timecapsule

That locking mechanism is what I'm missing. I got the lock cylinder out today but it came out in two pieces. But there was no clues as to what creates the handle to lock. Perhaps the lock cylinder wasn't stock and someone just put it in there to fill the hole and make it look like it was functional. It seems to me that the locking mechanism has something to do with that offset rectangular slot going through the handle. However that slot is nowhere near anything. ??? It's inside the escutcheon which isn't even inside the door.

As many of you know, the 1930, and perhaps other years around there, have one locking door. Which is the front passenger door. All the rest lock from the inside by pushing the inside door handle forward. For whatever reason the door mechanism is designed to not be able to do that on the front passenger side. Not sure why that is. Anyways, I don't have a key, so I've taken the assembly apart so I can have it rekeyed. While doing this, I discovered that in order to remove the door handle, one has to pull the handle down slightly. To about the 4:30 ( clock) position and then pull it out along with the square rod. That took about an hour of head scratching to figure that one out. Once I got the handle and square rod out, I still couldn't figure out how by turning the key, it would actually prevent the door handle from moving. I'm thinking there should be something in the rectangular slot that goes through the handle assembly. That should protrude, when the key is turned. That in turn should fit into the squared off sections in the door panel. Which in turn would prevent the handle from moving. But as you can see in the pictures, the rectangular slot is not in the right place. The arrow in one of the pictures shows where it should be. That point was calculated by sliding the depth gauge end of a dial indicator through the door handle escutcheon when it was in place without the handle. Also the tumbler mechanism would have to be quite long so as to go as far as that rectangular opening. I also noticed that that opening is not in the centre of the round portion of the door handle, but it is slightly offset. There must be a reason for that I would think. Not only that but the slot does not line up with the notched out portions on the door. If we think of the door panel notches at 9 and 3 on the clock. The opening on the door handle when on the door would be at about 11 and 5. Which seems to make no sense. From other pictures on line of 1930 Hudson's I think my door handles are stock. I couldn't find an illustration in the parts catalog showing this. Has anyone had one of these apart that might have the answer?

Thanks for the info Paul. I'm still trying to find time to come over and buy those headlight lenses from you. I'll get in touch once I have free time and hopefully we can find a time that works for you too. Cheers Pete

Although the so called service manual doesn't mention the double oil pan, I did find an entire full page write up in Dyke's Encyclopedia, in the preface section (page xxxiii) about it . This makes me wonder if the double oil pan was specific to Hudson 8 cylinder engines of that era?

I'm thinking Hans1 might have the answer to this question. I'm wondering how much oil I should add to the upper oil pan? I would think that if I fill it to the top of the 8 troughs that would be sufficient. Although I could add much more. In the picture I'm adding here I've inserted the letter F to indicate where I'm thinking I should fill to with oil. My reasoning is, there are what looks like deflectors on the right side of the pan, indicted with the letter D. Once the dipper does it's job lubricating the main bearings I'm guessing the splashing of the oil when it hits the deflectors, the oil will deflect back down into the trough.

That's interesting. If I decide to go back for another look, I'll check out to see if it has an X frame. Thanks.

Ok,,, so here's another question that popped into my head. I'm curious how the assembly line took place. Would the boys down under have a bunch of car body parts sent over from USA, and then cut the back half of the body off and weld on a box, and call it a day? What about the chassis and drive train? Would there have been issues with the exhaust or starter in respect to the steering box and column being on the right? The car I saw had too much stuff stacked on it, so I didn't raise the hood. If I get serious about the car I'll go have another look and clear off all the miscellaneous stuff stacked on and around it, raise the hood, and have a more detailed look at it.

Nice stuff. I had read about the lion with the outstretched paw resting on a ball. Now I know what it looks like. Thanks

True enough about the El Camino and Ranchero, but the Ute had a distinctive personality with the 5 window body style. Not to mention that they got the ball rolling decades earlier. Which brings a thought to mind. When Ford ( I think they were the first) came out with the "extend-a-cab", around late 70's I believe it was, you have to wonder if it wasn't influenced by the Oz Ute design. Thanks for that small tag info.

Thanks for that link. I found it interesting that that car has 4.11 rear end gears. I suspect it was made to be used for working the farm with those gears.

I agree 100%

Thanks for that small tag info.

Great info, thanks.

Very cool brochure, thanks.

I'm familiar with Holden. But my understanding on the other Ute's is pretty vague. So the big 3 American auto makers all had Ute's down under, right? Were they basically copycats of the Holden? Were they as well accepted by the Auzzi's as the Holden? Were the American big 3 in Australia, completely separate from the USA companies? I'm curious why the same Ute wasn't introduced in North America?

Below it in the related stuff I noticed the "1935 CHEV UTILITIES BROCHURE 'RARE' GMH AUST" That's really cool and lots of information. Thanks.

Thank you, I'll check it out.

1939_Buick , I'm curious, what was the purpose of the flairboard delivery as opposed to the wellsides delivery?

Great literature, thanks. I tried to blow it up to read it but it got a little blurry. So I couldn't determine it if mentions the engine size. Would it be the 194 c.i. engine?

Thanks for the pictures and the info and variations which seemed to be common.

I'm convinced that it is authentic. The guy is well know for his late 37 and 38 chevy collection and he's a retired hot rod builder. He has a contact in Australia who he had purchased a number of 37 Chevy's from a number of years ago and the Chevy Ute was thrown in on the deal. The question isn't about Authenticity. It's about anyone having "first hand" experience with the Chevy Ute.

I'm curious if there is anyone out there with first hand knowledge of the 1947 Chevy Ute, that was made in Australia. (right hand drive)? I'm not referring to the Holden. I came across a barn find. (literally) The owner says it's for sale. He said he had it running some years ago. It was shipped from Australia many years ago and I don't think it has any paperwork with it. It looks complete. However it does have a number of bumps and bruises but no visible rust. Not sure about the frame though. They are quite small. But besides the shorter frame, I would think most parts would be the same as the 47 chevy cars, with the exception of everything behind the doors. It looks complete, even though the grill ( looks just like the stylemaster grill) is long past the thought of re-chroming. The front bumper wasn't visible, but the owner says he has it somewhere around.

The 1930's were 18 in. which narrows down the selection. The 1930 Hudson wheels are different from the 1930 Essex wheels, which narrows it down even more. Pictures tell many lies, so for something like wooden spoke wheels one would have to see them and check them for being true and sound.

Thanks for the suggestions guys.

One of my wooden spoke wheels needs repairing on my 1930 Hudson. Over the years most of the round wood tenons that protrudes into the steel rim have worn. I did try driving in some steel small sliver spacers and then secured those steel spacers with epoxy but with all the forces and rotation applied to the spokes that method didn't last and the epoxy failed and the steel spacers worked themselves out after about 500 miles. I'm wondering if anyone has had experience with this and found a good solution? I could try JB Epoxy Putty and force it into all the cavities around the tenons, but I'm not too optimistic about that. However I have had success with JB Epoxy Putty before, but there is a lot of forces applied to this area when driving alone on rough roads. Not to mention the moisture content of the wood changing through the 4 seasons. I may have to get serious about it and set up centring jig and drill out the protruding wood tenons the same diameter as the opening of the steel hole and drill down into the spoke about 2 inches or so. Then make some Hickory dowels to match the diameter and then drive them into the hole after coating them with epoxy. I'd have to do one spoke at a time. After the first spoke is secured, I'd have to set up a dial indicator and take a reading. Then rotate the wheel 180 degrees and secure the rim where the reading on the dial indicated matched the first reading, before drilling the next hole. So on and so on, in order to get the wheel true as possible. That's a pretty serious approach and there would be no turning back. The good news is that the spokes are all solid, and very dry, and no rot.