Art & Inspiration 2016 LA Roadster Show Express Smithfield, VA to Pomona, CA... we hope!

The good news is I heard from "Maybe." The bad news is that thing he thought might interfere but couldn't remember turned out to be a wedding in the family on June 11th; two days after we leave.
Maybe can't go but still gets an "ATTABOY!" for at least trying.
Maybe did say he was very interested in going to LSRU next year if I went!
I told him I planned to get back from CA before I start charting a course to Austin!

I'm treating my pal, John, to breakfast at (where else?!) the Cockeyed Rooster Café tomorrow morning because he's going to do a considerably more technical analysis of the operation and output of my alternator on the cabriolet for me. I also plan to check out the A/C, too!

I'm sure Larry and Rick will have their cars ready to go before we show up the morning of Sunday, June 12th. I think Larry is going to have a special parking area roped off with flashing lights and everything necessary for a photo op. I told him we wouldn't have time to set up an autograph table for Dickie even though some of his pals may be there! This is an express run... well, as "express" as we can manage.

George and Randy are still working on the A/C for the 39 cabriolet and I hear they are getting close to completion but George hasn't sent me any picture evidence. Apologies to 3WLarry and the rest of you.

In reading StreetScene, I saw that the LA Roadster Show is going to have a special parking area within the qualifying roadster area for just 36 Fords which are celebrating their 80th year. I wonder how they found out we were coming in 36 Fords?!! I'm sure it was set up mainly for us. Those LA fellas ain't bad... Jerry and I will feel quite honored to park our 36s in the designated area.

Since the HAMB loves pictures, here they are again so you won't have to go looking back for them:
Jerry's:


Mine:


These pictures give you a great visual opportunity to note the many differences between my stock bodied Henry Ford and the glass car Rick Talbot built. That car gives new meaning to the expression of a "trick automobile."
It would be easier to list what isn't hand built.

28 days,
Al

 

I don't know if mentioning 3WLarry had anything to do with it but I got some picture evidence this evening from George on the progress he and Randy are making on getting the A/C installed on his 39 cabriolet.

Here it is coming together with pulleys, hoses, etc. and the radiator has returned.

Like most installations, George and Randy had to "improvise" a bit to get a water hose from point E to point R.

Given some of the experiences we've shared over the many years, George wisely decided to add an inline electric fuel pump which should not be needed but could be pressed into service to get him home or at least to a convenient location should his manual fuel pump fail... like happened to him one year on the way to York and I took the spare electric pump off my pickup (don't ask why I was driving it with two pumps!)at the time for his use to get us off the highway and on to our destination. We did hit a snag in that solution later down the road because we got 12v for the fuel pump from the parking light feed. We didn't remember that further up the road traffic signs would inform us that "Headlights are Mandatory." You have already guessed that George's light switch was "traditional" and cut off power to parking lights when the headlights were turned on! George sweated a bit but got through the restricted area with only his parking lights on. Just another of many tales from travels.
I see George is double filtering his gas... maybe he thinks it will make his gas particularly smooth for his engine like the say about filtering beer!!

Still 28 days... for another hour or so!

Al

 

The good news is that breakfast was great! You can already see where this is going, can't you?

John helped check my cabriolet because my volt gauge seems to always be reading much lower than it should but I've been driving the car for over two years without noting any electrical power issues or any symptoms that might indicate it was getting inadequate charging from the alternator.

John checked the alternator and it was putting out the expected volts and we had good voltage in the several places that we checked directly. The alternator seemed a bit slow to ignite but other than that; it seemed fine and it always did ignite.

After some more checking, we determined that the voltmeter on the dash was reading about 2.5 volts less than actual voltage in the system. To make it more interesting, every lead from the Ron Francis board that was always on, ie, not switched; showed the correct voltage. Every lead we tested that was switched showed the lower voltage.

We suspect that all the stuff running off the switched power are operating with lower than normal voltage but have not confirmed it.

I hooked the voltmeter on the dash to a constant feed and it read correctly so the gauge seems to be OK.

We also noted a voltage reducer in the line for the gas gauge but don't know why it is there or what impact it is having on the whole system, if any. The gas gauge has been off since I got the car... it reads three quarters when it is full and still has about a quarter tank when the gauge indicates it is empty.

Anyway, John had to go to a meeting and I kept fooling with it until I ran out of ideas.

Tomorrow is another day.

Four weeks from tonight we're supposed to be meeting some folks for dinner in Harriman, TN. It is not too late to make your reservation to join us.

27 days,

Puzzled Al

 

We also noted a voltage reducer in the line for the gas gauge but don't know why it is there or what impact it is having on the whole system, if any.
Hi there Al, sure wish I was coming along on your trip but it's a little hard when I'm on the other side of the world.
BTW, I really like both your '36's (especially the convertible sedan, that's a really sweet ride!).
Re voltage reducer in gas gauge line, that's a common thing to do when running 12 volt system in a car that was originally 6 volt rather than have the gauge modified to suit. I've come across it a few times in early 50's Chevy's where they run the whole dash @ 6 volt and upgrade the rest of the car to 12 volt.
Best wishes for a safe trip to LA and back.
Arnold.

 

Hi Arnold,
I've got two guys at the moment without co-pilots. Fly into Norfolk, VA and you can have your choice of riding in a 32 roadster or a 32 3 window.
The voltage reducer in the gas gauge line doesn't add up because the car has a stainless steel tank and I can't believe it was installed with a 6 volt sending unit when the rest of the car is 12 volts.
I'm going out to the garage shortly to do some more research. I'm going to disconnect the reducer and see if the rest of the system goes to a full 12 volts on the switched circuits.
"Opportunities!"
I'm hoping to share the trip on the HAMB as we go but that may just be wishful thinking. I'm going to try to at least take plenty of pictures.
Let me know your travel plans and choice of vehicle.
Thanks again for the help and good wishes,
Al

 

Well, it turns out the voltage reducer was in the WATER gauge line and not the gas gauge. Hmmm, what is that about? Film at eleven.

Still researching and pulling wire bundles from under the dash but found this:




Something definitely got hot!! Another "opportunity!"
I am glad to be learning more about the details of the previous build... just wish it was more easily followed.

They have a series of long wires bundled together very neatly with small wire ties every so many inches. Only problem is they are all the same color blue wire!!

You can tell the car was built by a shop and not by the owner.

Anyway, back to the garage.

 

Ordered new ignition switch and a relay kit to change the current flow to not run a heavy load through the ignition switch to the switched items anymore. Monday or Tuesday I hope.

Still standing on head and raising and lowering lift to trace wires... such fun.

I got a feeling that a number of wires are going to be much shorter once I figure out what they are and how they are configured. This kind of stuff is often needed to tidy up a car but this stuff is often postponed as long as possible.

They say trouble shooting and related maintenance and upgrades builds knowledge and character.... right?

Back to the garage.

 

More Probably ,the push on terminals ,screw on would really help...

 

Well the blue bundle was three sending units and one wire to 5 others for lights and one wire to 5 others for power to the gauges... I think! Cleaned up the blue bundle and traced down and eliminated what looked like an old wire that might have run to the horn area at one time but was no longer in use and hanging loose under the dash.
Verified that the radiator electric fans seemed to be wired correctly to use a relay and not run though the switch.
Still have to resolve why the voltage reducer is in the water gauge line.
It seems I have on hand adequate black wiring loom to somewhat hide the wiring for the new relay.
Opportunities!

26 days,
Working Al

 

Still playing... I hope it runs again!!
Would be a real pain to have to push it to the roadster show!!



The new switch will come with a new switch plug and I'm sure it will have push on connectors. I am going to make certain that all wire connections are clean and solid. Also am going to check to ensure that all push ons are tight with no play.

 

I went by the auto parts store this morning and got enough stuff to fabricate and install a relay to considerably lessen the current flow though the ignition switch. I further tweaked the wiring a and put it back together with the old ignition switch. I hope to test it tomorrow.
I also installed an overflow can made from an aluminum Budweiser can by Jerry, the other 36 Ford driver. He's been making them for some time now and they provide a colorful alternative to the usual aluminum overflow tank.
I'll try to get some pictures tomorrow.

Oh yeah, we're having what I think will be our final Pomona Planning Lunch next week. I'm not sure how much more there is to do than hit the road but the food is great and the fellowship is fun and it's another opportunity to have fun with our cars.

25 days... but only 17 days before many of us are leaving for the York, PA Nats East or five days before we return home for 4 nights before we leave for Pomona!

Tired Al

 

The run to and from York should be a good shakedown for everyone just to check for any last minute hiccups before the BIG run to the West Coast. Good luck to all and be SAFE.

 

I am pleased to report that the first test of my revised wiring that adds a relay for the items getting power when the ignition switch is on seems to indicate that I've essentially eliminated the previous discrepancy between what my volt gauge was reading on the dash and what the actual voltage was in the system.

Actual discrepancy now is about a quarter volt to the low side of actual voltage and I can certainly live with that.
Write down that mileage; it is going to change considerably over the next 6 weeks... I hope!!

Here are some pictures of the overflow can made by Jerry. Email him to see what he has in inventory and he'll bring 'em to LA for you!! I believe he'll make a custom can for you if you send him the container.



Look closely in the following picture to see the black wire snaking along an A/C hose and disappearing into the firewall to supply power to the new relay that rerouted significant power demands away from the actual ignition switch which I hope is a good thing.

Dang! Looking at the uploaded picture; you'd miss the new wire entirely if it wasn't for the black wire tie holding it to the AC hose! See it? It gets it's juice from the starter relay which is lower on the firewall.

I'm feeling much better with the volt gauge being more accurate. I always felt that it had to be low as the car always ran great and never hinted that it wasn't getting enough juice; even on the 600 mile run down to Dawsonville, GA last fall.

I've also never had the car give any symptoms of running hot so I never took the time to mount an overflow can either but I also have never GONE ACROSS A DESERT!! I figured an ounce of prevention, make that 16 ounces of prevention, was worth a lot of peace of mind that I've at least prepared the car reasonably for the upcoming trip.

BTW, George reported that his son quickly found and fixed the issue he was having with wiring on his AC installation. Funny how an extra set of eyes, especially younger eyes, can see things others can't. I don't know about the rest of you but it seems to happen more frequently to a lot of my pals these days; not to me, of course!

Now to go back to the garage to finish cleaning up the wiring a bit and maybe sneak in a test ride.

 

Got new ign switch and relay yesterday. They likely will go into my spare parts inventory that I keep in the car.
Verified with Grundy that I have complete coverage to LA. I didn't realize that covered mileage is unlimited if traveling to a car related event. Also found out my deductible is zero.
Last planning lunch this Thursday.
Getting down to 3 weeks and no backouts! We might actually go!
Sure hope so.
Should be quite an adventure.
No report on restaurant in Harriman, TN.

22 days,
Al

 

I contacted a couple shops in west Knoxville to follow-up with them joining us to LA and/or eat dinner with us in Harriman the night of June 9th. I think both shops have folks making the trip west but they are leaving a day or two, maybe more, after us. I told them I hoped they did NOT find us on the side of the road or catch us! They did offer to lend assistance with any of our cars as we're going through, if needed, at their shops which I thought was very kind. You can't beat hot rodders!
By then they will be deep in last minute thrashing in preparation for the trip west but said they would try to catch up with us for dinner if they could.
I made up slightly different versions of our maps for each driver leaving from different locations; and some at different times. I put on their maps the times that the Smithfield 36s should be at a couple common reference points on the map so they'll have some idea of whether they should be ahead or behind us by a few minutes. It is just for ballpark referencing because I suspect that all will be moving at different speeds until we get into more of a group. I'm sure everybody will be all smiles as we find each other.

I can't believe we're leaving for York 2 weeks from tomorrow!

And LA a week and a day later!

The pace toward lift off is picking up... I better get back to the garage.

 

I'm excited for all of you and I'm not even going!

 

Come on, Don... tell them you got lost on the way home from York!!

Say you were following some guys from VA and by the time you realized they weren't going to VA it was too late so you kept following them.

 

Just a few minor adjustments and the roadster will be really.....

 

YIKES! If it were anybody but Jack, I'd be worried.

 

We had our planning lunch today and spent a few minutes talking about the trip and I handed out the individual maps I'd made for the fellow not leaving from Smithfield to help coordinate gathering together along the way and still get to the planned breakfast with our pals in Montvale, VA by 10 AM. I also gave them a worksheet for tracking their gas stops if they wanted. I think comparisons along the way will be funny as I'm betting all of us will calculate different mileage between stops; following the same route. Just something else to pass the time and kid each other about.

I called "Tourman Tom", who will be leading the bunch that are meeting us for that breakfast and he said he's got the shop tours in CA in hand and they should go well.

Of course, Jack showed up in another of his roadsters as his CA trip car was down for a few "adjustments" as mentioned above. We also were treated to a few stories from over the years about others that had either driven out to the show or had flown a number of times... the driving stories were much better!
Here are a few pictures... Jack and Shadow didn't get the memo to park together. They reasoned if they could see us, we were together! Didn't really matter except it made the picture taking more of a chore.


You can barely see a piece of Jack's car hiding behind Shadow's pickup in this picture.

You'll notice my car has its quick cover in place.
Early today I checked my jim dandy smart phone to see if it was going to be raining during lunch. Phone said would rain in morning but be clear by 12:30 or so and then clear the rest of the day.
Later in the morning, the skies look pretty good so I take the cabriolet out for that test drive that had been continually postponed due to the weather and a few family obligations.

Weather was pretty good and the volt gauge reading issue seemed to be resolved and the water temp seemed to be about the same as always even though I had removed the voltage reducer. When I got home, I quickly (for me!!) used my heat gun to check the temps at the engine versus the gauge reading and they seemed pretty much in sync.
I then added the voltage reducer back to the circuit and found that I got the same reading! Go figure. I am going to permanently take the voltage reducer out of the circuit since it doesn't seem to make any material difference. I'm thinking it should but that is not what shows in the testing.

Now, back to that forecast. It never did rain this morning so I took off with the top down headed to lunch. While stopped at the last light before the lunch spot, it started to mist! Thankfully, it stayed at a mist and didn't rain harder. Jerry and George and Randy were already there and Jerry wanted to know if I bought the rain?

He implied that I brought the rain so I could show off my new quick cover! I got out the cover and began putting it on the car with the whole crowd, by now including Jack and Shadow, poking fun and laughing at every miscue I made in getting the thing on! It was all in good natured fun and I didn't mind at all.... but THEY might have a slack tire later on the way to CA. Just kidding. Spirits were high and most were ready to go today!

It didn't rain after I got the top on... even during the hour plus long lunch.

So, we come out and shot the bull and I take my quick cover top off; again with considerable comments from the peanut gallery! Everything goes fine with Shadow helping me fold the top up to fit in the carrying case.
Just as I get everything stored away, it begins to mist again!

The good news is it stopped pretty quickly and held off until I got ALMOST home! Another quick exercise in hitting the garage door opener on the fly but I made it with just a few drops on the car.

Regrettably, Tom T, Robby, Dickie, and Tom Pritchard didn't get to join us but I'm sure we'll all be on the same page three weeks from now.

Some are still working on their cars but all expect to be ready to travel on the 9th.

Only twelve days until we leave for York and then to Pomona 8 days later.

Cruise control was a topic of discussion but don't know if anybody will pull it off. There was also discussion of the proposed 17" radiator fan, with shroud, Jack was talking about putting INSIDE his car for personal cooling... now he's talking about adding a push button water spray option for misting!! I just hope he gets the rearend back in it.

We still have openings for anybody that wants to tag along.

BTW, I haven't heard more about the travelling companion kiwi tinbender was going to send me. He needs to be getting it in the wind shortly or it might miss the bus... er, cabriolet. I guess we can tie him off on a running board or bumper if necessary.

 

IV Bluecose ,for max energy for trip to L.A. Roadster Show... ......

 

Our pals in NM have been out testing their rides. Larry tells me this picture was taken Friday on the way to breakfast.
Remember his cabriolet? It is a four banger! Apparently it is a stout one!

It is a bit blurry but it looks to me like nearly 70MPH! Now I wonder how close his speedometer is to being accurate? I think this one has shiney paint, too... that might account for the added speed... aerodynamics, smooth surface, and such!

Of course being the kind thoughtful guy I am, I replied by asking him "Who was pulling you?!"

He replied that nobody was pulling him... he was getting extra "jet assist" from pinto beans!!

Yep, we're gonna have fun on this trip.

I hope Jack's car makes it out of surgery!

Speaking of surgery, I have been fretting a bit about my car using only an electric fuel pump and there is no way to put a mechanical pump on this engine. So I bought an exact duplicate of the electric fuel pump that is on the car to take along on the trip but I was concerned about trying to swamp pumps should it fail on the road. You know the drill... gas up both elbows and puddling around you and the weather is hot as hades!
So, I bought and installed a gas cut off valve in my fuel line just before the filter and fuel pump.
Then I added a second electric fuel pump, not like the original and more compact, is the same area as the original fuel pump. I set it up such that should the exiting pump fail, I'll have to turn off the gas flow and switch the rubber hose on the output side of the gas cut off valve to the input side of the reserve fuel pump; then take the already made up hose on the spare pump and connect it to the fuel line on the other side of the existing pump. I also set up the new pump such that it will plug directly into the hot wire for the original pump.
I hope I do NOT get to test this setup while we are gone!
I do like having the gas cut off valve on the car. It is handy if you have to work on the fuel pump and is a great supplement to making the car more secure at night. I may never use the gas cut off valve but I like having it there.
Pictures later.

 

Well, Al, I might as well post up the bad news now. I am discouraged to say the least, and it is my own fault. My Shop Schedule has made it impossible to take any time off this summer. I went down to El Mirage last weekend and spent quite a bit of time doing Tech Inspections, as well as some crew time on my friends Lakester. When I came back to work Monday afternoon I had a customer arrive to herd along the work on his car. I have four other jobs all clamouring for attention, and others scheduled in that I am going to have to turn away. My plans to get you the `Travelling Companion` are half done, and I don`t think completing, shipping and then retrieving said companion are on the cards. I am very unhappy about this, to say the least, but I have to honor my commitments to my customers. I am just going to have to settle for following you guys on here, if you post your Diary, that is. I was excited to be part of the whole thing, but it looks like I am ending up on the sidelines...

That said, I envy you all, and pray for a wonderful trip . Just one passenger short, eh.....

 

Ah, Kiwi Tinbender, don't take it so hard. You tried! I had considerable doubts about this trip to CA becoming a reality and told many the trip could well fall apart BUT I told them I was going to enjoy TRYING to make it happen right up until it fell apart. It is still looking good with 18 days until departure.

Our New Mexico pals figured it would be some work but they had wanted to go, like so many of us, and decided to TRY, too! They are still in the going mode as evidenced above.

I'm sorry you didn't get the Travelling Companion completed but we can rig up a crutch for a 3 legged dog!! Or whatever else you might have made. I'm honored that you even thought of such a unique way to share in the fun.

I AM glad that you've got plenty of work in these times when many are not as busy as they would like to be but I'm sure it is due in no small part to your great skills and dedication to serving your customers. I commend you.

How about finishing the Traveling Companion later, when time permits, and send it to me to bring to you at the Lone Star Roundup in Austin, TX next year?! Of course, I'm not too sure I'm going to make that trip but I am thinking about it. I definitely will not if I don't TRY to go.

You DID do good in that you thought of a clever added aspect for the trip and a way to participate at least in spirit.
I'm sure you and many others will be riding along with us in spirit and we appreciate each and everyone of you.

All the best for your efforts,

Al

 

Gas cut-off valve pictures.

The above is the original configuration but after I had already hung the new pump. I modified a female round electrical end to become a male end (please, no Bruce Jenner jokes!) on the red wire from the new pump that plugs directly into the hot wire for the existing pump. Notice all the hardware at both ends of the hard gas line... looks like a lot of hardware just to get to a cut-off hard line that they slipped 3/8" fuel line on.

This is what I bought. I don't know why but I was glad to see that the valve was made in Italy and not China.
I ended up using one of the lower pair and one of the upper pair; along with the valve to make the change. I did grind off most of the ridges on the piece that you slip a hose onto because it was a PIA to try to get a hose off once it was slipped on the fitting. I didn't want to not be able to get the hose off the fitting if I needed to down the road one day.

Notice now that the end of the small fuel filter on the new pump is pretty much in line with the larger fuel filter in the back ground that is secured with a large clamp that has some insulation material wrapped around one end of the filter to make it tight in the clamp. You can also see the hose to the front of the new pump pushed back over the top of the original pump and tucked out of the way. The valve is off.

Here you can see the small bracket I made to keep the valve secure. It was pretty secure by being attached to the hard gas line but more secure is always better as it cuts down on vibration and potential chaffing. I put a section of 3/4" heater hose over the end of the valve to protect it and wire tied it to the bracket. Those wire ties have the little tabs that allow you to release them and then reuse them... a handy feature. I may need more play on the line when changing the gas hose from one filter to the other and then I can tie it all back down using the stuff already on the car. All I'll need to make the change is a flat blade screw driver if I don't have any other tools.

Notice the alignment of the filters versus the mismatch in the first picture. Little details that required shortening the original rubber line between the original filter and pump and tweaking the filter tie down but that allowed to use only one hose on the inlet side and not having a big loop involving a much longer section of hose that could be switched from one filter to the other in their original locations. Also, not using a loop eliminates another potential for complications caused by snagging the loop on a debris hazard on a road.... something pops up under your car and happens to bounce just where you do not want it!

Gas ON! Ready to ride and much better prepared for a potential failure of the current fuel pump.

 

Well, I was feeling so good about my backup fuel pump solution... then a buddy (our Journalist from the Tornado run last June) reported that I could have just Y ed the lines at each end to got to the two separate pumps and dang if he hadn't just done it while building his 34 3w coupe. Then he said he could run one pump, the other pump, or both!

Dang! I'm impressed. I've got to go see the car. It has been painted but I haven't gotten pictures other than below.


I've also got to review recommended shop safety shoe policy!! BUT, the pictures are clear! Good job, Tom.


Looking good, ain't it?!

Anyway, a big "THANK YOU!" to Tom for sharing his insight and experience; especially with pictures!

Tom's plumbing looks much more sophisticated than my cobbled up solution but, hopefully, they both will work.

16 days,
Al

 

That's just another reason that I appreciate about the HAMB, the spirit of community amongst hot rodders when it comes to finding another way to accomplish something. Excellent!

 

Thanks, Al.....still digging......

 

You are welcome, Kiwi Tinbender. Remember, you did not try and fail. You got in some practice for your next success!!

I am working with a vendor about making a sweet dress up piece for 36 Fords that we think is pretty cool but life, and other work, got in his way; along with some serious computer failure problems. So I guess my dream accessory for 36 Fords will have to wait.

My vendor pal is still trying but we're running out of time. I'm still praying he gets at least a prototype made so I can drive them to the LA Roadster Show on my cabriolet.

I'm still hoping but my hopes are beginning to fade. We'll just have to see how things work out.

I'm sure my guy will get me something if it is at all possible for him. Like you, he is a good guy but has an awful lot of work at the moment which is actually a good thing.