Gunsmoke
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Posts posted by Gunsmoke
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1912 Staver asked "A smattering of Imperials were sold in Canada , but am I correct in thinking they would have all been U.S. built cars ? Was the CD8 top dog in the Canadian production line up"?
While individual factory production records for Canadian built Chryslers for the early 30's have long been lost to history, the serial number records show about 4100 Chryslers of all models and styles were "assembled" in Canada between 1930-1933/34.
1931/32 Model CM6 -2000 units
1932/33 model CI6-700 units
1933/34 model CO6 -800 units
Total for 6 Cylinder Chryslers 1931-1934 -3500 units
1930/31 Model CD8 -199
1931/32 Model CD*-180
1932/33 Model CP -170
1930/31 CG Imperial -24
1932/33 CH Imperial -39
Total for all 8 cylinder Chryslers 1930-1933 - 610 units
So to answer the questions, it appears 63 Imperials were assembled in Canada in the 1930-1933 period. For the Chrysler CD8 and it's later series CD*(Deluxe), total production for all body styles (Sedan, Coupe, Convertible, Roadster) was 379 units. Various people familiar with records of the time conclude CD8 Roadsters would have likely accounted for 1%-4% of the CD8 production of 199 cars, considering Canada's cold climate, and thus about 2-8 cars.
My car has Canadian serial number 9820125, is an early series (side cowl vents) and is the 125th CD8 car assembled in Canada and I was advised it was assembled in spring 1931. Interestingly, it carries Budd Body #CD1457R. Since there were only 1330 CD8 Roadsters build in total, I assume this body was #457 of the Budd Body CD8 Roadster production. In the absence of factory records, a lot of assumptions have to be made.
Some day I may try to seek out other Canadian numbered CD8's still existing of any style, don't expect there are more than a handful.
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Enjoying this "accidentally interesting" thread. I'm no Tom Cotton, but like many on here, I spend many days a year scouting through barns sheds and fields keeping an eye open for whatever lurks therein. Came across about 10 years ago this 1937 Buick Opera Coupe (last photo) at the time had been sitting since 1975, and is still there (and not for sale).
But many on here have heard of my personal favorite find, a 1931 Chrysler CD8 Roadster, a rare Canadian made car (one of 4 or 5 made) found in the most Eastern point of mainland Canada in 2014, in a shed where it had been sitting forlorn out of sight for more or less 45 years. As I've related previously, I had heard of the mythical "big black Chrysler Roadster" from my Dad (a mechanic by trade) in the 70's and 80's while talking about old cars, but never looked for it as he told me it had likely been sold into the USA in the 60's. A mechanic friend of his had salvaged the car in 1952 in Sydney Cape Breton, from a scrap yard, rodded it (Cadillac/LaSalle/Auburn drivetrain) and in Dad's view it was a stunner. He passed away in 1999, and I never gave it another thought. While on a 300 mile trip back home in 2014, an old car pal tipped me off to a shed on an old car guy's property (owner had since passed away) where several years earlier he had seen a couple of old ones. Short story, went to see the widow, and there it was, the old Chrysler Roadster, with the Cadillac engine sitting beside it, rough, but rare. The widow said "my son and I decided to sell it yesterday afternoon" after it had sat in shed since 1969. Bought it without a moments hesitation, and 10 years later still a work in progress. The photos show first time I saw car in shed, pics from 1955, 1957, 1964, 1969, as current restoration, as hauled from shed in 2014, and the 1937 Buick, mentioned above.
Like many long stored "barn finds", they are often in need of a mountain of work to make them decent and drivable, and as a result, you need to have a rare find, or something of sentimental value or both to make it worthwhile. Every time I work on my Chrysler I wish my Dad was here to give me a hand. Addition: Added picture showing the "other old car in the shed" a 1929 Essex 4 door Sedan, which was in much better shape eventually sold.
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I have this full set from a '31 Chrysler CD8, do yours look similar. From what I remember, one is leaking, but other 3 seem to work fine. Had them sandblasted but since have surface rust. $100 plus shipping, if interested, send me a PM.
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Please read whole thread Mike, he says he will temporarily add oil, and put it on his to-do list when he has some other parts out of the way.
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I had the same issue with the steering wheel on my 1931 Chrysler CD8 back 2/3 years ago, which had likely never been removed. I made a rig to act like a puller (using a puller and some homemade gear to clear horn boss), and with steering nut loose a couple of turns, after a lot of applied pressure, nothing. I took a paint remover heating gun/tool, and with pressure still applied, carefully heated the top of the shaft/nut area and after a few minutes(being careful to keep heat on steel parts only), the wheel popped off with out any damage to bakelite. I'm often amazed at how a little heat in the right place can loosen seized steel parts.
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As Fordy said, the large column nut is intended solely to set correct snugness of worm gear thrust bearings, similar to my '31 Chrysler box. For my box, play is corrected by adjustments to the sector gear, and in my case it has 2 adjustments, one end to end, and a second to adjust up/down engagement with worm gear. Your box is 20 years earlier and likely has similar adjusting mechanisms. If you want to drop by, I have a spare one you can have a look at.
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Enjoying this discussion, interesting badge with a variety of classic images, Goodyear's tire emblem, a Fleur-de-Lis, and the stylized helmet. As for modern dealer stickers on backs of cars, I hate them and never leave their "free advertizing" on my cars. In 2020 I was with my son scouting out new cars and he settled on a red 2021 Honda Civic 6 speed sport coupe, very nice sleek little car. We told the sales person we did not want a license plate bracket on front (our province only requires a rear plate) and definitely no dealer sticker on back. When we went to pick up the car the next day, sure enuf there is an 8" long dealer sticker on trunk lid, and crooked at that, grrr! We waited half an hour while they removed it without damaging paint. Many people don't realize the valuable free advertising these decals give dealers.
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Perhaps you could start with a few details, location, condition, several pictures, running or not running, titled, etc. Otherwise the range is $1-$!00,000.
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Carly Simon said it best back in 70's, ".....to Saratoga, and your horse naturally won, then you flew your Lear jet to Nova Scotia to see the total eclipse of the sun.." We got only a slightly darkening sky this time, a big yawn! When interviewed today about why she chose Nova Scotia back then in her lyrics, she said she needed a place that rhymed with Saratoga!
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I offer a caution. As we all know, cars manufactured for sale (by the car industry) go through rigorous engineering for road/public safety, specifically chassis, suspension, steering, brakes, lights, belts and any other elements necessary to protect the public and the driver/passengers and private property. This has become a contentious issue in many jurisdictions where rodders for example pull a title and perhaps a frame from a vehicle and then build their own "un-engineered" contraption (or very nice car) and license it as an "antique". All is fine until it isn't! When something fails and causes injury, the lawyers can have a field day at your expense, and if some part failed because it was under-engineered, you have no one to blame. DMV's I understand in some jurisdictions are trying to put the toothpaste back in the tube to fix this longstanding issue. While they may be able to tighten the rules for future registrations, fixing the 1000's of existing hot-rods that don't meet any standards is a real headache. So my advice is to be sure you understand the potential liabilities that come with "making" your own car. l
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nzcarnerd, sorry for the mess up, converting from CC to CI and imperial to metric overall is always a mindbender, especially when the displacement formula is same as a cylinder volume is π r² h. Oh well , it is Saturday, the mind is not supposed to be working today.
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So interesting, 1 cubic inch equals about 16.4 CC, so the car has a single piston with displacement about the size of a gallon of paint! 1580 CC equals about 96 cubic inches, and would suggest a bore and stroke like 6"x11" or 7"x8" (correction, should be about 4.5" piston, and 6" stroke). When you consider todays modern 2000cc (or 122 CI) 4 cyl engines have individual piston displacements of 30.5 CI ( and maybe 3.4" bore and 3.4" stroke), the fuel, firing, power stress, lubricating requirements etc must have made for serious engineering. Bang Bang Bang.
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I'm guessing the car is worth about $2500 as is and where it sits. If you wanted to clean it up and get it running OK mechanically, leaving body and interior original, expect to spend at least $10K-$15K plus costs for transport. If you want a decent full restoration, add another $20K-$30K. 6 tires alone (with tubes and liners) today will likely set you back $3K minimum.
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Re the "loose" copper washer, my car (1931 Chrysler) had a copper washer on both sides of the bronze fitting, intended to minimize leaking on both faces of the fitting. If the large bolt is shaped like mine, the 2 washers have the same outside diameter, but different inside diameter, a larger hole next to bolt head, a smaller diameter hole next to wheel cylinder.
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The Tudor's are great little cars if mechanically well maintained, lots of clubs, and parts availability. Apple green wheels were likely used on a black body with apple green pinstripe. The car as shown should have black wire wheels IMHO. I don't mind the white walls.
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Regrettably, if a competent new owner with some average mechanical and restoration skills were to buy this for $1, by the time it was just a decent running "survivor" (no new paint or chrome), he/she would be at a break even if they decided to then sell it. In survivor/running condition it might sell for circa $3500-$5000, and it needs a lot of work, time, material and patience to get there. I purchased this 1931 in 2008 for $4500 Canadian(about $3500USD) and spent over $10,000($7500USD) getting it paint ready and licensed(total $14500 or $12,000USD) before selling it for $10,000 ($7500), a loss of about $4500USD, and not counting any of the perhaps 2000 hours I spent on it. That is unfortunately the nature of the hobby nowadays. New owner was a painter/car guy, who painted it himself and had someone else upholster it.
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Circa 1931 Chrysler/MOPAR accelerator/starter linkage, mounts more or less like shown here on my '31 Chrysler CD8 engine (second photo shows first startup in 60 years). Starter pedal needs to be rotated about 180 degrees.
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When I had the head off my 1931 CD8 engine (which appeared to have never been serviced internally), and before refitting it (just the valve train), I removed all the frost plugs and gave the cooling passages a thorough cleaning. Used several methods to remove sediment of all sorts, some of which was packed solid and preventing circulation of any kind in some areas, particularly at back end of engine furthest from rad (7th and 8th cylinders). These engines were known to have cooling issues at back end of engine. I had access to most areas via frost plug holes, coolant holes at top of block, water pump opening etc, I used various stiff rods, a flexible magnetic rod, flexible home made small dia vacuum attachment, and compressed air. Took 2-3 hours and about 2 cups of rust and other water impurity deposits came out and eventually flushed thoroughly. Did same exercise on head, although that was much easier as it can be turned over and placed on end, and even knocked gently on end to dislodge stuff. Also had rad flushed and checked at same time. When I eventually put everything back together and fired up engine for a few minutes, coolant ran clean and engine came up to correct operating temp and stayed there.
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Got these photos this week from the company making the "cycle style" front fenders for my car, approximating the edge detailing Chrysler used for the rear fenders. Pretty challenging work to get the lead and back ends close to something matching rears and fronts, and rolled under beaded edge all around. Looking forward to getting them soon.
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I agree Roger, the hood doors as you say must be opened from outside by some sort of handle (although I understood some makes may have tried to use one long rod and some linkage mechanism to open all of them at once), but I was making the observation that a properly designed "spring steel" spring like the one shown can serve the dual purpose of holding them open and holding them closed. I've seen these vents in use 90+ years later and the spring mechanism still working perfectly. I think the 1930 era LaSalle had a spring on each hinge that only held them open, and a series of chrome latching buttons on the hood to hold them closed.
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The shutters/vents are activated similar to the cowl vents for my 1931 Chrysler CD8 Roadster, except for mine, a pull handle on the inside opens them and closes them. The uniquely shaped spring (similar to Rogers spring) is neatly engineered as shown to both hold them open and also hold them closed.
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Thanks Walt and Lee H for illuminating us on a great piece of automobilia. The British certainly had a wonderful way of celebrating things, still do. I've been binge watching Downton Abbey for past 3 weeks, about 40+ 1 hour episodes, covering 1912-1930 era and including lots of wonderful period cars, with Model T's at low end and RR's at top end.
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Very nice car, in Canada, asking price translates to about an even $1,000,000.
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Walt said "Brooklands had a magnificent 7 color enamel car badge depicting two race cars for its members in the pre war era. It took me decades to locate one of those badges and then months to restore it to like new condition." So can we have a peak please? A picture is worth in this case 40 words!
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Radiator badge6=
in What is it?
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As Walt often says, "size matters"! Here is the badge and hardware for my 1931 Chrysler CD8 badge, it is about size of a 50 cent piece. A photo of back side may help.