Vintage Car Thread - Discussion and Parts Requests

[MikeKardec]

There's always something ...

I started the old '48 Plymouth today, grabbed the shifter to put it in gear and the shifter just flopped in my hand. I raised the hood, and just as I suspected, the graeshifter control rod bushing had finally gave out. The shifter control rod was just lying there no longer connected. Thank goodness for some bailing wire (everyone should have a stash of baling wire arounf - it's better than duct tape). I wired the two pieces together and that sufficed to get the car moved to where I needed to to be. Now, to order a replacement bushing and I'll be back in business.

My question: Has anyone here ever replaced the gearshifter control rod bushing? Is there anything special that needs to be done, or is it just a matter of a "simple replacement" (like anything is "simple")?

Thanks.

Ha! That reminds me of a couple of times when the pin that held parts of my clutch linkage broke. I don't know what it's called but this would be the cotter type pin that locks vertical to horizontal linkage parts together, once it breaks and the two parts disconnect the linkage drops away from the arm attached to the clutch locking you in gear ... if you were in gear to start with. Of course you can pull the shifter out of gear but then you're going nowhere. The first time was in one of my Mustangs the middle of an intersection in the face of oncoming traffic. I made it across the intersection in a bound and got stopped without scaring myself too badly. Then visualized what had happened and popped the hood. I started getting the linkage bits lined up correctly. I gave my friend a flashlight and told him to look in the street and find a nail or a piece of wire or something or we were stuck there. Miraculously, just as I got the linkage straightened out he found a finishing nail about a block down the street. I slipped that in where the cotter had been and bent both ends with pliers. Then I gingerly drove home.

The second time I was just pulling up to my recording studio in my Corvette. SNAP! LUNGE! Luckily, I was on the brake in a nanosecond and snatched the stick out of gear. I'm not sure what would have been worse, 400 ft lbs of torque crashing that beautiful car into the wall or the damage to the inside of studio that would have been done by my Vette trying to turn it into a garage.

Now I replace those pins with high grade stainless steel as soon as I buy an old car. Two times was two times too many. Both times I nearly had a heart attack!

 

[Talbot]

Talbot, do you have convert the Ford to RHD?

Mike

No, happily, not since the rules changed a few years ago. I converted the '54 to RHD so I know what's involved. The main challenge would be getting a RHD 41 Ford dashboard.
I'm told that South Africa had RHD 41 Fords, but not in Australia....

 

[MikeKardec]

Mt. Baldy Alfa Romeo run Easter weekend, many including Daron Walker of Vintage Customs (major Alfa resto garage) in attendance ...



A fine time was had by all.

 

[LizzieMaine]

"More freaky things that can happen in an old car" department:

I was driving to work yesterday in the Plodge, half asleep, and hit a pothole while making a left turn. Suddenly the ammeter pegged to the left, the radio faded out, and I smelled something hot and melty. I cut the motor, opened the hood, and saw that the jolt from the pothole had slid the battery just enough out of position that the bolt on the negative battery terminal had hit the metal clamp that holds the battery in place. Result in a positive-ground car: dead short circuit across the battery, which heated the bracket enough in just those couple of seconds to melt it into the edge of the battery casing. Fortunately, it broke loose almost instantly and didn't weld the terminal to the bracket.

Cause? Me not paying attention when I clamped the clamp down after putting the battery back in when getting the car ready for spring. It should *always* be installed to the left of the middle battery vent cap, not to its right. This keeps the negative terminal away from the bracket in the event the battery slips. I also took the precaution of wrapping the bracket in a tight layer of Tommy-Tape, which provides electrical insulation in the event that I make this mistake again someday.

 

[David Conwill]

Glad it wasn't worse! Also a good reminder that it's not unwise to carry a fire extinguisher as a form of cheap insurance.

 

[vitanola]

"More freaky things that can happen in an old car" department:

I was driving to work yesterday in the Plodge, half asleep, and hit a pothole while making a left turn. Suddenly the ammeter pegged to the left, the radio faded out, and I smelled something hot and melty. I cut the motor, opened the hood, and saw that the jolt from the pothole had slid the battery just enough out of position that the bolt on the negative battery terminal had hit the metal clamp that holds the battery in place. Result in a positive-ground car: dead short circuit across the battery, which heated the bracket enough in just those couple of seconds to melt it into the edge of the battery casing. Fortunately, it broke loose almost instantly and didn't weld the terminal to the bracket.

Cause? Me not paying attention when I clamped the clamp down after putting the battery back in when getting the car ready for spring. It should *always* be installed to the left of the middle battery vent cap, not to its right. This keeps the negative terminal away from the bracket in the event the battery slips. I also took the precaution of wrapping the bracket in a tight layer of Tommy-Tape, which provides electrical insulation in the event that I make this mistake again someday.

Is it time for a replacement?

Perhaps it is time to consider a more putocratic machine, and play against type.

https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/dealer/chrysler/imperial/1867746.html

if that is too posh:

https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/dealer/chrysler/royal/1925838.html

The two above cars are fully restored, and were part of the collection at the Walter P. Chrysler museum before that collection was dispersed by the new owners of the firm. Four door sedans have become such a drug on the market, being singularly unpopular with hot-rodders, that really fine restored examples of good marques of 1920's and 1930's vintage my be purchased for a small portion of their restoration cost.

 

[Fading Fast]

Lizzie, just glad, as David said, it wasn't worse for you and, less importantly, the car. And kudos to you for a straight out, "my fault." I've watched many people in home and professional settings expend great effort not to say those simple, honest words.

Vitanola, one wonders what will happen to these type of cars if that continues. For sure, less restorations other than from the passionate fan who simply wants it for him/herself.

 

[LizzieMaine]

I wouldn't have anything but a four door sedan myself -- I use the Plodge as much for hauling as I do for driving. Just today I used it to carry $30 worth of deposit bottles from the theatre up to the redemption place, a load that would have taken multiple trips in my Subaru.

That '39 is a gorgeous car. For my money the whole Chrysler line in 1939 was the apotheosis of American automotive design.

 

[vitanola]

I wouldn't have anything but a four door sedan myself -- I use the Plodge as much for hauling as I do for driving. Just today I used it to carry $30 worth of deposit bottles from the theatre up to the redemption place, a load that would have taken multiple trips in my Subaru.

That '39 is a gorgeous car. For my money the whole Chrysler line in 1939 was the apotheosis of American automotive design.

I think that the '39 models are exceptionally nice, but for my money the '35 Airstream CZ and the '32 CH series are superior in styling, if you like the swoopy '30's look.
I personally prefer a bit more stodgy design, like this '28 Imperial 80:

but I really prefer "Black radiator" cars of the early 1920's, which tend to be stodgy in the extreme, like this Cadillac V-8 (another sedan which is selling cheaply just now)

This 1927 Buick Master Six is a bit sharp around the edges, just as I like it:

or a smallish, late Brass touring car, like this '13 Overland.

 

[Braz]

Mt. Baldy Alfa Romeo run Easter weekend, many including Daron Walker of Vintage Customs (major Alfa resto garage) in attendance ...

View attachment 72363 View attachment 72364 View attachment 72365

A fine time was had by all.

My first Alfa was a '68 GTV. Of all the Alfas I've owned over the years the GTV remains my favorite. Love Daron's #3 Horst Kwech tribute car. I saw the real one race at Mid-Ohio "back in the day."

 

[Fading Fast]

I've always liked the '41s / many of the '41s makes and models - the convertibles, coupes, sedans, but since we're talking about sedans, I've always liked this Cadillac:

 

[BobHufford]

I've always liked the '41 / many of the '41 makes and models - the convertibles, coupes, sedans, but since we're talking about sedans, I've always liked this Cadillac:

That was my Dad's favorite model as well. He had about a dozen '41 Cadillacs and '41 Chevys in my Granddad's field when I was a kid. He sold the only nice one he had (a '41 Cadillac convertible) and never restored the others. He had a couple of '38 Cadillac 5-passenger coupes as well. A V-8 and a V-16. Rare as hen's teeth.

 

[Fading Fast]

That was my Dad's favorite model as well. He had about a dozen '41 Cadillacs and '41 Chevys in my Granddad's field when I was a kid. He sold the only nice one he had (a '41 Cadillac convertible) and never restored the others. He had a couple of '38 Cadillac 5-passenger coupes as well. A V-8 and a V-16. Rare as hen's teeth.

Of that vintage, the '41 Cadillac Convertible is just stunning. As is the competing Lincoln of that year.

 

[BobHufford]

Of that vintage, the '41 Cadillac Convertible is just stunning. As is the competing Lincoln of that year.

Pretty sure it was the "sedan" version of the convertible.

 

[Fading Fast]

Pretty sure it was the "sedan" version of the convertible.

And that is the right color combo as well - insanely good looking car.

 

[MikeKardec]

Love Daron's #3 Horst Kwech tribute car. I saw the real one race at Mid-Ohio "back in the day."

That's an awesome car, very fast yet reasonably well mannered on the street. Because of it's cage, however, the thing is damn near impossible for me, at 6' 4", to get in and out of. My back is still recovering! Minus the roll cage the GTV is remarkably spacious for a fairly tiny car.

 

[BobHufford]

Posted this in another thread. I'm seriously thinking of selling my last vintage vehicle. The prices have become almost ridiculous (and I need a new barn).

This was when I found it in 1996 (with the original owners). It had been in their barn since they drove it from California in 1981. It's been sitting in my shed ever since.

Here are some recent sales of a similar model (23-windows vs. 21 like mine). Mine is in similar shape to the second one (other than the running/driving thing, but that would not take much to make happen). There are 61,000 miles on the odometer and based on the interior wear that is probably correct.

https://news.classiccars.com/another-vw-microbus-shocker-barrett-jackson-palm-beach/

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1984478

 

[Talbot]

I'm a little partial to 41's myself.

 

[LizzieMaine]

In for a new tire today, and the local garage recognized the Plodge as its Car Of The Day.

 

[2jakes]

In for a new tire today, and the local garage recognized the Plodge as its Car Of The Day.

View attachment 77071

Lizzie, what color is the Plodge?
What do you use on the body to
maintain the shine?
Are those union pins on your lapel?
I'm loving the whole image.
Thanks for sharing.