What I Did on My Lunch Hour

[Vic Piano]

Bill, I'll take a photo of one and post it here later today.

This Just In...

I received more photos of the fun at the Florida "Barner's Bash", from Wayne D.
Here's Keith at the Fantasy of Flight...

Al with Kermit.

The Benoist resteration.

My '53 Crestline Sunliner waiting her turn for her third restoration, I've had this car for 41 years...

Working on the fuel pump replacement at Art's house...

Keith at Milt's with one of his "T"s.

[Vic Piano]

Originally Posted by oldbugger

Vic, are you using the dot 5 silicone brake fluid? I had to use a mechanical switch on a couple of my cars. But I sure like not having all of the issues of stuck cylinders and rust in the system.

Paul, No, I use dot 3 brake fluid in all our Flatheads.

[Vic Piano]

Originally Posted by BILL WZOREK

Vic:
I am not familiar with the switch, is it one wire or two wire?
What happens to them? { yea I know they no longer work }
Do you have one that went bad (as it came off the car ) that you could send me?

Bill,

Your '53 should have the same switch on the master cylinder, mounted on the engine side of the firewall (aka dashboard, Ford nomenclature).

[Steves46]

Originally Posted by Vic Piano

Last October, the day that we left for the Moonshine Festival in Dawsonville, GA, I put a new brake light switch on the master cylinder in the '39 CS. It has been my experience that brake light switches usually last several years, before needing to be replaced. However, these "new", made in China switches are only lasting an average of four or five months... This is the second one to go bad in that time frame. I had also replaced the switch on the '39 LZ... Sure wish I could find a stash of USA made switches...

Hi Vic. A couple of years ago, I bought a low pressure brake switch from Ron Francis Wiring and it's still working great. You may want to check it out. Steve.

[Vic Piano]

Thanks Steve, I'll check it out.

[green50]

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Hey Vic, ever consider one of these?

[Vic Piano]

Wow... that looks like some kind of medieval torture device LOL Is it suppose to mount under the floorboard so that depressing the brake peddle pushes against the arm and activates the switch, instead of pressure from the master cylinder, like a mechanical brake system?

[Marv]

Vic go to your Harley Davidson dealer and buy you a brake switch like the original, except for making adapters for the wire ends and you should be in good shape.

[Vic Piano]

Well, I just installed the "new" brake light switch and now the '39 CS once again has brake lights... Marv, I buy 12 volt circuit breakers from HD as they fit in the bracket that holds the originals in the '51 F-1 that I converted to 12 volts.

[BILL WZOREK]

Vic: I've ridden with you, I don't know why you need stop lites / you never stop just kind of slow down Grab 1 gear lower and away we go ( SHOULD SAY WENT ) LOL / LOL

[Vic Piano]

C'mon Bill... You are giving me a bad reputation... LOL

[KM/ROADSTERS]

Vic- thanks for posting the pics of me and dad at the 2013 "Barners" bash. Recently had to change the pressure switch on his 50 Merc, discovered it was bad during our "fun" times during the bash. I agree the new replacement items today, are CRAP. Try "Rock Auto", they're only online, but most products are from USA companies, and I've never had an issue with anything I ordered from them.

[Vic Piano]

Keith, thanks, I'll give them a try. I've gotten all the "electrical" issues worked out, including the brake light switch, now the PV in the carb is acting up... the fun just never stops...

[Vic Piano]

Today, here in usually sunny Florida, we are being treated to some liquid sunshine so, on my lunch hour, I'm going into the garage to do battle with the mechanical fuel pumps on both the '39 LZ and the '39 CS... I'm really leaning toward installing electric fuel pumps in both... I had a similar problem a number of years ago with mechanical fuel pumps in our '51 F-1. A change to an electric fuel pump ended all the problems, and it has been working fine all this time. I know that electric fuel pumps can also go bad but, in my experience, not at the same degree of regularity that the mechanical ones do... We'll see how things go today...

[Vic Piano]

This is a bit off topic but I thought some of you would get a kick out of it. This "social media" is a trip... I just got a friend request on Facebook from an Army buddy I haven't seen in 43 years... He posted this photo of us taken in '71... I'm on the right... Don't remember ever being that young...

[green50]

Originally Posted by Vic Piano

Keith, thanks, I'll give them a try. I've gotten all the "electrical" issues worked out, including the brake light switch, now the PV in the carb is acting up... the fun just never stops...

Vic, how did you solve the brake light switch issue? I ask because mine seems to take a lot of pressure to activate the lights. Thinking of going to a low pressure switch. Thanks

[Vic Piano]

Gene, I tested the circuit with a test light, got power to the switch, jumped it and got power to the brake lights... Swapped out the switch and now the '39 CS has brake lights again.

[Steves46]

Originally Posted by green50

Vic, how did you solve the brake light switch issue? I ask because mine seems to take a lot of pressure to activate the lights. Thinking of going to a low pressure switch. Thanks

Gene, the switch on my 46 was behaving the same way and then I made the change to a low pressure switch-100% improvement. Steve

[TomT/Williamsburg]

Originally Posted by Vic Piano

Today, here in usually sunny Florida, we are being treated to some liquid sunshine so, on my lunch hour, I'm going into the garage to do battle with the mechanical fuel pumps on both the '39 LZ and the '39 CS... I'm really leaning toward installing electric fuel pumps in both... I had a similar problem a number of years ago with mechanical fuel pumps in our '51 F-1. A change to an electric fuel pump ended all the problems, and it has been working fine all this time. I know that electric fuel pumps can also go bad but, in my experience, not at the same degree of regularity that the mechanical ones do... We'll see how things go today...

I know this topic has been beaten to death but we all know it's the new gas that is killing the pumps. Charlie, NY did both of mine for my 40 (thanks, man!) and the roadster and I've been using what the boating guys use, Startron, every time I fill up. This keeps the ethanol from killing all those components that can dry up from it. Just a cap full but so far so good. I also use an electric pump "in line" so that before I start up, I turn on the electric pump, wait a few seconds for the noise of the pump to drop off/quiet down, start it, then shut the pump off.

Don't know if doing this saves the life of the mechanical pump but it sure starts well enough even after a coupe of months of sitting there. One final thing - these cars need to be driven and at speed from time to time after sitting. Starting them up, doing a parade lap, and then putting them away really does them more harm than good IMHO. Just like us here on the barn that are finely "aged", we need to limber up from time to time to keep all of the juices flowing properly!

[Vic Piano]

Tom, I'm in total agreement with you, I think I'll pick up some Startron. I'm also going to install electric pumps, in line with the mechanical, to see how that works... One thing I can't be accused of, is letting our Flatheads sit for to long... LOL