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Old 05-16-2019, 07:04 PM   #1
daveymc29
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Default 33 fordor that was unreliable update

So thanks for the help and pointers that you folks have so graciously provided. This tale of woe ends with a car that is now being driven at least once a week, on average, and comes to town to join us for a cup of coffee most Sunday mornings, if the owner is in town. I hear that he gets in, starts it up and drives the seven or so miles to our Pete's coffee and have seen him fire it right up and drive off after our meet. so it seems to be much better than before.

The sad part of this is that it has been to at least three shops and now has a number of non-original parts replacing things that could have been fixed properly the first time and I feel badly for the amount of money he has spent to do so much damage to a fairly nice survivor with exchanging parts like a shotgun blast, until finding something that has worked. I believe he is into it about $20K to this point.

The engine, which I believe was fine, needing to be cleaned up and possibly a ring and valve job, has been lost to cracking from overheating. I feel sure I could have resolved the heating problem with proper analysis of his problem and corrective action before the damage grew to be unrepairable.

The original radiator has been replaced by an aluminum one that I think was not necessary. Had he allowed me to, I would have pulled it and had it restored by a competent radiator shop and perhaps even have dispensed with the after market electric fan system which was replaced by another of a different make.

The front suspension has been mostly replaced, which I also think I could have salvaged. An F100 steering box has been adapted and is functional, though I believe his original could have been rebuilt and would look more correct. I know if he needed (and/or) just wanted the F100, that I could have built up one for him for a few hundred dollars that would have retained the light and horn setup as original, where he now has a series of switches and a button on the dash.

So I'm happy that he didn't just haul it to the scrap heap, but sure wish he had taken me up on my offer to fix it for him and charge him the actual cost.
This project points out how important it is to follow a plan, have guidance when you are guessing and get real professional help from a reliable source if you cant do your own work. Thanks to all that aided the effort. At least it is now roadworthy and reliable.
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Old 05-16-2019, 08:30 PM   #2
koates
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Default Re: 33 fordor that was unreliable update

Sadly this scenario is all to common for owners who don't know how to repair old cars or cant find anyone else to do the job correctly. The end result is a car that is butchered up and never to be original again. The worst thing about this is the fixers don't even realise the damage they have done. But in their eyes its fixed ok. Regards, Kevin.
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Old 05-17-2019, 08:32 AM   #3
19Fordy
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Default Re: 33 fordor that was unreliable update

daveymc29: I don't recall the original post but it is a shame that the 33 owner didn't follow through with your expertise. Any idea of why he didn't take you up on your offer to fix his car?
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Old 05-17-2019, 11:27 AM   #4
TJ
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Default Re: 33 fordor that was unreliable update

You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink. Obviously the owner talked with other people and made the choice to have others fix the car. No use fretting over it as people make choices and there is nothing you can do but stand back and watch. Just remember if something goes wrong you don't get the blame.
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Old 05-17-2019, 09:45 PM   #5
daveymc29
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Default Re: 33 fordor that was unreliable update

You can lead a horse to drink, but you also can't make him water. My friend felt that having me fix his machine was too much of an imposition. He got sold a bill of goods and thought it would be way to much work for me. I made the off about 10 years ago when I was much more able to do the work in a timely manner and I had the room in my garage. Since then I have added more trash to my collection and even another car or two so now I am too old and out of room and energy for this sort of project, but at the time I really felt up to it as I have owned quite a few of the V8's. Mostly 40 Fords but a few others also and his had a 59AB engine, which I have redone several of and they seem to me to be a very good engine.Fortunately the last "good ol' boy" to work on his car did know what he was doing and found another 59AB which seems to be doing fine. I sure wish he had taken me up on my offer years ago, it was a very nice car and had mostly period stuff in it. Not restored by any means, but a good daily driver that needed a few bits of car and refreshing, but a solid driver which he let sit too much, then got frustrated with and began throwing money at it. He has money, but that isn't the point here. He lost a lot of the original car along the path.
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Old 05-19-2019, 12:10 AM   #6
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Default Re: 33 fordor that was unreliable update

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Quote:
Originally Posted by koates View Post
Sadly this scenario is all to common for owners who don't know how to repair old cars or cant find anyone else to do the job correctly. The end result is a car that is butchered up and never to be original again. The worst thing about this is the fixers don't even realise the damage they have done. But in their eyes its fixed ok. Regards, Kevin.
I agree Kevin Henry actually made a damn fine car. With a little regular maintenance and common sense they function just fine as they were built.
The more I go on the more I distrust modern "upgrades" Only yesterday one or my friends ( a 1934 Chev owner ) drove my car . He commented how good my brakes were and actually asked me what I had done to them and did I have an hydraulic upgrade in it . He felt that they were much better than his Chev and equivalent to his modern car. The response was stock standard BUT adjusted correctly , good drums , original type linings , shoes centered correctly , Rollers all good, Cross shaft in the correct position All Clevis pins absent slop and everything lubricated correctly.

My Model A runs like a swizz watch - I run the standard points and condenser. but again the points are NOS as is the condenser. For years I ran the modern points and condenser plate . What a nightmare to set the point gap and it runs better with the original set up . Ah but the condenser will over heat and fail I hear but now been going strong for 10 years with no problems !




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