Restoration Advice

garyrr

changeing 2oo 6cyl to302 need motor mount combo for 64 comet caliente stock mounts are diifferent

tahj07

I have an 84 CJ-7 with a 400 hp. mild sb 350. I'm looking for a healthy sounding exhaust that's not obnoxious. I have Hedman shorty headers and I want the pipes to exit in front of the rear tires, so there's not a lot of length. I'm also NOT running cats. I guess my main question is, 22" glass packs or baffled muffler? ...........

I'm leaning toward the glass packs, mainly for the size. They'll fit
up inside the frame with no problem. I just don't know how loud they'll be.............. Any suggestions would help.

burdawg

I think you will be unhappy with the noise level & rumble from the glasspacks. I'd go with a good low restriction aftermarket muffler. Most aftermarket manufacturers can provide you with an idea of the noise level you will get from their various models. If you do a lot of off roading you want ot rethink the pipe exit - if you run them to exit in front of the rear tires that means they will be below the frame and in harm's way if you bottom out.

yunglui510

I was wondering if anybody knew if 24" rims can fit a 1968 Mercury Cougar XR7 or 22" rims thanks for taking the time to read this.

lemmer

You can probably get 26" wheels on there if you lift it enough, but it sure would look better with some period correct 15" torque thrusts or something similar.

euphonium

Sure, just don't try it with the tires mounted. :sick:

aclloyd

I own a 1957 4-door hardtop Chevy no post Bel Air in which I paid $3,000 for. Everything is original except the engine which now has a 327. I have gotten some advice weather or not I should dump some money into it and restore the car. From some opinions people tell me that it is not worth restoring because the car isn't the 2-door model that is so popular. Other people have told me that the car is rare with the no post model and yes it is resoring. This would be my first restoration project and I am a total rookie. Questions I have are:

1.) is it worth doing a total body off restoration?
2.) Is the car not very popular?
3.) Would it be something I could sell down the road?
4.) from an investment purpose will it be worth any money after it is restored?

Thanks for any help and it is appreciated.

texases

The first place I go to see what a car sells for (not what people ask for) is the 'completed items' at Ebay. I found two, one sold for $13k and was an ok street rod, the other got no offers at $20k and was a very restored original. I'm no expert, but that kind of gives you a price range. So it depends on how much work is needed, how much you can do yourself, and how important it is to get the money out that you put in. While the 4dr ht might be unusual, it'll never be as valuable as an equivalent 2 dr ht, convertible, or Nomad.

jspagna1

Here are my answers to your quetions below:

1.) is it worth doing a total body off restoration? = No
2.) Is the car not very popular? = Not very popular
3.) Would it be something I could sell down the road? = Yes ?
4.) from an investment purpose will it be worth any money after it is restored? = ???

IMO the only way that car will be worth money is to restore it to original specs or as original as possible. I will tell you that the 327's are good strong motors and are getting harder to find,so that is definitely worth some money.

isellhondas

327's are GREAT motors, just not what that 57 came with.

I have watched healthy 327's whip 409's back in the day.

mark154

Does anyone have a good contact to find the radiator star for a 1954 300 sedan. Last part needed to complete restoration. It is 2 piece. I just need the upper portion with the star. Any condition at this time will work.

Mr_Shiftright

You might think I'm crazy, but there is a small chance you can still order this through a dealer.

mark154

Thank You For the Info. I treid that a few weeks ago. There is a lot of items I could get from dealer, However that part was not one of them. thank You Again. Mark

Mr_Shiftright

You know, I think the dealer is just being lazy. Have you written to Mercedes in Montvale NJ? Mercedes has an entire restoration facility in Germany and I feel certain they still make that item. If you can buy Gullwing trim pieces I don't see why you can't get the most common item on a Benz.

Otherwise, I guess I'd page through Hemmings Motor News and get on the phone.

fintail

I have no doubt the MB classic center in Germany could have the part delivered in a few days. The only problem is you'll pay to play that game.

Back when I was in school the hood ornament got stolen off my fintail. I really wanted to replace it asap, so I went down to the local stealership to see how soon it could be ordered. They had one in stock! I paid twice what I would have paid from an independent, but I got it immediately.

hpmctorque

Good one!

lemko

I hope that fad of wearing car hood ornaments is passe' by now. They used to steal the wreath & crest off Cadillacs too. I was somehow very fortunate nobody stole it off my Brougham though this fad was in full force back in the late 1980s/early 1990s and I parked it right out on a city street. I heard the wreath and crest cost $184 to replace!!! I guess the "Holy Grail" would've been a "Spirit of Ecstasy" from a Rolls-Royce.

texases

"I guess the "Holy Grail" would've been a "Spirit of Ecstasy" from a Rolls-Royce. "

I guess it's not totally passe', even now - on one of the "How It's Made" shows they followed the latest Rolls through production, part of which included testing the elevator for the retractable "Spirit of Ecstasy".

fintail

I haven't had a problem since 1998/99, so I think the fad might have passed yeah.

Luckily MB ornaments are fairly inexpensive...I think it was like $35 from the stealership, maybe $15 from an online seller.

Mr_Shiftright

Besides, if you steal it you might have to take it in for repairs someday

1bigman

Hey guys I am looking for 1957 chevy belair Body have a LT1 engine I want drop in it .If anyone has one for sale let me know Please.

funchmobile

Hello,

I have a 1954 Cadillac Coupe deVille that I have owner since 1984. It is a good looking driver but it needs an engine overhaul due to smoke/oil issue.

Had an estimate of $5K to do the engine and am wondering if there is a cheaper alternative such as swapping the drivetrain.

I love this car but am having a little trouble convincing my wife that $5K is a good idea at this time... She is inclined to sell...

bumpy

$5,000 for an old domestic V8? It shouldn't be anywhere near that much unless they're casting you a new engine block. IIRC, Cadillac used the exact same V-8 from 1948 through 1964 or so, so the easiest thing to do is to find another engine and have that one installed.

Mr_Shiftright

Well these days doing an R&R on a big car like that and totally rebuilding the engine, along with all the gaskets, seals, hoses, belts, radiator, re-sealing the transmission, etc, probably would cost $5K.

But the question is, do you need an entire rebuild? It's possible on a car like this to just overhaul the engine in place ("freshen it up") as long as the cylinders aren't egg-shaped and the crankshaft mics out okay.

Your situation is, in my opinion, a fence-sitter. On the one hand, the car is not worth all that much that you can invest heavily in it; however, putting in another engine from a different year won't hurt the value all that much.

Part of your decision depends on the condition of the rest of the car. Unless this baby is pretty sharp all around, a solid high #3 or low #2 car or better, spending $5K on it doesn't seem financial wise.

But if you love the car, then the decision isn't based strictly on dollars.

euphonium

Cadillac used the exact same V-8 from 1948 through 1964

1948 Cadillac used the former "flathead" engine. The Kettering Valve in Head first appeared in the 1949 Cadillac. It had 331 c.i. and a 7.5 Compression Ratio. Behind it was a 4 speed Hydra Matic, but the Rocket 88 in the Olds was the screamer at the time.

ibfootin

Did the 1969 Camaros have 13 or 17 characters in the VIN

euphonium

Chevrolet VIN numbers in 1969 used a 13 digit alpha-numeric number, always starting with the number 1. ...

ibfootin

Thanks. Is there a service that will recognize a 13 character VIN

euphonium

Is there a service that will recognize a 13 character VIN :confuse:

Mr_Shiftright

He means a VIN decoder.

Just post it here, we'll decode it for you.

euphonium

Thank you. I had no idea, but can now sleep sounder tonight.

funchmobile

My Shiftright,
Thanks for the info, and opinion. I have had the car's engine evaluated and it has 2 cylinders with zero compression and the others have around 100 lbs. "Tired out" is how the mechanic described it. He is looking for a possible swap but no luck so far. He is going to get back to me in a few days with pricing and options. In the mean time, I am driving it around a little and letting my son get a feel for the good old days. (He is 16 with his permit).

Thanks again,

Bill

Mr_Shiftright

really? two cylinders at zero? I'm surprised the car would even run, or even idle. Why not just do a valve job then? Is it smoking really badly?

funchmobile

The smoke is very bad from the right/passenger-side tailpipe, not as bad from the left but still pretty bad.. Not sure which cylinders are doing what. I expect more details soon. The car does run and even goes down the road but not too fast. PS. My wife flipped when I told her we were looking at a $5K repair job and she wants to sell her half of the car.. ;-(

debose

i rebuilt my engine about 6 years ago and put less than 5000 miles on it, but its just been sitting for five of those six years in my back yard.now i got a little time and money do i need to rebuild the motor again?

Mr_Shiftright

Not necessarily. It depends to some extent how it was stored, etc. Best thing would be to take out the spark plugs and squirt a light oil in each oil (automatic transmission fluid would be fine), about 3-4 teaspoons of oil in each hole, screw in the plugs by hand, let it sit overnight. Then next day try to turn the engine by hand using the belts and fan or a socket on the crank bolt. If the engine won't turn, the piston rings have rusted to the cylinder walls and you are screwed for the time being.

If the engine does turn okay, then get a battery and some fresh spark plugs. Remove the old plugs and spin the engine over until the oil you put in has cleared out. Then put in new spark plugs, then STOP.

Now, drain your gas tank, put in a new fuel filter, squirt a little starter ether in the carb, and hold on to your hat as you crank it over. MAKE SURE there is someone with you to work the ignition key while YOU watch the engine for leaks, fire, whatever. Have a fire extinguisher handy.

If the engine is jammed tight, you still might be able to save it by adding MORE oil and letting it sit longer, or, worst case, pulling off the cylinder heads and rapping on the pistons with a wooden stake; however there is a chance that you will break the piston rings and you know what that means.

Even if the engine frees up, the rust might have damaged the cylinder walls.

If the engine runs okay, let it warm up for 15 minutes, then drain the old oil and add new oil and filter and that part is done. Now you have to do tires, brakes, coolant, trans fluid, etc.

Big job here but if the car is a nice one, it's worth doing.

debose

i have a 1968 mustang im trying to restore where do i start?

manny73661

restoration on my car,,a 78 culass supreme,is there anyway i can get a original dashboard? if so, from where,,i want a original is this possible?

Mr_Shiftright

I'd get a copy of Hemmings Motor News, and then order up all the free Mustang parts catalogues you can find.

I think Hemmings has some good archive articles on how to plan a restoration on their website at www.hemmings.com. What are your goals for this car?

You need a plan, a budget, and you need to line up your suppliers. '68 Mustang should be pretty "easy" as long as you are starting off with a decent car but if you have lots of rust, think twice.

Mr_Shiftright

Wrecking yard is about it, or buy a donor car, they should be pretty cheap.

debose

thers not to much rust just surface rust that i knocked off with a wire brush.my plan is to have it as a second car and weekend driver. do you think i can do it fo about ten thousand? i put pics up at http://www.carspace.com/debose check them out see what you think.im going to check out www.hemmings.com right know

Mr_Shiftright

It's gonna bit tight. Depends on what quality you desire. The rust looks like wet floor mats or gasket leaks into the car (which you should find and fix) but I'd look real close at the rust by the driver's left foot, to make sure it is not intruding into the A pillar (windshield/dash support) as it mates to the floor. That would be nasty if it's weak in there---*very* nasty.

Mechanical parts are very straightforward. You big expense is going to be bodywork and paint. If you have to farm all that out, I don't think you'll meet your $10K budget, as this is so labor intensive. But if you can do a lot of it yourself, you might be able to build a decent driver.

Yeah you can wire brush the rust but then you'll have to treat it chemically to stop it from re-occuring. Aside from paint and bodywork, the interior can get expensive, as can machine work. Brakes and suspension shouldn't be too bad, but here again you're going to have to decide how much you plan to clean up the underside of this car. That's a nasty job.

euphonium

It is highly recommended you begin with adhering to the Data Plate using it , not as a guide, but as strict restoration facts. In other words, honor the originalness of the vehicle. The more the restoration matches the Data Plate, the more valuable it is down the road. Decode your Data Plate and proceed from that.

The Style Steel wheels are worth quite a bit these days, they are an example of what to restore and keep factory stock.

Also, it is recommended you join Mustang Club of America. They publish a monthly magazine, but not as extensive as "Mustang Monthly". Take your time, be authentic, & patient. Good Luck

british_rover

The first motorcycle I bought in high school had a locked up motor and I went through that whole procedure but could never get the pistons free. I ended up buying a used motor from a wrecked bike and swapping it in.

I have to assume that since my motorcycle had an aluminum block with steel sleeves and aluminum forged pistons that the pistons were essentially welded to the bores by corrosion.

Mr_Shiftright

That can happen. Sometimes you can soak them for days and days and then attach compressed air and that jogs it loose.

There are tricky ways to get stuck cylinder heads loose, but a stuck engine can be very troublesome.

Of course, just before you buy the new engine you can always roll the bike down the hill and pop the clutch, but usually that'll just put you over the handlebars or if you are REAL lucky, break all the piston rings.

chase14l

i have a 53 chevy bel air with the stock 235 staright 6.it hasnt been started in around 14 years. i am wondering if something might break if i try to start it?

did001

I am restoring a 1958 Jeep Willis P/U. I put in a new temperature gauge and a new sensor. When I turn on the ignition the gauge slowly moves to the hot position within 30 seconds. If I remove the wire from the sending unit it moves back to the cold position. If I ground the wire to the motor the gauge moves to the hot position. As a result of this test I took back the sending unit and exchanged it for a new one. It does the same thing. Any ideas as to what is wrong and how to fix it?

Mr_Shiftright

There are a few things to watch out for. One, remove the spark plugs, add some oil and let it sit overnight. Then turn the engine by hand. This might prevent a rusted oil ring from breaking and also is a good way to see if water seeped into the cylinders from a leaky headgasket. Barring either of these calamaties, once the engine spins by hand, you can put in new plugs, points, condenser and plug wires and try to fire it up. Of course, you'll have to drain the gas tank and add fresh gas before you try to start the car.

Don't try to jump start a 14 year old battery. Buy a new one.

Mr_Shiftright

I'd say you have the wrong sensor.

smw104

My console shift does not fully rotate column. I tried adjusting nut between trans and column linkage.When I put console shift into park,I have to rotate column by hand to pull key out.How do I fix this? 350 AT .