Gasser HotRod Forums banner

So Cal 53 Mainline street gasser

61K views 475 replies 22 participants last post by  1937Austin 
#1 · (Edited)
I just recently became aware of this site. I've been a gasser guy since the mid 60s. My 53 has a fresh +.030 428, Dodge I-beam (big brakes) in front, a Mopar 8 3/4" (also big brakes) with 4:56 gears and a full spool in back, it has 16x10 American Torque Thrusts in back and 15x4 American Torque Thrusts on the front.
I've also got a 41 Willys pick up with a SBC that's about 60% done. The bad thing is it's in storage because I don't have room in my garage.
 

Attachments

See less See more
5
#290 ·
Cheer up Pal. It will pass soon. Rest up and save your energy for some wrenching and tugging and smashing fingers. Put your feet up and listen to this.

 
#291 ·
Snowed a few inches here yesterday, and today's high is in the mid 30's. So not conducive for me to want to get out and work on my car. But supposed to hit 60's almost all next week, and my new carb is scheduled for Wed., so maybe I'll get out then and finally fire the '39 up.
 
#293 · (Edited)
So it's

been a while since I posted anything about this car. Some months ago I started the car up just to let it run a bit and noticed that the cold oil pressure wasn't up where it normally is 85-90 psi so I thought maybe it was down on oil a bit. After running for a few minutes and the engine warmed up the pressure was fluctuating so I shut it off to check the oil. The dip stick came out about 2-3 quarts high and a nice milky white. I had noticed a very minor water leak coming from where the intake mates with the water jacket of the head but didn't give it to much thought. So, off came the intake manifold, again. I saw some signs where the water seemed to have been leaking internally. I get everything scrapped and cleaned, ready to be put back together only to discover that I had used the last of my extra gaskets when I got the heads done 7 months ago. Found the gaskets I wanted on ebay, the seller was selling 2 sets for a little bit more than one set so I bought them. They got here and as soon as I unwrapped the package I saw they were the wrong gaskets, they were for a BBC. The killer is that at the FelPro production facility some dumb fuck stick had packaged the BBC gaskets #1274 in the Ford FE gasket #1247 packaging. I contact the seller to tell him about the problem and he basically told me to pound sand. I filed a claim with ebay and after the time allotted by ebay to work out the problem expired I got a message from ebay asking if I needed help and I answered yes. They responded that they would have an answer within 48 hours. Now what's really cool is that within 2 hours they sent an email saying that the case was closed and was ruled in my favor!!!!!!!!!! Fuck that hillbilly prick from Georgia who tried to screw me. I ordered some more gaskets, I'm going with Mr. Gasket HP gaskets this time. Most of the comparisons I have read between Fel Pro intake sets and Mr. Gasket sets for the Ford FE overwhelmingly favor the Mr. Gasket brand so I thought I'd try something new. They were available from Amazon prime and they're on their way. God I hope this is the last time I have to pull that intake off. Although one good thing did come of it. Much like Mario I discovered that my secondaries on both carbs were only opening about 75% so I did get that taken care of. I also noticed that after I rebuilt the carbs I had forgotten to put the sheet metal screws back into the vacuum holes used for the automatic choke pull off so that minor glitch was also fixed.
I guess more later...........................
Does it ever end???
 
#294 ·
Attaboy Steve. Go gettem! So they had a gasket with a Chevy part number packaged under ford FE. That’s just great!
what else can happen. One Time I needed a small Chevy intake but a little thicker and the speed shop had it. I wonder if they sell a thicker FE gasket? You would need to talk to someone from a performance shop and order it from them. Anyway I hope you get that worked out and now that you have full throttle really piss off the yuppie neighbors with a full burnout. Don’t get locked up buddy. :)
 
#295 ·
Glad you bought those gaskets off Ebay, as they do a great job of policing and finding in favor of buyers. I bought a set of locking lugnuts for a Ford 1/2-20 thread, and the seller had them marked as-is, no returns. But they turned out to be frigging metric! I contacted the seller and he did the same as your guy, told me "as-is, no returns". So filed a complaint with Ebay and they refunded my money, and told me to keep the lugnuts too.
Just last week I got an alarm system, with electric door locks for the '39. It came with the indicator LED missing. Contacted the seller and was told, "it doesn't come with one" even though their ad specifies one is part of the contents. Sent a message back telling them to check their ad, and either send one, or return my money. They sent me a message apologizing, and told me to keep the alarm system, and returned my money.

Hope you get big yellow going again before the Peterson gasser show!
 
#301 ·
It's

starting off to be a good week, I got this email from ebay:

Here's the case outcome
You received a refund
We refunded $ 62.11 back to your original payment method, which includes item price, shipping, and tax. Please allow 48 hours for it to process.

Final decision:This case was found in your favor.
Case ID :5239805671
Return ID :5152880959
Seller ID :deepsouthgeorgia
Request reason :Request for return
Case reason :I can't work things out with the seller


I hope the rest of the week goes as well. :)
 
#302 ·
You get another attaboy Steve. Or should I call you mad dog bauman. :)
 
#304 ·
I got

the Mr. Gasket gaskets from Amazon and went about putting the intake back on yesterday. To get the intake on there is the short (about 3"X5/8" ID) bypass hose from the back of the water pump to the front of the intake that can be a bitch because you need to come in at an angle (I normally have the hose on the intake nipple) engage the hose with the water pump nipple and set the intake down. It really needs to be a one shot deal so you don't screw up the gasket sealer beads around all the ports. I get that done and start to hand thread the intake bolts in and there's an alignment problem, some of the bolts are hard to get started so I used a large roll bar to help out. I finally get it so set down and start to hook up the usual stuff. I'm attaching the throttle cable and the linkage is binding and sticking. I can't figure out what is wrong because after I readjusted all the linkage arms so I'm getting full throttle it was working flawlessly. I'm looking around and see the the throttle arm connected to the main throttle rod is jammed against the firewall; probably when I readjusted the linkage and moved shit around. I loosened the allen head bolt and there was so much tension from being jammed against the firewall it was popped forward on the rod by the firewall. I moved it in about another 1/8" for a buffer but jeezzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Then I went back, loosened up all the bolts and then retightened them. This damn thing better not leak!!!!!!!
I only have maybe 2 more hours until I can start it but it's just to damn hot, 102 today.
 
#306 ·
that sounds pretty hot to me too. Probably better to let the sealer cure overnight anyway. We have high 80's with wringing wet humidity
 
#307 ·
We've FINALLY gotten to just hit 80 the last couple days. And forecast says we'll hit 80 to mid 80's all week now! Summer at last!

But just heard our Wed. night cruise in and drags are cancelled for the year. The drags will go on, but without allowing spectators to come in. The cruises are just cancelled due to corona restrictions.
 
#308 ·
I am

so tired of shit going bad. I go out there today and get the push rods and rocker assemblies back on and the rest of the little bits. New filter, 5 quarts of Valvoline 40wt. racing plus a bottle of Lucas Zinc additive. Got the oil system primed, not surprisingly a little milky oil was passed but that'll take care of itself. I turn on the ignition switch, flip the fuel pump switch and walk back to the front as the float bowls fill up and to watch the fuel pressure and WAIT FOR IT, bad fucking fuel lines, again!!! I was going to start it anyway but one of the leaks was spraying onto the header. Maybe I should have done it anyway, let the car burn to the ground and filed an insurance claim. It had gotten hot so I said screw it and came inside. Tomorrow's another day I suppose but I'm just so damn tired of shitty, poor quality parts.
 
#309 ·
That’s a bummer Steve. That fuel leak is scary. Can you take pics of those fuel lines that are leaking? I would like to see those hoses.
 
#310 ·
I just

ordered 20' of 3/8 PTFE braided fuel line from Amazon. Should have done that the last time and saved myself these repetitive problems with the rubber braided lines springing leaks. At least the fittings I have will work so I don't have to spend even more money. Supposed to be delivered by Wednesday.
 
#311 ·
Hey Mario

I'll take a photo of the one that's spraying on the header. It's the rubber line that's made for fuel injected motors. The other is a braided line that's leaking where it goes behind the manifold but I'll try to get a good shot of it for you.
 
#313 ·
I'll take a photo of the one that's spraying on the header. It's the rubber line that's made for fuel injected motors. The other is a braided line that's leaking where it goes behind the manifold but I'll try to get a good shot of it for you.
whatever you do don't run the car while you take pictures........... Steve............. don't do it..............Steve............ answer me...........
:)
 
#315 · (Edited)
Here you

go Mario; and you don't even have to look that hard to see the spraying of the fuel. The first photo shows the piece of fuel line attached to the hard line from the tank going to the firewall mounted to the fire wall. This line was made for factory fuel injection and was supposedly indestructible, yeah right. I'm going to use a union and run the hard line all the way to the fuel block. I'll put a loop in it for vibration.


Motor vehicle Hood Automotive tire Wood Bumper
Hood Light Motor vehicle Automotive tire Automotive lighting
Automotive tire Motor vehicle Hood Automotive design Bumper
 
#316 ·
I just don’t understand it. The black hose is neoprene high pressure F/I hose? Braided hose is what brand? It’s just nuts.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top