HELP! Just got my 55' and a whole can o' worms!!

[chub chub]

The problems you described originally, don't sound like battery problems. Yeah, your battery may have died too, but not being able to idle, and stalling, probably were not because of that bad battery. Don't be surprised if it happens again before you get around to cleaning everything out. Hopefully I'm wrong.

[DrivesLikeAMarshmallow]

no, like i said, i know the battery wasnt the whole problem, but getting anew one deffinantly helped to get it to stay running... i know im not having a leak around the carb, i checked that, and the float and choke and everything else that i could check in the carb were fine too.. so like i said, atleast it will run long enough to get to the shop like 3 miles away so i can check everything over (theres cert. mechanics there to help me out too- its like a do-it-yourself autoshop) and long enough to get plates on it. Ill probably tear into this weekend when my husband comes back home and can give me a hand...

[DrivesLikeAMarshmallow]

OH! but thanks guys for all the help! im sure ill be back with more ?'s

and chub chub, thanks your a right nice guy!

oh, bigirish2, ill figure that part out when it gets here too, and i have some proper tools. My dad used to have one of these many moons ago and he said the same thing you did.. but least i wont have to tow it all of 3 miles now

[aint no econo box]

Ah..... Linz's husband speaking.....

Some new gremlins popped up.... and they've got me confused.

We replaced the old blinker relay to get 'em working.... and work they did... kinda.
Right signal blinked good, but the left made both blink dimly.

Soon afterwards, blinkers AND brakelights stopped working. The fuses were good, but I replaced them anyways. No go.
I pulled the steering wheel, and checked the blinker switch. It seems to be good, rather dirty, so I cleaned it up in there. Unfortunately, I didn't have my multimeter with me. Still no go.
I'm thinking bad ground somewheres????

Also, I fixed the front sway bar issue. The bar end links were completely shot, letting the bar shift back & forth while driving. I found some replacements that matched the old stock ones exactly at AutoZone.
The rear shock linkage bushings were also unservicable.... I fixed them, but that took some doing....

I removed the linkages, and since the bottom bushings were toast, carved them out of the linkage eyelets. The top ones were in slightly better shape, so I let them be temporarily.
I found some shock end-link bushing replacements at AutoZone that were the right width, and had the right inner stud diameter, but were too large on the outer diameter.... So with a little help from an Exacto knife and some profanity, I popped the carved down bushings inside the linkage eyelets.
The top ones I fixed rather by accident.....
While I was using some hose to protect the threads on the 3/8" bolts I planned on utilizing for fastening the links to the shocks/frame; I noticed that the hose, with the bolt inside, fit very nice & snug inside the wallowed out old bushings.... So I cut the hose to the exact width of the linkage eyelet, slid some washers on either side of the bolt, and bolted everything back up.
After driving around for a bit, I checked for binding or looseness, and it's all good. Even though I'm using 3/8" grade 8 bolts w/ locknuts instead of the old press-in studs with retaining washers, the bolts are only threaded on the last inch of their length, so there's no threads to booger up the bushings or shock arm eyelets.... and they fit perfectly through those same shock arm eyelets.... a little less than a press-in fit.

Also, we were planning on dropping the fuel tank to flush it, but due to time constraints, I picked up a big clear fuel filter, cut the fuel line just behind the front left wheelwell, and installed it under there.
Now I can see why the car was running badly! That little tiny filter on the back of the Stromberg just wasn't cutting it.
After I get to flushing the fuel tank, I'm going to do a rebuild on the carb ASAP, as I'm sure it's all gunked up from the crud in the fuel....
Along with that, I've never been a big fan of automatic chokes, so I'm going to do a manual choke conversion. Since the seat-heaters in the car have been removed, I'm going to hook up the choke to the heater lever on the dash.

Still, on a whole, I'm really kinda impressed with that old Stromberg.... and that's coming from a hard-core Holley 4bbl fanatic. At first, I kinda felt lost without those big secondaries, but now the old thing is growing on me due to it's simplicity.

One thing that bothers me though is the car's lack of power off idle. Once up above 10mph, the engine really picks up.... but it struggles mightily to get the car moving from a stop, unless I drop it in Low.
The timing was WAY advanced originally, so I fixed that. It's set at 6 deg BTDC, one degree more than factory, but that seems to be where it runs best. I don't have my tach anymore, so it's a by-ear method.

And on the vacuum side of things, the pump diaphram is gone bad, so the windshield wipers barely work while on the accelerator. Yay!

[Aaron65]

I might be wrong, but if the pump diaphragm for the wipers is bad, that'll cause a huge vacuum leak!

[chub chub]

We replaced the old blinker relay to get 'em working.... and work they did... kinda.
Right signal blinked good, but the left made both blink dimly.

Soon afterwards, blinkers AND brakelights stopped working. The fuses were good, but I replaced them anyways. No go.
I pulled the steering wheel, and checked the blinker switch. It seems to be good, rather dirty, so I cleaned it up in there. Unfortunately, I didn't have my multimeter with me. Still no go.
I'm thinking bad ground somewheres????

Yeah, that sounds like a bad ground to me. If the bulb was installed by the previous owner, make sure the bulb is correct for the socket (don't ask me how I know to check for that). It sounds like you two are making good, quick progress.

[Tom Gallagher]

Apparenrly Your fuel Pump needs a Rebuild.

Todays Modern Fuels just Eat-UP the original Tar-Paper Composit Diaphrams and create all sorts of "Havic" with proper Fuel Delivery and Vacumn Problems.

Just another "Step" in the process of geting things in proper order

Regards,

Tom Gallagher

[iddie makel]

I am simply amazed at the degree of knowledge you guys/girls possess.Your posts are most informative,simply stated,and tremendously helpful.Thanks again to everyone on the forum .
iddie