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Whenever I bought a vehicle from a wrecking yard or a low-end dealer, I understood that I was buying entirely at my own risk.

I remember back in 60s my brother and I would go to local Ford dealer to look at their back row of used cars. They would gives us keys and set of jumpers let us look and test cars if we found one interested in a dealer plate was provided. We bought a few and flipped them . Had more fun than profit. Have the memories for profit. Dealerships were not big just local family owned for generations. Did see a lot of rare cars like full size buicks with standard transmissions. Bought a non running corvair spyder from Texas for $100 all it needed was clutch. should have kept it among many other present day classics I saw. Still have memories

A little less fun with used cars--basically two warnings from l-o-n-g experience here at Speedwell Garage.

First up a sample of brake fluid in the the Treadlevac of a car that was not brought to me for brake work. I merely happened to check it. I know that some folks love to get their shorts in a tight twisted screaming wad about Treadlevacs but I actually have very little trouble with them. I like the feel and the short pedal travel. Their downfall is neglect and they really don't like lumpy brake fluid.




Second up is the operating lever off the leveler gearbox of a torsion bar car. Those cool looking splines are supposed to be straight, and in fact a great deal of that shaft was twisted off and stuck inside the gearbox. And the mounting lugs of the gearbox were broken off. And the tie rods to the auxiliary bars were twisted around the gearbox. All of this was because some dude wired up his leveler for manual operation and bypassed the limit switches. Then all it takes is a moment's inattention while showing off this super cool feature at a car show. Please take the time and effort to make your leveler work automatically which is even more super groovy cool, or be certain to wire in the limit switches. I am running out of unbroken gearboxes.

Not trying to hijack Ross's post but he is so correct about the mishmosh of home brewed manual torsion level switch additions in 55-56 cars. I will take this opportunity to again stress how important it is to wire them in correctly and will provide a drawing showing the correct connection points.

Some home brew switches have been tied in directly to the solenoids by connecting to terminals on the solenoids themselves or in the control box on terminals that are on the wrong side of the limit switches. Both methods completely bypass the limits and other home made versions are even worse. I actually saw one where a heavy duty toggle switch had been connected directly between the battery power at the starter solenoid and the motor terminals without even a fuse and bypassed every bit of the normal torsion level control circuitry. Any situation where the limit switch is bypassed are sheared splines or worse damage waiting to happen.

I do believe that NOS levers may be getting all but extinct these days so it is coming down to finding a complete compensator with the output lever still in good condition. Even some of those units can look OK but have a lever with splines that have been twisted -- not to the breaking point -- but they are in a weakened condition. Ebay compensators are out there and may be fine but the damage can be hidden so beware.

Here is what a NOS lever looks like compared to a sheared one.




If you can find a factory switch setup, there are a couple of additional light green wires which automatically disables the automatic operation when manual is used. There may even be NOS kits still available. I can provide a drawing showing that hooked up correctly for anyone that wants it. The kit was offered for 56 models and plugs into that style control switch but can also be fitted to a stock 55 by changing a couple of wire terminals. EDIT: Don says they are still available so by all means use one if you can.

For anyone without a factory switch and contemplating the addition of some generic type of manual switch, whether it be on a 55 or 56 ALWAYS and ONLT tie in to the pink and yellow wires which are the output commands from the control box BEFORE the limit switches. On a 55 still having the stock switch it will be at the screw terminals on the bottom of the control switch and on a 56 or on cars that have had the 56 switch retrofitted per the factory bulletin those wires will be found on the two terminals directly to either side of the center light green wire inside the weather tight enclosure.

On any type manual operation other than with the stock use of the factory switch you MUST remember to turn off the main on/off torsion level switch before using the manual or you will have a conflict as the automatic switch tries to take over as soon as it senses out of level. That conflict usually results in a blown fuse. Even with the factory switch which is not spring loaded and normally has the car go to a limit then stop, while there will not be a conflict, if you want to stop somewhere before the limit you must place the on/off switch to the off position to have the car stay at the level you desire.

Here is a drawing showing how a generic switch whether it be a push/pull antenna type or a spring loaded momentary toggle switch should be wired in. Another drawing shows the layout of the 56 control switch terminals which are inside the weather tight enclosure. 55 switches just have 3 exposed screw terminals on the bottom of the switch as their connections but there was a factory bulletin with instructions that when stock ran out, the 55 switches were to be replaced with the 56 version.

Merritt sells the factory setup of which I have two. They include the harness, special switch with appropriate knob depending on year and model and, of course, instructions.

Whilst sorting lifters for Kevin P. I finally measured something that was lurking in the back of my mind. Sometimes you will find hydraulic lifters that won't shut up even when cold. They never pump up.

Turns out, they did not wear out. What happened is that the valve was stuck and then the engine was turned over. This creates a tremendous pressure inside the lifter that actually expands the barrel. Once that happens there is no saving them and they spew out their oil like little volcanoes.

So a quick and easy check while sorting lifters is this: The nominal barrel diameter is .516, or 33/64" if you prefer. See this one measures that at the top:



But down at the bottom where the oil was compressed this same lifter is .003" oversized. The plungers and barrels were originally mated within tenths, so no way this baby was gonna work.

Got flatbed #2 almost done. Waiting on painted wheels and better tires and a number of small bothersome details to adjust.

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Here's an exploded 55 tappet for reference to everyone reading.

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Ross, thanks for the explanation on the lifter bodies. What you said makes sense. When we first v started working with the '52 200 it wouldn't run. Turns out several valves were stuck. #4 intake and #1 intake. Turning the engine over must have screwed up the body on #4. #1 exhaust was already pooched before we got a hold of the car. My guess is there's a good chance that #1 exhaust may have stuck in the past and the engine was turned.

Several others tested bad. Either worn out or otherwise damaged.