This will be a temporary replacement for what is in there now, basically bare wire with some brittle strands hanging on and oil soaked as well in some places. Thank you for the warning, I appreciate it. I’m caught between repairing and wanting to drive her.
I cannot say enough to endorse Tiny’s recommendation about high quality wiring. All it takes is one bare wire at the wrong location to create a disaster.
When you reinstall the hood I strongly recommend having a second person to help stabilize and guide the hood. It is a little tricky to get things assembled and lined up properly especially at the top of the firewall area.
Without a doubt a second person, I narrowly avoided dropping hood removing it solo. It amazes me the car hasn't had any incidents up til now with the condition of the original 1938 wiring
Changing the mount at the rear of the transmission and the side mounts is fairly easy. Make sure you install the side mounts last. In fact I suggest you at least disconnect them when you work on the other mounts.
The side mounts do not support the weight of the engine and transmission. Their purpose is to prevent the engine from rolling side-to-side or twisting in reaction to the torque in the drivetrain. Check your shop manual for the process to make sure they are set at the correct height. The engine height is set by the height of the new front and rear mounts.
I replaced the front mounts on my ”˜37 working from above and below the front of the engine. You car might be slightly different. I made a simple wooden frame to support front of the engine while I lifted it slightly with a bottle jack. It takes some patience and finagling to get the bolt lock tabs bent away and the bolts out on the top side. If I remember I did have the radiator out when I did that so it gave me a little more room. In my case I determined I could do it that way in less time and with a lot less collateral damage than trying to remove the grill or the front cowl around the radiator.
I have a good ”˜39 radiator that was re-cored a few years ago. It was converted to work with a pressure cap but that can be fixed easily. I was going to use it in my ”˜37 but the mountings and the size are different. I did not want to go through all the work to modify my ”˜37 so I just waited until my radiator was re-cored.
I am not sure if it will fit a ”˜38. The Master Parts List lists different radiators for ”˜37, ”˜38, and ”˜39. A big difference between ”˜37 and ”˜38 was the change to the shroud above the radiator so you could pull the radiator up vertically to remove it. The ”˜39 is the same way.
Maybe Gene or someone else can help determine if the ”˜39 will fit your car with only minor modifications.
I should mention that mine was not leaking, this is just precautionary while I have it out as someone suggested I have the radiator pressure checked which made sense to me. I am going to drop it off at a reputable radiator shop recommended by one of the local car clubs and have it checked. I’ll keep you posted as usual. Thank you
That is a good plan. I strongly recommend that you spend the money now to have the radiator cleaned while it is at the shop.
A word of caution. I know this sounds crazy but make sure the shop knows this is a non-pressure system. My radiator guy only tests this type radiator to about 5 psi. This construction cannot handle 20 psi like today’s radiators.
My concern is that if you get some less experienced technician testing it the radiator can be ruined.
Good point, I had a 51 Styleline Deluxe that could use a new radiator cap. Stopped by the local Autozone and asked for a recommendation, the young man recommended 7lb cap. Soon followed by coolant in the cabin leaking from the blown heater core, darn! I now ask for advice then do research to confirm the advice Thank you
I'm still here and remember this topic but lost track of the outcome. In preparation to change valve and pushrod covers gaskets and paint, I decided to paint the engine too but having a heck of a time prepping engine block surface having years of oil and dirt. After chipping dirt and oil, the block surface still has a sheen. the last chemical i've used is acetone which seems to work well, but the uneven surface makes it almost impossible clean. I don't have the privilege of soaking the engine and rinsing with water as the car is in the garage. Any successful experiences are appreciated
