1. Automotive Cooling System Basics by Randy Rundle
2. Basic Ignition and Electrical Systems by Peterson Publications, 5th Edition
3. Street Rodder's Handbook by Frank Oddo
4. The Car Builder's Handbook by Doug McCleary
5. Numerous Street Rodder and other magazine articles

  

When the 50 Merc Flathead in my first car, a 1941 Ford Opera Coupe,  was swapped with a '50 Olds engine (bored 1/8 inches to '55 engine specs)  it had cooling problems. That was when I was 17, many years ago! 

The problems were the opposite of those encountered in the current '34 Sedan.  The car was fine when idling or cruising around town but the temperature slowly rose at highway speeds.  The Olds engine was further back in the engine compartment so I added a home made fan spacer to bring it closer to the original Ford radiator.  A local radiator shop  checked out the radiator and converted it to a higher pressure unit. After cleaning, he simply pressurized the radiator and soldered the places that showed leaks!  After still having some overheating problems, the radiator shop told me to install a thermostat since I was probably cavitating in the water pump (boiling because of low pressure in the center of the pump impeller).  They even knew what they were doing in the late '50s!!  It was much better.  Looking back, filling the center grill probably reduced the air intake excessively at higher speeds.  Knowing what I do now, if I had put in a spoiler to force air into the radiator and plugged the gaps between the radiator and engine compartment etc., etc!!  However who ever heard of a spoiler in the late 50's!  Trial and error is the way most problems of this type are solved! 

Pursuing several engineering degrees, then managing a Welding R&D Lab, followed by marketing management positions only allowed time in the intervening years  to change the coolant in the cars I owned, i.e. in addition to the '41 Coupe, a 50 Ford Coupe, 56 Chevy Hardtop, 260 Z, Jeep CJ-5, Plymouth Champ, Dodge Colt Turbo, three Corvettes, a GMC Sonoma and an S-10 truck.  The three Corvairs I also owned didn't need cooling help!  It was time for another car which I could work on!

This Ad Helps Bring You  Free Information on Street Rods 

Have a Welder?   Improve Weld Starts and Have Shielding Gas Cylinder Last at Least Twice as Long! 

Note: Our Patented GSS is Not Available in "Stores"

A home shop fabricator in Georgia with a Miller ^TM 175 amp welder purchased a 50 foot Gas Saver System ( GSS^TM ) so he could use a larger cylinder and mount it on the wall of his shop.  He wrote:

"The system works great.  Thanks for the professional service and a great product."   Click To See His Home Shop

A Professional Street Rod Builder Had This to Say:

With their standard MIG welder gas delivery hose the peak shielding flow at weld start was measured at 150 CFH. That caused air to be sucked into the gas stream causing poor weld starts.  With the GSS replacing their existing hose, the peak flow surge at the weld start was about 50 CFH.  Total gas use was cut in half.

Kyle Bond, President, quickly saw the improvement achieved in weld start quality as a significant advantage!   Kyle, an excellent automotive painter, was well aware of the effects of gas surge caused by pressure buildup in the delivery hose when stopped.  He has to deal with the visible effects in the air hose lines on the spray gun in his paint booth!  The paint surge is visible and creates defects unless the gun is triggered off the part being painted!  We can’t do that with our MIG gun!

►GSS PRODUCTS

RETURN TO "KEEP COOL" MAIN PAGE