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Howard, did a little noodling around the InterWeb and found these vendors as sources for the T-Bird booster unit: CASCO, Prestige Thunderbird, Concours Auto Parts, National Parts Depot, and maybe NAPA. I have not gone any farther than this. It is expensive, and my unboosted brakes work good, so this project is down on the list. You moved that honking 356 by yourself? This project must be getting you in shape.

(o{}o)

Well, aside from a little more cleaning todays project was finding a 1 3/4" socket to turn the crank bolt. You would think in an agricultural area with tractors almost as common as RV's it would be an easy find. Guess again. Apparently not much demand for anything larger than 1 1/2" in typical stores but I finally found one. Of course, the original one I had that was apparently an offering to the Packard gods will turn up next week.

Good news is engine still turns over so guess that part of the long sit didn't see damage. Bad news is the flywheel was installed and not protected so it did get rusted. Feels fairly rough so will take it off and see if it can be smoothed or have to be replaced.

Rest of the bad news is with the engine free, I don't have an excuse to stop working so that means spending more money. Next is to order the rest of chassis and firewall rubber and maybe a front end kit. Debating on the front end if it would be easier done now or can wait. On the rubber, was looking at info Steele sent and some of Kanters offerings. Looks like it's going to be a split order overall since each has better deals on certain pieces. Just out of curiosity has anyone priced rubber lately. I was looking at invoices from stuff bought for the car in 2005 vs the same items today. On average about a 30% increase in that 7+ years.

Shit, i burn thru alot of tyres. Nearly tripled in price over the last 12 years.$30 dollar tyres i bought in 2001 are $75 t $80 now, SAME store SAME tyre!!!

Headlite beams, Permatex, grease, filters, you name it all at least doubled in the last 10 years. Internal engine parts and other mechanical parts have gone up too but not quite as bad. Every once in while i'm hit with a surprise of no increase or very tiney increase in price of some part but not often.

With our newfound bounty of fracked gas, hopefully these prices will stabilize. It will be interesting to watch.

Spent the last couple of days mostly cleaning and painting the engine and several of the bolt on parts. Redid the green on the engine but had to order the manifold paint. Other than some rubber pieces, decided to wait on the front end rebuild as well. It can still be accessed with engine in place.

Awaiting the arrival of the new brake lines which should be here by the end of the week. Once that long piece under the car and the front piece under the engine is installed on the frame then can start bolting bigger things on. Removed the flywheel today for rust removal and to see if it is still usable. Thank goodness for ancient Sears electric impact wrenches or it would still be on the engine. Also forgot how heavy those things are. Now I have to find the throwout bearing and collar before I can mate the trans to the engine. Thought it was with the pressure plate but no such luck. The little bugger seems to have escaped.

I've priced rubber lately Howard...that's why the trunk and door rubber kits for my car are still on the shelf...it's amazing what things cost now! I had to buy a brass elbow in 1/8" pipe to 3/16" inverted steel tubing over the weekend and it cost me $5.99 for one. I still can't get over the condition of your '47 HH, with such a near pristine body, it's the perfect restoration project. Those guys from the Gas Monkey Garage would throw some wide whites on it, slip the engine and tranny back in, have Sue the Asian whip up and install one of her 4 hour interiors and finally they would clean the exterior and clear coat over the existing Patina...Done!...all in a week and then hang a price tag on it that neither you nor I could afford. In all honesty Howard, it's a fine '47 and I admire you for jumping on it at "our age"...you're a good influence on us other old farts...keep at it young fella'

Who's an old fart?

I can tell you this is one old fart and feeling it today. At the present time, he is mildly ticked and heading toward pissed.

Have spent the last 4 hours looking for the missing throwout bearing assy. It appears to have run off with my large socket so I do hope they are happy together. Of course, now that it appears I have to order a new one, the old will turn up sitting on a shelf next to the socket a week after the new one arrives. Maybe for the better. At the least, I would have needed a new bearing so now it will come as an assy.

Did find several things I had forgotten about with all the opening of boxes and cleaning of shelves so the day wasn't a total waste. If I ever decided to have a sale, could probably buy all the stuff needed for the car and not feel guilty.

An interesting observation on the electromatic cable end mount that clamps over the starter motor. It is cast bronze instead of cast iron. Wonder why or if there were repros made at some time. Didn't find any casting number.

This old fart is feeling it today too after crawling in and out of the hot rod yesterday. I'm redoing the interior and installed the bubble wrap foil covered insulation on the firewall and floor board yesterday, over the previously installed Dynamat. I am impressed with the insulation material. We'll see how it works. Today, I plan on cutting and fitting the carpeting. I can work as hard as I ever could, just for not as long. Four hours in the garage is about it.

(o{}o)

the electromatic cable end mount that clamps over the starter motor. It is cast bronze instead of cast iron. Wonder why or if there were repros made at some time. Didn't find any casting number.

FWIW, the one on my 48 Custom 8 which was a VERY early car appeared to be cast steel, not cast iron. Given that when it functions the piece is under tension and not compression, cast iron would seem a poor choice. Too long ago to remember if there was a number on it. I attempted to get the Electromatic functioning, replaced the cable, pulley, and diaphragm in the slave cylinder but never did get it to function - problem was probably in the control valve and after some fiddling with it, decided it wasn't worth the effort. In the end I left the steel vacuum line across the head intact and connected but blocked it off internally with a rubber cork.