I like cars.
I like old cars.
I like old fast cars.
I like sleeperzzzzzzzzzzz (please excuse the slip into ‘Yoof Speak’
So what’s the plan, Batman?
I love the style and design of older cars, but I am not 100% happy in how they drive. My 56 (see above both car and truck) looked ‘stockish’ at first glance with different wheels and stance, but with modern underpinnings making them drive like a modern car. Oh yes they ‘might’ have a little power increase over stock…
I also used to do a little racing…
(Mmmmm...supposed to be a picture in here of my thinner, racing days, use your imagination)
So…with that in mind I have a 4 stage plan.
1. MOT and shake down to establish what is what.
2. Upgrade of brakes and suspension – Blame Rob at No Limits for this with his ‘How to make it handle thread’
3. Upgrade gearbox to 5 speed and change rear end gearing
4. Install LM7
5. Turbo.
6. Race.
OK, so that is a 6 point plan but you get the idea….
Without any further ado I give you…
Stage 1!
After awaking 'Woody' (Blame my daughter Woody is an ex California Forestry truck) from his slumbers it became apparent that there was a fairly heavy drain on the battery overnight. Quick charge and, using my trusty multimeter, checked to see if there was a draw with everything switched off.
That will be a no then.
But still not startie when turning the key. Did I happen to mention that I hate electrical problems?
A lot more investigation and still no closer to finding a problem, lot of loud clicking noise from the starter but no vroom, vroom. As it was bitterly call I decided to retire to the comfort of a hot shower, it only took 30 seconds to write but the above process took 6 hours.
Did I say I hated electrical problems?
Always do my best thinking in the shower so, after 20 minutes I had my Eureka! moment. Must be a problem with the starter motor, I concluded. Anyway too cold and late to go out again tonight so woke up early the next day to start the second day of diagnostics.
No pictures I am afraid but it became pretty apparent once under the truck what the problem could be. The main power lead was uninsulated where it attached to the starter and when it had been tightened had cranked over and was hard against the spare terminal on the solenoid.
Will make a new lead at a later point but for today just moved and re-secured. Quick test and….Success!!!!
Next job was to find out why the horn was not working. Quick call to Grizz to establish the position of the horn and the problem became immediately apparent…there was no horn!
Dug through my pile of carefully assembled spare parts, or pile of junk as my wife refers to it, and found a spare horn from my 56.
Tested it across the battery to ensure it worked, Parp Parp! I love the sound of an old horn. Plugged it in and pushed the horn button and…..Silence…. Bugger
So, quick test of the horn relay was inconclusive so disconnected it and took it apart to test in the comfort of the kitchen. I hate electrics…
Nothing much seemed amiss other than a bit of dust (in fact that is a recurring theme throughout the day) so cleaned and gapped the contacts and tested again. Success!
Re assembled and pushed the horn button again…Silence… Bugger, bugger.
Made up a test lead and bypassed the wiring up to the column.
PAAAARRRRRPPPPP!!!!!
We have Horn! But still nothing on the button. Electrics…..GRRRRRRRR!!!!!
Shorted out the contact at the wheel and nothing, so at least I had established where the fault was. Now you might have thought that this took a long time to read but it is nothing compared to the amount of time taken to get the wheel off the column….
Ended up making a puller, cutting threads in metric bolts and finally…
Success!
Tested the contact between the ring and horn push and nothing, HUZZZAAAHHH I have found the problem, only took me 4 hours…
Adjusted the plunger and retested, still nothing. Mmmmm…. My eyes then wondered to my ‘Top Shelf’ where there was a few steering wheels collected over the years.
The Impala wheel provided a replacement part ( in fact was tempted to just fit the Impala wheel) re assembled and… PAAAARRRRPPPPPPPPP!!!!!! We have horn from the horn button!!! Another thing ticked off the list
NEXT!!
Screen washers, the bane of my life in all vehicles…. So a little digging revealed that I did indeed have screen washers, the jets and tubes are all present, sadly no water bottle but that is an easy remedy. Now how do they work, or not in this particular case…
A quick poke around under the dash confirmed the location of the pump, with wires attached but no, Squirty Squrty action when the button was pushed. Looks like another electrical problem.
Did I mention that I hate Electrics?
After confirming there was feed from the switch, or at least I think there is, I decided that rather than remove large swathes of my body to enable me to contort into a position to test the pump I would just take it out. Actually quite easy after I had stemmed the flow of blood to my newly severed midrife.
Once on ‘the bench’ it became apparent that years of dust and probable lack of use, had caused the internals to seize up. After an hour of fannying about I made the decision that £17 spent with Rock Auto for a new pump was a wise investment, especially as they are a requirement for the MOT and I only had 6 days before I was required to attend the station to be tested.
By now it was bloody cold, getting quite late and my Father decided that, as much as he enjoys spending time with me, the lure of a cold beer and a warm fire had far more pull than a cup of warm tea and a cold garage. So we called it a day.
But! He still hadn't been for a ride in Woody, so we loaded up the dogs and drove out of one gate and back in through the other. As I was putting the truck away the older bearded one commented on the fact that one of the brake lights was not working, hopefully just a bulb.
So with Dad off home I thought I had just better check again that all was OK with a quick trip out of the gates…
It would appear I might have an LSD…
5 days until MOT time so, until later.
P.
