Gunsmoke

Marty R said "ZERO to 60 in 3.6 seconds ??" Not quite Marty. Wiki lists the Tasmin 280 V-6 at 0-60 in 8 seconds. The 4cyl Tasmin 200 was 9 seconds. Still pretty quick acceleration, on a par with period cars like Merkur XR4TI, base BMW's, etc. The long "wedge nose" is classic for the era.

A cousin of mine out West (Phoenix area) had a TVR a few years ago, said it was a great "sportscar", wishes he still had it. DC-8dave, as for styling, borrows some of the cues from Ferrari Testarossa like Sonny? drove on Miami Vice, pretty common European styling of 1980's (Giagaro, Bertone and others). I must read up on the Tasmin power plant, sounds like they may have been a sleeper. The car I saw was mint, stunning condition.

Yesterday I slowly came up behind one of these, a bronze colored convertible, (like this pic off internet), didn't have my camera, had to get very close to figure out the make. Tasmin's are pretty rare car, never saw one live before, not sure year of one I saw, but likely early 80's. Cool looking sports car. You see anything rare or unusual lately. Keiser31 usually posts his spotted ones.

My '31's Chrysler driver side only had 7 or 8 nuts with large body washers 9about 1.75" dia) securing to imbedded bolts on inner fender, no braces. Same generally for my '31 Chevy, only bolts and body washers, but it has a small short (about 1.5"x 4" long) curved extra washer/brace at top bolt. Was just 1/8' flat steel curved to profile of fender and replaced the oblong regular body washer, had hole in center. Not sure it did much, when I got car 12 years ago there was only one on pass side. The key to good securing of rear fenders is the large washer. Yours may have been oblong/lozenge shaped ones, typically a pressed steel cupped style, about 1.25"x2.5". Can send photo if no one has pic of real thing.

My '31 CD8 Roadster had these 2 brackets on passenger side to support the rumble seat step plates. Wide one piece goes center of top of fender, has 2 bolts into a threaded backing piece on inner fender, and also is supported by one of the normal fender bolts. The second bracket goes on lower end of fender, bolts up similar to the other one, and has an angled outer bracket that mounts on out side of fender to recieve the step plate. While I imagine '28's would be similar, have never seen any. as far as I know, there were never any brackets on driver side for rear fender support, in my car's case, rear fenders are bolted to inner fender all around, plus to running board, and to gas tank apron.

There should not ordinarily be any "oil" in these areas, and grease seepage from bearings should be minimal. However, if a rear end/differential is overfilled, or not vented, or vehicle parked on side slopes, oil can pass through inner seal and wheel bearing area into hub area. I installed a differential vent on my rear-end housing during the restoration, they did not have one from factory. It relieves pressure created as rear end oil heats and sprays (and creates an oil mist inside housing) during operation and helps prevent the pressure created as hot air expands from pushing/forcing oil into hub area. Got this advice on here a couple of years ago. Here is pic of installed vent. Drilled and taped a hole in location opposite of the brake fitting on other end of housing.

If it is similar to those on my '31 CD8, it has a leather seal backed by a circular spring that maintains a small amount of pressure against the hub, just enough to prevent dust from getting into bearings, and excessive grease/oil from migrating outwards from bearing area. If you are careful, usually the spring can be gently pried out of place and leather oiled a bit to make supple and spring re-installed. Then take seal assembly and slip it on back of hub and see if it fits snugly at proper spot. If so, it should be fine. Remember in these restorations, most restored cars will have very few miles put on them annually and in typically favorable conditions, such as no dirt roads. Most could likely run fine without these seals at all. I do have a pair of spare used CD8 outer seals, but may not have same diameter as yours.

viv W, yes after sandblasting priming and painting the rear end, I pulled both axles out to clean, check and re-install bearings. I also removed grease nipple and cleaned it as well and checked condition of inner seal. On my car, the backing plate acts as the bearing retainer, and I can likely use a .002/.003 feeler gauge to check clearance when the 6 bolts are tightened. This can be done before installing the outer seal. I must say when I disassembled all these 90 years old parts their overall condition was remarkable, no signs of wear, corrosion etc, the tapered roller bearings were near perfect. Grease was still soft but chewy, so new grease will no doubt be welcome. Leomara, you may find that star-shaped gizmo with the 6 holes is the outer seal retainer, does not have anything to do with the bearings other than trying to keep the dust out of there. The tapered part of the rear hub fits snug against it's leather seal (at least that's how mine works).Thanks VW.

I too could use advice on this. I removed my CD8's rear bearings (except for inner race which is back-shimmed at factory for correct end play so I left it in place) checked and regreased them. In meantime, I sandblasted, primed and painted (rustoleum) both sides of brake backing plate, which originally would have likely only be painted on back side. Regardless, overall thickness is now altered slightly. I installed the backing plate and the "outer seal" retainer using the thin paper shims that were there originally behind the seal, but have not paid attention to the query leomara is asking. I assume you tighten the 6 bolts with no paper shims behind the backing plate and turn axle, if too tight, remove and add a shim and tighten again, and repeat until it seems about right.

Here is pic off internet of a Model 72 Roadster rear deck. I recall a guy (DPCDfan) named Gary R had some of these for sale a few months ago (Dec 17 2019) among a lot of 1930 era Chrysler parts listed a 1931 Chrysler CD8 Parts. Check parts for sale section. Should be easy to make, but might have a groove around edge? Here is pic from his listing? Good guy to deal with, California I think, he could send you measurements if he still has them. BTW, I think these were bronze castings made many years ago.

The 4 rear deck cleats were missing from my Roadster and are impossible to find (have looked for 5 years. closest I came is a set of unfinished old bronze forgings, guy asking $200+ shipping. They would have required a lot of finishing work, then chrome plating, figure a total cost of about $800 ready to go. Originals I understand were polished aluminum castings (or may have been chromed aluminum?). A friend sent me the primary dimensions. So decided to make my own, a piece of hard aluminum 5' long cost me $12 and about 30 hours of my time and here we go, about $3 apiece! I initially ran the 3/8" aluminum bar lengthwise thru a 1/4 round bull-nose bit router on the table, then cut the pieces to length, about 11.5". Next ran cleats end-wise on belt sander gradually creating about 1/16" crown on top of cleats. Since rear deck curls upwards about 1/4" near seats, front of cleats was next bent in a vice using male/female wood molds simply made on belt sander. Next countersunk holes were drill-pressed, 8&1/16" apart (must be done after bending otherwise bar would likely kink at bolt hole during bending). Next step included using the disk sander to shape horizontal ends of cleats and then angle grinder with sanding disk to bevel the ends close to a series of pattern photos (see photo off internet). Final stages involved cleaning up with 120, 220 wet, 400 and finally 1000 grit wet paper. The spacers would originally have been part of the casting, but I made them separately, they are about 3/8" thick, 1/2" flat sides, rounded ends. To shape them, pre-drilled a piece of bar with 8 -1/4" holes spaced about 9/16" apart, then cut 8 pieces about 1/2" x1". I strung all 8 of them on a snug 1/4" bolt (4" long threaded rod covered with sufficient duct tape to make a tight fit) and clamped the set in a vice and sized and rounded ends with angle grinder sanding disk and then block sanded with 120/220/400 while still clamped as a set. Plan will be to eventually secure them to underside of cleats with mastic of some sort. The originals had a slight taper (wider at top, easier to remove from casting mold), but don't think I'll bother trying that. Also outer 2 cleats hjad 3/8"x5/8" slot for top cover hold-down straps, have never seen them in use, so don't plan to put those in at the moment. Sometimes you have to do what you have to do.

I've been in touch with "Doorsills", prompt reply, he can make 'em, just waiting on some info before ordering.

Thanks for the supply lead 36 D2 C, I'll check him out.

I have same setup on my 1931 CD8 Roadster, and no one seems to have any good original photos of the back of seat mechanisms. My speculation is that the seat back was split. A 3 piece articulated hinge allowed the passenger side seat back to be raised off the bench (which was fixed) to gain access to the RS area (for example if it got locked and you lost the key?). Also perhaps to transport long items, like skies, poles, etc. For 1931, the driver side back was also hinged, but they connected to a device used like a scissor jack type to enable the seat back to be moved forward and backward up to 3 inches (bench seat was fixed). So I suggest that is what the hinges are for. As for a "barrier" between seat backs and rumble seat area, there was just a light clip on panel, much like an upholstered door panel quality. It clipped onto the back side of that wood rail. As much as I know. Someone (Matt Harwood?) sent me this photo, and you can see the lightweight panel, but in this case it is not authentic as you can also see the original proper clips are still in place on the wood rail. Again, these are 1931 photos, earlier Roadsters may be entirely different. My Roadster has 3 pressed steel braces running from tub down to floor/toe space as shown here. However, 1931's had all steel body so if your's is wood framed, setup might be different. Hopefully someone has photos of this seldom seen area. I should mention that since these cars were also built in RHD, operation mechanisms for seats had to be able to be flipped. Edit: I added a 3rd photo showing evidence of 2 hinges on each side of original wood cross member. I do note hinges on passenger side were recessed into the wood, but not so for driver side?

Ditto to all of the above, this thread has been my morning coffee companion for past couple of months and presented some wonderful rare cars and certainly lots of photos I've never seen. Thanks to all who contributed, there are probably hundreds more great photos yet to see.

Looking for a pair of these embossed aluminum sills/thresholds for my 1931 Chrysler CD8 Roadster project. Phaetons may have used similar ones. Thanks for looking around!

I'm looking for door threshold pieces for my 1931 Chrysler CD8 Roadster, have never seen them but this picture shows a pair. Anything looking like this kicking around your parts pile? I suspect they were embossed aluminum. Phaetons probably wore similar pieces.

When I look at all these period photos from circa 1930 "Concours d'Elegance" events, it dawns on me that (1) they truly focused on the elegance factor, especially the clothes, formal photos etc, and (2), the cars were typically close to brand new, often same year, suggesting it was as much about bragging rights, showing off, or presenting rare new cars as anything else. I presume some much older cars were included, but so often it seems in this thread that a 1931 Cadillac, HS or Duesenberg appears in a 1931 or 1932 Concourse. Would be unusual today to see a new car in a C d'E event? Now I have never been to an event, soo....Thoughts? Paris Concours d´Elegance 1932

While I like the logo and consider it well done, it does reflect about 1940-1970 give or take, certainly no earlier than 1938. I'm sure the same artist if given a 1915 touring, a 1932 coupe, a 1950 finned wonder, and a 1970 Muscle car of the right sequence/proportions, could create the same nice image.

Mike, I sent you a PM re MC vents. For others, here is photo of MC with proper vent and switch in place. Note small hole in top of hollow filler bolt.

A view from top of rear roof cross member, note the short added piece necessary to house the tenon for a new cross slat. Floor framing under front seats accommodates tool tray @ photos showing original braces at new front door post, and at original rear door posts.

Photos of rear roof area with old wood removed.

This series shows how I replaced the rear roof cross member. In order to avoid disturbing the steel brackets shown, I created a 2 piece tapered end, pre-drilled and fittted with 3/8" T nut installed flush on upper side, then simply slipped the wedge in first, with glue on it, then the long top piece and put 3/8" countersunk machine screw up through bracket and bothe wood pieces. Notch in upper piece is to recieve the roof side rail.

When I decided to rebuild my 1931 Chevrolet coach back in 2008, the primary reason for a re-build was bad wood. Doors had a 1/2-3/4" droop, turns out front posts were shot. 2 major areas needed attention, front and back. Up front, both front door posts, the front half of the main sills, the ends of the roof side rails and the front roof header were shot or crudely fixed. In back, the rear roof cross member, and about 16" of roof side rail was badly rotted. That's about 35% of the wood. I realized it could be done without de-skinning the entire car, so that's what I did. I have the required woodworking gear, and used ash for structural members, and poplar for non-structural. Generally used scarfed joints with glue and in some cases through bolts and T-nuts. For the main sills, I butted new to old and used 1/8" steel plates top and bottom to create a solid job. Here and following are a few photos of how things went together. It took a lot of fitting to get everything close as many of the old pieces were too far gone to be much help as patterns. I did look into buying a full kit from Rodmans, but felt I could do it my self for the cost of $300 of wood. Only pieces I would buy if I had it to do over is the front door posts which were very complicated shapes. I'll post a series of photos for those who are contemplating doing it themselves. This set of 4 show new front sills spliced to original just ahead of door post, and extensions put on roof side rails.

When you have 72 spokes on a wheel like this, where the lug wrench has to go through the spokes, the spoke count needs to be a multiple of the bolts. Since there are 72 spokes, bolts pattern would be 6 or 8, and in this case 8. For a 10 bolt wheel you would expect 80 spokes (40 inner, 40 outer), or 60 spokes (30 inner, 30 outer), 04 40 (20 inner and 20 outer like the Marmon), some multiple of 10. 70 or 50 would never be used. spokes are always strung/placed in pairs, and 1/2 of 70 is 35 which cannot be paired. BTW, your second photo clearly shows 6 holes and only room in hidden are for 2 more.