The now not so RED FACED CHEV

This little bugger caused me grief this morning.

Let me tell you the sad tale.

I was up early this morning as the plan was to assist Grant Fowler and Monty the 1928 Chev as a back up car for arrangements made for a surprise ride for a gentleman on his 90th birthday.

Out to the garage I go, fire up the Red Chev, running with a miss, thought it was just cold with not enough choke, so started to back it down the driveway and gave it a bit of a rev. Driving it out of the garage was my first mistake, as it stalled, and refused to start, but with the signs indicating it was a fuel blockage.

Tried all the normal pull off, clean out, put back on bits and pieces, no luck. Plenty of fuel in the vac tank, and carby.

Pulled off the distributor cap, still had plenty of time up my sleeve, only 9am, not due to leave till about 10.00 am to meet Grant. All looked well inside the dissy, cleaned and checked the points, rotor and cap. The damn thing still would not fire.

By now its getting on, and my patience is getting short, no option but to put it away, meet Grant in the modern and come back and fix the Red Chev later. Now the Chev is parked across the footpath, its early Sunday morning, my driveway is steep, there is no one around, my wife is asleep.

The only thing to do was tow it as far up the driveway, across the grass, then push it on my own into the garage. It worked, and was sponsored by "Hernias are us"

Meet up with Grant, the surprise ride went well, and Grant should have a posting and plenty of photos on his blog in the next few hours .http://montythe1928chevrolet.blogspot.com.au/   but as a quick photo, this was the moment.

Happy 90th Bill Seymour

From Grant's Face Book page

"What a great morning that was and Bill was as sharp as a tac for 90 but sadly the aging body is slowing. He owned a dairy distributing co-op in the suburbs, learnt to drive at 14 and their first delivery vehicle was a 1928 chevy tourer like Monty, they would fill and carry many 2 gallon milk tins along the side running boards and in the back where the rear seat should of been.
He was very appreciative for the 30 minute ride around the suburbs with his two sons in the back and when we got back to the restuarant his whole family were waiting to take photos and greet him.."

The ride went well, Grant and I grabbed a bite to eat, and we went out different ways.

Decided to try and get the Chev running today, so launched into a few things, then satisfied it was not fuel related, turned my attention to the electrics. Had a spark at the points, had power going into the coil, nothing coming out via the High Tension lead to the dissy. Changed the coil, the HT lead, nothing, then the condenser (that innocent looking part at the top of the posting) and bingo, up and running. The innards of the condenser appeared loose, which accounts initially for the miss that I thought was fuel.

I cant moan too much as its only the 3rd time in 40 years that the Red Chev has not made it back into the garage under its own power, and I suppose its better to happen in my driveway than 50 k's from home on the open road.