444 replies to this topic

[Champion 507]

Mike,

 

The only new car my dad ever bought was a 1959 Plymouth wagon and it was rusted out by 1962.

[Jairus]

I am really missing my daily updates from our leader.  12 days with great reports.... and now, nothing.

[Cheater]

Meaning the calls? I'll ring you later today.

The alternator from Bert's arrived here at 9 AM and I'm about to install it....

[Jairus]

Posts Greg.  Posts with pretty pictures and an update on your travels.
You don't have to call, unless you want to.

J

[Michael Rigsby]

I'd always heard that FIAT is Italian for rust.

 

I could say the same for Chevrolet.  Had a 71 Chevy Stepside pickup, nice one too. In a year you could listen on a still nite and hear the rust eat it up. By year two the lower front fenders behind the wheel and the back of the cab at the bottom were rusted through. Chevrolet said tuff nuts.  Will never own another Chevrolet.  1981 Dodge I had is still on the road with its 5th owner and has over a million miles on it with no rust through.  Go figure.

[Phil Hackett]

The time period between 1971 and 1985 was the one that killed Detroit. So much crap left the assembly lines that should have been shredded as soon as it left the building. It would have stopped that junk from getting into the buying public's hands and maybe slowed the rise of the Japanese car sales in the US (notice _slowed_).
 
It is said that Chevy Vegas arrived at the dealers with rusted lower rocker panels and cowling (I believe it…. I owned one). I had a Vega that rusted **even in sunny Southern California** where salting the roads is unknown!

[Jairus]

GO, Greg, GO!

[Jairus]

Just received a call.
Greg and his son are HOME!
Had to drive a few hours in the dark, but... I'll let our fearless leader eat and post the details later.
The Model A is in Atlanta on the evening of the 11th.

How about that?

[Cheater]

Well, after probably the most difficult day we've had with the car, we arrived in Norcross safe and sound at 8:55 PM today, Nov 11.
 
I'll relate the trials and tribulations experienced in the day's trip report I'll write tomorrow morning.
 
Home, sweet, home... aaahhh...

[Champion 507]

HOORAY!!!      

[Clif]

Welcome home, Greg, look forward to seeing the trip notes.

[MSwiss]

Glad you and Geoff made it home safe.

Your trip was a real testimony to your perseverance.

Big congrats.

[MattD]

Glad you made it safely and glad it's over for you!

[MattD]

Just read the final trip report, this might explain the timing issue. It's been many years since I ran a points distibutor, but I think as the point dwell changes, it also changes the timing. That might explain why the car started running bad and when you put more timing in or took it out, I forgot which way you shoved the lever, you may have gotten it back to the correct seting.    

 

Anybody remember if this is true for points? 

[Jairus]

Happy to hear you made it home, Boss!

 

The pic below is a pretty cool one with which to note details. As a modeler who likes building weathered automobiles, this pic is golden! Very few vintage photos show IN COLOR, the correct dirt accumulation and leaky water pump traces, which are jewels to my eyes.

 

Please take lots of photos of the engine compartment and car before you wash and wax. Modelers everywhere will appreciate the information.

 

 

So... who won the pool, Butch?

Remind me again please...

[Cheater]

Just read the final trip report, this might explain the timing issue. It's been many years since I ran a points distibutor, but I think as the point dwell changes, it also changes the timing. That might explain why the car started running bad and when you put more timing in or took it out, I forgot which way you shoved the lever, you may have gotten it back to the correct seting.    
 
Anybody remember if this is true for points?

I don't think it changes the timing as much as we experienced, Matt. I wasn't moving the points in gross amounts and had been pretty successful adjusting the gap earlier in the trip.

The distributor on the Model A wobbles in the block and it shouldn't do that. It's not impossible I shifted it, and changed the timing setting, while screwing with the points.

I'll probably be installing the well-known Pertronix pointless ignitor gear to get rid of the points; that was Joe Wylie's suggestion. I know a lot of old car restorers use the Pertronix unit.

[Jairus]

I have a Pertronix unit for my '58 wagon. But last I checked 3 days ago... the points were in perfect condition. So the unit waits for a nice sunny day to be installed sometime in the future.

But that is technology which is still a vast improvement over the Model A. I would make the switch, Greg.

[Champion 507]

Greg,
 
Glad (almost) everything and everyone made it home safely, that is except for the shop manual.
 
It sounds as if you got out of the Rockies just in time as I heard that snow storms are moving in.
 
My dad and Leonard Brown were great friends and I'm so glad Leonard is still kicking. Thanks, Geoff, for getting a great pic of your dad and Leonard. I'm hoping to see Leonard soon. It's been about 25 years since I last saw him but I've maintained phone contact with him for about five years now.
 
Greg, have you heard from the seller of your car or the former owner?
 
How frustrating it must have been last night... the closer you got to home, the worse it seemed to run. Glad you thought to shove that spark lever up.
 
Let me know if the timing gear on the camshaft is the culprit and if it was made of phenolic.

[Cheater]

I'll have the errant shop manual by the weekend. Bill is shipping it to me today.

Really enjoyed reconnecting with Leonard and am already planning when I can go back up to view his collection.

Doug, the more I think about it, the more I think the distributor itself is the source of the problem. I'll be pulling it off over the next few days to inspect and repair as needed.

The carb needs attention as well, as I'd bet money it's got a worn throttle shaft. The unstable idle is almost indicative of that.

And I do need to find out why the starter won't work... LOL!

I've talked with the seller several times and left him a voice mail last night that we made it to Georgia.

[Champion 507]

Well, at least you're home now. You don't have to drive another 250 miles today. You can take your time to diagnose all of its ailments and get them fixed without being "under the gun".

[DPmax]

Great to hear you made it!

Just imagine how the trip would have been if your last day problems would have happened right out of the gate, not fun.
Sounds like your Model A ended the trip with some sore spots that need some tending to, nothing more... sorta like a certain butt I've read about a couple of times in the reports. 

[Phil Hackett]

Greg's butt needs tending to? I'm afraid there's no shop manual for that!

[Bill from NH]

He needs some of that "Butt Paste."

[Half Fast]

Hits the... err ahh... spot.