TireSmoke.org

Without seeing it, I agree with Fred. On my Chevy stuff (same firing order), I always configure the distributor so that the vac advance can is around 7-8 o'clock. #1 plug is usually around 5 o'clock.

-Dave

Today I took a 45 minute project and turned it into a two hour plus project. My aftermarket fan shroud
came in the mail on Wednesday. I got some paint on it Thursday before I went in for the evening. This
morning, with about an hour to spare before I had to mow the grass, I went to the barn and, after about
twenty tries, got my shroud in and it looks real clean. I had to put it in and out and in and out..... until I
finally got it. I ended up putting a 5 blade fan back on and removing the 7 blade that I was using. The 7
blade was about a half inch larger in diameter, and I wanted to make sure that I had good enough clearance
on the shroud. I now know I can go to the 7 blade if I want to, because I cured the clearance issue, but when
I switched it, I wasn't so sure. I'm glad I bought the aftermarket shroud, as I had to cut 2 notches in the
shroud to make it fit the aluminum radiator that was in the car. It would've been sad to do that to a
survivor shroud. I also put in a 160* thermostat, with two 1/8" holes in the ring (I drilled them). I read on
the net where someone did this trick and it helped with cooling. Anyhow, as I pulled the car up to be
washed tonight in the drive, I let the car idle and watched the temp. It did extremely well, and, with
about 15 mins idle time, never went over 170*. In past times, it would've boiled over for sure. With the
shroud on, you can feel a strong pull of air being pulled in from the front of the radiator. I'm praying
that I've licked a huge problem. Time will tell. I'll drive it a bit to see what happens, but I'm feeling pretty
good right now.

GM

I've done a couple of mini-projects since my last post. I purchased and installed the period correct, stainless
wiper blades. They were $23 delivered to my house, and look 100% better than the stupid black framed ANCO
wipers that were on the car. I also decided to go back to the 7 blade fan. That (because I've done it 30 times )
took me about 10 minutes. I've driven it a bunch since the install and no clearance issues have been detected
at all RPM's. Today I hit the barn early. My goal was to stop a fuel issue. This started last fall sometime when
I noticed, after going to the local car wash rack, that there was some smearing on the rear bumper coming
out of where the reverse lights are. At the time I wiped it off and thought it was just soap from the car wash.
After detecting the issue again after the car sat dry for many days, I knew there was an issue going on. Thinking
that the sending unit was the issue, I ordered a fuel sending o-ring and retainer kit and it showed up this week.
When I went to install it, I realized that was not the issue. The real issue is that the tank has a vent line in the
side that's 1/2". The installer of the tank put a 12" piece of hose on it and just ran it behind the bumper to nowhere,
without anything on the end to hold the fuel back. What was happening was, when I accelerated, the fuel would
slosh out of the tank and get sucked through the reverse light housings. Terrible workmanship. I plugged the
opening with a piece of hose that was capped off and (for this week ) drilled a small hole in the non-vented gas
cap to act as a breather. I've purchased a vented gas cap that looks period correct which will cure the problem.
The gas cap that's on there is junk anyway as it needed a rubber washer on it. It's supposed to have one and doesn't.
While I was under the car, I re-ran the wire for the fuel gauge. The previous installer had it dangling between the
exhaust pipes with a crappy butt splicer in the middle. I ran it along the frame rail and used shrink tube on it so it
is out of the way and neat looking. I crimped the end where it connects to the fuel sending unit because it was loose
and about to fall off. I also adjusted the two rubber fuel lines so they run parallel to each other and are nice and neat.
I cleaned the bumper with wax and removed the smearing residue from the whole bumper. It looks great! I also adjusted
the license plate bracket so it closes the correct way and all the way, which it never has done since I've owned it. I had
ordered some wire clips to hold the wires correctly in the trunk. Those got installed today as well. Loose wires and
hoses dangling all over the place drive me insane. I have no more of that on the back side of the car. I'm not quite sure
what the next project is, but I'm sure I'll brew one up pretty quickly. I'm going for a ride in it tonight!


GM

Summer of 66...

GM

She looks good even in black & white. Very creative, GM.

Thanks, Walt!

GM

I've been thinking that the height of the front end on my 442 is a twitch too high.
I have a theory in my head that they guy used heavy duty springs or possibly springs
from a car with A/C. So, I'm thinking of shortening the ones that are in the car. I
think this is a low percentage gamble because new springs are about $100. Has anybody
on here ever tried to lower their existing springs? I did it once on a 75 Cutlass. I used
my dad's heavy duty with air springs out of a 78 Delta 88. They were WAY too long,
but I heated the springs with a torch to lower them. It worked sweet, but not sure
I want to do that to this car.... Opinions please. ( it should be noted that I only need
about an inch or so at the fender )

GM

1) get smaller tires
2) put some weight on the front
3) let some air out of the tires
4) don't look at the front
5) get front fender skirts
6) heat the springs



Actually I would not heat them as it is very difficult to get the springs to lower evenly

I would either cut them or get the right springs

I agree with Andy, either cut or get the right springs, especially since they're cheap. Whatever you do, removing/installing the springs is the real labor involved with the job. How many times do you want to do that?

-Dave

I've read that heating the springs ruins the heat treat and can even cause them to break. I cut 1/2 coil out of the Lincoln front springs and it put the front height about right. You'll get about twice the drop by removing part of the springs because of the suspension geometry.

Check this out. https://www.eatondetroitspring.com/cutt ... l-springs/

Yeah, that's a crappy labor job. If new ones are only $100, just buy the new ones and you're good. I might wait until winter though as the new springs will need some time to settle. I put new ones on my Trans Am (because I cut too much out) and left it stored with five sand bags on the core support while they settled down.

-BP

Thanks for the input! I think that this will be a "this fall" type of project. I'd really like to
know how tall the springs that are in there are. Since the car has a 400 cu in motor, but no
air, power steering or power brakes, I think that it's lighter in the front than most. I definitely
won't get "heavy duty" springs as I feel it won't need them. I'm going to have to do more pondering
and research.

GM

If those are big block springs, I might think about buying 6 cylinder Cutlass springs. Grins.

I'm still thinking about the front springs, nothing has changed there. I did a
mini-project the other day, thought it might look cool. I've been driving and
enjoying the 442 whenever the roads are dry. It goes to Wal-Mart and Home
Depot as long as whatever I'm taking back from the store doesn't hurt the car.
It has reached the "dependable" stage, which is wonderful.

GM

Since my last post, I adjusted the steering box. There was a bit of a dead spot on when the
steering wheel was in the dead middle between turn left and turn right. A quarter turn on the
manual steering box adjustment made that go away and it made a big difference in the feel of
the steering. I'm going to take it in for a front end alignment this week as the right front seems
to be towed in and leaning out. I also have been working on a license plate that I purchased on
Ebay. It was a "I think I can do this" type project, and it was a pretty low dollar try at it. I'm hoping
that the BMV will accept this plate, if so, I will run it on the 442. I'm posting two pics of the plate,
the white one is taken from the eBay ad and the red one is the finished project. I have about 5
hours in making it look like it does now. It took about 250,000 taps with punches, chisels & hammers
to convert the 6 into a C and make the 1946 into 1966. Then it took many coats of white paint to
cover the red embossed letters on the plate. It isn't perfect, but it looks pretty good and going
by a 60 mph nobody will know that I made the plate myself.
GM