filozof97

Hello; I'm looking for one of these thin metal c-shaped rails, used to attach weatherstripping to the pillar, and, in my case, also to the convertible top frame. They seem to be a universal product, sold by the meter, used to attach rubber in many different cars... but I don't know how is it called and where to look for it. Any ideas?

That's what I thought after posting problem here; I'll look tomorrow how hard is to get gear removed, and then will check it for wear.

Hello; I've got really, really strange issue with speedometer in my '53 Mercedes - Benz 300. When I'm accelerating, speedometer stands at zero. When I press the clutch down, it goes up to actual speed. Same happens when I rapidly take my foot off the gas pedal. When I'm driving at steady speed, it's random - sometimes zero, sometimes actual speed, sometimes slighly reduced speed, sometimes something like 20 km/h at 100 km/h. I've disconnected cable from the speedo, to see if the problem is in speedometer or in cable. When accelerating etc. cable does not move, so speedo is O.K. I've changed speedometer cable for a new, custom made one. Nothing has changed. Put some rubber hose over it, as I thought it's bending in where it passes in beetween frame and body, while engine moves on its mounts. Nothing has changed. I have absolutely no idea what to do next. Any ideas?

Thank You for all responses; I asked the friend, who asked the friend etc.

Hello; I'm going to buy a classic car in St. Louis area; the car seems fine, and seller too, but before transfering money on the other side of the Ocean, I'd like to check if it's not scam. Just somebody to meet with seller and see if the car actually exists. I suppose that there are some companies which specialize in it, but in fact - I don't even know where to start looking for. Any clues?

Well, I've photographed classic cars with old cameras a lot, then developing pictures in darkroom in my basement; sometimes even using expired, 1970s photographic paper. I've used 35 mm "Praktica" and "Zorki", and medium format "Agfa Isolette", "Rolleiflex" and "Kiev 6C" and even made few 8mm movies; though, I''ve never tried to "make - up" the past. What about the medium - format film, Kodak cameras used 620 type, which is no longer manufactured; the film is identical to common and still aviable 120 film, but the spool is different. Some cameras can be machined to use 120 film, some are too small. Just buy non - Kodak camera, as almost every other manufacturer used 120 film, even back in early 1900s. IMO, if You want a real 30s - technology camera which would be cheap and work without any repairs, You can buy any of soviet rangefinders, as they were manufactured up to early 90s, without major changes - 50 € would get you nice Zorki, Fed or Kiev. With medium format is a little harder (I mean - more expensive); I've bought my 1934 Rolleiflex for about 200 €. Bellow - type cameras are generally cheaper, but most of them don't have rangefinder, so focusing is a bit tricky, as You have to guess the distance and set it on the meter scale. They were made up to late 50s, so getting one with non - pinholed bellow is possible; if there are some minor holes, You can always patch them with solution of black ink in bookbinding glue. Another story is lightmeter - You simply got to have one. Old, self - feeding selenium type are almost always broken (diffusion of thin gold layer on surface of selenium cells), so You have to go with more modern, CdS type (more expensive ones from 60s onwards). Or... just install app on Your mobile phone. Of course, You can always perform a 1930s newsreel and buy a Graflex Speed Graphic. What is most important - as every possible hobby, it takes time. A lot of time (and a little skill). So make sure, that You have time for both classic cars and photography. It's almost impossible to get the "look" of photographs taken on film using digital camera - silver halide gives You plenty of shades of gray, having greater tone range than any digital sensor; You'd see it especially in lightest parts of image, which on digital photographs are often "burnt". So, what's the point? Probably the same as driving a 80 years old car - fun. Attached photographs: Group of cars on the roadside - Praktica MTL; Packard and Warszawa with people - Praktica MTL; Ford T - Zorki 4; Packard on the wooden bridge - Rolleiflex "Old Standard"; Volga in the dark - Kiev 6C; Mercury - Kiev 6C.

Major Russian motor industry began in late 20s, when GAZ (Car factory in Gorki) was founded, and they first model was GAZ - A, simply licensed version of Ford model A. Also, factory was actually built by Ford, even some American workers left USA during Great Depression to work in GAZ factory. Of course, there were Russian cars before, such as Russo - Balt, but it wasn't mass production, as there were nor industrial capabilities nor real demand before forced industralization in Stalin's era. Gaz A was quicly replaced by GAZ - M1, based on 1934 Ford and designed in cooperation with Ford. Another factory, ZiS, produced trucks and luxury automobiles - most of them of Russian construction, but highly influenced by American designs. Another example of such influence is Mopar Flathead Six engine, which was copied in Russia to power trucks, then shortened by two cylinders to power passenger cars, then licensed to Poland, then converted to OHV and manufactured till late 90s. Those Russian pre - war cars are extremally rare nowdays - not many of them were produced and most of them was destroyed during the war. Scarce of automobiles also meant that existing ones would be used as long as possible, lacking spare parts and being repaired with those aviable (I've posted some time ago photographs of pre - war Willys after such repairs). Even nowdays You can sometimes find on Russian or Ukrainian websites abominations such as pre - war Tatra (air cooled rear engine) converted to use Volga's drivetrain. As far as I know, imports of cars to Soviet Union was minimal, with few minor exceptions. First, cars imported as a examples of foreign technology, design patterns - they were not scrapped, but simply used. Just after WWII many captured cars were taken home by Red Army officers and some were leftovers from diplomatic agendas. And, of course, lend&lease. You may wonder why Russian cars were based on American designs. There were two reasons: first, both countries are simillar by natural conditions - large, with low population density, every possible climate, lacking roads and having plenty of natural resources - so machines used to fight those inconveniences ought to be similar. Another reason is that the american motor industry was simply the best and biggest in the world - and whole America was set as an example, a target to achieve by Soviet Union before Cold War. Even today You can see flashback of Stalin - Ford contract from 1920s. Handbrake lever in UAZ - Classic, a 4x4 van which is still produced is the same as in Ford model A.

No, they don't. But the same way as any motor company in the world, they probably bought examples of other cars, to copy some of the engineering, to see it's pros and cons. They finally made GAZ M-20 Pobieda, which's motor was close relative to Chrysler Flathead Six, front suspension was very simillar to that of Opel Kapitan, styling of dashboard was clearly 40s GM etc. That Willys surely ended up in Russia when it was new, and then, well.. it was used for many years, being rear - ended sometime. The trunk was too small, spare parts - non existent, so using the opportunity, it was enlarged. Typical story in places when getting new car is very hard or impossible, same story in Cuba. In front end I see grille and headlights trim from Volga M-21, wheels look "Volgish" too. Rear lights seems to be of late Moskwicz.

As downloading from Instagram is impossible, I've made screenshots.

Hello; I wonder if the 1937 - 1942 Willys was ever sold outside US? I especially mean in Europe. Why am I asking? Becouse I found photographs of something that once was a Willys, taken somwhere in Russia. And I have absolutely no idea how did that car ended up in Soviet Union. It's clearly too old for Lend - Lease help, so there are only two or three possibilities: - Car of american embassy in Moscow or some other diplomatic corps (but... would they really use cheapest of the cheapest?) - Bought by one of car factories, such as GAZ or KIM, as an example of world - leading design, thus valuable as a pattern And, most possible - war trophy, taken from Germany after the war So... were they exported? Or maybe You have ideas how this car get to Soviet Union?

Thanks for all replies; I'd like to ask one more thing. If the car is equipped with combination fuel - vacuum pump, should it be connected directly to wiper motor etc. or should it be connected, using tee - joint to the manifold vacuum line and wiper motor?

Hello. I've been wondering what in old cars was actually vacuum - powered. I know about vacuum wipers, vacuum operated pop - up headlights, vacuum operated convertbile tops in 40s convertibles, vacuum operated wiper doors in Corvette C3, vacuum gearshift control in 1938 Chevrolet. Was there anything else?

They are not speed limits. It has something to do with maximum load of bridges etc.- different for wheeled vehicles, different for tracked ones. Two arrows mean traffic in two directions, one - in one direction. Fence means railroad crossing with gates, while traffic sign with choo choo means crossing with no gates.

If one or two teeth are broken, it's easy to repair without making a new gear. I did it with my 120's vent. First of all, drill tiny holes in place of broken teeths. Then put tiny nails in it, bend it 90 degrees and glue/cover with epoxy "welding" glue. When glue dries, simply file it to required shape.

That was actually pretty common practice in eastern bloc countries, but done not with bumpers, but with rocker panels. As all these cars - Fiat 126p, 125p, Ladas etc. rusted quickly, spare panels were on the scarce and waiting time for a new car was from eight to eighteen years, some people cuted small hole in top of the rusting rocker panel and filled it with concrete. Imagine tiny , 24 hp Fiat with extra 100 kg of concrete in it. Daemon of speed.