Jake Dykstra's 1962 409/409 Impala!

[RPOLS3]

Originally Posted by Bill Pritchard

Perhaps you could post a photo of the board that's readable for those of us who will not be at MCACN???

Hopefully this is readable-

[RPOLS3]

Happy to report I was able to log some trouble free confidence building miles yesterday and today in the 409. Did about a 20 mile loop out in the country yesterday and then about a 45 mile round trip down to my brother in-laws place today. Mom met us there and it was the first time she saw the car all done and she really liked the transformation.

The new radiator really works well - 80 degrees ambient outside today and rolling along around 55 miles an hour the temp held around 170-180. When coming through town it bumps up a bit but comes right down when we're back rolling along. When it gets up around 185 I can hear the clutch fan starting to pull air so that is working as it should too.

Good stuff........finally.

[RPOLS3]

The correct dated hens tooth 235 voltage regulator was delivered yesterday after being restored - swapped that out last night.

[RPOLS3]

Anything worth doing is worth doing twice................isn't it?

I found a solution for the lower steering column bearing. When I tore the column apart a few months back I could not find a replacement for the lower bearing so in an effort to get the car back together and driveable I put the old bearing back in. There was some "slop" in the column to the point where you could move the column shaft up and down a bit from the engine side, but nothing unsafe. Fast forward to last week and I found a replacement option from Southeast Chevy Parts. They offer a brass bushing in a factory bracket that fits in the orignal location rather than a stock ball bearing replacement (which I still can't find anyways). I had some time last night so I removed the column (again) and installed the new setup. While everything was out I re-did the coupling piece that I previously incorrectly painted black. Subsequent research suggests that this was grey phosphate - so that's what it is now. Got the column re-installed last night but called it quits prior to hooking evertyhing up and re-installing the steering wheel, hope to finish that up tonight.......which leads to my other little project.

In the miles I have put on the car I have noticed a steering wheel vibration around 60 MPH. I somewhat assumed it was related to the lower column bearing but thought I should check the balance on the tires (make sure the basics are correct first, right?). I took the fronts over to my friends shop and the right front was out by 2 oz. So then I brought the rears and one of those was out by about the same. I put the two with the least weight on the front and the other two on the rear. The spare was never balanced so I got that done at the same time too. Thinking this should get rid of the 60 MPH vibration. Hoping to have enough time tonight to get everything back together and take for a test drive.

[Lynn]

Anything worth doing is worth doing twice................isn't it?

These days, sometimes I feel lucky if I get it done in two tries.

[RPOLS3]

Wow what a difference. Got everything put back together tonight and took it for a ride - zero vibration and the steering feel is much improved. I'm thinking this is as good as it gets with bias ply tires and 63 year old suspension technology.

[dykstra]

Giddy up, giddy up!!!

[RPOLS3]

When Mom saw the car last month for the first time after all of the work was done, she commented that the hood insulation looked bad compared to the rest of the engine bay. For the duration of the project I've been looking down and not up so I'm glad she pointed that out. I replaced it earlier this week and glad I did as I never noticed that whoever put it on previously had one of the pads installed backwards.

[BJCHEV396]

Mom knows best.Looks great!

[Tenney]

Clean. And ya got cookies w/the pts deduction!