HH56 thanks for the input and link.

I’ve looked at the 2 post ‘portable’ units. There is a minimum concrete thickness, and I suspect a minimum concrete strength, for the anchors to react the moment at the base. One of the manufactures has changed their base geometry to increase the moment arm of the two critical bolts. That would reduce the pull-out force on those anchors. Before I jump to that design I will have to bore a hole to measure the depth of the garage floor . . . and assume 3500 psi is likely the minimum strength that may be marketed. Another option is to manufacture a few steel plates (thickness TBD) with an even larger moment arm from those two bolts.

I’ve also looked at cutting the floor to put in some footings for an ‘in floor’ scissor lift. That would result in a free space under the entire drive line and easy drive in and out for the Mrs.. That extra construction cost could be avoided if the side entry/retraction scheme is doable for the run of the mill scissor lift.

If the weight of each post in the 2 post portable design gets out of hand I could always use a ‘cherry picker’ to lift and move ‘to and from’.

dp

Most of the scissor lifts have two wheels , let's call that the back, and then a bit of structure on the front. The hydraulic pump unit has two wheels and a feature to engage that aforementioned structure. Once the hydraulic pump cart is broken over center the front end of the scissor lift is lifted and the weight is on the HP cart wheels. Lots of mechanical advantage, so there isn't a lot of effort to lift the lift. Now rolling over cracks in the floor is another kettle of fish.

If this business of rolling the lift from the side of the car is technically feasible, then once the car is up on stands the lift should be able to roll out of the way, or just sit there not carrying load. From what I’ve seen on the G Smith website they want the car on stands if the anticipated ‘lift’ time is 8 hours or more.

Bill, that’s the tire identification information it’s there to identify a particular batch of tire . . . as in recall. Here’s a link to more info.

DOT Tire Identification Number (TIN) | Tirebuyer.com


The size of the tire is likely on the sidewall 180 degrees opposite this ‘secrete code’. As the regulations have changed over the years I bet there are tires in our garages that have a very minimal amount of marking on the sidewall.
Here’s a link showing all of the information that will be found on a modern tire

What do the markings on my tires mean? (leithacura.com)

If it is a radial there will be an ’R’ is the sizing code. Before the regulations mandated a character for the construction details the manufactures were so proud of the tire being a radial that you’ll see that spelled-out in large letters. Over the years tire sizes were stated in inches, such as 8.00 X 15. Then, in the mid 60’s letter designations showed-up, so you might run into an L X 15 tire. Then the metric system was adopted.

I feel like I’ve high jacked johnrhodes81’s thread on his ’53 transmission project, so I would like to start a new thread on this subject. I think a lot of us have questions that others can answer/help.

I would surely like to buy a lift someday soon, but get lost in the 4 post, 2 post, and scissor debate. I do not have the head room to lift a car enough to walk under, so unless it’s a low/mid-rise scissor design I won’t be using the full capacity of the device.

I do like the idea of portability and would like to ‘wheel’ the lift from one bay to another. If this is a must have capability then the 2 post designs are left on the wayside . . . unless the two post is the type that can be unbolted and rolled to the side of the space for storage. Right now I’m leaning to a scissor design like John’s, but I could/may change my mind before I finish this sentence.

I was wondering if a scissor lift could be rolled under a car the wrong way, meaning approach the car from the side, lift the car high enough to use jack stands or cribbing, then lower the car and roll the lift away with the car high and dry on the stands. Something like a whole car trolley jack. With the lift gone there would be no difficulties with complete driveline access. I’m not sure any lift manufacture would consider that a serious question, because of the possibility of getting the center of gravity of the car wrong in two directions.

Comments?

Kevin:

The carburetor is designed such that zero vacuum is available at idle throttle position. The extra advance could be one of 3 items;
1.) Static timing is wrong
2.) Idle speed is excessive and the centrifugal advance was ‘in-play’, or the centrifugal advance is responding early.
3.) Throttle position was sufficient to provide vacuum to the port and the advance is due to the vacuum advance.

For years the manufactures of carburetors used the same design of ‘NO VACUUM AT IDLE’, but that didn’t stop us from disconnecting the vacuum chamber tube/hose every time. It’s now your turn to keep the custom going for the next generation.

While watching the timing marks accelerate the engine and confirm the centrifugal advance is responding to the change in engine speed. If the engine was still on high idle, because the choke reset the high idle cam, then the centrifugal advance may have been in-play, and explain your results. If the centrifugal advance is at its maximum limit near idle then more investigation is in order inside the distributor.

If you missed the static timing by a bunch I would expect a labored start, meaning the ignition occurs so far before TDC the starter has to overcome the torque that results from combustion. The process you used to set the initial timing is as good as it can get, so that’s not likely the cause, but you can repeat just to confirm.

This time you can hook-up your meter and roll the engine until the continuity is lost, then note the number of degrees of advance.

dp

Kevin;

Yes I know about the switch access, or should I say the access difficulty. That’s why I suggested disconnecting the six pin plug to verify whether the body side of the equation is OK.

When my ’54’s turn signals were ‘acting-up’ I bought a tri-five Chevy switch (about $25), which is an identical logic six wire switch. Yes the connector was all wrong as was the color coding, but once I jerry-rigged the wire connections I had a ‘known to be good’ switch to press forward with the diagnostics.

Had I thought the whole process through I think I would have saved some time, money, and labor if I had powered each circuit one at a time at the body side of the plug.

dp

John would you give us some details about the lift and structure between the lift and frame? I’ve been mentally going back and forth between 4 post, 2 post, 2 post portable, and scissor, and so far procrastination is in the lead. I seem to get hung-up on the weight of the car versus the capability of the lift.

dp

Kevin, when the coolant is warmed it expands. Once the radiator pressure reaches the cracking point of the cap air is expelled. If there is excess coolant during this pressure release cycle coolant will also be expelled . . . the radiator does not have a ‘catch can’, therefore expelling liquid is quite normal. Upon cool down the vacuum release feature of the radiator cap will allow air back in. If you over fill the radiator it will expel coolant on the next heat cycle. It finds its own correct level. An inch sounds about right, but that is a bit of a function of how hot the coolant got the last time you drove the car.

Now on to the electrical gremlins. There are a lot of ways to have non-functional directional signal lights. What I would do is disconnect the six wire plug connection where the turn signal switch connects to the body wiring. It’s a keyed plug so you can’t put it together incorrectly. I would start the diagnostic testing with the negative battery cable disconnected (the ground needs to be connected), and then with the use of a jumper wire connected to the negative battery post feed power into each body side wire. With the help of a few helpers (bribed with the promise of ice cream) verify you’ve got light at each corner. If you have a switch, and fuse in this temporary jumper you can then leave it connected as you probe around with the bulbs and sockets that don’t work.

Assuming you’re successful getting all of the bulbs to work, then reconnect the six pin plug. At this point you know the body wiring and bulbs are OK. Once the negative battery cable is reconnected any problems with the directional signals are likely a result of something amiss in the steering column switch. As HH56 said oxidation is the most likely cause. By the way if the stop lights work, and the flasher work on one side of the car that’s good information . . . we now know some of the contacts are good, and the flasher is OK.

dp

I had a few extension cords attacked. Seems the first sign of the chemistry is the zinc being removed from the brass plating of the ‘prongs’ leaving bright copper. Ever since I saw that the chlorine has been stored outside away from other metals.

Good point Joe . . . those caps do eat-up the wheel paint, tend to fly off on hard turns, cut valve stems, and, as you said, make funny noises, especially if a clip or two are missing. That’s a design we’ve long since retired. When I bought my Cavalier the covers had quite a bit of black electrical tape wrapped around them. I’m not sure why, and I took it off as soon as I discovered it. If the covers made noise after that perhaps I had the radio turned up high and didn’t hear them squeaking. Until I bought the Cavalier I don’t think I ever owned a car with full wheel covers with the toothed clips that dug into the wheel.

Removing the offending wheel cover is a pretty easy fix for Kevin.