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**GT3** · 08-31-2016, 11:18 PM

Sewer line backs up after large storm.

**JTR70** · 09-01-2016, 12:15 PM

YIKES! How do clean out all those nooks and crannies in the chassis to ever get that shit smell out?? My sympathies to the owner. Thanks for posting!
Justin

**Jack Staggs** · 09-09-2016, 01:50 PM

**JOP** · 09-09-2016, 01:57 PM

Why would anybody attempt to try climbing a tree with a 356

What happened @ this crashsite?
Future Coupster project...

JOP

( ps how did it go with the rudge wheels? Got them off? )

**Jack Staggs** · 09-11-2016, 09:06 AM

[i][i]Yeah, that one's a sad tale. The owner's father bought the car brand new, and still wearing it's original paint, chrome, upholstery, etc, all in extremely nice condition. All numbers match as well. One of the best survivor cars I have ever seen. The owner was moving to San Clemente from Long Beach and felt ita was to risky to drive the car the 55 miles. The imbecile tow truck driver saved 15 seconds by not chocking the tires on the truck while unloading the car on rather steep hill. While he was attempting to unload the owners prized possession, the truck began rolling down the hill, with the car still attached to the winch. The truck finally stopping after hitting a tree at the bottom of the hill. That's why the flat bed is tiled. The cable can be seen draped over the side of the bed, and the moron with his back to you is on the phone trying to explain to his boss what happened. The poor car looks like a upside-down turtle on a fish hook. I've seen a lot of damage on cars that were towed/trailered in vain attempts to keep the cars safe, but this one is right behind the Ventura train incident. What a shame.

Re: Rudge. I finally got those damned things off on Thursday. I borrowed a rather crude spinner removal tool from another shop and modified it so that it would not slip of of the ears. I then scrounged a piece of 1/2" thick hardwood from a cabinet shop around the corner and cut a 16" circular piece of wood that fit in to the recess of the wheel, where the wheel weights normally would fit, and cut a keyhole slot in it so I could slip it behind the spinner. This helped keep the tool square the the spinner, and prevented contact with the chrome face of the wheel to avoid damage. We lowered the car on the lift until the tires came in contact with the floor, as even extreme brake pedal pressure was not enough to hold the drums from spinning when applying torque from a 6 foot thick wall tube over the tool shaft. Still not enough, as the tool would cock on the spinner from the extreme torque. We then placed a short jack stand under the fulcrum of the tool to keep if from shifting. This worked well on the front wheels by pushing down with considerable weight from my 205 pound build on the 6 foot lever. On the left rear, (counter clockwise rotation), I had to turn it by lifting the the lever, as pushing down on the lever from the other side raised the tire from full contact of the ground due to suspension geometry, resulting in the wheel turning despite Kerry's best efforts at the pedal. The right rear was another story. No go. We later discovered that the threads were rusted significantly. The others had adequate anti-sieze, but not this one. For removal there, I procured a couple deep sea lead fishing weights, about the size of a large turkey egg (2"x3"), and bored a hole to bolt one to a handle so Kerry could safely hold it in place while I wailed on it with a 4 pound single jack hammer. After about 50 strikes with some movement, the first egg was nearly split in two, so we fitted the next egg for ultimate success, all with no damage. I'll bet that the 3 "easy" ones needed around 800 foot pounds for removal, the rusty one, over 1000. Factory specs are unknown to me, but other similar systems suggest 175# to 200# (very tight!). In all fairness to the previous installer, I'll bet these wheels have not been off in 10 years on this absolutely gorgeous car, although there is a appox 3# copper hammer in the trunk with about 15 strikes on one face. Good luck with that. My shoulder and wrist still hurt from this Hurculean task. BTW, this cars spinners indicated AUF for removal. Others that I have seen indicated the opposite, with still other having wild combinations of cap indications and thread variations from side to side with no apparent reason. I guess anything goes from back in the day to keep these cars on the road. From now on, I will place instructions wired to the spare tire for spinner removal in specific location of these expensive, ridiculously heavy, cumbersome, problematic wheels. That way, the tag can be torn off and discarded at the next concours, leaving the next poor guy to figure it out. I love Rudge wheels.