The valve noise is not bad a at all so I had not prioritized that vary high. Issue is that the valve cover gasket is leaking a lot now and if I have to replace that might as well do the valves at the same time.
We have been wanting to do the interior. Unfortunately we keep moving it down the list to perform mechanical items. Seats, seat belts we considered mandatory. The carpet we did while doing a bunch of little items that had to get done but did not look like much. Any time we have to do several items that do not appear to make any changes we try to plan something visible that makes a difference. Helps keep mundane projects feel more important when added to a wow I can see a difference now project.
I have found that having an old car is a constant project that is never done. I think that is a good thing. Keeps me learning new things. Having two from different eras is just a form of higher education.
Been driving it more than working on it. Since May we have driven it about 400 - 500 miles. This is more than we drove all last year. It hit us when I looked down at the gas gauge and realized we have to fill it again. Some of the trips have just been hour and a half rides to nowhere. Others have been to town and back. All unplanned, just a nice day and nowhere to go.
Recently we changed the oil and installed a clock in the dash. Kids always wanted the clock since they first saw one installed in another car. It lights up as it should but does not keep time. The minute hand is loose and always points down. We debated about fixing the electric motor in it but decided not to since we commonly disconnect the battery anyways.
Finally got all of the parts to the emergency brake properly installed this weekend. We spent hours staring at this. A friend looked at it and we found that not only was the bar the linkage connected to bent but so was the mount the pivot point used to connect to the frame. Once that was bent back things lined up and we were able to connect everything. Now we just have to properly adjust the cables and this item might be able to be crossed off of the todo list.
We have hit a point where no one wants the car to be off the road so we do not want to start any big item and on top of that with both kids getting older any long stretches of time are getting fewer and fewer. We need a few less weekdays and a few more weekdays.
I have found that having an old car is a constant project that is never done. I think that is a good thing. Keeps me learning new things. Having two from different eras is just a form of higher education.
Ended July installing a headliner. The boys have wanted to use a flag so we used a 48 star US flag. It fits nicely. Unfortunately I had to fold in part of the stars due to the curve of the roof. Have not tucked in the rear yet as we still make something around the window.
I have found that having an old car is a constant project that is never done. I think that is a good thing. Keeps me learning new things. Having two from different eras is just a form of higher education.
Started making door cards. We had bought the canvas last year thinking we would do this over the winter. Other items took priority. Now that we do not want to do anything to take the car off the road we are working on the interior. Used duck canvas, hard board and for a little padding we used my wife's old yoga mat, she now has a new one. Installing the rear panel a few wrinkles appeared when the panel was bent to fit but we thought it still looked good.
Door handles and window cranks are back on. As well as the window trim on the doors. Since we left the dash with the original paint we decided to do the same with the trim pieces for the windows. There are scratches and marks but it somehow adds to the character of the car. For the escutcheons around the door handles and window cranks we found chair sliders that were the same color as the handles knobs and modified them to work. We only had a handful for the car. Completed the kick panels also. They were mounted with industrial Velcro. The driver's side is hiding the fuse block we installed. Having minivan bench seats installed has been nice for working on the car. They fold down and out of the way when you need more room to work on the interior. Since we made brackets to mount them with if we ever do get the original seats done we can swap them out without any issues. A goal has been to make it that anything we do can be undone down the road.
I have found that having an old car is a constant project that is never done. I think that is a good thing. Keeps me learning new things. Having two from different eras is just a form of higher education.
Took the valve cover off to fix a leaking valve cover gasket and found that the oil line to the rocker oiler was cut and that the return line was held on with a piece of wire. The old gasket was cracked at each corner and extremely hard. Thanks to the community at VCCA we were able to replace the part. My oldest took off the front set of rockers so we could slide the new oiler on. Using a compression fitting the old line could be attached to the new oiler. Once the rockers were all back in place we checked the spacing and verified that oil was going everywhere it was supposed to. Next we put a valve cover gasket on and gave it a test drive. No leaks appeared from the valve cover gasket and the engine sounds better since setting the spacing on the valves. Since we were doing all this work we changed the spark plugs also. They did not look bad but we had it apart.
I have found that having an old car is a constant project that is never done. I think that is a good thing. Keeps me learning new things. Having two from different eras is just a form of higher education.
Awesome that you have kids willing and eager to help you with this project...good luck!
A long time Chevy lover. First car 54 chevy Bel Air, second car 1955 Delray. Current Chevys 2023 Camaro, 1955 210 Delray (show car), a 2020 Chevy BoltEV and most recent purchase, 1941 Chevy Special Deluxe.
Once we had it running again we drove it until the weather changed and it was time to garage it for the winter. My youngest is in sports and both are focused on school. School first is taking the time from the project. Not neglecting it but priorities came in play. When we have a chance we plan to rewire the horn and finish the interior.
I have found that having an old car is a constant project that is never done. I think that is a good thing. Keeps me learning new things. Having two from different eras is just a form of higher education.
The horn has had an issue where it only works properly when the car has a few RPMs going. Youngest son and I attempted to rewire it using a relay and heavier gauge wire. Everything seemed to go well until we reconnected the battery and the horn sounded nonstop. Apparently we swapped two of the wires. With all of the wires in the correct place the horn did not sound at all. Check all of the voltages with a multimeter and everything was correctly connected. Then we checked the part number on the relay and per the internet it is a 12vdc relay and not a 6v one. Ordered the correct one and will swap it when that comes in.
Earlier in the day my oldest and I bought a piece of rubber mat to cut for the trunk floor. He spent the day cutting that to fit the floor and cleaning up some of the wiring in the trunk area. Plan is to take one of the extra tires we have and place it back there for the spare. Also have what we believe to be a correct jack to place in the trunk once we have time to refinish it.
One of our friends' kids was over and helped out by taking a wire brush to clean the surface rust of an old rim and prep it for paint. This is going to be the spare tire in the trunk once it is painted.
After all of that work was done we found the answer to a mystery thunk that occurred every time we hit a large bump. The driver’s rear had a metal to metal thunk when we hit a bump. Numerous times we looked over the suspension and found nothing. Removed everything from the trunk and it was still there. Then we noticed that the part the spare mounts on had chipped the paint on the floor where it was hitting. Picked it up and dropped it, there was the mystery sound.
With my sons in school, sports and jobs work has slowed but we still have plans to work on it when time allows.
I have found that having an old car is a constant project that is never done. I think that is a good thing. Keeps me learning new things. Having two from different eras is just a form of higher education.
Remember that the horn wiring is a "grounding" circuit. The contact in the horn button on the steering wheel is the last link in the circuit. The wire coming up the steering column from the horn is hot all the time. The horn button connects that wire to ground to make the horn sound.
Your weak horn sound could simply be a need to adjust the contact points in the horn.
Remember that the horn wiring is a "grounding" circuit. The contact in the horn button on the steering wheel is the last link in the circuit. The wire coming up the steering column from the horn is hot all the time. The horn button connects that wire to ground to make the horn sound.
Your weak horn sound could simply be a need to adjust the contact points in the horn.
We had just wired it incorrectly to start. To small of a wire to the horn and not using a lead directly from the battery. Currently we are not using the 'horn' button in the middle of the wheel. Instead we are triggering it with a button we placed in the dash. There was a hole there for something else and it was easier to get the circuit right first. Also when we had to originally get the car inspected it had to have a horn connected to pass. As poorly as it worked it passed.
I have found that having an old car is a constant project that is never done. I think that is a good thing. Keeps me learning new things. Having two from different eras is just a form of higher education.
I remember working at Firestone in Richmond, VA in the 60's. We had 2 mechanics authorized to perform the twice a year state safety inspection. One day there was quite a commotion in the shop. A customer was extremely mad that he could not use a dash mounted switch to activate the horn.
Down here the only restriction on the horn control is that if the "button" isnt in the centre of the steering wheel the control must be labeled as "horn" and be a momentary contact type. Tony
I noticed that in one photo your Son was in the trunk. You weren't headed out to a Drive-In Movie, were you?
Mike
We were joking about that when I took the picture. He found it the easiest way to trim the mat to fit. We also were joking about how he blended all in wearing all black.
I have found that having an old car is a constant project that is never done. I think that is a good thing. Keeps me learning new things. Having two from different eras is just a form of higher education.
For future reference, It's best to wait until you are near the Drive-In, to put the kids in the trunk. That's just my opinion, I could be wrong. Maybe it depends on the kids. I have really enjoyed your posts. Here is a picture of my Son and me from 40ish years ago. He got an early start too.
Just consider that moving the rear wheels back will pull the torque tube back that amount as well.
We are not moving the rear wheels at all. Drive train is staying as was. When I was mentioning the thunk I was referencing the bar that holds the spare in place in the trunk.
I have found that having an old car is a constant project that is never done. I think that is a good thing. Keeps me learning new things. Having two from different eras is just a form of higher education.
Had a little time to work on the car this weekend. The correct relay came in the mail and installed it. Horn works correctly now. It is much louder than it ever was before. I think running the line directly from the battery is the biggest difference. For safety reasons we did add an inline fuse when we ran the line. It is not a show car and I think the added safety of a fuse is definitely worth it.
I have found that having an old car is a constant project that is never done. I think that is a good thing. Keeps me learning new things. Having two from different eras is just a form of higher education.
We decided that even with the mat in the trunk it did not look as good as it could with a few simple improvements. My youngest decided to paint it all with flat black. A huge improvement over what it had been. It hides a lot of the imperfections in the trunk. Looks much better now.
I have found that having an old car is a constant project that is never done. I think that is a good thing. Keeps me learning new things. Having two from different eras is just a form of higher education.
Attempted to put the spare in the trunk for the first time. I thought the bolt looked to be in bad shape. Sones tried to clean the threads and run the nut on and back off. The post broke. Oldest cut out the pin holding the remaining portion of the old post on while I made a new one from a piece of threaded rod. He mounted it in the trunk and the tire went in. Since we have a few extra hubcaps, we placed one on the spare too. Also cleaned up some of the wiring while we were there. Overall a successful afternoon.
I have found that having an old car is a constant project that is never done. I think that is a good thing. Keeps me learning new things. Having two from different eras is just a form of higher education.
