I would love to see it and your shop some day...maybe in the fall when I can hit some farm auctions in your area.My pleasure Rich. So when are you driving over to see it in person??
Thomas
Above 1200 Sq/FT Restored 1930's Auto Shop
- Thread starter BB767
- Start date
Wokspaces above 1200 squarefeet.
dcm5652
Active member
Back to the 5 Anvil's that are arriving. How are you going to take them for their "Nightly Walk"?
Nuts
Well-known member
Outstanding!! The Walker is a beauty.
It's been a great journey.
Nuts
It's been a great journey.
Nuts
Sweet Old Bill
Well-known member
dcm said: "Back to the 5 Anvil's that are arriving. How are you going to take them for their "Nightly Walk"?"
Now I know what Duke Ellington was swinging about, when he performed: Take the "A" train!
Now I know what Duke Ellington was swinging about, when he performed: Take the "A" train!
This is something that arrived in the mail a few weeks back unexpectedly...
Turns out Sweet Old Bill, one of our GJ board members here, thought the Walker would be better off with this...
...to protect the saddle against any harm.
That it will Bill and it's a perfect fit as well. This jack, like all my other equipment is used, but not abused in the shop so it will come in very handy. A BIG thank you for that!!
Nice to have thoughtful friends, isn't it?
Thomas
Turns out Sweet Old Bill, one of our GJ board members here, thought the Walker would be better off with this...
...to protect the saddle against any harm.
That it will Bill and it's a perfect fit as well. This jack, like all my other equipment is used, but not abused in the shop so it will come in very handy. A BIG thank you for that!!
Nice to have thoughtful friends, isn't it? Thomas
Sweet Old Bill
Well-known member
Tom,
It is simply a thank you to you and your family for sharing your adventures with all of us here.
Thanks to you.
It is simply a thank you to you and your family for sharing your adventures with all of us here.
Thanks to you.
hobbitss
Well-known member
Here are a few pictures just outside the lift room from the early 1990's.
That's the bottom of the shop sign post in the background just above the roll bar.
Here's a current picture of the same area all cleaned up.
Just some random "stuff" laying around, waiting for me to clean it up 15 years in the future.
Beyond the shop driveway it hasn't changed much in the intervening years.
The lift room in the back with the overhead door open. A 1970 Plymouth GTX can be seen on the lift a few feet in the air in the process of restoration. That car was on that lift for 10 to 15 years in the exact same spot. Props were placed under the lift to keep it in the same spot, because with the leak, the lift would have settled to the floor.
Here of course is a current picture. Because the GTX on the lift didn't move up or down for several years the lift post dried off and the chrome cylinder did corrode in the area where the cylinder was close to the shop floor.
Take a close look at the post about 1/2 up and you can see the pitting.
Whenever I raise the lift and see that pitting I remember the GTX and wish the lift had been allowed to settle down which would have saved it from this damage.
Of course it pitted all around the post. I polished it out as best I could with emery cloth over a 2 day polishing session.
But the pitting is fairly deep there and I couldn't do much better. It's not a real problem. All the high spots were polished off the cylinder damage so it won't "snag" the seals as it passes by them on it's way up or down. The GTX followed one of the sons home where it remains today in much the same condition, still a restoration in process.
Thomas
That's the bottom of the shop sign post in the background just above the roll bar.
Here's a current picture of the same area all cleaned up.
Just some random "stuff" laying around, waiting for me to clean it up 15 years in the future.
Beyond the shop driveway it hasn't changed much in the intervening years.
The lift room in the back with the overhead door open. A 1970 Plymouth GTX can be seen on the lift a few feet in the air in the process of restoration. That car was on that lift for 10 to 15 years in the exact same spot. Props were placed under the lift to keep it in the same spot, because with the leak, the lift would have settled to the floor.
Here of course is a current picture. Because the GTX on the lift didn't move up or down for several years the lift post dried off and the chrome cylinder did corrode in the area where the cylinder was close to the shop floor.
Take a close look at the post about 1/2 up and you can see the pitting.
Whenever I raise the lift and see that pitting I remember the GTX and wish the lift had been allowed to settle down which would have saved it from this damage.
Of course it pitted all around the post. I polished it out as best I could with emery cloth over a 2 day polishing session.
But the pitting is fairly deep there and I couldn't do much better. It's not a real problem. All the high spots were polished off the cylinder damage so it won't "snag" the seals as it passes by them on it's way up or down. The GTX followed one of the sons home where it remains today in much the same condition, still a restoration in process.
Thomas
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kbuhagiar
Well-known member
oldthudman
Member
Great job on the restoration...............love to see those.
johno
Well-known member
Is that one of those 'restorations' that are more 'store' than 'restore'?
Got to remember that one.
Hemihead2
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Thomas -
As always, just a phenomenal attention to detail and workmanship. I'm in awe of your talents.
That being said and at the risk of being a know-it-all jerk, as your attention to detail includes clocking the screws in the things you build and uses acorn nuts for aesthetic appearance, you might double check that Plymouth GTX in that early lift picture. That rear view looks more like a '70 GTX (narrow elongated style tail light) than a '69 GTX (larger more square style tail light). It might help test takers in the future.
As always, just a phenomenal attention to detail and workmanship. I'm in awe of your talents.
That being said and at the risk of being a know-it-all jerk, as your attention to detail includes clocking the screws in the things you build and uses acorn nuts for aesthetic appearance, you might double check that Plymouth GTX in that early lift picture. That rear view looks more like a '70 GTX (narrow elongated style tail light) than a '69 GTX (larger more square style tail light). It might help test takers in the future.
Is that one of those 'restorations' that are more 'store' than 'restore'?
Got to remember that one.
I will have to remember that one as well.
That car is still in almost the exact same condition now some 20 years later. You might say it's a "stalled" work in progress. 
I didn't want the same fate to befall the shop restoration which is why I pushed so hard to see it through from beginning to end. While there will always be small things to be done here and there, I can honestly say it's largely done. The only undone details of any consequence are some wall shelving to fabricate and one that I'm still undecided on is an exhaust fan over the welding bench. I'm just reluctant to put a hole in the ceiling unnecessarily. The outside walls are concrete block so for ease of installation I'd probably just find a way to safely exhaust it into the attic space. Since I'm nowhere close to doing it I haven't given it any real serious thought. If I do, I'll probably solicit some advice from the GJ forum. There is some serious talent here that I'd like to tap into. For the most part I can do my big welding projects outside under the car port so I don't need it. If I find I do more and more welding I can always add it at a later date.
Thomas
No, no, no, please don't be shy on this thread Hemihead2. We don't stand on ceremony here! I'm very sure you are correct. Besides being mostly devoted to, but not entirely to GM, I'm not all that knowledgeable on different years of Chrysler products. You might say I have a working knowledge, not a detailed knowledge. It probably didn't help that a few minutes before I posted that, I had just arrived in EWR, flying all night from Brazil, 10 hours and 12 minutes worth. I hadn't even left the airport yet. I almost wrote 1969/70? but figured (rightly it turns out) someone would correct me if it was wrong. That post has been edited now for correctness. Future test takers (as am I) are in your debt.
You've read it here before......watch me like a hawk and show no mercy!
Now Well Rested Thomas
Zeke
Well-known member
Re: the post lift. Can you not fill the pitting with something like JB weld, sand and polish to a smooth surface?
I know you could sputter brass on it and file absolutely flat vertically wise.
I know you could sputter brass on it and file absolutely flat vertically wise.
Amitygravel
Well-known member
Hello Thomas !
A couple of ideas to throw your way for the welding hood.
A re-creation of a blacksmiths forge hood or a "creative " interpretation of the " look " of one. Sort of a following in the footsteps of the Johnson's.
I think you could then duct to several low profile standard roof vents and provide good exhaust of fumes while avoiding any tall unsightly pieces on the roof.
Just a thought.
Let me know I've you need a hand with anything !
Craig
A couple of ideas to throw your way for the welding hood.
A re-creation of a blacksmiths forge hood or a "creative " interpretation of the " look " of one. Sort of a following in the footsteps of the Johnson's.
I think you could then duct to several low profile standard roof vents and provide good exhaust of fumes while avoiding any tall unsightly pieces on the roof.
Just a thought.
Let me know I've you need a hand with anything !
Craig
From research I did on repairing the post, the best repair material seemed to be Bondo believe or not.
That's what I was told by numerous firms nationwide that have done repair work on posts like this. The biggest hurtle was getting it clean enough so it, or anything else for that matter, would adhere properly. I was advised to try it as is and if it was a problem then address it. Like I said, it really works just fine. It's in a spot where the lift is normally in transit and not stationary. If it was in an area where the lift spent any appreciable time, it wouldn't hold pressure there well because hydraulic fluid would leak around the damaged area. The only down side is as the cylinder moves by the seals there, a very, very small amount of fluid seeps past the seals. In four years of operation I've been measuring the fluid level in the reservoir and I haven't found any measurable loss of fluid. In my opinion it's more a cosmetic than an operational problem. So I've learned to just live with it. It's patina and I'm positive Elroy would not only understand but approve. War wounds as it were.Thanks for the thought milt, I thought it a good suggestion.
Thomas
Zeke
Well-known member
You're welcome for the thought/idea. I would have never thought of bondo but JB Weld is bondo to me, just made with epoxy resins instead of polyester. And, it has metal in the composite, I think aluminum.
I threw a rod threw the side of the block in a 8 horse Briggs motor on a tiller once, been probably 30 years ago. I had another crank and rod/piston set, but couldn't find a good used case for it and they wanted just about as much for a new one as I could go out and buy a whole new motor for. So I had some JB Weld in the tool box and made me up 3 or 4 batches of it before I got the half dollar sized hole in the case filled in, then gave it 3 or 4 days to cure.
You know I ran that little motor 7 or 8 years like that before it finally it blew up again and I scraped it, the thing never did leak a drop of oil.
HeHe...not trying to sell anyone on J B Weld...just thought I'd share my totally different J B Weld success story!
You know I ran that little motor 7 or 8 years like that before it finally it blew up again and I scraped it, the thing never did leak a drop of oil.
HeHe...not trying to sell anyone on J B Weld...just thought I'd share my totally different J B Weld success story!
Leave it alone. It adds character. The worst thing in Elroy's book would be seal damage. Ask yourself; how many cycles is it going to take before it really becomes an issue ?
OH I got it. Rip the cylinder out of the ground, have the chrome stripped off at a platter with a big enough tank. Have the cylinder center-less ground to remove the pits. Returned it to the platter for fresh hard chrome then go back to the grinder to have it brought into size.
And after all that, it works no better.
Elroy would rather spend his time dialing in the chassis at the drag strip to reduce his 60 foot times.
Nuts
Well-known member
Hmm a nice stainless exhaust fan from the home store should be just about right for your welding table. They even come with a light and three speeds.
Nuts aka Doug
Nuts aka Doug
R1chy
Well-known member
Elroy;1623868 said:
I thought Thomas' procedure was to send it out for powder coating... hummm, guess I would have gotten that one wrong on the test, I better keep studying
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perry71
Member
i repaired a good size crack in a 4cyl mercruiser engine before with j.b weld. it worked.
DZL JIM
Well-known member
Thomas,
Regarding the 8mm movies, if there are that many of them and you can get them on a DVD, I bet there are more than a few followers of this thread that would gladly 'trade' you $2 - $3 for a copy.
I'll volunteer as the first in line.
Regarding the 8mm movies, if there are that many of them and you can get them on a DVD, I bet there are more than a few followers of this thread that would gladly 'trade' you $2 - $3 for a copy.
I'll volunteer as the first in line.
Doug, this is what I bought 3 years ago...
...when I had the very same idea. It's a 30" wide, brushed stainless steel exhaust hood. I don't know how effective it might be but at least that was and is an option.
Anyway as you can see, great minds think a like!
Thomas
Thomas,
Regarding the 8mm movies, if there are that many of them and you can get them on a DVD, I bet there are more than a few followers of this thread that would gladly 'trade' you $2 - $3 for a copy.
I'll volunteer as the first in line.
Hello there DZL JIM. While there were hours of 8 mm movies, there were only minutes of ones that were pertinent to the shop unfortunately. Once again I'm grateful to the family for giving me access to them and I am trying to respect their privacy. I'm sure they don't want private family movies splashed all over You Tube and the internet. I would never do that. As such, I'm going to edit them down to parts that mostly just show the shop, equipment, grounds and such. They are fascinating to me, to see the shop and property back in the 1950's and early '60's. I wish I could share them all but unfortunately I just can't. I'm positive you and everyone else understands.
So that's why the delay, editing them down for content. I will get it done however. My thanks just the same for your continued interest.
Thomas
I'm getting the feeling that I'm being "stereo' typed here.
I think you better keep studying R1chy.
Thomas
Wow!
Truly impressive! I've been here for a few weeks and avoided your thread because I thought it was about a restored gas station which didn't interest me.
Thank God I decided to check it out last Tuesday!
As the pages whittled down, I thought "I sure hope the Walker is done", then I thought "There's no way it can be done; there's not enough pages left to finish it".
I can't wait to see the next installment of your restorations!
Thanks for sharing!
Greg
Truly impressive! I've been here for a few weeks and avoided your thread because I thought it was about a restored gas station which didn't interest me.
Thank God I decided to check it out last Tuesday!
As the pages whittled down, I thought "I sure hope the Walker is done", then I thought "There's no way it can be done; there's not enough pages left to finish it".
I can't wait to see the next installment of your restorations!
Thanks for sharing!
Greg
Nuts
Well-known member
Doug, this is what I bought 3 years ago...
...when I had the very same idea. It's a 30" wide, brushed stainless steel exhaust hood. I don't know how effective it might be but at least that was and is an option.
Anyway as you can see, great minds think a like!
Thomas
Great minds, I
at the thought.I think that will work great, and look good also.
Nuts
DZL JIM
Well-known member
Well, or course I meant of the shop.
It would be neat to see the shop in use back in the day.
I threw a rod threw the side of the block in a 8 horse Briggs motor on a tiller once, been probably 30 years ago. I had another crank and rod/piston set, but couldn't find a good used case for it and they wanted just about as much for a new one as I could go out and buy a whole new motor for. So I had some JB Weld in the tool box and made me up 3 or 4 batches of it before I got the half dollar sized hole in the case filled in, then gave it 3 or 4 days to cure.
You know I ran that little motor 7 or 8 years like that before it finally it blew up again and I scraped it, the thing never did leak a drop of oil.
HeHe...not trying to sell anyone on J B Weld...just thought I'd share my totally different J B Weld success story!
Yup, no doubt about it. J B Weld is good stuff when used in the right application.
"It's a miracle"
Thomas
As always, Elroy, wise sage that he is, shows the wisdom of the ages.
When the Rotary Lift is under load going up or down; as it passes the damaged area on the cylinder, it just glides by without a hitch or hint of a problem. All it really does is weeps a little fluid, not even seeps it but weeps it. (seep and weep - those are technical terms used by A & P's BTW ) Every few months I'll take a paper towel and clean up the base of the cylinder. As I said, I can't measure any appreciable fluid loss and I've never had to add any fluid to the reservoir. To try to effect a repair might possibly lead to a variation on "The Waddington Effect". For more information on that interesting concept, see:http://www.sportaviationonline.org/sportaviation/201103?pg=6#pg100
So until it really does become a problem, I'll "leave it alone!"
Thomas
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Well, or course I meant of the shop.
It would be neat to see the shop in use back in the day.
I knew that!!
Once the link gets posted you'll see it and it is neat. So exactly what kind of diesel are we talking about here..........
Thomas
creativedust
Member
- Joined
- Jan 27, 2011
- Messages
- 16
Thomas Im restoring a gas pump cover for a guy that says he knows you and also knew Virgil J hes out of homer last name pierce i think john is the 1st name
I also picked up a cool 1949 coke machine yesterday for a awsome price it needs TLC but i got a lil bit of that left on the shelf
I also picked up a cool 1949 coke machine yesterday for a awsome price it needs TLC but i got a lil bit of that left on the shelf
BigAl62
Well-known member
As always, Elroy, wise sage that he is, shows the wisdom of the ages.
http://www.sportaviationonline.org/sportaviation/201103?pg=6#pg100
So until it really does become a problem, I'll "leave it alone!"
Thomas
I worked in 2 shops that had Rotary in ground lifts and even with perfect cylinders they wept a little during normal use. I wouldn't worry about it unless it starts leaking to the point that you have to keep refilling the reservoir. Just my nickles worth of free advice (that never made any sense to me, is it a nickle OR free, it can't be both)
Hello Greg and a big welcome to the "Restored 1930's Auto Shop" thread! Not what you expected, eh? We're glad you finally took a chance on reading it and liked what you saw. Never know what might pop up here, pretty wide ranging but nobody seems to mind.
Check back here from time to time... the adventure continues.
Thomas
Yes I do know John P. He was very well known "in the day" in these parts. He always had cool, fast cars (still does BTW) and I'm quite certain on more than one occasion he had some performance enhancements performed on them out in the shop.
Please send my best regards to him and give him my contact information. Love to have him stop by and show him around and get his perspective of the shop back in the early '60's!
Might even have some pictures he'll share with the collective "us". As for the Coke machine I've had some questions about my Pepsi machine and with all the red Snap On equipment why didn't I use a vintage red Coke machine instead?...........Because Mr Johnson had a Pepsi machine back then and as long as I have anything to do with it, the shop will always have a Pepsi machine in it.
Don I'm sure you've got a boatload of TLC left to make that Coke machine pretty outstanding! Keep me posted. Thanks.
Thomas
Thanks for that BigAl. Our modern perspective on what is considered "normal" colors our outlook on what is acceptable. A small amount of hydraulic fluid at the base of those posts wouldn't have raised an eyebrow back in the day. Ever take a look at photographs of vintage new cars dealerships. They had pans under the new cars in the show room to catch all the fluids leaking from them.
That's just the way it was. My vintage Rotary Lift hasn't been "over restored". It's got the prerequisite vintage weeping.
Thomas
ZRX61
Well-known member
All it really does is weeps a little fluid, not even seeps it but weeps it. (seep and weep - those are technical terms used by A & P's BTW
Thomas
Sounds like a Class 1 leak, not to be confused with a Class 3 leak, which is usually cured with anti-biotics
.....Waits while Tom checks with Google.
