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Thank goodness you didn't do what I did. My
car had sat idle for years in a large museum shed in San Antonio with no climate
control. I was in conflict with the old fogies running the place and, with
a Vietnam vet with a lot of issues, decided to
fire up the most useless vehicle on the property. Hah! That'll show
'em. We put water in the radiator, installed a hot battery and simply
fired the thing up after maybe fifteen years of just sitting there. Man, I
don't think I've ever seen so much oily smoke from one vehicle. It was
spectacular!. There is a dark stain on the wall right behind where the car
used to sit. So, what the hey, I put it into gear and tried to drive it
outside. As I now know, brake fluid is hydroscopic and the stuff in the 58
had first expanded, turned to the consistency of wet sugar, oozed past the brake
cylinders and dried on the shoes themselves. All this to say the car would
hardly move without stalling every half revolution of the wheels. But I
did manage, certainly more by luck than judgment, to get the thing outside,
which was our main goal. I have never been so proud of an empty parking
space in my life. I can still feel the thrill of it today.
Now, of course, I'm the old fogey running the
place and I would kill anyone who did what I did. I discovered that
getting the engine to run was the easiest part of any restoration effort.
You get to the top of the mountain only to find a range of steeper, taller
mountains off into the horizon. The car suffered no serious ill effects
from my less than clever behavior. It's current condition came when the
lower radiator hose split at highway speed at least ten years
later.
Hugh
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Tuesday, July 03, 2007 11:23
AM
Subject: IML: The Moment of Truth
I bought my 57 about a month ago. The story went like this.
"For sale, low mileage 1957 Imperial complete with original 392 Hemi.
Was running when parked some years ago."
OK so I bit hard after
succumbing to some serious Hemi Fever. I wasn't delirious, but I did pay.
After a 4 hour long drive to go pick it up and a very arduous time (four
flats) getting it onto the trailer I had it. And then I brought my prize home.
So it did indeed appear that it actually could be what it had said it
was. I am somewhat observant and noticed the following which seem to support
the advertised description.
Odometer -- 54,538
Brake and Accelerator
pedals have almost no wear
Original upholstery - slightly worn, but cooked
by the Texas sun
Battery - charged fine, and holding
A/C Compressor,
Power Steering, Water Pump and Generator all spin nicely and all have good
belts.
After soaking the tops of the cylinders for nearly a month with
Marvel Mystery Oil, today was the day. The day to try and see if the engine
could be turn over by hand.
OK, so drum roll please...
Tada! The
392 turns over smooth and sweet by hand with good strong compression. Yes I
know it's probably not all that spectacular or miraculous. And of course I
certainly could encounter some unpleasant surprises when I do try to fire it
up. So far though I am quite pleased.
I'd like to hear from others that
have awakened slumbering giants like my 392 what measures they employed. I do
plan on trying to clean as much gum and varnish out as I can. I don't intend
to remove or overhaul the motor. At least not at this point. So if you have
any suggestions I'd love to hear them. I'm sure there are a few good tricks
out there to deal with long dry seals and other hazards associated with
extended periods of inactivity.
regards,
Dave
1957 Custom
Southampton 4 Door
1958 Sedan
1962 Crown Southampton 4 Door
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