Getting Closer to ordering parts

One of those little parts I need for a 42 year old car:

A reverse grommet like O-ring for the tubes for the water pipe from the water pump to the oil cooler.

I have started building the small part list. Now I need to decide if I should order from CVI in Sweden or iRoll Motors in LA? I am sure shipping will be cheaper and likely faster from the US that Sweden. See previous post

Newer Engine from old mower for Simplicity

Since the Simplicity has a bad exhaust valve I needed a replacement 8 HP Brigs and Straton vertical shaft motor. It happens my neighbor had an old mower with a bad starter.

Now I jsut need to pull the motor off the junk mower and mount the starter off the current engine. I just hope pulling the pulley off the shaft's of the respective motors will not be that hard.

In fact I think this motor is a "better" motor that the one on the Simplicity - it is an I/C cast iron and I think the original motor is cast iron sleeved at best. I do not think this motor is 31 years old but a replacement maybe 15 -20 years old.

Wish me luck.

2009 Newport Antique Auto Hill Climb

Examples of cars from less Busked Knuckle Garage's:



Direct link to web album

The event web site: http://www.newporthillclimb.com/

Garage Door opener repaired

Well it took about 1 hour but I was able to install the replacement gear for my door opener.

I first tried to replace the gear in place but in the end I had to drop the chain rail and retread the chain. I put the chain in backwards so I had to move the stops but with uncharacteristic good luck I was able to get everything working as before.

Back to work on the 1800

After many months I have started putting some hours back into the 1800 project - well because it would be nice to have a 2 car garage again and 1800 running.

I solved my distributor gear problem - fairly easy to find TDC with the timing cover off. I also found that missing spring clip - turns out I took it off for safe keeping so it wouldn't fall off.

In the mean time I solved the distributor problem by purchasing a new solid state 123 Distributor so I do not need to modify the old one work with an electronic system. Murphy's Law spending $400 to replace and upgrade then find the $1 part that kept the old one from functioning. Of course the old one is sad shape and is a rusty worn mess.

Next part I missing: #15 in the throttle linkage

It might have been around my workbench for powder coating.

Specifically part number 15 below - it wasn't with the throttle linkage or carbs since I most likely took it off just prior to sending the car for media blasting and painting. I can order part number 23 that is missing as well as a rare flange o-ring once CVI comes back from vacation unless I find someone in the states with the part.

It is a good thing that Volvo spun off their parts for older cars - GCP


I figure it is in a box of interior parts and not the engine parts since I stripped the interior after pulling the engine - better start digging.

Busted door opener

I finally looked over the garage door opener I broke when the door was frozen to the ground before going to Brazil.

The door is a Challenger Safe-Way R1500 or a Challenger CH-1000 made by Challenger Corp of 15E Easy Street, Bridgewater NJ.

The main chain drive worm gear is broken but I found a part:

http://www.1stdooropeners.com/challengerparts.htm #220315 for $18.

So should I fix it? The door opener worked fine before it broke plus it does not have any of that safety eye systems that are on new door openers to install.

I still also need to replace the air cleaner cover for my lawnmower that I ran over with the lawnmower after replacing the air filter that I also shredded with the lawnmower. Currently using a paper towel and rubberband.

New Truck (well to me, sort of)

I brought the new truck home today. It is a 97 F150 with 126k on the clock. It is an old truck from work that I purchased for auction book value. I figure I put on at least 20-30K of those miles so I know the truck well.

It got a few dents on the driver side door from where it was rubbed in the barn by a semi trailer and on the tailgate from use. It was a work truck so what can you expect. I will purchase a chrome tailgate cover just as soon as I see them go on sale at Farm and Fleet.

It is a short bed extended cab with passenger side third door. It's got the 4.6L 8, 3 speed auto with OD, AC, electric locks and mirrors. Tilt wheel and cruse control. This is a big upgrade from the old Mazda. Don't think I'll be sucking more gas, the big 4L V6 in the Mazda sucks as much or more than this thing does at highway speeds. Around town I'll have to see - I only know how it does on long trips. Both have 4 wheel ABS but this truck has two air bags that have never been deployed. It is hard to tell from the pictures but it has chromed steel wheels - nice looking but not alloy like the Mazda. With the receiver hitch I can still tow what I need to and the larger bed, just uncovered. However the larger area and easier access of the extended cab gives me plenty of "out-of-the-weather" cargo capacity.

Best of all the rear bench seat folds down to make a flat floor - so no dog on the front seat. It is a split seat - note the picture below - so it is possible to have one or three passengers in back. Having ridden back there before - it isn't too bad - I wouldn't want to sit there for 8 hours but it is comfortable for a few. I am going to cover the back of the folding bench with a gray fleece blanket to protect it from dog hair.

It still has some field dirt in it, especially under the hood, so I am going to see about getting it detailed. All in all a good $700 net cost investment.

Sold the Mazda

After nearly 10 years and 91,000 miles I have sold the Mazda truck. The old Ford Ranger clone has moved on to a good home, taking some of Grizzy with it.

Once I had the opportunity to purchase a newer truck, with less mileage, more features and cleaner, the Mazda's days were numbered. I will buying a 97 Ford F150, shortbed extended cab truck from work with 126,000 miles. As I cleaned it out I realized that it was not in a bad shape as I thought it was but in light of the F150 10 years was long enough.

The good news it went to someone who needs it for the same sorts of duty's I have kept it around for. I mentioned at a CCSCC club meeting that I had "Junk" for sale. Someone needed something with a hitch to pull a jetski and haul tires etc around.

I had to take the sawzall to the jump starter connection bracket - the bolts were rusted. It did a clean job of removing the bracket without damaging the bumper. If I had not already removed the cables from the battery I would have just left it mounted and made a new one for the new Ford.