MikeC5

This may help. http://forums.aaca.org/topic/166344-ignition-switch-on-25-116-questions/?hl=%2Bignition+%2Bswitch I had to take mine apart to clean and lube the contacts. Carefully bend the tabs to allow the whole back to come off and reveal the contacts.

Really no adjustment? How strange. An early manifestation of bean-counteritis?

It must have covered a lot of miles at Daytona Beach (at high tide)... Even with a 340, $4500 for that?

I purchased the shaft for my '25 from Romar and it was stainless steel. It fit fine but it does appear the '26 shaft is a bit more complex. Maybe some JB Weld on the distributor piece until you can source another one. Myers has some used parts (not listed in the catalog), just ask them if they have it.

Not sure about '26 but I haven't seen these on earlier DBs with disc wheels. I suspect it was an aftermarket accessory.

Change the air in the tires... I like that one. 'Course, these days some people do change to nitrogen... My floorboards were in bad shape too so I had to make new ones. I used red oak which came out pretty nice I think. I'll try and dig up a photo.

True, they didn't use varnished cherry or oak back then but unless you're going for a 100 point car and it gets from A to B on a trailer, can anyone really begrudge someone for wanting to use well crafted hard wood? And from trees on his own property? I suppose if the car is viewed more as an investment than a hobby, non-originality would be more of a concern. If minor (tasteful) modifications such as these can be easily reversed then is there really any harm done? I know... tasteful is in the eye of the beer holder...

Looks great! I think you said this was a 1925 in a different thread. The accelerator and starter button look different than on my 25 touring.

I did exactly the same with a 6 volt Klaxon horn I found at a flea market (only $20 in great shape).

Ammeters show up on Ebay quite often. 12V horns seem to be more scarce than 6 volt horns. You could try Myers Early Dodge as they do sell used parts (not listed in their catalog; you need to call or email them and ask).

Harder doesn't necessarily mean more durable. I would expect it would be more prone to chipping and cracking especially on a part as flexible as fenders. If anything, I'd think of adding the stuff they add to pain that is being used on flexible bumper covers to prevent cracking.

I decided to glue a 2nd layer of wood with the grain parallel to the pedal slots (adds about 3/8 more thickness but there is room for it under there).

Beautiful work! Was that a fiberglass repair someone attempted on the old foot board?

Thanks Craig. I guess I spoke too soon... I took it for a ride and as soon as the engine started to warm up it went back to slight discharge when running (without headlights). With lights on it was on discharge side 6 - 8 amps. Argggg !

Update: I removed the brushes and they looked OK. Not sure what they're made of but the two main brushes definitely feel heavier than the thinner 3rd brush (so I'm guessing that one is at least carbon). I cleaned up the commutator a bit with some fine sandpaper, checked the mica, and fingernail test shows it to be below contact surfaces. Cleaned the ground lug, put it all back together and now it works! Starter cranks faster and it is charging (and responds to movement of adjusting 3rd brush). Still, the brush springs are rusty and I'd like to put new ones in. By the way, with this image from Dykes auto encyclopedia (attached) I was at least able to measure the resistances for the positive and negative main brush circuits and the 3rd brush circuit between the brush connection and the fuse (field circuit). 0.6 ohms for mains and 1.8 ohms for 3rd brush circuit. Also, the left side (when viewed from driver seat) of fuse holder should have continuity to ground. While I don't know what the recommended values for these resistances are, the generator was putting out a little over 14v so presumably, they are close to what they should be.

Craig, that would be great. I think I bought a copy of that bulletin from Romar but am not able to locate it. The other thing I'm wondering is how do you go about replacing the brush springs? Must the whole unit be pulled apart (remove armature) in order to do this? My springs are not broken but I was going to go ahead and get new ones for a little piece of mind.

My car is S/N A323967 so primer cups should not be there I guess. Does anyone know what resistance you would expect measured across the field windings? I mean with generator output cable disconnected and then measuring across output terminal and ground stud.

As they say, Mother is the necessity of invention....

No primer cups Craig but I can't be sure the head is the original either. I noticed while perusing in Myers starter/generator section that they sell switch box grounding straps. Apparently the one on my car was lost long ago and I was unaware there was such a critter. Why does the box need to be grounded?

Thanks CA. I will clean the grounding lug and I did re-tighten the connections on the starter switch already. Where did you get your brushes? Mine appear to be OK as far as wear but it isn't obvious what material they are.

I recently discovered that the generator portion of the S/G isn't working (starter could not crank enough). I did recently disconnect battery and remove the starter switch (installed new floorboards). I'm sure it was correctly reinstalled though. I had also (over a year ago) replaced the points/cut out with a hefty diode, wired for positive ground. So I don't think the problem is the there. Could this be a polarity issue as in, I needed to polarize the generator when I put things back together? A few other clues: the starter operates but is rather weak. It will crank the engine a partial revolution, then stop. If I release starter switch and then re-apply, it will do the same again. When car engine is started & warmed up, the ammeter reads a slight discharge (large discharge with headlights on). Voltage measured at battery with car running is no greater than when car is off which tells me no charge is reaching battery. I am also confused by the voltage reading taken between output terminal on generator and ground; roughly 2 volts. Does that number even make sense? I would think it could be no lower than battery voltage and I did have the battery freshly charged, measuring 12.6 volts at terminals....

Do the continuity tests with the multi-meter (measure resistances) first. If it doesn't show resistances within range it's toast.

Hi Ray, the guides are press fit? I didn't look at the MIM yet... I wonder if it would be possible to locally heat and expand the holes in the block to minimize the forces involved? Interesting about the piston. Any clues as to who made it? Maybe it would be worth replacing the other 3 with same while you're in there.

Good idea Ray. I will write that one down.

I was just going to ask that question....