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RalphG 01-29-2019 10:08 AM

More Driving Around
 

-44 wind chill factor here this morning so its good to look back at driving the 52 Merc last August in this video. I included some video of working on the trunk lid ornament. I was able to update it with a better plastic Mercury head from a newer Merc. Now I'm thinking I should have painted the background red as a contrasting colour to the Mercury head.
https://youtu.be/6zz6illFHYI

40 Deluxe 01-30-2019 12:08 AM

Re: More Driving Around
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by RalphG (Post 1721283)
-44 wind chill factor here this morning so its good to look back at driving the 52 Merc last August in this video. I included some video of working on the trunk lid ornament. I was able to update it with a better plastic Mercury head from a newer Merc. Now I'm thinking I should have painted the background red as a contrasting colour to the Mercury head.
https://youtu.be/6zz6illFHYI

Ralph, how about hustling out to the ol' Merc with camera in hand and starting it up? Unless there's too much ethanol in your gas, most likely it'll fire right off.

RalphG 01-30-2019 10:05 AM

Re: More Driving Around
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by 40 Deluxe (Post 1721542)
Ralph, how about hustling out to the ol' Merc with camera in hand and starting it up? Unless there's too much ethanol in your gas, most likely it'll fire right off.

Sorry but not going to happen. I'd agree there is a good chance I could get the Merc started at these temps. Might have to use 12 volts to the starter. But I'd consider that extreme abuse of machinery unless it is a life or death situation. I want my old iron to last as long as I do so I try to treat it with a little respect. I know "cold start videos" are the hot thing on youtube but it always makes me cringe watching and knowing the stress that machinery is enduring just so somebody can impress somebody else.
If I have to start any machinery in this extreme cold it will have plenty of pre-heating with block heater, maybe space heater too.

40 Deluxe 01-30-2019 12:44 PM

Re: More Driving Around
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by RalphG (Post 1721601)
Sorry but not going to happen. I'd agree there is a good chance I could get the Merc started at these temps. Might have to use 12 volts to the starter. But I'd consider that extreme abuse of machinery unless it is a life or death situation. I want my old iron to last as long as I do so I try to treat it with a little respect. I know "cold start videos" are the hot thing on youtube but it always makes me cringe watching and knowing the stress that machinery is enduring just so somebody can impress somebody else.
If I have to start any machinery in this extreme cold it will have plenty of pre-heating with block heater, maybe space heater too.

You're right, Ralph. I guess I was regressing to my youth in Minnesota in the '50's and '60's when it gave me a sense of personal triumph when my car (or Dad's chore tractor) would start at 30 below.
The tractor (a TE20 Ferguson) had to start to feed the cattle. So Dad had few tricks to use. We'd set up a piece of cardboard for a windbreak, put some corn cobs in a tin can, add Diesel fuel, light it and set it under the oil pan for a half hour or so. When the starter died (Lucas-English made tractor) he didn't/couldn't get a new one so we had to jack up a back wheel, put it in 4th and turn the wheel to start it (hydraulic pump ran off the front of the engine so couldn't crank it). Come winter, he put 5W-30 oil in the engine and 10W oil with an additive in the trans/rear end. That was standard procedure for two winters. It always started and I never got sucked under the tire. Ah, the good old days!

P.S. Thanks for sending us all your unused cold weather! It toughened us up!

RalphG 01-30-2019 01:13 PM

Re: More Driving Around
 

1 Attachment(s)
I remember the days when cold starts without benefit of electricity were necessary. When the driveway was impassable my dad would leave the Merc parked out by the main road in hopes it would start when he wanted to go to town. So walk a half mile out to the car and listen to the stone cold flathead slowly crank on the little 6 volt battery. Sometimes it started, sometimes not. Battery ran down? Carry it back to the yard and put it on the charger. Borrow another battery off the tractor and see if that would work. Obviously if it was as cold as today it was not worth the walk out there. Just phone a neighbour to pick up needed supplies.


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