Trying to start a '47

nellis003

nellis003

Senior Member
Hi All,

I'm hoping you can help me figure this out on short notice.

My father passed away this past Sunday. He was a Ford guy his whole life, and is the reason I love old cars. We even worked together for a few years, buying/repairing/selling old cars, mostly Fords from the teens to the sixties.

His funeral is this Monday, and I've been trying to get his 1947 Ford Convertible up and running so we can have it in the procession, but for the life of me I can't get her to start.

I have a well-charged Optima battery that seems to be grounded well. When I pull a sparkplug and hold it to the head, I see a spark (but I can't tell if it's strong enough for ignition). I spray starter fluid down the carb and crank the engine, but she won't even cough. The engine is just turning with no combustion at all.

I thought maybe it could be a timing issue, but the car ran when it was parked a few years back, so I can't imagine the timing would now be so far off that I wouldn't get any combustion at all.

I basically have the rest of today and then tomorrow before the wake to figure this out, so if anyone has any suggestions, I'd greatly appreciate it.

Thanks in advance,
Nick
 
Sorry for your loss. Are there any hidden switches for electric fuel pump to prime the carb ?
If you take the air cleaner off and look down the throat, open the throttle and look for fuel .
I doubt its timing . If you have spark , check after dark and have someone crank while looking at the distributor and plugs , look for any arching.
You could temporarily run a jumper wire to the coil , giving it full voltage while cranking , just to see if it fires . Do not leave it on if it fires .
Is it still 6 volt pos earty or different?
 
Thank you.

At this point I'm just trying to get it to fire off starting fluid - I figure I'll tackle any fuel delivery issues if I can get it to fire.

I'll check for arcing while I crank the engine, thanks for the tip!

It's still on six volts, and I'm using a modern 6v coil that states that it doesn't need an external resistor.

I suspect the condenser - does anyone know if they can be found locally?
 
The NAPA number I think is FA 54. Another number that Charlie NY recommended when he did my distributor was IH 200. Also NAPA.
 
I am on the northwest side of Chicago, and I have the day free tomorrow, Sunday. I am no expert, and it sounds like you know what you are doing, so I probably won't be able to offer much. But sometimes another set of eyes... I have two new condensers I can bring.

If you want, call me at: (deleted; don't need a computer bot to find it, add to robocall lists)
 
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Many thanks to everyone who pitched in with suggestions, and especially Jay who offered to come out and help. It’s snowing by me right now, and tomorrow it’s going to be pretty cold, so I’ve decided it’s best to postpone getting the car on the road until the Spring.

This is one of the reasons I love this community. Thanks for the help. I’ll keep you all posted on how things go with the car. It’s been in the family for over 25 years, and I intend to keep it in the family for a lot longer, so hopefully I’ll have some stories around having it running in the Spring for ice cream runs with my nieces and nephews.


Thanks again,
Nick
 
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Nellis,

I would take a quick look at the points, as well, as they often corrode when stored for a longer period. A quick cleanup with a point file or emery cloth might do the trick.

Al Hook
 
Nick,
Our condolences to you and your family. Your Dad and you worked on these cars a lot. They have a way of sending us messages. Lots of folks will be here to help you when you have time to get back to his Ford.
Regards,
Chris and Cheryl
 
If you have a coil with an internal resistor. Make sure the original resistor is removed.
I dont remember wehere it is located on a 47
 
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