Wont Be Drivin Ester for awhile.

Took the dogs out last night for their last run before bed and noticed a red glow in the snow. Stared at it for a bit, then decided to see what it was. Well I guess the brake pedal return spring broke sometime yesterday, cause the "glow" was Esters brake lights. I opened the door and pulled up on the pedal and they went out, but the pedal wont stay up all the way. Guess I have to wait for the new snow to melt so I can climb under her and see wht the issue is.

Yea, I think there's one on the parts van, I'll have to see.

Digz wrote:Man MK, I hope you can change that little pic soon ,, depresses me just lookin' at it. We still have snow but its going fast now.

The snows not that bad now, I even got to drive her last week before the latest round of storms. We heat up pretty quick up here in March. If we get a week of mostly sun, I'll be able to get her out. I just dont like layin in the wet working on her.

Chuck, I've had that problem before, was the brake return spring like Don suggested.. mine had just slipped off. I bent the end a little bit so it would stay in place. Easy fix!

If it would quit snowing and dry out a little, maybe I could get under her and fix it along with the heater core.

donivan65 wrote:Did you find a 1st gen heater core?

Yes and no, Kragen as we dicussed says that they have one, but I have to order it. I have not gone down the hill and gone through that process yet. I have looked into removing and using the core from the parts van. The parts van core isnt even close to the one thats in Ester. I believe that the PO retro fitted a "same size" core to work in her and the parts van has the correct core still intact. I started to remove the heater assembly in the parts van and it doesnt really want to come out. We havent had any decent weekend weather round here lately so I havent got anything done. This weekend is also out for working on vans, although its gunna be sunny. Hopefully with the time change coming this weekend, I will have some time after work to get it done. Ester is REALLY close to DD status now and I'm gettin itchy to get her on the road, but I need a heater still..................so she sits.

That's good to hear. Hope the snow melts fast so I can get up there and pick up those parts we talked about a month ago. Got my gas gauge working thanks to Don, picking up my recored radiator on Friday and will install a new 17" 6 blade fan and I am good to go. The next project is seat belts and the master cylinder conversion before I start driving it daily on the streets here.

Thats whats in the parts van. Maybe the snow will all melt this weekend.

Maybe this weekend I will go by Kragen and see if they have a picture of the core they say is the replacement.

Got the parts vans core mostly apart. Need the slab to dry and need to get the dremel in there to cut the hose clamps off under the floor. I will take the core to a radiator shop and have it checked to see if its any good. Planning on getting to Kragen tomorrow after work to see if there core is the right one.

Thats what I was thinkin too.

Well, got the core out of the parts van and hooked up in Ester.........................it leaks too! Will be going by Kragen to see what they have.

Well I've been to Autozone, Kragen, and my local parts store. None of them have the right cores so i'm gunna take the stock core down to a place in Fontana who used to do my radiators. Called him on Friday and he said that he's pretty sure he can get the right one and reuse my tanks.

I picked up the Kragen heater core today for $27 and it is nothing like the stock unit. I'm using it cause the PO already butched up the core box retro fitting a core that wasnt even close. The hose barbs need to come out the front to the left of the fan instead of the the bottom right corner like stock.

For all of you who are looking...................dont get the one Kragen/O'Rilley says fits, unless you want to modify the core box. Its also 3" shorter. But Ester has a heater now, ugly, but a heater.

donivan65 wrote:Now a heater is probably one of the the most important things you need up there,,,,,what part# did you get? We need to find the best heater core that we can if we can't get the stock one. So that new one is not the right size for your pipe header to be transferred to?

You could do the transfer but it will be 3" to short. Width and depth are right, just not the length. Its the only core that they list for 1st gens. I'm gunna check with Fontana Radiator and see if they can use my tanks and get the right size core. That will be a couple of weeks though. Like I said my core housing in Ester was butched real bad anyhow and the one in the parts van was totally stock.