Technical What did you do with your car today? * NEW*

Making some progress on the 55 Nash Ambassador while I am home for a few days!

Got the carbs on, except I lost a piece that I am scrambling to find! Big shout out to Dick Boneske who had the carb bodies Dichromate plated for me & Jon (CarbKing) for great rebuild kits for them. Also to Tammy @ Orion Paints for mixing basecoat that matched the body perfectly (I sprayed the engine compartment & underside of the hood) & mixed a red single stage that matched the color of the engine pieces & laid out like glass.

Still hoping to have it back together before the end of September to go to at least 1 show & 1 cruise! That is about the time our season ends.

God Bless
Bill
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...ar-transport-hauling-open-or-enclosed.614419/

 

It was a small project over the weekend on my roadster. I have a very nice Haartz cloth, retractable top on the car but it was missing some vintage styling cues form the day like the rear snaps and the tack strip cover over the back bow.

So I fixed it!

I found the brown leather tack strip on epay for less than $20 delivered, well made with nylon inserts sewn in to keep the shape and it matches my interior. I masked off the top and used brush on contact adhesive on both the top and the backside of the leather strip. I used a couple of SS points on the ends, drilled and screwed to the frame.

The bottom snaps are from a SS snap kit I had purchased years ago just for this purpose but never had the guts to take a chance on ruining my roof. I decided to just go for it. The snap bases are drilled and screwed around the bottom except for the 2 nearest the doors and those on the removable rear window. Those are rivet style bases so as not to change the functionality of the top and window removal.

 

Not today, but a few weeks ago listed my car for sale. One dude called and said he'd give me exactly what I was asking. Apologized to him and said to myself "well, I guess it's not for sale after all..."

 

Got title transferred, tags and insurance on new car. Should get tags tomorrow, so we’ll be ready to cruise.

 

Since my daily pickup got totaled last month my old beater has turned into my every day car, so I'm just driving and not working on it. HRP

 

Actually it was a few days ago but I finally finished the aluminum interior/seat for the FED I'm building. It was probably one of the most challenging things I've ever built. It's all assembled with bucked, not POP rivets, and held in place with 8 Dzus buttons. I didn't do an actual count but I think there's upwards of 80 rivets holding the seat together. It's not perfect (rivet gun bounced off of a rivet head a couple places) but I'll be darned if I'm going to start over.

Lynn

 

Interior coming together.i borrow better front seat out of my colony park project.and the thing in the backround is russian licence fiat 124, not mine.its my clients like the 130 at the previous picture.

 

started mocking-up the shifter cover which started as an MGB item which now (after considerable bashing and cutting) fits the transmission tunnel. All I need to do is weld a metal strip (where the template paper is in the pic) to ensure the thing clears the shifter tower, drill holes for the base plate screws after extending it slightly and glue the gaiter (a Chevelle item) to the metal. No access to a welder this week so will happen next time I'm where the car is...

 

completing Clasic Industries gauge cluster in my '63 Nova - had to cancel going to show today, Cruisin' The Pines, in Grass Valley - lots of smoke from Mosquito Fire - 33,000 acres now

 

I tried to set fire to it...

 

Changed the oil&filter&polished the chrome. It's raining cat&dogs here..........

 

My car had Chevelle rear shock top mounts welded in but shocks too long so got some Fiero front shocks that had the same cross bar top mount. Elongated hole spacing from 2-7/8" for Fiero to 2-7/16" for Chevelle. Bottom mount had a 10mm sleeve bonded in the bushing so drilled it out. Chevelle shocks were 13.3"-20.6". Fieros are 8.75" closed to 12.375" open.

 

Robbing Peter to pay Paul, 3 different starters off 3 different engines hopefully to cure an intermittent starting problem on my t-bucket, which I did with the battery still connected.
Long bolts, short bolts, staggered bolt pattern, straight across bolt pattern, sheesh

 

Not much, just burned up about $65 worth of fuel in my 34 Roadster on a booootiful day in Okieland

 

Well, took merc out and cruise about 150 miles along countryside of southern east finland.
A very pleasant evening.heater keep toes warm and 390fe purs like a kitten.

 

A couple weeks ago went to look at a square body Blazer for a friend. It was a total roach, so I told my buddy to pass on it. While there I asked the seller what else was he wanting to get rid of. So he takes me out back behind his shop and shows me a 1963 Buick Wildcat that got rear ended back in the day. The trunk was shoved all the way to the back window. It only had 65k on it when it got hit, and the original owner was going to get it fixed “someday”!

Went last night and picked this up. 401 Nailhead with a factory 4 barrel carb/intake. Turns over nicely, was able to unbolt the DynaFlow transmission without any fussing. I’m supposed to get the complete front brakes with aluminum drums in a couple days, the guy just wants it to roll a bit longer. I can go back and get the tranny, should I? I’ve read that they’ve in the top 10 of the worst ones ever…. So maybe just let him have the scrap? I’m thinking this would make a great swap into my wife’s 65 Chevy C-10 big window Custom Cab long bed pickup! I’ve looked on here for info on transmission swaps for these Nailheads, I’m thinking with the torque they put out a Turbo 400 and 3.50 gears, who needs overdrive!

 

Just finished replacing the gears in my 9 inch. Glad that is done. Getting too old to be lying on concrete floors anymore. Was easier than I thought. The floor jack helped immensely.

 

I expect some one in the Buick family could use the transmission. Worth grabbing. There are adapters for the Buick engine to several transmissions, I believe.

Ben

 

They better speak up quickly, I really don’t want to mess with it!

 

took the Malibu for an evening drive...

 

Been working on my clubs model A railjob for the 57 Delta race this weekend as well as updates for TROG. We originally had a cowl with non removable structure for steering/pedals/etc. Took that off and built a new hoop. Little bit left to weld up then paint, reassemble, and race it hard!


(shot from TROG last year)

 

Ran some more wire, hooked up my speedometer and added a hood support.

 

Put the windshield together and did a test fit without the gasket… which will be tomorrow’s battle

 

Managed to do some more on the shifter tower, welding is done, need to grind/fill/flat/paint but I think it looks very period. Got rid of the column shifter without destroying it so that the mechanism may be useful for someone in the future. On the other hand I discovered why the self cancelling blinkers don't cancel the LHD blinker and it's a pain. Also the horn does not work now after the steering wheel was taken off to investigate the above. Two steps forwards, two back

 

took the F-1 for a drive today,..first photo is in Morrison, Illinois where the truck (cab) originally came from.... the bean fields are changin colors...

 

Got the Nailhead striped of all the extras and put on a spare stand. Hopefully it won’t come crashing down, they sure don’t build the stands like they used too!

1963 Buick 445 401 with factory 4 barrel carb. Pulled the exhaust to lighten it up a bit, all 8 exhaust ports are a nice brownish gray, looks like it was running great the last time it ran!

 

Yeah...I'd rig up a brace under the bottom of that sweet, sweet motor.

 

I've been removing my fingerprints by way of sanding 50 yr old valve covers, one down and one to go.

 

Finished...I think...or might try and get between those fins with a dremel tool

 

Good job @swade41 !