While the Allegro is hibernating....

[Jim Stoltz]

I've been tinkering with the "new" '64 wagon. I did warm up the Allegro, move it around a bit and fire up the generator like I do once a month but beyond that it's in hibernation mode. 

The wagon is in pretty good shape given its age. My dad's cousin (my 2nd cousin? don't know how that works) employed a lot of creativity in some repairs that will need to be looked at, but all in all it's solid. 

It's running really rich and the carb is of unknown origins. It's a Rochester 4 Jet, correct for the day but not the one that came with it. There are no stampings or tag on it so I can't get a rebuild kit. I may put the Q-Jet from the RV's replacement engine on it for now. I know it works and it was undersized for the 454. It might be good for this 327.

I got tags for it and have been driving it around a bit. It needs a bit of work before I take it much farther than around the block, but it will get there.

More pics:

[Russell E Johnson]

The cousins thing is confusing, but your dad's cousin, makes you and him first cousins once removed, now how is that for confusing LOL. Here is a link that explains it: relations of cousins for what it is worth.

The 64 does look in really good shape. It was nice before all the electronics and computers to work on car and trucks, non-standard repairs were possible. Now days, even exact replacements can be the cause of other problems. Oh and don't even get me started on the problems involving static electricity and computers LOL. Let's just say I figured out how to work with a 20 foot grounding cable tied to my wrist.

I am glad that you and your son have this opportunity to build something together. My dad was never into showing me much and he always bought a new vehicle every year, car one year, pickup the next. All I learned I learned from other people who took the time to explain things to me, and the best teacher was they guy who turned into my BIL. A year younger than me, but great at diagnosing and repairing just about everything. And now that he cannot be a mechanic he has turned to wood turning and of course he is a wiz at that also.  

Anyway, all that being said enjoy your time together, those times of bonding will be the best and most cherished times and stories will be told of that time together for years to come.

Good Luck!

[Rich Thomas]

What Russ said is true, even though we haven't finished it yet my boys and I tore into a 76 bronco and spent many nights out in the garage; working, planning, dreaming about what we would end up with. sorry to say it is still there waiting for it's triumphant return to the highways and by ways but the time we spent out there will never be forgotten. I think that time had a very positive affect on my two youngest boys, One went on to be a Mechanical Engineer and the other a Manufacturing Engineer. Both working in transportation. One works for the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration doing research and the other works for a subset of Honda Japan in research and development.  One helps build cars and one crashes them into brick walls LOL.  

[Jim Stoltz]

Thanks guys. My son has really taken an interest in how everything works and is eager to help with repairs. I was a bit younger when I started tinkering with minibikes and go-carts but he can catch up.

Someone had replaced the alternator with an internally-regulated one from the late-70s. But when they did it they used uninsulated terminals that were shorting out against the case when you revved it up. I think the regulator is cooked now. Not realizing it was not a stock alternator, I ordered a new, correct one (non-returnable). I may have to wire the stock, external regulator back up. It's there but disconnected. The new alternator was only $40 so I'm not too worried about it.

One small victory, however. The high beams were on all the time and when you kicked them down all 4 lights went out. The memories came rushing back - classic problem with the push-button switch on the floor. I replaced it and have low beams once again. 

It would be cool to tow a some sort of classic trailer with it, but the hitch that's on it is simply bolted through the floor pan. I wouldn't tow much more than a small utility trailer with it.