Two more ghost towns in Old Henry - Modena, UT and Pioche, NV

[blucar]

I have always been an advocate of making mechanical improvements to old cars, however, there's a point when one has to consider the point at which modifications really accomplish very little.
I think generators and 6v vs. alternators and 12v, is one of those issues that are better left alone.
I'm still running an original, (no idea how many times it has been rebuilt) '46-48 6v generator and a retro fitted voltage regulator on my '36 Ford. I have driven my '36 in excess of 94k during the 62+ years I have owned the car. Looking through the vehicle log book I can only note three time that a generator failed, the same is true of the regulator. By the same token I have never had a water pump fail since the engine was last rebuilt in 1962. That would be a little over 39K ago.
Of course I'm the only one that has ever done any maintenance work on the car. I know that the fan belt has to be maintained with about one inch of slack, when pushed with a finger midway between the generator and a water-pump pulley.
A fan belt that is to tight will destroy the generator and water-pump bushings.
I'm very familiar with the central Nevada area that "Old Henry" wrote about, Love that part of Nevada, have been driving through there several times a year for the past sixty years. ( If my wives health was better I would be sitting outside of Ely right not enjoying my morning coffee on my way to Idaho/Montana)..
There was a time many years ago when Central Nevada, between Tonopah and Twin Falls was not as desolate as it is now, there were small settlements with service stations and cafes about every thirty miles or so. All of these service areas had an abundant supply of parts for the Ford V8 engines, lets face it, there was a time when the Ford V8 was the SBC of it's era...
Actually I'm quite jealous of Old Henry, I just told my brother, he lives in Idaho Falls, that next spring I'm going to get my "Henry" (36 Ford} out, service it up at drive it to Eastern Idaho, along the two-lane roads that we traveled so many times in years gone bye...
You can be assured that I will have a spare generator and starter, maybe a spare coil..
I think I'll switch the tires to tubeless radials so that I won't have to worry about a tube failure... Hate tubes in tires. the last flat I had was due to tube failure..

[Old Henry]

Originally Posted by blucar

There was a time many years ago when Central Nevada, between Tonopah and Twin Falls was not as desolate as it is now, there were small settlements with service stations and cafes about every thirty miles or so.

Yeah, I found that out with a surprise in last year's trip. That 168 mile stretch from Ely to Tonapah I thought would have gas at Currant or Warm Springs had none. I was in suspense running on fumes pulling into Tonapah going west and Ely going east wondering if I'd make it to the gas station and was greatly relieved when I did. I had to get better than 11 mpg to make that on 15 gallons of gas. That was a stretch.

[Drbrown]

Thanks for sharing your adventures with us. Those of us in the green forested mountainous and perhaps more lake populated northeast obviously don't have that particular "expansive and grand monumental scenery" you enjoy. True we also have historic places but I love those ghost towns and abandoned buildings.

Aside from the generator problem, Old Henry sounds like a joy to drive. happy wheeling ............

[blucar]

Old Henry...I would make one suggestion for a "must have" modification to your '47.. An electric fuel pump, mounted as close to the tank as possible. The pump should be switched separately, only being used to "break a vapor lock" and/or take over when the mechanical pump has failed. Make sure that the electric pump is the type that the mechanical pump can pull fuel through.
In about 1952 I had a job offer to go to work for Standard Oil, I had to attend a two week training school in Ogden, UT as a condition of the job.
I left Idaho Falls late in the evening heading for Ogden. Just before mid-night, starting up the Mallad Pass my Ford started to cut out, fuel pump failure. I tried all of the usual tricks, cutting pieces of leather from my belt, placing the leather in the fuel pump push rod cup to increase the throw, that worked for a few miles.
I finally nursed the Ford over the pass and made it to my cousins house in Ogden. I put a new pump on my Ford the next day and added an electric pump near the fuel tank..
By 1954 I had moved to Vegas. A friend and I decided to take a drive to Los Angeles for the weekend.. Just outside of Barstow the fuel pump started to fail. not to worry turned on the electric pump, drove on into Colton where I picked up a new fuel pump and installed it on the Ford.
Ah, the good Ole days... Travel by auto was an adventure..

[Old Henry]

Originally Posted by blucar

Old Henry...I would make one suggestion for a "must have" modification to your '47.. An electric fuel pump, mounted as close to the tank as possible.

Yeah, I learned my lesson about vapor lock and electric fuel pumps on our Pike's Peak climb in 2011. I installed the electric fuel pump just as you have suggested right after that and use it almost constantly in the summer, especially in the mountains. I went without it for a while just to be authentic but got tired of stopping, opening the hood, and pouring water on the fuel pump to break the vapor lock so installed the electric back up flow through fuel pump. I know, it's not totally authentic, but I made that one sacrifice in my principles mainly because the modern fuels are not like the ancient ones and are more prone to vapor lock. It felt those new uncontrollable and new circumstances justified my deviation from totally authentic.

[green50]

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[Ol' Ron]

I would think you should get better mileage. If we can get 20 MPG fron a big camed up engine, you should be able to do better. Can you have an AF meter installed for your next trip. might tell you where you can improve the mileage.

[Old Henry]

I'm afraid I'm not as sophisticated as an A/F meter. I just look at the plugs. If they're light tan I figure the mixture is lean enough and shouldn't go any leaner. If they're darker then I can change reduce the size of jets in my carburetor to lean it out a bit. If they're white I need to richen it up. Right now the plugs seem just right so I'll probably leave my carburetor as it is.

[Ross F-1]

Plug color is a poor indicator. As I recall you are running something in the mid-40's for jet size? That would be very lean for an 8BA, I suspect it is for your engine as well. (And I am as high up as you).

[Old Henry]

I'm running what Uncle Max recommended when he rebuilt my carburetor. I believe it is 47's. He just lives 50 miles from me at my same elevation. He should know.

[Ol' Ron]

Well the timing could be alittle retarded in cruise if the Vac brake isn't adjusted right. I run 28 in cruise and 20 for power, for climbing those hills your so fond of.

[Old Henry]

At my elevation (5,000 feet) I have the vacuum brake adjusted all the way out for maximum advance as well as the static timing. Never get any pings and have maximum idle vacuum and maximum power at those settings. It is still noticeably less power than I have when I get down to the elevation where most of you live. When we went to Death Valley the power was amazing and I did have to retard the timing a bit to prevent pinging.

[Old Henry]

Got the generator fixed in two days by local shop that's been fixing generators since 1958. So, we're back on the road again . . . at night.

[66f100]

Nice pictures and descriptions! Thanks for sharing!