Reg, I think the repro looks fantastic. Here's mine before resto. You'll see the surface was heavily oxidized/damaged. I was unable to clean the wheel back to it's original state. Even tried sanding and buffing with no luck. Like a mildew that went more than surface deep. http://s7.postimage.org/etb...

JohnKadimik wrote:Point deduction for Chad's painted wheel?

Thanks John, for bringing it to the attention of all of our fellow judges. I haven't had a point deduction on my wheel to date. I have you to blame if I get one in the future.

Good idea Jim, because I will NOT be removing that wheel to compare them side by side. Not in my lifetime.

They used Dupli Color at the factory?

I used Krylon Fusion Dover White on my wheel a few years ago, and it's holding up great so far. I've never compared the 2 colors side-by-side, but I bet their close.

I am 100% AGAINST Matt on this. For two reasons: 1) I just like saying that I am against Matt on something. 2) Nothing replaces the sound and appearance of a vintage Merc strapped onto the back of a boat. Properly restored and maintained, they will offer years of reliable service. http://s2.postimag...

I learned this lesson the hard way, and I live in the Midwest. I had a varnish refresh last year of 3-4 coats. While the varnish was still curing, I parked the boat at the dock for 3 days in temps over 100 degrees. The combination of the heat and direct sun caused the varnish to shrink more in those...

Motorheads; please correct me if wrong. Your '52 has a generator only, no alternator. Here's a pic of the generator and regulator on my '52 K. Generators really don't charge your battery until you've reached around 1200 rpm. If you idle around all day below 1200 rpm, you are draining your battery. h...

Matt, you already won "Best in Show" at the International show, you can fly your old cotton briefs.

Thanks for the suggestion, I checked the hull card this morning and it does indeed, say "CRAPI". I may just have the rarest Chris Craft of all.

Got mine today as well. And I'm sending it back!

Jim spelled mine wrong.

Don't worry if you break the wire, you can just replace it when reassembling. Leave yourself enough slack in the wire to solder the terminal outside the pole. Feed the socket (with 2 wires hanging) into the pole from the top. Pull one into the tapered hole; snip, strip and solder it to the side of t...

This is a shot of the base, without the terminal http://s1.postimage.org/r82ycammj/Screen_Shot_2013_01_12_at_4_55_48_PM.jpg With the terminal http://s13.postimage.org/e3k4763oz/Screen_Shot_2013_01_12_at_4_56_04_PM.jpg Solder point on pole http://s14.postimage.org/opbsoj299/Screen_Shot_2013_01_12_at_...

Proceed with caution. The "Jetson spaceship" is attached to wires that run to the base of the pole. To remove, you will need to remove the terminal plug from the base. That involves removing a pin that holds the plug in place and releasing two solder points with heat (torch or soldering iron). I'll ...

Landed in Naperville, IL today. Great issue!

Thanks guys!

Anyone know a source for valve cover decals?

When replacing the oil pump on the 327, is there anything I should consider when selecting a new one? Standard pressure/high volume, high pressure/high volume, etc. I'm not sure what I need. Below are some photos of the old one, showing the casting numbers. Thanks in advance for the help! http://s7....

Thanks for the Then & Now Automotive referral. Those guys rebuilt my Carter fuel pump and turned it around in one day. Looks fantastic. Was going to rebuild it myself but the "Q" fuel pump uses parts from a couple different kits. http://s7.postimage.org/4ljj9lchj/E9_AD8384_21_B4_4_EC3_B2_B2_AAF1_C93...

Pulled the engine plates off my "Q" manifolds today. I used an old putty knife to slide under the plate. Then a chisel under the putty knife to keep from damaging the plate. I flattened the bent plate edges around the rivets on the anvil. Took 5 minutes to remove all 12. Took 20 minutes to find the ...

Great idea Mike! Imagine getting a free can of marijuana with every Brass Bell delivery.

Reg, drive to the border and I'll throw my last 2 issues over the fence.

An improvement on the original, good work!

While you're at it, knock out a dozen more.

Mine was a bear to crack free. Soaked it a couple days in a ATF/acetone mixture. Heated the center hub with a torch for a few minutes then let it cool. Took a great deal of force with a breaker bar to get it to pop. I used a socket (as a spacer) on the point of the puller to protect the threads on t...

The timing cover is being held by screws on the outside AND on the inside. On my Q, there were 2 more screws behind the damper. You may need a gear puller to get at them. http://s18.postimage.org/xc5sloef9/dampener_1_copy.jpg http://s8.postimage.org/laatnpwsx/Screen_Shot_2012_12_04_at_6_10_01_AM.jpg...

Nice! I got mine back from Dale this week as well. Merry Christmas to me, Merry Christmas to me... http://s9.postimage.org/xu6x1e0ez/Screen_Shot_2012_11_30_at_2_26_35_PM.jpg ...He could've at least filled up the tank before he gave them back to me. http://s7.postimage.org/4xuwqkqev/Screen_Shot_2012_...

Try Jim at Federal Marine

http://federalmarinetransmissions.com/

There's a cool Ford flathead on eBay right now.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1937-40-FORD-FL ... 50&vxp=mtr

I hear you guys. I haven't ruled out a different head option. Once we have everything cleaned and inspected, we'll discuss the upgrade options. I'm not looking for a lot HP, just more than the original.

Cleaning them was cheap. I'll know what kind of shape the block is in later this week.

Stopped by the machinist today to check out the heads. The original 327 heads were in great condition with no cracks. A little pitting around the exhaust valve seats but with a rebuild and new seats, they'll be good to go. http://s9.postimage.org/kdxcb55rf/IMG_1152.jpg http://s11.postimage.org/fuca6...