Re: [VACList] Vintage Puller

["Paul P. Waddell" <balloon@xxxxxxx>]

Having owned and worked on many old cars from the mid 50's-70's the rule is 
pretty much, if it's rubber/replace, if it's anything with bearings/re-pack 
or replace, like u-joints, wheel bearings, oil pump, water-pump, drain replace 
"all" fluids, rear-end, brake, if 4wd all diff's etc... check the radiator 
for build up, steering box may need to be tighten up. Springs/shocks, does 
it sit low in the rear? Most likely, the rear and front springs need to be 
replaced. Do not try to get a way with just shocks, I would suggest before 
going out on a long trip that you get together a list of places that have 
parts. You don't want to be 1,000 miles from home looking for a rear-end, 
trans, etc... Have resources in place. Can you work on it yourself, take a 
tool kit with you. It does not need to be a "Snap-On" box, but should have 
all your standard stuff. 
Also, it's smart to take a couple of things that are known to fail, spark
plugs, points, condenser, etc... It's a whole lot better to swap out a failed 
set of points on the road than to have a tow bill for both the car and the trailer. 

They say, "They don't build them like they use too." That is right! They build
them a whole lot better. There was a time when you had to change spark plugs
every 10K miles. Some cars now can go 100,000 before even having to check the
wear on the plug! Old cars are fun, but remember, they do not handle like cars
of today, they do not stop like cars of today. But, if you hit a new car with
an old car, you WIN!!

Paul Waddell
WBCCI/VAC 1970
66 Overlander
70 23' single

1959 Ford Galaxie, 1978 Country Squire Wagon, 1963 Triumph Herald, 1960
MGA, 1952 Chevy 1/2 ton