How bad can it be...the tale of a -41

[flatheadmurre]

Have a good laugh at my expense !
So my dad bought a -41 on distance.
Seller said it needed upholstery and that he drove it in his driveway last year.
So how bad can it be...
When time for picking it up arrives the seller offers a free donor car to go with it...hmmm
Back in MN trailer hooked up and backing into sellers driveway the car is pieced togetter from more then one for sure and has flatblack primer over sandingmarks...
Ok it was a bit rougher but it runs...how bad can it be...
Trying to start the car it turns over but doesn´t fire at all...brakes is nowhere to be found...seller points out he has installed a brand new tank..
Yes i can see the tank through the trunkfloor...
Frame looks good...and nothing else should be a structural issue...fixing a flathead is not going to be a to big headache...how bad can it be...
Fastforward back to sweden...starting to poke around the coil don´t even have a brush in it...ran last year...not to sure about that.
Carb, fuelpump and distributor rebuild later the engine fires up and runs fairly well with good oilpressure...small victory dance !
Turning drums fully rebuilding brakes.
Swiping a blanket from wifes stash and making a 30sec upholstery enough to sit in the car and take it for a testdrive.
Clutch slips...gearbox kicks out of second instantly when letting go of accelerator...
Out comes the engine and tranny...new clutch rebuilt gearbox...how bad can it be...
Fixed the speedoturtle...a bit of wiring...some more hillbilly upholstery...out for a drive.
Rear howls like a pack of wolves at deacceleration...at this point getting it through inspection before any other rebuilding is made top priority.
Cause at this point how bad can it be...
It´s cold here so installing a heater that works great...for about an hour until the core starts weaping...out it comes again...new core...back in again...i´m starting to become a -41 pitcrew.
Off to the inspection...drives nice as long as the foot is down keeping the wolves away...at inspection the usual stuff, they can´t figure out how to start it get it into gear...but once up on the brake tester it starts to look better.
Brakes emission front/rear supspension passes with flying colours...another victory dance !
Then it start going south fast...guy looks at the rockers and says they are rusty...yep i know...but the car has a frame !
Now 2 people are scratching their heads...then they come up with that the side impact collision safety is affected by the rust...WHAT ???
Now i know how bad it can be !!
Tomorrow i will start fixing the side impact collision safety system...

[JSeery]

Got to love folks that know very little about ventage vehicles telling you about what it takes to make them safe.

[Mart]

It just proves it's all fixable.

In the right hands.

An interesting tale. I hope it has a happy ending.

Mart.

[V8COOPMAN]

THIS car had a bad "FRONT impact collision safety system!" DD





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[corvette8n]

Sounds like your fixing everything as it comes up, post some pictures as you continue on this adventure.

[Brian]

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I always thought the running boards 'were' the side impact collision safety system! lol

[tubman]

Murre, Did you get that car from Leo by any chance? From your description it sounds like something he might have!

[flatheadmurre]

Nope Leo is not responsibe for this one...It was Mr mercury that found this one and the rest is Douglas wheeling and dealing...i just ended up with the CPR task to bring it back to life...i´ll get some pics tomorrow of the new side impact system.
Very crude...just bent profiles and sheetmetal.

[flatheadmurre]

Passengerside back in one piece...more or less
Passing inspection first then descisions about evicting the wolfpack and interior upgrades...

[tubman]

Love the upholstery! But what happens when your wife finds out where her sofa cover is?