WTB: Cadillac Type 61 Top Cover with rocker

[hidden_hunter]

Hi guys,

 

Looking for the top cover (including rocker gear) for a Type 61 Cadillac (see pictures) 

 

Can probably piece together a good one if the casting and rods are in a good condition. 

[C Carl]

HI Stuart ! I have just facilitated the sale of Mike Isham's 1916 Cadillac engine to Jeff Nielsen in CLC. He (Jeff) has parts of two 1922 engines to assemble one. He is going to check fairly soon , and get back to me. You should also email every 61 owner in CLC directory. If there are some old fashioned fossils without email , I would be happy to call them for you , as the time difference between here and Austrailia may not be compatible. The directory is your best friend. It will build up a network for present and future needs and fun. I see 15 or so 61s in the U.S. , and three elsewhere. I'll give Doctor Bob a call in Texas , as I am overdue with him , and will fwd this on to him and Jeff.  I really admire your "Can do" spirit , and encourage you in your energetic youth. I remind you that if you stick with it , you will be an , or the , old bull old Cadillac expert as you accumulate knowledge over the coming decades !   - Carl

[C Carl]

Uh oh ! My email is going fruit again. I just tried and failed repeatedly to fwd. I'll try again later , and/or call.   - CC

[hidden_hunter]

14 hours ago, C Carl said:

HI Stuart ! I have just facilitated the sale of Mike Isham's 1916 Cadillac engine to Jeff Nielsen in CLC. He (Jeff) has parts of two 1922 engines to assemble one. He is going to check fairly soon , and get back to me. You should also email every 61 owner in CLC directory. If there are some old fashioned fossils without email , I would be happy to call them for you , as the time difference between here and Austrailia may not be compatible. The directory is your best friend. It will build up a network for present and future needs and fun. I see 15 or so 61s in the U.S. , and three elsewhere. I'll give Doctor Bob a call in Texas , as I am overdue with him , and will fwd this on to him and Jeff.  I really admire your "Can do" spirit , and encourage you in your energetic youth. I remind you that if you stick with it , you will be an , or the , old bull old Cadillac expert as you accumulate knowledge over the coming decades !   - Carl

 

Thanks Carl, always the gentleman!

 

I've reached out to the Type 61 owners in the Australian CLC to see if anyone else has one. The type 61 does seem like quite a rare beast in Australia

 

Also on the hunt for some new rings

[C Carl]

Sure , rings too. Have you got down into the basement yet ? As per my earlier observations, the pan had been pulled and cleaned , but no mention of a bearing check. You MUST get at least that far ASAP. I have some well founded fears. The very first cap to pull is the center main. That usually takes the beating , more so because of the harmonic vibration over the torque band. 1800 - 2200 in the case of your engine. ANY deviation from spec , then I would recommend yanking it and going all the way. In other words , full overhaul with every trick in the book to zero gram blueprint spec. Metallurgical upgrades where possible. You will have this car for a long time. Make it right. You are center stage. You are given the opportunity of becoming a legend in your own time ! Seriously ! 

 

As as I have posted elsewhere , Ed LaBelle , an old timer CLC wizard in these parts was a bit of a legend in his time. His '20 Tulip Phaeton and my '24 parked next to each other in local functions. His '20 was nut and bolt restored by Ed. He manufactured his own front fenders when years of searching turned up empty. From the reliability mods he incorporated in the engine , I believe he had the greatest single plane crankshaft V8 engine ever. Cruised on down the line on the freeway at 55 - 60 mph with no fear whatsoever..

 

uh , oh ! A bit late for dinner here . Gotta go. I'll catch up.   - Carl

[hidden_hunter]

2 hours ago, C Carl said:

Sure , rings too. Have you got down into the basement yet ? As per my earlier observations, the pan had been pulled and cleaned , but no mention of a bearing check. You MUST get at least that far ASAP. I have some well founded fears. The very first cap to pull is the center main. That usually takes the beating , more so because of the harmonic vibration over the torque band. 1800 - 2200 in the case of your engine. ANY deviation from spec , then I would recommend yanking it and going all the way. In other words , full overhaul with every trick in the book to zero gram blueprint spec. Metallurgical upgrades where possible. You will have this car for a long time. Make it right. You are center stage. You are given the opportunity of becoming a legend in your own time ! Seriously ! 

 

As as I have posted elsewhere , Ed LaBelle , an old timer CLC wizard in these parts was a bit of a legend in his time. His '20 Tulip Phaeton and my '24 parked next to each other in local functions. His '20 was nut and bolt restored by Ed. He manufactured his own front fenders when years of searching turned up empty. From the reliability mods he incorporated in the engine , I believe he had the greatest single plane crankshaft V8 engine ever. Cruised on down the line on the freeway at 55 - 60 mph with no fear whatsoever..

 

uh , oh ! A bit late for dinner here . Gotta go. I'll catch up.   - Carl

 

Thanks for the kind words Carl, I'm definitely learning a lot and having fun!

 

I definitely plan on inspecting them for wear, I just haven't had a chance to do it yet. There looks like there are a couple of places that do babbit bearings in Melbourne if they do need attention, no idea what sort of cost I would be looking at though.

[C Carl]

I am about to leave the birthday dinner for my brother. I'll be home in about 1/2 hour , so will finish what I started above . Cost for a total bottom job on a fork and blade V8 is a relative term. But in a word : expensive. There are two things I can pursue to possibly help you. One is to beat the bushes for parts here. Two is to see what knowledge survives re : the work Ed LaBelle did to up grade his '20 engine. As I said above , if you have to pull it , make that engine as good as you possibly can. You'll be glad you did. Also , obviously do whatever necessary to the clutch pak , and transmission. It would be almost a miracle if you didn't have to put a bearing or more in it. Input usually shows wear. Again , everyone learns this way , you just got lucky. You will get your undergraduate education rather quickly. I see that you do not shrink from the task !  Courage !   - Carl  

Edited March 27, 2017 by C Carl
Spelling (see edit history)

[C Carl]

Hi again , Stuart ! Funny how a 1/2 hour can stretch into two or more ! Have you received your CLC directory ? I suggest emailing those members who own 61s. Usually guys have accumulated spares over the years , as you know. Let me know who does not respond , and I'll rattle their cages the old fashioned way. Most of the guys are not on any forum. Never , or seldom at best. I will try again to email Bob Smits , and Jeff Nielsen . Calls to follow. I will call local long time CLC members about Ed's '20.

 

While you are down and apart , you should deal with reducing your intake temp as much as possible. If you read the paragraph "Cracked gasoline.................."  taken from Marks Mechanical Engineers Handbook , 3rd Edition , 1930 , and read the distillation curves you will understand why this is a great benefit. You will further understand to your frustration if you do not drop your intake temp. A sentence from Marks , 2nd Ed. , 1924 : "The continued increase in the demand for gasoline has resulted in a steady decrease in the volatility of the commercial product which has been made to include more and more of the lighter constituents of kerosene." Further distillation curves are taken from Marks , 6th Ed , 1958. More info is available to the clever computer driver. I am handicapped in that realm. Isolating the intake from the "ovens" introduced of necessity around 1917 or '18 or so , has been recognized as highly desireable for decades. Harold Sharon advocated this back when I was about your age. I can give you more info as you get into it. Let me call this good for now. I get distracted by too many things , and it gets late before I can do anything about it. I still have to feed at least two more topics on my beloved AACA forums. 

[C Carl]

Emailed Jeff , started to send to Dr. Bob , realized yeah , he has a '23 all right. A '23 V63 !!! Yup ! He and I talked about that. A '23 V63 indeed !  I hope to be asleep before 3:00 AM.   -CC

[hidden_hunter]

15 hours ago, C Carl said:

Hi again , Stuart ! Funny how a 1/2 hour can stretch into two or more ! Have you received your CLC directory ? I suggest emailing those members who own 61s. Usually guys have accumulated spares over the years , as you know. Let me know who does not respond , and I'll rattle their cages the old fashioned way. Most of the guys are not on any forum. Never , or seldom at best. I will try again to email Bob Smits , and Jeff Nielsen . Calls to follow. I will call local long time CLC members about Ed's '20.

 

While you are down and apart , you should deal with reducing your intake temp as much as possible. If you read the paragraph "Cracked gasoline.................."  taken from Marks Mechanical Engineers Handbook , 3rd Edition , 1930 , and read the distillation curves you will understand why this is a great benefit. You will further understand to your frustration if you do not drop your intake temp. A sentence from Marks , 2nd Ed. , 1924 : "The continued increase in the demand for gasoline has resulted in a steady decrease in the volatility of the commercial product which has been made to include more and more of the lighter constituents of kerosene." Further distillation curves are taken from Marks , 6th Ed , 1958. More info is available to the clever computer driver. I am handicapped in that realm. Isolating the intake from the "ovens" introduced of necessity around 1917 or '18 or so , has been recognized as highly desireable for decades. Harold Sharon advocated this back when I was about your age. I can give you more info as you get into it. Let me call this good for now. I get distracted by too many things , and it gets late before I can do anything about it. I still have to feed at least two more topics on my beloved AACA forums. 

 

 

I have received my copy of the CLC directory but unfortunately it's at my folks house so I don't have ready access to it until the weekend. It does look like the v63 was much more popular than the type 61 (or more survive at the least)

 

I was thinking the most obvious way of lowering the intake would be to block off the fuel preheat from the carb

 

Thanks again Carl, the head work has been finished and I pick it up on Thursday but he was worried about the availability of rings as well :|