444 replies to this topic

[Cheater]

You guys staying a third night in Denver?
 
Don't forget to ask about a wiper motor.

Unsure about a third night right now.

Just stopped at Bert's to check on progress and as I expected, Joe had found a couple of other items needing repair. The LF spindle's threads were stripped, which is why it had three washers under the big nut, so he's replacing that.

I was pretty certain as the task list expanded it would take longer than initially thought to finish everything, so I am very OK with the time it's taking. Joe worked until 9 PM last night and was back at it at 5:30 AM this morning.

Forgot to ask about the wiper motor; will try to remember when we go back at 3 PM.

[MattD]

Greg,

 

It's great that you stopped at Bert's and got lucky with a great, experienced A mechanic. I'm sure it will give you lots more confidence for the rest of the trip knowing this guy has been over your car. It does bring out the ruggedness of an old Model A. I'm not cutting on the guy that brokered the car to you and his experience, but you can see that what was fine for 10-20 mile trips around town is not really what is peak performance for this old car. Even with the issues found, Clara was fine as you bought it for piddling around town. Now some of these items can be addressed by a guy that knows them in and out. That should really put the car in tip top shape for your daily grinds!    

 

Nice to see such a great place for Model A guys. I was impressed with the machine work on the motors and the great improvements, even if the 5 thou price tag put me off a bit. Man, that sure would make a car drive nice to have that much more power in a balanced, quiet engine.

 

To address another point we have discussed, last nite I went to eBay to look at pricing on Model As. Of course, the buy it nows are just asking prices, but the prices were definitely higher than what I remembered, backing up your claim that the prices had indeed started back up a few years ago. I was out of date with my prices, the old Fords have definitely gone up in the last five-ten years.

[Phil Hackett]

Pretty sure this is NOT good!

 

 

This helps to explain the pulling to one side with brake application. Wow...

[Champion 507]

Phil,

 

That's a pic of what looks like the RH rear brake. Notice, there are two sets of brake linings. The outside ones are for the service brake and the smaller diameter lining is for the emergency.

 

Wow, those are some nasty metal shavings. 

 

Greg, I truly believe Joe was a Godsend for you. Now you will have a better chance of making it home safely because a lot of mechanical issues will have already been cured thanks to Joe's handy work. You'll have more time to enjoy your car once you get home. I'm 100% DELIGHTED for you, Greg. 

 

Any slot car tracks in the Denver area?

[Cheater]

There's a track north of Denver in Longmont and Paul Murr invited me up for their racing including Retro last night, but with what fell into my lap with the car, it was too late to go when we got done at Bert's. Wish I could have made it.

 

Doug, I now know that angels actually do exist and that some of them have gray hair and grease under their fingernails...

 

I Pricelined another decent price on a hotel room less that ten minutes from Bert's (a Marriot no less) so we'll be staying in Denver for a third straight night. I'm posting from the counter computer at Bert's as Joe is finishing up the rear brakes. We just have to adjust them, set the front toe, and replace the floorboards and we'll be done. An hour, maybe and hour and a half.

 

We're going to try to get on the road at first light to beat the Monday morning rush hour. Fortunately we're east of downtown and will be headed opposite of the traffic coming in to Denver.

[Lumpy]

I am downright ignorant when it comes to original old cars.

But are those brakes MECHANICAL? Like, some type of linkage between left foot (brake pedal) and the brake cam?

[Cheater]

Yes, Mike, that is correct. Entirely mechanical.

 

Ford didn't change to hydraulic brakes until 1939, I believe.

[Champion 507]

Okay,

 

Here's what a new Model A water pump looks like:

 

 

Here is what a front brake looks like on a Model A:

 

 

This is what the RH rear brake is supposed to look like on a Model A:

 

 

Here is an entire Model A running gear. There are actually six brake rods on the car. Two for the fronts, two for the rears, and two for the emergency brakes, also on the rear.

 

 

There will be a 20 question multiple guess test next Wednesday over this material. You must make at least a 75% grade to pass this test.

[Cheater]

That's the exact water pump Joe installed on my car...

[Champion 507]

Greg, your car's brakes will be so good now, you'll be able to stop on a dime and give 9¢ change.  

 

BTW, Clara was Mrs. Henry Ford.

[Cheater]

Of course she was, Doug! LOL!

 

Joe finished up everything a little before 9 PM and we made our way to the Courtyard Marriott about ten minutes away. Long day and I'm rather tired...

 

The difference in the car is phenomenal. The brakes don't pull at all and stop the car smoothly. They'll only get better as the linings get bedded in.

 

Having all four shocks hooked up properly makes the car ride and turn noticeably better and it no longer leaps to one side or another over bumps.

 

Resetting the toe from 3/8" toe-out to the correct 1/8" toe-in has seemed to removed most of the tramlining tendency, based on a short drive.

 

The handbrake works properly now as well.

 

He installed a new leakless, greaseless water pump, upgraded to ball bearings replacing the original oilite bushings, just as in a slot car!

 

Joe made so many other tweaks and adjustments I can't recall them all right now.

 

In any case, I simply couldn't be more pleased with what Joe has done for this car. And am very pleased to feel I have a new friend in the Model A world.

 

Got some more pics of Bert's to post, as well as some "after" pics of the brake work, but they'll have to wait until in the morning. Mixing a drink is the very next task on my agenda, followed by slipping in between some clean, cool sheets.

[Cheater]

We're headed toward Kansas in I-70 East and have stopped for some breakfast, as the Courtyard Marriott where we stayed last night, for the first time in thirteen hotels, did not offer a complimentary breakfast, only a paid all-you-can-eat buffet.

The rain in Denver had stopped by the time we loaded up and since we were headed out of town, traffic was not much of a bother. What is a bit concerning was the electronic billboard over the highway a few miles back warning of "snow and icy roads ahead." We're starting to see a few cars with snow accumulated in the crevices. Might just be an interesting day...

Hope to make it to Burlington, CO, right on the Kansas line and perhaps a little further. We'd like to rack up as many miles as we can today.

Clara is a real joy to drive now. The grooved concrete pavement they seem to love out here doesn't move the car around at all now, unlike before Joe worked his magic. And she tracks arrow-straight, too. Having all four shocks properly installed doesn't really improve the ride, but does control body sway better. Joe's ministrations have changed what was a very tiring car to drive into one that is almost a delight to drive.

[Pablo]

Dinosaur motel was very cool!

[dc-65x]

Boy, what a nice job he did on your brakes.
 
Onward, Greg!

[Cheater]

Rick,

Joe essentially rebuilt the car from the top of the frame down...

It drives so much better!

Which is very useful right now. We're in Burlington, CO, near the Kansas state line and for the last two hours we've been battling a 40-50 MPH crosswind, coming square at the driver's side of the car. But I am battling the wind, and not the car as well, which was the case on that scary run down to Salem the first day.

The same cold wind is whistling through the numerous gaps where there are missing glass channels and other seals, and I'm getting pretty darn cold! I grabbed my flannel sweatshirt out of my bag when we stopped and put it on under my jacket. That should help, as should the medium white hot chocolate I'm imbibing.

We're shooting for Colby, KS, today as that's about as we can go where there will be lodging.

[MattD]

Greg, are you coming through Indiana and Kentucky?

[Champion 507]

Greg,

 

What did Joe say about the ethanol gas or did I miss that in another post?

 

Matt,

 

I think his plans are to turn south in KS and go thru part of OK, then thru AR, TN, AL, then to GA, but I'll let him answer that for you.

[Cheater]

Matt,

 

Doug has the planned route pretty much right.

 

We're dropping down into OK to stop in to see Doug, as well as to see a couple of attractions.

 

Doing this also keeps us from retracing the same route we took outbound, at least from the middle of Kansas toward home.

 

We got to Oakley, KS, abut 6:45 PM local, after about an hour of driving in the dark which is something I try to avoid if possible. Today it wasn't...

 

Today's run was right at 250 miles, which isn't too bad since we didn't leave Denver particularly early. Got an older one-star hotel for $40 and though it is clearly an old property, first impressions are not too bad. Quick internet and a mini-fridge and a microwave, the latter being something last night's Courtyard Marriott room didn't have...

 

Off to find a place for dinner...

[Bill from NH]

The last place around here to only charge $40, the Queen City Motel, changed their sheets every half hour.

[Phil Hackett]

Management believed in turnover, eh?

[MattD]

No doubt you won't take as much risk with the weather by coming back through the south. Will that cut down on the number of steep hills in the eastern Tenn area? Won't you be south of the Smokies?

[Cheater]

Matt,

Yes, the regular interstate route between Nashville and Atlanta (I-24 east the I-75 south) largely avoids the Smokies.

The plan right now is to stop for a night with my friends Bill and Denise Briggs in Mt Juliet, TN, which is about ten miles northwest of Nashville and then stay the next night with a cousin in Tullahoma, TN, which is almost exactly halfway between Nashville and Chattanooga. The one big climb on I-24 going to toward Chattanooga is Monteagle Mountain and I am going to skirt that if I can, by going into Georgia through north Alabama, taking state routes and avoiding the interstates.

That's the plan as of today...

[Bill from NH]

Has your gas mileage improved any since the Denver repairs were made?

[Cheater]

Bill,

In all honesty, I haven't been monitoring it closelythe last couple of days. I would say it might have a tiny bit, primarily because we upped the tire pressures from 24 to 32-34. It's certainly not any worse.

With just an eleven gallon tank and the scarcity of "services", as the signs call them, we're filling the car up roughly every hundred miles if we can, just to be on the safe side.

Keep in mind we're also carrying a five gallon car of gas at all times.