shelbydoug, I was skeptical buying a 50 year old original when a brand new repop did not work but I felt is was worth a try. The eBay add said "functional" so I figured if it did not work I would return it. Full disclosure the check valve in the 50 year old original did not work but I had already purchased an inline check valve when I was trouble shooting my repop so I just used that. I was pleasantly surprised when it held a vacuum. Maybe it is the sort of thing that if you get a good one it will last 50 years but most were not good? But you are right it seems someone could make a good replacement that would work flawlessly for a very long time.
In all honesty, until Pete came along, I was all on my own with making this friggin' thing work!. Probably Tim Lea could do it too but the last time I left the car with anyone, when I came back to get it, he was doing burnouts in the parking lot with it. So over the years I have ATTEMPTED to learn to cope on my own.
I must admit that as a result I HAVE learned much. Unfortunately most of it is useless artifact stuff? Owning these cars all of these years has qualified me as definitely a living neanderthalian artifact myself.
I suppose that can gather respect but more likely the crowd is just afraid of me and keeps their distance. Like one would do at the zoo. Stay back away from the lions. You know? This guy is worse. More like a tyrannosaurus? They stay back, just in case?
As Pete has said, on it's best day, the thing can be temperamental as all heck. Now you guys have embarrassed me into making mine work too? After about 35 years. Common. No excuses now?
I don't know how long it will take. I'm gonna take out the driver's seat and redo the foam, so I won't get that kink in my back from hanging upside down in there. I have to do the directional signal too, so I just said, "what the hey?" dumb bas tard that I am. I'm sure I'll be sorry and at some point attempt to convince myself this was ALL a good idea?