Now for something completely different... a Little Car update

[Gwendolyn Ann Smith <gwen@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Ya'll,

My mercifully brief two-cents.  I did leave the list due to the poor 
level of discource, I came back prior to the recent flurry which, well, 
made the list all-but-useless.  I'll be glad when we get past arguing 
about certain lest personalityies, moderation issues, and the like.  

I'm a week before Little Car has its "big shoot" for Hemmings, and trying 
to get all I can done before then.  Since last I updated, the following 
work has been completed.

1. Front and rear bumper rails have been replaced.
Thank you again, Joe, for grabbing these for me.  These look *so* much 
better than the dented-up rails that had been on the car.  Really cleans 
things up.

2. Washer bag, check valve, and foot pedal have been installed.
Installing the pedal pump is a pain in the patootie, somewhat literally.  
I never want to do this again.  Still, it's in, and I've only one more 
part to do on the windshield washer: the nozzle sprayer.  Colour me a 
little nervous about drilling an 11/32 hole through the hood!

3. Deep cleaning has started, including the engine bay.
Gosh, but I've always wanted to spend my time under the hood of the car, 
cleaning off 40 year old mung with a wire brush.  Especially as I thought 
the engine was already pretty clean.  Of course, now I can also see all 
the spots on the block where the turquoise paint has come off over the 
years.  Maybe the grease looked better!

4. Upper radiator hose and heater hoses have been replaced.
Having the correct upper hose looks excellent, especially with it bewing 
held in with a proper tower clamp.  Unfortunately, I'm still going to 
have to get more of those, as three of the four I got are the wrong size! 
 Another time, perhaps.  The heater hose switchout went much easier, even 
with having to really fight the hold hoses off, then install the new ones 
*and* put on corbin clamps.  Now I can really understand why worm clamps 
are so popular!

If I manage to get it done in time, I may also get some work in on the 
rear brakes (likely need to grab some new shoes), continue to clean the 
car (next week, when the rains finally are expected to subside), and get 
that nozzle sprayer in the hood.

The paperwork I have to fill out for Hemmings is insane in the level of 
detail, even for a person such as I who has asked for specifics on 
date-coded Wittek brand tower clamps, and who is still pondering just 
what stripe should be on my heater hoses.  You see, they use the same 
paperwork for "Muscle Machines" as they do with "Classic Cars."  A 
certain level is superfluous (like the specifics on the computer in 
Little Car), but some is simply stuff that even within the pile of paper 
goods and ephemera I've collected, the information is simply not there

Hence, I'm going to do the charitable thing, and pass on some of the 
stumpers to ya'll.  Anyone happen to know the specifics on these 
questions, for a 1964 Classic (195.6 OHV, automatic, etc.)?

1. "Frame reinforcements (i.s. subframe connectors, shock tower ties)" -- 
would there even be such a thing on my little unibody?

2. Steering ratio?  For that matter, what to put in for "Turns lock to 
lock"

3. Front and rear track?

Anyway, that's the latest.  More soon, including some photos!

Cheers,
Gwen Smith



 ______^_____^______
(O|O) =RAMBLER= (O|O) Gwen Smith * gwen@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
 -------------------  www.gwensmith.com/interests/rambler
 \-<>---|770|---<>-/