Stutz in the UK

Hi Layden, we ran the car today for about 20 miles and it ran fine - the spark plug gas are now .030. So far so good. As you say many issues (and in most cases fun and satisfying to fix). It was very cold here today so we came home to get warm. I will try the car on a longer run at the weekend and see how it goes. Thank you for your replies and help!

This is a picture of one of my wheels

Layden, I guess what you are saying then, is my wheels may have been added at a later date i.e. after the 1917 build date? Does the tire size (35 x 5) give any clue. Some information I have seen would lead me to believe this size is not standard. I am guessing wooden spoke wheels lasted less time than wire spoked wheels when in service and could have been replaced?

Thank you Layden, I will try a .030 gap, my plugs were set at .015 right now, I am wondering if this has been adding to my rough running at hogher speeds (i.e. wider throttle openings, more fuel than a .015 gap can ignite easily) I will report back - the cars is definately better with the water heating (manifold) pipes back in place, I think the frosting issue has been resolved

Just a thought, can anyone advise on spark plug gaps please? I have a Bosch Type ZR4 Dual ignition setup on my car This means I only have one set of plugs (4, one each cylinder), but two ignition systems (battery / trembler for starting) and Magnito for normal running Can someone advise me of what spark plug gaps I should run with please? Thanks

Dan, you are quite correct, Layden has been really helpful to me and has helped with answers and all kinds of useful information and detail I would also encourage new car owners to join the Stutz Club, the Newsletter is really good and the information available to members is invaluable I have even been visited here in the UK by a USA based club member who looked me up and came to see my car, that was a most informative visit My thanks to you all Regards Dave

Layden, my model 'R' car was built in the early part of 1917 (with the Winsconsin Engine) so according to the Stutz book, before April and with the longer 56 inch rear springs. It has Houk style wire wheels with 35 x 5 tyres, held on by threaded centre caps marked No5 Buffalo N.Y. Wheel Corporation of America, the attached picture is of a spare wheel nut I picked up from Ebay (they are handed left and right hand thread). I believe these wheels were fitted from new, perhaps as factory options as hinted at, in the various catalogs I have seen from the time - do you think differently? Your message says about 1918, I wonder if the Houk Manufacturing Company was reorganized as the Wire Wheel Corporation of America, in Buffalo New York in 1917?

One of mine came off fine, I have never managed to shift the other - my 1917 Roadster has Buffalo wire wheels, would the same puller and instructions work for my car too please?

Leather clutchs seem grabby too, mine needs pleanty of neatsfoot oil to make it smoother

Please can anyone help me with a recomendation for the correct oil to use in my 1917 Roadster rear axle and Gearbox (all one Stutz unit) I am currently using a UK Oil grade called AG 140, this is a stright grade oil with no aditives, I am using a 140 grade thinking a think oil might be good to prevent wear but wondering what might have been recommended when new and what others use please?

I have on occasion added new spokes to an old rim where spokes were either missing or loose. Before you start try to work out why the spoke is loose, if its been loose for a long time it will have caused some wear on either end (hub and rim) so make sure you sort that out first. I have seem some rims so bad a new spoke will pull through. There are spokes with larger heads available or you can build one up. To answer your question about tension when adding odd spokes, its a matter of understanding how the wheel was laced and tensioned in the first place. you can 'ring' the spokes to test they are all the same (play a tune on them to see they all have the same pitch when struck). Unless you are building a complete wheel you are unlikely to be sucessful in correcting a rim wobble by adjusting a few spokes. You really need to start again with all the spoke nipples in good order. Likely this job is best done by an expert wheel builder, it really depends upon the planned use of the wheel (car). I needed a few spokes to replace some missing ones on my 1917 Stutz and found Jaguar E Type spokes perfect in size, shape and these did (and are still doing) the job well. To me, there is nothing as important as good wheels, tyres and brakes to keep you safe

looks like a really nice car.

I just spoke to the guys you downloaded your information from, they say lubricate with 3 in 1 oil before assembling or adjustment

Thank for your reply, I did wonder about the grease. The article I read was very clear that the discs must be well lubricated with either grease or stright 140 oil prior to adjusting. I will take a look at the information you have sent. This is confusing!

Hi There, Does anyone have any instructions or ideas on adjusting Hartford type shocks These are the type with the round friction discs held between two metal plates and then with two arms to connect them between the axel and the chassis I have a set of these attached to an old car (1917 Stutz) and I would like to set them up properly I have taken them apart and greased them up (they were fairly dry), to adjust them its a matter of tighting up the center nut, but how much? Thanks

Hi There, Does anyone have any instructions or ideas on adjusting Hartford type shocks These are the type with the round friction discs held between two metal plates and then with two arms to connect them between the axel and the chassis I have a set of these attached to an old car (1917 Stutz) and I would like to set them up properly I have taken them apart and greased them up (they were fairly dry), to adjust them its a matter of tighting up the center nut, but how much? Thanks

Bit of a long shot, but does anyone have a tuning booklet for the H Series Carburattors they could scan and email me please? Thanks

Dear Layden, I do not have a pipe fitted and did wonder about icing. What should the pipe be made of please? I asume the bottom of the H3 where the inlet is, can be adjusted to swivel round to face the 'Stove' in the exhaust manafold? I seem to re-call seing a picture of one you were selling where the inlet faced a different direction than on my car? Thank you for your reply

Dear Ferando, thank you for your reply (it is not likely the exact answer, but one likely factor is in the octane rating of the fuel), are you suggesting too good fuel or too poor fuel please? Thank you

Dear All, I have a Stromberg H3 Carb on my 1917 Stutz. The car starts and runs well but after long high speed runs, the car runs very rich. Once left to stand for a while the car runs fine again. Any ideas please? Thank you.<!-- google_ad_section_end -->

I could use 6 please

Dear All, I have a Stromberg H3 Carb on my 1917 Stutz. The car starts and runs well but after long high speed runs, the car runs very rich. Once left to stand for a while the car runs fine again. Any ideas please? Thank you.<!-- google_ad_section_end -->

Dear All, I have a Stromberg H3 Carb on my 1917 Stutz. The car starts and runs well but after long high speed runs, the car runs very rich. Once left to stand for a while the car runs fine again. Any ideas please? Thank you.

Hi Layden, thank you for your reply. As ever all your advise is very useful. Today I found a garage near where I live who have a suitable balancer. All of my wheels had masses of lead weights attached by a previous owner - the initial check with these weights attached showed two of the wheels needing 39oz of weight to balance them (clearly quite wrong). We removed all the old weights and with then just quite small weights got the wheels into balance. One of my wheels is quite out of shape and has been banashied to the second spare for now The car is sooooo much better - wish I had done this ages ago

I have a 1917 Stutz model 'R' with a Wisconsin engine fitted<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> The car has been running a little rough recently, but a week ago I found a stripped inlet manifold nut with the other nuts a little loose (not ideal at all). I am not sure it the car was sucking in air (it’s likely), but with this fault fixed (new stud) the car is running quite well now. I also blew compressed air through the carb to clear out any muck and emptied the float bowl (I caught what came out in a clean jug - this showed signs of dirt). I also cleaned and checked the plugs<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> I enjoyed an eighty mile trip at the weekend!<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> I have always felt a good indicator of how a car is running is the colour of the spark plugs and how much fuel it uses (the plugs came out clean with just a hint of soot round the very outer edges)<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> I just wondered how much fuel those of you with similar engined cars, would expect to use on such a trip please (about 80 road miles)<o:p></o:p>