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#11
Technical / Authenticity / Re: 6 volt Group 2 batteries
Last post by TJ Hopland - Today at 02:34:39 PM
Glad someone brought up the Group 2 vs GC2.  I was wondering about that since that is what I see in stock everywhere and the few things I have dealt with (tractors) used likely because space didn't tend to be a problem. 

For the person that is running the parallel ones how did you do the cables/connections?  Custom cables or did you find something for heavy equipment that worked well?

The issue with a weak or dead optima is they will suck every amp of juice you give them which can often overload and or damage what ever you are using to try and charge them.  This could be your gen/alternator if you got it started but it was still pretty weak or your charger. 

Many of the 'smart' chargers today will just overload an shut off.  I found if all you have is a charger available to you set it for its lowest setting, ideally under 2 amps and let it go like that as long as possible.  At some point it will be charged enough that you can switch it to a higher mode and it will do fine.  Some chargers will even trip out or not work that low.

What they say the proper process to revive one is is to get a similar size capacity wise battery fully charged and connect them with a good set of jumper cables.  You can then connect the charger to both batteries or wait for them to equalize then charge one at a time.  The idea is the good battery can supply the 100's of amps it takes to partially recover.

As long as you are aware of that characteristic I really didn't have a huge problem living with them and its not why I quit using them in the normal 12v form for fairly normal applications.  The small form factor of the 6v may be worth the extra hassle if I was to have something 6v. 
#12
General Discussion / Re: 2024 USA 235,225,215 / 75 ...
Last post by TJ Hopland - Today at 02:19:59 PM
Thanks for the tip on Kontio.  Looks like for USA there appears to be a few tire dealers but all the big online places like Summit and Jegs carry them.  Summit even has several options in stock.  They appear to be mostly into the wide white wall so if that is what you are looking for may be worth investigating. 

For those the prices are in the $250 range.  From what I can tell that is in the ballpark of Cooker but I don't really shop for those.  I would guess it works out in your case because there are higher fees importing from the USA than Finland. Maybe they are better tho?  We don't generally hear good things about some Cooker models when it comes to actually driving. 
#13
Technical / Authenticity / Re: Fuel filter bubbles bowl n...
Last post by Lexi - Today at 02:10:03 PM
Quote from: Jon S on Today at 12:37:45 PMIf it's any help, as you know my dad purchased the 1958 brand new and the fuel bowl level has always varied from full to half full. As the pump adds fuel it will "bubble" but normally stays at half full. As others have mentioned,it really doesn't matter as the carburetor fuel bowl is what keeps the engine running smooth. I have never had a lack of fuel problem even at sustained WOT.

That is amazing that your '58 is still in the family after all these years. Your car is a wonderful reference vehicle. I am not aware of these fuel bowl issues after 1956. Just curious, but was your fuel bowl originally installed glass side up or glass side down, in 1958, when new? Also, does your car have a period pumice stone filter installed in the fuel filter bowl or is it a new paper replacement? Clay/Lexi
#14
General Discussion / Re: Chrome Cleaning and Polish...
Last post by Jay Friedman - Today at 02:06:48 PM
I prefer Wright's Brass Polish for chrome.  It was recommended to me as having less "abrasive" than other polishes.
#15
I dont know if they are widely available in the USA but I fitted Kontio whitepaw radials on my 57 Seville.They are from Finland and in the UK they are around 30% cheaper than Coker and Diamondback tyres. Made a huge difference to the handling and diving comfort compared to the bias belted tyres I removed
#16
Technical / Authenticity / Re: Fan belt 1938 346 size
Last post by toybox - Today at 01:53:11 PM
  I think if you go to a heavy equipment parts supply you may find a comparable belt that nobody would question. The hard one for me was the generator belt. Tim
#17
Technical / Authenticity / Re: 1941 Hydra-Matic Transmiss...
Last post by toybox - Today at 01:41:27 PM
 Bruce, Did you know you could heat it in your kitchen oven to about 300 and it will just side on?  Tim
#18
Technical / Authenticity / Re: 6 volt Group 2 batteries
Last post by toybox - Today at 01:35:55 PM
I have been running Optimas Inside the old stock large case six volts. They fit in on an angle and the posts' are right where the stock ones were before they were cut out. Nobody has ever noticed at showtime. The trick now days is to find the old large cases.  Tim
#19
If the car isn't that rusty I would drop the tank. Actually I would regardless.  It's not that difficult to do and a lift is definitely not necessary. In-tank pumps are quieter and longer lived than external.

If the tank is full (they always are when the fuel pump dies), a cheap siphon is your friend. Possibly powering the fuel pump while whacking the tank with a rubber mallet might shock the pump past the dead spot and run long enough to drain the tank with the supply hose disconnected.
#20
I finally got the dash back together after a bunch of under-dash wire fixing -- driven initially by a loss of power to my in-tank fuel pump -- and happily had a running car again, for about 2 miles.  Another *!@# tow...

My in-tank fuel pump (which is how the car has worked for years after a switch to a carburetor) seems to have died.  I ran a wire directly from the battery to the pump connector to validate that my wiring wasn't to blame and the pump didn't come on.  Previously, my running a wire along the side of the car from the battery was how I was moving the car around while I sorted out the electrical problem that had sapped power from the pump.  That the direct line now no longer lights up the pump makes me assume that the pump has now completely died.

I'm pretty discouraged, to say the least!

Rather than dropping the tank and removing/replacing the pump, I'm considering simply adding a new electrical pump outside of the tank.  The idea would be to pull fuel through the old (and not operational) in-tank fuel pump.

Does that sound like a simpler solution than dropping the tank?  I don't have a lift which makes under-car work hard and I'm frankly intimidated by the idea of dropping the tank.

Thoughts?

Gary