Update on my Windsor

Caxtonia

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Dec 7, 2016
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Location
Rapid City, South Dakota
Hey everyone! A while back I posted some pictures of my 1958 Chrysler Windsor 4 door sedan, and then went awfully quiet. She's been getting some work done over the last year, and I thought maybe some of you would find it interesting.

Since last summer I've been having an issue with the engine dying on my after warming up and trying to push above 40 MPH. We'd gone through and done a whole bunch of work like rebuilding the carb twice, replacing the fuel pump and filters, we found a bad wire in the distributor, we even replaced the intake manifold gaskets! We found that the intake manifold bolts were barely tightened at all, the service manual calls for 30 foot-pounds but I could break them loose with one finger. Not good! But we did all that and STILL the car died on me after only a few minutes of light driving. Hills were unthinkable. Finally, a friend suggested we blow out the fuel line running from the tank up to the filter, and sure enough that fixed it! That might have been the issue the whole time, go figure.

So, fuel system problem fixed, we prepared to take her out on a proper cruise. But first, she needed some new gas. So we trekked down to the gas station, filled the tank with premium non-ethanol gas, and....she refused to start. Bugger! We got a jump, got her back home, and eventually discovered the generator wasn't generating. This probably started last year as well, I often had to get a jump after taking her out on a test drive but didn't think anything of it at the time because I was focused on the fuel issue. So, having discovered a new and different problem, we pulled the generator and went in search of a repair shop that could fix it. That was last week, and only this morning did I get a call back saying it was fixed and ready for pickup. So this afternoon will be (hopefully!) her first proper cruise of the year.

And now, pictures! Here's that troublesome distributor wire:

M2140zs.jpg

And here's the replacement gaskets getting ready to be installed:

DCP37uI.jpg

There's a LOT of dirt and oil and grease and cobwebs everywhere. Some day I'll have to give her a proper scrubbing!
Here's a general picture of the engine:

gAz2uo8.jpg


I'll be sure to upload some more pictures of the car out and about this afternoon, assuming she survives the trip!
 
Cool car! I look forward to hearing more about your adventures with it and seeing more pictures! Hope the drive goes well with the new generator installed!
 
I would pull that distributor and clean it out, looks like it sat for an extended time with the cap off. Do not want any of that crud fouling the points on a road trip. Rotor is corroded, replace the cap rotor points and condenser while you have it apart. Give the oil cup on the distributor shaft a shot while you are at it, will help save the dist bearings.

Dave
 
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I hate to tell you but your problems are only just starting. Your fuel line was most likely clogged because your fuel tank is full of rust scale. It MUST be removed and flushed out or you will be spending many an unhappy hour on the side of the road and getting towed. Been there done that and it!
The scale will not only block the pick-up it will make it's way into the fuel pump and stick the valves so it will not pump fuel. Do yourself a BIG favor and drop that tank.
 
I would pull that distributor and clean it out, looks like it sat for an extended time with the cap off. Do not want any of that crud fouling the points on a road trip. Rotor is corroded, replace the cap rotor points and condenser while you have it apart. Give the oil cup on the distributor shaft a shot while you are at it, will help save the dist bearings.

Dave
Also oil the felt under the rotor with oil, prob stuck mechanical advance.
 
Thanks for all the advice everyone! The distributor was cleaned up a bit when we replaced that bad lead wire, so it's not nearly as full of gunk as it is in that picture. The fuel tank definitely needs to get pulled and properly cleaned, for now we've got a second filter between it and the fuel pump as a temporary measure. I'll probably pull the tank and take it in to get cleaned out this winter, since I don't plan on driving it between November and April anyway. Until then I'll try to keep the miles put on the car to a minimum and check that secondary filter frequently.

She made it downtown and back without a hitch yesterday though, which put a gigantic smile on my face :) That's the first time in a year that she hasn't died on me once while out driving, and the generator works like a champ as far as I can tell. Here are a few pictures I snapped last night:



 
Sorry about the delay folks, some stuff came up and I wasn't able to get back out to the car until yesterday. But I'm back with some of those requested interior pics!
Here's a shot if the interior from outside. The front seat is poorly wrapped in a cheap sheet from walmart:

Here's a picture from the inside front seat looking back:

Front passenger side:

Back passenger side, with a bonus box of carburetor parts:

Here's the shifter, speedometer, and part of the steering wheel:

I panned a bit to the right and took this shot of the gauge cluster, radio, rear view, and the literally overwhelming rain coming down at the time:
https://i.imgur.com/4hvl7Lr.jpg
And here are a couple bonus post-storm pictures! Nothing beats a Great Plains thunderstorm for a backdrop :)
https://i.imgur.com/xCg3bIu.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/kwaMH93.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/oohjDLR.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/Jrj7zi0.jpg
 
I'm not a big fan of sedans but that car looks great! Such long sweeping lines! Love that 65 Merc in the background in that last picture too.
 
BTW I remember playing cards on the back floorboards with my cousins in my aunt/uncles car when we were kids riding in their car
 
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