Hot Rods The Modified gets an update....

My '28 hit the road at the start of the 2009 summer. It wasn't perfect and I had some issues but I was driving....on permits. I was quite limited in where I could take it until the start of 2011 when I finally made an honest woman of her and got plates. Well, I think I managed 2 (legitimate)outings before it all went to shit.

Having replaced the OEM starter (which I destroyed) with an aftermarket unit this is what eventually brought me to a sudden halt



Check out the mess the starter pinion made on its way to where it finally jammed everything up



So obviously at this point I had made a decision that a total pull down was necessary to fix this problem and I figured that while I was at it I could deal with the list of things that were either unfinished, half arsed or had gone wrong over the last 2 years. It was becoming an imposing list.

 

So I pulled it apart

 

I obviously had to fix the starter issue and I suspected the aftermarket flywheel. Not for any firm reason but I had suspicions. I'm still not 100% sure but I'm hoping that was my problem because I got a new one from Bendtsens. Of course the new flywheel was not drilled the same as the old one so I figured I was up for another pressure plate... the third one. The first that was supposed to fit the original flywheel didn't, so it's on the shelf. I decided that was ridiculous so I set myself up and redrilled and tapped the new flywheel



No marking dye but a permanent marker worked OK

I made a little jig to keep the tap straight.

 

I'm sure you'll tell us, but what the hell happened with that? Didi the starter need to be shimmed, or..??

 

Fun and games pete,

Its like the car thought you were getting bored now it was finished...

 

Well, I wish I knew James. As you know, you can't shim a nailhead starter like a Chev one because it slides in and indexes in the block. I have checked I have a small amount of backlash on the new flywheel and the pinion clears fully when retracted so fingers crossed. I did find when I was refitting the starter this time around that the mount flange was slightly too big and fouled against the block so maybe it didn't seat quite right last time. Buggered if I know why the original starter broke. Old age?

 

Ha. What is this "finished" you speak of?

 

Mood shot

 

So anyway, while it's apart it's a good time to do a heap of other stuff. I've fixed the 14 degree caster on my front axle.

Tomorrow I'm going to replace the master cylinder that leaked since new.

I was never really happy with the '40 rear bones locating the rearend so I chopped up a spare '48 front wishbone and made some mounts for the rear axle





I've always thought using a front wishbone for the rear was a good idea. They are so much beefier and the perch pins are not going to let go anytime soon.

Of course when I removed the pins to get the wishbone off the axle, I destroyed them. I was going to buy some new ones but they're bloody expensive. I made these ones:

 

That ^^^ is very cool!

 

When I reversed my steering box I never put a seal where the shaft exits the casing. I just greased everything up and put it back together. One of those things I just didn't have time for. It was never a problem but I figured while I'm making things right...



I just machined a little brass housing, bought a $5 seal and JB welded it to the case.



You can see I tapped a hole for a grease nipple too

 

Thanks. I'm just a hack machinist and I was trying to work out how to put a hex on the end for a socket when a mate said, "Just drill a hole through it and you can hold it still with a screw driver." Brilliant!

 

I think you better forget about Xmas dinner and spend Xmas day in the shed. Folks say flatheads are troublesome but it looks like Nailheads are not far behind.

Go Pete Go!!

 

I had no idea how little room there would be for my feet when I built this car. I thought it would be a good idea, and easy, to put a foot switch in for the horn. Trouble is, where I put it you had to be a contortionist to get a foot to it.

So I made up a little lever and bezel. The lever actuates the same foot switch now mounted under the drive shaft tunnel

 

will keep an eye on the rebuild!

It's looking good!

G

 

Good evening Birthday Boy!

I'm planning on driving this sucker on Christmas day, Swifty. Hard at it. I have my 12 y.o. teed up to help me bleed brakes in the morning. Maybe drop the body back on and start connecting wires.

I'm back at work Boxing Day and I want it done before then.

And the thing about flatheads versus nailheads for trouble....nothing to do with it. I'm just a crap mechanic.

 

Everything about this car is right. I love it! Always happy to see pictures.

 

Of course for those who were paying attention at about post 10, the big ticket item for this update is the Winters quickchange.

I bought the V8 wedgelock kit from Hotrodworks with the 31 spline axles and the axle bearing adaptors for the original V8 axle bells. I wanted to keep the early brakes or I would have gone for a complete set up with the brand new tapered tubes. I kind of wish I had. There's a bit of work setting up these suckers





First of all you need to get the axle housings machined to accept the HRW adaptors. I planned ahead knowing I had 4 weeks annual leave coming and got the housings off to the machinists early. 6 weeks later I got them back. Right near the end of my leave and right before Christmas.

One thing Winters don't supply is a set of "set-up" bearings, and I think it is impossible to set one of these diffs up without them. I had to source a second set of bearings (not available in Australia) and then hone them out to slide on and off the carrier, because if you've ever set one of these up, or even a normal banjo, you know you're going to have the thing together and apart more than a few times.

Here I am "happily" setting the centre up. I'm not sure if this is the 30th or 31st time I've lifted the carrier in and out of the housing.



It was very strange because the unit comes with a "Torrington" 0.125" spacer and lots of shims. You're supposed to put the spacer on the carrier followed by a specified number of shims as a starting point. I had to remove the spacer altogether to get anywhere near the right thickness for the carrier preload.

The other thing is setting the pinion backlash. The pinion comes fitted to the case with its preload set and it is quite hard to feel the backlash due to the pinion preload. I THINK I got it right.

Final assembly

 

Ready to go



I have to say that the Hotrodworks adaptors and modern axles fit together very nicely. The drums slide right on and everything ends up where it is supposed to be.



Here is my new and improved rear wishbone made from a '48 front wishbone. I will still be using my patented "Torque Fork" to ensure I am not expecting too much of these old bones.

I had to make a new saddle to mount the torque fork to the rear end







I should just also mention at this stage for the Melbourne guys. I had to have my drive shaft redone for the new rear end and Universal Driveshafts in North Melb or Kensington did it for me in around 24 hrs. I've used them 3 times now. Always happy.

 

Haha. I missed this Thommo. I'll have broken it again by the 21st. Planning to be at breakfast on 31 Dec.

 

Well did you get the brakes bled? And you can't be a crap mechanic if you are willing to set-up a quick change.

Any additional progress today?

 

Well, I drove it today Swifty. From the shed to the gate, backed up and did it again. It starts, runs, stops (reverses). Oh and the starter is nearly silent. I'm sure you remember the racket it was making just before it blew up.

Hand brake needs adjusting, start / stop cable needs adjusting and it's time for a proper road test.

Merry Christmas

 

Yes Pete I can remember what your starter sounded like. When you started it at the servo in the Black Forest Bubby said to me -is it supposed to make that noise?

You have definitely been busy. I assume you still have a few loose ends to tidy up before you hit the road but congrats are in order.

Guess I'll have to let you have Xmas dinner tomorrow now.

Merry Christmas

 

This is the rearend all painted and mounted under the frame.



What a great arse....can't beat this view (crap photo)

 

I had a deadline (self imposed) of yesterday. I didn't want my obsession to impact Christmas. I missed because of that Murphy bastard so I was in the shed a 7.00 this morning. Natalie thought I had been kidnapped when she woke up.

I have worked my arse off this week. I hope it all holds together this time.

 

Looks great Striper, honestly it looked great before the update!! Just in time for a Christmas day cruise!

Doc.

 

Looks very nice. Merry Christmas!

 

Your patented torque arm is just the ticket...very innovative. Good work.

Charlie

 

Excellent workmanship! The quickchange is the ultimate in eyecandy. Is it pretty loud going down the road in an open cockpit car? You usually get a good whine from the rear gears.