[1913 36 model 17 in the UK]

Hello everybody,

The Chalmers is coming together well now, I found another type of Rayfield carb that was fitted to this model in late 1913, it needed some restoration but is now fitted and the car runs well, a little fine tuning and hopefully an improvement in performance.

the air start valves were leaking air badly, I have machined them internally and fitted seals on the valve stems, I am also going to check the air start timing as I think something isn't quite right, at certain times the starting air is coming out of the exhaust, this doesn't seem right.

when the wheels are back from having new wooden spokes fitted I have new bearings and seals to go with them and hopefully I can do some testing mileage.

Andy

[1913 36 model 17 in the UK]

Evening everybody,

I have got the drivetrain completed and back under the car,

the drive flanges are easier to torque up when everything is bolted in the chassis, these were fitted along with propshaft,

the brakes are working well and are ready for the wheels,

Andy

[1913 36 model 17 in the UK]

Good evening everybody,

I have started putting the Chalmers gearbox and diff back together,

the clutch and input shaft assembly,

gearbox back together,

new higher ratio crownwheel,

and pinion assembly,

more to follow as I get everything assembled back in the chassis.

Andy

[1913 36 model 17 in the UK]

Good afternoon all,

I have collected the new gears and I have ordered a higher ratio crown wheel and pinion ready for next season.

Some of the new gears,

The unusual gearbox roller bearings have all been removed safely with no damage and are in excellent condition and will be re-used.

Andy

[1913 36 model 17 in the UK]

Hi old car enthusiasts,

I have stripped the Chalmers gearbox to remove the gears and shafts to match them with a newly made set that were spare from a rebuild I have found out about.

The bearings on the gearbox shafts are a type of "roller with endfloat control", does anybody recognise them or know of a supply ? I am sorry the bearing photo is poor, I will get a better shot taken.

Andy

[1913 36 model 17 in the UK]

Evenin everyone,

Now the workshop is warmer than outside it is time to get some winter job's started on the Chalmers,

the wheels have been removed and have been sent away for new wooden spokes, the gearbox and clutch have also been removed ready for a rebuild and the crown wheel and pinion maybe changed for a slightly higher ratio for a better cruising speed.

other than the clutch hub being very stubborn, everything has come apart quite easily.

Andy

[1913 36 model 17 in the UK]

Good evening everybody,

A great day at the Shuttleworth collection for their race day event, the Chalmers mixing with some very famous engineering icon's.

Thanks to the Shuttleworth collection for inviting us along.

Andy

[1913 36 model 17 in the UK]

Hello everybody,

This year's Loton Park hillclimb event has been another wonderful weekend with lot's of sun and a great atmosphere.

The Chalmers ran perfectly all weekend and we ended up with the Edwardian class first handicap time tankard !

Along with the Chalmers in the Edwardian class were a Buick 45, a Stutz, a Vauxhall and a Detroit built Essex.

Here are just a few photo's from the weekend.

Rachael Williams in the supercharged JAP v-twin Hardy III special

the V-Twin 4.2 litre "Thunderbug"

the Piccard-Pictet with a WW1 V8 Sturtevant aero engine

the Brazier with a WW1 V8 Hispano

Andy

[1913 36 model 17 in the UK]

Hi Barry and all,

Barry, thanks for your kind thoughts, driving these wonderful cars gives us so much pleasure, we need to shout about it !

it is quite clear from your signature list that you have "more than just an interest" yourself, well done.

I will add some more photo's after the Loton Park hillclimb in a couple of weeks time, thanks again.

Andy

[1913 36 model 17 in the UK]

afternoon everybody,

Just a couple more photo's from the Ariel motorcycle rally I attended on the Chalmers,

The new Ariel Ace

Andy

[1913 36 model 17 in the UK]

Evenin all,

another great run out on the Chalmers to visit the Ariel motorcycle club rally, lots of great early motorcycles and early riders !

Andy

[1913 36 model 17 in the UK]

Hi Dan and all,

pleased you liked the photo's, here are a few more,

Hispano engined Amilcar

aero engined cars

OX-5 engined Mors

Looking forward to Loton Park and Shuttleworth later in the year.

Andy

[1913 36 model 17 in the UK]

Good Morning Dwight,

I am pleased you like the Chalmers, it is a lot of fun,

car 210 is a 1905 Fiat chassis with an Isotta Frashini airship engine of 1000ci, the sound is wonderful and it is driven with great enthusiasm !

see the Fiat from 0.17 seconds here,

Andy

[1913 36 model 17 in the UK]

Afternoon everyone,

I have found a short youtube clip from the Prescott hillclimb with a couple of seconds of the Chalmers on the hill, the Chalmers is at about 0.37seconds,

Andy

[1913 36 model 17 in the UK]

A great weekend at the VSCC Prescott hillclimb, the Chalmers went well and we bettered our handicap time by 1.3seconds, no problems with the car even after a monsoon rain shower on Saturday.

There was over 200 cars and an amazing selection of "specials" in attendance including the Napier-Bentley, a GN J A P V8, the 1905 200hp Darracq and a 16.5 litre Issotta-Fraschini powered Fiat.

http://www.prescott-hillclimb.com/events/VSCC2011.aspx

Andy

[1913 36 model 17 in the UK]

Another great run out last Sunday to Draycott village show about 20 miles away, sunny, good food, great exhibitors and lots of interesting things to see,

the Chalmers has now exceeded 1300 miles and 2 hillclimbs this year with Prescott in a couple of weeks.

Andy

[1913 36 model 17 in the UK]

Hello again,

I have an update from Shelsley Walsh last weekend, I wasn't last this year !

I will try to carry this on for the rest of the season.

some other cars at Shelsley Walsh,

Hardy special 3

Spider 2

1909 FL with 1913 Vauxhall behind

other cars in my class were 1911 Sunbeam, 1903 Mercedes 60hp and a 1918 Stutz Bearcat

Andy

[1913 36 model 17 in the UK]

Hi jeff_a and all,

jeff, both the model 17's are about 15 miles away from each other in the UK plus a 6 cylinder car is a regular road rally competitor here along with another model 17 in Germany, how many cars are there left in the USA and the rest of the world ?

Today was the Shelsley Walsh sprint, we had great weather in the morning but late afternoon we 2 huge downpours, my best time was 80.79 secs which is 14 seconds better than last year before the engine rebuild, although I was still last !

Back into the paddock

Back down the hill

Great day, car went well, fantastic venue http://www.shelsley-walsh.co.uk/events/content.asp?ms=21&ei=223

Andy

[1913 36 model 17 in the UK]

Evenin everybody, thanks for dropping by,

the weather has been decent and I have been out for a drive most days, over 1200 miles this year so far, I have done another oil change and everything looks good, the points and valve clearances have been checked and still good.

this week I have taken the Chalmers to two Vintage Sports Car club "pub meets", lots of nice cars in a field, good food and lots of chat.

Now the engine is performing better I have found a couple of times the engine has tried to "run on" when switched off, especially if it is particularly hot, I have switched to a colder spark plug, Champion W14, this has sorted the problem.

This Sunday is Shelsley Walsh hillclimb, hoping to improve on last years last place !

Andy

[1913 36 model 17 in the UK]

Hi everybody,

another great run out on the Chalmers, this time to the The Wharf at Cheswardine classic car night on the Staffordshire/Shropshire border, the types of cars that turned up ranged from a 1920 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost to an early Citroen 2cv, with Triumph TR's, MG's, Ford RS's and TVR's in between.

The run there and home was great fun and without problems.

I have now passed 900 miles this year and it is really bedding in well.

Andy

[1913 36 model 17 in the UK]

The weather has been good to us and I have now covered over 800 miles since the engine rebuild, it has had several oil changes and a recently made distributor cap.

A great day at the steam rally

The new distributor cap for the Splitdorf model X, does anyone have one of these mags for sale ?

When I had a spare day I took my fathers 1914 Daimler 20 to the International Daimler rally.

Next event is Shelsley Walsh hillclimb

http://www.shelsley-walsh.co.uk/events/content.asp?ms=21&ei=223

Andy

[1913 36 model 17 in the UK]

Another great and sunny day at Mill Meece pumping station,

Andy

[1913 36 model 17 in the UK]

Well Curborough sprint came and went, the Chalmers performed well with no problems,

the weekend after I took my Napier Lion to a WW1 centenary commemoration,

Andy

[1913 36 model 17 in the UK]

Hi Chalmers enthusiast's,

After getting to know "Judith" last year, on the roads and on the hill's it was fairly obvious that 100 years had taken it's toll on the performance and really given her a thirst for oil, so over the winter I have rebuilt the engine, I found piston's and valve's that I could modify to suit the car well.

The piston's I chose were alloy and from a Lister diesel generator engine, the valve's from Caterpillar D8 and D9 dozer's.

The block was rebored to take out any uneven wear and to remove the scoring on number 4 that came from a loose gudgeon pin, the piston's of the correct oversize were ordered and the modification's started, the gudgeon pin bores were sleeved to suit the little end size and the boss area's were reduced in width to suit the conrod little end's. The diesel combustion chamber's were bored out, fitted with plug's which were then welded in and the top faces skimmed down to give just a little extra compression than original.

The valve's were chosen for the correct head sizes and slightly oversize stem's, this allowed the inlet valve carrier to be bored slightly to remove wear and for the block to be reamed to suit the new exhaust valve's, both set's of valve's needed to be shortened a little and have the collet location added.

Assembling the engine went without any problems, it was so obvious that the old ring's were so worn when I turned the engine over for the first time it took all my strength to pull the handle through a half turn.

Even though the engine was tight it started easily and has settled in very well, I have now done over 150 miles with an early oil change and another due shortly, I have entered the first sprint of the year in May and hope to be a bit quicker than last year !

I am doing my best to deal with the March temperature here in the UK !

Andy

[1913 36 model 17 in the UK]

Hillclimb at Loton Park recently and this time I wasn't last !

Andy