More Good News-Bad News

Good news first: 

(1). The long-awaited temporary exhaust system is in place, and it feels like a huge step towards the first engine start. The job was surprisingly easy, and I actually survived crawling around on the concrete floor for a couple of hours without too many additional aches and pains. That said, it was a job that would have been much simpler if I had a hoist or a pit in my garage.

(2). I decided to take a chance that I won't need to have easy access thru the driver side floor panel and forged ahead with driver' side carpet and seat installation. That job also went quite well and I'm mostly pleased with the results. One semi-serious disappointment is that the seat will not fully recline as the release handle on the seat back hits the wide hardtop style rear armrest. I had relocated seat mounting brackets as close to the console as possible without major redesign, so I'll have to be satisfied with what I have, at least for now.

                                   Now the bad news...and this one could be serious. 

I've been checking all the driveline related systems to make them ready for the big day, and among them was a checkout of the start circuits and the function of the late model mini-starter. Previously, all I had tried was to hit the key and see if the starter relay was switching power to the starter. So far that simple test had not indicated a problem, but now I want to spin it long enough to pump oil into the engine, and after engaging the switch for a few seconds, I could tell the starter was turning much slower than it should have. In a few seconds, the 50amp circuit breaker on the power cable tripped.

 About 30 seconds later the breaker reset, so I turned the key again and the starter began to spin. The dash lights dimmed, and the voltmeter fell to zero, but I stopped before the breaker tripped again. So that is where it sits today, while I contemplate the possible reason, for the heavy draw.

According to the charts I consulted, the 2-gauge main power cable should easily serve the 10 ft from the trunk mounted battery to the starter with only the LED dash lights adding a miniscule draw to the total load.  So, for the time being I'll consider other possibilities.

The obvious first guess is a bad starter, which would be frustrating as it is supposed to be a new part, not remanufactured, but that would be the easiest fix. 

I don't even want to think that something in the engine might be binding. I rebuilt the engine in 2015, so it's not fresh in my mind, but I don't recall anything being a problem. I do remember checking the rod and main bearing clearance with plastigauge, as that's the way I've done it forever without any problems. Since it was assembled, I've turned it over by hand many times and I certainly should have noticed any binding. That said, I no longer trust my memory or my mechanical abilities. Getting old really sucks!

Yesterday, the city water pressure dropped to almost nothing when one of the wells broke down. We could have easily gotten by as I have emergency water storage, but the electric water heater shut off when the pressure dropped. I showered and shaved with cold water this morning as the pump had not yet been repaired. That means that household problems once again takes priority over playing with my car, so it sits for now.

Good News and Bad News

The good news is that I have the passenger seat bolted in place and the wiring connected to the control module inside the console. The way things have been going lately, I expected problems getting belt retractors and inertia locks to function properly, but to my surprise, everything works great!

The bad news is that I'm not satisfied with the seat location and fit. For now, it will be okay as installed, but I will want to redesign the mounting brackets to move it back about an inch and down almost that much so as to provide more legroom and head clearance when entering the car. I'll incorporate those changes in the driver's seat before I install it. I had to order some more angle stock to make them from, but the supplier e-mailed me today that the material is on a ship coming from...guess where...China!! They estimate a couple weeks before it arrives.

I also had to order two new connectors for the power seat control cable. Somehow, I received the wrong style when I ordered them a couple months ago. I probably ordered the wrong part number as they look identical to each other but require different pins and sockets.

No shortage of things to do, so the seats will have to wait for another day!

The Old Girl Has a New Voice!

 As usual, my efforts are misdirected. When I should be concentrating on installing a temporary exhaust system so I can start the engine, instead I've been working on the less important entertainment and navigation features.

The special push-on terminals for the speaker wires finally arrived so I was able to finish the radio/GPS installation. To my surprise, everything works! Even the navigation program receives a signal inside the building, although all I could do was program my home location. 

The only thing left to do for the screen display is install the rearview camera and that will involve cutting a hole in the body somewhere near the license plate. It will have to wait until I can drive the car out of the garage and can determine the best location to mount the camera.

Other than that, not much is being accomplished while I try to catch up on outdoor chores and projects. The late spring put me far behind with time consuming lawn and garden projects like weeding, edging and mulching flower beds. It is ironic that I have too much yard work for one old man, but not enough for a crew of landscapers. I've been trying to hire a part time helper for months, but there is no interest from young people who want a "position", but not a job that gets their hands dirty or makes them sweat.

Interior Progress

 I needed a psychological boost to keep up my interest in my decade long project, so I did a few obvious things where it is noticable. 

I finished reinstalling the right door trim panel and made a cloth pattern so I could cut the carpet for the passenger floor It actually came out quite good and have only one seam that falls within the foot well. I also like the looks of the plush carpet rather than the stock loop version. I hope it doesn't fade like the less- plush turquoise molded carpet I have in my Valiant convertible. 

Got a few pictures to share.

I also located the electrical short in the power window switch and trimmed the edge of the sheet metal cutout in the door to give the bundle more clearance. Windows now work great!

The driver's side carpet will have to wait for awhile until I can finish everything located under the access panel in the floor.

Update and Ridiculous Rides From Norway

 Still having medical problems limiting much of my activity, but I occasionally sneak into the shop to work on a few little things. 

I recently ordered a pair of door jamb light switches to replace the low-quality switches that I bought online a couple years ago. One or those low-quality parts is working, but the other has an internal short, and that convinced me to order new parts with hope they would be stronger. However, the new switches are about a quarter inch too long to fit '55-'56 Mopars. To be fair, they were advertised for '62 and up, but I was hoping I could make them work. I did have one salvaged OEM switch that I cleaned and de-rusted. It's functioning okay, so my interior lights are now working properly, but. I'll keep my eyes open for some new parts that are made somewhere besides China! One thing I did discover is that the thread size differs. My car has 3/8"-24 threads in the jamb, and the shoddy aftermarket switches had 3/8"-16 threads on the switch body even though they were listed as correct for '56 Plymouths. Since the ancient switch I salvaged matches my car's threads, I might be smarter to just look for good used parts.

Looking forward to getting back to work on the '56. 

Happy Easter and enjoy the video! 

What's Happening

 I entered the local hospital on 3-7-23 for day surgery to repair a simple hernia. The surgery went as expected, but a couple days later complications arose and I made a middle-of-the-night trip to the Emergency room. To keep it short and simple, I spent two days in the hospital and am now on the mend at home. Looks like at least two weeks before I can even attempt any work on the car. 

First day of spring and the weather is expected to be warm the next several days, so I might spend a few hours lounging outside in the sun. 

Wiper Park Adjustments

 

I had to make a new wiper arm removal tool so I was able to get the wipers adjusted to fully sweep without hitting the stainless trim, but no success adjusting the park position. The service manual contains no useful information to make an adjustment to relocate the park position, and there were no obvious adjustment points. Only thing to do was to open up the motor so I pulled the motor and removed the stamped cover so I could work it on the bench. At that point, it was easy to see how the adjustment functions. At least the notches are visible without removing the cover, and if the service manual had a picture it would have been nice!

This picture shows what lies beneath the cover. There is a reed switch that is actuated by a nylon pin that raises when the motor turns. I couldn’t determine how the reed switch functioned, but in my case, it made no difference at all as there was a broken part that you can see in the second picture. It is made of spring steel and is formed into a ramp shape to raise the nylon pin and use it to make and break the reed switch contact as it rotates. When I removed the switch plate, the broken part of the spring-steel ramp fell out, so. at least I could now visualize how the adjustment is supposed to be made. You can also clearly see the three notches in the rotating plate so it can be moved with a flat screwdriver to change the point at which the pin engages the spring ramp.

I was able to get the wipers adjusted to fully sweep without hitting the stainless trim, but no luck with adjusting the park position. The service manual contains no useful information to make an adjustment, and there were no obvious adjustment points. Only thing to do was to look inside at the controls so I pulled the motor and removed the stamped cover to work the problem on the bench. At that point, it was easy to see how the adjustment functions.

 

 I thought I was in luck as my parts car had the same motor, so it sould be a simple swap, but my joy quickly faded when I discovered that motor was locked up and wouldn’t move without damaging. However, I thought I could at least swap the ramp spring, but it too was damaged with a bend midway up the ramp. I tried straightening that part of the ramp, but the bend was too sharp and couldn’t be reformed properly without breaking the brittle metal.

 Finally, I decided to forget trying to create a park position. As often as I might be driving in rain, I can just use the switch to manually park the wipers. Before I reassembled everything, I removed the sixty-year-old crusty grease, oiled the plate and greased the gears. At least the arms are now synchronized, and the speed is adjustable with the dash switch.

Ice-bound!

 This is the third day in a row that I've been stuck in the house and not able to walk anywhere outside.  I couldn't even get to the workshop so I could get tools to break up the ice around the house.  This is the worst ice storm I've experienced in the 25 years I've lived in Texas. Only one worse I can recall was in Germany nearly sixty years ago. That time I was driving home from the missile site and had to stop and install tire chains. It took about an hour to get them on while crawling around on hands and knees. Guess I should have retired a few hundred miles farther south and closer to the Gulf of Mexico!

Fortunately, there was minimal ice buildup on trees and power lines, so we got lucky that way. Looks like the thaw will start this morning and the forecast is for 60s and 70s within a few days. Then maybe I can get back to work on the car.

 

Console Progress

 Snow is possible tomorrow, so I dodged the housework today and spent a couple of hours in the garage.

I completed the rear seat end of the console top, along with an armrest/cover for the storage bin and fuse access. 

Now I have to work my windshield wiper problem before I can assemble the rest of the console. I read, but don't clearly understand, the steps needed to adjust the wiper park position. The service manual does not have a sketch or photo to make it clear to my fading mind. Sometimes a simple instruction can be so confusing!

More Little Things Mean a Lot

 

This is the time of year when weather is usually at its maximum schizophrenic swings, and it has been happening again. With temps in the teens and snow flurries only a few days behind us, we were blessed with two sunny and calm 83*F days, and then it was back into the forties with howling NW winds. Today our forecast is for Spring-like weather that is expected to last a week or more.

 With the nice weather, I was able to fabricate, assemble and install several interior parts. Both door handles are now in place and functioning satisfactorily.

The latest version of the steering wheel is complete and waiting for the dash and steering column to be re-attached, so the interior is beginning to look like it is finally taking shape. This is the newest version of the old truck steering wheel and the various versions that led up to it. The center section trim will probably change, but I can do that after everything else is done.

This is the stock wheel that was OEM on my '73 D-100 pickup that I purchased new. I disliked it from day one but was like new and I finally found a use for it. 

I got rid of the plastic center pad and created a new center from the original '56 Plymouth Mayflower cap and a stainless-steel wheel center cap from an aftermarket truck wheel. I liked the look, but it didn't work out well as I could not come up with a way to attach it reliably to the horn mechanism.

The final results don't look much like a modernized 50s era design, but it functions like expected and the text can easily be replaced or changed at any time if I can come up with a nicer design.

I still have the problem of the windshield wipers not parking when turned off. When I tested the motor with a power supply, it was working fine, but I can't understand how running on battery power would change how it operates. I hate to fasten the dash panel without getting it fixed while it's accessible, but I also hate not being able to install the remaining console and heater controls. I do have an extra single speed motor that checks out fine, but it requires minor wiring changes and I would much prefer a 2-speed wiper. I saw there is a way to adjust the park setting, but the last time I read about it in the service manual I was confused...but that's normal!

  

 

 

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