Dakota, Yes it has the original center section. Thank you for the heads up on how many times you have replaced yours. I guess I will start scrounging the swap meets for good deal. ric, Thank you.
Leaks are part of the experience. I tell folks "Old dog markin' its territory." Great wagon, I mean if you look up ads of that era that car is a textbook example. Oh the fun you & the fam will have. Go on a road trip and list 10 late '50s things to do on it with the kiddos... train car diner, etc. Isn't it amazing what joy the right old machine can bring into a life?
Barn Find, Thank you. I have been following your REO thread, very cool stuff. guitard, I often wonder what stories this car could tell. ---- Today was "work on wagon day" to get it ready for the NSRA Mid America Nationals next weekend. Mostly general maintenance stuff. Things accomplished: Changed Spark Plugs Oil change Made myself a 12V power source so I can charge my GPS and cell phone. Repacked wheel bearings Rerouted my wife's seat belt, it kept coming loose on her somehow Turn the littlest one's car seat around so he can see where we are going now Greased the front end really good Car wash And of course the bad (there is always something right?): My outer tie rod end on the passenger side is shot. Nowhere in town had one in stock. Since today was the only day I had time to get things done, I am going to have to take it into the shop again sometime this coming week. I scored big points with my wife on the cigarette lighter. Now she can listen to Pandora on our trip without draining her phone battery. I am very happy with the way it turned out. You can't see it when looking into the car, but it is readily accessible.
Just remember a couple more things I did yesterday. I adjusted my hood a bit more, and it finally closes and stays closed as it should. The carb also got an adjustment. My float was a tad high, which was giving me a flooding problem since it got warmer out. Things are starting to come together for Springfield.
That's funny about your son hitting the bumper. When my boy was about the same age, he was picking up bricks and moving them in the side yard. Pretty good load, but he just huffed and puffed away! My car trailer was parked close by, I watched as he carried a brick and before I could react, he tossed it on the taillight! Broke the lens! Had a serious talk with him. I had quit spanking by that time, it doesn't do a lot of good anyway! I could tell by his reaction he wasn't takin' Ole Dad too serious, which he still doesn't at 20 yrs of age! Yeah, they are fun! P.S., I'm surprised nobody had a tie rod end, that one fits a lot of different cars and trucks.
Fairlane Mike, Everyone could get the part the next business day, just not at 3:00 on a Saturday afternoon. Saturday was my only time to work on the car until we leave Friday morning. I take the wagon in Thursday morning to get the tie rod fixed.
Pretty happy with the way the 12V adapter turned out. Now you see it <iframe src="https://skydrive.live.com/embed?cid=F542BDAD7CE19A92&resid=F542BDAD7CE19A92%213488&authkey=AB5Y0bH_LPk0ChI" width="320" height="240" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe> Now you don't <iframe src="https://skydrive.live.com/embed?cid=F542BDAD7CE19A92&resid=F542BDAD7CE19A92%213487&authkey=AJSz6CHxO_UmM0A" width="320" height="240" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe>
Sweet thread, and good work on the car. You are one of the few who drive their old cars more than they work on them. I have a 1958 Chevy I am working on, and once I get the drive-train back together, I hope to log more windshield time!
chstitans42 - Thank you, although it seems like lately I have been working more than driving... I get one thing fixed and then something else breaks. We just got back from the NSRA Mid America Nationals in Springfield, MO. I had a great time with my family. Unfortunately, the clutch went out on the wagon once we made it to Springfield. It started to act up when we left, but I was able to adjust it. I limped the car to the fairgrounds on Friday and Saturday. By the grace of God, I was able to get the car and everyone home today. Through it all though, God is pretty good to me. After we arrived in Springfield, we decided to register and then get lunch at Culvers. I noticed at the host hotel that the car wasn't going into first gear very well, so after we ate a good lunch at Culvers, I popped the hood and went to adjust the clutch. While turning the adjustment, the cotter pin holding the clutch linkage on broke. I did not have a spare cotter pin on me, so I looked around and saw that the Walmart Service Center backed up to the Culvers parking lot. Now, I know these guys don't do much there, but I figured they surely had a cotter pin I could get from them. I walked up to a guy there holding my linkage and broken cotter pin, and asked him "Do you have any cotter pins and possibly a vise I could use to break this nut loose?" The poor gentleman did not know what either a "vise" was or a "cotter pin", it was very sad. He then instructed me that an O'Reillys was at the end of the parking lot. O'Reillys had me on my way again in no time. I am thankful that the cotter pin broke in a parking lot that was within walking distance of a parts store, and not anywhere on the highway where we were for the previous 3 hours. Since I have no adjustment left on my clutch, a new one is already ordered and on the way.
paperdog - the 58 Ranchero used the same tailgate as the 57 wagon and Ranchero and possibly 58 Edsel Wagon, you would need the inner rear quarter panel from the 58 wagon to get it to work
Here is the wagon all packed for our adventure we had this weekend: What good is an old station wagon if you don't use it?
i was wondering if any one has used the 58 tailgate skin on a ranchero... i have a 58 ranchero and a 58 edsel wagon ... just thought the 58 wagon set up would be different
awesome rig! actually a bit jealous coz' it's getting pretty difficult to find such gems in Europe ... keep the updates comin'
paperdog - I would like to put the 58 Edsel wagon tailgate and tail lights on my wagon, but I use the car to much right now to think about anything like that. 4444Design - Thank you! This gem isn't driving right now though, I parked her after we got home from Springfield until I can get a new clutch in. I'm stuck driving the wife's minivan right now. My clutch should show up sometime this week. My youngest is turning two here soon so I don't know when I am going to get a chance to put it in yet.
So I ordered what I thought was the correct clutch kit for my car and it didn't fit. It looks like the one I need is no longer manufactured. I bought an 11" clutch kit. This was apparently only used on the overdrive transmissions. My car uses a 9.5" clutch. My flywheel is only drilled with holes for a 9.5" clutch/pressure plate. I have a few options: 1. - Resurface and drill my existing flywheel for an 11" clutch 2. - I think a Y Block flywheel might fit the 223, I could get one of these and use my 11" Clutch 3. - Pray a clutch/pressure plate show up on eBay for 9.5". Does anyone know for sure if the Y Block flywheel will bolt up to the 223?
I don't know about where you live but around here we take our Vintage used up Clutch and Brake parts to Otts Friction Supply and have the stock stuff rebuilt. That way we know things will go back together. Plus it's more cost effective. I'm surprised God didn't tell you to do that. The Wizzard
The 11" cost $90 shipped to my house from Advance Auto Parts and included a new disc, pressure plate and throw out bearing. They had a 30% off coupon running online last month. When I purchased it, I was under the impression it was the right part. After realizing I had a fairly rare clutch, I inquired about rebuilding the disc and I was quoted $130. This did not include pressure plate or throw out bearing. Cost will probably be a toss up between the two when it is all said and done. A coworker has a Y block flywheel laying around and said he would let me have it on the cheap. I like the idea of going with the 11" clutch. It is probably overkill for my application, but having off the shelf parts is always a plus. God is good to me. We just got home from 6 hours of highway driving in the wagon. Any number of scenarios could have happened if the clutch would of failed in a location where I couldn't leave the car on jack stands for a couple weeks while things get sorted out.
Got an 11" clutch Y Block flywheel today at a great price and dropped it off to get resurfaced. Should be ready by Friday. If all goes as planned I will be driving again Friday night.
Thanks for the thread. I've enjoyed reading it. I just bought a '58 country sedan last week and am awaiting its delivery. I've been spending all my free time researching the car and reading others stories. Hopefully mine ends up like yours - a nice wagon, enjoyed by the whole family.
IRMB, I hope you have a great time with your wagon! Mine has been a great car, I drive it almost everyday. There have been issues, but it has been a great learning experience. Most of the maintenance parts for these cars are still readily available. Using Rockauto's website you can get a good idea of what will be available at your local parts store.
Post 164, I see some empty spots, you should pack it "high and tight!" LOL!! Clutch R and R, not fun! Make some "alighnment pins"; basically two 7/16 bolts about 2 and 1/2 inches long, cut the heads off. Screw them into the bottom holes on your bell-housing. When you put your trans back in, start it on the pins, helps to keep everything lined up. Be careful.
TKEBH964, I came by your wagon 3 or 4 times on Saturday at the Mid-America nationals. Sadly, I never caught up with you for a visit. Good looking wagon. I hope you had a good trip. Sam
Tiki God - Thank you Fairlane Mike - Good idea on the alighnment pins. I think I have some all thread left over from when I did the head gasket a while back that I used for the same purpose. Lots of stuff was in the car for the trip. I only have a mirror on the driver side of the car too, made lane changes on the highway interesting to say the least. MO JUNK - Sorry I missed you. I spent the majority of the day walking the fairgrounds and chasing my 2 year old. He really liked a green Plymouth up the way from us that had a TV in the back of it. Actually, I think he more liked the TV in the back. The little guy kept running off to go look at it. Thanks for the compliments, and we had a great trip.
The wagon is back on the road. Dad and I spent the entire night Friday putting the car back together. Everything gave us trouble. Nothing went right, and at the end of the night when the car was off the jack stands and I went to adjust the clutch linkage, there wasn't enough adjustment to do so. On Sunday we took another look at things and discovered the Z Bar was broke. This was probably my original problem, not the clutch. It was impossible to see this from the top or the bottom of the car without removing the Z Bar. Frustrating that we did a bunch of work for nothing, but it really is a good thing we did what we did. Just about every nut and bolt was loose under the car. I was able to take the transmission bolts out without a wrench, as well as the starter and a couple on the bell housing. I now have 2 functional Z Bars. One was purchased from a fellow HAMBer who got me a part in record time, and a friend offered to weld up my original while I was waiting on the other one. Other things that went wrong: My replacement flywheel was machined on the wrong side, it took them a few days to get it right again. Luckily, it wasn't screwed up. Transmission cross member refused to go back in without a lot of persuasion. I think the car must of been wrecked at some time and the frame is a bit twisted. Cotter pin broke off in the emergency brake linkage, had to be punched out. Somehow we lost half the hardware... In general, it was a mess. Here is a picture of the Y Block flywheel, stock 223 bellhousing, and 11" Clutch all put back together. There was a lot of oil under this car from the leak I was battling last year.
Forgot to mention I replaced the input shaft and output shaft seals on the transmission while it was out. Also my wife got me a replacement tail light lens for Father's Day. Before: <iframe src="https://skydrive.live.com/embed?cid=F542BDAD7CE19A92&resid=F542BDAD7CE19A92%213579&authkey=ADYj4mdw8G24PuU" width="320" height="240" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe> After: <iframe src="https://skydrive.live.com/embed?cid=F542BDAD7CE19A92&resid=F542BDAD7CE19A92%213578&authkey=AHGRqfAc09BHLuw" width="320" height="240" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe>
It isn't often you go to a local car show and sitting in the garage you are parked right outside of is this... <iframe src="https://skydrive.live.com/embed?cid=F542BDAD7CE19A92&resid=F542BDAD7CE19A92%213589&authkey=ACoiMfWZhmk_f_M" width="320" height="240" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe> I can say I parked near it, I was within fifty feet. Mountain Pearl was there too: <iframe src="https://skydrive.live.com/embed?cid=F542BDAD7CE19A92&resid=F542BDAD7CE19A92%213585&authkey=AOC2pggSpVc5q3E" width="320" height="240" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe> Our club did the registration and generally just helped out at the show, was a really good time. More pictures: https://skydrive.live.com/redir?resid=F542BDAD7CE19A92!3580&authkey=!ADfgIOKPB6p8mfw
The Jalopy Journal
