project 1951 Pontiac Chieftain

[hairnet]

phil was hungry

[Guest Hooli]

Is this because the snakes ate all the spiders?

 

That's ok, the Mongoose ate the snakes.

[PhilA]

And the alligators got the mongoose!

[PhilA]

 

Gauges arrived today. Very surprised.

 

They are reasonably accurate, which is good.

 

 

Phil

[PhilA]

Disassembly shows the volts gauge to be very Nissan Oil Pressure Gauge (it registers the presence of a voltage, not actually demonstrating in an analogue fashion how many are present though).

 

That's ok, I wasn't planning on using that one

 

 

The others are reasonable enough, they're within 10% of spec. I'm still in two minds as to the direction I'm going to go with them.

 

Phil

[hairnet]

Nissan?

 

Wash your mouth out

[PhilA]

Borrowed the sister in law's Nissan SUV thing and it had an oil "gauge", which was connected to the oil pressure light switch.

 

It just sat in the middle of the gauge. Pointless

 

 

Phil

[captain_70s]

BINIs do that with the temp gauge IIRC

[PhilA]

Computer can make the gauges do anything these days though.

 

I could set these up like VU meters in a tape deck.

 

 

Phil

[Guest Hooli]

BINIs do that with the temp gauge IIRC

 

Most moderns do.

My ex's fester was setup so the temp gauge moved up from half just after OMGHGF! handy that...

[PhilA]

I do like the HGF replacement on this.

 

 

Drain water, undo bolts, lift head, replace gasket, place head down, replace bolts, refill.

[SiC]

I do like the HGF replacement on this.

 

 

Drain water, undo bolts, bring in telehandler, chain head to telehandler, lift head, replace gasket, place head down, replace bolts, refill.

FTFY.

[PhilA]

You have a point.

 

The engine and gearbox together weigh about 2/3 that of your 1100... The entire car.

 

Phil

[LightBulbFun]

I do like the HGF replacement on this.

 

 

Drain water, undo bolts, try and lift head strain back, bring in the 2 ton engine hoist burst the hydraulic lines on the engine hoist bring finally admit defeat and call in the local farmer for his telehandler, finally lift head, replace gasket, place head down, replace bolts, refill. suddenly notice you forgot to put the new gasket in place.

 

FTFY further

[Kiltox]

It's on the list of First Things To Fix.

Unfortunately the state requires it to have wipers and indicators and brake lights. So those are on the list also.

Phil

Nanny state gone mad I swear

[Guest Hooli]

So for the eventual thread when it happens, are these a proper copper head gasket or a composite one?

[busmansholiday]

Hopefully proper asbestos ones with metal inserts. The type you grease both sides so when it blows again it's easier to get off...

[PhilA]

You can get both types, the copper ones being the preferred.

 

I'm hoping not to have to touch the HG though.

 

 

Phil

[Sir Snipes]

Dare I ask the fait of the faithful* old Renner?

[PhilA]

Dare I ask the fact of the faithful* old Renner? 

Parked under the carport right now. Soon to have plate removed and it'll just be sat up.

 

Phil

[Sir Snipes]

Parked under the carport right now. Soon to have plate removed and it'll just be sat up.

 

Phil

 

I think that's what it wants, too, after reading your threads on here and RR over the past few years. 

[PhilA]

It's already leaked all over the concrete and stained it badly.

 

I have a prospective buyer, an enthusiast. It needs to have someone who knows the cars else it'll end up in the scrap yard within a year or so.

 

Phil

[Noel Tidybeard]

Soon to have plate removed and it'll just be sat up.

 

Phil

 

i think you need to explain this/why for us normal people!

[PhilA]

The action of using a vehicle on the highway here is slightly different from there. Not much, but just enough to be strange from a UK perspective.

 

Item one- the vehicle VIN.

The VIN is the most important part of the car here in terms of licensing for use. Being as the USA is a Federal group of United States, each with different rules and nonsense, the VIN is a uniform way of identifying the vehicle.

 

Item two- registration document.

This document must be carried in the vehicle at all times. It indicates who owns said vehicle, who it's registered to for use on the road and proof of that is required to be presented to a law enforcement officer if they decide to stop and ask some friendly questions.

 

Item three- licence plate.

This is your local state identifier, issued by the government and property of them, too. You show them that you have title to the vehicle, have insured the vehicle and they issue a plate to affix to the vehicle that shows it's been paid up in it's home state for use on the highway. If you choose to cancel insurance on the vehicle the plate must be turned in. It bears the most resemblance to the old Road Fund "tax disc". It's just metal and square and goes on the back of the car (some states have two. Louisiana has just one).

 

Item four- inspection sticker

In this state it is required to have the vehicle checked for safe operation on an annual it biannual basis. A sticker is placed in the windscreen showing the inspection took place. Not all states require an inspection.

 

Item five- insurance

The vehicle in this state must be insured for use on the highway (not all states require this). A card with the policy information on just be carried in the vehicle in case of a law enforcement officer wishing to have a word. The vehicle is insured, not the operator. Anybody with a valid license and the owner's authorization may drive the vehicle, insured.

 

Item six- licence

In order to operate a motor vehicle you need to have proven a certain degree of prowess for the rules of the road. A written exam and a practical test are required to issue the stuffer with a licence. Must be carried in the vehicle being driven (see: law enforcement officers).

 

 

I wish to cancel insurance, so the plate must be turned in to the DMV.

 

 

Phil

 

Edit, item 7- title.

Ownership of vehicle. Keep it in your safe. Government receipt, in a way. No direct UK requirement because a receipt written on an old cigarette packet is adequate there. Not so here. Houses and cars require a notorized official document showing who owns them.

[PhilA]

 

I forgot about this little niknak. Mirror, clipped over the passenger sun visor.

 

No idea if it's original but I don't care. It's just excellent. Pontiac indeed.

 

 

Phil

[cort1977]

 

Item two- title document.

This document must be carried in the vehicle at all times. It indicates who owns said vehicle, and proof of that is required to be presented to a law enforcement officer if they decide to stop and ask some friendly questions.

 

 

 

I did not know that.  I have kept them tucked away at home on the basis that it shows ownership.  If the car is stolen with the title in it doesn't it make it easy for the thief to get rid of the car/raise a title loan?  Not that it matters for my heaps so i will put them in the cars.

[Dan_ZTT]

Thanks for the licence plate explanation, I had a vague idea of the US system but it was interesting to read the detail. Some of it seems quite odd from our perspective although I do like the idea of insuring vehicle not operator as standard.

[PhilA]

I did not know that.  I have kept them tucked away at home on the basis that it shows ownership.  If the car is stolen with the title in it doesn't it make it easy for the thief to get rid of the car/raise a title loan?  Not that it matters for my heaps so i will put them in the cars.

Actually you are right, NyQuil talking here.

You need to keep the title at home and the paper registration certificate in the car. Not the title!

 

 

But it's where you see the TV and they ask for license, registration and insurance please.

 

Phil

[PhilA]

On a better note there now appear to be no more spiders hiding up in the dashboard; I'll check again tomorrow.

 

On a worse note, I'm coming down with a nasty cough and am losing my voice.

 

Phil

[Clanger]

Spiders... pfffft