cleaning up - what should stay, go, or pitch

[thebanjoman]

I'm covered up. I now have 'paths' in the loft of my shop and in the corners of the shop.

When we moved my father-in-law from Ohio to Va we brought the coupe and boxes and baskets of some 40 years accumulation of parts and stuff. Lots of little stuff but 3 sets of wheels and some non '29 lights and brackets. I plan on keeping the 30s style wires and letting the original rims and the 15in 'steelies' that I'm using now to roll the frame around in the shop.

I will show my ignorance in not knowing what is meaningful to sell/swap or just send to the trash or scrap. Stuff like coils, condensers, distributor caps.Kingpin washers and assorted nuts/bolts of unknown origin. They aren't in marked boxes and I don't know if they are Model A related or not.

Are the assortment of coils/condensors and distributor caps meaningful or should they just go in the trash? I can test the coils but don't know how to test the condensors (my rebuilt distributor has a modern plate in it) I'm more interested in them leaving here than trying to find out their worth.

Also during my rebuild, (I can't call it restoration) I've replaced engine bolts (timing cover and valve cover) rather than clean and replate the originals. I would assume that the engine bolts would be good for someone willing to put forth the effort to refurbish originals than what I did by just calling Snyders.

The Block and head that were originally in the A are ruined as they rusted from the inside while sitting in barn so Its merely a boat anchor now. Ora at Schwalms would not attempt to rebuild it so we had to buy to a useable block from him. Should I keep it as it is supposed to be the original block or has it lost its significance because its non rebuildable?.

I don't have time to participate in swap meets or travel right now and get little time to work on the A as it is. I'm trying to clean up and possibly offer to others something that could be used or make it to the scrap pile to become something else.

What would you do?

[peters180a/170b]

Find the locale Model "A" clubs. [Marc/MAFCA] and- A.A.C.A. members with "A's. Make alot of friends and enjoy what you are about to learn about your coupe. Members will tell you whats good and not good. Buy books on the Model "A' Ford . More info. the better.

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

IMO, it is all about your priorities. If you are overwhelmed to the point where you have no room to work, then getting room should be a priority over the worth of the item(s). The 'real world' value of some of these items will not be much and some might be more than you think. Often times, much of what has been saved was worn items and needs to be discarded. If you saw how much original Model A parts that we scrap here, you would be amazed. I would guess we scrap a couple thousand pounds of Model A junk each year. I let people that come by the shop pilfer through and see if there is anything they can use but even some of these folks bypass the junk just because it is "junk".

.

[thebanjoman]

Originally Posted by peters180a/170b

Find the locale Model "A" clubs. [Marc/MAFCA] and- A.A.C.A. members with "A's. Make alot of friends and enjoy what you are about to learn about your coupe. Members will tell you whats good and not good. Buy books on the Model "A' Ford . More info. the better.

With a 3.5 hour commute each day, an alzheimers patient in the house (requires constant supervision by one of us or a caregiver) and all the other things required to maintain a household I often wonder how I have the time to work on the A much less find the local clubs and people with the same interests. I only get the weekends in the shop for about 4-6 hours and that's a stretch. I've been at the A for over 3 years now and am only to the point of having a rolling chassis that I just fired up last weekend. The body is still yet to be tackled.

I read here when I can and try to make time to ask questions when when I get a moment. There are probably others on this forum with the same or even less time than I have to devote to this but clubs and meets are more for when its running.

I'm just trying to get a feel for how/what I need to get rid of and to try and retain some semblance of order and sanity. I feel overwhelmed a lot these days.

[FL&WVMIKE]

thebanjoman ..............................
You should rethink your idea that clubs are just for "running" cars. From the outside, it might seem that way. But, being in a club, is where you will meet people, who have more knowledge than you and will be happy to help you with your problems. You might even find out, from them, what parts of your stuff is worthy of keeping and what is not.
MIKE

[James Rogers]

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Originally Posted by thebanjoman

Also during my rebuild, (I can't call it restoration) I've replaced engine bolts (timing cover and valve cover) rather than clean and replate the originals. I would assume that the engine bolts would be good for someone willing to put forth the effort to refurbish originals than what I did by just calling Snyders.

I save every original bolt and nut I find and refurbish them to use on my motors. Some people don't like using 80 year old stuff but it can be changed out anytime by most anyone.

Originally Posted by thebanjoman

The Block and head that were originally in the A are ruined as they rusted from the inside while sitting in barn so Its merely a boat anchor now. Ora at Schwalms would not attempt to rebuild it so we had to buy to a useable block from him. Should I keep it as it is supposed to be the original block or has it lost its significance because its non rebuildable?.




What would you do?

I would like to see that! If it ain't cracked or have a hole in it I can rebuild it. Sounds like a good way to sell a block.

[thebanjoman]

Originally Posted by James Rogers

I save every original bolt and nut I find and refurbish them to use on my motors. Some people don't like using 80 year old stuff but it can be changed out anytime by most anyone.

I would like to see that! If it ain't cracked or have a hole in it I can rebuild it. Sounds like a good way to sell a block.

It doesn't have a hole..

IT HAS SEVERAL..

I was told that the hot tank process revealed many holes and spots where Ora Landis considered the thickness of the block to thin for him to want to take a chance on rebuilding it. I took his word for it. When I got the block home I took a hammer and tapped around the edge of one of the holes and it got BIGGER so this tells me that it was thin so it was clear to me that if I was going to pay for a rebuild that I needed something meaningful to start with,

I have nothing to doubt that I was given proper advice. He could have just slapped it together with what I had and hoped for the best.

I'm considering what I space I have and what is legitimate and reasonable to me to hold onto. There's already one packrat in this house and She would cover us up if I let her.

[thebanjoman]

Originally Posted by FL&WVMIKE

thebanjoman ..............................
You should rethink your idea that clubs are just for "running" cars. From the outside, it might seem that way. But, being in a club, is where you will meet people, who have more knowledge than you and will be happy to help you with your problems. You might even find out, from them, what parts of your stuff is worthy of keeping and what is not.
MIKE

Never meant to imply anything derogatory about clubs or what they do. I've been in auto clubs before and right now with what time I have right now I'd not be a very good participant.

[James Rogers]

Originally Posted by thebanjoman

It doesn't have a hole..

IT HAS SEVERAL..

I was told that the hot tank process revealed many holes and spots where Ora Landis considered the thickness of the block to thin for him to want to take a chance on rebuilding it. I took his word for it. When I got the block home I took a hammer and tapped around the edge of one of the holes and it got BIGGER so this tells me that it was thin so it was clear to me that if I was going to pay for a rebuild that I needed something meaningful to start with,

That explains VOLUMES. Rust is not a problem but rust-out is. I have taken blocks that look like they were rusted to pieces and made good motors out of them. I don't use blocks with holes and shy away from cracks like the plague.

BTW, if the hot tank revealed them, they were there before the barn. Hot tanking won't touch rust, just grease and oil which binds dirt. This means when you have it hot tanked it will come out clean as a pin but the rust will still be there. Hot tanking won't reveal or cause rust holes to appear.

[Mike V. Florida]

Originally Posted by thebanjoman

With a 3.5 hour commute each day, an alzheimers patient in the house (requires constant supervision by one of us or a caregiver) and all the other things required to maintain a household I often wonder how I have the time to work on the A much less find the local clubs and people with the same interests.

I feel overwhelmed a lot these days.

This is exactly why you and others need this hobby. Wait until the day comes and you can take the car for a drive. No matter how bad or hopeless the day seems once you get a couple of thumbs up and a couple of horns beeping at you it all melts away. Swear to God it does!!

[thebanjoman]

Originally Posted by James Rogers

That explains VOLUMES. Rust is not a problem but rust-out is. I have taken blocks that look like they were rusted to pieces and made good motors out of them. I don't use blocks with holes and shy away from cracks like the plague.

BTW, if the hot tank revealed them, they were there before the barn. Hot tanking won't touch rust, just grease and oil which binds dirt. This means when you have it hot tanked it will come out clean as a pin but the rust will still be there. Hot tanking won't reveal or cause rust holes to appear.

Revealed was probably not the right word to use. The block was very greasy looking on the outside. If there were holes they were masked by the dirt and grime.

When the vehicle was parked in '68 it was in a metal building that they always called the 'barn' but it was more like a steel building with no windows in Ohio and all that was done to it was the water drained and the thought was this would be ok. I suspect over time that humidity, condensation and temp changes promoted the rusting from the inside out.

I know that when I was cleaning the head on the outside while the block was at Schwalms and I turned it on end, water pump side down I bumped it on the bench and about 5 cups worth of rust 'flake' came out. This had to make the head thin and the block Im sure was the same way.

There wasn't anything worth keeping after it came out of the tank.