C Carl

Padgett , I am curious. Is "Studillac" a hypothetical concept , or have you seen , or heard of one ? I am in Seattle , and a spectacularly well-done one exists around here. One of the greatest Cadillac hotrodders in these parts , Sonny Wisener , made a black '55 quite some time ago. 'Round these parts , it is referred to as "The Studillac". 514 cu. in. topped by 4 dual throat 45mm Webbers. Sonny originally built it w/o AC. Didnt get real hot around here back then , maybe 30? years ago. (Still doesn't , IMHO , but I am originally from the Midwest). One trip to Reno for Summer fun cured that omission ! So are you familiar with this/another one ? I have interesting pics of it in my iPad , but do not have a clue as to how to post pics. I know how to email pics , so could send to you if you are interested , or someone else who could post for general appreciation. I really must get to the Apple Store , and take notes on how to post pics. Mere verbal instruction from you more able and technologically proficient folk would be insufficient for me , I am afraid. Someone would have to physically show me , at best. But , yeah , I am curious as to whether you are familiar with Sonny's masterpiece. If you saw it in person , or in a mag , you would never forget it. A crowd pleaser wherever it goes ! Sonny is beloved in these parts for his mechanical abilities , his creations , and sense of humor/quick wit. Vanity plates on "The Studillac" read "MR STUDE". He says that if he were not happily married , he'd take the "E" off ! - Carl

Matt : Compaints ? Complaints ?!!!! Verbose ? Hey , listen my fellow brother member of at least 3 car clubs : as far as I am concerned , you are the Joseph Conrad of all AACA forum posters ! Every time I see your avatar shield , I go right to it. Not only for your relevant automotive descriptions , but your well thought out common sense advice to those seeking logical help , or technical tips. Not only that , but you have a great sense of humor when you choose to deploy it. I could go on and on , but I am often accused of doing just that. So , if we are keeping score , simply put me in the "More Matt" column , not less. Thank you for your generous wisdom. - Carl

About 40 years ago I ran in to a Bon Vivant who refered to money as "Fun Coupons". I use that term from time to time. - Carl

Now , seems to me , Jan Berry's dad , Bill , was an engineer for Howard Hughes. He was aboard the 'Goose when it flew on ground effect over the Long Beach , Cal. harbor. Powered by eight (8) 28 cyl R4360s. Man , that's a bunch of cyls and cubes. Talk about reciprocating obsolescence ! - Carl

Frank , two questions. One : What make car are you talking about ? Two : When stopped ( at a light , for example ) , in neutral on level ground , does the transmission grind when you depress the clutch and place the trans in first gear ? - Carl

That would be D.Baer. In Washington , Don has/had I believe the worlds largest old OHV CADILLAC wrecking yard. Seems it was D.Baer's Cadillacville. He was looking to sell the whole works a few years ago , but I think he is still in business . - Carl

Up front , Jim & all : I am not a Mycologist , couldn't even play one on TV. Been to a few lectures , though. It is possible that what you see of a mold is just a topical manifestation of a systemic condition which totally permeates the substrate. So , my feeling here , since you post that you want a SAFE solution , is that you probably don't have to reinvent the wheel in this case. As per the above quote : Lexol. The gent I use for interior issues has given me enough reasons to trust this product. Go to a shop which uses it , and ask if they have ever talked personally with a rep. If so , download his head. Evidently quite convincing. As I say , I merely got it second hand. Old and diminished as I am , I do however clearly recall that Ph was one significant factor involved. I don't think vinegar (low Ph) , is particularly formulated to mitigate in favor of long term health of leather. Lexol is. I am not , and have never been involved with this or any other product , other than using them. Maybe your next inquiry should be to Lexol for a response to your issue. Let us know what you learn. BTW , Jim are you coming out West to Cad-LaSalle G.N. In 'Vegas next April ? I have talked to you on the phone a couple times , and sent you pics of one of two of my old ('24 & '27) Cads. Be fun to meet you. - Carl

You are 100% correct. The problem with water on these ancient cars is the easy access water has to all kinds of regions prone to rot. The top should NEVER be exposed to water . It will be porous to some significant degree. ( WHAT TOP DRESSING DO YOU GUYS USE/RECOMMEND ? ). Just wipe with a damp towel , as the entire top structure is vulnerable. Deep cleaning is not needed here. Once it starts to mildew ( Rot ) , that exquisite old car smell will be tainted. How many times have we old folk been saddened smelling this ? Repeated wet/dry cycles in the poorly protected structural wood invites rot. Good luck my friend. I hope you read this before giving it a bath. - Decaying , old , Carl

No. Engine displacement is a function of bore , stroke , and number of cylinders. Since you are changing none of these , displacement remains the same. You will only be slightly reducing the volume of the combustion chamber. What car are you doing this on ? Changing compression ratio from what to what ? - Carl

Another idea : While your car is laid up , it might be a good time to send the Sylphon thermostatic bellows controlling the radiator shutters out for renovation. It may or may not be working right now , but they don't last forever. Hopefully Jim Otto in Nashville , Tn. is still doing this work. He is a retired Sylphon engineer who still does some work for them. Return time is generally within 2 weeks. Also , use synthetic grease. Many years ago , when synthetic oil was not as prevalent as now , I found the oil I needed at the feed store in Billings , Mt. Talking lubricants with the gents there , they told me that they had switched to synthetic grease in all their farm machinery. Wear on lubricated surfaces was reduced to negligible , if at all. Ceased to be an issue. Use synthetic everywhere. - Carl

I don't offhand know the serial number for the '37 - '39 distributor. But it is common , and I do know a CLC member who dropped one right in to his '26 , and loves it . They still look very old and right at home. He has no intentions of ever changing it. I could check , although these are common , as they are extremely robust. When you talk to Bruce , bring this subject up. It is not what they do , but if a '26 - '27 distributor would be interchangeable physically with a '28 - '29 , then the later ones should serve all our cars if needed. Get it going . Man if you like working on 'em, you will be really pleased cruising them. They just go and go and go ! Seems like you could drive them anywhere. Just like they were designed to do ! And be sure to use as low octane gas as you can get. Gasoline was around 50 something in '29 , and that would work best in such a low compression engine. And the filter. My '27 is dead identical to the Buicks. Just give the dimensions of yours to the guys at Bob's. I hope it is the same . The fittings appear identical. By the way , your upholstery appears to be original ! Is it ? - Carl

And you don't have to reinvent the wheel to replace the filter. Bob's Automobilia sells repros with a spin on/off NAPA 1060 element inside. This is a 21 micron filter with anti-flowback valve built in. This is not as fine a filter medium as , say a Frantz , more like a full-flow, which was its design purpose. Don't let this bother you , as it is vastly superior to the original. The original had an expected service life of 10,000 miles !! With the 1060 , you will have a very easy way to access an oil sample to determine first oil change point. I have been successfully using 20w/50 full synthetic in my '24 amd '27 Cads. This is too heavy for a modern high speed engine with the tight clearances now possible. Wonderful stuff for our relatively loose, slow old mills. Amsoil really does have certain advantages in their 20w/50. I can cite unbiased independent reference for you , and all , later. Disclaimer : I have no interest in , representation of , nor am I a dealer of this or any other product. BTW , I have machined an adaptor to incorporate a full-flow filter on the '24. '27 uses a bypass filter like your '29. But a bit more about your distributor : Apparently , though I have not seen the more recent '28-'29 distributor , they share much in common with the '26-'27 pot metal time-bombs. The weights and linkage , I believe are different. If they are still pot metal , they may be vulnerable to self destruction as are the earlier. I believe the cases are still pot metal. Pot metal is not an alloy , but an amalgam. The dis-similar metals over long time suffer galvanic erosion , swell , and crumble. This may or may not be to some degree a function of old battery lead in the mix. Speculation. However , this is all to caution you to inspect carefully any old distributor you find. Any erosion , cracks or weakness must not be used for long. Classic and Exotic makes metallurgical upgrades for all inferior pieces. I wonder if you can simply drop in a '37-'39 Cad or LaSalle distributor (relatively easy to find , indestructible, and cheap). Might be a very good temporary short or long term substitute while you get the expensive original exactly , no compromise , right. I like the originals, since I do like to use the manual advance-retard control. This is less necessary in a synchromesh car like yours. (By retarding the spark , you can drive extremely slowly in top gear if under light load , and then slowly and gently accelerate. Eliminates one double-clutch downshift , and one or two double-clutch upshifts). Cadillac was very proud of their 10 - 30 mph acceleration abilities for their early V8 cars. Many of us use Olson's Gaskets. Do you have a fine screen above the pan as the earlier engines had ? Thank you for sharing the excitement of your recent acquisition. You will be running very soon , and will be sharing the slow , stately , cozy elegance with family and friends. Easy does it for these time capsules from a slower era. They will not handle adequately in an emergency situation , so when they ask you how fast it will go , "almost twice as fast as a sane person ought to drive it ". Funny , that answer seems appropriate for my fast V12 Mercedes Benz ! Hmmmmmm........... - Carl

O.K. , your distributor luck may be about to take a favorable turn. Last week I placed a couple of calls for you. Wayne Elsworth apparently is in touch with you , but our discussion still needs more info. Perhaps a temporary plug in. For example , we guys with '26 amd '27 Cads can just drop in a '37-'39 Cad-LaSalle distributor , which in some ways runs better than the dual point original. My other call was to Bruce at Classic and Exotic in Michigan. I have had them do a comprehensive rebuild on my original distributor. I could use every superlative to compliment their service. They are the finest shop I have ever found. We humble Cadillac owners are fortunate in that such greats as Duesenberg and Stutz also used these Delco-Remy distributors . Their shop , consequently , can tend to our mere mortal , non-billionaire needs as a collateral service. Bruce just returned my call. They have a '29 Cad in the shop right now. That can serve as a reference for exactly what you need. With all the parts they have on hand and reproduce to higher than original specs , they can probably make you one ! It would help if someone can get you any rebuildable core (Wayne , perhaps ?) even if not quite the part number of your car. The differences can be minor , and a different part Classic and Exotic manufactures would make it identical. Cap , rotor , points are scarce. Are you a member of Cadillac LaSalle club ? If so , someone may help. Join. I have a possible source for you when I get back to Seattle next month. Bruce awaits your call. Direct line is 248-362-2097. My name is Carl Fielding for reference. They also rebuilt my cantankerous Cadillac Johnson carb. Everything they do is superb work with a very minimal turnaround time. In my world , their prices are very reasonable. Compared to other solutions I was considering before finding them , they would be a bargain at twice the price. Literally. I hope we and our Cadillacs will be in good enough health to meet at the CLC Grand National in 'Vegas next April. Good luck , and let us know how you make out with all aspects of your impressive old Cadillac. - Carl

Dwight , Although I have never had the pleasure of meeting you , I wish I could have had the opportunity. I have noticed on the forum that you often stand up to help those struggling with illness. We who have had the good fortune to grow old , sometimes suffer simultaneous health and financial problems. Myself included. Playing the new hand we have been dealt is obviously a difficult adjustment. Although I do not know the specifics of your situation , perhaps , somehow , you can deploy the pieces you have left to derive some new satisfaction. In my own case , I was facing realities , when the 1927 Cadillac I had given up finding , found ME ! I dumped 5 vehicles to buy and get it running well. Stimulated me to get under the '24 Cad and work on it until it sent me to the hospital in pain. A friend helped me , and I am now finally , after years , driving it again along with the '27. I (or my son) can sell them later. We are so lucky to live in this country , where so many opportunities surround us. This is not to diminish your predicament , but we must be the luckiest generation , to have lived where and when we did. Dwight , please forgive this assumption of familiarity. It is just that I have noticed your kindness and efforts on behalf of others in need. I wish you the very best possible , my brother. My thoughts and prayers are with you. - Carl Fielding P.S. : Did you ever get that "upside down" tachometer working right ?

What specifically is your distributor problem ? Does it use the same self destructing Delco-Remy pot metal nightmare as on my '27 Cad? If so , there are a couple solutions available to you. - Carl

Prior to Global Warming , the constant rain kept them in the garage. On dry days , it was often still cloudy , therefore no destructive sun. Snow is surprisingly rare around here , and usually washes away in hours , or a day or two on very rare occasions. A few years ago we had a "once in 50 year snow event". Over reacting to this , the "brightboys" in Seattle finally started salting the streets. Over reacting to just a THREAT of snow , the same bright boys prematurely salt the wet streets these days. Usually the snow does not materialize , therefore , I will drive naught but a throwaway beater for several days until significant rain has washed away all traces of the salt. Humidity is lower than you might think also. In my old age , I selfishly enjoy Global Warming here. Beautiful Summers. In fact , I think I will go for a drive in the '24 Cad this spectacular afternoon , and selfishly contribute to the delightful G.W.! (Avoiding sun , I obsessively park in the shade always). - Carl

Unequivocally, unambiguously, yes. I have been driving aggressively and otherwise on radials for over 1/2 century. On many types of old cars. Greg , and bkazmer are quite correct. Average "anycars" driven under average conditions can suddenly find themselves in other than average situations. The lower slip angle of radial tires contributes to the improved handling which may help to avoid an accident. Perhaps there may be some exception to this , but that will depend on some authorative expert to chime in here. Greg , in years past I have used high pressure radial truck tires to greatly improve handling on some of my old cars. Also , I had 16" Michelin radials on my race modified XK120 MC. One day I suddenly found myself in the middle of a high speed multi-car pileup on the freeway. The Jag' threaded through it as cars bounced off one another and self destructed. No time for sweat or fear , the radials helped me to put the car where I wanted it to be , when it had to be there. Hey , I gotta get down the line to try to get my 1927 Cadillac to CCCA Grand Classic this weekend. No time right now, but I can flesh out some of this later. You might see if there is some truck tire that will make your '38 Ply' a safer cruiser. Subjective , but IMHO radial truck tires on an old cruiser look very "cool" , and right down to practical business. Again , old Carl's humble opinion , but we are all entitled to 'em. - Old , Carl

That would be my interpretation as well. Oil recommendations over 70 years ago could not possibly anticipate high quality 21st Century multi-grade oils. Do you think that 10W/30 for wear-in , and 10W/40 synthetic thereafter would be a good idea ? Lots of guys use 10W/40. I am so old and addled that I re-read Widman from time to time , re-learning what I forgot. I am very impressed with his info , and it cleared up a number of mis-conceptions I had. - Carl

WARNING! WARNING! WARNING! Your engine is telling you that the 20W/50 oil is way too heavy in a tight newly rebuilt engine. YOU ARE DAMAGING IT ! The definitive article on engine oil selection is a very popular work by Richard Widman. Title : "Selection of the Right Motor oil for Flat Tappet Engines" , a 33 page masterpiece. He is a genius lubricant rep who has written a laymans guide which has been distilled from API and SAE tech papers. On page 5 , you will see that you are operating out of the protection envelope , and should be running a much thinner conventional oil for break in. Perhaps 5000 miles on , start using a REAL lubricant (synthetic) , also much thinner than 20W/50. I successfully use 20W/50 synthetic in my 1924 Cadillac , a bit tired at 62,000 miles , wide , but still within clearance specs. It has been fitted with a full flow filter in order to tolerate the detergency of synthetic. 20W/50 seems a bit thick for my "new" (to me) 1927 Cadillac , tighter and with perhaps 1/2 the miles of the '24. I will adjust , watching my oil pressure and referring to Widman. Now , I am very old and computer challenged , so I will vector you to a link to Widman's great MUST READ as follows : go to his thread on this forum , last posting June 26 , 2014 "Progress on my Renault Ondine in Bolivia". Various opportunities to link to the PDF abound. TIME WILL BE WELL SPENT STUDYING SERIOUSLY BY ANYONE WHO OILS AN ENGINE. Enjoy the informative read. - Carl P.S. : For anyone who still disputes the real economy of synthetics , consider that all engines have hotspots, and someday you may have an emergency engine event which synthetics high flashpoint and shear strength will save your engine. Synthetic grease is a good idea too.

Clean silvered reflectors gently with lampblack and kerosene. - Carl

Gentlemen : What year are your Packards , please ? When did they advance to 4 - wheel brakes ? Thanks , - Carl

Been informed from a couple sources that the 250W (synthetic) I use in my mid '20s Cadillacs is roughly equivalent to 600 weight of bygone days. If specs call for grease tempered with 600 , that would be thicker yet. What is an ISO rating , please ? Is ISO1500 thicker than what I am using ? Always curious , had been thinking about experimenting with V.I. improvers (eg. STP , etc.) . Thanks , Carl

May this have to do with our devices ? I have , and occasionally had this problem even before the changeover. I use an iPad mini and yahoo. Other idiosyncratic maladies sometimes disappear when I use more robust computers. I know far too little about computers. C