Well after sitting in pieces for two years I finally found the time for an all out effort over the past month or so at getting the old gal back on the road. Fresh trans rebuild, fresh engine rebuild by a marine/racing engine rebuilder, fresh spring rebuild, fresh chem striped front clip (less hood) and everything else all rebuilt within a few thousand miles, I.e., spindles, steering links and gear, wheel brgs, brakes, drive line, rear axle .
I got her up to this point yesterday, just have to get the grill and outer fenders back on:
http://www.pbase.com/dennygraham/image/137873175/largehttp://www.pbase.com/dennygraham/image/137873176/large http://www.pbase.com/dennygraham/image/137873488/large After being completely torn down and not running for two years I had my reputation on the line when I told my “big old wife” that it was gonna start on the first try. I’d topped of the battery charge the night before, filled it with brake in oil, drained what was left of the two year old gas adding a couple of gallons of fresh BP. I’m the eternal pessimist so anticipating some sort of problem which always pops up with this sort of work, I just refilled the cooling system with distilled water, no antifreeze yet.
I cranked her over a couple of times with the key off to bring fresh fuel up thru the new lines filters and new fuel/vacuum pump I’d installed. When I got fuel to the sedament bowl at the carburetor on went the ignition, out came the choke and the moment of truth was at hand. And thank the Lordy, she popped of first turn over, I could hold my head up and stick out my chest at the dinner table tonight.
I ran her for a few minutes at about 2000rpm to make sure I was oiling the cylinder walls and then I noticed a puddle on the floor under the axle. She just had time to get the block luke warm and now the image of coming to the dinner table with my tail between my legs was manifesting itself.
Yep, a water leak, with all the care and time I’d put into assembling the engine on the stand and now a water leak.
Leaking at:
http://www.pbase.com/dennygraham/image/137872156/largeSo as soon as I finish with to days novel I’m out to the garage to pull the radiator and water pump to see what the problem is. Here I was going to take her for a break in run in the county this morning and in stead I’ll be spending the day taking her apart.
What a disappointment!
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL
