project 1951 Pontiac Chieftain

[PhilA]

 

The paint has the capability of being kinda shiny.

 

Phil

[cort1977]

Staying dry?

[PhilA]

So far so good. The southwestern corner of the storm didn't really form, so we've seen less rain from this storm than we have had all week.

 

 

This afternoon was clement, had the doors open with a nice breeze blowing through, airing the car out.

 

Phil

[steveo3002]

nice old car, id like to tinker with something like that

 

worth it for the light up hood ornament alone

[PhilA]

I had a thought- the inner wing seems to unbolt. It's possible that's the correct access to set the tappets.

 

Also, it likes to hold gear in first then shift hard into third. Apparently that's a sign of the internal seals having gone all hard and not sealing properly. That would also explain the leaking ATF when it's in gear.

 

I guess the gearbox is going to have to come out at some point. Joy. Looks like the radiator comes off, the front grille unbolts and the whole shebang lifts out at a fairly shallow angle through that aperture.

 

Phil

[Guest Hooli]

A gearbox rebuilt should be easy* after fighting a renault for years.

[PhilA]

It's quite a complicated setup, twin epicyclic. Of course the whole thing is hydraulic valves and pressure sensing and that's the way it works, which makes it complex.

 

Plus it was engineered for use in tanks during the war so that makes it all big and heavy.

 

Phil

[Guest Hooli]

Big bits so easier to assemble then

 

I'd be tempted to have a look, but I'd want a manual & take lots of photos as I went.

[PhilA]

Thankfully it was put into so many vehicles that it's moderately popular. Seal rebuild kits are available and so is the service manual.

 

Phil

[Asimo]

On British cars of the '50s / '60s with vacuum wipers it is common to see a double ended pump, one diaphragm doing petrol and the other doing suction. I think they are interchangeable with the petrol only pumps. I remember my dad buggering about with them, replacing diaphragms etc on Thames vans, Zephyrs and other old end-of life shite. As a ten year old I liked the farting sound the pumps made when tested on the kitchen table.

 

There is a good article on Hydra-Matic transmission history here https://ateupwithmotor.com/terms-technology-definitions/hydramatic-history-part-1/

[PhilA]

Found the correct ignition switch on eBay. Funnily it's illuminated. Modern cars? Psh.

 

Also found the correct push button switch for the starter, they're remaking those.

 

It's raining, so another afternoon where I can't mow the grass, so a little work to be done on the car instead.

 

I think I'll stop at NAPA on the way home and see if they have the correct bulbs for the dash.

 

Phil

[hairnet]

pic of napa if they have the big stoopid hat somewhere

 

wtf is big larry - is that like big bubba but louisiana

[PhilA]

No hat.

 

https://www.nebotools.com/p/BIG-Larry/363

 

Good work lights, those.

 

 

Phil

[PhilA]

Decided to see if the dash was a case of burned light bulbs.

 

 

Six Volt bulbs on twelve Volt battery equals burned bulbs. One was black, the other white and the filament had burned a hole through the glass.

 

When did high beam indicators get unified as a blue light? I was quite surprised this one to come on red...

 

Phil

[Zelandeth]

No idea...VW used red and amber until quite recently (my 80 T25 had a red main beam indicator), Volvo used an odd greyish-whitish colour well into the 90s...

 

Think blue is just a general "it's the dimmest we can make it for night use" decision rather than absolute standard.

 

Of course with blue LEDs these days it doesn't work as it just lights the whole interior up blue...

[PhilA]

I bought 3.4W "long life" bulbs (primarily because that's all they had). I think 2.2W will be better for the main beam light though. It's a little bright with that one in. I think I'll retain the 3.4W ones in the turn signal lights.

 

The dash illumination will probably end up warm white LED simply because there's a lot of bulbs in there and that'll get kinda hot.

 

The turn signals light up and fade out pleasingly with real bulbs in, and the color they make the lenses is also pleasing. They can stay.

 

I think I may add in a few lamps- bright red to light the gauge that's in a warning state up (oil, temperature, battery) as an attention-getter. With the alternator, I have a no-charge output which is good.

 

Phil

[PhilA]

I just spied something. The words for the gauges are etched into the plastic. Side-lit with a bright red LED the word should illuminate red.

 

I'll have to try and see if that's at all possible, gauges are good but warning lights are also.

 

Phil

[egg]

Phil, great to see you cracking on with improvements straight away. I think nothing gets a project off the ground quicker than some early and satisfying wins....

[PhilA]

It would be nice if there weren't so many wins available to be had, though.

 

However, I am inclined to agree: It's nice to be able to fix things and make previously broken parts work (even if you're going to ultimately tear it all out anyway).

 

I need to take the wiring diagram then draw a plan view of the car and draw the route map to get an idea of what gauge wire needs to go where, how to build the loom (it doesn't have a loom, as such, just a rat's nest of random wiring) and how to route it efficiently.

 

Phil

[320touring]

It would be nice if there weren't so many wins available to be had, though.

 

However, I am inclined to agree: It's nice to be able to fix things and make previously broken parts work (even if you're going to ultimately tear it all out anyway).

 

I need to take the wiring diagram then draw a plan view of the car and draw the route map to get an idea of what gauge wire needs to go where, how to build the loom (it doesn't have a loom, as such, just a rat's nest of random wiring) and how to route it efficiently.

 

Phil

I am hoping that the "bodywork wins" you find are much fewer than I experienced:)

 

Good work on sorting the lights though - really good improvement, and satisfying to boot:)

[purplebargeken]

Wow, significant groinal splat occurrence. 

[PhilA]

Just given eBay some money for the correct ignition switch.

 

That should be here by next Friday. That will also bring the car to 2 keys rather than 3 (2 being the correct number of keys for the car, as far as I know).

 

Onward and upward!

 

Phil

[Guest Hooli]

Sounds nearly finished!

[PhilA]

Ha, I wish. Long way to go yet. I need to get the starter push button also. Without that I will have to hotwire the car. The correct ignition switch is ignition only.

 

Phil

[Mrs6C]

My 1961 Triumph Herald coupe has a red hi-beam warning light.

[PhilA]

Well then. That lasted longer as a "thing" than I thought- the high beam light in my old man's Sprite is blue, ignition red; no oil pressure light though, only a gauge.

 

Incidentally the late fifties Chieftain dash has a strip speedometer with a red high beam light in the center, but in the shape of the Chieftain head logo.

 

Buffed up some of the brightwork today, took it for a quick spin down the street. In third it has a fair bit of poke, the front of the car lifts up a fair bit under acceleration. The engine also smooths out considerably and the slight misfire disappears.

 

The valve adjustment is from within the engine bay, pulling the inner wheel well off would give little in terms of access because primarily the chassis is in the way. I'm thinking a cold adjustment will have to do, with the manifolds removed.

 

Phil

[PhilA]

Had a bit of a read of the manual.

 

 

Had a bit of an adjust of the gearbox to throttle linkage.

 

 

Didn't really do much. Sounds nice when you give it a squirt of the loud pedal.

 

Phil

[Mrs6C]

Fab! Is that an autronic eye on top of the speedometer?

[Junkman]

Sounds exactly like mine did.

Open crankcase ventilation and all.

[PhilA]

Fab! Is that an autronic eye on top of the speedometer?

Sadly no, but it is a period accessory. It's a Guide traffic light viewer, a lens that gives a very wide angle of view so you don't have to crane your neck forward to see overhead hanging lights past the sun visor.

 

Phil