Re: IML: Progress of a sort on the '60 LeCrown

[richard burgess <lecrown60@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hey Everyone,

 

Since we're all chiming in on our '60s I thought I would throw in another update.

 

If you have paid attention to the saga, a big milestone has been made.  I have a brand new correct windshield installed, finally!  It's so beauutiful.  I have most of the stainless back on but of course had one of the header clips break.  Fortunately I have had parts cars.  The trim slid around a bit so it took a couple tries to get everything rights.  I am ready to install the dynamat insulation on the roof and begin windlacing installation.  I have started installing weatherstripping on the doors.  I seriously wonder how well these cars were sealed in the first place.  The original weatherstripping was crushed in many places leading me to believe it never quite went the direction it was intended even when new.  As soon as the headliner goes in I can start on the carpet and installing the interior which is already finished. 

 

The engine and transmission have now both been overhauled a second time due to botched work the first time.  My Dad is coming down next week and we are going to get the drivetrain installed.  This should all go very qwickly as we have now done it once before!  I really plan on finishing the car sometime next Spring.  this is my fourth year in this frame up restoration.  We are then going to get the front sheetmetal on.

 

Then the real troubleshootinng can begin.  Once everything is hooked up I can see what does and does not work.  I have laboriously added a factory original power lock system from a parts car using the original wiring harness and nos transformers.  I still need one actuator for the driver's door.   It will be things like this that I am dying to know if they actually work. 

 

It's going to be looking like a car again soon! 

 

Richard Burgess

'60 Crown

Rob van der Es <r.vdes@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> Hi Donn,
>
> Ahhh, the joys of owning and maintaining a 1960 Imperial...
> Been there, done that and as a matter of fact.. Still do!!
>
> Isn't it great fun to find yourself under the dash upside down (not too
> easy when you are size XXL :) trying to repair something that is hidden
> there?
>
> Right now I am trying to fix the wiper motor, it suddenly stopped working
> and haven't found out yet what is wrong. Since both the switch and the
> wiper motor are really hard to accesss this aint a job for the faint
> hearted!
>
> Another problem is that the EL dash lighting system from time to time
> fails
>  to work, I have already thrown in a new (=rebuild) power pack but
> the dash still gets dark every now and then (after a few days everything
> is working again for an hour or so..) Must be one of the gauges that is
> shorting out I guess, so in a short time I will finding myself again under
> the dash pulling white leads from the gauges to find out which one is
> guilty.
>
> Then we have the strange problem with the dome-light, it stays on when the
> doors are closed.. And even stranger it shines it's light at half power or
> so. There must be a shortcircuit to ground (and no, the doorswitches are
> ok and so is the manual switch: with all those switches disconnected the
> dome light is still working at half power..) but I haven't found out yet
> where.
>
> I learned from Richard Burgess that there is a connectionpoint under the
> headliner, running from the manual switch to the domelight and then to
> left rear wheel well where it connected to the
>  doorswitches, so problably
> the shortcircuit is in this area...
>
> Apart from all these electrical problems (the electrical system of the 60
> model year isn't of the same quality as the rest of the car if you ask me)
> the car drives beautifully.
> Running strong and is shifting gears perfectly, all I have to do in this
> aspect is to sort out a rough idle.
> I might be in for a new harmonic damper since the timing mark seems to
> have slipped..
>
> So enough work to do, but it is worth every minute of time that I have
> spend so far to make the car better then it was before I bought it:)
> It is fun, and to see all those faces of people looking at a car that they
> have never seen before...Well, it makes it all worth I guess!
>
> So Donn, keep up the good work and keep it runnin'
>
> All the best,
>
> Robert
> 1960 Crown 4 door Hardtop
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Op Di, 17 oktober, 2006 5:16 am, schreef Donn Reese:
> > In fits and
>  starts the Imperial is getting more roadworthy, but good
> > grief is it putting up a fight! Maybe it's just tired and WANTS to go
> > sit in a pasture forever. I've certainly been ready to oblige a couple
> > times recently.
> >
> > The heater fan was making a loud scraping noise and the heater control
> > valve had been bypassed so I decided to pull the heater and at least fix
> > the fan. I was surprised how easy the heater unit was to remove, just
> > three screws. Turns out the plastic housing on the outside face of the
> > squirrel cage had deformed inwards pressing against the squirrel cage
> > itself. I used my heat gun to heat up the plastic then pushed the face
> > out, reforming from a concave to a convex (btw, it's pretty crappy
> > plastic). But it's much quieter now and I didn't have to cut a hole in
> > the housing.
> >
> > With that fixed I removed the heater control valve and (assuming it
>  was
> > just froze up with corrosion) proceeded to lubricate it and get the valve
> > working again. I reinstalled it and hooked up the heater hoses and fired
> > up the car. That's when I found out why it had been bypassed, it leaks.
> > Soooo, I bypassed it again and will have to scout around for a new one.
> >
> >
> > I discovered the cause of the slow turn signals at idle that I reported
> > here recently.....bad flasher. I put a new one in and now it works
> > regardless of idle. Seems strange to me though.
> >
> > Amongst all of this, last week the speedometer started making a
> > horrendous noise and the needle would jump around. The OIC archive came
> > in handy, found the same symptoms there....who would have guessed you
> > have to lubricate the speedo head periodically. Definitely a new one on
> > me. Especially surprising considering they don't make it easy to get any
> > of the instruments out to
>  do any kind of maintenance.
> >
> > I made another little test run down the highway and back and everything
> > seems to be fine for now. Let's hope it stays that way as we're now
> > getting frost at night and working outside is getting chilly.
> >
> > Donn Reese
> > 1960 Custom 4dr hdtp
> >
> >
> >
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> >
>
>
>
>
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