Roger Zimmermann

Before I'm doing the various holes for the front support to the frame, I began the rear supports for the front springs. They will be riveted over the fist cross member; it was a part which could be replaced at that time, therefore it could not be installed between the frame and the cross member. The first picture is from a real car; the second picture is showing the base plate for the support; the upper leg had to be bent in a precise location as it is inserted into the frame like a wedge. This support is also the attachment point for the front brake's cable.

Thanks Martin, I cannot complain! 3 weeks with sunshine, but less hot than last year.

After some vacation and at the return a lot of paperwork to settle, I could continue with the reinforcement for the first crossmember. I choose a slightly thinner brass for it; as the torsion at the frame never will be a concern! The first pictures are showing the reinforcement alone; the last two are showing that reinforcement installed on the upper part. For the moment, 4 screws are used to assemble both parts; the screws will be replaced with rivets. The next task is to drill the myriad holes for the rivets which are securing the first cross member to the frame.

I like your pictures, even if it's for you a sad moment.

Hi Martin! Thanks for asking, I'm well! I hope it's the same for you and all the reader from this adventure. As usual in June-July, we had our summer vacation in our house in France. We just came back this week; the work on the frame will resume soon when all the paper pile accumulated during that time is over.

Mike, I'm glad you found somebody to finish the Humberette. It must not be easy to sell such kind of vehicle.

Mike, I'm very sorry to learn that your health is not improving. Who knows, miracle can happen. I hope to read your comments for a long time.

Thanks for the comments! Paulie was quicker than me with the dimensions, as I had an internet connexion issue. John, the next update wil take some time to be published, so you can go away again!

Thanks Paulie! As usual, I forgot to use the big coin. The error is repaired!

The upper part from the front cross member is ready. With the four integrated nuts at the front (they could be for the front fender attachment supports), 13 parts are silver soldered together. Some stampings were done: 2 round ones in the front for the radiator, two indentations at the almost vertical "tower" and 2 further rear for the engine supports. The tools to perform the indentations used much more time than the pressing! Most holes as provided by the factory were done too; of course, the ones for the rivets (more than 20) will be drilled together with the side rails before the definitive assembly. The next task is to do the reinforcement element located under the radiator. This part will be assembled with 4 additional rivets at the upper part, which seems not a lot. I don't know if some welding were performed to attach more securely both parts; mines will be soft soldered, plus the rivets.

As I anticipated, the first cross member is far from easy. I gather all pictures I had which were in relation with that element, just to notice that I had nothing clear showing the underside of the cross member. That part is not a single stamped element; a second thick piece of stamped steel is riveted to the top one. Fortunately, a member from the AACA forum provided good photos from his V-12. Thanks Alex! Many element from the frame were available separately as listed in the parts list. Can you imagine the work required to remove a damage cross member by grinding each rivet, removing the part, adjusting the new one and installing it with new rivets? Anyway, with all the pictures, I could begin. But with what? the front? the rear? I opted with the rear because it represents a rather large single element. With that, I could continue towards the front. What you see, temporarily inserted in the frame, is constituted with 6 pieces silver soldered. I expected to reduce the number of elements by doing the front flange in one piece. After grinding, cutting, hammering, I realized that it's just a no go. Therefore, I cut the front flange (in the front at the picture) and will adapt it and silver solder to the existing sub-assembly. Both pieces of brass soft soldered on the frame are just there to stabilize the frame the time I'm doing the first cross member.

If the upper half was requiring some tooling, it was more economical with silver soldering: only the end flanges to be riveted at the side of the rail were added. It was a different matter with the lower part: no tooling, but the parts is an assembly of 9 pieces. The pictures are attached showing the various steps. The lower "legs" were adjusted by removing excess material until the frame rails were square. This cross member is very rigid, adding a lot of strength to the frame. Logically I would now do the second cross member, but I will do indeed the first one. The reason is that when the first cross member is ready, it will be easier to locate the second one as I have the length of the engine and transmission. The second cross bar is indeed the support for the transmission, it must be positioned correctly!

Some will be accessible from the back side, some will not be. They will be dummy rivets! Anyway, the cross members are soft soldered on the rails; the rivets are more for the show!

To continue with the lower part from the third cross member, I assembled temporarily the trimmed upper part on the frame. I added a flange at the cross member as it's riveted at the upper, lower and at the sides of the frame rails, 10 rivets each side!

Thanks Paulie! No, the stamping is different, simpler. However, the curved area is making the reproduction more difficult; I will have to do the lower part with several parts silver soldered together.

That third cross member seems easy to do, but it has also his difficulties. For once, I did a scale drawing, scale 1:6 to understand the upper stamping. When the drawing was more or less similar to the various pictures, I continue that project with the die set for the upper end stampings. A good picture from an original frame will avoid tedious explanation. Than the picture of my drawing and the die set at the left (I did only the half to simplify), the part as stamped, but not yet ready and a stamped sample. I'm still unsure how to do the lower part...

It's not a secret: the Cadillac LaSalle forum, the Mark II forum (I related there the construction of the Mark II and got a lot of help from their members; I'm publishing this new construction there just for entertainment) and a scale model forum: www.scalemotorcars.com

As I wanted to let some time for the people decide if I should do now the first or the third cross member, I was not inactive: I did the small reinforcements for the rubber bumper over the rear axle and the one for the shock absorbers which are the lever type of course. From the 4 forums I'm publishing this build, only 3 people told me what they would like to see, one for the front crossmember and two for the third one. therefore, the third one is now in the work.

Do you still have 6V at the battery? Maybe you had some parasite loss, like a bulb or two or a relay staying closed and so on.

The 4th cross member is ready. I could do it in one piece, taking care to not forget the cutout for the rear axle, getting that way enough space between the differential and the cross member. Some remarks about that element: the large elements riveted at both ends of the cross member are the supports for the exhaust tubes. Yes, they are rigidly attached to the frame, which was probably usual at that time. The smaller brackets are the ones to attach the fuel tank. I noticed from the pictures that the brackets are indeed done with two pieces of steel. They were probably spot welded together to facilitate the installation. Was it a measure to avoid a sudden dangerous situation in case a bracket made with just one thicker piece of steel would break? What is the continuation? Well, logically I would do the third cross member, but I could do the first one which is rather complicated. Which one would you see now? I'm adding pictures from the first and from the third cross member.

As I like red, you did a good choice!

The small side brackets are now done. I had to do them with 2 parts assembled by silver soldering. For the moment, all is attached to the side rails with screws. When I will assemble definitively the cross members to the rails, the 5th cross member will be attached first, riveted, and then the small brackets will be added and riveted. A different way of assembly would prevent to insert rivets at 4 places. I'm going now to the 4th cross member, a simple stamped part just there to support the exhaust tubes and gas tank as I doubt it can add much stability to the frame.

Probably because nobody knows! It would be interesting to know if European cars at that time had positive or negative ground...

The rear tank support is now completed, riveted to the cross member. Now, I will do the small brackets connecting the lower frame rail to the cross member. A picture from Johan in the Netherland is showing it.

My logical reaction would to take a good file and take the excess metal away with it! However, with your lungs the way they are, you effectively have to machine the lever. It there a medicine available to recover your lungs next to a transplantation?