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1951 Pontiac Chieftain


PhilA

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Dismantled a fair bit of the garage. 

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It's one of those tasks that doesn't look like a lot has been done but it's bloody hard work.

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Camera DVR been sat in the rain, upside down for six months. Powered up and there showing the last recorded images before the power went out on the morning of the hurricane.

Phil

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51 minutes ago, Jenson Velcro said:

Trying to work out how the garage was originally constructed. Will you rebuild the same way or is there some other method  of making it more storm proof?

What’s the verdict on the Plymouth?

Base of concrete, chain-wall foundation for the wall made from heavy cinder blocks. Into that, secured studs, then lain on top and bolted down 2x6" wood. 

From there on up just straightforward timber frame, clad with ply. Roof a standard triangulated beam.

It was all nailed together. In terms of storm proof, the frame should be bolted and screwed together. The roof paneling should be nailed- that way if you get really bad wind all that it takes is the roof, not the whole structure (once the roof is gone the pressure differential isn't bad and the rest usually remains standing).

There needs to be a weak point.

Tornadoes all bets are off, anything over an EF-2 will violently dismantle a wooden building.

Rebuild all comes down to cost. I wouldn't be building it so tall again so that costs less.

Plymouth... Might have to go. We'll see. I can see one dent right in the side of the roof about the size of my fist, and I know there will be more.

 

Phil

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1 hour ago, Zelandeth said:

What the heck even is that stuff?

It's rather like Seafoam (I think it's a competitor). Rather good stuff but I've yet to find a UK distributor of it. I'd love to give it a try but it seems all I can find is Seafoam. There are a couple other Berryman products I'd also like to try but that'll need to wait.

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2 minutes ago, Fumbler said:

It's rather like Seafoam (I think it's a competitor). Rather good stuff but I've yet to find a UK distributor of it. I'd love to give it a try but it seems all I can find is Seafoam. There are a couple other Berryman products I'd also like to try but that'll need to wait.

I like Chem-Dip. It's thoroughly nasty stuff but dissolved 100,000 miles of crud off a set of pistons around the rings just by sitting in the tub for a day.

This is much like Seafoam but about half the price.

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4 minutes ago, PhilA said:

I like Chem-Dip. It's thoroughly nasty stuff but dissolved 100,000 miles of crud off a set of pistons around the rings just by sitting in the tub for a day.

This is much like Seafoam but about half the price.

It certainly looks like agrressive stuff. It'd be excellent for when I get an ultrasonic cleaner. That being said, it doesn't look like NAPA EN stocks any and Amazon says it's NLA; Seafoam is hard enough (and expensive) to procure.

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1 hour ago, Fumbler said:

It certainly looks like agrressive stuff. It'd be excellent for when I get an ultrasonic cleaner. That being said, it doesn't look like NAPA EN stocks any and Amazon says it's NLA; Seafoam is hard enough (and expensive) to procure.

Yeah, just don't put it in the ultrasonic bath...

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4 minutes ago, PhilA said:

Yeah, just don't put it in the ultrasonic bath...

True, It'd probably be better to put the tin in the water bath instead filling it up with neat Chem Dip.

Or just keep it away from the bath.

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1 hour ago, Fumbler said:

True, It'd probably be better to put the tin in the water bath instead filling it up with neat Chem Dip.

Or just keep it away from the bath.

Just keep it away from the bath. It doesn't need any agitation to work.

The bath is for final clean down.

Phil

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I also appear to have a slight* fuel leak.

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Waisting on it to cool down, because I was driving and it began to stutter and run hot (weak mix). Pulling the boost pump on made it stink of fuel. Seal on the bowl is not sealing. 

 

Phil

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Weather cleared after working on the car earlier a freak gust of wind lifted the hood up and tried to close it on my head.

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Cleaned up the gauze screen, repositioned everything accurately and reassembled the pump. The cork gasket had squashed down a touch and was leaking.

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Stuck it back in the car and tightened it down.

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Running, with the boost pump on. No leaks now from either the pump or the carb.

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Set the idle mix and ignition timing. It idles low in gear if you set it right. Test drive shows better, but timing needs a slight tweak advanced, I think.

Phil

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Quick tune-up session tonight. Out with the half inch spanner, the distributor got a tweak here and there, and a drive about between each tweak.

Settled on a few degrees advanced from stock, the exhaust note is now quite bassy and has a thrum at 2000 rpm.

At 45 it'll hold 15-17"Hg which is quite impressive for this engine. Think I've got it dialed in right.

 

Phil

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