Continuing with the alternator conversion, I have the 10SI physically mounted (loosely) and am beginning the wiring by removing the brown wire coming from the idiot light and wiring it to the #1 terminal of the 10SI's pigtail. The #2 terminal just jumpers back to the BATT terminal of the 10SI. (I have read that this is optional, but my pigtail came with a ring terminal to attach to the BATT terminal, so might as well.) The ground wire from the old regulator isn't used and I removed it from the harness. I replaced the 14 gauge wire from the positive battery terminal to the BATT stud on the 10SI with a 10 gauge. Ready to tighten up the bracketry I realized I needed to trim the top bracket by an inch and a half. Easy. Then she was finally all bolted down solid, wires routed and wrapped, ready to test. Key on, got my red "GEN" light. Turned to start, light went off and stayed off as the engine caught. I didn't check the voltage but I didn't need to. The windows now zoom up and down like they hadn't before... The juice is in!

Alternator Conversion

Blew the generator or regulator today... not sure which and don't care, as a 10SI Delco alternator is going to go in the car now. Part number I used is the same as for the '76 Electra #7127-12. Started by pulling the old generator off. I then removed the mounting plate from the exhaust manifold and flipped it end for end. This allows the bottom of the new 10SI to bolt up to it with the right spacing on the pulley. However, a few mods were in order. This plate is a solid chunk of steel, instead of the bent dog-eared plate that my '49 had. So the edges where the alternator sits on the plate needed to be rounded and the forward nut that holds the plate to the manifold had to be countersunk. Easy work with a drill bit, Dremel and a file. That concluded today's activities. To be continued...

Got the '59 Cadillac pitman arm from Cooper last week and today installed it. The problem with the center link hitting the gearbox is solved! I only changed the pitman, not the idler, because I think the idler is OK. I have the part from Cooper but haven't yet decided if I will keep it for future use, change it out now, or take it back.

I've found the problem with the center link hitting the gearbox is causing too much restriction on right turns. I tried adjusting the tie rod ends to split the difference, but narrowed the turning radius too much both ways. So, I did some research and found that the '59 and '60 Cadillacs had the longer steering gear of a more modern car, so perhaps the pitman arm from one of those would take care of the trouble. From looking at a '59 at Cooper's, that appears to be true. I will most likely need a '59/60 idler arm as well, so the center link is level. So today I got what was supposed to be a '59 idler arm and it is "S" shaped instead of flat, as the '59 at Cooper's was. I took it home anyway and found the one in my '58 is pretty much flat too (but my pitman is not), so this kind of reinforces my idea that this car had a steering gear replacement with a longer box before. Anyway, the idler I got has to go back. Cooper has some new ones coming next week, along with a '59 pitman arm. These should be FLAT, as all the pictures I've seem of the pitman for '59/60 show them that way. My idler seems to be in good shape anyway, and is definitely not original. A locknut was missing from the top bolt holding the bracket to the frame.

Installed the power steering hoses and bled the system this afternoon (in 95° heat again). Seems to be good, with no leaks but the one thing I noticed is that with the longer gearbox, turning the wheels all the way to the right causes the center link to touch the end of the gearbox housing. If the pitman arm were just a shade longer, this might not happen. I don't know yet if the contact will impinge turning radius, because the car is blocked in and I can't take it out for a test drive. Even if it impinges it slightly, as long as it won't lead to damage to the center link, I don't think I'll mind. The new box appears to take two full turns of the steering wheel to go from lock to lock, so one turn in each direction from straight ahead. it *was* about five turns from lock to lock before.

Steering upgrade!

Replaced the steering gear with a quicker unit I bought from Corvette Steering Service at the end of April. This unit was advertised as a "Big piston Medium effort steering box (good road feel) much quicker steering! Full turn box for tight turns." Tom Reina, pres of Corvette Steering had told me that the way the frame was shaped in the '58, a small amount of reworking would need to be done to accept the newer, longer style box. "This box is a little longer in the front end, a couple of inches! [On the] 58 Caddy the steering box fits in a dip in the chassis. The front end of your chassis needs to be pressed in or a grinding out so this box will fit in the saddle." He provided a new rag joint and new hoses designed to fit my existing pump.

In removing the old steering gear box, the pitman arm almost popped off too easily. I'm thinking that arm has been off somewhat recently. Then I noticed that the pressure hose on there was a Aeroquip, not factory. Then when I did a test fit to see where I would need to make any modifications to the chassis, I found I did not need to make any changes at all. The new box bolted right up! The evidence seems to indicate that this car has had a steering gear replacement before, very likely with one that was longer like this one. Either that, or Mr. Reina was wrong about the '58 chassis.

In any case, I've got everything bolted up (all in 95° heat) but need to install the hoses and bleed the system. Ran out of time.

Oil Change

[113876] Oil and Filter Change. I used my electric fuel pump to suck all the oil out of the filter housing. Then added 5 quarts of Pennzoil 20w-50 with one bottle of STP Red. Then took her out for a drive and ended up cruising around Griffith Park. BTW: I just renewed the tags and insurance.