Yesterday the world's slowest, but somewhat intrepid, auto mechanic dragged
himself back to Mom's house to do battle with the '55 Plymouth clutch.
Laying on my back, with a clump of grease in my hair -- it occurred to me:
Why am I agonizing over the fact that this durn clutch linkage isn't long
enough? The motor runs fine, the entire drivetrain is aligned, the clutch
DOES release with pressure, the fork is seated properly -- just make the
silly thing longer and fogedabowdit. And that's what I did: I took a 3/8"
x 24tpi bolt, cut the head off it, and locked it onto the eyebolt with 3
nuts and two lockwashers. I had to cut the tube a bit (the one the bolt
inserts into) because the adjustment nut wanted to be where the 3 lockdown
nuts were. I then reamed the tube a bit, to permit the cone of the
adjustment nut to seat; slapped it together, jumped in the driver's seat,
stepped on the clutch, released and.... it came back from the floor!
Huzzah!
I slid one year's worth of clutter to the opposite side of the garage,
dropped the Savoy to the floor, fired 'er up, dropped it into gear, and
wonder of wonders: She moves under her own, unsmokey, Powerflow power!
What a high, after a year's worth of fooling around, to put this once-proud,
green roller-painted FL vehicle back on the street. OK, so I blew out the
one heater hose I didn't replace -- but after only a couple more skinned
knuckles I was underway again. Amazingly, replacing the shift fork in the
transmission also cured the problem of it dropping out of second when I back
off on the gas. (My transmission problems are not over, however, I'll save
that for another communique.)
She's rollin'! Today, my son goes back with me to follow me as I bring her
home. Bye Mom! I'll still come to visit, maybe not as often!
Now, for my sheet metal and welding tips books to arrive...
Dan (the WSAM) Morton
'55 Savoy
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