Monday, March 21, 2011

I felt the need to wrench on something.

When I bought the car, the engine bay looked a little stripped:
After almost 60 years, the green engine paint is a little faded. Ok, it is a LOT faded. 
Fortunately, the trunk was full of engine compartment parts. So I went out tonight and installed the air filter and the fan shroud. They have a nice patina to them.

That looks a little better. But what is with those bare wires?

It wasn't a major project--I had to pull the fan and the top radiator hose off, which drained a bunch of water out of the radiator (yes, it looked like it was just water--I'm glad I wasn't shipping it in the dead of winter). Other than wanting to be able to feel like I accomplished something today, the main reason I did this was to keep from losing or damaging any of those parts. Looking at the distance between the fan and the radiator, I'm pretty sure the shroud is an important part of the cooling system--I do want to drive it around the block a few times after I put brakes on it and keeping the engine cool is always good.

One last thing. I feel I almost owe the original owner an apology. See that air cleaner? The black round thing near the back with the spout that goes across the top of the engine? That's an oil bath air cleaner--an option for dustier locations. Yes, I found the second option purchased by the original owner! So he's gone from being the cheapest bastard I've ever heard of to just an average cheap bastard. Okay, maybe a little beyond average--but not the cheapest.

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