Jon, a lot of stovebolters want quick, effortless fixes for problems they were probably instrumental in creating in the first place. Buying a rebuildable core carburetor and making it work correctly involves a 4-letter word that scares them. It's called "WORK".
Jerry
Jerry - methinks you might be a wee bit harsh in this judgement.
However, every enthusiast must decide on their goal(s) for a given vehicle. After doing a few, it becomes obvious that these goals are best set prior to the beginning of the project. These goals can change during the duration of the project, sometimes by others. In my case, my wife of "classfied" years has never said "honey, when is that piece of xxxx going to run"!
I possibly have an unusual way of looking at these projects. (1) nothing is work, everything is fun, a time to relax, (2) time is not an object, it will be done when it is done, (3) do it once, and hopefully not do it again, (4) each solved issue is cause for celebration, and finally (5) the journey is much more important than the finished project.
When you were here, you saw the green coupe (no, not the John Deeres) in the storage building. It isn't a Chevy, and it isn't a truck; so will describe only as to goals. So what were my initial goals?
(1) Vehicle had to remain "stock" in appearance to all but the most knowledgeable enthusiasts.
(2) Power had to at least double from the original engine - accomplished 200 HP--->435 HP
(3) Body mass had to be reduced by 20 percent - accomplished 3685 pounds--->2750 pounds
(4) Car had to be streetable - accomplished, but only after modifications on a carburetor I have been told repeatedly is way too large for the engine (850 CFM on 350 CID)
(5) Body mass to be reduced by 30 percent - NOT quite accomplished (I never found anyone with an English wheel that needed carburetor work). This goal has now been eliminated.
Much of goals (1), (2), and (3) were accomplished with the aid of my son, creating lasting memories for both of us (more than fun)!
How long did goals (1), (2), (3), and (4) require? Only 28 years. There were delays during this time; as as example, it took 18 months to find the necessary parts to be able to use the exhaust manifolds of choice. The ellusive part? The steering drop link. During the search, other accomplishments were made.
This vehicle has never been to a show, and never will be as long as I own it. I built it for my own enjoyment.
Finally, my son has indicated more than once that he wishes to inherit this vehicle (more satisfaction).
I would sincerely HOPE that no one who frequents these forums really considers "working" on their vehicle "work"!
Oh, and some portions of the project are more fun than others; removing an old brake system is no where near as much fun as restoring a carburetor!
Jon
