Hi Larry! Same situation - many cars in collection - in surgery or sitting for months.
Given the 'wonders' of ethanol fuel (non ethanol not available in Maryland) I have come to 'View' the 'Firing up process' on the Slant 6s & the V8s ( Buick 215, 401 & Chrysler 440s) in this context:
-1st few series of cranking:
OIL LUBRICATION & Mechanical Fuel Pump Priming.
- Then shots of starter fluid. Usually fires right up.
- 2nd- Third Shots of Starter Fluidusually fires, runs and by then the Mechanical Pump has filled the carb float bowls and engines settle in to a nice fast idle.
The worst starting are the 63 Buick Riviera ( 401) and the Chrysler 413 in my 63 Imperial & Chrysler 440 in my Jensen Interceptor Convert (74).
The ethanol evaporation in the summer is a real problem.
Now if I make a 'Coffee Run',, wait 15 minutes, ( even in the Slant 6s( 61 Lancer wagon, 63 Dodge Dart GT convert) give throttle pedal full floor ( opening butterfly full) can prevent flooding and fires up pretty quickly.
Now, ironically, my 36 Packard 120B Straight 8 had a Stromberg 2 brrl carb similar in design to thec2brrl on my 56 Dodge 270 Polyhead. Since I swapped it for a 38 Carter 2brrl carb, I never have an issue with it instantly firing right up ethanol or non ethanol fuel.
Now most Mopar Gearheads are familiar with the mid 50s Chrysler dual point distributor. 8 lobe cam Both points firing at same time.
Well the Parkard has a 4 lobe cam, dual points. 1st set. Time to flywheel, 2nd set to 1st set opening timing. 1st point set fires Plugs 1-4; 2nd set fires Plugs 5-8. If timing alignment right- won't run. Perfect and can balance Nickel on Flathead, Timing Trick my father used on his 48 Dodge Get a Way 6.
I wouldn't worry about a few minutes of cranking to get fuel from the tank to the carb; just think of it as a very good prelube of the upper cylinder components.
Of course you could always add an electric pump in parallel as a 'fuel primer'
GM (80s)and Jaguar XJ6 & XJ12s actually did this on fuel injected engines: Turn key to Start. Gm Puter activates fuel pump for 3 secs. Jag used distinct Starting Fuel Injector for starting. Then Once engine fired, puter got signal to activate fuel pump relay (from distributor & or oil pressure switch).
Of course 35# fuel pump pressure on Fuel Injected engines don't have the gravity drain back issue our 50s-60s cars do. But understanding the 'mechanisms/ logistics' at play and we can eliminate a lot of frustration when we first 'reactivate into service' our favorite MOPARS!
Sherman D Taffel
Columbia MD & Goldvein Virginia
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