project 1951 Pontiac Chieftain

[hairnet]

Why you larffin?

No limo ( crazy yank) [Colby]

[hairnet]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Yellow-Queue-Divider-Control-Stanchion-Barrier-Posts-Twisted-Rope-1-5m-Long/182738087332

[hairnet]

Stair rope/ bannister rope

[PhilA]

That's a very UK thing.

 

I'll try find out the original specification.

 

 

Phil

[PhilA]

It's kinda chilly outside tonight, but I decided I should try and do something else in the car.

 

 

Started by warming everything up.

 

 

Dunno what color it should be so gloss sky blue seemed like a good color for the screenwash bottle holder. It should have a yellow label on so that'll go nicely. I've seen the bottles with sky blue lids so I think that'll be the color scheme, that or a nice battleship gray.

 

 

The inside of the gauge frame was all funky, from the heat of the illumination bulb and also where the gauge coil had burned. It wasn't painted very well to begin with.

 

 

Rubbed it all back with sandpaper then wet-n-dry.

 

 

Then a nice coat of Heirloom White.

 

 

Halfway there. That'll stop all the flaky bits of paint getting all up inside the lens at least. Should light up a bit more evenly also.

 

Phil

[somewhatfoolish]

Yup, it was a common thing to put a rope across the back of the rear seat for passengers to grab. From what I see it's meant to be like the type you get at a theater.

 

Phil

Velvet rope, as beloved by bouncers standing outside sticky carpet establishments everywhere? If your name's not daan, yer not getting in! etc.

 

 

or

 

[tooSavvy]

That lower pic looks just like P J Probys python... the night his pants exploded!

[Squire_Dawson]

Good nice cloth seats. Much better than leather or vinyl.

[PhilA]

Leather seats weren't even an option!

 

You got plain gray broadcloth (standard) or two-tone with striped gray broadcloth (deluxe).

 

 

This kind of weave, like a fancy dress shirt.

Mine has been retrimmed but the original pattern has been kept, with pleats and buttons. All that is different is the material and color used.

 

 

Phil

[PhilA]

My wire arrived.

 

 

Started by stripping the lacquer off the last inch or so of the wire to form a contact to the core.

 

 

 

Checked it with my meter for continuity to make sure it was bare copper.

 

 

Wound it up to the correct number of turns.

 

 

Tested the resistance. In the ball park.

 

 

Removed the other coil from the armature. Fiddly little nuts and bolts.

 

 

Counted the turns unwinding it. All the insulation lacquer was flaking off.

 

 

Measured it to make sure it was the same gauge. It is.

 

 

1500-odd turns back on.

 

 

Tested the resistance again. Douglas Adams would approve.

 

 

All reassembled back into the armature. Ran out of time, but I just need to solder the wires onto the terminals and then test.

 

Phil

[PhilA]

Huzzah.

 

 

Need to measure how warm it gets. Also calibrate to the resistance points.

 

Result!

 

 

Phil

[Guest Hooli]

Now that's impressive electrickery smoke skillz

[PhilA]

There's be more yet.

 

I'm trying to figure if I should splash out and get cloth covered wire or not. Keep it all a bit more original looking.

 

Trouble is, it's freakishly expensive.

 

Phil

[busmansholiday]

That is awesome, I doubt many professional restores go that level of detail. Truly excellent, and I studied physics!

[DeeJay]

I never thought I would "Like" another fellah pulling his wire on the internet.

[PhilA]

Well, it's a means to an end. Someone burned up the coils. They can be rewound, it would be nice to have working gauges so this was the logical path to follow, in my mind.

Particularly as replacement gauges are kinda hard to find, expensive and 6V.

 

Phil

[PhilA]

I can't figure out how this knob comes off.

 

 

I tried pulling on it, twisting it but it's not wanting to move.

 

Phil

[Asimo]

Does the centre pop-out to reveal something?

[Guest Hooli]

Push something in the slot in the side of the black bit to release a catch?

[PhilA]

Hmm. Possibly.

 

I shall see, maybe there's a nut hiding behind there.

[PhilA]

Nope, that doesn't appear to come out.

 

Gauge pulls 220mA at full load. That's good.

 

Phil

[PhilA]

There's a trick to it!

 

 

(Thanks to Pete on the AACA)

 

 

Phil

[PhilA]

Pulled the switch to pieces. All the grease was dried up and funky. Cleaned that out and regreased; cleaned up all the contacts too.

 

 

Reassembled it all after a bit of cleaning. The trick to pulling the knob out? Spring loaded peg underneath that pushes up on the locking collar on the center of the black plastic section. The entire thing pulls out.

 

 

Operates smoothly with good contacts too. The rheostat is only a few ohms so won't make much difference to the LED's, but at least I can turn the dash illumination on and off with it.

 

Phil

[panhard65]

That is pretty much the same switch as the Thunderbird. I was just about to reply about the button underneath. The Thunderbird one has different conectors and a bigger rheostat for the dash lights though.

[Squire_Dawson]

A little WD40 on the rheostat will work wonders.

[PhilA]

A little WD40 on the rheostat will work wonders.

I use Caig Faderlube. It's good stuff.

 

https://caig.com/fader-f-series/

 

Phil

[PhilA]

That is pretty much the same switch as the Thunderbird. I was just about to reply about the button underneath. The Thunderbird one has different conectors and a bigger rheostat for the dash lights though.

I'm guessing the T-Bird has more lights in switches and dials and things than mine, particularly down in the center console.

 

I didn't see a manufacturer stamp on it, but it's probably Delco.

 

Phil

[PhilA]

The knob that launches the pinball is now looking all nice and shiny, in place.

 

 

Heater controls soon.

 

Phil

[hairnet]

'he cant beat my best'

[Noel Tidybeard]

"he's got such a supple wrist"