Re: 1953 clipper deluxe touring sedan

Posted by BigKev On 2011/7/26 16:36:49

Pull down the service manuals from the website and go through all the basic system one by one to make sure everything is attended to. They are good motors, and unless really neglected should give you years of dependable service.

That being said they are not the same as motors today which can go 200,000+ miles with any major work. Valve adjustment may be needed, new rings at some point, etc.

Things to inspect and go over:

Brakes, no sense moving if you can't stop. Inspect the entire system and replace anything questionable. This is only a single cylinder system, so if you bust a brake line, you have nothing but the parking brake to slow you down.

Wheel bearings, they can be expensive to replace, so inspect and repack now, before any damage may occur. The rears are a pain to get to, but often neglected till it's too late. Also replace the rear seals as well at that time. Cheap insurance. Also a good time to drain and refill the differencial as god knows the last time it was done.

Electrical and ignition next, old car - old wiring. Check for missing, cracked insulation, or rat chewed wiring. My '54 was full of bad wiring.

Fuel system next. Drop the tank and clean it out and inspect. A dirty tank left me broken down several times.

Fuel pump and Carb should have new gaskets put in if there is any doubt to the last time it was done. Cheap insurance in my book.

Cooling system, inspect water pump and flow test the radiator. If a water pump rebuild is needed, then clean out the water distribution tube at that time as well. Also make sure you have a good, working correct thermostat.

Oil pressure... is it good? As that can tell you the condition of the bearings. Also drop the pan, and make sure the oil pickup screen is clear.

Basically sort the mechanicals first, the pretty can come later.

It's a lot of work up front if you don't know the mechanical history of your car, but once done the ongoing maintenance should be easy and cheap.