I just thought that I would let everybody in the H.A.M.B. universe that watched us struggle with a radiator leak at L.A.R.S. this morning that Elpolacko and myself needlouvers ? of phoenix are safe at home... It's too late tonight, but tomorrow I'll take a bit and tell "The Rest Of The Story"!!!
So... El polacko and I went to L.A.R.S this last weekend, continuing our streak of 21 or 2 years or so. This years transpo was Steve's well known Green and silver, twin turbo, Uni-body truck. This deal is pretty much a "milk run" for all of us and something Arizona hot rodders do several times a year. About 4 and a half to five hours across super hot, (usually 110 or MUCH above this time of year) almost 400 miles of real estate, you know, no big deal! With this type of driving as you can imagine, we have accrued some great breakdown and get it going type stories. On the way over we were laughing about finally being adults and not having to fix "junk" to get there and back home. All was well with the world until yesterday morning when we pulled into Bad Bob's H.A.M.B. camp... "I smell anti-freeze", Crap!!! Getting out of the truck, it was easy to see that it was quite happily, shall we say, "marking it's spot"! At that point, Steves expensive custom built aluminum double pass radiator decided that this was a perfect place to spring a pin hole header leak and turn it's insides into out sides. The decision was made to let it cool down and walk the swap for a bit, where we made a discovery. A guy was hawking a super duty cyanocrylate (super glue) that could repair anything! A little bit of baking soda, A drop of glue, and the worlds problems would be solved! Had to be true, he was saying it right in fromt of us, right?! Consider it purchased!!! Oh, and throw in a bit of baking soda... So back to the wounded truck we trudge, and after popping the hood we realize that stuff is going to have to come out just to see what we're up against. I think Bad Bob might have some pictures of the actual work gonig on (see, it's documented now, I do work!), but long story short, with in a half hour or so the radiator was out nd on the trucks tail gate right there in the H.A.M.B. camp! ("This one time, at H.A.M.B. camp...) With a bit of creative diagnosis we found our pinhole and it was time for the cure - pack the haeder with some baking soda and a couple drops of super glue! The truck goes back together amid laughter about being stuck at desolate dessert zombi villages and such. Now, I fully expected this bodge to last possibly as far as the Arrow hiway out side of the fairgrounds, so I alerted as much of the Arizona delegation as I could find as to our plight... "Please keep your eyes open for us by the side of the road as you go home. I would be remiss in reporting if I didn't mention that due to El polackos rather extreme fab and engineering abilities, all of this was accomplished in white T- shirts with out getting dirty... But there was another fish to fry on the way home. See, late Saturday night, I received a phone call from an old friend of both Steves and mine who's car "just stopped running" at the top of the Indio hill, and had decided to just sleep at the rest stop he pulled dead stick into. A call to Mack let him know that we were late, But help could possibly, maybe, be on the way... Off we set with a totally untried fix, into a rather hot run. By four o'clock, we made it. I won't bore you guys with the next four hours of running back and forth to parts stores twenty miles away, (but it does include breaking a window out of Mack's wagon to retrive keys locked in it) and how many times we actually went up and down this rather feared grade, but by eight o'clock, with a new H.E.I. distributor, Mack was moving again... But we still were about four hours away from home with a repair that was unknown... Glad to say we made it! Midnight rolled around just as we rolled into my drive way with out further incident! As a matter of fact, everything was working so well, Steve drove the truck the rest of his way home about twenty five miles away instead of back to his shop to swap for his late model. How's that for a multiple car breakdown day!!! I wanted to say a special thanks to Miles M from here on the board who stopped when he saw the truck in what will forever be know now as Mack's rest to lend a hand. He actually swept up all the broken glass from the window entry thereby Keeping California a bit more beautiful too! Also, thanks too all in the H.A.M.B. camp for scrounging bits, general kabitzing and moral support yesterday.
Sorry to hear of problems, our ol 50s survivor 5W made it to and from with no problems, only casualty of the adventure is a broken rear tail pipe hanger just above the weld due to the great CA roads. Have to go see the dentist to get fillings replaced shook out by them. Arnie should have spent the money of resurfacing the roads instead of his "Secret Ladies"!!! LOL Wife and I enjoyed the trip greatly, all set to do it again next year!!
Hell of a time there Chip... Glad you and Steve made it OK... Was great seeing you and Steve and hanging out. Ordering the A518 today... 69 is staying a running vehicle as per your request... Take Care Jim
Glad you made it back after your epic adventure. Black pepper often works as a quick fix for pinhole leaks which is why I carry it with in my spares kit. I have always had problems with aluminum radiators - even high dollar ones, which is why I stick to brass and copper....
"due to El polackos rather extreme fab and engineering abilities, all of this was accomplished in white T- shirts with out getting dirty..." THAT is impressive, and impossible for me.
Good to see you too buddy and have a chance to hang out a bit! Even better to see you DRIVING one of your project vehicles!!! Oh, those louvers are damn trick - obviously the work of a supremely talented individual!!! Great to see Kris too... Not every day a beautiful woman just reachs out and gives me a big hug at L.A.R.S.!!!
Since it all worked out, it's nice to know that you will always remember the 2011 trip from all the rest. It's a bitch when it is happening but kinda fun to look back on. PS I hate people that can work on cars and never get dirty.
Saturday was awesomesauce! Great weather, great people even though I can't remember names anymore and wrapping the day up with great food at this place. Sunday started off promising, but this happened. And here is the magic elixir that saved our bacon! Completely staggered that this even worked. Somehow FSM, GOD, Yahweh, Allah all looked down on our frail egos and gave us pat on the shoulder and allowed this to work as long as we saved Mac.
nice work guys. sorry to hear of all the breaking down , glad yous made it home in one peace. and it was nice meeting you as well.
Color me shocked too!!! We were'nt sp lucky with Mack's multi 100,000 mile wagon though... My O.G. I.C. shirt now has a grease stain...
So are you the guy that I washed hands with at El Merendero on Friday? Sitting with Steve and Sam? I woulda talked to you about louvers... Neal
Crap, Neal!!! I wish I would have taken some time to talk... Well, not in that unfortunate rest room though... I have to appologize, by the time we bumped into each other I hadn't had a thing to eat in almost 24 hours, (well, 'cept 3 Otter pops,(you can really taste the blue!) an ice cream sandwich, and nutty cone at Waldens) so I was hovering somewhere between abject starvation lethargey and a sugar rushed A.D.D. ten year old. Not my usual, stable, calm self (ha ha) as any one who knows me will tell you! You were one of the fellow H.A.M.B.ers that I had wanted to meet this weekend too. L.A.R.S. weekend just moves way too fast these days. I'd still be happy to talk louvers or just chat a bit too, just give a P.M. or e-mail. Next time we'll hang out a bit.
To quote Tim Allen as Luther in "Christmas with the Kranks", "I want to see pictures to prove that!" I have NEVER seen elpolacko in a CLEAN white tee shirt.
Elpolacko, When are you going to add a sacrificial anode to your radiator? Anytime you run an aluminum radiator with an iron block you will get cathodic corrosion of the Al radiator because of the electrical conductive coolant. My over 40 memory is striking me stupid again, but I think you need to add a Magnesium anode in the coolant be the sacrificial anode so it corrodes instead of your radiator. I'll check with my chemical engineer buddy to verify the specifics.
Glad to hear that you made it back ok and did not half to stop in zombie desert center land. I was up till about midnight messing around the house waiting for the second call too go to the shop and get the truck and trailer. no phone call so knew either you guys made it or the zombie's got you.
You have photographic proof of at least me in a clean shirt in post 12... Hell, I own nice suit jackets with at least one small grease stain!
I know I should have run one. It's something we talked about. I am wondering if this is galvanic erosion or just a defect. I have to cut it apart to find out. Yes, Yes we did O.D. on the white and red salads and cheesy bread. I'm hungry for more right now! BRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
I never used it to fix a radiator, but the super glue + baking soda trick works with the regular 99 cent super glue too. Makes a very hard material that really sticks and bridges gaps as well.
I'm glad you guys mad it home Ok and that you got Mack sorted out as well. I had my eyes peeled watching for you on my trip home yesterday, just in case.
The Jalopy Journal
