Thread: Zips riser

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Don,
Are you planning to pressurize your cooling system first, to see if it's leaking down somewhere, using one of the adapter kits like this or something similar (several different kinds out there)?

radiator pressure.jpg

Or are you going straight to the cylinders, looking for one hole that's not holding compression using the hose & gauge adapter for the spark plug hole, like this type? Compression Tester.jpg

Just wondering what approach you're using?

Don,
Yes I bought a piece of sheet steel from Home Depot and bent it with a little three foot bender I have. I made it in two pieces so I could remove and install it without removing the fan or radiator. It is kinda rough and I may spiffy it up some in the future. Here is a pic of the gauges mounted above the radiator.

TomJ, That is really neat work on your shroud. I have been thinking about making a bender from angle iron but maybe Harbor Freight has one? Roger, I am taking a needed mental rest over Sunday and Monday while I await delivery of an inexpensive Acton pressure tester on sale for $26 from Sears. I think I can hear a periodic lesser beat in the exhaust note at low rpm so I am now expecting to find a blowout on one cylinder using the pressure gauge of the second type you show. I don't want to force fluid into the oil because so far I see no sign of milkiness in the oil so if I can find the bad gasket with the pressure gauge that will preserve the expensive break-in oil? I have already consumed about five gallons of Prestone due to boil over and spills while releasing the bubble from the top of the Zips pump. The screwdriver with a clip on the end is a good idea as it is devilish to get that screw back in while the fluid is coming out. Maybe there will be enough warm days left in the Fall to replace a head gasket. Just asking but probably I should replace both head gaskets unless I can match the type that leaked since I want the same thickness on both banks, right? It is tempting to consider replacing the heads with Vortec heads since I will have the heads off. Can anyone direct me to a site where Vortec heads are available with the dual bolt pattern to use my existing Edelbrock Performer RPM intake? As I said I found a spare set of rebuildable 882 heads in case the real problem is a cracked head or a thin exhaust port but rebuilding the 882 ($75 for the pair) would be probably another $400 while maybe for about $700 I could get the Vortec heads?

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/Teen Rodder

Well it took almost a month but the problem seems to be solved with a lot of help from Chester Houtaling (Progressive Performance, Ashland Va) setting up the points distributor with the Pertronix kit and Phil Hahn (Mr. Transmission, Hanover Air Park, Va) trouble shooting the heating problem. Before I went to the pros for help my son and I tried two different shrouds, three different fans and three thermostats but in the end the problem was a embarrasing mistake in not removing a plastic plug from the bottom spout of the Walker Cobra radiator! I drained the radiator at least five times and used/reused 50/50 Prestone consuming at least four gallons but I always used the petcock at the bottom of the radiator. Finally Phil Hahn of Mr. Transmission pulled off the bottom hose for a quick drain out and lo and behold a blue plastic plug came out with the sudden rush. The plug is blue but was painted black like the rest of the radiator and I just missed removing it from the Walker radiator! My first mistake this year! Anyway Phil added an idler for my fan belt(s) and I found a double pulley set with a 20% over drive (6.5" crank and 5.5" water pump) among my "extra parts bin" so we replaced the previous 1:1 pulley set and added the second belt with the idler forming better contact between the belts and the fan pulley. Amazingly it will now idle at 1000 rpm for over an hour with a 180 F thermostat. The space between the radiator and the double pulley on the alternator will not allow a projected width of the fan blade of 2 3/4" so we used a smaller width 16" diameter fan from Hayden with only a 2" projected blade width. I will attach some pictures below including a very expensive picture of the final Va State Inspection sticker. Suffice it to say the present SBC 350 is pretty "sudden" with the 700R4 low gear with the short wheel base and Phil just had to give it an "Inspection Test" laying down a nice strip of black (no positraction) so the performance is enough for me! It is hard to believe this build stretched out over seven years but Spring cruising is starting to seem possible!

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder

Well, we've all done something like that Don! No harm no foul for sure and glad to hear your making more progress! You'll be cruising soon!

ZipPulley2.JPGInspection.JPGHere are some pictures of the final pulley set up on the Zip riser if I can figure out how to upload them. Considering I bought the Bebops roadster body in 2005 it has been a long time to finally get the inspection sticker!

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder

2005! Heck you're speedy compared to mine! I got my project in July, 2000. Got it registered in March of this year! So you got me beat! LOL..

So far test runs of ten miles or so show the 180 thermostat is working OK in winter air but I have purchased a DeRalle oil cooler to use it for coolant as is done in Baja racers. I probably will add that unit this Spring as warmer air conditions prevail. At the moment the roadster will be in a top shop for a week or so and then I can test it for short runs on an Interstate to see if the thermostate works under higher speed conditions. I would welcome any comments about the reliability of a fiberglass fan rated at 8000 rpm max compared to the metal blades i have now with are only rated to 6000 rpm

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/Teen Rodder

Don,
I would expect that both fans have safety factors of at least 1.2 if not higher. Are you really planning to spin your engine above 6000 rpm on a regular basis?

Hello Roger,
So far during break-in the engine has seldom been above 3000 rpm. The tire size, the 3.55 ratio rear and the low gear in the 700R4 seem to have blended well with plenty of grunt in low but I have not yet tried it on the Internet to test the OD. The question is that with the 20% (actually 19%) overdrive on the fan pulley the 6000 rpm fan corresponds to 5000 rpm on the engine which is a bit low. Anyone with experience with a fiberglass fan? I had a 10,000 rpm fan on the car but the blades are too wide with the double pully setup so I had to look for 2" blades.

Don Shillady
retired Scientist/Teen Rodder

Well I have scattered my build over many threads but the guys on this thread have been friendly so here are two pictures of my new top. I used the rear window from a 1929 Sport Coupe so I would have better visibility and I opted for the expanded side windows that give very good side visibility. I still need some work on the interior but that will have to wait until my next summer job can finance that final task. The back window and the side windows are light weight Lexan. The rear window can swing up into the interior and fasten to tabs on the inside of the roof as is done in the stock Model A so that in the summer I can remove the side curtains and swing in the rear window and have a breezy ride without dropping the top OR the top can be lowered. I still need to add the four rubber bumpers on the rear deck to keep the rear window from scratching the paint when the top is down. There are several details yet to finish but adding the top seems like a major step to me and while it is not perfect it meets the condition of "looking good from ten feet away!"

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/Teen Rodder

The top came out great, Don!!!! On most the side curtains look like an afterthought, your's look very well planned out and are definitely a part of the whole top design! Very nicely done!!!!!

Thanks Dave!

I used 5/16" steel rod for frames of the side curtains and I had to drill 5/16" holes in the tops of the doors so we will see how long the 'glass holds up. I have to give credit to "Corky's Upholstery" in Midlothian Va for stitching up the top without a pattern and fitting the side windows. The rear and side windows are light weight Lexan.

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder

The top and side curtains will work good on those chilly spring days where you just can't wait to take it for a drive.Nice work.

I agree! The top look great. Good Job Professor!!! 8-)