wayne sheldon

Be careful with carriage bolts, especially modern ones. Mostly they are meant for low stress applications. Bolts and machine screws are rated for "hardness" which theoretically translates into strength. However that "translation" is not quite true. Grade 8 is the hardest bolts commonly available, and personal experience (mine and many other people's!!!) has shown that grade 8 is too hard for certain types of stress. They can fracture and break, or strip the threads off like a sharp knife down the side of an ear of corn! Most modern carriage bolts are way too soft for use on wheels. The many stresses and pressures in multiple directions are simply too much for most carriage bolts' lack of strength. Yes, I have in a pinch a couple times, used them in wheels, but they didn't stay there long as I replaced them soon after with original bolts I salvaged from somewhere. I have seen several carriage bolts used in wheels break on other people's cars. Fortunately, none of those resulted in a total collapse of the wheel, but that was just luck. Most modern carriage bolts, if they are rated, are rated at 2 or less than 2 hardness. Most local hardware stores carry carriage bolts that are not rated, however the ease at which I have broken them with a small wrench says most of them are way less than grade 2! One of the best machinists I have known, did some testing on original wood spoke wheel bolts. His conclusion was that the era wheel bolts were generally a bit above a grade 5. A grade 5 is hard enough, strong enough, to do the necessary job, yet pliable enough to bend slightly rather than break under extreme stress. Grade 2 bolts are too soft. Under wheel stresses, they will either stretch, making the wheel become loose and unsafe, or depending on the metallurgy mix, suddenly snap in two.

Wheel lug bolts on demountable rim wheels had a tendency to bend inward toward the hub. Just the way the pressure against the lugs tended to push them. That one doesn't look bad, I have seen hundreds that were much worse and doing their job just fine. So the question becomes what level of restoration you are working toward? As long as the threads are good, and the bolt hasn't been seriously damaged or cracked, they are easy to straighten if they aren't badly bent. Badly bent bolts could fracture if straightened. However minor tweaks on a bolt like that should be easy. A good heavy duty vise is very helpful. Clamp the head end of the bolt in the vise paying close attention to the direction of bend needed. Then using a big adjustable wrench, or about a foot and a half of half inch water pipe, gently pull the bolt back to straight. Don't bend too far! Going too far ends up being needed to bend it again. Back and forth bending will likely result in a fracture in the bolt, and could become unsafe.

I like original era accessories. Mostly I like them on a shelf in a display cabinet. Sometimes I like a few on a car. Too many always detract from a car's natural beauty.

The famous "Pines" winter front. Made in a dozen standard sizes in common shapes, as well as numerous special ones for various cars with odd shaped radiators. This one appears to be fairly square, and probably about a 1917 to 1923 model T size. But size matters! It might be closer to the 1914 through 1927 size? Measurements might help. And I agree, they look ugly on cars, but I wouldn't mind having one! (If money wasn't really tight right now.)

I do hope she was okay? But that is what has to happen when everyone is raised to believe that everything is someone else's responsibility, and that they will be protected by all the technology designed for that purpose. My dad used to say that one of the most important lessons of his life was when he was about three or four, and rode his tricycle as fast as he could and flipped over into a patch of stinging nettles! He quickly learned that doing things in a reckless manner might hurt! If children are protected too much? The last lesson they learn may be their last lesson ever.

Maybe I need some schooling? While cast iron heads are usually better served by stitching? I have seen quite a few aluminum heads repaired by welding. The key factor on aluminum heads (and other associated aluminum castings) being the quality of the aluminum used and seriousness of corrosion. Insidious corrosion can render even a nice looking aluminum head unusable, however, usually such corrosion can be seen at the water passageways upon close examination. In such cases where serious corrosion is evident, even stitching a head crack is pointless as the head will simply fail somewhere else soon after repair. Quite a few years ago, at a friend's machine shop (he was well known and highly respected for the quality of his work, both antique automobiles and racing cars), I saw a racing engine overhead valve head that he had spent a day welding back together after the dragster swallowed a valve and punched it up through the valve seat and port. He had completed the welding, and was just beginning to machine the port back to spec. His work didn't come cheap, I can only guess that the repair for that special head probably cost more than a ready to run new crate engine! Actual welding of aluminum of course cannot be done in the open air. It requires an "inert gas" (the "IG" in TIG and MIG) to prevent the molten aluminum from literally catching fire and burning away. With the proper equipment and an experienced welder, and depending upon the specific alloys and quality of the casting, aluminum welds very nicely. Avoiding warpage is extremely important! Once properly done, a good aluminum weld should be as strong as the original casting. Cast iron is a bit different. Again, the specific alloy is very important. Alloys vary greatly, and an improper mix of casting alloy and welding rod can be disastrous! Even with a nearly perfect match of materials, or a nickel based universal type welding rod, clean and even blending of materials is difficult. In addition, the heat required is so great (near 2000 degrees Fahrenheit!) that severe warpage becomes almost unavoidable! Attempting to pre-bend in reverse the object to compensate for the expected warpage will usually result in the crack expanding even larger, often to the point it cannot be welded if the crack grows to an inaccessible area. If the welding materials are not a very good match, or for any reason do not blend well, the weld/repair can likely become so brittle that the item will re-crack just sitting on the table after it has cooled. Welding cast iron is a real specialty, an ability to recognize the materials and their reactions to each other is necessary, beyond the basics of metallurgy and basic techniques. I have successfully welded some cast iron myself on several occasions. I have also failed miserably on at least as many attempts. I know my limits and will not even attempt anything really valuable or usually for anyone else (I did once for a good friend, it came out okay). Paul D et al. I am curious as to why some would blanketly dismiss welding an aluminum head without closely examining it. The softer aluminum may not take as well to stitching (done with small threaded rods) as does cast iron. The failure rate of welds in cast iron is high due to mixing problems and temperature issues. Any engine aluminum head more than a couple decades old may have serious corrosion issues inside. But that becomes a judgement call. A crack, in any location on such a head may or may not be in part due to corrosion. Again, a judgement call. Any aluminum head run before about 1960 is going to be especially suspect for corrosion problems because anticorrosion coolants had not yet become common. I certainly understand a generalization that aluminum heads on antique automobiles generally are not worth the effort to be welded. Most of them have suffered extensive corrosion inside the water jackets. Whether a crack, or a small hole poking out from the inside? Most repairs are soon followed by another failure. But if one does not look? How can one know. The final assessment should be done by the experienced welder that knows what he is doing, and can be trusted for his advice. Unfortunately, anymore, I don't know anyone to recommend.

Sorry. I don't care about the drinks. I want to know about the music and other atmosphere at the "Jazz Club"! Fifty years ago I often went to "Earthquake McGoon's" in San Francisco. One of the part owners was jazz great Turk Murphy, with their own style of San Francisco jazz. I and several of my closest friends became friends with Turk as well as several other of the band members at that time. One of my best friends was a good friend of Turk's. Earthquake McGoon's was an incredible place! Part bar, part jazz club, with a fair size dancing floor, and wonderful music, it was like a 1920s speakeasy. Turk and most of the band members would work the room between sets, visiting with many of the regular customers, and there were a lot of them. Turk often spent time with us as we were interested in the history and other jazz greats he had known and worked with. Of course it was a business, and we preferred business time be spent with the better paying customers (our odd group were all basically non-drinkers). What was better, is that we often got to stay a bit after closing and chat as the staff cleaned up and put things away. Wonderful times.

Been quite awhile since I bought anything from them. So I don't know if they still have those pieces or not. But you could try Restoration Supply company in Sothern California. https://restorationstuff.com/ Good people. Most of the basic parts are interchangeable across many Motometers. "Almost" any senior size glass should fit a Packard Motometer. Lots of broken Motometers around with maybe one good glass that should fit fine. Packard Motometers are usually one of the largest size ones, and actually fairly common. I repaired a fair number of Motometers years ago, and at one time had a few extra glasses of both the senior and junior sizes. I still have a couple Motometers to maybe repair, and don't think I have any extra glasses left. I swapped them around several times (senior and junior sizes do NOT interchange!) and never had a senior glass that didn't fit another senior meter. However, there were a few very rare special meters that required special glasses, and some special models that used no glasses (note, early and base model truck and tractor meters also often used no glasses.)

Detail in the photo is poor enough that identifying the make of cars is unlikely (although that front fender is distinct enough that it could be a Chevrolet?). However, styling changed so rapidly through the 1910s, that JFranklin's estimate is probably right on. Most likely, the touring car is a 1915 to 1917 built car, however it could be one year further either side. The car could be a year or two old when the photo was taken. putting JFranklin right on.

Many years ago, I had a dogbone cap just like those two, only mine was complete. It was an after-market idea where the fancy (?) and handy dogbone and brightwork was made to a simple design that could be used for any car. The threaded attachment to fit the radiator was a separate simple casting with the threads machined on the bottom half to fit whatever automobile a customer may have. The upper half of the casting had notches all around it for the two tabs inside the dogbone to lock into when assembled. These allowed to an adjustment so that the dogbone could tighten properly and face forward straight with the dogbone neatly to the sides for good looks (we know how much design and "flow" matters!). A person would contact the manufacturer or a dealer, and provide the make and model of their car to get the common dogbone and correct bottom piece to fit their car. The assembly was simply held together by the Motometer bolted in through the two pieces (which then held the two tabs into the appropriate notches to fit straight). A neat, simple design that was economical to manufacture and fit any automobile. I wish I still had mine. I have no idea who's idea it was or who manufactured them.

Wheels, wood and wire spokes, were optional on Oldsmobile at that time. Although the wooden spoke wheels may have only been available for one or two more years. Steel disc wheels were also an option on Oldsmobile (basically all GM cars?) in the mid 1920s through 1929. Chevrolet offered all three types in 1930, and I think may have been the last year for steel disc on Chevrolet? Oldsmobile I don't know about steel disc for 1930 or '31.

I don't really know any diehard Corvette people. Too modern for the circles I hang around. However, I have met a few very serious experts on them. I have known a lot of model A people, including a number of absolute purist expert types! So I know how they are. However, I have also heard before that the Corvette crowd has the model A crowd beat on the level of perfection they want to see and know.

Somewhere, I forget where, just a few weeks ago, I saw a listing for a four cylinder era Cadillac frame for sale! That coupled with this could make a good start for something? Now if I could just remember where I saw that? Maybe it was on this forum? Somehow I am thinking it was somewhere else? I have known several people with four cylinder Cadillacs over the years (several of them in my local HCCA Regional Group). Good cylinder jugs are getting scarce! A couple machinists I know that specialize in horseless carriage engine rebuilding have rebuilt quite a few of the engines. Getting good rebuildable cylinder jugs is tough. Most known and available spare and parts engines have already been robbed of good cylinders. Are these any good? Maybe, maybe not. In the photos, it looks like the upper cast water jacket areas may have been broken by freezing?

A broken sleeve is a common result if starting a Knight engine that has sat too long without first properly freeing it up and getting it loose enough to run thoroughly. That often involves a significant amount of teardown and cleaning if not a full basic overhaul. I understand that it "usually" does not do serious damage to the rest of the engine, although it can destroy the mini crankshaft that performs the function of a camshaft in a poppet valve engine. Usually, the engines can be repaired after breaking a sleeve that way. A full basic overhaul is very different on a Knight engine! I have never done one myself. However a longtime good friend has done a few of them. When he was done with them, they ran great! I got to see a couple of them apart at his garage. How long is too long? Depends upon numerous variable factors, mostly quality of storage, condition of engine and oil when last run, dampness. Too long might be ten years or more? Or it could be only a few months.

Okay, not my "thing", but actually maybe an interesting piece of automotive history. Such modified cars are generally frowned upon in "antique" automobile circles. However? I happen to have been a longtime fan of model T Ford and other "speedsters", and in those circles, I tend to be regarded as somewhat of a "purist". Many thousands of model Ts and other cars were rebuilt into speedsters during the "speedster" era. Very few of them survived past World War Two scrap drives, or early antique automobile hobby reclaiming of parts for "proper" restorations. Most speedsters today are some level of recreations, and frankly, most of them are not original era cars at all. Frankly, when it comes to speedsters, I do not mind total recreations, as long as they are built to a historic normal using era methods and correct materials. But most are not done that way. All of the five I have restored and driven contained significant amounts of original era speedster pieces! You would be amazed at how much of that stuff (rejects from the parts piles?) used to show up at swap meets. All of them were done to an era standard style, and not over-restored modern "art pieces". But that is me. I often call the model T speedsters the "longest running automotive hobby in automotive history"! Technically, the first "model T speedsters" were the preproduction experimental chassis with simple bodies used by Ford engineers to test the designs for the new model. The first of those was built and driven in 1907, a year and a half before the model T was first on the market! In 1909, Ford built two factory "specials" to be run in the New York to Seattle coast to coast race. In 1910, Ford engineers began building a handful of "specials" based upon the model T chassis and designs, but with special engines and racing bodies, to be raced for publicity purposes. Those cars did quite well in the racing world for over two years. One of them, the one with the largest engine, beat the Blitzen Benz in a fair race! Before that day, the Blitzen Benz was considered the fastest racing car in the world! By 1910, many Ford dealerships were taking the model t chassis with a cutdown body, and often no fenders, and using them in local competitions or cross country demonstrations. Numerous era photos can be found of these. Also about 1910, individuals began to get into the act! Numerous companies began making and selling bits and pieces specifically for modifying one's Ford into something racier looking. Within a few years, many hundreds of speedsters were being built all across the country, model Ts and almost anything else. By the 1920s, there were thousands of them, and more were being built every day! Unfortunately, nobody ever kept records of most of them. Probably thousands of era photos exist, I have nearly a thousand of them on my computer! And thousands of remaining parts of era speedsters still exist. I have personally had, bought, sold, used in a "restoration" then sold, or even still have a hundred original era pieces of different era speedsters. Nobody will ever know just how many speedsters were built in the "speedster era". But the "speedster era" did end. However, that was not the end! Speedsters did continue to be built for a variety of reasons for all practical purposes to this very day and beyond! Even when their popularity dropped low enough that nearly all the hundreds of companies catering to them had moved on to better markets, some people still built speedsters. Their popularity peaked about 1923. By 1925, the nearly fifty companies that had been building bodies for the speedster hobby was down to maybe a dozen. By 1927, only a handful were still struggling with specifically speedster bodies. Only by coincidence, the speedster era ended right about the same time the model T ended its production run. The speedster era gave way to something slightly different in focus and concept. It was followed by something some people refer to as a go-job (or gow job or other spellings?). The go-job eventually gave way to the "hot rod". The term "hot rod" was first used in the late 1930s, and publish if I recall correctly either 1938 or 1939. However, the term "hot rod" did not become common until after World War Two. The differences between "go-jobs" and "hot rods" is mostly semantics (what's in a name?), but also about the era or history surrounding them (prewar and postwar). In the postwar return to normalcy, the hot rod became a centerpiece! And they have continued through numerous changing styles and iterations still today. Again, while "not my thing", early postwar hot rods are also a part of automotive history. I don't know and I won't ask the actual history of your car? (If it is even really known?) But it has the right look, methods and materials (what can be seen in the photographs?), of an early postwar hot rod. If it was in fact put together only recently? Someone did a good job of bringing together a lot of unlikely early pieces to get that effect. Properly "restored" I would appreciate it. ("restored" in quotes because it would not be the commonly preferred today back-to-factory restoration), However, "restored" does not necessarily mean back to factory. Look it up in any really good old dictionary with more than one definition opinion in it. It also can and does mean to any previous state of existence. Back in the late 1940s, the Chevrolet "Babbitt beater" six was very popular for hopping up! All sorts of high performance heads, cams, and manifolds were being manufactured and sold! Interesting stuff regardless.

All very good advice, Jim, and well written. Thank you!

Nothing that a couple cases of spray-can paint wouldn't fix?

When I bought my model T coupe some years back, it had a "not bad looking" incorrect interior. But otherwise the car was really decent and the price was fair. I just told people I couldn't see the upholstery when I was sitting in it and driving!

Well, it is interesting, from a "future historical standpoint"? I won't complain.

To add to the confusion, or attempt at some understanding? As I understand it, testarosa (Kelly Dietrick) is longtime member supercargirl, who got lost in the shuffle a couple years ago when the forum shifted to signing in with email address instead of user name. That change became necessary to help the moderators limit spamming (I am not entirely sure how that helped, but that was what they said at the time?). At the time that change was implemented, the moderators gave us about two months warning to get used to the idea. Some of us made the change quickly, others dragged their feet, and more than a few had to get help from the administrators when the final switchover was made. Unfortunately, supercargirl was away for a while at the time that switch was made, and therefore unaware of it. She has since come back as "testarosa", however, some others here may not recognize her as such. I notice that supecargirl's old postings still show as a current member. She could probably be able to use her old account with a little help (advice?), or certainly with help from administrators even now? As a broker, she is being asked to help find a specific car she helped sell some years back. Did I get that mostly correctly?

Looks like an Ajax, Nash's companion car for two years. The last ones produced were rebadged as a Nash. What is wrong with your engine?

Some really nice postings here by several of our regular members! And if 1912 Caddy wants to see some really big early truck stuff? Maybe we need to get Terry Harper to post pictures of some of what he plays with? (Hopefully, he is too busy with family this week?) For whatever it is worth, I restored and drove on tours for a few years a Ford model TT truck a long time ago. There are a lot of good people on this forum that like to play with the big old stuff!

I wouldn't bet on that!

Again (from another thread), this is a bad week to be expecting answers. Too many of our best and brightest members are off visiting families or making preparations for Thanksgiving and the traditional go crazy shopping days after. There are quite a few regular members here that have restored antique trucks in the past, or are restoring them now. One fellow just began restoring a 1929/'30 Fargo truck! He is quite exited about it! A few regulars on here have faithfully restored World War One era trucks. One a Maxwell, another a Kissel. A couple of very good friends of mine many years ago had (1925 about?) Mack Bulldog trucks. One of them I occasionally mention stories about when he had it. It was a three axle with the rare (for the time) pneumatic tires option (that good friend sadly passed away a few years ago). The other friend's Mack was a longer chassis but only two axle, and had an incredible wooden rigging on it for well digging! He is still around, and living in the Pacific Northwest. I understand he still has that truck.

Welcome to the forum! This week is a bad time to be asking difficult questions. Too many of our best and brightest are busy with Thanksgiving week visits, preparations, and etc. I recommend bumping your query up a few times into next week when many will be back. What makes this particular carburetor "unusable"? Usually, these type brass carburetors are fairly bulletproof. While many little pieces may be damaged or lost, with a little creativity, almost any piece they may need can usually be made with basic shop tools. Usually, when we deal with an "unusable" carburetor it is because back in the day, a lot of them were made using a type of "pot-metal" wherein the chemistry wasn't fully understood in the day. And after a couple decades the main body and other critical pieces began to disintegrate due to an incompatibility of metals used in the mix. When that happens, often it will happen to all of a given model of carburetor as all of them were made using a similar metal mix. Often then, nearly all of them after nearly a hundred years have become unusable, and the only reasonable remedy is to find a suitable replacement. Suitable replacements for large displacement engines can be difficult to find.