Projects The bucket of ugly! A de-uglifying thread...

Now, THAT is a cool little filter & regulator. I'm going to add it to my files. Thanks!

 

Thanks for the heads up on the Malpassi regulator, I hadn't seen that one before either!

I went looking for more info and found their web site, it is in Italian but you can still look at the pics

http://www.officinamalpassi.it/

 

Are they available states side?

 

Where can you get that?

 

I found the best results by typing in Malpassi filter or speed king filter into E-bay. I was aware of that one, and if I had gone the electric pump route and needed something firewall mount, that probably would have been the winner.

Beware, these are used on several upscale and now vintage Italian cars, so some times they can be astronomically expensive. Just keep dickin' around with the listing and you will find them at a very reasonable price on there somewhere.

 

Sorry, one more question. By "fittings are available", are you referring to compression fittings? Like a compression to flare adapter?

 

I found mine new on E-Bay for a reasonable price. The fittings you can get will cover pretty much any type of connection you want to make.

I've actually made up my own fittings when I could not find what I needed.

What I did was cut 2 fittings in half and put the ends together with silver brazing.
Very strong and leak proof. I even pressure tested one up to 500 psi just to see if it would hold. No problem.
Not something I would do for a brake system for instance but for fuel or water lines it works.

I'm not sure where I will mount it, I'll figure out something as I'm running the Y block mechanical fuel pump.

 

I have a holley reg & just picked up a gauge I need to install soon. I've been wondering how close to the carb the reg really needs to be. I don't have anywhere close that I could mount & wanted to drop it down to the inside of the frame. Not much farther away than any coming off these mechanical pumps. I have an elec pump in the bed.

Opinions?

 

Most of the manufacturers advise in stalling the regulator as close to the carb as possible. If you are running an electric in the back, mount it on the frame rail right at or just behind the fire wall and run your line up the 'wall and forward. At least that is how I would hide it...

 

Sounds good to me, thanks.

 

Peach, I would also run a gage right at the carb inlet (at least temporarily) so you can adjust for any pressure drop that might occur.

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I was going to run the gauge on one of the regulator outlets. Bad idea?

like this:

 

Your picture didn't show, but it's not a bad idea if the regulator is mounted close to the carb. The gauge in a perfect world should be the last thing the fuel actuates before it goes through the needles and seats to get the most accurate measurement. That said, that usually won't happen, so close is good enough.

 

Here is my set-up with regulator and pressure gauge.

 

Post deleted since the app has decided I can't post pictures again, and it didn't make sense without them...:banghead:

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Wow, that is a darn nice looking engine Sir and differently like the twin 2 barrel carby set up.

 

Can I ask a silly question? Do you need the regulator and pressure guage because you're running twin or mutiple carbs or is there another reason. Is the pump pressure too high/ is it manual or electric. I'm just running gravity feed to manual (original)pump to 4 barrel holley, doesn't seem to be short of fuel.

 

In my case, my elec pump pressure is too high @ around 9 psi (I believe)...should be about 4 psi or so for my single 600. I have flood/leak issues.

 

No, it's not a silly question! A fuel pressure regulator does just that, it regulates the fuel pressure. Most pumps put out more than what is necessary to get the job done. Sometimes mechanical pumps can put out "spikes" of way too high pressure at higher RPM situations. A regulator smooths that out so the needles and seats see a constant required pressure and nothing more.

It's especially important when you get into early carbs like say Stromberg 97s, or semi exotic European stuff like Webers where designed pressure limits were about 3 1/2 - 4 psi. Too much pressure and you overwhelm the needle and seats, and the floats can't do their job. Even new Edelbrock carbs are recommended at about 4psi.

 

A small point to remember, perhaps, but fuel "pressure" does not equal fuel "volume" or fuel "flow".

Ideally the fuel pump would provide adequate "flow" or "volume" at the perfect "pressure" to suit the carburetor.

Solving fuel starvation problems by bumping the fuel pressure may work as a band-aid fix, but it may/will introduce unintended consequences - one of which is overwhelming the ability of the needle/seat/float to control fuel levels in the float bowl as Chip says.

If your carburetor is running out of fuel at higher rpms, look for fuel flow or volume restrictions, not fuel pressure inadequacies. Use the fuel pressure regulator, again as Chip says, to smooth out any fuel pressure excesses or spikes and to reduce the fuel pressure of a mismatched fuel pump to carburetor situation.

 

I have been reading from the sidelines with much interest, as I'm at this point with my project. Thank you for sharing all your knowledge guys.

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Yes, a big thankyou from me too on the fuel pressure, volume subject guys.

 

Along this fuel vain. Is there a good rule of thumb for Fuel line diameter?

Thanks!
CBB

 

3/8" is the general accepted norm. Big inch, thirsty stiff might go 1/2", and smaller inch stuff can get away with 5/16", but I have had several cars that will easily outstrip what a 5/16" line can supply in the upper ranges.

 

Another very important thing to consider is fitting angles and their affect on flow restriction. Try to avoid 90 degree fittings as much as possible. They are more restrictive to flow than you realize. I was having trouble with my Chevy II leaning out on the dyno, and couldn't tune it out. Turned out to be the 8 90 degree AN fittings I had used to plumb the system. Switched them out for Y's and 45's and it went away! It was a d@mn expensive lesson though!

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Hey gang!

Had a bit of time today after punching louvers like a madman to work on the 'Bucket a bit. First of all, you guys have to know that my shop almost clipped 100 today... Damn it, spring is almost over! Summer is too long and hot! WAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!

I've been saying for a bit that I need to make some front shocks for this car. For most of my "small car" builds I have been making a pair of friction shocks now for many years. Always the most time consuming part is cutting out the aluminum arms. That was today's deal. I use 1/4" 6061 for this, 'cause it is of high tensile strength, and it polishes up better than softer aluminum ever could. The harder material resists wear around the tension stud, too.

So, grabbing a cast off chunk that actually came on a mini bike frame, I grabbed my "overhand" pattern and did some fine tracing. ( I should have shown my other tracing fine art from the other night, when Judy asked me for tracing of my hand so she could order gloves... It came out as a turkey, and is now hanging on our fridge. Who says a woman needs to have kids... Forgot a picture of that one!)

After tracing, I adjourned to my band saw and happily started cutting stuff out that kinda looked like shock arms. One thing that my patterns always incorporate is punch positions for any holes that need to be drilled. Dutifully I punched these back when I did my tracing. After the arms were two and kinda looked like they were supposed to, it was time to make them the same...

Holes were drilled on the punch marks, and the two arms were then bolted together. This way I could clamp them in my 100 year old vise and breakout the course disc (36 grit) and 4 1/2" grinder. After a very short time, they matched! But wait, there is more!

So, once they were roughly the same shape, I chucked my 50 grit 1 1/2" sanding drum into my drill press, and turned up the wick a bit to about 3000 rpm. Using a small block of wood to raise the work piece up, I proceeded to run around the outer dimensions of the arms and smoothed the whole deal down. Something I learned years ago about working with aluminum; when you make the scratches of sanding run the length of the cut edge (instead of across the edge), they always look finer and more "finished", hence using the sanding drum the finish the rough out phase. Next the arms went back out to the vise and the 100 grit and soft block came out. After a couple of laps with that, it was time to hit a couple of rough spots with the file, and a bit more soft block.

Now, if you remember my short tutorial on polishing aluminum months ago, you'll notice that just like polishing, I have started course and gradually worked up to finer sanding mediums. A few more grits and it'll finish polish with mag wheel polish!

Next up, hot rods need holes! So ya, we'll drill some here! The biggie is 1 3/4", the medium is 1 3/8", and the smallest is 1". The biggie and the smallest were both drilled with hole saws, and the drill press slowed WAY back down to about 200 RPM. The medium holes were drilled with step drill that just happened to be 1 3/8" total diameter. If you don't have a set of step drills yet, STOP! STOP reading this, get in the car, and go to Harbor freight and get a set for like 8.95! There is a Harbor Freight open somewhere right now, I promise!!!

So, here is where we are at. Two shock arms that match each other! It only took 2 1/2 hours to get them there, too! All with no exotic tools. Hell, I felt down right luxurious using my hand-me-down band saw for this deal, as I usually use my cheapie jig saw for this kinda deal! Still the best 19.95 I have aver spent!

So, to give you an idea of how this works and fits, here's the deal... The bases are 3"X 1/2" round stock that is sold locally by I.M.S. that I center drilled and counter sunk for a 3/8" counter sunk allen bolt that will get welded to the inside. The friction part is a Dodge 318 valve spring and by the time these get mounted on the car, retained too. Right now I just have the whole deal mocked up with a 5/16" bolt and shock washer so I could show you what it would look like. There will also be a 1/8" aluminum pressure plate in there and two 3" pieces of rubber or leather to create the actual friction. Small tabs will get welded to the axle and 5/16" Heim joints tie it all together.

All in all, it's a very simple shock system that has it's roots back in the race cars of the twenties and thirties, and carried through to the late fifties and early sixties as drag car and T-Bucket stuff from the likes of Moon, Dragmaster, and Chassis Research... And they look bitchin'!

Oh, and here is picture of me from the other night wearing a fake mustache I got out of a .25 gumball machine one day when Bodi, Jerry, Nick and myself were drinking at Rosista's... Just 'cause. Yup, I was tired....

 

The previous write up was brought to you by the letters G and T... The formative consonants in the term Gin and Tonic, nature's most healthful drink. I look at it this way - Because of the quinine content there is absolutely no chance of me EVER contracting malaria. It's lime content also protects against scurvy! How could you ask for anything more!!! Did I mention it was warm in these here parts today?


Oh, and a teaser with my front backing plates. Imagine these wrapped with 90 fin Buick aluminum drums...

 

Chip, I saw you bouncing thru the intersection just west of So-Cal Yesterday late morning (Mon) you were concentrating, Bout 32nd st. ruff road,, get those shocks done !!

Bob

 

Damn Bob, there isn't a small section of McDowell Rd that isn't rough these days!

 

I agree,, ruff ruff naborhood too !!!