'59 Plymouth Forum

Posted: **Sat Mar 15, 2008 5:49 pm**

Today I backed Faulkner out of the garage, and finally installed a fluorescent light fixture; before today, I only had a wimpy outside light that was there before the garage went up. And it only took me three beers to do it! For those who may not have seen this on the mailing list, Dick Koch sent out this hilarious story...

Dick wrote:Oil Change instructions for Women :

1: Pull up to Jiffy Lube when the mileage reaches 3000 miles since the last oil change.

2: Drink a cup of coffee.

3: 15 minutes later, write a check and leave with a properly maintained vehicle.

Money spent:
Oil Change:
$20.00
Coffee: $1.00
Total: $21.00
==========

Oil Change instructions for Men:

1: Wait until Saturday, drive to auto parts store and buy a case of oil, filter, kitty litter, hand cleaner and a scented tree, write a check for $50.00.

2: Stop by 7/11 and buy a case of beer, write a check for $20, drive home.

3: Open a beer and drink it.

4: Jack car up. Spend 30 minutes looking for jack stands.

5: Find jack stands under kid's pedal car.

6: In frustration, ope n another beer and drink it.

7: Place drain pan under engine.

8: Look for 9/16 box end wrench.

9: Give up and use crescent wrench.

10: Unscrew drain plug.

11: Drop drain plug in pan of hot oil: splash hot oil on you in process. Cuss.

12: Crawl out from under car to wipe hot oil off of face and arms. Throw kitty litter on spilled oil..

13: Have another beer while watching oil drain.

14: Spend 30 minutes looking for oil filter wrench.

15: Give up; crawl under car and hammer a screwdriver through oil filter and twist off.

16: Crawl o ut fr om under car with dripping oil filter splashing hot oil everywhere from holes. Cleverly hide old oil filter among trash in trash can to avoid environmental penalties. Drink a beer.

17: Install new oil f ilter making sure to apply a thin coat of oil to gasket surface.

18: Dump first quart of fresh oil into engine.

19: Remember drain plug from step 11.

20: Hurry to find drain plug in drain pan full of hot oil.

21: Drink beer.

22: Discover that first quart of fresh oil is now on the floor. Throw kitty litter on oil spill.

23: Get drain plug back in with only a minor spill. Drink beer.

24: Crawl under car getting kitty litter into eyes. Wipe eyes with oily rag used to clean drain plug. Slip with stupid crescent wrench tightening drain plug and bang knuckles on frame removing any excess skin between knuckles and frame.

25: Begin cussing fit.

26: Throw stupid crescent wrench.

27: Cuss for additional 5 minutes because wrench hit bowling trophy.&nb sp;

28: Beer.

29: Clean up hands and bandage as required to stop blood flow.

30: Beer.

31: Dump in five fresh quarts of oil.

32: Beer.

33: Lower car from jack stands.

34: Move car back to apply more kitty litter to fresh oil spilled during any missed steps.

35: Beer.

36: Test drive car.

37: Get pulled over: arrested for driving under the influence.

38: Car gets impounded.

39: Call loving wife, make bail.

40: 12 hours later, get car from impound yard.

Money spent:
Parts: $50.00
DUI: $2500.00
Impound fee: $75.00
Bail: $1500.00
Beer: $20.00
Total: $4,145.00
But you know the job was done right!

Posted: **Sat Mar 15, 2008 10:54 pm**

We should all try to control our carbon footprints. I dont know wactly where a flourescent fixture works best in our cars, but I am proud that Dan is trying.
(Okay, sorry, I look for sarcastic fun in my life...)
I have my Fury Junior for sale. I got the classic Scam reply....
Sending more $ than req'd for shipping,, please refund difference.

Posted: **Sun Mar 16, 2008 8:47 am**

Oh yeah, while I was at it, Roger, I installed flourescent spark plugs. Those old incandescent ones produce such a harsh spark, doncha know?

Well, it's not even April Fools day yet -- and already I'm wondering what's up Stefan's sleeve.

But here's what I've been up to: When I pulled Faulkner back into the garage, I put him up on ramps so I could inspect the leaks I've got. Yup, the lower power steering seal is definitely shot, I'll put that on my todo list. And yes, the radiator continues to leak, that will need to be recored. But, uh-oh -- shades of 7/2006 -- I see that I'm leaking antifreeze from several of the exhaust manifold bolts now, just as when Matthew snapped this remarkable picture two years ago, right after the rebuilt engine install. I wrote about it here:

https://59plymouth.net/59forum/viewtopi ... =3492#3492

I thought I was lucky, and got away with only one leaking. Now it looks like I've got to pull them all... Fortunately, they look accessible. Maybe this will be a job for Ed Ober's friend, Bill. Get the radiator recored at Burton's, have Bill replace the steering seal and permatex the manifold bolts. Hmmm...

Posted: **Sun Mar 16, 2008 10:40 am**

Dan,

You better get Faulkner ready for the trip, I just purchased my ticket and later today I will buy Matthew's and Andre's tickets

We will have a couple of days in Philly before we go to Carlisle so Matthew will be able to take care of the last repairs and of course the forks

Ron

Posted: **Sun Mar 16, 2008 11:07 am**

Hi Everybody - Well I had a very interesting week, First thing that happened was I got a phone call from Puerto Rico, It was Tom Fox, he was vacationing and would be returning Saturday to Ft. Lauderdale which is about 45 miles from me but sad to say I had joined the AACA and they were having a Dual Meet on saturday (National and Regional) in Melbourne Florida which is 110 miles in the other direction. I was very disapointed that I wasn't able to meet with Tom and his wife and exchange niceties. Maybe some other time.
I entered my Green 59 in the meet and thought I would give it a go and see what happened. Well as proud as I was I knew immediately I didn't stand a chinamans chance of getting a First Junior award. That's when you get one of the oval medallions to mount on your grill. However I did receive a Third Junior award and that means I showed up at the meet, met some abosulety wonderful people, got a trophy (which I haven't even seen yet because I didn't go to the evening banquet and awards ceremony, a friend received it for me.) got to see at least 800 and probably more prefectly BRAND NEW old cars from every year and brand imaginable. I was the only 59 SF there and got a lot of attention. The next thing that happened was a gentleman tapped me on the shoulder said I had a nice car and introduced himself. It was Robert Hinds from Birmingham, Alabama. Can you imagine getting to talk to TWO 59 Ply Guru's in the same week. We chatted a little bit but he had to leave because he was one of the Judges at the show. No, he did not judge my car. Unfortunately I didn't see him again. I know he must have been very busy. Sad to say he didn't bring his beautiful 59. One of the other high points was I saw this georgous 58 Desoto Adventurer Convertible drive in. It had factory fuel injection and probable is the only one in existance. If you ever wanted to see a perfect car, this was it. It was owned by Thomas White, he had trailered it from MA. He showed me some pictures of a 59 SF Convertible he owns also. He and his son do complete restorations and may be a good source for info and parts. Phone 508-435-3442, whitehallauto@hotmail.com, and whitehallauto.net. The criteria for Judging an AACA car is it must be the same as it was when it drove out the factory door so that means Greenie has a long way to go. The only thing I can say is even if you don't have a car to enter in one of these shows you should go anyway. I'm still in awe.
Thanks for listening, Your friend.
Dick Koch

Posted: **Sun Mar 23, 2008 12:03 am**

This happened about a year ago. I was carrying a 2x4x8 in my garage and accidentally hit one of my fluorescent light fixtures. One of the bulbs came crashing down and hit work bench spraying me with glass. I went in house and washed my eyes out with water just in case and was ok. I had a spare bulb on hand so went to replace it. My wife was using my handy 3 step step stool so I grabbed a nearby folding chair. I had one foot on chair & other foot on workbench. Suddenly chair folded and I went crashing to concrete floor. My butt hit floor and my head hit my wood stove and new bulb hit floor spraying me with glass again. I sat there for a minute and couldn't believe I didn't get hurt. Needless to say I went in house, got wife and step stool and with her help safely changed the bulb. I got rid of that chair.

Posted: **Sun Mar 23, 2008 8:13 pm**

whoa! We are lucky you are still with us!

Posted: **Sat Apr 19, 2008 5:49 pm**

Well, today I found an hour to work on Faulkner. I thought I'd put the rear brakes on, so I jacked up the rear and pulled the drum. Looked pretty dry, but the shoes had a bit of glaze to them... Pulled back a dust cap on the wheel cylinder I had replaced, and... D*mn! A trickle of fluid! Pulled back the other... D*mn! More drops there!

I'm really fed up; I've got a minimal amount of time to work on my car, and I keep revisiting the same old problems. So I've resolved: At my age, I'm spending way too much time sweating the details that I could be paying someone else to deal with. It would be different if Stefan or Roger were my neighbors, or if Matthew were living on the third floor (keep your options open, Matthew!). So I slapped it back together, and placed a call to Ed Ober's friend, Bill. When he calls me back I'll arrange to take Faulkner to him to get this laundry list of things done:

check brakes all around, rebuild wheel cylinders where necessary
including replace rear shoes
radiator recore
pinion seal
(replace bad u-joint?)
power steering seal
permatex leaking manifold bolts

Before I take it over, I'll pull the radio and take to a local shop I've heard about. Maybe get an audio jack installed for the iPod. Gotta have '50's tunes on the way to Carlisle!

There ain't nothing here that money can't fix. One thing I don't have, is time. And you can't buy that.

Dan

Posted: **Sat Apr 19, 2008 6:11 pm**

I feel your frustration, Dan. Rortunately, your hard work at your daily job provides you the ability to pay to have the car "made right".
I offer one bit of free advice (worth what you paid for it), to wit, do not rebuild your wheel cylinders...buy them new.

Posted: **Sun Apr 20, 2008 1:11 am**

Dan,

Knowing how busy you are at work outsourcing the car work is your best option.

I agree with Roger on the wheel cylinders, buying new ones is often cheaper than rebuilding them. Since I still didn't finish the "parts link page" here is a link to a good seller of all brake related parts: email to Warren Jung at pbrakeb@yahoo.com I have dealt with him in the past and was very satisfied with all transactions, and the guy knows almost everything about the brakes on old Mopars.

For your audio problem you can also use a small amplifier that is hidden in the glove box. You can connect any audio device with a headphone outlet to this amplifier. We have been using one for years and the sound is great, it is better than having to sing ourselves

Just my € 0.02 (equals $ 0.79

)

Ron

Posted: **Sun Apr 20, 2008 11:04 pm**

OK, the general consensus is that I should buy new wheel cylinders instead of rebuilding them. I spoke to Bill today, he's agreed to replace with new ones from Frank Todd (a very reliable parts supplier in South Jersey). I spoke to Bill about my radiator problem; he suggested that, instead of recoring it, I might be able to find an aftermarket supplier of a new radiator.

Does anyone know of such a supplier? Are there manufacturers out there, that can provide a replacement radiator instead of going the recore route?

Dan

Posted: **Sun Apr 20, 2008 11:14 pm**

I have never gone that route...

Posted: **Sat May 03, 2008 7:38 pm**

Faulkner wrote:...So I slapped it back together, and placed a call to Ed Ober's friend, Bill. When he calls me back I'll arrange to take Faulkner to him to get this laundry list of things done...

Today was the day! I fired up Faulkner, and put it in reverse.

Nada!

Did I lock up the drum when I put it back on? Yikes! Killed the engine, put Faulkner back in the air, readjusted the drum... No, it seems to be OK. Back in the car: Punch it in reverse, and...

Nada!

OK, time to take the tranny dipstick out. The culprit! I'm down a pint of fluid. Where did it go?! Oh, there it is... On the floor! Thank goodness, I've got a vinyl mat on the garage floor. (Did I thank you, Dick, for your sage advice to buy one of those things, instead of epoxying my floor?!)

I put in a pint of fluid, brought the level up, punched it in reverse -- a solid strain against the brakes! That was all it needed. So something else to add to Bill's list: Check the tranny pan gasket, feeder tube grommet and cable grommet for leaks.

I backed Faulkner out of the garage, and drove the 21 miles to Bill's house. Faulkner rode like a dream; plenty of power from his rebuilt 318, and with the tranny's thirst cured, it shifted beautifully. Lot's of folks pulling along side as we crossed the Ben Franklin bridge, honking and waving. Isn't that the best part!

Bill says two weeks to work through my laundry list. We'll see; meanwhile, to order a headliner kit and take the radio to the shop. And to sop up the various fluids on the vinyl mat!

Dan

Posted: **Sat May 03, 2008 9:03 pm**

Faulkner wrote:...I see that I'm leaking antifreeze from several of the exhaust manifold bolts now...

I realized, when I popped the hood to show Bill -- that there are ears on the exhaust manifold below and above the manifold.

I know the lower bolts pass throw the water jacket, and need to be permatexed. Does anyone know -- do the upper bolts also penetrate a water jacket? I'd like to know, so I can pass the info on to Bill. If there's no need to pull the upper bolts, so much the better.

Dan

Posted: **Mon May 05, 2008 8:07 am**

Faulkner wrote:Does anyone know -- do the upper bolts also penetrate a water jacket? I'd like to know, so I can pass the info on to Bill. If there's no need to pull the upper bolts, so much the better.

I guess no one knows, eh...

Dan

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Ongoing mechanical travails

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