Projects Mild custom '51 Pontiac Chieftain

With a bit of a tune-up it should sound better.

Phil

 

Put it down on the floor and gave it a quick run down the street.



Much better than before, nice and smooth.

Phil

 

It's amazing how quickly it fires. Sounds like the flywheel doesn't even make a full revolution before it's idling.

 

That's sweet buddy, sounds great now!

 

Yeah, it starts really easily for the most part.

I put the air cleaner on, set the ignition timing, idle speed and mixture.
Had a bit of an experiment and found that a higher wattage bulb makes the alternator charge at about 400 RPM instead of having to rev the engine up to 1500+ to get it to start charging. The one in it is completely wrong.

Onward and upward.

Phil

 

Got the wipers working again.

Phil

 

Phil, do the wipers have the dreaded acceleration slow down issue like most of the older vehicles ?

 

Very nice ! Straights R GR8........good job !

 

Yup. Uphill they stop, downhill they flap dementedly.

Phil

 

Would a vacuum storage tank and check valve help out on the hills?

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The view shown on the camera with the visor, hood ornament and waterfall is a large part of the reason why I fell in love with my 51 Pontiac way back in the seventies. Makes me wish spring were here but unfortunately we still have a few months to go (-32C last night....same as -26F).
You are doing a great job resurrecting your car! Looking forward to more posts.

 

Probably. I have one. It also has a booster pump.
What will help the most will be rebuilding the wiper motor, it doesn't seal as well as it should any more. Cleaning and greasing got it working but really it needs a new seal.

Phil

 

Bought some 1/8" line and fittings. Straightened out the old pressure line, fitted it to the gauge and joined everything up. Just needs a couple of P clips to hold it in place.


Now all my gauges work!

Phil

 

And all the lights, nice!

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Plumbed in the wipers (manifold to pump to motor to washer bottle). Wiper motor works but is tired. Washer bottle doesn't pump with the volume of airflow it's given so that needs to be investigated- given a quick daub of vacuum direct from the manifold it sprays most effectively.

Phil

 

I've been told I should get some green screen wash fluid and put some plastic pickles in the jar.

Phil

 

How about some vintage blue stuff to match the car?

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Drive that bad boy to Tulsa this Summer for the POCI meet

 

I bought some regular blue stuff at the auto parts store with that in mind, you can just about see it in the jar already!

I'm not sure I'll have it ready for Tulsa.. not quite this year at least.


Edit: I am still however aiming for Cruisin' The Coast in Biloxi, MS.

Phil

 

love that beautiful dash!!

 

Vacuum line complete; I'm not 100% sure the original routing but this will do me.


Oil line goes through a gentle coil, vacuum line split into 2 with flexible vacuum hose between (needs clamps).
Oil line still has the original spring protective cover on. Made a small clamp plate, cut two pieces of rubber pipe and put them over the lines and clamped them down.

Hopefully that will be good enough.

Phil

 

Very nice, good job

 

Any good reason why I shouldn't use the same copper pipe for the fuel line between the pump and the carburetor?

 

Not my choice Phil FWIW. I would use a steel line. Much stronger and harder than soft copper.

 

I was thinking about that, plus the behavior of it potentially work-hardening and fracturing at one of the unions. Hence the question. I'll try find me some steel pipe then.
Vacuum line is ok copper; if that cracks the worst that happens is my mixture goes to pot!

Thank you


Phil

 

Look into that nickel copper line if you want, easy to bend pressure rated to 1500 psi, looks great, corrosion proof, used by Volvo as their oem brake line material .

 

I've used it for brake lines in the past, it's good stuff but difficult to find around here.

Phil

 

Here, AutoZone stocks cunifer lines. Is 3/8” big enough for you?

https://www.autozone.com/brakes-and...estic-nickel-copper-brake-line-cn-660/97858_0



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Napa stocks Nicop line here.

 

Funny. Here we are fighting the difference between "lists" and "stocks". Napa said they don't have brake line any more, nor fuel pipe.
AutoZone couldn't find anything listed for '51 Pontiac on the computer therefore it doesn't exist.

At that point I gave up.