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1939 Chevy coupe

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  • 1946Austin
    replied
    Got the '39 out of the shop and to the driveway for a much needed rinse yesterday morning. 3 hrs. before the Wed, night cruise/drags at Beaches. Plenty of time, unless something goes sideways! I pulled it into the driveway and it died. Tried to restart, but it wasn't catching at all. Got the volt meter out and checked the ignition circuit, and it pointed to the distributor. No fire at the plugs, so I figured the electronic ignition took a dump.
    Ran to the Autozone to buy points and condenser, but they don't stock them! I was shocked, and a little irritated. Went to O'Reilly's and they had them, but $45 for Blue Streak points and condenser! Wow! Of course I had to buy them, or stay home, so paid them and headed home. Rewired the ignition circuit for the points, and set them up. Couldn't find my darn dwell meter, but I fired it up and it seemed to be perfect. Ran great, and I was finished just in enough time to wash the '39 and head to the cruise in.
    Hopefully all is fine now, but considering the recent history I plan to pull the valve covers after some short trips and double check the new hardened pushrods to make sure they show no signs of wear!

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  • dave.g.in.gansevoort
    replied
    Originally posted by 1946Austin View Post

    Wish I'd considered switching to solid roller lifters instead of hydraulics, before ordering new hydraulics. Prices are about the same, although tougher to find OE style roller lifters in solids. Everybody sells them as retrofit solids.

    I tried to fire up the '39 today, and it acted like no spark. Tried cranking the distributor as I cranked the starter, and eventually it fired, but ran so-so. I decided to throw the timing light on it, so set it up, but then it wouldn't restart at all. I held the trigger on the timing light as I cranked it over, but no signal or strobe on my light.
    I pulled a plug wire and cranked while I held it near ground, and spark was very weak and yellowish color. So I began checking the ignition circuit. 12.8 vdc at the ballast resistor, but only 4.5 vdc output side. I happened to have a new spare resistor, so pulled it and checked both on the bench with ohm meter, and one read 3.5 ohms, while the new one read 1.5 ohms. I know high performance GM engines used a .3 ohm and std. used a 1.3 ohm, so tossed the old one and installed the new one.
    Tried to start it again, but no fire still! I grabbed a jumper wire and jumped the ballast resistor and it fired right off. Weird? I've got several thousand miles on it with a ballast resistor, so not sure why it doesn't want to run with one now?
    My distributor is a points style with an Accel 2010ACC electronic conversion, and they warned in the instructions not to run without either a ballast resistor, or a resistor wire on the ignition. Now I'm wondering if my new wiring harness has a resistor wire, and the ballast resistor added to that, creating too much resistance? That 4.5 vdc output was certainly too low, but input looked right. Didn't check the new resistor to see what it had before I jumped it. I just moved both wires to input side so it wasn't reduced. My alternator puts out 14.5 vdc, so with 12.8 into the ignition maybe it has a resistance wire?
    Anyway she's running now, and hope I don't hurt the Accel ignition if the harness doesn't have a resistance wire! Strange that it suddenly quit while the car sat the last few weeks; or why it ever ran before?
    The resistor got very hot during cranking the engine over, and about burnt my fingers when I touched it! Which makes me think it wasn't a good one.
    Glad to have the old gal back up and running again! She sounds great, and just in time for our Wed. night drags/cruise in tomorrow!
    You need a magneto! No wiring except for a kill wire. And it's probably fun sitting next to a late model electronic everything car and rev the engine. They'll be able to tell how tight you reved it by the noise on their siriousxm.

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  • DanStokes
    replied
    Originally posted by Captain View Post
    On my "Indy Racer Build",
    I hard wired in a "Jumper" in the ignition/start circuit
    Off the older Ford Style Solenoid.
    Straight 12 volt when cranking, and then thru the
    Chrysler Style ceramic resistor once you let off cranking.
    Now those Chrysler Style Ceramic Resistors
    Did get HOT, and most mounting brackets had
    Some sort of Heat Shield/Heat Sink built in.

    Just an Idea.
    Also, keep a NEW SPARE Resistor in the glove box,
    They were Known for Krapping Out unexpectedly
    I used to screw 2 to the firewall, one to run the engine and a spare. I found that when I did that they never died!

    Leave a comment:


  • Captain
    replied
    On my "Indy Racer Build",
    I hard wired in a "Jumper" in the ignition/start circuit
    Off the older Ford Style Solenoid.
    Straight 12 volt when cranking, and then thru the
    Chrysler Style ceramic resistor once you let off cranking.
    Now those Chrysler Style Ceramic Resistors
    Did get HOT, and most mounting brackets had
    Some sort of Heat Shield/Heat Sink built in.

    Just an Idea.
    Also, keep a NEW SPARE Resistor in the glove box,
    They were Known for Krapping Out unexpectedly

    Leave a comment:


  • 1946Austin
    replied
    Originally posted by SuperBuickGuy View Post
    I love my solid roller in the Corvette... after the initial setting, it hasn't needed any work.
    Wish I'd considered switching to solid roller lifters instead of hydraulics, before ordering new hydraulics. Prices are about the same, although tougher to find OE style roller lifters in solids. Everybody sells them as retrofit solids.

    I tried to fire up the '39 today, and it acted like no spark. Tried cranking the distributor as I cranked the starter, and eventually it fired, but ran so-so. I decided to throw the timing light on it, so set it up, but then it wouldn't restart at all. I held the trigger on the timing light as I cranked it over, but no signal or strobe on my light.
    I pulled a plug wire and cranked while I held it near ground, and spark was very weak and yellowish color. So I began checking the ignition circuit. 12.8 vdc at the ballast resistor, but only 4.5 vdc output side. I happened to have a new spare resistor, so pulled it and checked both on the bench with ohm meter, and one read 3.5 ohms, while the new one read 1.5 ohms. I know high performance GM engines used a .3 ohm and std. used a 1.3 ohm, so tossed the old one and installed the new one.
    Tried to start it again, but no fire still! I grabbed a jumper wire and jumped the ballast resistor and it fired right off. Weird? I've got several thousand miles on it with a ballast resistor, so not sure why it doesn't want to run with one now?
    My distributor is a points style with an Accel 2010ACC electronic conversion, and they warned in the instructions not to run without either a ballast resistor, or a resistor wire on the ignition. Now I'm wondering if my new wiring harness has a resistor wire, and the ballast resistor added to that, creating too much resistance? That 4.5 vdc output was certainly too low, but input looked right. Didn't check the new resistor to see what it had before I jumped it. I just moved both wires to input side so it wasn't reduced. My alternator puts out 14.5 vdc, so with 12.8 into the ignition maybe it has a resistance wire?
    Anyway she's running now, and hope I don't hurt the Accel ignition if the harness doesn't have a resistance wire! Strange that it suddenly quit while the car sat the last few weeks; or why it ever ran before?
    The resistor got very hot during cranking the engine over, and about burnt my fingers when I touched it! Which makes me think it wasn't a good one.
    Glad to have the old gal back up and running again! She sounds great, and just in time for our Wed. night drags/cruise in tomorrow!

    Leave a comment:


  • SuperBuickGuy
    replied
    I love my solid roller in the Corvette... after the initial setting, it hasn't needed any work.

    Leave a comment:


  • 1946Austin
    replied
    Like any project, or old car, never done. But sure didn't want to do repairs already!
    Last week I was coming home when I heard a lifter rattling. Howard's hydraulic roller cam, and lifters. A few days later I pulled the valve covers to adjust the lash and saw one rocker turned sideways. Pulled the pushrod out and it was straight, so figured it was a lifter. Or should I say I hoped it was?
    Got the intake off and found the lifter had collapsed, and the internal spring was jammed inside when I removed the clip. Had a spare set of OEM lifters, so checked them out using my arbor press to test spring pressure. No gauge, just feeling for resistance. A few seemed easier to compress, so tossed both sets in the trash, as I don't want to go through this again later.
    Ordered a new set of hydraulic roller lifters from Howard's Cams. I almost ordered solids as the tech at Howard's said I could use either as long as I set lash for the type of lifters I'm using. So waiting on delivery before I reinstall the intake. I will wash and pre-test the new lifters prior to installation, just to be sure they feel right first.

    Leave a comment:


  • 1946Austin
    replied
    Got family stuff done today, and when we got home I ran straight to the shop to weld my 1/2" nut on the brake arm, and reinstall the pedal in the car. It sits right where I wanted it, and feels much better than before. I'm happy with the brakes now, and the new round pedal.





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  • 1946Austin
    replied
    Tore into the brake system this week to plumb in a line lock to the front brakes. Thinking about maybe running the '39 at the nostalgia drags this summer, and it will help with heating up the slicks. In the process I also considered swapping in a power brake booster since my brakes are good, but take a fair amount of foot pressure to really lock them up.
    I got the line lock mounted, and was under the dashboard looking at my hanging pedal assembly when I thought maybe I should measure the pedal ratio, since it looked pretty short. So measure the pivot point and overall length, and came up with 4:1 ratio! No wonder it takes a strong leg to haul the car to a stop! That's a power brake ratio, not a manual brake ratio.
    So I unbolted the master, and pulled the pedal assembly off the inside firewall. Fortunately there's plenty of room, so it dropped out easily. I put the arm on the bandsaw and cut it off right at the pedal. Cut up some fairly hard steel I had, and shaped it to fit the arm, extending it about 4" longer. Welded it to the arm after figuring where the pedal should sit. I made a little offset to get the pedal location over towards the gas pedal about 2" also, as it was a bit tough to jump from gas pedal to brakes in a hurry. I also ordered a 40's Ford truck rubber round brake pedal so I can toss the rectangle rubber pedal that it had. Never liked the look for my car, so good chance to change it.
    I'll wait for the pedal to arrive, and I can figure the angle to weld the 1/2-20 NF threaded nut to the arm the pedal threads into. Then I can plumb the line lock into the front brakes, and bleed the system. Should be about 6.5:1 ratio with the extension on the arm, which will take normal manual pedal pressure to stop now.

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  • Captain
    replied
    Groovy !!

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  • 1946Austin
    replied
    Absolutely gorgeous 76 degrees here today, but for only one day, then back to rainy and low 50's tomorrow. But I got the '39 outside and gave it a good wash. Amazing how dirty they get just sitting all winter! Headed straight to the gas station after a wash to fill the tank, and gave her some premium since changing heads bumped the compression from 9:1 with the old heads to 10:1 with the new Dart aluminum heads. First drive since swapping on the Dart heads, and wasn't sure what to expect?
    No idea if I got the 60-65 HP gain Dart said I'd get, but I can say I feel a marked improvement in response at the fast pedal. It easily breaks the 9" slicks loose now, and before I had to punch it hard to do the same. I drove around for several hours on city streets and freeway, and gas needle never left the full mark, so it appears it will still do OK on mileage if I can avoid too much right foot action!

    I stopped by DiOrio's Old Car Parts to ask if they had an old '53 Chevy horn cap to put on my steering wheel. Rod took me back to a bin full of them and I found a nice one with the Chevy bowtie in gold in the center for $10. Looks much nicer than the gloss black cap.



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  • 1946Austin
    replied
    Got the aftermarket wheel off today, and went to install the '53 Chev wheel, but it wouldn't catch the splines? I had a '52 Pontiac wheel on the '39 once, so it should have fit. I got to looking at the Chev wheel, and the old Pontiac wheel, and noticed the Chev wheel has a raised area all around the backside perimeter that's about 1/4" inside, and maybe 1/8" high. My column has a dust cover at the top that's plastic, and the ridge sits against that. Was going to grind the ridge off, but thought I'd see what held the dust cover on instead. I pried it up a little on one side and it popped right off.
    Tried the wheel again, and it sat right down and fit the splines perfectly. It also fits the round part of the column trim like it was made for it! The column is about 50 years newer, so it tickled me the splines and diameter are still the same for Chevy.


    This wheel looks much better and more appropriate for the era of my build. It's also 2" larger, so it will give me a little better leverage for my manual steering!

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  • 1946Austin
    replied
    Portland Swap meet yesterday, and 2nd day today. Nothing found at PIR yesterday, but Expo was a successful trip today. I picked up a new steering wheel for the '39 today. A nice restored '53 Chevy steering wheel, complete with horn ring and center button. A very nice wheel for way too cheap price!



    It will replace the aftermarket bland wheel in the '39 now.



    Also bought a brand new, in the box TCI Automotive shifter. They sell around $200-$250 most places, and got it for $100.
    And in a $1 for anything box a brand new chrome master cylinder cover. Can't pass it up for a buck.
    Last edited by 1946Austin; April 1, 2022, 03:03 PM.

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  • Captain
    replied

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  • Deaf Bob
    replied
    Originally posted by 1946Austin View Post

    That's what I'm hoping for Bob! I hope the better flow and 1 compression point higher will maybe make it slightly better mileage.
    Alot of times when guys raise compression, they add bigger carb or cam.
    Since you just added compression, I think you will see improvements.

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