1958 Country Sedan project

Salem Oregon is the Capitol city but we still have only 160,000 population. I've been driving that car regular for 5.5 years and it's become quite an icon so I'm pretty well known for parking at Sam's Transmission and walking to Supervinyl Signs & Banners. When people come into the shop they generally ask about the blue wagon and who owns it?
So word has gotten out and when I am spotted driving someone usually honks and waves while most others just hold up the camera phone.

It's like driving a parade float and I can never get caught picking up a hooker, parking at the local pot dispensary or speeding through any school zone.

When I worked for Polk County Grand Jury all the state and county police that came to make statements now have a face to match the car parked out front of the Polk County building. So even the police give me a nod now and then when we pass.
Never been pulled over either.

That... and my Rat Hole Customs.com web site is on the back of the wagon too...

 

only 160,000 population------------- Our whole county doesn't have near that many people.
The only warnings we get about non working lights are warning fix-it tickets by the police.
I heard sometimes people actually get a written ticket for non working lights. Those things can work when you leave home. It just ain't right but this is Florida.

 

What country are you in?
Oregon has 3.9 million while Portland has 609,000+ and they are still upset we took the capitol away from them. Hahaha
Unfortunately that means Portland nearly always controls elections and they are very liberal.
Police here rarely pull people over for anything but speeding these days.
Even tho talking on a cell phone while driving has a hefty fine attached.

 

Current U.S. population is 323,747,643 and growing.

 

Okay, while ModelT1 figures out where he went wrong... I pulled the trigger and ordered some of the missing bits.
First off, here is the $5.00 heater core that was handed to me which started the ball rolling:

Looks in fantastic condition and appears to have never had water running through the control valve.
The control valve alone sells for $75.00 at Dennis Carpenter.




The second bit arrived in today's mail:

This is the vacuum thermostat valve and it is brand new in the box. Price for this with shipping $70.00.

Some assembly required and missing a couple of screws...
But it mounts here:



So, now I need the rest of the bits:

The control head with levers and cables is currently in the mail for an undisclosed total. I think I can use the squirrel cage fan from my standard heater but that airbox....
There is only one complete airbox with blower housing on ebay and they want an awful lot for it. Market is small so I can wait a bit.

I was looking for a project.
Guess I found it.

 

Well, son of a bitch!
Found two more of those vacuum thermostat valves on ebay just now for way cheaper!!!
Guess I had better get more thorough about searching for the rest of the parts.

 

I hadn't been watching this thread (shame on me), but I see now how the wagon's come along. Damned cool. Babe the Blue Ox is still languishing due to not having any damned money for materials, but I have the ignition switch and headlamp parts, and as soon as the weather stays dry for a couple weeks, I'll get in and swap those out, then pop the replacement carb on, test-fit the replacement radiator and shroud, then Find a used battery to fire it up. And I know what you mean about getting seen on the road. I always hear "My dad had one of these when I was a kid."

 

No updates to report other than the speedo head started making a "whoop whoop whoop" noise so I removed the cable from the head. Cable spins quietly laying across the transmission tunnel while I contemplate removing that damn instrument panel yet again!

As for the deluxe heater.... I got a very nice control head that I cleaned up, oiled and even the lamp lights up.



Cables move smoothly to adjust heat, air and defrost. Just need the air box next.
One is up on eBay along with another in separate parts. Both are very proud of their items.
Waiting till after the Rickreall auto swap meet before I decide. Who knows, I might get lucky.



Also picked up a new Dennis Carpenter gasket set.



The Surf Rat still lives and prowls the highways and byways nearly 6 years later.
Hang 10!

 

LOL.....
That 'Everhot' box looks like it had been sitting on a shelf somewhere for 50 years!

 

Oh....

 

Sorry I've been busy. Those are some nice heater parts. Good luck.
When my brother and I were barely out of diapers we moved from Illinois to Portland so dad could build ships. I'm not sure if the ship building stopped or he got tired of the rain. We moved back to Illinois in under two years.

Now my wife and I retired to a remote country south of Georgia and Alabama called La Florida, land of pretty flowers. It's called the Big Bend area below the Panhandle in the boonies. We are also in what's called the tri-county area way down upon the Suwannee river.
My internet comes out of the sky when it's not raining.
There really aren't many humans in this area. Most of those are Florida Crackers or Rednecks.............. and retirees from up north. We fall into one of those brackets.

We spent a week one day eating there with 59wagon man
Our fish are so friendly they sometimes jump in the boat

 

Update for June 2016.
Finally pulled the trigger on the air box for the deluxe heater system.
Good news, it's mostly complete and solid. Lott'a rust but all surface and easy to clean. Got the mouse nest out and found all the parts in good shape and only missing two cable clamps. (On order)


Bad news is the blower fan motor is toast. Very expensive item new... but there are other less expensive used motors on eBay.

Good news is my fan motor currently installed in the car works very well.

Bad news... I can't get the squirrel cage fan off the recently purchased one to salvage the needed mounting plate.
(Can't use the one in Surf Rat since it uses a square mounting plate!) Regardless I expect the fan in Surf Rat to have the same problem removing the set screw anyway... but... is that just "sour grapes"?

No matter what, the headaches/challenges mount while I continue to drive the car every day.
Old cars might be a challenge, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Soon all the bits will go under the sand blaster and then be painted a nice semi gloss black.
No hurry since the weather looks to be quite warm for the next few months anyway.

Respectfully submitted,

 

So this is what progress looks like. I haven't seen any around my neck of the woods in a coons age.

Anyway.

 

Well... I drive it every day, so finding time to work on it is not only a priority but a fun hobby! And I like making progress.