Drove mine, too!

[Bryan Carlson <bjc159s@nic.smsu.edu>]

There must be something in the air, because I drove my 73 square for the
first time in a while a couple of days ago.  I can't remember if I posted
the info on my re-rebuild yet, so here goes.  It turns out that the
machinist that did the work on the case and the crank the first time
around ground the crank way out of specs and didn't cut a thrust surface
in the case.  I bolted everything together, and had a difficult time
finding a consistent end play reading due to the thrust surface not being
correct.  I found a reading that I was happy with, and merrily bolted
everything together.  It started five or six times, and I even drove it
twice for a total of about 6 miles, and the thing locked up on me.  This
was about the end of March, so I had to put the work off until I had some
free time (I was in the middle of an internship, last semester of college,
last season of track, etc, etc).  But, I also had to move at the end of
May across town, and I didn't want to tow my car.  So as soon as I could,
I dropped the engine, broke it down to the bare case, and took it to
another rebuilder who gave me the above diagnosis.  He corrected the
errors, and returned the case to me assembled and ready to go, for what I
consider a pretty reasonable price.  I got everything together, and it
started right up.  I ran it a couple of times (as per the Wilson book and
the Hoover site), and then drove the short distance to my new place.  It
is no longer under the shade of a car port, so that sort of bums me out,
and it got rained on for the first time in two years the other day, so no
telling where we have leaks.  I also will be fiddling with the brakes over
the next few days, as the effort at the pedal is abnormally high.  I also
have a few items on my wish list that I will be scouting for at local junk
yards or am hoping that someone on the list has.  I need the cooling tin
that on this engine surrounds the phelonic blocks and the spark plugs.  My
problem is that this has been converted to a carb, and the intake manifold
is alot larger than the phelonic block.  I don't want to run my engine for
an extended period of time in the Missouri heat without this tin.  Would
tin from an earlier engine work?  I'm open for suggestions.  I also need
the right elbow that connects the fan housing to the rear heat exchanger
on top of the muffler. 
I also have one quick question and I will conclude
my longest post ever:  Does anyone use a cylinder head temp sensor and
guage?  If so, please let me know what brand, where purchased, where
mounted (I would assume that it's on #3, but how about the guage in the
car?), and typical operating temps.  
This list has been a valuable resourse for me and I appreciate the time
and effort that Greg and the rest of the crew has invested.  Much
appreciation from me and my car.
Thanks,
Bryan