The Christine Car Club

[BigM]

I'd have no luck at all.

My wife got home from working in Reno Friday night, and she brought Allan down, who will be doing some work around the place. Saturday was to be the big local Mopar show, it usually draws 400 cars or so. Had everything pretty much ready to go, and I and Allan got up at 6 A.M. and washed the Fury and Dodge down. M'lisa and her sister were to drive the Dodge, and follow us in the Fury to Sacramento, about sixty miles.

Just about ten miles from town, my wife texted Allan, saying they were pulling over because of a flat tire on the wagon, but the next off ramp for us was almost ten miles further south. After taking the exit and crossing back over the freeway, I accelerated the Fury, and heard the 'death rattle'. One of the bearings had finally gotten loose enough to knock. I didn't want to grenade the block, so I eased the speed down, and coasted over to old hwy 99 which runs parallel to the freeway. M'lisa called AAA after Allan told her of our troubles, and the Dodge was loaded up on the tow truck in a short time. We made it back to the yard without throwing a rod, luckily.

The tire on the Dodge had a nail hole, so we plugged it and put air back in. It was now too late to enter the show now with an hour's drive time, and I didn't really feel like just going to watch.

One good thing though, A friend that I had lost contact with over 12 years ago, just happened to stop in, so this wouldn;t have happened if we were at the show!

---John

[BigM]

I lifted the car up for inspection purposes, and found that I had a minor leak at the transmission pan, and the engine mounts were sagged. Also had acquired an awful lot of 'road grime', but I have driven the car over 40,000 miles. I never needed to open up the engine, as it always ran well, so who knows the actuat mileage on the car. ---John

[BigM]

Sunday afternoon it was 111 degrees, one heck of a hot afternoon, but I managed to get the engine and transmission pulled as darkness fell. Allan was a big help here, he guided the engine out without putting a s much as a nick in the car's paint.

Kinda sad looking, missing her get-with-it stuff.

All covered up until the time that her 'gear' is back in order.
---John

[BigM]

The culprit-

4 main bearings, apparently had been acid etched by setting in acidic old oil when the car set for thirty or so years-Finally began to get pounded out by the force against the crankshaft.

I also found the block had been bored .060 over, and the crankshaft was cut .010 on the mains, and .020 on the rods, respectively. I decided to use the standard bore Fury block that I had shipped in from St. Louis, as well as it's crankshaft. I called up Ray Vallero, who owns a machine shop in Auburn, Ca., and he said to bring it in. Auburn is an eighty mile drive each way, so you may wonder why I would take it that far.

Two reasons-
One being that Ray is well known for super tight tolerances on his machine work, he has several Mopars himself that he drag races with POLY engines, and he knows them inside out.

Reason two, Ray has been a customer of mine for better than ten years, in fact, he bought a '56 Plymouth from me for his son to restore years ago. I feel I can trust him thoroughly. He's going to do some special tricks to the stock intake and heads, although keeping the appearance stock. ---John

[Thundertruck]

Sorry to here this John, I guess if you have a break down it's best to be close to home.. Amazing if you think about the 4000 mile round trip to Tulsa and didn't have one bit of trouble.. The old girl did give you that Peace of mind at least after getting the rebuild you should be good to go engine wise.. I think it's cool that you are trying to keep the car as close to original as this seems to be old school thinking anymore.. I guess you and I are a dying breed

[BigM]

Thanks, Steve.

I'll update this when things progress.

I talked to my friend Sam that does automatic transmissions for me, I had lent him a sum of money for a knee surgery earlier this year, the doctor did the procedure completely wrong, and he hasn't been able to work since. He will do three or four Torqueflites for me in return for the loan. I really feel sorry for the guy, one of the best auto techs in the field, and he may be permanently sidelined. ---John

[Bloodhound1958]

Good luck John. I hope the rebuild goes ok and like you say..now's the time to pull a few tricks out of your hat to give the engine a little extra. That's something on those bearing pics. That's quite a bit of etching if I do say so myself. Anyway...good luck. Just think, You'll be able to tell people you spent a sheet load of money on her and she's perfecto now!

[Dukeboy]

John, I just noticed...Are those those Flowmasters backwards? Looks like they were Center in, offset out...Was it easier to run the tail pipes with the center outlet?, or did you order them with offset inlet? Just curious, that's all...


Sorry to hear bout your engine troubles...Think of it this way, you can put a little MORE "Get with it" in that motor now that it's out....

[Jason]

Bad luck with your engine alright...........At least all will be good for a long time after you rebuild it john!! Good luck mate.

[BigM]

Chaney,
I robbed the Flowmasters from a '67 Cougar I was cutting up at the time I was doing the exhaust work. I don't recall much else about them. Gotta remember, I like doing things on the cheap, sometimes!

I actually get a lot of requests for used Flowmasters and Magnaflow mufflers, so I save them whenever they turn up. Glasspacks I usually wont, as the fiberglass is usually shot. ---John

[Dukeboy]

Yessir, the used Flowmasters can be had cheaper than new ones...I'm runnin' "Swap meet" Flowmasters on my car right now, at $30.00 a pair!...

I like doing things on the cheap....

[Jason]

Yessir, the used Flowmasters can be had cheaper than new ones...I'm runnin' "Swap meet" Flowmasters on my car right now, at $30.00 a pair!...

I like doing things on the cheap....

" This place is for workin stiffs.......gonna keep their cars runnin so 'dey could put food on da table! Not for rich a#$%d snot nosed kids
that wanna go draggin on the orange belt!!"

[Furvedere]

Sorry to hear you missed the show John...sounds like you immediately saw the silver lining though...You are absolutely amazing how you just pull the motor and tranny right out like that...and already have found the problem. That would take me several months to just think about doing that. You are very blessed to know exactly what to do...Best wishes with it all...especially in that 100+ degree heat! Just the thought of that......well.....to say the least, everytime you post something I am so impressed...Thanks John...

Bob

[BigM]

Thanks, Bob, although it's just what I have always done to make a living. ---John

[58plym]

Yessir, the used Flowmasters can be had cheaper than new ones...I'm runnin' "Swap meet" Flowmasters on my car right now, at $30.00 a pair!...

I like doing things on the cheap....

" This place is for workin stiffs.......gonna keep their cars runnin so 'dey could put food on da table! Not for rich a#$%d snot nosed kids
that wanna go draggin on the orange belt!!"

Man 30.00 for the pair, what a find, I wish I had some but I can!t afford them at new cost. I just have glass packs on mine. Im like you Jase Im not even a working man anymore Im on Social Security as they call it now but in the early days They called it old age Pension. LOL
I sure would like to hit the lottery where We could all have a meet somewhere and have a big party and reunion.

[Eddie_Elvis]

Good luck on your Fury John!