Carl 61 Fleetwood Phyllis

[Clewisiii]

I just spent a Sunday afternoon reading your post. I enjoyed it and found so much information both interesting and informative. Although my 87 doesn't need as much work you have inspired me.

Thank You. I try to be detailed, and celebrate every success or activity. My hobby is not to own the car, but to restore the car.  So I am comfortable making mistakes and seeing what is possible or what I am capable of.

[Clewisiii]

$120 for this Fleetwood trunk emblem from OPGI and I still have to paint it. 

It took a few months to get.  I ordered all the emblems for my car other then the Fleetwood dash emblem. Not available.

Everything else is still on backorder. One of them is saying estimate sometime in 2024.

[Clewisiii]

Well I am a little annoyed. My new map light lense I bought from McVeys is actually more amber then the original.  I wanted to replicate the original. Not the original plus 30 years of Nicotine.

[Clewisiii]

One leg of my new hood V is bent. Sticks up 1/8 inch on the hood.  But it is real light gauge compared to the original.  It can bend back easy but I hate bending chrome.

[Clewisiii]

I am issuing myself a challenge.  I am going to fire up my engine this year. 

Engine rebuild is done
Carb is restored
Fuel pump done
Water pump done
Generator done
Starter is done

I ordered a rebuild kit for the transmission
I need to recore my radiator
I will cerokote the manifolds in advance.
I will need to buy an engine wire harness.

Let me know what else I am missing.  It will be on frame with no body and no drive shaft attached. I will just run from a gas can.

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

How long has it been since the engine was last started, or built?

If it has been a while, before you do actually fire it up, remove the Distributor and insert an Oil Pump Drive adaptor and spin the drive to pre-lube the engine.

If you aren't going to do this, remove the Spark Plugs, and Ignition Coil Lead, put a couple of squirts of oil into the cylinders and spin the engine visa the Starter Motor to get oil through.   Don't leave the plugs in or you will be putting too much strain on the bearings.

Bruce.

[Clewisiii]

The engine has not been started since it's rebuild in 2020.  So starting fresh. 

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

Okay.

What I do is firstly place the crankshaft in TDC, in the correct firing order for No. 1 and remove the Distributor, insert my home-made priming tool, and place a mechanical Oil Pressure Gauge in the Oil Pressure Switch spot, and then turn it in the direction of the distributor rotation.

After gaining Oil Pressure, rotate the crankshaft 45 Degrees, and prime again.   Rotate the Crankshaft another 45 degrees, and prime.   Keep doing this till you have completed two turns of the Crankshaft, and gone back to the original BTDC mark, and replace the distributor.   As the oil pump has been turned, you will have to manually position the pump using the priming tool so that the Distributor simply drops down and engages the pump, with the Rotor facing in the correct position for No. 1 and you should be right to go.

The idea of rotating the crankshaft this way is to ensure that all the areas of the engine has been provided with oil, especially the Hydraulic Lifters.

Don't forget that if the Cam and Followers are new, you will have to do the running-in procedure for these parts.

Bruce.

PS.   I made my primer out of a piece of tub, and created a copy of the Distributor end on one end, and put an old Socket on the other end to enable the use of a Speed Brace to rotate it.   The roll pin is placed in the tube to stop the possibility of the tool from going too deep onto the shaft, and getting caught, lifting the shaft up as the tool is withdrawn.

[Snibbor]

Incredible Carl. Thanks for sharing!

[Clewisiii]

Seals and clutches arrived for my trans today. 
 

[Eldovert]

Carl,
Beautiful engine!
To add to what Bruce has written.
You might need to put the driveshaft yoke in the back of the trans to keep the fluid from coming out.
Use good break in oil such as Lucas or Brad Penn.
You want to have the engine fire immediately and keep the RPM at around 2000 for 30 minutes for cam break in.
Cheers,Pat MacPhail

[Clewisiii]

Well I am dropping the trans off at a rebuilder next Wednesday.
I plan to drop off my manifolds for ceramic coating the same day.

[Clewisiii]

Well it is in the back of the truck.  Drop it off tomorrow morning.  We will see if the 2-3 week timing holds  

[Clewisiii]

Managed to drop the trans off and drive out to West Michigan Cerokote to
Have my exhaust manifolds ceramic coated. 

I am going to pull out my Radiator to get it ready to recore. And I may disassemble my frame again and have it powder coated.  It has been sitting 7 years since I painted it and it is rusting again in spots. 

[James Landi]

Thank you Carl for sharing your "journey" with us.  I am especially impressed that you're not cutting corners, specficially regarding those "areas" that might come back and haunt you when the car is all assembled.  Recoring the original radiator is truly a great choice.  I've had bad experiences with aluminum replacements that, in my optinion, don't have the necessary design and build quality to hold up under load, with a/c on, in the summer heat.   James

[Clewisiii]

I also reached out for a powder coat quote.  I have a couple of areas on my frame that rust has come up through epoxy primer and supposed ceramic paint.  But it has been sitting for 7 years. 

So I will see if I can swing the price this summer.

 

[Clewisiii]

My quote for powder coating my Frame was just $1200.  I was expecting a lot more. 

[Clewisiii]

So what do you think about the need, or desire, to replicate the markings on the radiator. 

[StevenTuck]

I know some other marques seem obsessed with replicating markings, Cadillac I don't think as much. It's your call.

[Clewisiii]

Inline tube quote for stainless, brake lines, fuel lines, trans cooler, vacuum advance, choke tube, pump to carb line.

$575