VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1929-1932 First start in 26 years

Hello Gang,

Back home Saturday evening, after a full day at the track with the race car, I started the '30 Chevy for the first time since July 4th, 1976. It ran terribly. I was hot, tired and out of time. The car 'ran' and that was good but it ran so badly that I was quite frustrated and disheartened. I gave up, headed for the shower and called it a day. Racing in the sun takes everything you've got -- and more. You don't need disappointment at that point.

Sunday was a honey-do day and we had a dinner to attend that evening as well. While getting ready for the dinner (read: shaving for the first time since Friday morning) I remembered that I had violated an old principle: Measure TWICE and cut ONCE.

I went straight out to the garage, in my underware and with shaving cream still on my face, and checked the plug wires. Sure enough, I had installed the wired in an incorrect sequence -- and not "measured twice". I quickly rearranged the wires, jumped in the car and it started right up! Then reality set in. I was setting in a 72 year old car, in my garage, in my underware, face looking like a rabid dog but with a huge grin on my face. Must have been a sight to remember!

Back to the shower, off to the dinner, on with the evening -- but the grin is still on my face.

Hopefully tonight I will find a moment to get the idle speed set and let the old girl warm up a little. :-)

Best regards, Rick

Sure would have liked to have seen a picture of that as long as it was not XXX rated. Those are experiences that we don't get to enjoy often. Congratulations.

Isn't it amazing how the 'light bulb' turns on at the strangest moments. Did the family understand? Or think that you had lost any sense that you possessed?

The family is long past the point of recognizing that I am a lost cause. Great stuff!

Ain't life worth all the Lord made it to be?

Hi Gang,

Last night I got to start the '30 Chevy again and run it for a little bit. Haven't gotten to the point of driving it yet. I have learned a few things. (1) I may still have the timing off by a bit. It's easy to set the static timing on the wrong side of the distributor cam. Gotta check that. It does idle much better with some 'spark' added. I mean, I did screw up the plug wiring. I must not assume that everything else is right. (2) I did not do an adequate job of cleaning the old fuel from the tank. The previous owner had added some engine oil to the fuel tank. It seems that that is an Oklahoma Urban Legend way of preserving the fuel for long-term storage. Of course, it makes a really BIG mess. I thought I had the tank cleaned acceptably well but now, I think otherwise.

Now that it runs, I have justification to do more and in more detail. I need to adjust the valves and clean all the contacts in the ignition from starter to switch and on to the coil. The distributor is already rebuilt.

Best regards and thanks for all the advice. This forum is great.

rick

Rick - great feeling - isn't it?? One little suggestion - when you take the starter switch off to clean the contacts - remove the keeper from the starter switch shaft and remove the spring so the shaft can come out of the starter switch. Clean and lube the shaft and re-assemble - takes all of 5 minutes. I used white lithium grease. I found mine sometimes did not release the starter as the shaft was stuck down and you have to kick the starter pedal to disengage. PITA. The lubing of the shaft prevents this problem. Also - make sure the oil pan bolts are tightened and when you re-install the valve cover gasket - make sure the sides don't curve inward on you when you tighten the two cover bolts. Makes for one heck of a mess!!! Ask me how I know!!
Cheers
Maurice

Rick, I had to laugh about the oil in the fuel tank, My 80 yearold uncle in Missouri keeps all of his spare gas tanks full of clean motor oil, he says it keeps them from rusting!

You may need a fuel pump kit.