Let it sit for weeks between driving .. in a garage where the temp stays @ 60 F .. always an adventure to start .. V8 .. would appreciate advice on how to minimize the crankiing .. thanks

 

There will probably be lots of differing opinions on this but I would put and electric fuel pump on it. You can use it to prime the car before cranking it. Just hook it up with a toggle switch and turn it on for a few seconds before you begin cranking.

 

Probably losing fuel. Next time after it has been setting, before you try to start, take the air cleaner off and pour a little gas in crarb, and see if it fires right off. I have a 70 442, and if it sets for a couple days, takes a long time to start, till it pumps gas to the carb.

 

My '55 does the same thing. I guess the fuel bowls drain out back thru the fuel pump. If I hit with a little gas down the carb or starting fluid it starts right up. Pain because you have to open up the hood, take off the air cleaner.
I was thinking of some discrete one-way valve in the fuel line, but not a good way to hide that one an original car.

 

This is normal for carb'd engines and mechanical fuel pumps. You can fill the float bowl by hand or use some starting fluid.

 

It is a pain to do all that crap of taking the air cleaner off and pouring gas in the carb and then running the risk of a fire. With and electric pump, all you have to do is turn the toggle switch on for a few seconds to prime the carb and you are ready to go. I never understand why people would go to all this trouble every time they want to start their car.

 

Try to track how long it sits before it becomes hard to start e.g., 4 days, 7 days or two weeks and then start it at least that often, drive it and enjoy those drives. If you are unable to start and drive it that often perhaps someone you know and trust would enjoy the periodic task.

 

Press accelerator pedal to the floor once (that sets the choke) crank the starter for a few seconds then wait a couple of seconds then crank again (the manual fuel pump needs to fill the bowls in the carburetor back up). Don't crank continuously because you can burn up the starter and wires. And don't keep pumping the gas pedal because it disrupts the linkage for the choke and might bypass the high idle needed for the warmup period.
If this doesn't work within a few cranks of the starter your carburetor might be out of adjustment, check your repair manual on how to set it up.

 

I was not say to take the air cleaner off every time you start it, I was saying do it once, and if the car fire up, then you know that the gas is leaving the carb, and then you can see what you may want to do to try to fix the problem. I just get use to it, that when my car sets for a couple days, it takes time to start.

 

Gas evaporates from carb vent, I use starting fluid, so I don't run battery/starter down.

 

Art: that insight is what I was seeking .. makes sense, and I've been guilty of pumping the accelerator thinking it was getting fuel to the carb .. will try this technique soon