Getting Started

Getting Started

A late spring cold snap brought howling winds outside the garage doors as I wrenched on the old hemi late one evening, I couldn’t help but feel a certain amount of anticipation to finally making the last connection and bringing life back into the “old girl”. A mental checklist was gone over and over again, tighten this, check that, and don’t forget to hook-up this, as memories of past engine start-ups came rushing back to me. Over the years, there always seemed to be a certain amount of fiddling with the engine to eventually having it running it’s best, and almost always some small detail that was overlooked but easily remedied. A vacuum line left unattached, a block drain plug left uninstalled, or a distributor dropped in 180-degrees out. But eventually, with a little time, patience, experience, and a little advice from friends, they’ve all roared back to life.

Similarly I felt that same level of anticipation as I sat down to write my first blog post here for the “Classic Car Restoration Club”. Much like wrenching on that old baby-Hemi, we’ve built a checklist of sorts, of those items that should not be over looked. Of course we’re trying hard to ensure nothing is overlooked, however, experience tells us there will likely be some fiddling before we have it running it’s best. That’s where you fit in, after all it’s your club, and much like seeking the advice of friends to get your old motor running, we’ll need your advice and suggestions to ensure the club runs its best. Whether it’s project ideas, video topics, or site features and functionality, just let us know, together we’ll have the club purring like a kitten. Drop us a note, we’d love to hear from you, contact us at: editor@classiccarrestorationclub.com.

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8 Responses to “Getting Started”

  1. Daniel Hyatt

    I own a 1953 pontiac pathfinder with a flathead six cyl . with torque tube driveline. Wondering if you have any videos and tips on servicing torque tube front U Joint and seals behind torque ball. Also the okie bushing as they call it removal and replacing. How do you adjust valve lash on the flathead six cyl.

  2. CARL T.E.

    I am not impressed ! I got tired finally of all your incomplete video's so I joined to get full video and find out they are the same incomplete videos to advertise companies and not showing anything ! Free video BS ! Free advertising ! No info what so efin anyware ! Carl (PRFCT)

  3. Loren

    Hi everyone, I'm new here, so bear with...I have a build project, 55 F100, total frame off build...sand blasting and the whole bit.....So...My question is...I'm at the point where i have installed my power brake booster and Master..I am about to run new lines...I have a after market TCI front end..Any flags I need to know about as I run my brake lines, Oh yeah I have a CCP Brake booster kit installed. Clearance questions mostly...Any comment would be cool..Thanks

  4. mike

    Thanks for the great info, I'll be sure and share it.

  5. Rafael

    Greetings. Can a Chevy LT4 be used to replace the original 322 Nailheadin a '55 Buick Century (66C)

  6. Mark Simpson

    Jerry, The engine is a relatively stock 341 DeSoto Hemi, although it has been bored to 352 cubic Inches, and currently has a compression ratio of 9.75:1. This car is being built for my wife, so performance wasn't the overriding concerns during the engine build as she still wanted it to run on "regular" pump gas.

  7. Chuck Emanuel

    Summer of 63 spent rebuilding 57 Plymouth frozen engine. New rings, bearings, valves were installed. Wouldn't start until pushed. Drove all over the neighbourhood, parked in front of house and left running. Wasn't paying attention - sometime during run, rotten lower heater hose let go and coolant ran out. Engine was toasted and I learned a valuable lesson: always change hoses and belts when car has sat for an extended period of time!

  8. Jerry Ward

    I would like to know more about it what size and comp