Good News

Lots of good news for this post. First of all I got a break from the loathsome sanding. It's not that we are finished you understand (far from it) but there were other things to do. So this weekend we started to remove the engine. Out came the radiator and expansion box, off came the carburetor and out with the a/c compressor. On the very good news front, as I disconnected the high pressure line I heard a fairly significant hiss of R12 venting to the atmosphere. (Yes I know, no need to point out that I have irreparable damaged the ozone layer, but who would have thought that the freon would still be there)? So perhaps I am going to be saved a compressor rebuild, and a few hundred dollars. Also on the good news front, I know I can hardly bear it myself, I tested the compressions whilst I could still crank the engine. This was necessary as I needed to know if there was going to be any engine work while it was out. The cylinders ranged from 125 to 140 psi and that is plenty good enough for me. I got the hood off and then was able to get the hinges off. This then revealed the two hidden screws that enabled me to get the fender trim off. It also means that the trunk and hinges will be blue while the engine bay is sprayed black, sharp. Back underneath to get the prop shaft out (if this puzzles you please read to the end) and that was the end of my day.
Next time I hope to disconnect the overdrive cable and electric, disconnect the speedometer, the clutch cable and the gear selector rods, undo 4 bolts and lower the gearbox onto a trolley jack. Then wrap a chain around the block, undo the two engine mounts and pull the motor. Doesn't that sound easy? We will see.

Gene had a buddy down from New York and like most of Gene's buddies he knows cars. My problem was that I was outnumbered by Americans and when they were telling me what to do they spoke a language of their own. Now I will grant you hood (bonnet) and trunk (boot) as bonnet does seem to be a little twee, but I think for the rest of the car parts we should stick to the following;
The two enclosures at the top of the engine are rocker boxes as they contain the rockers. They are not valve covers as the valves are inside the cylinders. The body panels below the doors are called sills, not rocker panels (there are no rockers in there, they are on top of the engine). There are two types of transmission, automatic or manual, let's forget straight gear, stick shift and similar nonsense. Power is transmitted from the gearbox by the propshaft (I can't even remember what the Yankees called it). Power is applied to the differential, not the pumpkin or ham or whatever. We then have the half shafts, not drives shafts, drives shafts are reserved for nasty little front wheel drive cars.

I am sure that there were a few other butcheries of my Mother tongue but in the interests of cordial international relations I will let them pass. Just remember boys if we all speak the same language then the job will go a lot faster.

Anyway that is it for the week, the evenings are to damned short and cold to be working especially underneath on a cold concrete floor. Next week I shall take the camera and treat you to a picture of the engine coming out.

Toodle Pip