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OK, sir, to business. The game is
afoot!
I still don't know how to tell if it's a Southampton or a base model, particularly if you could get a Southampton with only front air. It has every other option except, sadly, no Auto Pilot. I would have enjoyed having that and may retro that in at some point in the future. You are still confused about the word Southampton. The provision of
A/C is totally unrelated to the appellation. Southampton is a body style term
only. You could get the coupe, which was a two door Southampton. You
could get a convertible, you could get a sedan, which has fully framed doors and
a third window on the sides or a four door hardtop, which is called a four door
Southampton. A/C options that have emerged are: None at all, Rear only,
Front only Dual A/C (front and rear). I have never pinned this
down but I think rear air only was a factory installed option wheras front only
was installed at the dealership. No matter the trim level or body style
you could get air, or not, to suit your fancy and your pocket
book.
I'll pull the plugs, pour some Marvel Mystery fluid into each chamber and shake the block and let is sit a day or so. I'll also pull the valve covers and check for rust and lube up the rockers, etc., as well. I don't know how much MMF to pour into the chambers and I don't know if I'm supposed to try to suck it out before attempting a start, etc. I'll wing it unless you have any knowledge that you'd care to share about that. Oil: After searching awhile I found the dipstick and it came out with
clean-looking oil. Of course, I'm wondering if that means that the water is on
the bottom of the pan, and 27 idle years has allowed the goo that may have been
suspended in the oil to settle and leave the dipstick looking like the oil was
changed last week. Regardless, I'll drain the crankcase and see what I
find.
As per Dick's response, don't overdo the Marvel, and don't try to crank the
engine for the first time with the spark plugs installed.
Water: The radiator is dry and looks like it may have been replaced because is looks new. I'll pull it and see what's at the bottom of the tank before I fill it. Agreed. Remove the radiator. You might as wll find out now how
difficult this engine is going to be to work on. The space between the
water pump housing and the radiator is tiny, so be very careful. Get the
radiator professionally cleaned. While its off, blast water through the
engine. You will be truly astonished at the muck that comes out. The
water pump on these cars can be rebuilt which is just as well as all that gunk
will eat one up quickly. I know because I did not perform this operation
when I started mine after ten years of relatively careful storage and my pump
leaked like a sieve lmost immediatley. I wish I had removed more of the
accumulated trash before I started.
Gas tank: I'm ignoring that issue for the moment. I'll probably have to pull it, of course, but I sure don't want to. I hate fooling with gas tanks, fuel lines, and the like. Luckily, mine was and still is OK.
Key: The key is at large, so I'll have to bypass the ingnition for the time being, but after taking care of the stuff I've described above, I'm going to try and introduce a little fuel into the carb to see if I can get the hemi to fire. I'm hoping, at only 45,780 original miles, that I've got a strong motor. Wish me luck! Shorting out the key may be OK but I wonder how you are going to turn the
thing off. The neutral button is the starter button. On a Lincoln we
had the lock tumbler kept falling out and we noticed all there was at the back
of if was a small slot the size of an average screw driver, which promptly
became our on and off key. We slip the tumbler back into position after
this delicate opeartion is performed.
These old hemis are extremely tough. I think you are going to be OK
with that. I know little about body work and I am more concerned about the
extensive rust and rot your car has. It does not sound like an easy fix to
me. If your car is the hardtop, or should I say Southampton, I know where
there is a Texas hardtop that is in pretty good shape. I don't know if
floor pans are interchangeable. I'll be honest and say I have never and
would never deal with that problem. A car with a poor engine is one thing
but one with a poor body is entirely another.
On the subject of badging, you too seem to have the base model
Southampton. Mine has the little crown on the glove box plus they
crop up on the rocker panel guards as well. To my eye they don't quite fit
the car. I'd prefer no "snobby" touches. No offense to those with
Imperial Crowns, as those cars were meant to be a little more toffee
nosed.
Hugh
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