No gadgets, no electronics, no error code readouts.
Just a ratchet, socket, feeler gauge and a set of 8 Autolite 45 spark plugs. Oh and a crappy old garage radio, sometimes playing music sometimes just static.
It takes me back in reverse chronological order. Back to some of the important “car” stages in my life. Back to my 82 Camaro, back further to my 69 Dodge Dart, back to my first 1966 Chevy (in 1976).
It takes me back one more stage, working in one of my father’s garages where I worked long days in the summer on customers cars and back a bit further watching my father work on our 61 Chevy Belair and his old Dodge pick up. Even further back to my grandfather’s garage with the half dirt half cement garage floor, watching the two of them trying to get that old early 1950 Ford or Chevy truck (we called it the “doodle bug” ..and no I don’t know how it got its name) running.
There was always a radio playing somewhere nearby often a baseball game or country music.
That’s one reason I love my 70 Mustang. Working on it takes me back to those days. Today I could have been 12 again, leaning over the fender of a real American made car, just the basic tools and an old radio tuned to a sports station recapping March Madness 2011. It could have been 1970 again.
Finished up the job and fired the Mustang up and that started the way-back machine again.
Citroen DS had the first volume production of cars with caliper/disc brakes in 1955. Although production was on the light side that
year but picked up in 1956.
What wasn’t 100% correct and why:
– 1949 Crosley – yes it had attempted to use disc brakes on all four wheels. They used Goodyear/Hawley and used aircraft calipers.
These were not designed for the stop and go traffic. After 6 months all the Goodyear/Hawley brakes were removed and replaced with the standard drum brakes. Although they are often considered the first American car to sport disc brakes even if the production run only lasted a few months.
Crosley Disc Brake Set Up
– Some might say that the 1902 Lanchester in England was the first, however the disc was thin copper and didn’t fare well.
1902 Lanchester's Disc Brake
– The 1949 Chrysler Imperial had a disc brake option, but it did not function like a disc brake system with a pair of disc pressing against in the inside of a drum.
– There were a couple more manufacturers in the mix
Jensen (often considered the first) used four wheel disc brakes on there 1956 Deluxe, but not until Oct of that year and
production was only 50 some cars.
Austin-Healey used Dunlap disc brake on it’s 100 but it was a limited production race care where as Jensen was a street car.
Jaguar equipped their Le Mans winner in 1953, but again not a production car.
Triumph use Girling and Dunlop disc brake set ups in 1955, but mainly as tests (during the same Le Mans where Jaguar won). Girling impressed them the most, but it wasn’t until late 1956 that they began producing road cars with disc brakes.
The most American cars on the list are Honda Accord and Element at 80% and 85% respectively, the Ford Explorer at 85% (90% for the 2010 model year) and the Dodge Grand Caravan at 82%.
As I start gathering the different parts for all the new mods for my ’70 Mustang one thing I’m sure of is that I want a little more ‘bling” under the hood. I think the Ford blue engine paint with the brushed nickel look of the current intake need something to offset that color scheme. I’d like to do most of the brackets for the power steering, alternator, and ac compressor all in chrome. However that’s not going to be possible, if I rely on aftermarket/stock suppliers, as most of my brackets are custom-made. (That’s what you get when you keep the 6 cylinder components when you do a conversion to an 8 cylinder.) So I’m going to make do with what I can find and the rest will remain iron.
Now with the cost of all this mods looming on the horizon and having less than the average budget, I’m trying to upgrade at least the tension portions of the Alternator, A/C and the power steering to chrome. My goal is to replace them with heim joints w/adjustable rods between them. These are not inexpensive and often require some modification.
So in the pursuit of this end I purchased a kit from Summit Racing for my alternator. This was an all aluminum kit and only advertised as being for a ‘stock” 302 engine. So going in I knew that it might not work at all. This turned out to be correct except for the heim joints and the threaded aluminum rod.
So I going to use those for the tension rod for the alternator. However, it wasn’t chrome and had a very heavy coding to make it look like brushed nickel. The goal for this pieces was to polish it up and see how “bling” like it could look. This would be a series of repeated sanding, buffing and polishing.
I used my Dremel, sanding disks and buffing and polishing wheel, 200 and 600 grit sand paper and Purple Metal polish, cotton rag (ok..fine it was an old t-shirt) and a vice.
Dremel buffing while and 160 grit sanding disc
Now the 160 grit disk might have been a bit much but the coating was pretty tough and the disc made quick work but did leave a few marks on the test sample that might have causes a bit more work with the lighter grits.
This is actually purple in color and gritty like rubbing compound.
In short the process started with hitting the test piece (one of the stock bracket parts that wouldn’t fit) with the 160 grit disk via the Dremel. Next I ran the 220 grit sandpaper (by hand) over the aluminum and then the 600 grit and then with the buffing/polishing wheel via the Dremel with a coating of the Purple metal polish. I switched it up by using some metal polish with the 600 grit sandpaper.
It took a lot of elbow grease and a couple of hours. Here is what the test piece looks like. You can see the aluminum w/coating and polished portion.
Chrome? Absolutely as shining as chrome.
Now there are some in perfections in the aluminum and if not being careful with the sanding you can leave gouges but generally you can get this type of shine and it looks very close to chrome without the cost, just some elbow grease.
Next will be the polishing of the actual rod that will connect the two heim joints (they are already polished steel). (I’ve already started, but you won’t see it until it complete.)
As I have mentioned, I love the old station wagons. I love the fact that they are being restored. I even like the fact that many are getting the power plants they needed back then transplanted. Although I have to admit I am growing bit tired of the seen a “Corvette” engine between the front wheels – maybe just the fact that they left the “Corvette” labeling on them.
There were some beauties at this show.
All Custom Wagon 1
Nicely Done.
Here is a nicely done Plymouth:
Plymouth Wagon
Love the Nose of this Ply - They really didn't want any one near it.
Now you can call me a DORK but I love this Ford Wagon.
Ford Wagon
Love the Grille
Hey..I even love the hood ornament.
This Torino Wagon, although banged up and hood all mis-aligned, it’s still a keeper with good tread and not too shabbby wheels. I think it’s a keeper.
Ford Torino Wagon.
Lowered but still standing tall was this beautiful Chevy Wagon.
Loving the paint and the roofline!!
I’ve got a few more post coming up shortly before wrapping the Goodguys’ car show trip.
