AHa

Another picture added

Additional pictures added

I found another picture on All Car Index. Maybe one of you tech savvy guys can post it here. Search for Harroun.

Alright, the wires go from the spark plug tops into a conduit over the motor, coming out of the conduit well forward of the motor and then back to the magneto looking contraption mounted at the front of the motor. I assume the wires are thus routed to keep them from getting hung up in the large gear, presumably attached to the front of the cam. I believe what might appear to be a coil where the wires come out of the conduit is actually the frame rail at the far side of he motor. If the car was pushed to start, then it would not need an external power source, coil or battery. The magneto would create spark at a certain RPM. Once the car was running, the motor would run on mag, as most all early cars do. Still, you can see the plug wires come off of studs positioned around what would be one of the magnets of the magneto. I think someone said this is the first V8, which means that Ray would have to fabricate something to fire this motor. I love early cars but don't remember ever seeing a magneto/timer like this one. I have a car that is thus wired. It originally used a battery and coil to start but then ran on mag. I converted it to impulse drive and now start and run on mag, no coil or battery involved. I'm trying to figure out how this could possibly be wired and I think I have one option. The question is, could a 4 cylinder magneto be modified to fire an 8 cylinder motor? The answer is yes. What you would have to do would be to remove the points and wire the contacts direct. The magneto would fire all eight wires constantly but the cylinder only fires on the power stroke. Fascinating.

I'm looking for 2 sets of tapered leaf springs, 7 ply, 35.5" spring eye to spring eye, 4.5" rise from top of springs to spring eye, 1.5" wide, 16.5" to front and 20" to the rear, for the front axle of a car. What I need has an offset center bolt. Anybody got an extra set of these?

I'm looking for 2 sets of tapered leaf springs, 7 ply, 35.5" spring eye to spring eye, 4.5" rise from top of springs to spring eye, 1.5" wide, 16.5" to front and 20" to the rear, for the front axle of a car. What I need has an offset center bolt.

The West System comes clear but I believe it can be tinted. The thing is though, the paper absorbs the epoxy and you don't see the epoxy, just the color of the paper. You will probably want to sand down the outside surface which again will remove the clear down to the color. Some cars just used flat metal stock for the support. It was bent to a 90 to go under a bolt at the bottom and then curled around the tube at the top. Of course I can't speak directly to Locos. The thing is, West System is non conductive, so its perfect for fabricating electrical parts.

Really, I have no experience with Locomobiles, just that one time on the show field. The spring clip (probably the wrong word) was the part that holds the rear differential spring to the frame. I was just amazed that someone had bent a piece of threaded rod to hold the spring to the frame on such an expensive car, AND, was not embarrassed to show it on the Hershey show field in that condition. It really took me aback. I cannot speak to your wire loom problem other than to say that I used some black paper and West System epoxy to build a timer cover for a 1900 era motor one time. You could use any round object like a styrofoam round as a form, then build up sheets of paper untill you have what you need. Once it dries, you remove the form and viola, you have your part.

Its been years ago now that I was at Hershey when the showfield disbanded. There was an old guy there with a Locomobile. It was a huge car, probably a six cylinder, and unrestored. The hood was closed so I couldn't see the engine. I was amazed to see a piece of threaded rod bent to form a spring clip on the rear on such a prestigious car. Anyway, when he went to crank the car, it took one slow roll of the crank and it fired right up. First I was amazed that he cranked the car himself, then second, he made no attempt to spin the crank, just slowly rolled it.

I got this gas tank out of a large collection in NC. Anybody recognize what it came out of? The attachments are heavy nickel plated brass. It undoubtedly came out of an expensive car but which one?

Craig, I'm not that knowledgeable on these things but it looks to me that the magneto is gear driven off of the cam, but I guess you're saying it is the other way around. If the car is pushed to start, there would be no need of a coil or battery, correct?, thus further lightening the car. It is a strange looking contraption. Upon closer inspection I would have to agree. It s a timer. You can see the studs sticking out around the circumference. I found the reference on the HAMB site and tried to contact the person claiming the motor exists but was unable to do so. It is probably in the Gertler collection. I would love to see pictures of it today.

I guess I should be more specific. The trim is probably close to 1" wide but it fits down over a piece of 3/4" wood. There are two small lips, one over each side, that protects the flat dash on some early brass cars when the trim is installed. I'm actually wondering now if I need it.

beer gong

Is this not a Ford A? It is certainly worth something. Easy restoration or just get it running and use.

OK, I think I have this car figured out. By 1907 there were 7 years of broken cars to rob parts off of. The front axle and wheels on this car are similar to many of the early cars, the frame is ash and the rear end could easily be adapted from any number of cars. I say adapted because you can see a small square box surrounding the axle from the side view of the car. The drive shaft runs between Rays legs. There are two radius rods that run from front of frame to back of frame on each side of the motor for strength. Several saddle cross members run across the frame to support the motor and controls. The motor uses a standard 4 cylinder crank but with two rods per journal. There is a center main which explains the jug spacing. The cylinders are simple jugs with no water jacket and valve cages in the top. Crankcase is cast aluminum. The crank and cam and valves are most likely out of the same type motor. Oil was put in the motor before crank up and the rods splashed it around inside to lubricate everything but the oil would be forced out of the motor as the pistons pressurized the crankcase on the down stroke. This plus the lack of cooling made the motor "blow up" after each run. The large pedal under Ray's right foot is the brake, the other is the throttle, and the final pedal would be to pressurize the gas tank. By robbing parts from different cars and those junked, Ray had very little money invested. The piston size is small, perhaps no more than 2". This plus the size of the flywheel would allow the motor to turn RPMs quickly. We have to remember we are very early in the racing circuit. Later on there were wrecks and people died and some people stopped racing. I remember doing some pretty stupid stuff when I was younger but as I realized the potential consequences, I got smart. I am amazed at the simple engineering that went into the making of this car.

about 60"

Wow, I believe you are right. 1918 Buick six.

I was looking for what I thought was a standard piece of 3/4", one that lips down over the edge of a piece of 3/4 mahogany plywood dash, like restoration supply sells but have come to realize there is nothing standard in this hobby.

I have no idea what this came off of but it is for sale if you need it. The neck is threaded inside. It is 28 & 3/4" Long x 13" High x 13 & 1/2" Wide. Notice the heavy metal neck, gauge, and mounting. It has some pinholes and will need coating. I'd love to hear what it came off of if anybody recognizes it. It came out of a collection that also had several Rolls Royces and I've wondered if that's what it came off of.

I know there's not much to go on, but can anyone identify this cowl? It appears to be off of a wood bodied/metal skinned large car. The firewall was wood right up to the metal skin.The metal skin does turn down 1/2" over the firewall. This part is also for sale if anybody sees something they can use. I would like to know what it came off of.

What I don't get it is how a guy like Ray Harroun could come up with the money to build this car. It is 100% shop built. I understand the idea of raising capitol and I guess it is just a matter of being well connected. I heard where someone has set up go fund me pages for the laid off government workers, who only just now missed a paycheck, and has already raised a substantial sum of money and they will get back pay once this is done. I guess I don't fully grasp the generosity of folks.

OK, I have gone back over this information and am convinced the frame rails are Ash. The motor is most likely Harroun' s own design. It is overhead valve with atmospheric intake. There are no fins for cooling on the cylinders. The magneto is gear driven off the front of the motor. The front axle is most likely Weston Mott. The wheels are bicycle with bicycle tires. The front tank has to be gas, though you wouldn't need that much gas to go 1/4 mile. The fly wheel is way light for the period, which means, the motor would be able to turn up RPMs rapidly. I'd like to build this car but I already have something similar under construction.

Hey there, are you trying to reproduce this racer? Have you figured out the motor? I don't think there was a transmission. There is a model D schebler carb between the cylinders. It is direct drive to the rear wheels, probably with no differential, and bicycle wheels. If you had the motor, it would be an easy build. The car didn't have to steer; it just had to go straight. Did you notice the size of the flywheel? The steering is gear driven. The yokes at the end of the front axle indicates traditional steering. The sprocket on the outside of the rear wheel is a skip link bicycle sprocket Men in those days always wore ties. The racer was pushed off to start and probably raced from a running start. There should be further information on the web. There is a guy in England that racers a replica racer using a period motor. His car has no differential. It would be a neat build. One last point, the subject of this thread really should be changed to reflect the subject.

Probably unlikely but a White had steering wheels like that. I helped pull one out of a barn a few years back, a 1910 or 11 G, and the steering wheel spider was aluminum. This car has the same profile steering wheel and looks aluminum.

Hey there, anybody have a piece of the brass trim that surrounds the outside edge of a flat dash they have removed during a restoration laying around their shop? What I'm looking for is a beat up corroded piece that someone thought not good enough for a proper restoration with the original patina still on it.