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1958 Continental Claret -
Posted: Thu 13. Dec 2018, 20:17
by novetti
Hi there,
I have been working on this car for around one year now. Got it from a Gentleman in Detroit and sorted the logistical exercise to get shipped down under (Australia, WA) where I am based.
So far I managed to rebuilt the engine and started some bodywork, there will me more to come. I will create a restoration thread and keep it updated with progress as I move forward.
Cheers
Julio
Photos from the day I collected it here after the ''quarantine'' cleaning...
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Photos at my garage after I cleaned all the mess quarantine did it.
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Re: 1958 Continental Claret -
Posted: Tue 25. Dec 2018, 20:46
by Chris430
Hello,
Looks like yoir off to a good start with a very clean (from rust) Northern car. Would I be correct in assuming the Lincoln did not live it's life in the Northern Uninted States?
Re: 1958 Continental Claret -
Posted: Thu 3. Jan 2019, 14:36
by Shelby#18
Sounds great! I look forward to seeing the progress.
I also turned the photo's right side up.
Re: 1958 Continental Claret -
Posted: Mon 7. Jan 2019, 21:23
by novetti
Cheers guys, thanks for the help with the photos.
I don't know why, in my computer they show correctly in the right orientation, but then I uploaded them and they were upside down.
This car was originally from Detroit MI area. It was surprisingly in good condition to the area it lived.
Most likely kept in a proper garage and not driven during salty roads period. The fabric top still the original, but it has some rips.
From my findings, the engine seized a long time ago. The gentleman I got it from just kept it for a period but gave up starting the fix (he got from a PO who actually collected some parts and tried to start some work to it).
I guess he thought the engine not turning was due to a fault ignition switch (he replaced a generic one, luckily the original one I found it in the trunk and matches the door keys).
Then he went to the starter motor pinion ( I found remnants of a pinion inside the bell housing area). Also Excessive grinding the flexplate ring gear was present when I pulled apart.
Almost 1.5'' of sludge in the valve train, under the valley pan etc. I also found that someone had replaced the oil pump gasket and aligned it very poorly with the oil feed gallery, blocking 40% of the passage.
I guess the excessive sludge, intermittent use and poor lubrication caused the engine to seize.
Main bearings were ok (no wear) so I could reuse them. I managed to remove the pistons very carefully without any damage to the pistons and bores. Measured everything and they were still within spec. So I removed carefully the rings and installed new ones, a did a light hone to the bores.
Camshaft had some scoring to some lobes so I procured a new one, and also got new lifters, pushrods and connecting rod bearings.
Heads got seats reground, one intake valve needed to be replaced. No cracks present.
I will update this post with photos from the items I mentioned, and include more.
Still lots to be done to get this vehicle rolling again, but progressing in a daily basis.
Cheers
Julio
Re: 1958 Continental Claret -
Posted: Thu 8. Aug 2019, 18:48
by novetti
Re: 1958 Continental Claret -
Posted: Wed 25. Sep 2019, 23:39
by Theo
Nice car Julio,
love the color
I moved this topic to the "Lincoln Car Restoration Projects" section.
Re: 1958 Continental Claret -
Posted: Thu 17. Oct 2019, 17:43
by novetti
Pistons after removal
Final cocktail Piston punch cleaning
Cleaned with new rings prior reinstall
Re: 1958 Continental Claret -
Posted: Thu 17. Oct 2019, 17:52
by novetti
Heads after re machining
Vacuum pump rebuilt and new oil pump
Bores after brush honing
Primer
Top end assembly
Re: 1958 Continental Claret -
Posted: Sun 20. Oct 2019, 22:58
by novetti
How I found the Oil Pump gasket
Prepping up Engine bay for fresh paint
Engine Bay Primer
Seam Sealing
Fresh Paint
Riggin up
Undercarriage after Hours of scrapping, cleaning, Phosphoric, acid, primer, seam seal, paint
Re: 1958 Continental Claret -
Posted: Sun 20. Oct 2019, 23:00
by novetti
Fabricating new water neck
Bolting Transmission to engine prior lift
Engine at bay with manifolds installed