Above 1200 Sq/FT Restored 1930's Auto Shop

[TwoBytes]

Regarding the "new-look" site, I'm with Bob. Unfortunately computer software is not like an old car that you can look after and keep going forever.

While the old site seemed good from our perspective, I think it was very broken and increasingly difficult to keep alive and secure in the background.

The upgrade has come with a cosmetic change, which I quite like, but it is a matter of taste. Regardless of the look and feel, the "broken" bit was the old forum software under the covers (vBulletin) that is no longer being maintained. Ryan had no choice but to move to something more modern, and I think he'd already put it off for a lot longer than he wanted to.

Unfortunately, running old versions of internet connected software is just not something you can safely do any more!

The level of malicious activity on the internet is mind-boggling.

Windows 95 was totally fine in it's day, but using it now would be inviting disaster.

 

[67ImpalaSS396]

TwoBytes, Thanks for the helpful explanation. I’m not a big fan of the format changes in this, and other forums I’m following. I can understand the reasoning much better now!

John

 

[markviii]

We sure have been absent for awhile! Our only excuse is the usual Busy! Well, it's summer, so More Busy would describe the COTU. Lots going on in the restored shop and barn as well as around the property (including mowing grass). Tom will fill you in with his more interesting projects when he gets back on the thread. We had our car club's annual picnic, hosting 30 people and their cars over Memorial Day weekend. It's sooo good being able to gather with friends again. Tom and Lou kept busy after that getting Gus, our trusty Jeep pickup, ready for the 4th of July parade in Seymour, IL. A most wonderful parade! I played a 1971 Homecoming Queen, complete with tiara, riding (waving and throwing candy to the kids) in our friend's convertible. I'm sure Tom will provide a picture or two from that little stunt that he cooked up. Tom and Lou are prepping for their annual trip to the Bonneville Salt Flats - departing 3 weeks from today. My busy schedule, especially since April, includes going to Toledo OH to visit my 90-yr-old uncle monthly, library board and village zoning board meetings, completing a 1000-piece puzzle that I received for Christmas (took almost 7 months with help from 3 others!), planning our 50th high school reunion Zoom (successful!), entering a car show or two (my Mark VIII won 1st place in its class at the 1st show I've entered since 2013!), completing some interesting picture framing jobs, apartment work, and various other things that did not give me much time to clean/organize my spaces in the house (I'm hoping to do that while the guys are at Bonneville). (And if that's not busy enough, starting in February 2021 we volunteered for a long-term university exercise study involving yoga-class on Mon-Wed-Fri 8-9am. As Tom says all the time, "we're retired, so we have plenty of time.")

Time sure does fly by!

Chris

 

[stillp]

Great to hear from you again Chris!
Pete

 

[tomstin]

Glad to hear all is well at the COTU. Yoga is the best thing I stumbled into when I retired. As my favorite instructor says "we do this so we don't turn into the tin man!" I wish I started sooner.

 

[BB767]

Hi everyone, I know it's been a long ATP for me here, but as Chris posted in, it's been an exceptionally busy spring/summer for us. I've got several projects completed that relate to the old shop but haven't taken the time to post about them.







The one project I'm most excited about is the restoration of the old sign out front of the shop. I'll fill in details once Lou and I get back from Bonneville. Lou and I are leaving shortly for Bonneville and I was hoping anyone else who might be making it out there would let me know so perhaps we can meet up.

I know Robert is going with a car this year which is super exciting. The first salt condition report from the SCTA yesterday is that the salt is the best it's been in many, many years. The long course is done and it's 9 miles long of flat, hard salt. They say it's like a highway out there.

Anyway I've been saving up a bunch of material to post about so please bare with me. I haven't forgotten my friends here. Cheers.

Thomas

 

[red]

Wow, that sign looks awesome!
Betcha better than it was when new, which isn't surprising cause Thomas has that special touch of "making it better than new"

Thanks for the update.

 

[Homebody]

Now that is simply awesome! Great job Thomas!

 

[Boosted1]

Sign looks great. Looking forward to your updates.

 

[A35Plt]

Well this just fell off a cliff. I can't say much since the new GJ format I haven't been back much either. Hope everything is ok in the COTU!!!

 

[BB767]

Well this just fell off a cliff. I can't say much since the new GJ format I haven't been back much either. Hope everything is ok in the COTU!!!

Thanks everyone. Yup, Chris and myself are hale, hardy and healthy and very busy! OK, I'll admit I should be posting in more but I just haven't.........but I will. I've had several inquires and requests for updates so I will do so. Tomorrow's weather promises to be wet so that would be a good time to start posting once more. I've Gus updates, shop project updates, Bonneville and drag racing updates, field of dream updates and much more. Never fear, we're still here!

Thomas

 

[stillp]

I've Gus updates, shop project updates, Bonneville and drag racing updates, field of dream updates and much more.

And a TR4 story...

Good to see you posting Thomas.
Pete

 

[tj675]

Thomas,
Great to hear you and Chris are doing well! Can’t wait to hear about more of your adventures.

 

[BB767]

As we continue our journey here, let me finally tell you how a 1963 Triumph TR4 came into my care. This is for you Pete!

Around 2010 as I was working outside near the shop a nice lady (let's call her Jan) stopped by the shop. Jan introduced herself and told me she lived just down the road from the shop. She had been following with interest, my progress the last few years with the shop and land restoration every time she drove by. She asked for a shop tour which I was happy to provide. After the tour she said, "well... you're the one. You'd be the right person to give my TR4 to."

Of course I didn't follow this at all and she explained. A few months before, a dear friend had passed away and the TR4 was his pride and joy and at times his daily driver and he willed it to her. She didn't know anything about British sport cars and wanted to find a good home for it where it could be cared for properly. She didn't feel right about selling it so she said she literally wanted to give it to me, clear title and all.

I was a little skeptical but we went to her house where the car was parked. She said she couldn't get it started but assured me it ran just fine. So a quick glance and I noticed the battery was hooked up backwards. Someone had put the ground wire on the negative post of the battery like American cars. Many British cars of this era use what they termed "Positive Earth". Rather than go into an explanation, you can read about it here:

Why Positive Earth?

So I got that resolved and asked her if she knew the car had a manual choke? She did not and so, between the battery being hooked up backwards and not using the choke, it's no wonder she couldn't start it. Jan said clearly she was not the appropriate caretaker of the TR but that I would be. She promptly gave me the signed title and again asked would I please agree to take ownership of the car. I agreed to move the car to my barn but I didn't feel right just having it given to me. So for the next few years in my spare time(!) I cleaned it up and tinkered with it but never titled it in my name. I told Jan I'd provide shelter and care for it but I couldn't possibly accept it. She'd stop by every so often to visit and see the TR and on a few occasions I'd give her a ride in it. Eventually I convinced her to sell it which she did. The gentleman who bought it was somewhat local and he proceeded to do a complete restoration of the car. That's the last I knew of it but selling it was the right thing for Jan to do. She could use the money and I needed my space so I think it was a win-win in the end.

As a follow up to this I'm sorry to have to add that, sadly, Jan passed away about 2 years after she sold it. She was a grand gal and generous to a fault. I do miss her honking at me every time she drove by the shop. She is missed.

So Pete, there you have the tale of the TR. Nothing fancy or exotic but still a somewhat unusual story none-the-less. I admire and enjoy driving British sport and GT cars and the TR was an absolute gas to drive, but for ownership, I'll stick with good 'ol American iron.

Up next, an update on Gus. He's better than ever and now, doesn't drip a single drop of fluid. Also, Chris finally gets to wear her tiara!
Don't miss next time. Thank you all for your interest and support. Looking forward to seeing everyone next year at the shop open house, June 10, 11 and 12, 2022. Be there or be square!!

Thomas

 

[scramboleer]

Great to hear you all are well. Nice to hear about Gus too.

 

[stillp]

Thanks for the story Thomas! Thanks for the extra photos too - I don't like that front air dam though. Are those seats from a Mazda MX5? (Miata in the US I think) My TR4A had the bumpers and the stainless wing beading removed too - it was fashionable at one time.
The TR4 was indeed positive earth, but the TR4A (like mine) changed to negative earth, perhaps because they were starting to consider fitting alternators for some markets. As long as you flash the dynamo I've never found it to make any difference which pole is earthed - I changed a few cars over in the 60s/70s when one of my sidelines was replacing dynamos with alternators.
Pete

 

[Seagoon]

Thanks for the Triumph story Thomas. I have been just as keen as Pete to hear it!

 

[Homebody]

What a great story! Looking forward to the open house!

 

[xtremek]

^ what they said

 

[BB767]

............ I don't like that front air dam though. Are those seats from a Mazda MX5? (Miata in the US I think) My TR4A had the bumpers and the stainless wing beading removed too - it was fashionable at one time.
The TR4 was indeed positive earth, but the TR4A (like mine) changed to negative earth, perhaps because they were starting to consider fitting alternators for some markets. As long as you flash the dynamo I've never found it to make any difference which pole is earthed - I changed a few cars over in the 60s/70s when one of my sidelines was replacing dynamos with alternators.
Pete

I wasn't especially fond of that front spoiler either. I suspect the previous owner had raced the car on occasion which would explain many of the modifications.





I have no idea where the seats were sourced from. Here's a better look, maybe that will help.

BTW, for those who don't speak British, a dynamo is a generator. In the US, cars generally had generators until they were supplemented by alternators in the mid 1960's.



The 1962 Impala used a generator aka dynamo, as does...




Gus, both circled above.

Thomas

 

[stillp]

I have no idea where the seats were sourced from. Here's a better look, maybe that will help.

BTW, for those who don't speak British, a dynamo is a generator. In the US, cars generally had generators until they were supplemented by alternators in the mid 1960's.

I couldn't be certain about those seats, but replacing the Triumph seats with MX5/Miata/Eunos is a common modification over here. Personally I prefer the originals - if I wanted to sit on Mazda seats I'd buy a Mazda!

I didn't realise that "generator" is specific to DC generators, aka dynamos, in the US. Alternators generate as well you know! Then there are Dynamators - alternators made to look like a classic dynamo...
Pete

 

[BB767]

I purchased Gus, the beloved shop 1948 Jeep pickup truck...



...about 10 years ago. Seen here shortly after I brought him home from Pennsylvania.



Above, this is the only known photo of the original shop Jeep truck. It's parked in front of the Johnson's old family home next door to the shop. One of the first jobs was to letter Gus to match the original truck. From this photo I was able to get my sign painter to replicate the original lettering...





...seen above. Dave has been doing hand painted signs for over 40 years and does meticulous work.



This photo was taken of Gus in almost the exact same spot and angle in front of the Johnson family home as the original truck in the original photo above.



Through the years I have steadily made repairs and improvements to Gus and this year was no exception. Note in the photo above there are no fluid stains under Gus. This was the year that I decided I would make Gus completely fluid drip proof. Last year Lou and I had re-sealed the engine oil pan and part of the transfer case. The transfer case still had a nasty leak in an area we hadn't addressed so that was fixed this year.



The transfer case was removed and completely gone through. A worn half-shaft was replaced but all the gears looked in excellent condition.





The flywheel ring gear had seen better days so a NOS (New Old Stock) one was sourced in Wisconsin and pressed on the flywheel. The flywheel was also resurfaced while it was out.



The clutch looked fine so it was re-installed. A problem with the starter installation position was addressed and the started itself was rebuilt to handle 12 volts. The starter no longer hangs up on occasion, which is what caused the ring gear to have so many damaged teeth.





With new gaskets, seals and everything cleaned up and repainted it was all put back together and re-installed in Gus. There are no longer any leaks from the transfer case. I can park Gus on concrete and not worry about him marking his territory any more!

To try him out, Lou and I once more drove him to a local 4th of July parade but first...



...Lou got to show off his sign lettering skills. Note the completed sign in the background on the tool box. That sign was for...



...if you look closely, none other than my charming and always delightful, Miss Chris!



Lou and I lead the way in Gus and Chris...



...showed off her perfect Beauty Queen wave, complete with plastic tiara!

There so much more in store, we're just getting started. Please check back. Thanks everyone.

Thomas

 

[scramboleer]

Nice work on Gus!

 

[stillp]

What a pair of beauties!
Pete

 

[xtremek]

Why did you change the starter over? I've done several 12v conversions (a couple of VDubs and an 8n) and always left the starter 6v. They seem to like 12v, because they never wear out, and the faster spinning engine seems to fire easier.

 

[BB767]

That's an excellent observation xtremek.
I had the starter rebuilt to 12V specifications after consultation with my local automotive electrical guru Sammy. He said it would probably be fine the way it was, but long term, especially with a 6V solenoid, it would be best to rebuild it to 12V specs. Yes, it did turn the engine over faster! But I wonder if the damage to the ring gear might have been partially due to the plunger being driven deeper into the ring gear, the result of more voltage than it was designed for? Not sure, but I took the conservative route. Since it was now a 12V system, I thought it best to have a 12V starter. Sammy did rebuild the original starter which is a much better piece than current replacement starters.

Some additional work on Gus also consisted of recovering the arm rest/door pulls...



...of which I have no picture of them completed and installed! I will correct that and get pictures if anyone wants to see them.

A new fuel tank was installed. The one on Gus...



...well, who knew how old it was or what was in the bottom of it.



So a new fuel tank was installed. That was also an opportunity to replace the fuel fill neck.



The original filler neck came straight out of the side and made fueling Gus very difficult, especially when you were using a 1 gallon gas can. An updated filler neck is curved upward...



...seen here in the foreground after being painted and drying, clamped in the vise. Here's that filler neck...



... completed and installed. A vast improvement over the old one!

Along with the new fuel tank, a new Bosch....



...electric fuel pump was installed. The Carter electric fuel pump that was on Gus when I bought him worked well enough, it was just soooooo loud!! This new Bosch pump is completely silent.



It's the same fuel pump we use on the Formula Fords.

With the new fuel tank and sending unit installed and all the instrument gauges reworked last year, I was looking forward to a working fuel gauge, but that was not to be!!



With a full tank this is what the gauge read. Lou and I struggled mightily to get the float arm positioned correctly so the gauge was accurate but we never did. We spent the better part of a day installing and un-installing the sending unit. I'll get it eventually but for now I'm leaving that for another day. At least it works......sort of!



Gus has never been better. Starts quickly and runs and shifts smoothly, never a hint of a problem. I've done little bit more with him, but I'll save that for another time. Till the next time........

Thomas

 

[9C1]

June 10-12, 2022 is the same dates as Bloomington Gold. The event will be back in Bloomington for the first time in several decades. You have given me an interesting conflict.

Yes, I know the COTU is 62 miles (100kilometers) from Bloomington.

 

[BB767]

Terry that's a happy coincidence I think. Bloomington is only a little over an hour away so you can easily fit both in! Our open house is 3 days, Friday-Sunday. Bloomington Gold usually wraps up Saturday, leaving either Saturday late afternoon or any time on Sunday available for you to cruise by in your new C8!! Looking forward to seeing you, it's been way too long my friend!

Thomas

 

[stillp]

Are factory parts still available for Gus, or are those new parts you fitted from an aftermarket supplier Thomas? Regarding the fuel gauge, is the voltage stabiliser for the instruments OK? If Gus has one that is!
Pete

 

[Vette60]

Just a quick question, and kinda silly. How's come the old Gus and the new Gus have different phone numbers? Thanks as always for sharing. Love the COTU.

 

[csp]

What's the chances that the ohms specs on the fuel sender don't match those for the gauge?

Happens a lot on later model CJs when people mix and match aftermarket gauges/senders.

 

[BB767]

Pete the transfer case and axles are Dana manufactured and Dana factory parts are readily available. Other parts are supplied by a few parts houses and many items are available as well. Many Jeep products cross over from one vehicle to another. Many engine and chassis parts cross from Jeeps, to Jeep trucks, to Jeepsters, to Jeep wagons. There's a large Jeep following which makes locating parts a bit easier. New truck beds are even now being remade. All it takes is money!

Thomas

 

[BB767]

"Just a quick question, and kinda silly. How's come the old Gus and the new Gus have different phone numbers? Thanks as always for sharing. Love the COTU".

Not a silly question at all and a good observation Vette60. The phone number on the original shop truck was the shop phone number since the late 1950's and was used until the shop was no longer in use. When I bought the shop in 2005, I did not install a separate phone line out there. Then when I had Gus lettered, that same, original phone number was still available for use. I decided that if I painted that number on Gus and someone new moved into Philo and got that number, they might not appreciate having it displayed so prominently on Gus' hood! Instead, I opted to have our landline phone number painted on Gus. At least the 684 prefix was the same.

We love the COTU too! Come for a visit and bring your Vette!

"What's the chances that the ohms specs on the fuel sender don't match those for the gauge?"

CSP, if only it was that easy! Unfortunately the ohms reading for the sending unit and the gauge are completely compatible. What was so frustrating for us, was when we have the sending unit out of the gas tank, completely hooked up properly, when we manually move the float arm, the gauge reads correctly. When we then install the sending unit in the tank and reattach the tank to Gus it does not read correctly. I'm confident I'll get the problem solved eventually, but it's been a real puzzle so far. Thanks for the suggestion though, I appreciate you trying to help.

Thomas

 

[BORING HOP YARD]

Sorry to bother you Thomas, can you share the Bosch pump part number or information. I have a need silent pump to go up front in a 1959 Ghia.
I would rather buy a race proven pump and one that your happy with is even better.
Thank you, and thank you for sharing.

 

[Jeff Ivers]

If Gus were a British sports car, the first suggestion for the gas gauge problem would be "check the ground!"

 

[BB767]

Hello Hop Yard, it's not a bother at all. That's what this thread is all about, sharing. I looked back on my records and I stand corrected. That is indeed the pump that Roland uses on the Formula Fords, but it's an ACDelco pump. I called Roland to to confirm the pump number before I ordered it. It's an ACDelco Gold EP42S electric fuel pump. I believe he told me he's never had an issue with it. Certainly in the 10 years or so Chris and I have been crewing off and on for him we've never had a failure and we've had several wins with the Fords. Here's a link to Amazon in case you need it:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000C9SK9W/?tag=atomicindus08-20

I've been more than happy with it's silent operation. Good luck.

Jeff Ivers, I haven't heard from you in years!! Glad to see you'er still poking around these parts. Yeah, one of, if not the first things checked, was all the grounds. The gauge and sending unit all check fine separately, and they check and work correctly together with the sending unit not installed in the tank, but put it all together and it's not an accurate reading. It's an extremely simple system. I have replaced several of these type of sending units over the years with never a problem and presently own 4 other vehicles with essentially the same system and they all operate just fine. Like I said, I'm confident I'll get it corrected in time, I just haven't done so yet. I'm a stubborn but patient guy after all! Thanks for the thought.

Thomas

 

[BORING HOP YARD]

Perfect, thank you for your efforts!

 

[BB767]

Continuing with a project of interest, I'm going to show the evolution of the welding corner in the old shop.



This was taken in spring of 2007, about 1 1/2 years after I purchased the property. Note my dad's old machinist vise from the late 1930's was bolted to an oak plank which in turn was clamped to the welding table. The welding table itself had the old casters that I eventually replaced with Blickle casters. Above the table you can barely see a yellow romex wire coming out of the wall.



A year later in 2008, a cabinet had been installed on the wall for miscellaneous welding supplies, a dedicated welding chair/stool was now used as well. Note the yellow romex wire above the table coming out of the wall.



6 years later in 2014, the welding table had been modified to use Blickle casters and the table itself was powder coated Bengal Red, one of my favorite colors for shop equipment. The Reed vise (Mr Johnson's original welding vise) was now bolted to the welding table and a much better adjustable welding stool was in place. In the back right corner, sitting on the welding table, I was now using Mr Johnson's old holder for welding rod, though I had it powder coated, and that same yellow romex wire above the table is still not being used for anything. My original intent was to install a welding exhaust hood and that wire was going to be the power source for the fan. In time I decided to do my smokey welding outside and not cut a hole in the ceiling for better energy efficiency. One less place for wind infiltration and heat loss. The building, even though it's over 80 years old, is still extremely energy efficient. Since I no longer needed power for an exhaust fan I decided to use that same wire to power a task/work light over the welding table.



Here is the welding corner as it is now, summer of 2021. In the back, right corner is Mr Johnson's refurbished old Lincoln arc welder from the 1940's. Above the arc welder and to the right...






...is a Pyrene carbontetrachloride fire extinguisher. These extinguishers were first patented and manufactured by Pyrene starting in 1911.



I have no idea how old this one is, but it is fully charged and functional though I only use it for display. I have several, modern fire extinguishers throughout the shop. I found this extinguisher hanging in the old Johnson family home and transferred it to the old shop. Very fitting I think.



Above the welding table, now, instead of yellow romex wire is my new/old task/work light. The articulating arm that it is adapted from dates from 1887. I'll give you details of that project next time. Meanwhile, thank you all once more for being part of our community here. It's great group and a place I like to hang out.

Thomas

 

[mybigwarwagon]

That light is incredible.

 

[Boosted1]

I like the light and the weld corner. Nicely done and inviting place to work.