Thread: You guys are the worst

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The hood looks to be a formula hood and if so those were fiberglass from the factory. There are after market ones available but they aren't cheap. I like the look of those hoods personally.

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More time getting familiar with each other.

Twiddled with carb screws, got the idle better. Need to dink with timing.

BUT the crap list keeps growing.

I re routed the dizzy to true manifold vacuum. It was plumbed to a port at the base of the carb, but didn't seem to have any vacuum at idle.

There are two steel lines going down to the trans? One isn't plumbed. I guess I need to use the lift and peek under the petticoats. Why would the trans need two vac lines?

AC compressor runs all the time. It's unplugged for now. Blower motor never turns off, I think that is actually correct. I adjusted the headlights, but the left side isn't doing quite right, I'll bet a tab is broken.

Still have oil leak off pass side valve cover. AC brackets all in the way. Pretty much decided to get new heads and manifold anyway, fix it then. Plus the #2 cylinder valve taps real bad when cold.

GAWD. Headders are such a hassle but I guess they are essential for good power. This thing obviously has hiway gears, which is good but all things being compromise, yadda yadda. Add headders to the shopping list.

Hey, if I have to chop the exhaust anyway (which is too loud for my taste) then how about this: install an H pipe with an electric diverter valve, controlled by a throttle position switch. THAT would be cool, huh?

Who knew that buying a "restored" car would result in thousands of dollars to make it right?

-EVERYBODY-

Yah. We all saw it coming.

Oh BTW

I drove it to town to top it off (1/2 tank) as the fuel gauge doesn't work. Plus I just wanted to flog it a bit.

Anyway, at the pump I heard something that somehow makes it worth the effort:

"Hey man, nice car!"

I really want to start putting some miles on this thing, so I came up with a cheat for the dash lights. I only really need the speedometer, and it's the only stock gauge that works anyway. There are mechanical oil and temp gauges hanging under the dash, and I don't think they are even wired for light.

Anyway- I ordered a little tritium vial. I figure to use metal foil tape to attach it to the top of the speedo so its light will shine on the guage, but not in my eyes.

JMHO, but your dash lights and other electrical gremlins sound like a ground issue. Maybe the body ground wire was disconnected and never hooked back up?

I just use a GPS in my Camaro since I haven't purchased the electric VSS sensor for the trans. Works well, lights up on it's own, and is portable.

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Is this enough to identify poncho vs bow tie?

When I click on the thumbnails they expand, do they for y'all also?

That intake and water pump do not look chevy to me.

I got to spend some time with the old girl today.
With my vacuum gauge I confirmed a few things. The port at the carb base shows no vacuum at idle. The next up is ported, showing vac after idle only. The top port shows vac at all throttle position, so it got the distributor advance. A subsequent peek at my Haynes manual shows this to be correct.

However, the advance isn't functioning quite right. The dapshot doesn't leak down, so probably an R&R of the dizzy is justified.

The "dashpot" ... I am assuming your are referring to the vacuum chamber on the distributor? "Doesn't leak down" ???
I do not understand - as the chamber should not leak. Or do you think the mechanism if frozen/ stuck? If you can get the distributor out easily enough, it would be good to check the bearing / shaft for play and it's easier to work on when sitting on your workbench. Then you can get to the weights and springs for a good cleaning and lube service. Once you've cleaned it all up and made a parts list of needs/wants, be sure to replace the "dashpot" ... And it just dawned on me you might be talking about a "dashpot" on the carburator...??..?? That may make sense as a "dashpot" does "leakdown" to slow the throttle closing rate...But the dizzy does NOT use a dashpot! It uses a vacuum chamber to move the plate inside to advance/retard spark timing.

So did you mix terms? Or were you discussing two different topics? LOL And a Merry Christmas to you and yours!

Yeah, I had the same thought as Mike - a "dashpot" is just a damper, like a mini-shock absorber most often used on auto engines to slow the return to idle. The unit on the dizzy is a vacuum actuator that modulates the timing based on the amount of vacuum the engine is making - no leakdown, just modulating. Mike's given good advice.

I cleaned up the connection on the main body ground strap. Now the windshield wipers work but the partial function of the gauges is gone. More grounds to clean up.

I just caught a reply: A dashpot is a mechanical device, a damper which resists motion via viscous friction.

So, all this time I have been incorrectly referring to the vacuum advance diaphragm mechanism as a dapshot. Also, I have been spelling diaphragm without the g. Bloody hell.

Oh, and "doesn't leak down" is reference to the integrity of the diaphragm. If you suck on the vacuum hose, then use the tip of your tongue to plug the hose, you can verify the diaphragm doesn't "leak down", or in other words, it's good.

Thanks for your patience.

So today I tore into the dash. The horrors which I experienced.
I found a dangling ground, but it ohms to chassy and screwing it down didn't change anything. So I dug further.

Looks like the dash has received one of those $400 vinyl covers. One of those things that's almost nice. Like the headliner with the wrinkles.

The membrane on the speedometer cluster has a couple loose traces which were shorting together. And possibly the ground trace is open. It looks repairable. It amazes me that someone actually thought those foil sandwiched membranes were a good idea. Must have been cheap enough, I suspect.

Heater ducting is missing screws, broken tabs, zap screwed together. Half assed work at best.

I am trying to convince myself to continue tearing out until I see bare firewall.

We'll see.

Dashpots on the throttle usually have a tiny hole in the diaphragm to allow air to escape at a determined rate. No viscous connection there. So they cannot be tested unless you know / understand they will "leak" at a certain rate by design.

You don't like printed circuit boards???