Kaiser Frazer Owners Club Forum
General Category => Henry J & Allstate Forum => Topic started by: whatwouldjessedo on September 29, 2015, 12:33:12 PM
-
Hi all,
I just bought a 1952 Henry J. It's in pretty nice shape, but it's minus it's engine/transmission. My plan to to keep the body and everything fairly original but I'm going to probably drop a non-Kaiser engine and transmission in it. The car came with some original engine parts that I won't be using, starter, generator, air cleaner, and a few other things. I can take pictures this weekend of everything. Would anybody be interested in any of this stuff maybe? I can take pictures this weekend to give a better idea.
I want to make this car a possible daily driver, so I do need to start looking into parts availability. It's also missing it's grill right now. I prefer the '51 style grill over the later style. Does anyone have an idea of who might have one for sale? I've been waiting for one to show up on Ebay...
~Jesse
-
Where are you located?
-
I'm in Alameda, CA. Not a lot of Henry J's around here...
-
So I have made some good progress on my Henry J project even though it doesn't really look like it if you see the car. I do have a lot of parts in the garage though. I thought I'd share what I've been up to.
Not much has happened with the car itself yet, except I pulled the '52 style grill and trim off to make way for the much cooler '51 grill.
I also bought a set of steel OEM wheels from Pete Paulsen. These are reversed 15x7 rims with a 2.5" backspacing. They have an extreme deep-dish look. For now I just went over to the used tire store and had them slap some 205/75R15s on the rims. The size is perfect, but it's a pretty uncommon size. I have also pulled all of the front suspension, so the front of teh car is on jack stands and front wheels are just placed there loose to give an idea of what it will look like.
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/qjfz8t1ip4gawep/IMG_8736.jpg?raw=1)
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/xery88foxevxyes/IMG_8737.jpg?raw=1)
This car did not come with an engine or transmission, which meant that I was free to pick just about any drivetrain I felt like trying to stuff in the car. I wanted an upgrade over the original flat head 6, something that was relatively period-correct, NOT a small block Chevy, and something relatively economical because I plan on driving this car a lot. I decided on an engine that I always thought was pretty cool, a Buick 215. These are the aluminum block v8s Buick and Olds used in the early 1960s, then went on to be used in Rover and Range Rover cars and SUVs. I found one locally that guy just pulled from his 1962 Buick Special to make way for a newer Rover 4.6, which is a modern version of the 215. I rebuilt the engine myself, with help from Mark at D&D Fabrications in Michigan who is an expert with 215s. I had all of the machine work done at Al Hubbard's machine Shop in Hayward, CA. It's pretty much a stock rebuild, bored .040 over with a mild Crower cam, Edelbrock intake, Pertonix ignition, high-flow oiling and water pump.
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/lkh3583pzeboxcp/IMG_8740.jpg?raw=1)
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/dh4jh0qm4txi4d6/IMG_8741.jpg?raw=1)
The 215 came with a 2-speed Dynaflow auto trans that I sold and shipped to a guy in Denmark who is building a '62 Buick and is having a hard time finding parts in his country. I decided to use a Borg Warner T5 5-speed trans behind the 215. I considered a 700R or 200-4r, but liked the idea of keeping it a manual. I bought two T5s from local guys, one is from a v6 Chevy S10, the other is from a v8 Camaro. I wanted the Camaro gearset and the S10 shifter and tail housing. The S10 tail housing locates the shifter about 9" forward of the Camaro location, which will work much better in the Henry J. Both T5s were previously rebuilt, but I tore them both all the way down and rebuilt both. I now hav this T5 with Camaro gears but with S10 output shaft, tail housing and top cover/shifter. D&D sells a bellhousing that adapts the T5 to the 215. I'm going to use a RAM Clutches hydraulic throwout bearing, which I will get into later.
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/tne9egqzr9s48wd/IMG_8739.jpg?raw=1)
I had the gas tank cleaned and sealed by Panky's radiator in Hayward, CA. I cleaned up the sender myslef and made a new cork gasket for it. I also found some 2.250" ID fuel filler hose to replace the old piece. This tank is going back in the car today.
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/oomvtdwe9onkmj3/IMG_8738.jpg?raw=1)
Now for the fun stuff: suspension and brakes!
I cleaned and painted all of the suspension parts. I found kingpin and pivot rebuild kits from FCRC Machine/Rare Parts and had the kingpin bushing installed and honed to size by SP Automotive machine shop in San Leandro, CA.
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/vqiutr3vh44zv1p/IMG_8742.jpg?raw=1)
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/ae2w0cvwkvbvlfh/IMG_8743.jpg?raw=1)
The lower A-arms are with a friend who is modifying them to accept a shock with eye-bolt lower mounting. I found a new pair of Bilstein shocks meant for an '81 Camaro on Craigslist for $80. Awesome!
The original drum brakes were not going to cut it, so I figured out a way to adapt modern GM metric brakes (as found on S10s, blazers, Monte Carlos, etc) to the Henry J spindle. I used GM metric brakes on my endurance road-race truck and they work very well, are very cheap and very easy to source. Here's some pieces I had sitting around:
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/br3n9226o1rr9do/IMG_8746.jpg?raw=1)
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/gwgxvv6xma99bcg/IMG_8747.jpg?raw=1)
Adapting them included finding bearings that would interface between the hub/rotor and the spindle. A few hours of online research resulted in a set of Timken bearing that fit perfectly. So, once I knew I could fit the hub/rotor to the spindle, next was figuring out how to hang the caliper. Luckily, I had recently sold a car to a guy who owns a CNC machine shop about a half-mile away from me, and he offered to help me devise some caliper brackets. I made some drawings and mocked up a bracket in MDF, then I took my designs over to him. He created an AutoCAD project for the brackets and milled them from steel billets. His shop is amazing!
We also realized that we would need collars to increase the diameter of the surface for the inner bearing seal to ride on, since I'm using S10 bearing seals. Here are the caliper brackets and the press-fit collars:
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/zofewrj56jygfle/IMG_8744.jpg?raw=1)
Here's how it fits together:
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/c4efijjmyxp4m5m/IMG_8745.jpg?raw=1)
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/zofewrj56jygfle/IMG_8744.jpg?raw=1)
Well, that's it for now. I'm going out to install that gas tank and assemble the spindles now...
-
Nice looking work. The original gas tank only holds 13 gallons so you may be filling up more often that you planned. Also, the rear bumper indicates the car is a '53 and not a '52. Post the door post number some time and we'll see. I think we discussed this before but you may need to install some heavier coil springs in the front to support the larger engine.
-
I think it's looks a lot like mine.
that's a 1954. nice car and good job!
-
Jesse
Please share the hub rotor and bearing part ids.
-
Wow, great work! Especially the engine choice, that should be really sweet and quick in that light Henry J. Nice work on the disc brakes too.
Looking forward to more updates.
-
Nice looking work. The original gas tank only holds 13 gallons so you may be filling up more often that you planned. Also, the rear bumper indicates the car is a '53 and not a '52. Post the door post number some time and we'll see. I think we discussed this before but you may need to install some heavier coil springs in the front to support the larger engine.
I'll check the ID plates on the car, the pink slip says 1952, so I've been going with that. Yeah, the tank is small, but I ddin't want to make a project out of finding a larger tank. The Buick motor should actually be lighter than the original six, since it's all aluminum. We'll see though, it's pretty easy to find coils that will fit.
-
Jesse
Please share the hub rotor and bearing part ids.
The calipers, rotors, inner bearings and seals are for a 1999 2WD S10. The outer bearings are Timken LM11949/LM11910.
-
Wow! very impressive. If you would share the drawings of the mounts and spacers you would make a lot of good friends fast
-
All your work looks fantastic! Hope to see more updates as you put it together.
-
Wow! very impressive. If you would share the drawings of the mounts and spacers you would make a lot of good friends fast
I handed all of my drawings over to the guy at the machine shop, and he made some changes to my design in AutoCAD, so it does exist as an AutoCAD file. I'll ask him if he can provide a print out image or something. He can definitely make more sets, if anyone is interested. I'll ask what he would charge for a pair.
The spacer collar is pretty simple, all it does is increase the diameter of the surface the seal rides on to 2", which is what the S10 seal requires. It's press-fit for he made the inner diameter exactly the diameter of the seal surface on the HJ spindle, which is 1.75" I think. Here's a pic of the collar installed on the left, compared to the bare spindle on the right:
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/tqr8l594dnxprjp/IMG_8754.jpg?raw=1)
-
I assembled the steering knuckles today, but after looking at them, I realized that I didn't really pay close enough attention to a couple of details. Are these assembled correctly, or are they backwards? I have the grease fittings at the kingpins facing rearward, and I have the hex heads of the threaded bushings in the knuckle supports facing rearwar also. Is this correct (or does it matter)?
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/i4h78rzlfdpp81f/IMG_8755.jpg?raw=1)
-
WOW...just WOW....
-
What an impressive build. As a 30+ year now retired machinist I can appreciate the work you have done to the front end. There should be a STICKY(?) somewhere with the spindle/ bearing/ caliper info so it is easily found. Looking forward to more of your build.
-
Jesse, met In San Rafael. Nice Job on your J. Will the disc brake rotor fit the stock wheel bolt pattern? If so, will the stock 15 x 4 wheels clear everything?
-
Jesse, met In San Rafael. Nice Job on your J. Will the disc brake rotor fit the stock wheel bolt pattern? If so, will the stock 15 x 4 wheels clear everything?
Hi Russ,
These rotors have the standard Chevy pattern: 5 x 4.75", so they won't fit the stock Kaiser wheels. My Henry J had a GM 10-bolt rear axle from an S10 in it when I bought it, so I decided to match the front with the back by using S10 front brakes. By doing so, I know the front/rear brake bias will be correct and the lug patterns will all be the same. And since I have a lot of experience with the GM stuff, it was easy for me to work with.
It is possible to redrill the GM rotors with the 5x4.5" pattern. I'm not 100% sure, but these GM rotors redrilled with a Ford pattern should work, but might need a different bearing: http://www.jegs.com/i/AFCO/921/9850-6511/10002/-1 (http://www.jegs.com/i/AFCO/921/9850-6511/10002/-1)
-
Jesse, here's a sketch of the center grille support channel.. It is a formed channel, looks like 18 gauge steel, with two tabs at the top and bottom for mounting to the radiator support. Picture enclosed.
Mounting a 1951 grille to a 1952 up Henry J requires much more than just the grille assembly. The 1951 front (and early 1952 rear) bumper is flatter than the later J's. 1951 bumper guards will be required. This requires a different front bumper mounting bracket, 1951 left and right front bumper covers, and the fender to fender front stone deflector. The 1951 core support may also be different. Picture enclosed.
Chroming the bumper will cost a grand, bumper guards $125 each, the 7 piece grill assembly with parking lamps will bring the bill to an easy 2K$. Add in the hood lower chrome mouldings and lower fender mouldings for another $500. Picture enclosed.
In my opinion, the cool looking Henry J 1951 grille with the 1952 rear fender tail lights is the ultimate. bit29ing HJ car.
Jesse, you're welcome to come look at my car. I'm in the chrome assembly phase now.
-
Jesse, here's a sketch of the center grille support channel.. It is a formed channel, looks like 18 gauge steel, with two tabs at the top and bottom for mounting to the radiator support. Picture enclosed.
Mounting a 1951 grille to a 1952 up Henry J requires much more than just the grille assembly. The 1951 front (and early 1952 rear) bumper is flatter than the later J's. 1951 bumper guards will be required. This requires a different front bumper mounting bracket, 1951 left and right front bumper covers, and the fender to fender front stone deflector. The 1951 core support may also be different. Picture enclosed.
Chroming the bumper will cost a grand, bumper guards $125 each, the 7 piece grill assembly with parking lamps will bring the bill to an easy 2K$. Add in the hood lower chrome mouldings and lower fender mouldings for another $500. Picture enclosed.
In my opinion, the cool looking Henry J 1951 grille with the 1952 rear fender tail lights is the ultimate. bit29ing HJ car.
Jesse, you're welcome to come look at my car. I'm in the chrome assembly phase now.
Thanks for the drawing Russ!
I agree that the '51 grill and fender tail lights is the best look, and exactly what I'm hoping to achieve. I have the '51 grill and surrounding trim, I'm so far just needing the support brackets. I think I'm going to use something else other than stock for bumpers though.
-
Today I bought a new pair of S10 rotors and some new hardware to mount the calipers brackets. The wheel bearings I sourced do fit perfectly in the rotor hub, so that's good.
I used 2.75" 3/8 fine-thread grade 8 bolts to attach the caliper brackets. The Henry j spindle flange is machined on the backside to make a flat spot for the backing late bolt nuts to rest, but they are not all machined to the same depth, so a test fitting of my bracket proved that I was going to have to shim at some of the bolts to get the bracket to mount parallel to the rotor. I used a few .010", .015", and .020" 3/8 shim washers and after a little trial and error (and only a total of 4 shims on two bolts) I got the bracket to sit right.
I them test fitted the caliper and everything so far is looking great!
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/6u2334aq0amqm5o/IMG_8759.jpg?raw=1)
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/q9mbxn20cserdfy/IMG_8758.jpg?raw=1)
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/swogkvjiwzf96z0/IMG_8760.jpg?raw=1)
-
Jesse, I'm currently building a 51 HenryJ and am using 1967 Camero bumpers. They look great and fit the body shape nice.
-
Jesse, I'm currently building a 51 HenryJ and am using 1967 Camero bumpers. They look great and fit the body shape nice.
I also heard that Corvair bumpers fit.
-
Jesse, I'm currently building a 51 HenryJ and am using 1967 Camero bumpers. They look great and fit the body shape nice.
Thanks for the tip. I just looked them up and can see how they would fit pretty well, and there are repros available for pretty cheap!
~Jesse
-
I took some time off from working on the Henry J. It's been a busy couple of months with work and other projects, oh, and getting married! So now that the wedding is over and things are back to normal I can go back to my normal past times...
I finally have the front suspension reassembled so the car is back on 4 wheels and is a roller. I had the lower A-arms sandblasted, then I took them to a friend to weld in 3/16" plates to the bottoms of them to mount tabs for a cross-bolt mount shock. I found a pair of Bilsteins on Craigslist that are meant for a 1980 camaro. The length is perfect for the ride height I'm going for. After my buddy welded up the shock tabs, I painted the arms with one coat of Por-15 and a couple coats of black Rustoleum.
I also cut 1.5 coils off of the stock springs in hopes that it will result in the right ride height. It was a complete shot in the dark, so we'll see if the ride height is right once I get the engine & transmission in the car. As it is, it looks promising.
I kept considering cleaning and painting the upper a-arms and the front area of the frame, but I decided that I didn't want to postpone reassembly because I still want to get this car running asap.
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/nvwx1xr11wsgs3k/IMG_8885.jpg?raw=1)
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/j4tqr603tj4t2u1/IMG_8886.jpg?raw=1)
This isn't a great shot, but it shows the shock tabs we welded to the bottom of each arm.This allows for a lot more shock options.
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/ltlfn9bgxouayb6/IMG_8887.jpg?raw=1)
Here's a shot with the rotor installed. I call this success! My plan came together: modern, powerful, easy-to-source disc brakes on a Henry J without resorting to an aftermarket IFS clip.
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/fiuqg49xkfkcnpy/IMG_8890.jpg?raw=1)
And here's what it looks like with the wheel mounted:
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/duve5t37czx2v5q/IMG_8892.jpg?raw=1)
And finally, here it is back on all 4 wheels! I'm expecting the front to drop another 1.5 inches or so once the engine is installed. The Buick 215 that's going into it is probably half the weight of the original straight 6 so the spring rate will be relatively stiffer than how it was in stack form. You also get to see the '51 style grill loosely installed. Next weekend I'll roll it into the garage and see about dropping that buick V8 into the engine bay!
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/vyssapmvzw2765i/IMG_8893.jpg?raw=1)
-
Looks good!
And congratulations!
-
Really nice looking work!
-
Great work!! Would you post the bearing numbers and seal you used.
-
Great work!! Would you post the bearing numbers and seal you used.
Here's what I used:
Outer wheel bearings: Timken LM11949/LM11910
Inner wheel bearings: Timken SET6 (LM67048, LM67010)
Seal: Timken 8871
Note that this seal only works because I made a collar to increase the diameter of the spindle seal surface. The closest I could find that would work without the collar is TIMKEN 472164, but you would need to shim the outer diameter of the seal between it and the rotor.
-
Thanks.
-
I'd be very interested in the spare parts. Dan
knee55@aol.com - Thanks
-
we all are....
-
I'd be very interested in the spare parts. Dan
knee55@aol.com - Thanks
Which parts exactly? I have the '53 grill and front end parts, and I think I have 1 or two front brake drums still.
-
If you still have the front brake drums and backing plates and would be willing to ship them let me know how much and shipping etc., nice Henry J, thanks, Mike
-
If you still have the front brake drums and backing plates and would be willing to ship them let me know how much and shipping etc., nice Henry J, thanks, Mike
Hi Mike, I'm out of town for a week. Coincidentally, I'm staying in Detroit/Ypsilanti near the old Kaiser plant for a few days. I'll check on what I have when I get back. I think I have both front drums and backing plates.
~Jesse
-
Thanks Jesse
-
Make sure you save the brake shoes as they are no longer available, I have been trying all over the place and no one has anything. I have to have my old shoes re-aligned at 25$ per shoe.
-
I have a set of new in box EIS 166 4 brake shoes. Not sure if that's what you're looking for.
-
Henry, did you check with Willow Run KF Parts? I just got some shoes for the front end a couple months back.
-
Thanks for the info, at this point I want the brakes done this week and shipping will take at least one week. A buddy passed these links on to me.
https://www.kanter.com/content/Henry_J/kanter_Henry_J_1953_Brake_Shoes_104135.html
http://www.cquence.net/henry-j-all-models-1953premium-oe-replacement-brake-shoes.html
http://kfparts.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=191
-
Does anyone know if the EIS 166 brake shoes are for KF, and if so, what years/models?
$40 plus shipping.
Thanks. 8)
Mike
-
Still hopefull for a response. :'(
-
Check on line it came up as a VW, 9" X 1-3/4W
Still hopefull for a response. :'(
-
Work on the HJ slowed down a bit recently, but this week I started placing the Buick motor int he car. I have it placed correctly right now with a hoist and a jack under the transmission. I had to cut some holes in the firewall and the trans tunnel to get it in there, but it's in! I have a friend who is pretty decent with sheetmetal who can make patch panels for the holes I cut. My hope is that it will end up looking fairly factory when done. Next I get to work on making some motor mounts and a transmission cross member.
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/36612528/HJ/IMG_20161211_204746.jpg)
-
Thanks Jesse
Hi Mike, sorry, things have been pretty busy for me the last month or so. This weekend I will finally have some time to go through and see what parts I have. I'll let you know.
-
Work on the HJ slowed down a bit recently, but this week I started placing the Buick motor int he car. I have it placed correctly right now with a hoist and a jack under the transmission. I had to cut some holes in the firewall and the trans tunnel to get it in there, but it's in! I have a friend who is pretty decent with sheetmetal who can make patch panels for the holes I cut. My hope is that it will end up looking fairly factory when done. Next I get to work on making some motor mounts and a transmission cross member.
Looking good! You going with headers or cast manifolds?
-
Looking good! You going with headers or cast manifolds?
The motor sits too close to the firewall for the stock manifolds to work so I'll definitely have to make (or have someone make) some custom headers. There is space for them to run down inside the frame rails but the right side collector will be pretty close to the steering arm. The other option is to run them into the wheels well and down outside of the frame.
-
Thanks, it's OK, let me know when you get there, Mike
-
Jesse, you are doing a great job with this car. Well thought out modifications that should make this a great driver. I've always liked those aluminum 215 engines (as well as the similar design Buick V6 engines).
-
I haven't posted much in a while, but progress on the HJ has been happening. I did take some time off from the project to go to Detroit and NYC, and more recently to Iceland, which was a blast. When I was in Detroit I actually stayed in Ypsilanti with friend s for a couple days and drove past the old Willow Run plant a couple times which was really cool. I also went to the Ypsilant Auto Museum in teh old Hudson Dealership building. They have a great collection of orphan cars and memorabilia.
Anyway, so what have I been up to with the Henry J? While most guys were watching the Superbowl today, I was in the garage doing the final welds on motor mounts and the transmission cross-member, then actually mounted the motor & trans in the car for the first time. I'm pretty stoked about that!
I spent a lot of time working on the mount mounts and perches, and the cross-member. My welding is a lot better these days, I'm pretty happy with most of the beads, or at least I'm not embarrassed by any of them. I'm also very happy with my decision to get a membership with my local Techshop (http://www.techshop.ws/ (http://www.techshop.ws/)), which has been very valuable. I have an awesome metal shop available to me now. The bandsaw, drill press, chop saws, metal brakes and other metal forming tools at techshop really made it possible for me to make some pretty precisely formed pieces.
For motor mounts, I bought biscuit style rubber mounts from Chassis Engineering. I then made the motor mounts and perches at Techsop and welded them all up at home.
Here are the perches welded to the frame:
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/exefsmwdcmzu9g9/motormounts1.jpg?raw=1)
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/1ziccroq8ob0a5m/motormounts2.jpg?raw=1)
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/8ezkxqok3hdgpqg/motormounts3.jpg?raw=1)
Here are the engine-side mounts:
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/dz4rngbm8w4jxh8/motormounts4.jpg?raw=1)
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/lbo53yjk9c83jvz/motormounts5.jpg?raw=1)
I used 1.5" OD .120" wall steel tubing to make the cross-member. It took a long time to figure out the correct angles for the end plates to match the angle of the frame rails, while making sure I had the width exactly right to fit tight between the rails. I ended up with apretty good piece though.
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/dz4rngbm8w4jxh8/motormounts4.jpg?raw=1)
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/lbo53yjk9c83jvz/motormounts5.jpg?raw=1)
I made plates with welded-on captive nuts on the back to weld to the frame rails. Once I figured out their placement, I used a 3/4" hole saw to drill holes in the frame for the captive nuts to sit in. I made the captive nuts by grinding the flats off of Grade5 9/16" nuts, then wleded them tot he back of the plates. The attached them to the frame rails.
[img width="900"]https://www.dropbox.com/s/95ow60f7kckow45/crossmember3.jpg?raw=1[/img]
Here it is all bolted up with the T5:
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/jek53qwow99href/crossmember4.jpg?raw=1)
Here's a look inside the car. This is the shifter that came with the T5. I'll have to find something shorter with less of an angle.
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/wjh4llv3wyh6cp7/stickshifter.jpg?raw=1)
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/bmtlbr2ykhcpcpt/stickshifter2.jpg?raw=1)
Back to the motor now. Here it is, solidly mounted:
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/klahb9qimn1hsvi/engine-mounted1.jpg?raw=1)
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/wfqdg7m82lfqwem/engine-mounted2.jpg?raw=1)
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/u658o2e88l7a02b/engine-mounted3.jpg?raw=1)
Clearance between the head and the steering gear is less than a 1/4" which isn't great. These mounts are pretty rigid and I don't think the motor will rock very much, but we'll see. I might be okay as it is, but I can add some spacers at the motor mount to list the motor up and away in I need to. I planned for that when designing the mounts.
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/caapcbkh9swsjmd/engine-mounted4.jpg?raw=1)
Next up is figuring out the brake and clutch master cylinders. I have a plan to use the original brake and clutch pedals, but modify the linkage to use modern hydraulics. I'm using all Chevy S10 brakes, but I'm going with manual, not power brakes. A 7/8" master cylinder is the perfect size, and I found that a Dorman M39736 is just right for this application.
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/35xjxumwltbzek3/DormanM39736.JPG?raw=1)
It's a 7/8" bore cylinder, and has a deep pushrod bore for manual brakes. It's also aluminum which is nice. I am going to mount it in basically the same location as the stock MC, so I will have to convert the fluid reservoir to allow for a remote location. I hear that you can use fittings from a Nissan Quest master cylinder to use a remote reservoir instead of the attached reservoir.
As for the clutch, I'm using a Ram Clutches hydraulic throw-out bearing so I bought a Wilwood compact 3/4" bore master cylinder.
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/1m4i4uqbt263x5n/wilwood-260-13619.jpg?raw=1)
My plan for it is to use the stock pedal and make a pivot rod similar to the stock one, but shorter so that it will lever against the master cylinder mounted next to the brake master. I'll have to fab up some brackets, and I'll use the lathe at Techshop to make the pivot rod.
-
Very sanitary and we thought out work Jesse.
-
That's nice looking work!
Thanks for posting the Techshop link.
-
Very sanitary and we thought out work Jesse.
Thanks! This is probably the most involved car build I've done so far. I'm trying to keep as much of the original Henry J as possible, while still making a car that will be very drivable on modern highways. I can't wait for the day that it finally moves under it's own power!
-
That's nice looking work!
Thanks for posting the Techshop link.
Techshop is really cool. I'm going there today to take a plastic thermo-forming class, and later this week I have a sandblasting & powder coating class. The normal membership price is kind of steep, but they had a Black Friday sale that deply discounted the membership so I pulled the trigger. It has definitely paid off. I live about the same distance from the San Francisco and Redwood city locations, so I go to either one. So far everyone has been really helpful and I've never had a problem getting time on any of the machines.
-
It turns out that a 1965 Mustang V* radiator fits very well in the HJ radiator support. I had to cut a notch on each side for the top of the support in order to slide the radiator down into the hole, but it also fits like its supposed to be there. I'm going to mount it as far forward as possible to make space for an electric puller fan to mount to the back side. Here's a link to the radiator I bought at Napa: https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/NRS2301 (https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/NRS2301). It was perfect for my application because the inlet and outlet are both on the right side.
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/n2kslnfvbe0006x/radiator1.jpg?raw=1)
For hoses, I bought some black silicon hoses from Pegasus Racing. The sell them in generic basic shapes: straight, 90* elbows, 45* bends, etc. For the lower hose I used one 1.75" to 1.5" reducing 90-degree elbow, and one 1.5" 90-degree elbow, then spliced them together with an aluminum joiner. For the top I used one 45-degree 12" hose plus some of the 1.5" hose trimmed off of the lower hose.
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/lp7fxtr1wcxi1jd/radiator2.jpg?raw=1)
-
You have done a lot of good work there. Keep up with the updates.
-
Well, it's funny... I still haven't fired up this newly rebuilt motor, and at the rate I'm going, I'll have the car otherwise street-worthy by the time I try staring it up for the first time. First it was because I needed to mount the motor on something to fire it up, so I decided it might as well be in the car, rather than spending time making a engine stand/cradle to hold it. Then I found the radiator and it fit in the car. I also needed to have the clutch operable so that's done, and I needed the driveshaft in the trans to keep the oil from coming out, so I got the driveshaft made. Now the only thing I really need to do before starting it up is getting an exhaust on it. I found headers that work, but they need a little bit of modification, and the secondart pipes and mufflers need to be made and installed.
So here's what I have been up to lately:
Like I said, I got the driveshaft made. It's the leftover stock driveshaft from my Chevy S10 endurance racer you sometimes see in the background of these pictures. I took it to Driveline Services of San Leandro to have it shortened about 6" down to 45.5". They also installed new greaseless u-joints and a new yoke. It fits perfect with 1" play at the transmission.
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/ue0gy97o5peh043/IMG_20170223_205750.jpg?raw=1)
Here's the carb I'm going to use. It's a 4 barrel Edelbrock that's modified to flow about 490cfm... which is less than it's original 600cfm rating. 490cfm is just right for the Buick 215.
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/ck8u6cf5pgihm0n/IMG_20170223_205617.jpg?raw=1)
Here are the headers I'm going to rework a bit to fit. They are aftermarket pieces made swap a Buick 215 into an MGB. They aren't an ideal design, they are basically 4 unequal length pipes that dump into a manifold collector with a 1 5/8" outlet tube. I fantasize about making a custom set of 4-into-1 headers someday, but for now these will work to get the car on the road. I just have to cut off the outlet tube and redirect it in a different angle on each side.
I lifted the engine up about 1/4" off the motor mounts by adding is some more washers so now the headers clear the upper control arms by about 3/8"... definitely cozy, I think it's enough space that things won't touch.
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/33c4phk04b8gew6/IMG_20170223_205626.jpg?raw=1)
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/5kp58k1kwwjqy7z/IMG_20170223_205634.jpg?raw=1)
-
I also have a fully functioning clutch now!
I bought a brake/clutch pedal assembly from Speedway Motors. I really wanted to keep the original floor mounted pedals, and I thought that I have a whole plan on how to make that happen, but it left no space for the driver side exhaust pipe. It was also going to be a lot of work, and it would make maintenance a little more difficult, so I scrapped the idea and went with firewall-mounted pedals. Oh well...
The good news is that the Speedway pedals are perfect. For only about $125, it's a pretty well made assembly. The pivots ride on brass bushings, the fabrication is very good and they fit right it! I need to find some pedal pads. And you can see the original brake pedal hanging out down there still, but his time is running out!
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/eznlxxzbwgflgrh/IMG_20170223_205652.jpg?raw=1)
Here's the business side... I had to cut some more holes in the firewall, but eventually the majority of the firewall is going to be replaced with a custom one anyway. It's pretty swiss-cheesy right now with all of the holes I had to cut to make space for the engine and trans.
Here are the master cylinders. The brake master is an OEM unit for a 1984 Dodge Spirit. That seems pretty random, right? Why did I use this M/C? Because it's a 7/8" dual-bore aluminum master cylinder that fits the mount holes for the pedal assembly and is the perfect bore for manual S10 brakes. It also costs about $35, wich is much better than a $250 Wilwood version. I have it plumbed into an OEM-style combination proportioning valve. Then lot's of time went into bending and flaring 3/16" steel brakelines.
Speaking of Wilwood, I did use a Wilwood 3/4" compact M/C to drive the hydraulic clutch. It's reasonable at about $77. It uses an AN fittings, and the banjo AN fitting at the end of it fits well and allows the outlet tube to run at a comfortable angle.
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/9pbv847rsqhwmdl/IMG_20170223_205520.jpg?raw=1)
Here's another shot of the master cylinders and hydraulic lines. It's important to have a few coils in that hard line that runs from the body-mounted prop valve down tot he chassis. The body and chassis move independently quite a bit, so the coils allow the hard line to flex and not break. I need to find some new body bushings, the ones on this car are trashed.
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/gf00ovsem8x4mhm/IMG_20170223_205526.jpg?raw=1)
Here's a detail shot of the hard line to rubber line union. The rubber lines are just OEM Chevy S10 pieces. Yeah yeah, a lot of people would like to see steel braided lines here, but for a street car they serve no benefit except looks. And they are not part of the look I'm going for with this car. I cut the rivet off that secured the mounting tabs to the chassis, then flipped them upside down and welded them back on. I still have to run a hard line from the tee to the passender side, and I have to run the hard line to rear axle. I'll probably do that next weekend.
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/zlm9diy559rkqtj/IMG_20170223_205533.jpg?raw=1)
A couple other things... Here's the alternator mounting brackets I bought from D&D Fabrications. simple, but effective to mount a basic Delco alternator.
I also installed a new mechanical fuel pump and bent up an outlet hard line up to the carb. I'll make new hardlines to run from the tank tot he pump this weekend too.
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/mlu03srj05suamh/IMG_20170223_205608.jpg?raw=1)
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/hfsm4amcp12ifv1/IMG_20170223_205557.jpg?raw=1)
-
Looking good as usual!
Been running gas & brake lines on the Aero and even with the old ones for patterns I must've gotten up & down from under the car about 50 times.
You're right about the body flex, floor mounted uni-body Aero MC is only about a foot from the union on the side frame and there's a loop in that pipe, mid production change added due to original design cracking.
Tuning that carb to your engine's flow demands is going to give you great low end response, a lot of guys don't consider that.
Stroke of luck on those Buick to MG headers, very nice!
-
Great work! I have no doubt that this is going to be a blast to drive!
-
Looking good as usual!
Been running gas & brake lines on the Aero and even with the old ones for patterns I must've gotten up & down from under the car about 50 times.
You're right about the body flex, floor mounted uni-body Aero MC is only about a foot from the union on the side frame and there's a loop in that pipe, mid production change added due to original design cracking.
Tuning that carb to your engine's flow demands is going to give you great low end response, a lot of guys don't consider that.
Stroke of luck on those Buick to MG headers, very nice!
Haha, I was very reluctant to hold those headers up to the engine after they arrived. I wasn't at all continent in my gamble that they would work and wasn't ready to face having to make headers from scratch. When I realized that they would fit with just a little modification, I really felt like I was going to see this car on the road soon.
I learned about the purpose of the brake line coils after finding a crimp in the hard line in my S10 race truck. I didn't include the coils, and found out just how much the cab moves around on top of the chassis. A lot, it turns out. Luckily I found that crimp before the line failed.
I see guys with 1000 cfm carbs on mild 350s at car shows all the time. It's hard to teach people that bigger isn't always better... But then those are the guys who will see this car and wonder why I didn't put a LS1 in it.
I like the Aero! I've always wanted one of those. I know some guys who road-race one:
http://www.roadkill.com/1952-willys-aero-lark-beats-many-bmws-lemons-season-ender/ (http://www.roadkill.com/1952-willys-aero-lark-beats-many-bmws-lemons-season-ender/)
-
Great work! I have no doubt that this is going to be a blast to drive!
Thanks! Can't wait to find out if you're right!
-
I just drove past Speedway Motors today..
I bought a kaiser from him also..
Surprised they didn't turn it into a roundy-round car. Haha!
-
I like the Aero! I've always wanted one of those. I know some guys who road-race one:
http://www.roadkill.com/1952-willys-aero-lark-beats-many-bmws-lemons-season-ender/ (http://www.roadkill.com/1952-willys-aero-lark-beats-many-bmws-lemons-season-ender/)
Next time you see those guys at Four Yak Press racing, tell them not only was I extremely impressed with their hutzpah as i read through that article, I also laughed till tears ran. I hope to see more of them!
-
Thanks for posting the Aero article, I too would love to see more of them! I agree on the carbs....bigger is not always better :)
-
Well, I haven't posted any of my progress in awhile, but a lot has happened in the last couple months, and today I actually drove the Henry j around the block for the first time!
Here's a couple of video of it running in my back yard:
https://youtu.be/m4GO1w698og (https://youtu.be/m4GO1w698og)
https://youtu.be/06taROYShYQ (https://youtu.be/06taROYShYQ)
And here are some pics of the work I've done.
Here's one shot of the rear brake lines on the GM 7.625" 10 bolt S-10 rear end. This axle came with the car, and fits great. The last owner replaced the original spring pads on the axle with some poorly made custom pads, and he placed them so that the axle was positioned with zero degrees of pinion angle. I cut those off and bought a pair of 1.75" wide pads from Ruff Stuff Specialties and welded them on so that the axle no sits with 4 degrees of pinion angle to match the angle of the engine/trans. It has 4.10 gears on an open diff which will work well with the 5-speed I think. I replaced the wheel cylinders but the rest of the drum brakes looked good. I did have to make all new hard lines and used a S-10 rear brake hose along with a new welded-on bracket at the axle tube.
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/ounhmjufnqda0jd/IMG_20170811_224401.jpg?raw=1)
Here's the exhaust work. I did it all myself, and I don't think I'll ever choose to make my own exhaust ever again. It's pretty difficult work. I bought a bunch of random tube bends from Speedway motors and bought a couple of Thrush glasspacks so all in it cost me about $160, but man, I'd gladly pay someone 5 times that to do it for me next time...
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/u8kc3c05v3oqn95/IMG_20170811_224257.jpg?raw=1)
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/uabnheu13kriptk/IMG_20170811_224447.jpg?raw=1)
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/awrsod4av9kn2ch/IMG_20170811_224500.jpg?raw=1)
Here are the finalized pedals. The gas pedal is an Offenhauser aluminum pedal. I had to make the firewall panel that it's mounted to, since I had to cut away some portions of the firewall to fit the Buick engine. The clutch and brake pedals are a unit I bought from Speedway Motors, and the pedal pads are obviously from Mooneyes. They are pretty nice, but I think I'm going to modify them a bit to get the pedals to sit at a different angle.
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/or5zsn265p52m54/IMG_20170830_232927.jpg?raw=1)
I added a bracket and tab for a button-type brake light switch, which I still need to wire up. No brake lights yet!
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/sl53sm2mmluh91r/IMG_20170830_083317.jpg?raw=1)
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/v9ktgybsoyfm0f2/IMG_20170830_233029.jpg?raw=1)
Here are a few shots of the engine in the car. It fits, but it didn't exactly "drop right in". If the engine bay was about 1.5" longer from radiator support to firewall it would have been a lot easier. Other clearance issues are at the steering box and the upper control arms. The steering box is about 1/2" away from the left cylinder head, and the a-arms at the inner pivot point are less than 1/2" from the exhaust headers. I moved the radiator forward in the radiator support, so that the front face of the radiator is flush with the front face of the support. This gave me a couple of extra inches, but I still had to cut into the firewall to make it all fit.
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/h0p68eexasmibly/IMG_20170830_083504.jpg?raw=1)
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/9em1htqe7eqxh3s/IMG_20170830_083539.jpg?raw=1)
And there she is, just back from her maiden voyage around the block!
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/hypp6askyoxml8v/IMG_20170901_155318.jpg?raw=1)
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/3hf1rrokve7gnl3/IMG_20170901_155333.jpg?raw=1)
I still need to wire up all of the lights. The front tires are too big with the deep offset wheels so they run the fenders even if I turn just a little bit. I need to install the rear shocks and front sway bar. The fenders, inner fenders, and hood are all barely bolted together so I need to get a bunch of hardware and fasten it all together for real and install the grill. There are still massive clearance holes cut in the firewall and trans tunnel so those need to be patched. So there is a lot to do still, but it runs, and I drove it after 2 years and two weeks of purchasing the car. And now there is one more Henry J back on the road!
-
Jesse, only one picture is showing up for me. Also, I couldn't get the video links to work.
Maybe I'm the only one having these issues? Can't wait to see the other pics.......exhaust looks good.
-
I would love to see the pictures and video too , but NO DICE . I like seeing your progress . Keep letting us know how you are doing .
-
I've been wondering how the project is coming along.
Just one photo shows for me too, both in Explorer and Firefox, and the vid links bring me to a Google sign in page.
-
Neat build, more pics please
-
I tried just using the videos and images in my Google Drive, but it looks like Google wants you to be signed in to view them. I moved them all over to Dropbox and put the video on Youtube, so you should be able to see them all now.
-
I can view everything now. Sounds great, nice fabrication work too!
-
How do you find it on UTUBE?
-
Use these links:
https://youtu.be/m4GO1w698og
https://youtu.be/06taROYShYQ
Jesse, the engine sounds GREAT! :)
-
Nice work Jesse! I love the color of the car and your fabrication work is very impressive.
-
Well, I took the Henry J to it's first car show last weekend, here in Alameda:
https://www.facebook.com/ParkStreetClassicCarShow/
Then I drove it over to have drinks and dinner, so we officially have another Henry J registered, insured and running on the streets! So far its running decent. It still needs a few things to really be road-worthy: rear shocks need to be installed, the steering needs to be tightened up, headlights need to be wired up, and the holes I punched in the firewall to clear the engine need to be patched. I got a lot of attention and questions from people, which was fun. Since Kaiser Permanente has a huge headquarters in Oakland, and we have the Henry J Kaiser Convention Center here is Oakland, everyone knows the Henry J name, but most had no idea that there was a car by the same name.
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/5tqc6z4r16ejgjy/beauty_shot.jpg?raw=1)
Here I am posing with the three cars i brought to the car show: The HJ, my endurance race Chevy S10 and my 1961 Mini.
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/qci8lrdsakpcctg/car-show.jpg?raw=1)
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/fni4xiydgho56s7/on-the-street.jpg?raw=1)
-
I haven't really driven the Henry j at all since taking it to the car show in October. The two main factors preventing me from driving it was that I didn;t have the headlights wired up and I didn't have provisions for mounting shocks on the rear axle. If you have ever tried driving a a car without shocks, it's at best, pretty silly with all of the bouncing.
So last weekend I had a friend weld on these shock mounts to the rear axle. They are nice pieces from Speedway motors that were really cheap, something like $15 each, and were made to fit a 3" diameter axle. Once I decided on placement, we welded them on and I reinstalled the axle along with some KYB Gas-a-just shocks. I sloppily sprayed a little bit of black Rustoluem on the welds to prevent rust. This isn't a "real" show car so I'm not bothering with spending time on making the details visually perfect, I just want the thing to be functional.
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/svi9nhi9g6zu6fr/IMG_20171112_170931.jpg?raw=1)
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/3r29309igtb4vls/IMG_20171112_170946.jpg?raw=1)
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/dt3jx04dw3sk7p7/IMG_20171112_171013.jpg?raw=1)
I also finally got around to wiring up the headlights, which wasn't really that big of a deal. What took me so long to do it was that I had to finally convince myself to buy some expensive wire crimpers to make the headlight connectors correctly. My old $20 crimpers just were not going to do a good job on the terminals used for the connectors, so I bought the $140 crimping pliers from American Autowire. I will say, the first I used them, I was instantly happy with the purchase. The results look factory:
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/65eh8vk0ubn3b7o/IMG_20171116_185234.jpg?raw=1)
Let there be light!
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/u39tzfld8fxcyaj/IMG_20171116_215629.jpg?raw=1)
The last thing I did this weekend was install these Speedway adjustable coil spring spacers. I had cut 1.5 coils off of the front springs to lower it some, but that ended up being too much. The car looked great with the nose in the weeds, but the suspension wasn't working right and there were tire clearance issues, so I neeed to lift the front back up about 1-1.5 inches. These Speedway spacers are about $25 each so they are a great deal, and are very well made. Thh idea is to place them above the spring in the spring pocket to jack the car up. They aren't adjustable once they are installed, so you have to figure out your adjustment, then put them in and hope you got it right. I didn't. The car is currently sitting about as high as it can in front, so I gave it way to much spacing. I'll have to take it all apart and try again.
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/bwlawdb8hadaa6c/IMG_20171118_145701.jpg?raw=1)
They are designed to fit with the flat face up against the pocket and the threaded area sitting inside the coil spring (they one is upsidedown in the picture) but that didn't work with the locating flange that in the pocket so i flipped them upside down and the threaded cylinder fit perfectly up in the pocket. However, that meant that I had to weld on some locating tabs to make sure the coil spring doesn't walk around at all. It's unlikely that it would move much, nut it's better to be safe than sorry.
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/keetd8vind62uoo/IMG_20171118_145642.jpg?raw=1)
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/jty4sfalg1zvq3e/IMG_20171118_145654.jpg?raw=1)
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/zl93tjoeemymmge/after-coil-spacers.jpg?raw=1)
So, next weekend I'll pull the spacers out and spin them down to about 1/2" of spacing, and hopefully that will be the sweet spot.
There's still plenty to do. I have an oil leak at the oil pan to fix. The brakes are pulsing a bit, so I think one of the rear drums is out of round. The steering is pretty loose with a lot of play, so I need to see what I can do to tighten it up. And I need to patch up the holes in the firewall and trans tunnel, it currently very loud and hot in the car with the big holes I cut to clear the motor and trans...
-
Good work! And those adjustable spacers are a neat deal.
-
Thank for posting. I always enjoy looking at your fab work.
-
Hi all,
My Henry J project was on the backburner for awhile, but recently I have been busy and have done a lot of work to it. I'll start posting some updates.
The biggest project was modifying the firewall and trans tunnel to make room for the Buick 215 and T5 5-speed. I cut out big holes to make space for the engine and trans a long time ago and drove it around a bit with those holes. I could see both valve covers from the drivers seat. It was loud, and hot, and breezy so I finally decided to fix that.
I cut out a big section of the firewall and the existing trans tunnel:
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/byh8jf42l29np7s/IMG_20200411_103805.jpg?raw=1)
Then with the help of a lot of cardboard for making templates, I formed a new larger trans tunnel and firewall panels. The trans tunnel had to be taller and wider to clear the 5-speed, and I included a kickout box on the driver side of the trans tunnel to place a hand brake. The firewall had to be recessed back two inches to make space for the v8 engine. I also had to make a panel to mount the brake and clutch pedal assembly and the master cylinders.
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/c114pujs3fyc7dy/IMG_20200426_212637.jpg?raw=1)
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/6xxmwb7imlv8ji2/IMG_20200426_212630.jpg?raw=1)
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/jp0i3m6gy01a23j/IMG_20200425_210224.jpg?raw=1)
I used 18 gauge cold rolled sheet steel and bought a bead roller so I could put some beads in the panels to add some rigidity.
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/65bci2vot9rnp8w/IMG_20200510_210510.jpg?raw=1)
After a lot of sanding and some body filler to fill in some dents, I painted the firewall and trans tunnel inside and out using an epoxy primer and single stage satin black urethane paint, followed with plenty of black urethane seam sealer to prevent any leaks or corrosion.
I'm using brake and clutch pedals hung from the firewall behind the dash, so I also closed up the open area where the floor mounted clutch and brake pedals were. You can also see the round tube pocket that the new Ididit steering column will fit into at the kick panel. I'll talk about steering in the next post.
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/kohvfo5r4dt7tbj/PXL_20210204_044331487.jpg?raw=1)
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/b5tawrez37jsony/PXL_20210204_044403571.jpg?raw=1)
And finally I decide to give Boom Mat a try. It's a multi-layer product that insulates from heat and noise. It's not very easy to work with since it has a layer of fairly thick aluminum foil, then a layer of synthetic matting, and a layer of adhesive. I could never figure out what th best tool for cutting it was, but I used scissors, a box cutter, and tin snips, each with varied success. I covered the trans tunnel and kickboard areas. It's pretty sticky stuff, but we'll see how it holds up.
(https://www.dropbox.com/s/f1euh8ps6gal678/PXL_20210206_225357543.jpg?raw=1)
-
Nice work on the firewall, looks great. Looking foreward to updates, especially on the engine install. I've always had a soft spot for those 215 engines (both the Buick and the Olds versions) but even back in the late '70s good ones were almost non-existant in my area.
-
I just read through all of your updates for the first time, and really enjoyed it. You have done some great work on your HJ. I might try to utilize some of your updates on my '51 HJ
-
Hi all, I just wanted to give a little update. I moved to Honolulu last year, in June, actually. I went on a mad sprint to get teh Henry J as finished as possible, and managed to get it very road-worthy and running well just in time to put it in storage while I settle in here on the island. I was in a rush so I didn't have time to take many pictures or post about it, but soon I think I will be able to share some of what I got done. I'm also currently trying to get it prepared to ship over from California. One thing I need to do is get the fuel gauge working because teh shipping company needs to see that it has no more than 1/4 tank of gas in it. I'm pretty sure the fuel sender was operational, but I can't remember what the ohm range is. Does anybody know what they used for the range? I seem to remember something like 70 full, 10 empty. Does that sound right?
-
It's 70 empty and 10 full, although a few folks have mentioned they tested theirs and saw numbers of 72 and 14.
-
Thanks for confirming. I can see how the resistance might increase form age resulting readings of 72 and 14.
I'm going to buy a cheap fuel gauge from O'Reilly that works for that range and install that just to get the car shipped. I've been pretty impressed actually by the Equus line of gauges available at O'Reilly. They are cheap but work really well. I used them for years in my race car and never had a problem, they even outlasted an Auto Meter and a Classic Instruments gauge (I'm not impressed by Classic Instruments).
I'll work on getting the original gauge cluster restored soon. Redline Gauge Works in Santa Clarita does a really good job of restoring old gauges and updating the mechanicals to use and work with modern components.
-
There are a couple of Kaisers on Oahu - the remains of a Darrin up by the Dole plantation near the center of the island and another that was parked in an apartment building garage near the Ala Moana center. Not sure if they're still there but you may run into them in your travels. I will be on island in September and the plan is to track them down.
-
Really... wow. I'll have to go look for the Darrin near Ala Moana just to see it. I have no interest in trying to obtain anything else. There are some cool old cars in car ports and side yards. Most of the time people don't seem to be interested in selling though, and the cars will just sit there and rot.
-
Anyone get the Caliber brackets ?