#DRAWING PAINTER N WRECKER AGAIN

[chop37]

my 2 bfs 

yes they smonk weed bunts

[itsworn]

Making A Cooling System Recovery Tank

In this modern age of catalog convenience, with hot rod parts as close as our newfangled phones, we do have an advantage. As the son of an auto wrecker, I’ve enjoyed the old-time advantage as well. I still get a kick from parts that cost me little or nothing, especially when they suit the personality of the build. As one example, here’s a plastic coolant recovery tank, which was original equipment on a 1974 Mazda RX4. Despite its origin, its potential was obvious, so I kept it in my parts stash until it eventually fit the bill for a customer’s coupe. Without modification, its original bracket adapted nicely to its shiny new surroundings. The plastic tank, however, was no cherry, so know that I worked for this coolant recovery system.

Is a coolant recovery system really necessary? Perhaps not, but without one you’ll be refilling often as overflow goes directly to ground level where bigger troubles begin. Unbeknownst to Fido, that little green puddle ain’t Kool-Aid. He’ll slurp it right up, ethylene glycol and all. As an ounce of prevention a catch-can might help, but if your rod already has a pressurized cooling system, why not incorporate a fully functional coolant recovery system?

A parts-store-plastic recovery kit could work. The street-rod-stainless type would look better. An open-minded stroll through a wrecking yard would yield some less-recognizable options, but if we give it some thought, coolant recovery tanks can be artfully crafted from things already within reach. The possibilities are limitless. If taste counts, however, there’s one limiting factor: Your recovery tank should suit the personality of your personal rod. With all that said, we might as well begin our search for raw materials in our own garages.

First, before we get started, and providin’ it won’t embarrass him too much, I must say that my friend, Richard Wright of Fallon, Nevada is an artist at everything he does, and one crafty craftsman to boot. As a grizzled veteran painter of old hot rods, Wright has a sentimental soft spot for old paint containers, which the painterly amongst us might consider collectible. Over the years Wright has made a number of paint can recovery tanks in different shapes and sizes. Following his own instructions again, he’ll make one for us to take home.

Here in Fallon, on the shelf in Wright’s garage, we find a quart-size catalyst can worth workin’ with, and it’s a classic. Painted-to-match, this cylindrical can would be an excellent fit for that hot-blooded hot rod back home.

Fresh from the drawing board, Wright’s illustrations depict two different designs. For a clean appearance up top, let’s choose the design on the right.

To get started we’ll need: 1/4-inch-OD brass tubing, brass hose barbs, tubing cutter, silver-bearing solder, and we probably ought to look around for a propane torch.

Wouldn’t you know it; we’ve selected a can that still contains combustible residue. After a quick solvent rinse the inside is evaporated dry with compressed air. “Hey Rich, if you’ll really be soldering with a torch, should the rest of us run for cover?”

For the purpose of illustration, Wright conducts the torch test. Having been-there-done-that, he’s certain that it’s safe. Even so, we do not condone this method of testing.

So, after the fire drill the soon-to-be recovery can’s expulsion tube is cut just a bit—no, two bits shorter than the can’s overall depth.

With a manually operated reamer the fresh-cut brass tubing’s inner edges are deburred.

Afterward, making use of the nearby disc sander, the tubing’s outer edges receive some smoothing as well.

In order to tightly accommodate the 1/4-inch-OD brass tubing, the brass hose barbs require relief, so these holes are enlarged accordingly.

Then while the fitting is still secured in the vise, a rubber mallet helps to persuade the tubing into its final location.

Next after Wright chucks up a near-new 5/16 drill bit, our inlet ‘n’ outlet ports are located and quickly drilled. The can is very thin. The bit is very sharp. Pushed down prior to spinning, the bit acts as its own center punch.

Once these two holes are drilled, the manual reamer again comes into play.

It takes a few fit-checks along the way, but once the reamed port sizes are correct, our brass hardware is gingerly threaded in.

With less than an hour invested and only soldering left to do, Wright is nearing the finish line.

Before soldering, the soon-to-be-soldered parts must be tinned. Applied via acid brush, the Tins-tyter tinning fluid used here is all of 15 years old.

You’re not likely to find the Tins-tyter brand, but suitable alternatives are available today, and silver-bearing solder should be on the shelves of your local hardware store.

For post-soldering cleanup it’s tough to beat a steel brush and rubbing alcohol. From here the same soldering procedure will be repeated for the opposite port—the inlet port. In two shakes of a propane torch, that’ll be done as well.

Now apart from clamp fabrication, our quart-size recovery tank is finished to the point where we might as well take it home.

Back at home, before installation, let’s apply a durable finish that won’t scream “catalyst can!” A quick lap around the blasting cabinet should provide tooth for a coating. First let’s freshen up our media with 80-grit glass beads, from Harbor Freight.

Roughly five minutes later, we have a clean start. From here cleanliness counts, so we’ll handle our can with latex gloves. Once it’s hung and blown with clean compressed air, it’ll be ready for paint. Since we’re in Montana, we’ll use Montana-compliant materials, from our stockpile of leftovers.

Right over blown-off blasted metal, let’s apply a single wet coat of black epoxy primer. For the rather small job at hand there’s no sense in dirtying up a high-dollar ‘gun. This cute little gravity-feed HVLP was only $9.99 at Harbor Freight.

With a week-long window for chemical bond, our epoxy primer is forgiving. In this instance we’ve allowed it to cure overnight before applying this single-stage black acrylic urethane. Now that it’ll blend in with its surroundings, we can install our needed quart-size recovery can on the aforementioned hot-blooded hot rod.

Meanwhile, back in Fallon where it’s hotter, Wright’s hopped-up A-V8 runs cool enough that a pint-size recovery can is adequate. Using one of his signature sheet-brass clamps, his installation is complete. Now as a fully functional coolant recovery tank, especially for an old painter’s old hot rod, this painted-to-match catalyst can fits the bill.

If you’re short of cool catalyst cans, or maybe just not an old painter who likes those, check your options. Recovery can candidates are all around us. The hunt could be a hoot. With your own imagineering, your version will suit the personality of your personal rod.

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