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1951 Pontiac Chieftain


PhilA

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leave it like that and then fit 1 french yellow head light on the opposite side to really fuck with people  :mrgreen:

 

on a more serious note do ya have a picture of the old cadmium glass indicator bulb? im curious about its details I dont think iv come across a Proper coloured glass indicator bulb before, just Cadmium yellow head lamp bulbs (but iv never heavily focused on automative lighting)

 

as to what I prefer hard for me to say, as these are running lights not just indicators right?

Said bulb.

 

post-5454-0-91901500-1539635861_thumb.jpg

 

I put the white bulb back in.

 

Phil

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No marking other than what you see in the picture.

 

ah thats a shame ill share it with one of my north American lighting friends and ill see if they can properly ID it :)

 

its interesting to see a Coloured twin filament bulb, AFAIK we just use twin filament bulbs in the rear brake lights and those bulbs are always clear. and like you say this one has a properly coloured glass bulb rather then a cheap lacquer coating :)

 

I do recall coloured twin filament bulbs being talked about when others here where trying to get the Olds 88 through an MOT.

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Had a bad day, so decided to beat on things with a hammer.

 

post-5454-0-01070100-1539655333_thumb.jpg

 

Took a go at removing the upper bearing in the steering column.

 

post-5454-0-44127100-1539655368_thumb.jpg

 

Huzzah. Wired the horn wire up out of the way. Need to get some wire to put down.

 

post-5454-0-75916200-1539655482_thumb.jpg

 

Bearing was all dry. Oiled it up but it might need to come apart and be cleaned up some more.

 

Phil

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No marking other than what you see in the picture.

 

did this lamp come with the car?

 

because while we where not able to deduce a manufacture, my US friends said it is a very old lamp may be original to the car....

 

(it looks like there may be some markings under 2057 but we cant make em out, our current best guess is its made by Chicago miniature)

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No, it was in my Renault. So, define "old"? 1986? That's when my Renault was assembled.

 

I can take more pictures but there's not really a lot on it. That's just shadows and oxidization below the number stamp, that's all I saw on it.

 

Phil

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No, it was in my Renault. So, define "old"? 1986? That's when my Renault was assembled.

 

I can take more pictures but there's not really a lot on it. That's just shadows and oxidization below the number stamp, that's all I saw on it.

 

Phil

 

 

interesting :)

 

because by 1986 most lamps where lacquered ( when it came to regular coloured lightbulbs by 1986 those that where transparent colours where lacquered, for example the famous crompton harlequin lamps or red fireglow lamps)

 

naturally coloured glass is quite expensive and can be a PITA to work with, so most lamp makers switched away from naturally coloured glass bulbs as soon as possible (ie when stable high temperature lacquers where properly developed)

 

however automotive lamps are not my forte and I do know US lamp companies do like to make 1 lamp design for many years

 

so it may well be from 1986 but based off of an older design, or it may of been old stock at the time and may really be from 1950 something :)

 

all in all its quite intriguing for me :)

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Blast. I pulled on the wire.

 

It was already broken off at the bottom.

 

That'll be why it didn't work. However, there's a clamp at the bottom. Secured with a screw. Upside-down. In spider webs.

 

I'll try to sort it tomorrow. I'm going to have to try and stuff it in up from the bottom and I'm not looking forward to that experience.

 

 

Phil

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I found my stubby screwdriver so decided to have a go at getting to the fixing.

 

post-5454-0-68304600-1539742198_thumb.jpg

 

Horn wire goes in here. That screw is rusted solid. Penetrating oil on it now, hopefully that helps.

 

Also ordered a 12V horn relay from a 1957 Chieftain. That should be in soonish.

 

There's an access plate down by the brake pedal so you can get to the master cylinder, might see about going in that way.

 

Phil

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Well that's not bad, considering Technical Expert has to drive to location, figure out you've bought the wrong part, pull out inner wheel arches etc etc.

 

I'm glad the lights, in general, are accessible from the outside, all with the same type of screwdriver (which the car was supplied with).

 

 

Phil

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Had a bit of a read of the service manual on the steering box. It outlines adjustments, which is good.

 

post-5454-0-47432100-1539915402_thumb.jpg

 

I don't think it's been touched in a while. I'm going to get that cleaned up and see just what "special wrench J-1032" is meant to look like, for tightening the nut on the worm gear lash adjustment. Probably a regular flat stamped wrench if the top one there is anything to go by.

 

Also, hiding in plain sight (only when leaned right over to reach into the engine bay) I found the windshield washer nozzle holes.

 

post-5454-0-87149800-1539915620_thumb.jpg

 

Should be able to make or find nozzles to go into there. The jars turn up on eBay regularly.

 

Phil

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Also of interest:

 

https://www.autorestorationice.com/2015/06/1951-pontiac-chieftain.html?m=0

 

From 2015. I'm looking and seeing how many parts have been taken off since then. Interesting, shall have to look underneath, the frame's been notched apparently.

New brakes. That explains quite a lot.

 

That was 2015..

 

Phil

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At this point in time, no. It's been done long enough that it's part of the car's character. It's got more clearance underneath than my Challenger had, stock, so it should be ok.

 

It's not meant to be a fast car anyway.

 

Horn relay should be in today or tomorrow. I'm going to ask about as to the original location of the thing. It's a reproduction model but it's physically correct.

 

I need to get some metal punches, too. Quite a lot of the repro parts were stamped, most of them now printed.

 

Phil

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