The "66 El Camino that I finally own" Thread
Discussion
Paul S4 said:
Are you going to tweak the engine at all...must be tempting to make it a bit of a 'sleeper' truck and surprise a few people !
Always tempting 
but I think I've got my work cut out getting it running and driving properly again after such a long lay up, brake pedal is solid so either the servo or master cylinder has seized, radiator needs replacing as it developed a leak at some point and the cooling system has gradually drained itself, there was a drip from the fuel pump last time I had it running and I'm sure there will be many other issues too.Not to mention all the rest of the body needs bare-metalling and painting.
Feel depressed now!
Anyway, another evening in the garage and I have a steering column again!
Regular readers may remember that I posted about a similarly-coloured Elk for sale not that far from me. It's been for sale for many months, and having dithered about it, MrsC and I had a proper discussion about it last weekend, the outcome of which was "we haven't really got room for it, but if we park one of the other cars round the corner we can get it on the drive. We have the money, and we really do only pass this way but once, so let's go for it" (I like her 
). On top of that, as we came out of the restaurant we were in, I very randomly bumped into someone I've known for about 25 years but haven't seen for many, who owns and has owned a number of 60s/70s Yanks. Talked to him about it, showed him the ad, he suggested it was definitely worth looking at, with one or two reservations.
Fast forward two days, and this happens:
He who dares, Rodders, he who dares....
(of course I'm now wondering whether matey boy has gone and snagged it.....)
). On top of that, as we came out of the restaurant we were in, I very randomly bumped into someone I've known for about 25 years but haven't seen for many, who owns and has owned a number of 60s/70s Yanks. Talked to him about it, showed him the ad, he suggested it was definitely worth looking at, with one or two reservations.Fast forward two days, and this happens:
He who dares, Rodders, he who dares....
(of course I'm now wondering whether matey boy has gone and snagged it.....)
99t said:
The replacement piece certainly looked the part and was well made with really high quality "proper" chrome plating, rock hard and no marking this with your fingers like some plastic chrome.
BUT... the switches for the ignition switch, lights and wipers and the cigarette lighter have a specific fit through both the metal dash and the outer trim. This requires all four holes to line up EXACTLY.
Unfortunately when the light and wiper switches were aligned, the holes for the ignition switch and lighter were about 5mm offset from the holes in the metal dash, and vice versa. No way would it all go together without fettling.
Since I couldn't easily adjust the trim piece due to the specific shapes moulded in it to locate each item, I instead had to take a dremel to my lovely painted dash panel and elongate two of the holes. It won't be visible of course but feels like a bodge and just shouldn't be necessary. Grrrrr!
I've just caught up with this thread and wanted to comment on this. I agree completely that many repro trim and panel parts just aren't correctly made, and I don't understand why it should be like this. I bought a repro radiator frame from Ecklers for my Stingray and half the mounting holes and one of the brackets were up to 10mm out of position. And it wasn't a cheap part! The suppliers of these repro parts are getting away with it, but as customers we don't have much choice, unfortunately. Grrrrr indeed!BUT... the switches for the ignition switch, lights and wipers and the cigarette lighter have a specific fit through both the metal dash and the outer trim. This requires all four holes to line up EXACTLY.
Unfortunately when the light and wiper switches were aligned, the holes for the ignition switch and lighter were about 5mm offset from the holes in the metal dash, and vice versa. No way would it all go together without fettling.
Since I couldn't easily adjust the trim piece due to the specific shapes moulded in it to locate each item, I instead had to take a dremel to my lovely painted dash panel and elongate two of the holes. It won't be visible of course but feels like a bodge and just shouldn't be necessary. Grrrrr!
I'm still on the lookout, although of course it will now have to wait until the current shenanigans die down, but there's nothing out there which looks worthy of chasing at present. However, my head has also been turned somewhat by a C3 Vette, which seem to be going for not-mental money. The C3 was my teenage bedroom wall poster car (alongside a certain Ms D Harry 
)
)A little progress towards getting the Elk roadworthy again.
I noticed the radiator had a slow weep about a year ago and ordered a cheapo aluminium replacement from China via the Bay of E.
Old one removed, not the worst I've seen but evidence of weeps in a few places once off the car
New one needed a tiny bit of spacing away from the radiator panel to clear properly, and elongation of a couple of mounting holes but all things considered seems decent quality for sub £100 delivered. Fan shroud will be refitted.
Not sure I like the shiny appearance from the front - may apply some matt black before final fitting.
Just waiting for a pair of replacement transmission cooler unions before I can complete the job, although the unions came out of the old radiator, the hard lines were absolutely not going to allow them to turn, with predictable results...
I noticed the radiator had a slow weep about a year ago and ordered a cheapo aluminium replacement from China via the Bay of E.
Old one removed, not the worst I've seen but evidence of weeps in a few places once off the car
New one needed a tiny bit of spacing away from the radiator panel to clear properly, and elongation of a couple of mounting holes but all things considered seems decent quality for sub £100 delivered. Fan shroud will be refitted.
Not sure I like the shiny appearance from the front - may apply some matt black before final fitting.
Just waiting for a pair of replacement transmission cooler unions before I can complete the job, although the unions came out of the old radiator, the hard lines were absolutely not going to allow them to turn, with predictable results...
[quote=Paul S4]I may be wrong, but are black painted radiators more efficient in cooling.....?
That might be true if the radiator were actually radiating heat. I'm sure it does radiate a little, but it's likely that in the case of a car "radiator", 99% of the heat is removed by conduction to the ambient airflow, in which case the colour of the surface makes no difference.
That might be true if the radiator were actually radiating heat. I'm sure it does radiate a little, but it's likely that in the case of a car "radiator", 99% of the heat is removed by conduction to the ambient airflow, in which case the colour of the surface makes no difference.
LunarOne]aul S4 said:
I may be wrong, but are black painted radiators more efficient in cooling.....?
That might be true if the radiator were actually radiating heat. I'm sure it does radiate a little, but it's likely that in the case of a car "radiator", 99% of the heat is removed by conduction to the ambient airflow, in which case the colour of the surface makes no difference.
I always thought paint on the fins would reduce cooling capacity not enhance it, although hopefully the radiator has sufficient excess cooling capacity that the effect of the paint is negligible. I've linked an interesting discussion below, admittedly about black painted intercoolers, but the principle is the same.That might be true if the radiator were actually radiating heat. I'm sure it does radiate a little, but it's likely that in the case of a car "radiator", 99% of the heat is removed by conduction to the ambient airflow, in which case the colour of the surface makes no difference.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_mmmXTbLP0
I will probably just lightly blow over the lower tank and sides which are the bits that will stand out once the bonnet is back on and hides the upper areas.
LunarOne]aul S4 said:
I may be wrong, but are black painted radiators more efficient in cooling.....?
That might be true if the radiator were actually radiating heat. I'm sure it does radiate a little, but it's likely that in the case of a car "radiator", 99% of the heat is removed by conduction to the ambient airflow, in which case the colour of the surface makes no difference.
So you've discovered a branch of physics that only works in one direction then? The impact of colour is the same for heat transfer by both absorption and emission so a matt black core will be slightly more efficient than a shiny silver one.That might be true if the radiator were actually radiating heat. I'm sure it does radiate a little, but it's likely that in the case of a car "radiator", 99% of the heat is removed by conduction to the ambient airflow, in which case the colour of the surface makes no difference.
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