First test run of 1931 model 43

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After a year and a half, I finally got enough done on my model 43 coupe to actually take it out and drive it.  My only experience driving it was coaxing it into the trailer the day I bought it.  The weather was in the mid 70s, and was the first decent day we’ve had for a test drive.  No bumpers, no hood, no chrome installed yet, so the poor thing looked like some hot rod.  Surprisingly it went well.  A few hose leaks, valve cover leaks, and a speedometer that made so much noise I thought the throw out bearing had gone.  Stopped on the side of the road and disconnected the cable and discovered that hot muffler really burnes ones wrist.  As suggested recently on the message board, I did about a dozen hard accelerations to set the rings, which was not easy on a nice Saturday on city streets.  Now I have to get the rebuilt generator working and a few adjustments and retorquing and I can start reassembling and and and.

Maybe it will make it to Gilmore this fall.

Tom Barrett

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