project 1951 Pontiac Chieftain

[eddyramrod]

Wow Phil!  Every time I dip into this thread you've done something!  The emblems are looking spectacular, well done sir.

[PhilA]

Wow Phil!  Every time I dip into this thread you've done something!  The emblems are looking spectacular, well done sir.

Thank you. I'm trying to chip away at it, even if it's only little bits per day.

 

Phil

[hairnet]

yellow in 51 or white?

 

white looks better

[Guest Hooli]

Think Merican Must Think Merican!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

We need an oxymoron thread.

[PhilA]

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

 

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.

 

 

I put the white bulb back in.

 

Phil

[hairnet]

are yall free for a week in november

 

have a spare room needs a paintin'

[Noel Tidybeard]

the yeller one matches the chief betererer

[LightBulbFun]

Said bulb.

 

20181015_153511.jpg

 

I put the white bulb back in.

 

Phil

 

very interesting

 

is there any branding on the lamp? on a hunch im gonna guess this one is GE made? I have a clear US GE 21W indicator bulb that has the similar style brass cap

[PhilA]

No marking other than what you see in the picture.

[LightBulbFun]

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.

[PhilA]

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

Phil

[PhilA]

are yall free for a week in november

 

have a spare room needs a paintin'

Don't have that much vacation time!

 

Would have a weekend though.

 

Phil

[LightBulbFun]

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)

[PhilA]

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

[LightBulbFun]

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

[PhilA]

I found a length of wire but it may be a bit too stiff to be of good use. It's nice and heavy gauge though.

 

I'll have a poke with it tonight and see if I can get it to sit nicely in the column.

 

Phil

[PhilA]

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

[PhilA]

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

 

 

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

[PhilA]

PB'laster applied, screw still stuck fast.

 

Will come back.

 

 

The only other intelligible marking on that bulb is the stamp USA. It is printed 2057NA, the NA mostly worn off.

 

Phil

[Clanger]

$27.18 at Amazon! 

https://www.amazon.com/GE-Lighting-2057NA-Miniature-Bulb/dp/B001DKRHQQ

 

NA = natural amber

 

$2.51 at Walmart for a 2 pack

https://www.walmart.com/ip/General-Electric-2057-Amber-Long-Life-Automotive-Bulbs/20512743?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=1122&adid=22222222227025242680&wmlspartner=wmtlabs&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=172805603000&wl4=pla-279031054544&wl5=1013869&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=101593696&wl11=online&wl12=20512743&wl13=&veh=sem&gclid=CjwKCAjwu5veBRBBEiwAFTqDwe-GTZN1sotwDrAWG6kiJV60Z7kaJPLFBa9eYPKXe5d6jAUmqV7MYxoCSf4QAvD_BwE

[somewhatfoolish]

I'd expect it to fit itself at that price.

[Clanger]

I'd expect it to fit itself at that price.

You might but you would be disappointed as the Amazon "professional" installation is another $85 lolz

[PhilA]

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

[PhilA]

 

Still stuck fast. More penetrating oil.

 

As I was down there I clipped my multimeter onto the brake light switch lugs.

 

Pedal depressed returns about 480kOhm, which is less than dandy. New switch required.

 

Phil

[LightBulbFun]

 

[PhilA]

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

 

 

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.

 

 

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

 

Phil

[PhilA]

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

[LightBulbFun]

any plans to return it back to stock ride hight/suspension setup?

[Rocket88]

any plans to return it back to stock ride hight/suspension setup?

 

 

Why would you? Looks great as it is, and un-notching the chassis would be a major pain.

[PhilA]

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