 rcr3
Site Ambassador -"19th Year" Silver Supporting Member
Posts: 3875
Age: 71
Loc: MANHEIM PA. U.S.A.
Reg: 11-24-02
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05-03-23 05:14 AM - Post#2857538
In response to 1971BB427
'67 Camaro survivor
'06 Z71 Sierra Ex Cab
'37 Chevy cp.SOLD!!6/7/14
'00 S10 Ex Cab BUILT FOR EVERYDAY,NOT JUST THE HOLIDAYS
'73 Nova pro-street project
'17 Chevy Trax LT
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1971BB427
Contributor
Posts: 580
Loc: Portland,Or
Reg: 12-06-09
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05-26-23 07:54 AM - Post#2858369
In response to rcr3
Had an issue recently with motor mounts, or actually with frame to motor mounts on the '39. Went to a local car show, and on the way home I got almost home when I saw coolant spray on the windshield! The gauge said 180 degrees, so I got the last 8 blocks without any problem. But as I got within the last block I heard a noise that sounded like a water pump bearing going out.
When I pulled into the driveway I shut it off and looked under the car to see coolant running out of the lower radiator hose near the clamp! I removed the hood and looked from the top, and saw the hose was cut right beside the clamp!
I removed the fan belt and when I spun the fan I noticed it was slightly touching the hose cut! Puzzling at first, as I couldn't understand how the clearances had changed? So I looked at the motor mounts and saw my frame had cracked out above both frame mounts! They're made from 2" square box tubing welded to the inside edge of the frame, but appears the old metal had become hardened, and cracked.
So I put it away, as I was headed out of town for a week, and tore into it yesterday. I was able to easily get the fenderwell headers out of the way, and after jacking the engine up, and grinding the paint off the frame, I welded the cracks up. Then I made up plates to slide over the box tubing, and plated the frame with a 3.5"x6" plate. I drilled holes to plug weld it, and then welded it to the frame mount, and perimeter welded it to the frame to spread the load. As a further reinforcement I made up angled 2" wide flat bar braces off the top of the frame that end out at the end of the motor frame mounts. Maybe a little overkill, but it's supported on the sides, and top if the frame, which should make it extremely strong now. Hopefully it wont ever crack again as this took 6 hours to repair, and I don't want to have to do it again!
1969 Suburban 2wd 350
1939 Chevy pass. coupe 350/700R4
1937 Austin gasser 327/TH350
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rcr3
Site Ambassador -"19th Year" Silver Supporting Member
Posts: 3875
Age: 71
Loc: MANHEIM PA. U.S.A.
Reg: 11-24-02
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05-27-23 05:17 AM - Post#2858399
In response to 1971BB427
Sounds like a good fix!
'67 Camaro survivor
'06 Z71 Sierra Ex Cab
'37 Chevy cp.SOLD!!6/7/14
'00 S10 Ex Cab BUILT FOR EVERYDAY,NOT JUST THE HOLIDAYS
'73 Nova pro-street project
'17 Chevy Trax LT
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1971BB427
Contributor
Posts: 580
Loc: Portland,Or
Reg: 12-06-09
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05-27-23 09:16 AM - Post#2858409
In response to rcr3
Sounds like a good fix!
I hope so! It was a real pain to weld in this area, thus the urge to over do it, so it wont ever crack, or break again!
1969 Suburban 2wd 350
1939 Chevy pass. coupe 350/700R4
1937 Austin gasser 327/TH350
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1971BB427
Contributor
Posts: 580
Loc: Portland,Or
Reg: 12-06-09
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07-10-23 04:21 PM - Post#2860181
In response to 1971BB427
Decided to change out my shifter for the 700R4 trans in my coupe. The homemade shifter I built had no lockouts for neutral thru Park, and just didn't feel comfortable not having this. Plus I found a brand new in the box TCI Fast Gate shifter at a swap meet over a year ago, and decided to give it a try. They're about $250 new, and seller wanted $125, but took my $100 offer.
The TCI is a nice shifter, and has a black poly box that doesn't look as bad as some aftermarket shifters. The instructions are good, but did have a couple errors I had to work through, and make guesses where info was wrong, or not there at all.
In the end it took about 4 hours, then a little modifying the next day when the cover sat up too high because of my sound deadener and carpet, which help the cover high, interfering with full range and not quite going fully into 1st. After modifying the cover by cutting 3/8" off the bottom, it fit great. Some minor shift cable adjustment, and it's perfect now.
It comes with two plates so it can be used with 3 or 4 speed automatics, and all the major brands of trans.
1969 Suburban 2wd 350
1939 Chevy pass. coupe 350/700R4
1937 Austin gasser 327/TH350
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 Keith_Knox
Member #189 Moderator and "21th Year" Platinum Supporting Member
Posts: 7085
Age: 82
Loc: Napa, Ca USA
Reg: 04-02-00
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07-11-23 09:12 PM - Post#2860223
In response to 1971BB427
Enjoy your hot rod ingenuity.
29-41, 42-48, 49-54 Moderator
1948 Chevy Fleetmaster Coupe Purchased 6/2010. Stock with rebuilt 52 216 installed May 1966.
1965 Chevy II 2 door post 350 3 speed manual
2019 Ford Ranger Lariat Super Crewcab |
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1971BB427
Contributor
Posts: 580
Loc: Portland,Or
Reg: 12-06-09
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07-13-23 08:55 AM - Post#2860266
In response to Keith_Knox
The line lock on the shifter didn't last long! I came out the next day to see it was gone, and a quick search I found it laying on the floor with the elastic band snapped!
It seems the larger shifter arm was too much of a stretch for the band, and it simply gave up. I looked through my various used inner tube pieces I keep for various repairs, and nothing small enough to work. I thought about it awhile, and then came to the conclusion I'm never shifting the car when using the line lock, so why did it need to be on the shifter? Just needs to be easily reached when the car is in the staging lane.
So I tried various location on the shifter cover box, and found a spot on top towards the drivers side that was good. Got out my black RTV gasket maker and put a bead across the back of the line lock button, and stuck it down. Put a couple strips of tape across it to hold it until it set up, and the next day pulled the tape off. Worked great, and is easier to use than the backside position on the shifter was.
1969 Suburban 2wd 350
1939 Chevy pass. coupe 350/700R4
1937 Austin gasser 327/TH350
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1971BB427
Contributor
Posts: 580
Loc: Portland,Or
Reg: 12-06-09
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07-16-23 05:00 PM - Post#2860370
In response to 1971BB427
Yesterday I was at a local cruise day where everyone drives their cars up and down main street, or parks to watch, just like we did in the 60's!
I had just parked my '39 Chev and walked down the street a block to take some pictures, when a guy in an old Ford roadster began trying to get away from the curb, and was reefing on his steering wheel to get it turned to get out. Suddenly there was a loud bang, and I saw the wheel jerk the direction he was pulling it! I was surprised, but the guy driving was REALLY surprised! It sounded and looked like something broke in his steering!
I walked over and asked if I might give him a hand? He of course said he didn't know what happened, but now his steering wheel had over half a turn of free play! I looked underneath at the steering box, and told him to move the steering wheel both directions. When he did the whole steering box was moving away and towards the mounting plate! Two bolts were completely loose, and one top bolt was all that held the Vega box!
I told him I had tools down the street, and maybe we could fix it. But when I tried to tighten the two bolts that were sitting in the mount they only got snug before jumping the threads! I pulled one out and the bolt looked perfect. Grade 8, and no stripped threads. But the steering box brackets were threaded and two of them were stripped out!
I suggested we walk up the street 4-5 blocks to an Ace Hardware, and buy bolts a half inch longer, and locking nuts, and we could fix it. So we walked up and bought 3 Grade 8 3/8" bolts, locknuts, and washers.
Came back and replaced all three bolts, and added the locking nuts to keep everything together. He gave it a try, and said it felt tighter than it ever had felt in the two years he's driven it.
My guess is the 3 bolts had worked loose, and turning the wheel had continued to work the steering box until his hard turn to drive away from the curb pulled the cast iron threads.
So since I have the same Vega box on my '39, I headed to the hardware store today and bought 3 Grade 8 bolts, and nylock nuts, and replaced all of my bolts too, just so I wont worry every time I drive mine too! Plenty of room to add a nut at each location, and only a 10 minute job to change to longer bolts and nuts.
1969 Suburban 2wd 350
1939 Chevy pass. coupe 350/700R4
1937 Austin gasser 327/TH350
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Keith_Knox
Member #189 Moderator and "21th Year" Platinum Supporting Member
Posts: 7085
Age: 82
Loc: Napa, Ca USA
Reg: 04-02-00
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07-17-23 04:36 PM - Post#2860413
In response to 1971BB427
Good Job. Better safe than sorry.
29-41, 42-48, 49-54 Moderator
1948 Chevy Fleetmaster Coupe Purchased 6/2010. Stock with rebuilt 52 216 installed May 1966.
1965 Chevy II 2 door post 350 3 speed manual
2019 Ford Ranger Lariat Super Crewcab |
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1971BB427
Contributor
Posts: 580
Loc: Portland,Or
Reg: 12-06-09
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09-14-23 09:45 AM - Post#2862569
In response to Keith_Knox
As with any of our old cars, we're never really done. I recently took a longer drive to the vintage drags which was all freeway driving both ways. The next day I got out and washed all the bugs off the '39, and noticed my license plate was angled way further back than normal! A quick inspection revealed my repro bracket had cracked from catching wind while driving at high speed for a long time.
So I figured I'd remove it, and repair it, but also reinforce the cracked area. So pulled the light and bracket, and plated the backside with some 1"x1/8" flat bar, and it was much stronger!
Then the next day I was at a car show and parked right beside an original '39 Chev coupe and noticed his license plate bracket had a little 1/4" support rod through the trunk lid! My trunk lid is fiberglass, so it didn't have the hole, or indent where a rod would go, so had to figure out another method to do a rod that would correct the angles, and secure the license plate.
I searched through my bins of scrap metal and discovered some 3/8" aluminum rod, and grabbed some more 1" flat bar, and a 1/4" coupler nut. I cut the flat bar to length, and drilled two holes 7" apart to bolt to my license plate frame. Then welded the coupler nut to the center. Painted it satin black and sat it aside.
Next I took the 3/8 aluminum rod to my lathe and turned it down to 1/4" on both ends. One end just 3/8" long, and the other 1" long. Threaded both ends 1/4-20, and then began bending it until it was the correct angle to match the trunk surface.
Threaded it into the coupler nut, and marked and drilled a 1/4" hole through the trunk lid. Bolted it together using a stainless washer outside with foam rubber under the washer, and a large fender washer and nylock nut inside.
Plenty strong enough to pull kids on skateboards now, and wont be bending again!
1969 Suburban 2wd 350
1939 Chevy pass. coupe 350/700R4
1937 Austin gasser 327/TH350
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rcr3
Site Ambassador -"19th Year" Silver Supporting Member
Posts: 3875
Age: 71
Loc: MANHEIM PA. U.S.A.
Reg: 11-24-02
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09-14-23 12:56 PM - Post#2862572
In response to 1971BB427
'67 Camaro survivor
'06 Z71 Sierra Ex Cab
'37 Chevy cp.SOLD!!6/7/14
'00 S10 Ex Cab BUILT FOR EVERYDAY,NOT JUST THE HOLIDAYS
'73 Nova pro-street project
'17 Chevy Trax LT
|
|
Keith_Knox
Member #189 Moderator and "21th Year" Platinum Supporting Member
Posts: 7085
Age: 82
Loc: Napa, Ca USA
Reg: 04-02-00
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09-14-23 08:52 PM - Post#2862576
In response to 1971BB427
Good job. That is what Hot Rodding is all about.
29-41, 42-48, 49-54 Moderator
1948 Chevy Fleetmaster Coupe Purchased 6/2010. Stock with rebuilt 52 216 installed May 1966.
1965 Chevy II 2 door post 350 3 speed manual
2019 Ford Ranger Lariat Super Crewcab |
|
1971BB427
Contributor
Posts: 580
Loc: Portland,Or
Reg: 12-06-09
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09-16-23 07:38 AM - Post#2862590
In response to Keith_Knox
Thanks. I never see any stock '39 coupes, so it took awhile to see one and know how they supported the license plate. It really acts like a mini spoiler sitting up there as it does!
1969 Suburban 2wd 350
1939 Chevy pass. coupe 350/700R4
1937 Austin gasser 327/TH350
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