57wayne

I have a brand new pair of Blockley tires, still wrapped, for sale. 650/700x 20 as noted. Bought 5 and found the front wheels are 21". Paid $730 each with customs and shipping. Would like to get $600 each. Possibly can add some old tires for rollers if buyer is local enough. One of the mounted tires is shown.

From what I can find, Peter died in December of 2022. Did anyone take over his parts business? Looking for a throttle linkage gear at the base of the steering column, 1931 Cadillac V12. Thanks for any info

Still on the hunt..thanks for the inputs and leads so far! It looks like if we can get a V16 tank assembly, we might be able to make parts to modify it to a V12 configuration. So, if anyone has a V16 tank available, please let me know!

@edinmass , The car was running Detroit Lubricators. I rebuilt a pair of Johnson carbs and reinstalled those with the correct silencers, corrected the linkage from the mods made for the Detroit Lubricator carbs, and am now setting up the fuel supply. Thanks for your inputs!

Thanks Sagefinds . I tried Dick Shappy first; he hasn't come up with one so far. The 1931 V12 uses a different tank than the V16, V16 has two tanks, but the 1931, 370A V12 has a single with two outlets. One circuit uses an internal filter and the other uses the external filter. There are two shutoff valves. I can find pictures of it on the firewall and instruction on the two shutoff valves in the Operator's Manual, but nothing with a lot more detail. The Cadillac LaSalle Club Authenticity Manual for 1930 - 1933 Cadillac V12 and V16, page 104 does have info, and maybe the PN I need; "12.3820-2nd edition. 888383. 370A"

Does anyone have photos of the correct vacuum tank for a 1931 Cadillac V12, top / bottom / height and diameter, and/or the correct model number for the tank assembly, or even one they would sell; complete or partial? Thanks in advance and Happy New Year!

Oldtech, what is the brand or where did you find it? Maybe on another job it will come in handy!

Got it. This ended up being the clue. At first I dismissed the idea; I had tried that. But it kept rolling around in the back of my head...there was a reason it didn't work before. You cannot install the rods with the bolts in them. Take the bolts out (at least one side) and you can tilt the rod and put the side with the bolt in first if you have a bolt still in, and then tilt the 'empty side' in. Now I have to do it with all four...

John Cislak in Indian Orchard, MA (part of Springfield) will know, if you can get him to tell you! He has parts and will make jets .

It's not the pistons, it is the rods passing through the holes in the crankcase. Yup, I took them out...but even Cadillac only stayed with that engine a short while. It was probably not ideal for assembly then. I am not a believer in enduring suffering for the sake of it! If we can come up with the way to do it, I'm fine with it. But I took the rods out thru the top. I don't remember it being that hard, but it's been 7 or 8 years...There was a suggestion from Writer Jon that I have to try.

I know it's been a while since this was posted...the twin ignition was supposed to provide more power from a better burn. There are two sets of points in the distributor and a dual contact rotor. The flathead Ford guys use the distributors in twin plug builds and drove prices for a cap (and distributor) through the roof for a Nash guy. If anyone reading this has wheels like these, I need to replace one on my 32 980.

Thanks Oldtech. Does the handle latch down or do you need to hold it like an oil filter wrench? I think I am going to stay with my current plan and just relieve a few thousandths off of two spots on the diameter of the holes in the crankcase to let the rods pass more easily. Or maybe I wait for summer when it warms up and they will slip right thru!

Thanks Oldtech. The tapers are on the bottoms of the bores in the blocks. If you put the pistons and rods onto the crank, it seems you can't use a ring compressor (how do you get it off?) and putting the pistons into the bores on the bench was a challenge even when using the ring compressor! I tried it without but felt like I was going to break a ring. I'm thinking a very light relief in the crankcase diameter at 12:00 and 6:00 is not going to affect sealing and is going to allow me to get the rods through with the pistons already installed in the bores.

Thanks Ed. I decided my engine stand couldn't handle the weight, and didn't go about getting a double ended one, so opted for in-car. So we'll go without the free lunch for a few days...For anyone interested, here is a picture. The rod and piston are completely supported by the rod pinched in the hole.

The "drop it back in" part is where I get hung up. Checking with a separate rod, no cap, it goes into the hole in the crankcase with interference...line on line... But they did come out that way!

I have to go check something again...I got them out so they must go back in through the hole in the crankcase. My error on checking was possibly that the cap was still on the rod I was using to confirm it would fit. I'll be back...

Reassembling my engine (1934 Cadillac V8 355D); gapped the rings, installed them on the pistons, and assembled the pistons and rods into the cylinders, thinking I would be inserting the crank end of the rods through the holes in the crankcase and bolting them to the crankshaft. Before someone not familiar with the engine comments; the rods do not fit thru the bore, so the pistons have to be installed from the bottom of the separate cylinder blocks. What I am finding is that the rods also don't fit thru the bore into the crankcase. My Cadillac shop manual does not address this part of assembly at all. From someone who has done this job before, what's the secret? Thanks..

Well, the pandemic got in the way of the last event, but it is going to be held this year, May 13, 2023, in Wilbraham MA. Check out WilbrahamHillClimb.org There is also a link in the event you want to compete (timed run uphill, paved road, one car at a time). As above, please contact me at wapathre@charter.net if you are interested in showing your early electric / hybrid vehicle! Thanks

Jim, Regarding other 34/5 parts available; I am slowly working on a 34 Town Sedan. A couple of things that come to mind for parts I need are: Accelerator pedal assembly and linkage, and the 'waterfall' section at the bottom of the grille. The accelerator pedal was replaced with something late model and cobbled up linkage when I got it. I saved an assembly from an old V12 parts car before I let it go to replace that, but suspect the orientation and links are different. I have a bunch of damaged parts for the 'fancy' lower radiator trim, and also have a solid steel cover probably from a low end car. I probably have a lot more money to spend on other parts before I worry about that, but figured I should ask since I stumbled onto your ad. You can PM me if you would, please.

Steve, did you get the heads? I have a couple of parts engines.

Thanks Oldtech. I figured that would make more sense. The big trick is that there is no accessory path and it's the wrong switch. After figuring that out and what the original switch looked like, it became more apparent that the 10/12/2 orientation would be least confusing. Again, thanks!

When you get around to figuring out what you have for the 34 Caddy, let me know. I have a full set of reproduced steel, unplated and undrilled, bumper blades. A gentleman in CT had them done for his 34 LaSalles. Never told anyone who did them, and then he was gone. I have a bunch of the other parts to put it together but probably missing something. Have the 35 style bumpers on the car now, as bought.

@F&J, do you have the biplane bumpers for your 34 LaSalle?

Got the photos. An original switch would have been like one of these.

Ok...let me reply to my own question. The ignition switch is not original. It would have had an armored cable integral with the switch, containing the wire to the coil. A listing on ebay currently has an assortment of switches with the cable. I couldn't copy the photo on my phone to post it. There are two terminals otherwise on the back of the switch. One is power in, and the other is power out to the starter switch. The third position on the switch that is currently in my car is unused. It would have been the accessory position on a later car. The third terminal is for the coil power wire. 12:00 is "on", 10:00 is "off" and is where the key can be removed. 8:00 is unused and will confuse the crap out of someone else someday. I could rotate the switch and have 10/12/2 positions with 12 as off and 2 as run. That is probably how it was intended! Thanks for rreading. In the future, if you have thoughts on a solution, please share them. The way knowledge is passed is by sharing your experience. Some times it is just the conversation that sparks the "oh yeah!" For me, it was the ebay ad showing the switch with the cable. I saw it on my schematic, but never saw one before! My 32 Nash is not like that. Stay Well!