Our (New) Vintage Tow Vehicle

[halfdome, Danny]

Danny, that is one sharp looking ride. Gonna look great with one of your teardrops behind it. With the modern drivetrain it should hardly notice the weight of a tear even in the hills of the NW.

Since #3 is mid-build, are you going to add some matching detail and accent colors?

Thanks Shaun , I'm keeping TD #2 for us so it will stay in it's original aluminum finish. TD #3 is something to keep me busy during slow times but now I have this 55 Chevy to consume my time. I'm having charging problems now. Took out the alternator and it passed the test three times. The battery takes a charge and I even tried the 6 month old battery from my truck. Replaced a blown ATC 25 amp fuse and it still stays just over 12 volts. The fuse block has no indications of where each wire goes. On the freeway last night it went up to 14 volts so it has to be a short somewhere . I'll eventually find it if I have to tear it apart. Old cars are always some sort of project. It took me months and about $5K to bring my Blazer up to snuff after I bought it. Danny

[Dave A]

Danny, I think I would be inclined to make sure of your grounds, alternator to block, block to chassis , chassis to body as it sounds like a reverse feed to the field circuit on your alternator. You might also want to check battery ground both at the battery and chassis or body.
I hope this helps but it is just a S.W. A. G. on my part.

Dave A.

[High Desert]

Danny, I think I would be inclined to make sure of your grounds, alternator to block, block to chassis , chassis to body as it sounds like a reverse feed to the field circuit on your alternator. You might also want to check battery ground both at the battery and chassis or body.
I hope this helps but it is just a S.W. A. G. on my part.

Dave A.

I would agree, had to use this same angle of approach myself before. I'm an old car guy too, that was my thought as I read the symtoms. Good luck with it Danny!

[halfdome, Danny]

Thanks guys I'll check all points. I suspect the guy that replaced the transmission may have removed a ground and didn't tighten it adequately. The roller cam makes this car rumble and shake & could have shaken something loose enough to be a problem. Years ago I had aftermarket cruse put on my truck. He disconnected firewall to block grounding strap. Happened on another car too but under the dash. One of the reasons I distrust anyone working on my vehicles. Danny

[hotrod]

GM 3 wire alternator will run at 14.4 volts normally..

[BillandMarijo]

I've always wanted a 55 or 56 Chevy so I finally bought one for our TD tow vehicle. Jane & I flew to Phoenix AZ and I drove the 2 door 55 Chevy Bel Air I bought back home but had a detour. Just a few miles out of Phoenix piles of smoke was coming out the rear of the car. I contacted the seller & he came and patched the leak where the dip stick meets the transmission. He sent us on our way following my brother to his house. About 30 miles (in the dark) we stopped at a traffic signal and that's all she wrote, the transmission was toast, literally. We had it towed 85 miles to a transmission shop where they determined the transmission was having problems before I ever drove it and it was a total loss. They installed a re manufactured replacement for the TH 400 along with a shift kit. It has a passing gear that they couldn't get to work, no biggie. There was 3 bellhousing bolts missing and a potential fire from a loosely installed wire next to the headers. They fixed that. They also repaired the cooler lines that will come in handy when towing the TD. The car was ready in two days and we were on our merry way again. No problems at all this time with the exception of 3 long traffic jambs 60 miles from home. My ears were ringing for two days from the sound of the short pipes from the mufflers. I was pleasantly surprised that my average gas mileage for the 350 with a cam was over 18 MPG and the low was 13.5 MPG with the high over 20MPG. I plan on extending the 2 1/2" pipes 4' to the bumper with chrome tips for a quieter ride. I need to install or have installed a trailer hitch and 3 point seat belts. A link to pictures are in my signature line. Danny

OMG thats a sweet ride.
Bill.

[halfdome, Danny]

Thanks Bill. I think I have figured out the charging problem. I replaced the worn battery side post studs and found out that all I have to do is hit the accelerator hard while idling in park or neutral and it goes up to 14.4 volts and stays there until I turn it off. Accelerating on freeway ramps does the same thing. Getting the hitch receiver installed this week. Danny

[halfdome, Danny]

I had a custom 2" hitch receiver installed Friday and today after wiring it I took it out for a trial run.
Even though I need to replace the leaf springs ASAP it handled it quite well.
I did notice the left rear tire rubs even more when making some left turns but I'm hoping new springs will fix that. Danny

[hotrod]

gotta love hotrods and teardrops, !!
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2 ... 0017825925

[Mightydog]

Danny,

Seeing the car in person at the LeMay gathering in Tacoma was worth the trip. Nice lookin' ride!

Allen

[Mary K]

HOW SWEET IT IS!!

[halfdome, Danny]

Thanks Allen, it was good to camp and visit with you
.
Too much Mary K, ole' Jackie Gleason was something else.

Since Lemay, I rebuilt the rear suspension with new stock leaf springs, and Monroe Sensa Trac load adjusting shocks. It brought the rear up 3 3/4" and now it can handle the tongue weight without sagging. It puts it on a nice rake (without the tear) but it has to come up 2" in the front since the left tire can rub the inner fender on tight turns. I had the tail pipes extended 4' to the bumper since it was just to loud inside the car. All the compression sound is now at the bumper .

Been having right brake or is it left brake problems from the beginning.
I took the steering wheel off today and discovered this piece of spring metal is worn out.
It's suppose to keep the blinker control on center after making a turn. It would sit just off center and make one or the other brake light not work since it was in the beginning of the turn signal mode but not engaged. I ordered the new parts & I hope I'm correct in my assessment of the problem. Danny

[Aaron Coffee]

Nice ride. I see you got the hitch done, I was going to suggest looking in the owners manual. I was looking for a hitch for my 67 Dodge Dart and couldn't find anything, I looked in the owners manual, thinking I might find a part number or something, instead I found a diagram on how to make one.
I have been lottery dreaming(looking at old cars on ebay), and somewhere along the lines I must of have gotten old because instead of hot rods, muscle cars and street rods, I have been looking at station wagons and 4 door sedans(mostly 30s, 40's and 50's).

[halfdome, Danny]

I just had the place Old Coyote (Herb) recommended in Tacoma to build and install the hitch.
Ballew's Hitch, Truck & RV 2940 South M Street , Tacoma, WA .
They did a great job. Thanks, Danny

[mvperini]

Danny
when i went to put a hitch on my 49 a friend gave me a chevy hitch that he had it was way to heavy and big. then i remembered i bought a PT cruiser hitch for the wifes car and never installed it. i could not belive that when i held the hitch up to the frame the holes in the hitch matched the frame bolts and the cut out on the hitch matched the cross member on the car.couple hrs later the hitch was mounted. then i went and lowered the car so i had a friend move the reciever from the bottom side of the hitch to the top side and now the hitch is almost hidden from view.
Like i said before gotta love those old chevys
mike