It's about time that I start working on the Mistress, it's been 6 months since I even started her up. The battery was too low on volts on the first try to get it started, but she tried with a couple of pops, Becides there was too much crap piled around her to safely pull her out of the garage if I did. Two hours on the charger an hour on the crap, plus a good shot of starting fluid, and she started right up. Now if I only could squeeze myself under the car to get to the treadle-vac because that's the reason the lady was parked to begin with. I'm going to put her up on ramps and see if enough distance occurs, and if not I may just call Frank for help again.
It will be nice to show the old girl off at a show without having so many people, ask, where is the Mistress, did you sell the 55, where is your show car and I'm standing next to one of them.

First start in a long time

Out of the garage, first time in 6 months



So this is just a start of what I hope will be a short thread on getting the Mistress back on the road. Pictures to follow...Tedd

 

Good deal Tedd. You probably know all you have to do underneath is disconnect the vacuum hose and brake lines. Then you have to pull the carpet back and remove it through the floorboard. I had Karp's rebuild the one on the 54 and I cannot say enough good things about them. You probably already have somebody. Get her going. It is amazing how they deteriorate when they are not driven. Heck, if I was close by I would come over and help you.

 

Do it! Too beautiful a car, not to be on the road!

 

Thanks, Glenn, for the information, for some reason I was thinking I needed to drop it out the bottom. If I have time today, I'll check it out, probably should get my motor manual out and do a little reading first, it's been a while since I dealt with a treadle - vac

She really needs a complete detail, top has been down for some time.. Tedd

 

You undo the vacuum line and the brake lines and then there is panel in the floorboard that the treadlevac is mounted to. Just pull the carpet back, undo the bolts and put it out from inside.

 

Good to know Glenn. The original has been replaced about 20 years ago, so it's about time it took a dump. Car has been very reliable, many trips in the 3000 to 4000-mile range, only a few trips on the tilt back to get help or home...Tedd

 

Hello Ted. I'm only over in Napa. If I can help with anything, let me know.

I just took my '55 down to car week at Monterey. There were only 2 Olds, mine and a '58 that was a little worn. She ran great all the way down and back. Some stop and go traffic on the way back, the temp needle stayed glued to the middle tick.

However......it had been decades since anyone had ridden in the back seat. I had 3 people in it, and the trunk was full. This was in Monterey. Took it out of the driveway to a loud grinding sound! Not good. I did notice it was riding unusually low in back. Stop, go back. Jack the car, brakes, wheel bearings, diff all smooth and good. Well.....shoot. Crawled under further and I noticed some paint scrapped off the body pan in the drive shaft tunnel, and some funny scrapes on the drive shaft. The suspension had bottomed out, and the drive shaft was rubbing on the underside of the body. Well, we didn't make it to the show that day. Took all of the people and stuff out, ride raised up, no scraping. Oh well.

Ordered a lot of new rear suspension parts from Fusik. That'll be some work.

Dave

 

Thanks for the offer, I'm still working on the Money Pit door cards, and I swore I would not start another project till I finished this one. I did pull the carpet back on the Mistress and took a look, shouldn't be that much of a problem. Tedd

 

The hardest part is getting the hose and brake lines off underneath which is not too bad, just a little nasty. Then you move the pedal out of the way and take the bolts out on the mounting plate. Just be sure to put something down in case the master cylinder drips fluid.

 

Thanks, Glenn, it's the end of harvest here and a little hectic(not that I do much anything manual labor wise anymore)but it seems a little busy in one spot sucks up all the time any place else. It will happen just in its own time.

Unrelated, I did pick out a sound system for the Money Pit and will have it installed next Tuesday, plus I have an appointment to get a transmission flush and filter changed in a few weeks. I'm not a fan of no dipstick and fluid that is for the life of the car, what ever BMW figures that is.. Tedd

 

Ted,

Excellent. Just let me know if there is anything I can do. Not that I'm looking for excuses to drive my car up there!

Dave

 

Dave, love to have you up, or maybe sometime we could meet in the middle, I'm always good for lunch. Maybe someplace Exocet like Williams or Orland about !/2 way...Tedd

 

Ted,
It'll be a couple of weeks at least. Let me see about getting those new springs installed in the rear. That would be a good shake down cruise!