Projects Mild custom '51 Pontiac Chieftain

IIRC, on a pad machined on RH side of the snout ...

 

Thank you.

I'll get to cleaning and try locate that. The metal is in fairly good shape, the dirt is fine alabama clay and has retained the oil, sealing the surface. The number should still be there.

Phil

 

Ended up having to reroute the wiper vacuum line and oil pressure gauge pipes. Due to relocating them close to the engine, I didn't want them to wobble and chatter. There was a spare threaded hole so I made a little bracket to hold them in place.


Lower bracket fabricated (it's a bit thick, I may look for a thinner piece of steel), but that's mounted securely now.

Phil

 

I hooked up my tach and went for a quick drive.

The gearbox is 1:1 in top.
Rolling diameter of the tires is 28"
1000 RPM in top is 21mph according to my GPS.

So, calculating that it's looking to be either a 3.9 or 4.1 rear end. I haven't gotten under it yet to poke at the dirt and try find the stamping.

But, given that, a 3.0 would be very very very preferable for cruising. Acceleration I am happy throwing to the wind.

Phil

 

I now have the correct sheet metal to go at the back of the engine, to protect the flywheel and fluid coupling housing from road debris.


Going to clean it, paint it and get it fitted.

130 miles in, I need to readjust the valve lash, everything's loosened up.

Phil

 

Before...


After...

Clean and drying now.

Phil

 

I just went out for a quick spin and I'll say this about the car:- Hot damn do people ever like to tailgate. Even when definitely doing the speed limit (gps confirmed, the speedometer is a little inaccurate).

I'm of the ilk "I gave you five over; you continued to ride my tailgate so now you get nothing.", and people reeeeally don't get it.

No, it's not a fast car but I'm not holding you up, either.

Phil


Edit: Tomorrow I'm going to play a fun game. That game is called "shove magnet on a stick into transmission oil pan and see what it brings up with it". Ought to be interesting...

 

So, here is a question.

The weather's looking to be nice. Should I go to the first day of Cruisin' The Coast on Sunday in Biloxi, MS?
It's about 120 miles there, gotta go across New Orleans to do it, right through mid city, and take on the Huey P. Long bridge over the Mississippi.

Or, do I wait until next year and just do some of the smaller gatherings in November?

Bear in mind the grand total of mileage I've put on the car in local journeys so far is 130 miles.

I'm optimistic but at the same time cautious.

Phil

 

I used to do multi-state in "off-topic" 1970's International Harvesters (not "restored". more like a mid-quality patch up - less thorough than your work...). Even towed a small 5th wheel camper from AZ to WA and back. Had some road side repairs, but never got towed or paid a mechanic. Began to realize that IH pickups and IH Scout II did not fit on a U-Haul tow dolly or a vehicle trailer.

Eventually got tired of vapor lock, sold them off and built an "off-topic" F150 with a Cummins 4 cylinder diesel engine out of an old Wonder Bread truck (Twinkie powered). Truck was sized (single cab - short bed) to "legally by U-Haul rules" fit on a U-Haul trailer. The "plan" is AAA tow to the nearest large U-Haul dealer... 37 states so far without a tow or hiring a mechanic - Then a simple 650 mile round trip to get my grandson from college - U-joint went bad on Friday evening. NOT going to drive that down the mountain on I-17... U-Haul truck and trailer worked effortlessly.

Same plan for my Volvo custom (2,500 miles to Lead Ain't dead and back)

It is a flip of the coin:

I just looked up a U-Haul 10 Ft truck and Tow Dolly for a 1950 Pontiac Silver Streak, rear wheel drive.

Rates for Boluxi, MS to Larose, LA on 10/4/2020 - Subtotal: $159.00

U-Haul did not list a Chieftan, bigger car, might make a difference?

Your Chieftan has an automatic trans, does it have a rear pump? If not, the drive shaft has to be disconnected before towing a long distance.

Got AAA towing? Only the furthest 20 miles are at risk...

Russ

 

I had towed it on a trailer, u-haul found it listed and said it was good.
I have since sold my tow vehicle though so that's not an option. I'd need a truck and trailer.
It does have a rear pump but towing with the propshaft connected is not recommended.
I have tow service through my insurance, they'll cover 100 miles.

Edit: Fuel vaporization is an issue with fuel these days. If I sit in traffic for 5 minutes stationary with the engine at running temperature, I'll get vapor lock. Running the electric pump fixes it, but it's a real pain in the behind.

Phil

 

Go for it. I'll wager should anything negative occur, there will be plenty of helpful folks along the way.

 

We'll see what the In-House Accountant says.

 

Low 80's predicted for Boluxi this Sunday. Go for it.


WIX #33040 (MicroGard uses same #) fuel filter, 5/16" in and out, 1/4" return. It has eliminated my vapor lock at the traffic light problem. I had a problem (discussed on my recent threads) where my return line rubbed against the drive shaft - Never seen gas run down the drive shaft before... Your attention to detail is better than mine LOL.

The Volvo custom also has a flow-through electric fuel pump. It has a toggle switch used for priming or attempting to clear a vapor lock. Airtex # E8016S (low pPSI) - what was available on shelf at the nearest parts store.

NOTE: The small Edelbrock electric fuel pumps are NOT flow through.

 

Yeah, I have a flow-through 3psi electric pump mounted back on the frame rail.
Switching that on to boost the line to the engine driven pump works- it'll burp any vapor that forms in the line between it and the pump intake (which is where it usually gets the trouble).

I have just recieved word that this weekend is not worth doing, next Saturday is where it all kicks off properly, so that's fully weather dependent.

 

Thanks for the ride, the car is kool. I just didn't get to hear any Jo Stafford,
Perry Como, Peggy Lee or Tony Bennett on the radio.

 

Today, upon advice of some friends who build racing engines I split my manifolds. Reason? The join between the two isn't 100% flat and wasn't sealing well all the way round.

Choice of sealant, racing engines? Clear silicone sealant. Yes, I didn't think so either.

Added it to the gasket, tightened it all down again and refitted it.

Also fitted my new stone guard to the flywheel.

That completes the "missing parts" from the car; now kind of up to date on that.

So now, front end refresh needed and higher ratio rear axle. Then on to rusty bits...

Phil

 

Couldn't do much today, but I adjusted the front brakes up, then set about addressing the crappy red paint on the front of the car (inherited).


Step one, remove it all.


Mask up with fineline tape.





That's better.

Phil

 

Tonight, I set the ignition timing. Now that the manifolds seal and the exhaust is gas-tight, the tune of the engine is better. I had the ignition 5 degrees back because it would stutter badly at the correct 10 degree mark.
Now, I should be able to set the mixture better.

It's a little rich when cold now...

I did see the enrichment pump quit working still, need to investigate that.

Phil

 

Looks like the weekend is off. Gonna be boarding things up again. Hurricane due Friday.

Phil

 

Bald nose! I removed the Chief from the hood. Looks all bare and strange.


Beheaded. You can see he's rather sun-crazed.


Carefully sanded him as smooth as I dared. Added a few layers of clear coat.


Refitted- now you can almost see through him.


Illuminated he's a little better. That'll do until I can get a new insert.

Phil

 

Went for a quick drive today, to bring the engine up to temperature. Reason being, I wanted to set the idle mixture after having set the ignition timing.

Two things to note, primarily.

First, five degrees makes a large difference to the engine temperature. It now runs cooler.

Second it doesn't get upset when idling in traffic.

Naturally, these two things are related. One other thing to note is the windshield wipers and defog work nicely, as I got caught in a freak rain shower.

Overall, an excellent result.

Phil

 

I had made a video walk around of the car when I first got it, and someone said I should make a follow up.
So, here we are, 10-ish minutes of me rambling on about it.



Phil

 

Tonight, after boarding up the garage doors I decided to investigate why the enrichment pump wasn't working on the carburetor.


Took it to pieces and discovered the cause- the leather seal had become hard with age and was no longer making an effective seal.
I oiled and worked the seal gently until it became supple again and was being held flared by the spring. Reassembly showed it working effectively.

Would've taken it for a drive but I boarded up the garage, so instead I reset the throttle linkage, which was all kinds of wrong where I had been trying to account for the old worn out carburetor.

I now have full throttle available (not that it really gets used) and the carburetor is pushed down onto it's stop screw so the idle is a bit more accurate now.

Needs another spring on the lower gearbox linkage too, mustn't forget to work something out for that.

Phil

 

Second year running I miss Cruisin' The Coast.

Send photos, I'm having a grumpy day.

 

Okay, interesting tuen of events, the wife changed her mind...

 

Well, we got as far as New Orleans and the gearbox is being an ass. Either I'm low on fluid or I've picked some junk up into the valve block.
Will check the former after lunch once it's cooled off a little.

Phil

 

Got oil, gonna be the valve block got crud in.
Wish me luck for the return journey.

Phil

 

Fingers crossed

 

No, stored and had a thought about the behavior, and I bet the governor valve is getting stuck again.

Explains what it's doing (very positive gear changes, when it decides to actually do them).

Phil

 

A bottle of transmission snake oil to cut the "sticky stuff"? Or maybe fresh ATF to gently cut the sticky? Stay tuned for better advice...

Russ