Fuel Pump, Fuel Filter, Carburetor and MORE

The last couple days were spent in cramped uncomfortable positions, trying to get this puppy running. First thing first, I took the old fuel pump off, cut the wires, and went across the street to Autozone and picked up a new pump. I also picked up an inline fuel filter. For some reason, this car didn't have one previously. I'm planning on running high quality fuel in the car, but in case there are any leftover gremlins hanging out at the bottom of the gas tank, I want to play it safe. I also want to treat any new engine components down the road with utmost care, particularly the Weber carb I plan on installing.

Here's the new pump on the left next to the old one. The fuel filter is clear plastic but will eventually need to be replaced down the line with a metal one due to proximity to the road. I want to see how the tank is doing for a while though.

The previous owner had already done all the hard work of drilling holes and wiring things in, so putting the pump in was just a matter of connecting hoses and trying not to spill gas everywhere. I need to clean the wiring system in this car up a bit too. Since there is body work and paint that needs to be done, I plan on doing a total rebuild next winter. For now though I am focusing on mainly mechanical/electrical issues.


Up and running after everything was put back together. Those fins under the turn signals are diamond plate steel bolted to the frame. I'm not sure what their purpose is besides providing me with a tetanus threat everytime I need to get under the frame. I plan on fabricating a bumper for it soon, but I will attach it to the two main points underneath the grille.

Once again thanks to Brock Murphy @ European Motorworks for letting me use his shop and some more specialized tools. He is really a knowledgeable guy that will help you get the job done right.

 

 This afternoon saw a quick adjustment of the carb to idle more smoothly, and a quick drive around the block to see if it the motor is running smoothly.  Unfortunately, it stalled out on me, and refused to start back up, so I had to push it the rest of the way back. Thanks to the two guys that stopped to help me. When I got back to the shop to diagnose the problem,  I was denied access to the engine bay. The cable to pop the hood is jammed somewhere along the line. I tried to mess with it from the inside, but with no luck. I think it is being pinned down by the battery which is unsecured at the moment. Every attempt to force pop the hood so far has been brutally unsuccessful. To top it off, I snapped the spring off from the pivot plate that releases the hood. Sorry for the lack of pictures here but I was racing the quickly fading solstice sun and the cold winds were starting to blow. 

Spending tomorrow going to Phoenix and brainstorming, but come Friday, I will try my luck once again. Going to have a conundrum on my hands if I don't get this figured out. Slowly but surely, this car will teach me its lessons.