Auguist 2014.  It was contained in  the engine compartment and destroyed all wiring, hoses, the battery, carburetor, and distributer above the valve covers.  It also burnt the paint on the hood.  I repaired it in August 2014 and having been driving since.  That fire started after I had driven the truck, parked it and went in my house for lunch. While I was away from the truck it burned and put itself out. Temperature that day was in the high 90's.

On Monday, temperature low 50's. the truck stalled while I was driving at about 30 mph.  I popped in neutral to try to restart but to no avail.  I coasted to the side of the road and opened the hood to look for an obvious problem with wiring or fuel.  There were flames around the carb on the intake manifold.  I put them out with the extinguisher.  

There was no damage to the wiring or hoses.  Extinguisher powder covered everything and I did see a dark spot when checked smelled like gas. This was behind the carb.  A couple of friends and my mechanic, who had the truck for 2 days, suggested that it might have been a stuck float which allowed gas to spill onto the hot intake manifold and ignite.

The F-1 has a 425 cid Caddy engine with a quadrajet. electric choke and stock HEI distributor.

Any ideas.

I have recently replaced the speedometer cable for the SW speedo and the gauge needle flucuates or jumps drastically.  I also hear a noise from the speedo gauge like a weight hitting when the needle swings back to a lower speed. When I installed the new cable I lubed the cable well with "Super Lube Synthetic Grease".  

In atempting to solve the problem of needle jumping.  I took the cable out again and carefully wiped it clean and relubed it adding graphite to the grease and I have the same problem.

Does it need to be driven for a while for this to go away or is it a problem with the speedometer itself?

I had a fire in my daily driven 1948 F-1.  It is a 48 Ford F-1 with a 425 cid Cadillac engine, Centech wiring and Vintage Air a/c.  It was in the 90's temperature wise that day.  The temp gauge showed a little over 190.  We have 10% ethanhol in our gas here in Connecticut.

I don't know the cause.  The fire seemed contained in the carburetor and air cleaner (early caddy style) as the manifold and valve covers weren't even scorched.  It  burned wiring, melted/warped carburetor & air filter , melted battery, melted HEI coil and cap, melted the battery cables, burned through an a/c hose. burned through upper radiator hose, damaged fan and alternator belts and burned the paint off the hood.  Probably some other stuff I don't know yet.  This happened after I returned from some errands and I parked it in the drive way.  I returned an hour later and found the damage  It started and went out by itself.  It could have been a lot worse.

Any ideas on the cause.

The price of driving old stuff daily.  Sh-- Happens--!!!!!

I am looking for a quality rebuilder for my quadrajet carburetors.  One on the 425 cid Caddilac in my 48 F-1 and the other on my 350 cid Chevrolet in my 48 Chev convertible.  I do not need the replating the restorers want.  I am interested in a quality rebuild for the daily driven F-1/Caddy and the frequently used convertible.

Thanks for the help.

I am looking for two 15", 5 1/2" X 5 early Ford bolt pattern, 4 1/2" to 6" width wheels with the early style centers that will allow the use of original 1940 - 1948 Ford hubcaps.  I know that the F-100 pickups used a 15" wheel with this bolt pattern and center.  In addition to those does anyone currently make these wheels?

Thanks for the help.

We just replaced the outer tyrod ends on the T Bird rack on the Mustang II front end in my 48 F-1.  They were new 3,000 miles ago when the front end was installed.  They were made in China junk from either Speedway or the local AUTOZONE.  My friend who installed the MII front end did not remember from where and he bought them as he has purchased from both places.  They were definately new as I recall installing and masking the grease fittings prior to painting.

If you've used this stuff check it frequently. Another friend bought his outer tyrod ends from Heidts last spring and one was junk out of the box. Came apart in his hand. The other one was loose after 25 miles from his house to the upholstery shop and back.  Yes 25 miles.  More junk.

Replaced mine with Federal Mogul outer tyrod ends  made in the USA.  They were $23.00 each as opposed to $13.99 at SPEEDWAY.  $18.02 IS CHEAP INSURANCE.
:cry:

Recently installed an electric Sunpro temperature gauge in the 48 Chev.  It seemed to work well for a few rides and now is way off.  I noticed on imediately starting the car it was at 100 degrees.  It quickly rose to 190 degrees and there it stays even after sitting for a day or more.

Is there a way to test to see if it the gauge, sending unit or wiring?

Thanks for the help.

The 350 Chev in my 48 Chev Convert if giving me a problem  the past two weeks and has me puzzled.  

It is a 1972 motor with a Quadrajet and a Mallory Unilite.  Carb rebuilt new cap, rotor, plugs and wires early summer 2009.  Probably 3500 miles ago.  This is backed by a 350 turbo transmission and a 10 bolt Nova rear.  The fuel tank is a "Tanks" 48 Chev replacement resin tank installed 5 years ago.

The engine was rebuilt to 355 cid with OEM cam, valve train, intake and later model heads for hardened valve seats 40+ thousand miles ago.  All rubber fuel hoses were changed 5 years ago to "viton" which is alcohol resistant and still seem fine.

Over the past two  weekends and the week between I have driven approximately 450 miles.  It started the weekend before this last one.  With no warning it acts as if it is running out of gas.  It cuts out, stumbles, catches with feathering the gas pedal or engaging the starter and then will backfire out of both tailpipes.  It seems to happen at speeds of 40-45 mph.  It has done this pulling a hills and on the flat.  Mostly on the flat.  It has happened at 1/4 tank and a nearly full tank of gas.  This has occurred five times over the 450 miles.    

The first time it happened I added "dry gas" as it had been very humid and I thought it acted liked there was water in the fuel.  It has also on three occasions on start up after sitting for an hour of so, started and then stalled when placed in gear.  By restarting, left foot braking and racing the engine I got it moving.  Once it got moving all was OK.   We have 10% Ethanol here in Connecticut.  
Any thoughts?
Thanks in advance for your help.
Bill

I have had repop 1955 Oldsmobile Fiesta hub caps on my 48 Chev convert. but they don't want to stay on.  The rims are 15" Chevy ralley wheels ( 70's style) with Diamondback radials wide white tires.  The rear rims are original 15 X 7's and the fronts are repop 15X6's.

Short of drilling holes in the hub caps  and matching ones in the rims to screw them on,  is there any way you folks have had sucess with in keeping them from falling off? They have fallen off both the front and rear wheels.

Last time they fell off I almost wiped out a friends 34 grille and fender.  I retrieved the miscreant roller and took the other three off imediately.

Thanks for your help.

Bill

I have an old fog light that I would like to convert to 12 volts.  The current sealed beam is a GE 4012-A, this is a yellow sealed beam.

How would I find the matching sealed beam unit in 12 volts?  Is there a conversion chart available?

Thanks,

What stall speed torque converter should I use for a 231 cid buick, 350 turbo tranny in a modified style 26 Ford roadster.  

The car probably won't weigh in at 2000 pounds.  Original weight of the vehicle is 3400+ pounds.  

The motor is stock.  Should I use a stock converter or something with a lower stall speed?

My nephew dropped off his 2002 Ford Ranger to have a windshield replaced.  He is from out of state and goes to a local college.

My questions deals with a very stiff, hard to operate gear selector.  It is a 4X4 with an automatic transmission and column shift.  I looked and cannot see where one would lube the cable or I am not sure if I have properly identified the cable.  My newest vwhicle is my 1948 Ford F-1 so I am "challanged" around newer stuff.

Help.

Thank You

I can't get the idle below 1100 rpm on the quadrajet.  The idle screw is backed out and it isn't touching the stop.

It is on a 425 ci 1978 Caddy engine.  There is no choke and the high idle screw is also backed all the way out.

Suggestions???

Thanks.

I need a quality rebuilder for quadrajets.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,

I have a set of 48 Ford F-1  brakes that I want to use on my 26 modified project.  

I have information on adapting the F-100 (53-56 Ford pickup) brakes to the 37-41 spindles.  

Are the F-1 brakes the same as the F-100?  If not what is neded to adapt the F-1's to the early spindles?

Thanks for the help.

My 48 F-1's  tail lights, marker light and brake lights do not come on.  The directional flasher does work and the marker light weakly flashes with them.  

The F-1 has been on the road for 10 years with a Centech wiring harnes and a SIGNAL STAT 900 turn signal switch.

Any thoughts?

Thanks for the help.

It's my week for questions.  

Apparently by removing and cleaning the gas tank in the F-1 the fuel gauge doesn't work any more (WHAT'S NEW).  It registers almost empty and when the key is turned off the needle moves up slowly just a small amount.   It's a SW Wings gauge and matched sending unit that has worked for 9 years.  I also checked by connecting the hot wire to the ground wire on the top of the sending unit and the needle pegged all the way up on FULL.  If memory serves me right (a big assumption) this means a new sending unit is needed.

Thanks for the help again.

The 1978 425 Caddy in my daily driven 48 F-1 pickup has recently started to stall as it isn't getting fuel.  After a few minutes wait it will start and go for a 1/4 of a mile to several miles before it stops again.  I changed the fuel filter into the quadrajet and it still did it.  That is the only filter.  The quadrajet was rebuilt two years ago.  I had previously replaced all the rubber fuel lines with the ones that don't dissolve in alcohol.    
I was told it was the fuel pump which I replaced yesterday to no avail.  I have been told that my blocking off the return line from the pump to the gas tank is the problem and that I need that line.  That doesn't seem right as it was blocked on the pump since 2003.  I have also been told to eliminate a valve in the filter in the quadrajet.

Any experience / suggestions with these types of probs with the caddies??

Thanks for the help.

In my 48 F-1 pick up I have a weird situation with the brake lites.  I have a Centech wiring kit installed and have had no problems for 30,000 miles until this week.

The 1157 bulbs are both good and the bright light element works with the right and left directionals and the hazard flashers.  The problem is that the left (driver's side) brake light doesn't lite when the pedal is depressed.  The brake light switch is a mechanical one from Wire Works.

Any ideas as to why I have no left brake light?

Thanks for your help.

Bill

Today's Wall Street Journal had an article about how ethanol is ruining engines in boats as it is a solvent and boats have a vented versus closed gas system.  Can this also be a problem with many of our cars that have a vented cap for example, my 48 Chev and 48 F-1?

Also they mention that it also breaks down fiberglass gas tanks in boats.

Could this be a problem with a "poly tank" from TANKS?

Street Scene magazine had a blurb a couple of months ago about replacing flexible hose with a ? new type that won' dissolve with the ethanol.

Are the Tree Huggers killing us again?

Bill

My friend just installed a 1989, 4 cylinder, S-10, T-5 tranny in his flathead powered 31 ford roadster.  The T-5 replaced a 47 truck tranny with a mechanical sender to the speedometer.  The T-5 has an electrical connector for an electronic speedo.  The Stewart Warner techie tells us we need to know the output in pulses per rev in order to get the right electronic speedo.

Can any body help?

Thanks.

48 Bill from Connecticut

Mike have a very Happy Birthday.

How is the F-1 coming along?

A couple of not so great pic's of my 48 Chev convert and my F-1.

The convert is 355ci SBC, 350turbo with a 10 bolt Nova rear and subframed. I have had it on the road since 1975.

The F-1 is my new one as I've only had it since 1999. It is my daily driver and it has a 435 ci Caddy, turbo 400, 9" rear and a Mor Drop axle.

Yeah I like tan cars.

Mike,

Happy Birthday to you and thanks for your contributions to this site.

I don't seem to have any luck getting my F-1 to go down the road with ease.  

It has a 3" MorDrop axle, all new suspension parts (springs, kingpins, Bushings, etc.l), rebuilt steering box and it is tight with no play .  It has a power steering kit from Classic Performance, 15" 205 radial tires and a 78 425ci Caddy engine.  

It alledgedly has been aligned to the 48 F-1 "factory spec's.  Over 40 miles per hour it is a bear to drive.  It has what seems to be bump steer and it also seems to over steer on turns at speed.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to spec's or what I should look for?

Thanks in advance for you help.

Since I have been a lurker for the past 3 1/2 years since my last Intro I thought I would reintroduce myself to the RRT.   I'm Bill Coleman a 63 year old hot rodder and grandfather.  I've been involved with old cars and hot rods since the mid 1950's.  Currently I drive a 48 Chev convertible with a 350/350 combo with a 1963 Chev, full size sub frame (thank you Gerry Burger).  I have had the convertible on the road since 1975 and it has been around.  I also have a 48 Ford F-1 pickup almost daily driver.  It has a 425ci Caddy,. turbo 400 and a fairly rust free body (it was owned for many years by a rural fire department here in Connecticut).  I have rebuilt the front end and steering, installed a 3" dropped axle, power steering kit, rewired, installed a vintage air system, and a bunch of other stuff.  .  My longer-term project, that I've wanted since the mid 50's, is a 1926 Ford lakes style modified roadster I have been picking at it since 1994.  I currently have most all the parts so once a couple of delayed large "honey do's" are done to our 1880 house I can get back on the modified roadster.  Nuff said about me.  Thanks for listening. Bill