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Most standard muffler shops use mandrel bending which will not work on this one. It will work for many cars but this one has a number of slight bends close together that mandrels apparently can't handle. I did write to them, though, so we'll see what they say if they ever respond! That was last week and still nothing

Figured I'd throw it out there as a longshot.

I appreciate it as one never knows! Some of the places I've already contacted were long shots too. I was holding hopes for one in the same state as the car which isn't a muffler shop at all but so far no reply.

There is also Waldron but so far I've not gotten an answer of whether they can do it or not. Apparently due to COVID-19 restrictions Jon has been having to work alone and is swamped so only just looked at the blueprint this morning even though I sent it to him a month or two ago.

UPDATE: Jon, for some reason, dug out their 1951 Patrician 400 template and laid it out on the floor with dimensions penciled in for each bend even though I had said several times that this was entirely different. Apparently he didn't believe me and thought it could be made from that. In the end, they said they couldn't do it which I'm sure is the result of not knowing how to read a blueprint. No fault of theirs as not everyone has that skill.

Nearly two dozen places contacted to make a tailpipe but no luck. The problem is that the muffler shops do not have the technical ability to read a blueprint (some wouldn't even try or did not respond) so I wrote to several commercial bending shops which do have the ability but the thinnest wall tubing they can bend is .120" (nearly 1/8"). While the specification on the blueprint is .050" (just under 1/16"), .065" (just over 1/16") seems a more common size and would work too but not .120"!

The bottom line is that I need to find someone who has a parts car with a good (and preferably original) tailpipe to sell! Any here? Yes, I know I can take the car to a shop and they can probably make one to fit but even though the car is quite rough I prefer it to be authentic and even so, it is very rural where my shop is and the car is a long time away from being roadworthy.

I'm at my shop again and first order of business was to remove the gas tank. Typically not a difficult job but on a car that has sat outdoors for several decades, not that easy. I managed to get one strap off but the other nut and bolt were stick so broke in spite my taking much care. I'm not sure how to get it out for replacement! Remember, this is a coach built body so chassis parts were put on elsewhere before the body was built. Looking at it, I see no way to remove it short of taking out the floor of the car, which is wood at the rear. Possibly, though, if the rear sway bar is removed there just might be enough room to work it out.

Other that remnants of squirrel occupation on top, the tank appears to be in good condition, at least of the outside. The tank had been drained before the car was parked long ago and the plug left loose which helped.

This is a 1951 but for those reading this who are familiar with 22nd and 23rd series cars, the tank might look familiar. However, it is apparently different as it has a different part number in the parts book with the visual difference being in the length of the filler and vent connectors.

As for the filler pipe, I tried to remove it but found that the bolts holding the clamp together not only had slotted heads aiming up under the fender but also have square nuts. They were also too rusty to turn but I managed to drill them out.

Henney tanks have the attaching bolts at the front with the straps anchored at the rear. The bolts have a T shape and come through a short slot in a cross-piece of the chassis. The head is far shorter than the width of the slot so even tilting them over isn't enough to get them out.

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At least having a lift makes the job a little easier. John

Yes, I just had it installed in early March and it's made a lot of difference although with the current roll-up door, I was unable to open it with a car on top so a new door with tracks that follow the pitch line is being installed next week.

That said, other than the gas tank and some rearranging, I've spent the time since I got here on Tuesday trying to work out the logistics of getting it down and off the lift so that I could move the lift out of the way which is difficult when the door couldn't be opened. I ended up having to take the roll-up door off, then put it back on after getting the cars out to keep wild and not so wild animals out overnight.

There is a complete and proper 327 5-main under the hood which I believe is original to it. Neither my other '51 nor my '52 had this type of air cleaner but I understand it was specified for the military models such as this. Anyway, the engine ran when I bought it and I'll know soon if it still does but don't want to try until the rear of the engine is supposed with a transmission.

There is the clutch but nothing behind that other than a Dana rear end from some other make of vehicle. I have sourced the complete driveshaft and rebuilt supports, new u-joints and the proper rear end to replace the wrong one in it. I do net yet have the transmission but one should be on the way soon.

The rear end is from a 1954 and the Parts Book shows a different one from 1951-1953 but I have no idea what the difference might be and likely I'll never know. Maybe something internal. This particular one has the 4.7 ratio which is appropriate for overdrive in the Henneys and is the one thing I wish my former '51 and '52 had once I connected the overdrive that both had but which had never been connected until I did it.

On this rear end, I'll likely not do any unnecessary repair but I did rebuild the wheel cylinders, have a replacement hose and had new steel lines made from a nearly disintegrating original. In fact, the one that came with rear end did disintegrate so I had to source another.

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That engine bay looks about as clean as mine.

Glad you're making progress on the rebuild! Hopefully the engine still runs.

-Kevin

Mine could actually stand a hosing-down or pressure wash but first I want to vacuum out all the leaves in the hood troughs. If I were to hose it off out in the gravel where it was temporarily moved the other day, the debris would make an ugly mess that I couldn't sweep up!