Bud Tierney

Fascinating... Under Cont'l that 29 catalog lists W4 pistons available in CI, Lynite and Strut versions, all 31/4 length... However, under Star, the Lynite and Strut versions are shown as 311/16 length...a catalog discrepancy, both sets of listings showing the same telegraph codes... ALSO, under Star, a second CI piston is shown, 31/4 length, with the notation "bushed". (which is probably the CI above??)... Looks like some careful weighing and measuring is in order here to match your other three, including ring grooves, as the CI's are different from the Lynite/Strut... .(neither catalog lists weights).

For all things obsolete Cont'l the place to start is Monte's Eqpmt, obsolete Cont'l dealers, fmly in Chicago, now NW of City but e=mails the same: Garrad (Gerry/Jerry) Moon at Mont's (garradmoon@montes@flash.net, or montesequipment. com... P A Ross Mahinery in Dallas, long time Cont'l dealer, has also been helpful with obsolete's---parossmacinery.com... FWIW, 29 Accuralite pisTon catalog says W4 shares pistons with 6Y, 7U and 7H..... 36 kING Prod catalog says W4 shares piston with 7U to #41897 and 6Y 6cyl's, H6, H7 and P17 power unit, all apparently having the Osc type pin....7H has been moved to 31/2 bore set; and later 7Us are shown with lock ring pin, so all W4s seem to have the Osc pin...

Concur with the above re' adequacy/safety of mid-1930s brakes...while can't speak for every model, those that I owned---Mid-30s Dodge, Hudson, Lafayette, Nash, Terraplane come immediately to mind---all had excellent brakes...... Haven't been in repair for years, but companies used to have available a "range" of linings, some more "agressive" than others, if you didn't mind additional wear on drums in exchange for "right now" stopping with light pedal pressure... All that said, if you're operating in some straight up and down country, where fading could be a problem, discs could well be an improvement. Unless you're well experienced in brake work and such conversions, seek advice from objective well experienced or professional people (objective=people who aren't going to make money from such a conversion, incentivised to be salesmen rather than advisors)...

Not trying to be a wet blanket here, but... Didn't take the time to read all the links above, but I would think Googling Powells would bring up questions re' serious maintenance difficulties...I can't recall specifically whether mechanical, body, or both, but do recall a couple being driven around with prominent "LEMON" sighs attached (Tuscon AZ??)... If all mechanicals were the well proven Plymouth/CCptn, problems must've been in assembly or bodywork???...vehicles seemed to appear and disappear rather quickly...

I'm not familiar with Auburn, and the only 1914 4-40 listing I have is not conclusive as to the engine... Assuming it is a vendor engine, do you have its ID (maker and makers engine model)??? If a T-H, model # should be letter (N, O, T) or letter + number (T17, T18)....... Rutenber did produce at least one 4cyl 41/2x5, if the Auburn Rutenber had same b/s; d'you know which Rutenber was used??--per old parts catalog listings, they seemed to have much greater penetration as a supplier, than T-H, but old parts catalogs are not definitive sources...

Does your pilot bearing have a number for matching, or d'you plan to just match it at a bearing co??? I have a NEW DEP bearing catalog(1917-26) that might show an original # for matching...

OK, you may be in luck here...if this's considered lucky... Assuming the Reo Club's not been able to help, and assuming Monrte's and P A Ross's not been able to help... Per listings in my old parts catalogs the Es were either not very popular engines, or sold to m'f'r's that called them their own, EXCEPT for the 18E, which was used by at least 18 truck builders 1928-30 or so, incl a few familiar names like Federal, Diam T and Sterling......the catalog listing said the water jacket gasket was on 11E-16E-18E... You might be able to turn up someone with a parts 18E in the garage by posting in some of the truck sites---ATHS, justoldtrucks, antq car/trk forum smokstak, Comm'l forum here, Cont'l Eng forum here, ad nauseum... Or it may be easier to just fab pne, unless yours has the sript.........

Sonething's happened to the companion post in the REo forum---it's had pages and pages of Wanted added to it; just as well, as my post there wasn't completely accurate (got to quit the late night posting!!)... Gasket catalogs lump the 16E in with 9 other engines, 10E and 12E (both 31/4 x 4) 11E, 14E, 15E, 17E, 18E, 19E and 28B, all 33/8 x 4... However, under valve chamber cover it only lists gaskets for 15E (2 req'd) and "11E-18E" (2 req'd)... Are we actually talking about a water jacket cover "1E-16E-18E" one piece??? (holes in cover in pic don't show any evidence of water leaks)... Apparently several of the other Es---11E, 15E and 19E are shown in period catalogs---were used in other period Reo cars and trucks (1928-30??); one catalog shows the 16E also in the 1929 Speed Wagon Jr (that's a 1930 catalog so may've been continued in later years).. As the 16E may've been spec'd just for Reo, fabricating, as mentioned above, might be quickest...

It's quite possible..... That 16E is shown in a 38 Victor gasket catalog lumped in with the 11, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19E, all 33/8 x 4...however, in that list of gaskets, under valve chamber cover it only lists 2 piece gaskets for 15E and different 2 piece for "11E-18E" and your pic is one piece...don't know offhand what else the 16E may've gone into... Another possibility is the under Reo it shows that engine under Wolverine B 27-28, Mate B2 1929, Model 15, 1930 in pass cars and BA, DA, DC Jr and #15 trucks 1/2-1Ton....

GRIMY: Don't understand your comment your Paige has a "...big Six 331 CID despite 8A designation..."... My catalogs show the Cont'l 8A as 6 cyl 3/34 x 5; online calculator and my notes show that as 331 CID......

Come to think of it, you're probably correct---I think Oregon stopped making that info available after someone located an ex-girlfried/wife?? via DMV... I remember, from the 60s/70s??, R L Polk & Co, who printed a lot of City and county Directories, also published a State vehicle registry. I know I saw at least one Calif edition, and I believe it had a separate section for antique cars---we were living in Calif at the time, had just acquired a 32 Hupp, and were looking for other owners before we realized there was a Hupp Club... Or, maybe it was a license plate registry??? It was a quite large book, probably 2x a Sears catalog; any good pub lib in Calif could advise if I'm remembering correcty......

Wouldn't Calif DMV have the ID on the Horseless Carriage registration???

As Ben P mentioned, Googling Maine Motor Carriage Co does bring up trade magazine ads as both auto dealers and operators of what was clearly an upscale garage/repair service, mid 1900s as I recall...sorry, didn't make notes as I was looking for mention of a prototype... As mentioned, local papers are fertile sources to search. There is an online newspaper archive site but they require a subscription. Local public libraries often retain archives of local papers as well as files of local business brochures and other documents. Local City Directories generally list businesses, their adds and general type of business....

Ahhhh, careful---you're prying open Pandora's Box here... One thing you'll find very early on in this hobby/compulsion/obsession is that "terms" are bandied about with almost complete abandon by all except the most dedicated...... While it's my understanding the CCCA (Classic Car Club of America??) sets the industry definition/register of what is a "true" Classic Car, that's often confused (especially by sellers) referring to "classic" 50s/60s/70s cars, when they actually mean an outstanding or particularly appealing design, not something equaling a custom bodied Duesenberg. AACA may well have set an "industry standard" definition of antique, classic, vintage, special interest etc (I'm embarrassed to admit I should've investigated before typing--typical example of mind in low and mouth in high) but you'll find these terms very---very---loosely applied in articles, advertising, etc as well as general conversation.... To a certain extent, it depends on the age of the speaker; I have to wince (mentally) when someone talks of their"classic" 50 or 60, or their "antique" 30 or 40...yet from their timeline, assuming they were born in the 60s/70s/80s, the terms fit... Just nod and smile; don't let the endless enjoyment of the hobby be diminished by minor inconsistencies that have no day to day import

Years ago our Pub Lib put a bunch of their archives on film, selling the originals---while I did snag a batch of old hardbound period magazines I let slip away several Dept of Commerce (??) reports on "average wages" around the country1910 or so to into the 30s.. Unfortunately, you need more info---what was considered subsistence, adequate or comfortable income level in relation to local prices---to be able to tell what a "living wage" was (one income for family of four, sufficient for the acceptable living standard of the location and time)...

F&J: 24 Houpert piston order form includes " to fit reground cyl, Finished size...give exact cyl size, we will allow clearance unless clearance specified..."... 3-32, 6-36, 4-40 King Products Co (they published every month !??1) furnished in semi-finished, requiring grinding to finish, or ground to order... 1944 Sealed Power...same as King Prod above RUSTY----yes, all include piston comp dist, length, pin diam, length; the 32 and later list only their stock #s for pin lock and bushing The 24 also lists pin Osc or Sta, if has skirt ring, set screw size/thread, dist between bosses and finished price...

Rusty's comment above (which came on as I was typing) is right on, particularly out in the then (and mostly still) wide open spaces where you could be 20-30-40 miles from anywhere over gravel (if improved) roads...my experience being in western states... Literally nothing got thrown away but thrown onto the scrap pile in case it might come in handy sometime, and because an old car or truck wasn't worth the time and effort to haul it in..... Lots of old cars and trucks were cut up into stationary power units, especially on outlying ranching, mining, logging etc locations...many of which disappeared during WWII, only hauled in because it was the patriotic thing to do...

Interesting point re' the fan blades flexing... Don't recall any such happening, but my winter driving began in southern NM "high desert' (4300') which did get some cold weather and snow but nothing really serious like in the east, and has been limited to southern climes and balmy west coast... We generally started cardboard at the bottom and worked up because easier to keep in place at the bottom....no, I don't miss driving with cold feet....

That L-shaped/stepped ring problem may've been cured/overcome by replacement parts companies...a 1936 King Products catalog says, under Chrysler, DeSoto and Dodge: "All following pistons are grooved for regular compression rings. Use special narrow compression ring (listed in the catalog) for the 27-33 Chry, 28-33 DeSoto and 30-34 Dodge factory pistons originally equipped with Special "L" shaped rings'... So it sounds like replacement parts co's provided both standard ring replacement pistons as well as a special ring of their own, apparently not "L" shaped, to replace the "L" shaped one...so NORS or used pistons may not have the L-ring problem... Personally, if complete originality not a problem, I'd certainly look into a later CCptn 6 taking still available parts..

I've got a Star engine question/s re' the 4cyl engines used... Most of my old parts catalogs listing Star cars show Continental W4 and W5 4s... both 31/8 bores A 1924 piston catalog (covering thru 1923) lists a Cont'l 6Y., also a 31/8 bore, as a 4... A 1933 ring catalog also lists "Star 1923-24---Cont'l 6Y---31/8---12 31/16 rings"..no cylinder count shown, but presumably a 4 (4x3 rings=12), rather than a 6 (6x2rings=12)..... Unfortunately, other catalogs generally list the 6Y as a 6cyl and/or lumped in with a series of both 4s and 6s.... Std cat says Star didn't get a 6 until 1926 (or maybe late 25 if production then, as now, jumps the model year)... As a final complication, a 38 Victor gasket catalog, usually reliable (well, usually more reliable) lists "Star, Pass, 4cyl 1922-28 Cont'l H1, H6, H7, H8, H9, a mix of 31/8 and 33/8 bores, along with our familiar W4 and W5..... If there's a Club registry, or dependable records, does this 6Y or any of the Hs appear??? Many thanks for any comments...

Well, that's it---now I have to face that I'm not only old, but elderly...downsizing, clearing out the basement, found a dozen or so boots, apparently leftover from N Mex-AZ gravelly/rocky road days, about 60 yrs ago, and now this......

If you only checked a couple of sources, you may not've gotten a good idea of prices, either for casting new ones or for NOS, NORS or used... Justoldtrucks has a fair list of obsolete engine parts suppliers on their Vendors And Restoration Services list, and there're several well trafficed Mopar websites if you haven't already checked them (I'm assuming you're a member of one of the DeSoto/Mopar clubs).. Granted, your pistons seem to be unique per a 36 catalog; if originality is not required, replacing with another engine, as mentioned above, with more CCptn interchangability or available off-the-shekf parts may be your best route...

That axle was almost certainly a Columbia off-the-shelf model used in various other assembled trucks---can you find any kind of an ID number/etc on the housing anywhere?? Posting for that axle model may generate more responses... Failing that, you might advise your models tonnage--Mroz sez in 1930 Stewart produced for 1 to 7 ton models, possibly with different axles in each size...

Can't resist joining in om the Cadillac-Packard question... Packard was far and away the car of choice for the old-money type people---quiet, reserved people with inner self confidence, who didn't feel any need to advertise their good fortune, who preferred quiet quality, in everything, to flash and glitz...to be honest, flash and glitz were considered a little beyond the pale... Cadillac, conversely, was loved by those who'd hit it big, one way or the other, and wanted everyone to know it, to proclaim their good fortune to the world, perhaps even revel inwardly in the envy of the Ford-Chev drivers... I'm not from old money (or new!!); semi-skilled family, working class, semi-professional white collar myself, so didn't pick up that feeling from anywhere upscale, it's just what most people i knew felt...adult years in the NMex, AZ, , Riverside, Santa Cruz, Cal, got to Oregon (ran out of money) still here...

Found note that then-now-auto.com had a line of flex U-joints for cars etc; note probably 5-6 yrs old, no info on prices.