VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1912-1928 1928 AB National

Just purchased a 1928 that has been stored since 1970. Totally complete rust free car, with solid wood. Engine turns nicely, but has 40 year old gas in the tank and one stuck valve, so have a bit of work before getting it started. As a newbie to the technology of the 28, will there be a trick to getting the fuel pumping? Also any other odities we should be aware of when starting the first time?
Who's a good source for mechanical parts, brake parts, etc? Also, it doesn't have any keys. Will a local locksmith be able to help, or do we have to use one of the specialists found in Hemmings, etc?
I'm sure this will be the beginning of many questions, but was very excited for this barn find that will be easily restorable given the quality of the vehicle. But I want to hear it run!!!

You may not need a bunch of parts to get it running. If you don't get spark, just clean the points with a jewlers file, only one or two strokes is enough. The stuck valve may be able to be freed using a rubber hammer and screw driver to work it up and down. Clean the gas tank real well and the vac tank. All lines will need a run through with a wire also and a flush. You might not need a key if it was parked without locking the ingintion. The switch is a lever that is hidden behind the dash behind the place where the key goes. if it was locked, then not sure what to do from there. Many parts can be obtained from a local auto parts store and also Gary Wallace at 20schevyparts.com has a bunch of stuff. Ok now here is the most imortant thing to check, The oil pan will more than likely be full of settled out crud. Run a wire with a small loop in the end down the oil fill pip and let it hit the bottom of the pan, pull it out and see how much crud in in there. If there is a bunch of crud, you may want to pull the pan as it can block the oil pump pickup screen. Don't freak out about low oil pressure, about 10 lbs is pretty much normal. You will need to pull off the valve cover and oil the rocker arms and pushrods and valve stems. The pockets where the valve stems are should have oil in them normally. Don't think you have to have a gasket there, you can get away with no gasket since no oil is pumped the the rockers, just what you put there, it is not like a modern engine in that respect. Any other questions we will be glad to answer them! Just don't fall into the trap thinking you are going to need a whole bunch of stuff to get it running, these cars are very forgiving as far as sitting goes.

Hey Bob,

You sir are a genius. I wish I had one of you next door 38 years ago, would have saved my a lot of heartache, and what we call in OZ stuff ups.

Now how do we clone you for future generations of chev afflicted individuals?

Cheers

Ray

Great advice Bob, I have pulled two cars out of barns in the same shape within the past year (28 Coach & 26 Roadster), and I did exactly the same things. One extra procedure: I pumped a solvent through the tank, gas lines and vacuum pump for 20 minutes. The fluid came out clear by the end. I used a gallon of Sea Foam. It’s not cheap, $50 a gallon, but it does the trick. I used a roller pump (I have a medical grade pump, but you can purchase a drill attachment at a good hardware store). I re-circulated the fluid trough a filter. I used ¼ inch PVC tubing, ran it from the vacuum pump output, through the filter, back into the gas line (disconnected from the tank). Pressurizing the gas line at the tank overcomes the need for a vacuum source at the vacuum pump. I always run a fuel filter between the vacuum pump and the carb as a last line of defense. One last piece of advice, DO NOT run an oil-additive engine cleaner through the motor, it can really screw things up. It removes varnish build-up that keeps the motor “tight” in critical areas. To free up rings, I pull each spark plug and pour such cleaner directly on the cylinder (BG is best). Let it sit for a day or so, the cleaner will seep past the rings and into the oil pan. Pour a few ounces of non-detergent oil into each cylinder and turn the motor over by hand. Never use detergent oil in an old car, just change the oil frequently!!! PS: Be prepared to smoke your neighbors out!

I don't have a problem with the majority of what you posted.

However, is not what I and many others do. I have used detergent oils in old Chevys for approximately 40 years without ever having a problem associated with the selection of oil. That topic has been discussed many times on ChatII and the consensus of the majority of people is that detergent oil does NOT cause problems in even engines that have not been rebuilt or cleaned of sludge and other crud.

After checking your profile I think your advice would be in question.

Could be something to what Raymundo says, reckon? By the way Raymundo, the CD kinda revived my memory, Thanks

BTW I am glad that 3rdowner is in-thoose-e-asstic. I have used a lot of Seafoam, but not as a parts washer. probably could replace the fuel line and fittings for less than $50.00, Also a filter between the vacuum pump and the fuel tank will work ok and it will keep crud out of the vacuum tank, as long as it is properly connected.

AntiqueMechanic:

Now you have my curiosity, what in my profile has you questioning my advice?

Maybe this could be taken as bad advice: ...for one.

Thank you for the clarification. I thought it might have been based on my CV in the auto industry. Some suggested reading would be on the subject of varnish build up, metallurgy and interstitial voids in plain bearing surfaces. As for new or rebuilds with tight tolerances (slip fits of under 0.002), by all means, use detergent oil.

Nope! not from me, since I am an M.E. maybe it is your location Denver? and due the the fact that you are a newbie, and a non- VCCA member here on Chatter II, you sound like a good prospective member of VCCA. How about joining the World's Best Chevrolet club? This is an invite!

CV? Constant Velocity?

I am voting for CV = Current Vocation.

OKAY! Current Vocation but not
Currently Vacationing?
gotchu!

Bye the way Chipper I got that Farefox, but I can't find the spell check button most of my words have a red dotted line unerneath of theem. Thet mus meen somethung?

Oh well, never mind Chipper I found it......
unerstand
understand..I did, it I did it! I shore do love that Firefox!

Boy Howdy, will I show up that Charlie now!

MrMack,
We have a lot in common, I am an M.E., and a member of the VCCA. The engineering school I went to defined CV as curriculum vitae. Pardon my spelling.

I beg to differ, there is nothing in common about Mr. Mack. Now don't take this as criticism but he is unique.

Now what are you going to do when you see a word highlighted in blue? Yup, Right click on it too.

I love FireFox too. Don't know why anyone would stay with MS Itspoorer.

If I see a word highlighted in blue, I'm a gonna jest keep on 'atypein' Yeah, that is what I'll do!

Well 3r downer, I am glad to see that you are also a Mediocre Equestrian professional like me. I am also a Quantum Physics practitioner that never trusted my Electron Spectral Scanning Microscope to show me everything that is really itsy bitsy! Some things you just gotta take on faith, right?

Sorry I didn't notice that you are a closet VCCA member.
Anyway whatever you are is OK with me...Welcome aboard! Just throw away that non-detergent oil and get with all of us folks that love the 20th century cars, Can you really believe that the '28 Chevrolet is going on being 84 years old? WOW!

I love threads like this... Isn't one of you an oil guy, and the other a metal guy? Kinda reminds me of back when I poured a tankful of Shell gas into my three year old Grandprix, and the fuel gauge stopped working! The Oil Guy (Shell) blamed it on the Metal Guy (GM) and said it's because he built the sender wrong, and the Metal Guy said the Oil Guy sells crap gas! Apparently tens of thousands of broken senders were not worth a recall! Bottom line... I went another five years with no gas gauge, and have never returned to a Shell station again!

Break out the physics formulas and get to the bottom of this! And I sometimes don't get why VCCA membership years has anything to do with it... There's lots of guys in my local club that have been wrenching for years that know way more than most of the 40 year members I know. I don't think we should ever discount an opinion or advice that is outside our little circle, or else we could end up selling the wrong colour of motor paint to everyone for the next 40 years!

Brewster,
I take offense on that! There aren't too many of us 40 year members left in the VCCA and most of them don't have a 'puter and/or are Columbus typists.

Ok, peace! I love this chat board. When I restored my first car in 69 (Ford Tudor, sorry, I was miss-guided) there were no such boards, only swap-meets and JC Whitney. I found a 28 National in a barn in 74, and my father said I could finance the purchase with the sale of the Ford, been with GM since. I drive my cars, every day in Highschool, winters in Michigan, cold! Now I live in Denver, and I drive them (28 national and 26 Superoir Roadster) to work once a week. I left the auto industry in 86 to go into the medical field, but never lost the love of old cars. I use the old cars as a teaching tool for medical device design, keep it simple, keep it reliable.

This whole string got started on a warning by me to avoid detergent oil in an unrestored, high milage engine. I remember the day I put a detergent in my 28 National. It was 1975. My father and I spent the next two weeks rebuilding the engine. I would do it again to save the memory.

Footnote: I am fortunate to have Don Rossi as a friend and neighbor, pricey parts, free advice.

Darn... I think I'm just getting close to the 40 year mark... and you're saying there aren't many left! That just proves my point... I hope people don't think I'm the new VCCA expert, cause I'd believe anything a Columbus Grad thinks about internal combustion over what I know!

Hey 3rdowner,
Don & his wife sure are friendly people, aren't they. Went to visit my son in Centenial and he only lives a couple of miles of so from Don. Went to see him with a couple of grandkids and they had a ball checking out all the old cars and parts and talking with Don and the Mrs. I also spent some money there which was well worth it. Also stopped by and saw the oldcouch's car. If we get back out there we'll have to get together.

Jerrygolf,
You are so right. Don and MaryAnn are good people. As for the supply of parts, it must be seen to be understood. It’s not a question as to whether or not Don has the part, it’s a question of how many and what condition one desires.

A not so short story: I stopped restoring or rather, reconditioning old cars for about 35 years, favoring restoration of motorcycles instead. Motorcycles are smaller and more manageable, (anyone want a 47 Douglas T35?). When I got back into cars (anything before 1930 will do) I found Gary Wallace, another great guy. Gary, being a straight shooter, informed me during a component inquiry, of a man down the road from me that may have the component I sought. I called said man (Don) and asked him if he had the part (automatic window mechanism). He said yes. I asked him if he would be interested in selling it. He paused, and said yes. Little did I know his pause was a surprise at the inquiry, never pondering the sale. I hopped in my car at lunchtime, and started the 2 mile drive to Don’s house. In route I realized that I had forgotten my wallet. I called him and asked him if he would take a check, he said sure, “check or credit card”. I thought to myself “wow, why would a hobbyist with a few old parts be set up to take credit cards”? Upon pulling into Dons “garage” (the understatement of the year); I realized that this was a business, as much as a hobby. I have spent many hours going through parts at Don’s sometimes just out of curiosity. Basically, Don has enough parts to build several cars, complete. The most amazing thing in inventory is the number and condition of sheet metal components. There are rows of NOS fenders from dealerships that closed their doors in the 50’s and 60’s.

Let me know when you are in town and I will drive an old car over to Don’s (rain, show or shine).

You got it. Won't be for a year or two as the boy was just up and hopefully the wife can stand the drive again. Take care.