My Model A RPU project

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Also like the scoop, I sold my last one last year and sure enough I need one this year. :mad:
The alum. rad worked well on several of my builds, i learned they work best with a shroud to draw the air through the rad. [S
Some times those of us on this side of the big pond forget what you have to go through to build and drive a cool car, as they say "you da man" [cl
The RPU looking good as always.
Keep on keeping on :D
 
Yes, I sorta do prefer my own scoop really. :D

New rad is in and working, keeps me cool, hangs around 160-170 all the time, cool. [cl

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I've got to make a new rad shell now as the old one doesn't fit.... maybe I'll move the rad forward a bit, make a fan shroud, as there isn't enough room at the moment.

But, my tranny is now giving me grief. Every time I fix one thing, another 'challenge' raises its head. It's been juddering a bit and reverse is playing up, so I pulled the pan and found a lot of silvery grease and small particles and other stuff, the filter was pretty clogged too. I cleaned it all up and am wondering whether to fill it with fresh fluid and drive it, or just get the tranny overhauled.

As usual, no easy fix, got to find the parts, got to find a guy I can trust to do it.......
 
Tell ya what, I just rebuilt a th350 - first time ever for me. If you can get your hands on the special spring compressor, and a good book, it's not too bad. There are a few spots that you need to be careful about, but mostly it's pull, replace, check stuff. The precise way you go about things, I doubt it would be a big challenge for you.
 
Tell ya what, I just rebuilt a th350 - first time ever for me. If you can get your hands on the special spring compressor, and a good book, it's not too bad. There are a few spots that you need to be careful about, but mostly it's pull, replace, check stuff. The precise way you go about things, I doubt it would be a big challenge for you.

I was seriously contemplating that, but dropped it off at a friends house last night. He is well known as the local tranny guru. I maybe get a Powerglide and have a go at overhauling one of those myself, keep it as a back up. it would definitely be an interesting experience, another skill in my tool box. :D

The guy who 'completely overhauled' my tranny a few years ago for me did it twice, and it still wouldn't work. Third time he gave me the tranny out of another car, condition unknown, and I still had to pull the valve body and fiddle with something before I could get it to drive.

If it were 30 minutes work to drop the trans out I'd be more inclined to have a go myself, but a half days work to pull the whole thing out and most of another day to re-install gets infuriating after the third time round.
 
I'm like Sam. learned to work on transmissions because I got tired of getting s%$#@** over by guys that claimed to know how. You are right though King. Pulling one can be a PITA. Good luck with this guy.
Torchie
 
I'm like Sam. learned to work on transmissions because I got tired of getting s%$#@** over by guys that claimed to know how. You are right though King. Pulling one can be a PITA. Good luck with this guy.
Torchie


While I've got it all apart I might work on altering the tranny cross-member so I can maybe pull it out easier, without moving the motor.

It'll be guaranteed to run perfect and last forever if I do that. [cl

ps. I found a drain screw in my torque converter, so I pulled that out and let everything inside out into a can. Nothing showed up when I dipped my magnet into it.
 
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So, after six years, I have had to sell the hot rod. We are moving back to England and need to upload a bunch of stuff.

Went to one last show with it a couple months back, driven it around a hell of a lot, had good days and bad, happy days and sad....

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And yesterday she left on the back of a truck for some place 150 miles away the other side of Manila. New owner did not fancy driving it through the traffic hell that is the capital city of the Philippines.

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Wasn't until the trailer was leaving that I noticed I have the letters mixed up on the plates...should be WDP not WPD..... three years I've been driving it like this..... [S :eek: :rolleyes:
 
You sure made a good lookin hot rod of it [cl
Whoever bought it is getting a cool ride :cool:
When you get to England, don't forget about us :)
 
sorry to see you had to let her go... That would have turned some heads in England :D
Have a safe trip and If you ever go to the main land, come over for a cup of coffee...
 
That was by far the best build thread I've read on here. It's also amazing how you came up with the materials and random parts to piece it together. Third world ratting!! Gives me a lil more motivation to work though some of the issues I've had on the Essex I'm building that I've kinda put to the side because of the holidays and finding time the past month or so.
 
That was by far the best build thread I've read on here. It's also amazing how you came up with the materials and random parts to piece it together. Third world ratting!! Gives me a lil more motivation to work though some of the issues I've had on the Essex I'm building that I've kinda put to the side because of the holidays and finding time the past month or so.

Thanks bud, I appreciate it. :D

We are back in England now, settled into our old house. I've been out and cleaned up my old garage, given it a quick coat of paint inside, brighten it up.

Not sure what the next project will be, but I have bought myself a big scary fast motorcycle just to give me something to do for a while.
 

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First project: stretch that garage out about 25' toward the motorway. Next: sell the bike before you get hurt and can't build another hot rod. Nice to be home, eh?
 
First project: stretch that garage out about 25' toward the motorway. Next: sell the bike before you get hurt and can't build another hot rod. Nice to be home, eh?

I gave the garage walls a quick coat of paint, but it is still sadly empty.... I'm looking though, testing the water, but not sure what I want to build yet. :eek:
 

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Shop is looking spiffie, but empty :(
Careful on the two wheeler, they bit back if you do something they don't like.
Don't ask how it know :eek:
Good Luck with the hunt [P
 

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