Guessing this is the Wheeler Dealers X

Pete Whitstone said:
Yup, universal by-the-foot ebay stuff.
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The thing about that is the size of the windshield is typically different for a "glue-in" one vs a "push-in" one. So I'm not entirely sure how they did that...or are the early X's not glue-in? I've only owned the later versions so I'm not familiar with things like that.
 
I watched the new Wheeler Dealers episode, then decided to enjoy a Christmas movie with my wife, and with my two boys who returned home from school. Has anyone ever noticed that Mike Brewer bears an uncanny resemblance to Bob Cratchitt in the the 1938 version of A Christmas Carol starring Reginald Owen as Scrooge. I was amazed I haven’t noticed it before. Maybe it’s why I like this version best. I actually really enjoy WD. The shows are informative and have a streak of humor. I liked the show better when it was less scripted and more authentic. But still I enjoy all the episodes when I watch them on my Motortrend streaming app. Merry Christmas everyone!
 
I just watched the show...It reminded me that I had done all that work (except the windshield rust) and a head gasket in my one-car garage and no lift. I was hoping he went through the ritual of replacing the brake master cylinder.
Merry Christmas!
 
I quite enjoyed the show. So did the three, non-petrol heads who were with me. WD’s isnt for everyone, that’s for sure. When you factor in the brakes, struts and tires, I imagine that price total would increase .
 
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Just mindless curiosity, Does anyone else remove the radiator fan(s) before removing the radiator?
 
I still have my original radiator on my back porch, complete with both fans, from when I replaced it with an aluminum Vick rad.
Of course, I don't have a lift either!
 
Rupunzell said:
Curious, did WD really sell this 74' to that couple?
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I also watched some of the episode as it aired on TV the other day. I say "some" of it because every time the chubby mouth appeared or his voice came on I fast forwarded it until he went away. Made me realize just how much of the show wasn't about working on the car.

But I had the same question as Bernice. The ad for the car later makes me think it did not sell as the episode indicated. All a scripted ruse? What other deceptions did they portray? Or perhaps it was sold but the buyers realized it wasn't as promised and returned it?

Like others here I kept wondering about all of the other common items that typically need attention on a X but weren't mentioned. Was the car just recently gone through before they got a hold of it? It did appear to be in decent condition overall.
 
WD is a TV show. And even though it might be classified as a "reality" show, I don't expect much reality from it (or any of the others). It's meant to be entertainment. It has to fit into a certain time limit. If they would have fixed all of the common problem areas it would have been a two hour show. Do they ever actually "sell" the car as depicted on the show?
I would be interested in learning how they "put the show together". How do they pick a car? Do they write a script, then pick a car? How do they figure out what they are going to fix? How much footage do they shoot that is never used? Who do they use as technical advisors? (Maybe no one - stainless steel coolant tubes - after he dislodges copious amounts of rust removing the rad hose?) Etc, etc ...
All in all I'm still mildly entertained b the show, but I think it lacks something since it got new "owners". They don't seem to really be "car guys" to me.
 
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If you are referring to the coolant pipes (and not the circled rubber body plug); stock they are made from plain steel. The ones in your photo look like after-market stainless steel ones (judging by looks and the lack of drain plugs in the stock locations).
 
ng_randolph said:
If you are referring to the coolant pipes (and not the circled rubber body plug); stock they are made from plain steel. The ones in your photo look like after-market stainless steel ones (judging by looks and the lack of drain plugs in the stock locations).
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Are the coolant pipes ‘fed’ through the chamber, or would the chamber need to come off to install these new, stainless cooling pipes?
 
tvmaster said:
Are the coolant pipes ‘fed’ through the chamber, or would the chamber need to come off to install these new, stainless cooling pipes?
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To replace them with the stainless steel ones, the cover needs to come off. There are dozens of spot welds that hold it on and it is considered a structural item, so it needs to go back on securely attached to the body. Not an easy job. @lookforjoe just replaced his and documented how he did it.
Some have been able to cut the ends off and twist out the pipes, then feed in standard plumbing copper pipes without taking the cover off. Not as elegant as the stainless ones, but a lot easier. There are threads about that technique as well.
 
tvmaster said:
Are the coolant pipes ‘fed’ through the chamber, or would the chamber need to come off to install these new, stainless cooling pipes?
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If they are fully formed like the OE ones the ‘chamber’ needs to be taken apart. Now if one were to cut off the rear most part of the pipes they are straight and could be fed through and then join them with a clamped rubber joint.

If yours are not leaking then I would leave them alone. Pick your battles.
 
I thought everyone left the fans on, rolled a floor jack under the radiator support beam and just lowered the whole assembly with the jack.

As to replacing/repairing coolant pipes, probably a third of the posts on this forum deal with that misery! Typically, if those pipes are rusty then the steel heater pipe in there is rusty too. If you think your car has rusty pipes, better to start a new thread.
 
carl said:
I thought everyone left the fans on, rolled a floor jack under the radiator support beam and just lowered the whole assembly with the jack.

As to replacing/repairing coolant pipes, probably a third of the posts on this forum deal with that misery! Typically, if those pipes are rusty then the steel heater pipe in there is rusty too. If you think your car has rusty pipes, better to start a new thread.
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Just watching the show, and hearing both hosts say everything’s fine, and then reading people freaking-out here to the contrary made me wonder just how difficult the solution was if the forum members are more correct than the ‘Master Mechanic’ is.
It‘s difficult from watching 2D TV to tell if something is rust, or 45 years of dust-bunnies...
 
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