1913 Metz 22 - Our first project

1913 Model 22 Roadster.

It is just a pile of parts and I still have to pick them up and bring them home... but we have a car now. This will be a father daughter project and is our first real project. I don't know if we have the skills, time and/or money to complete the vision but I do know we will have some fun. The ultimate goal for the car is an 'as was' restoration at show quality. A running car looking just like it left the factory in 1913.

It is missing the top, hood, seat structure and gas tank(s). Most everything else seems to be there, however, it is in truly awful condition. Most everything that should move is seized and there isn't a 4" square area of a body panel that is not bent to heck or rusted through.

Very cool that you and your daughter will be working on it. I have faith in you both to learn and complete the task.

Hard to tell if it's all there, but looks like you got a few extra parts (fender, friction wheel casting). I'd say your car is at least a 1912 Model 22, as the earlier cars were air-cooled 2-cylinder engines. You'll need to find a Metz close to you to learn how it all goes together. The chassis is just two rails, but there are dozens of things attached to it, and you'll never get them straight without something to copy. There are a couple Texas Metz owners in the HCCA Directory. There is also a Metz parts manual with some pictures.

Phil

There are a lot more parts that are not pictured (like the engine, frame rails, suspension parts etc).

Picking this, uh, car, as a first project probably wasn't the best idea, but we both fell in love with it. We were actually looking to buy the guy's 1959 Mercedes 190. Over the last year or so I've read a lot of posts on this board and found that it is a very knowledgeable and helpful community. We will be in need of that support going forward but are really excited to be doing and not just reading.

I'd say your car is at least a 1912 Model 22, as the earlier cars were air-cooled 2-cylinder engines. .

Phil

Actually some of the parts are newer than a 1912. A '12 would have reversable wheel hubs to fit the wide vs narrow wagon wheel ruts in dirt roads. The ones in the pics were first used in '13, and are not reversable.

Also the main driving disc in the backround of pic #1 shows wooden spokes with a flat aluminum disc. A '12 would have a casted aluminum disc with integral webbing, instead of spokes. That disc/spokes would be '13 or newer.

Actually some of the parts are newer than a 1912. A '12 would have reversable wheel hubs to fit the wide vs narrow wagon wheel ruts in dirt roads. The ones in the pics were first used in '13, and are not reversable.

Also the main driving disc in the backround of pic #1 shows wooden spokes with a flat aluminum disc. A '12 would have a casted aluminum disc with integral webbing, instead of spokes. That disc/spokes would be '13 or newer.

It turns out that I have parts to at least 3 different cars.

The engine is early 1913. The frame and body belong with the engine (so also 1913).

Two fenders are Plan Car era. In the picture they are under/inside the rear fenders. When I was going through the parts I thought these fenders were some sort of inner fender for the rear. They don't have the flange/splash side part, just a 6" wide fender like a fat motorcycle fender.

There are 4 steering wheels and not much way of knowing what is what there.

Since the engine/frame/body is 1913, we now refer to the car as a 1913 Metz 22. I'd like to change the thread title but I can't figure out how.

While we are waiting to finish our workshop and funds for some additional tools, we've sorted through the parts to figure out what we have and what we need. There were quite a few duplicates in the suspension area and by mixing and matching we were able to get a complete front and rear axle assembly.

The friction drive components were just complete but have some real rust issues. I'll probably have to get a machine shop to do some work on these parts to get them freed up.

The fenders and other body panels are rough. We are missing the seat structure, hood, rear section, engine pan, chain guard, gas tank and top. Very rough and very incomplete. We will need the most help in this area. Woodworking I can do in my sleep but metal working will be a new skill to learn

The wheels ended up being a big disappointment as they are pretty rotten. It is possible they could be restored so I will keep them around, but we were able to find some better wheels.

The good news on the wood work was that there was some.

I think we ended up with at least one of everything we will need.

The engine is pretty rough. It appears to have been stored for a significant amount of time with the head off and is frozen. I am hopeful that it is just minor rusting in the cylinders that is locking it up. The carb is unusable but the magneto looks good. The timing gear cover is gone as is one of the timing gears.

We were very fortunate to find a partial set of parts from a Metz Fore Door. Not all of the parts will work, but I got everything they had.

We ended up with two hoods, two gas tanks, radiator, turtle back, windshield, top, seat springs, four wheels and other misc parts.

The wheels are in fantastic shape and by themselves were worth the price we paid for everything. Two of the fenders are in better shape than ours and will be helpful. The hood isn't correct but will be very helpful in making the correct one. The top isn't an exact fit but, again, will prove invaluable as a guide for creating the proper one. While the fabric is falling apart it is just about complete and the construction details can readily be understood.

Again, since we don't have the shop ready and don't have the tools we need, we are limited in what we can do. One easy task that we had the tools to handle was rebuilding the magneto. We hooked it up and gave it a try but didn't get a spark. I found a couple of issues as we took it apart. We cleaned the parts and put it back together. Unfortunately it still didn't work. While messing around with it (and holding a lead of course) I spun the shaft backwards and got quite a shock. A quick test determined that our magneto operated in a counter-clockwise direction. That wouldn't be a problem if the engine turned in that direction as well. The good news is the spark was strong. While looking through the parts manual and doing some research online I found out that the Bosch DU4 actually operated in either direction and the direction of operation was dependent on the impulse core, timing gear alignment and orientation of the magnets. Fortunately I was able to score a magneto off eBay that had the correct impulse core. The magneto was for a 6 cylinder engine, but the impulse core was a perfect match. I made the swap, rotated the magnets and we finally have a completed part for the car. One down and a lot to go.

Luv2wrench, what a great project, and just look at all those spares you have too! Seriously, this has been a great read so far. Thanks for all the recent posts and pics too. Keep us posted. We are watching!

Nice work on the magneto.

Bosch DU4 mags should be able to be changed from one direction to the other without swapping any parts, just set it up differently.

Regards

Al

Not a lot has happened with the car as we are in a holding pattern until I can get the money and time to finish the shop and get some additional tools. I thought I would post some pictures of the shop 'conversion'. The previous owner of our house had constructed a huge 45'x25' storage building to hold his RV. One side of the building was about 25' tall and the roof sloped from that side down to the lower (10') wall. One 'small' issue with this arrangement was that the view out of the back of the main house looked directly into the 45' long by 25' tall wall. My wife had several words to describe it, but I can't mention them here in a public forum.

While ugly from the outside, the inside had the potential to be a wonderful 1125 sq ft shop. The other walls were open and would need to be closed in to be useful. One day I got the idea of cutting the roof right down the middle, cutting the left wall down to 10' and thus convert to a gable style roof. The advantage of this is that the view out of the main house would be of a nice 'normal' house. I worked up some plans and hired a contractor and work began.

A lot of the wood from the tall side was saved and used to close in the other walls. Since I had a lot of windows on all sides, I don't think we ended up having to buy any extra paneling. There ended up being a reasonable amount of attic space as well.

I ended up with a nice workshop for myself and greatly improved the view from the main house which made the wife happy. A rare 'win win'.

I now need to tackle the inside. I need to add a lot of electrical as I only had minimal lights and outlets put in. I did have a 200 amp service run out to the building along with a 200 amp panel so I'll have the power I need.

The interior walls are not finished nor is the ceiling. I'll probably have that done in drywall as it is pretty cheap to do here in the south. Once that is complete I need to add some more tools. I have just about everything one needs for wood working but not a lot else. I am hoping to get everything finished and the tools installed before Christmas.

Last week I had an idea to roughly assemble the various parts as of the car so that the family could see what we had. Since I purchased a pile of parts, no one really has any idea what it looks like. I've spent the last week or so trying to make that happen. Unfortunately I am missing some critical parts (square u-bolts) so I can't quite get to a rolling chassis. I did reconstruct the woodwork (many thanks to Gordon and Phil) and was able to hang the fenders on. It isn't much but it did boost morale some.

Great project and garage!

Here are pictures of two Metz I photograhed in NZ in 1997 and 1986 respectively that may be of interest to you.

I do not know what year the green one is but the other is 1914.

Good luck with your project!

way cool. can't wait to see more

Great project and garage!

Here are pictures of two Metz I photograhed in NZ in 1997 and 1986 respectively that may be of interest to you.

There is a maroon one in Invercargill, owned by Jim Taylor and this may be the '14 you have pictured. Jim has owned it for many years.

Al

I am jealous of your new shop. Regarding the magneto, the Metz used the Bosch DU4 Mod [model?] 2, I believe. This magneto has no spark adjustment lever. The DU4 Mod 4 does have a spark advance/retard. Fortunately, both types are fairly common. You might keep your eye open for the latter type, if you don't have one. They both have the same mounting pattern, and are identical in size.

Keep up the good work.

Phil

Now that I see it assembled, that red panel on the right rear sure makes it look like a touring instead of a roadster. It appears to dip to step in and then raise and flatten out into a seat platform just like the metal panel in front of it. Right or wrong?

Howard Dennis

I am jealous of your new shop. Regarding the magneto, the Metz used the Bosch DU4 Mod [model?] 2, I believe. This magneto has no spark adjustment lever. The DU4 Mod 4 does have a spark advance/retard. Fortunately, both types are fairly common. You might keep your eye open for the latter type, if you don't have one. They both have the same mounting pattern, and are identical in size.

Keep up the good work.

Phil

Thanks Phil. I do have the adjustable mag and will probably make sure that it is accessible. Does it make a big difference in starting and running the car?

Now that I see it assembled, that red panel on the right rear sure makes it look like a touring instead of a roadster. It appears to dip to step in and then raise and flatten out into a seat platform just like the metal panel in front of it. Right or wrong?

Howard Dennis

Right and wrong. You are right in that it does dip down and rise up, but the scale of the picture makes it appear to be something it is not. That red board is only about 26" long. The part where it rises up and flattens out is either a tool box or a very small seat (with no real way of getting into and out of).

Thanks Phil. I do have the adjustable mag and will probably make sure that it is accessible. Does it make a big difference in starting and running the car?

Hi

By having an "adjustable" mag means that you can retard the spark for easier starting and once running advance the spark for cooler and smoother running. When you come to a hill, that is sufficient to start to slow the car (engine) it is time to slightly retard the spark to give it better pulling power. Once you crest the hill you advance the spark again.

This something that came as second nature to drivers in the teens and early 20s. Retarding the spark if you are crank starting may just save you a sore wrist or even a broken thumb. That is if you have not learnt the correct way to place your hand around the crank handle with your thumb along side your first finger NOT around the handle. Trying to start an engine with the spark too far advanced will cause it to back fire or kick back, sometimes quite violently!

oldcar

Thanks oldcar, based on that input I will making it accessible.

Fortunately I have read in the forum the proper starting technique.

In crank car-starting comments, you'll often see "Retard The Spark" mentioned prominently. This is to avoid the kick-back an advanced spark can cause (ie; broken arms and wrists, etc.). Neither my Metz nor my '21 Peugeot have a spark timing control, so you have to set the spark at a "medium" timing... whatever that is. You could rig a spark control lever to your dash from the magneto in some subtle way.

Phil

Still no money for tools so not much has been done. One thing that I can do is try and bump the dents out of the body panels as that requires but a hammer, dolly and file. It has taken quite a bit of time (weeks) to learn the technique but I am starting to pick it up now. I can lower high spots and raise low spots pretty quickly and easily now. That is a good thing because the body panels are in really bad shape. Part of the challenge is to figure out if an area should come up or the adjacent area should go down!

I've posted a little sample of some work I did this afternoon. You can see the range of high spots and low spots in the first picture. 20 minutes later (and after a quick run of my orbital sander) you can see the area is now nice and smooth.

I am currently looking for an ogee bead die to use to clean up the beads along each edge of the fender. I've actually had a hard time finding a simple 3/8" ogee bead die. The only company I found that makes one will only sell it with their bead roller. Very unfortunate. I will probably have to find a local machine shop to make one to order.

Looks like you are doing a fine job.

There are many tutorials on youtube, but I find this fellow's very good;

I know someone from NZ who learned the trade,panel beating,as they say . Seven years apprenticeship!

I like your "always something to do " attitude!

Ken

Wow, that was really helpful. I think it makes more sense after the weeks of effort I've put in trying to figure it out, but it also might have been better to *start* with that video.

I find it quite interesting that he uses a modified file for his slapper. I ended up doing the same thing (as you can see the marks from the file in the first picture) for the very same reason. I came about doing that almost by accident. I started using the file because it was quicker than setting down the slapper, filing some, picking back up the slapper, etc, etc. I also noticed right off that you could clearly see when you were raising the low spot. I think that was probably the turning point for me as I could see how the metal reacted.

I didn't know about the ridges surrounding the low spot and I think understanding that better will make it even quicker. He raised that low spot much, much faster and much, much easier than I could currently.

The part about tapping lightly to find the position of the dolly I also figured out and that is essential as well because you can really make things worse if the dolly is in the wrong place on even just the first couple of blows.

I really appreciate that link as I've struggled to find a video that really made it clear to me what was going on. I think I'll be going back out to the shop tonight!

That feeling that you have about going back to the shop and trying it is almost irresistible. It also leads to good work. Let the good vibes flow.

The end of the year came and we ended up with just enough money to try and finish off the shop. We needed a ceiling, attic stairs, ceiling fan, drywall, insulation and a ton of electrical work. I was able to take some time off and get the work done. My brother-in-law and his son lent a hand hanging the drywall. That was a huge help. The rest of it went pretty smoothly but it was a ton of work. I must be getting old because it was actually painful!!

That is my son standing with the drywall that he helped me unload from the truck. It was all he could do to lift his side, but he did it and we got it all unloaded (two trips) before the rain started.

With three of us doing the drywall we were able to get that hung in 3 days. I did the tape and mud myself. It started out pretty slow but I got the hang of it and it went pretty quickly after that.

The attic was another huge task. Fortunately someone told me to put the 4'x8' sheets of plywood in the attic before installing the drywall. With the floor covering most of the attic I gained nearly 800 sq ft of storage. Installing all the insulation wasn't much fun, but it was better than I remember in the past. It seems it is a little less itchy. I ended up adding more lights in the attic (than what the picture shows) and also installing a lumber rack. I love having all the storage.

After two more coats of mud and a lot of sanding, I put one coat of Kilz primer and the one coat of Kilz white paint. I was really happy with the quality of the Kilz paint product. I've always used the primer to cover over even the worst of issues, but the paint (I think this is new for them) was just as fantastic.

The floor presented the next major hurdle. What you see in the pictures is after two days of cleaning. The previous owner stored vehicles that apparently leaked a LOT. There was one corner where I think he just dumped his oil. It took four days just in that area to get the oil out. You can still make out the spill in the third picture. It took another two days to get it clean.

With the help of gallons of de-greaser and a gallon of phosphoric acid to etch and a ton of flushing with water, the floor was ready to paint. I went with the two part epoxy floor cover and it worked great. I previously used it in our garage and it has held up well over the last few years.

While I am still not done (baseboard, window trim, shelves, cabinets etc) I was able to move my stuff back into the shop and out of my garage. Very happy to have my tools in my shop and my car in the garage!

I am even optimistic the I might be able to get some work done on the car this spring. Now I have the space and the list of tools I need is shorter.

Looks Great !

Very nice shop, almost too clean to use!

Nothing to report since the recent work on the shop was completed. All my stuff is still sitting there waiting to be sorted. The car parts are still stacked in the mudroom where, to add insult to injury, I have to walk by them daily. Unfortunately the money situation has gotten worse not better and I don't really see that changing anytime soon. I'll probably finish the trim and build some more storage for the shop. That way the shop will at least be ready when the funds return. I have (in theory) secured 90% of the parts for the car, so that is good news as well. It is all quite frustrating but I know it could be so much worse and I'm very thankful for all that we do have.

Summer is over and fall is around the corner and for me that means a little time in the shop. I did manage to get the shop sorted and all parts squared away. I managed to find some great deals on drawers for the shop and trim for the floor and windows. I recently was able to trade for a huge Ingersoll-Rand T30 air compressor that puts out 20CFM at 175PSI. I haven't had the opportunity to get the system installed (it is still in my truck) but once completed I'll never want for air again. I also found the perfect welding table so I'm ready to start learning oxy acetylene welding.

Even more goods news is that my prayers were answered and a fellow AACA member is going to take my spare parts to Hershey and swap them for the last remaining parts I need. I'm sure there will still be some odds and ends I am missing, but I will have all major parts for the car.

I'm getting a lot closer to having all the tools and all the parts I need and I'm quite excited about it.