My countdown to Hemmings......

[jim1932]

OK... most of you know by now that I suffer through my car being 7 hours away at my Father's house.... after many set backs (including needing to cancel on the Hiawassee meet do to job issues). I am finally going up for a long trip, leaving Thursday and staying up there 18 days! As you can see by the photo I have all my goodies out and packing them up.

If I am really lucky I will be surprising Oldford2 (John) at the Pittsfield Piston Poppers Cruise on July 10th then hit the Hemmings Cruise on Friday the 13th.

Wish me luck....

[DavidG]

Jim,

Enjoy!

Dave

[jim1932]

OK.... since I am going from just starting the car and driving it around the outside of the garage to actually taking it down the road. Let me know if I am missing anything.

We cleaned the gas tank and added an in-line gas filter, dropped the oil pan and cleaned the pan and oilpump (and added oil). Rebuilt carb and fuelpump (well Ken did the pump), We will flush the radiator and replace the hoses, plugs points and condensor, I will repack the wheel bearings, new tires and tubes.

The brakes work. Do I need to drain/replace/check transmision gear oil and/or rear end oil? I guess I need to grease all the fittings too right?

Am I missing anything important? Probably do a few short, flat, trips then take it 3 miles down the road for gas. If no issues I will then take it on a 10 mile loop with a hill on it. Have cell phone. Dad has a car trailer handy if it breaks down.

[PeteVS]

How far is it from your dad's to the Hemmings Cruise?

[DavidG]

Jim,

It sounds like a plan. Yes, you should at a minimum check to make sure that there is sufficient gear oil in the transmission and rear end and since it has probably been many moons since that oil was changed, you probably should drain the old and start out with new. Also add grease to the various fittings, but don't overdo as that can lead to trouble with your brakes. On the rear grease fitting on your water pump you should use a grease with a low melting point to avoid clogging your radiator's tubes.

The test runs you plan make very good sense, as does having access to a trailer should the need arise for rescue.

Good luck!

[done4]

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Don't forget that extra can of gas. Very important also, I won't tell you how I know.

[jim1932]

It is only 27.6 miles to Bennington for us. I rode it on my bike when I was a kid. Long climb through Pownal as I recall. We were passing cars on the way home... no helmets of course . I also rode my bicycle from the top of the mohawk trail to plymouth in one day on a dare. I did it, but had a hard time walking for a few days.....

[Manuel]

Post some pics of your car on the run Jim.

Manuel in Oz

[ford38v8]

Not that this will keep you from completing your test run, but before you go out, check your shocks. If they are frozen, you could rip out the mounts on the frame.

[J Franklin]

Only pump a few times on the grease zerks at the backing plates in the rear for the rear wheel bearings.

[jim1932]

Originally Posted by ford38v8

Not that this will keep you from completing your test run, but before you go out, check your shocks. If they are frozen, you could rip out the mounts on the frame.

Oops forgot to mention those. They should be waiting for me when I get there all rebuild by Bill

[jim1932]

Originally Posted by J Franklin

Only pump a few times on the grease zerks at the backing plates in the rear for the rear wheel bearings.

So I don't need to pull the wheels and re pack them?

[Charlie Stephens]

Take some gas stabilzer with you to dump in the tank when you leave (assuming it will be some time before the next drive).

Charlie Stephens

[BrianCT]

Originally Posted by jim1932

So I don't need to pull the wheels and re pack them?

Re-packing bearings is a very good idea. Make sure that you have new
grease seals before you pull the old ones out. And use the timken long fiber grease.

[oldford2]

Jim,

Maybe we can meet you up in Williamstown and follow you up. I have a heavy duty tow rope in the trunk that has a tag on it "Chevy tow rope". But it works on Fords too. Just in case.

John

[jim1932]

Originally Posted by oldford2

Jim,

Maybe we can meet you up in Williamstown and follow you up. I have a heavy duty tow rope in the trunk that has a tag on it "Chevy tow rope". But it works on Fords too. Just in case.

John

I will be in touch before I head up. We could meet at 5 corners. It would be a good photo Op.

[jim1932]

Just waiting for some old cars in front isn't it?

[jerseyboy]

Jim,

Congrats, now aren't you glad you didn't tear it all apart for a total restoration? I wish I was where you are.

Will you be at your dad's most of the time?

Keep 4-banging!

[jim1932]

Going to be a complicated few weeks. Daughters horse shows up in manchester, vt on Monday. I will be splitting time between the car and the horse show. It is a little over an hour one way between the show and my Dad's. Just got up here tonight 400 miles in 7 hours....not bad for i95, NJTP and NY thruway.

Tomarrow I will get the car running again (dried out cork in fuel pump). Flush the radiator and see what I find then get the car on jack stands and change the tires and tubes and grease wheels. Then I'll do the shocks while the wheels are off.....oh and the rear leaf bushings..(hopefully Dick Spadaro will have them in stock)...busy, busy, busy........ Oh yeah and I am supposed to do some tourist stuff with the wife too......

[Cecil/WV]

What do you plan to do in your spare time??

[jim1932]

Wow Bsrn find..... oh wait I remember that car...its mine..... Well, swaped the fuel pump out and cursed a lot. seemed to work she finally fired right up. Liberated her from the garage and washed off 30 years of dust and dirt (oh crap there goes my Rouge award..LOL). It now fires right up and sounds perfect (no knockiing, skipping etc.) but it does smoke a lot. Is this just it burning out all the crap from the engine? It still hasn't run for more than a couple minutes at a pop. I plan on topping the radiator off and doing the mile or two down the road thing tomarrow.

[jim1932]

Originally Posted by Cecil/WV

What do you plan to do in your spare time??

The trick is my wife goes home Sunday through wednesday of both weeks. Long hours on the car those days

[jim1932]

Success... here we are 4 miles away getting the forst fill up in 25 years...

[jim1932]

...... and here we are a mile later stuck on the side of the road. Hmmm I guess I should have remembered to put that fuel fliter in the line before we mixed all the crap in the tank up......... As my neighbor who restores Dodges said... it is a rite of initiation..

[jerseyboy]

Jim,

Great pictures and the car looks great too!

Keep 4-banging!

[jim1932]

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Originally Posted by jerseyboy

Jim,

Great pictures and the car looks great too!

Keep 4-banging!

At least it brokedown in a picturesque spot

[jim1932]

well... definately not getting the car to Hemmings (this is getting old), but making progreess. Got the door panel on. Then the lock spring snapped... I think I weakened it by bending it too much in instalation. At least the door latch works good.

[jim1932]

Well I didn't make it with my car, but here are the fords I saw there.....

[jim1932]

http://jrodda.smugmug.com/Cars/Hemmi...8274&k=jC6mHNr

Ooops

[jim1932]

The white Fury belongs to my dad's neighbor.... the baracuda is just my choice of a muscle car (mustangs are just too damn common)