Restorer32

Yep, they have the 9/16-18 POINTED TOP acorn nuts that everyone else also has. I need 9/16-18 ROUND TOP acorn nuts. Thanks for the effort though. I wasn't familiar with this outfit.

Delivered in an absolute unmodulated monotone...."Attention all flea market vendors...no traffic in, out, or thru the flea markets until 3 P.M." For years I was convinced it was Ben Stein on the p a system. Does anyone remember when you had to be an AACA member to be on the show field during hudging? And don't forget the guy on roller skates wearing the chrome helmet with the boombox held up to his ear. He definitely marched (or skated) to the beat of a different drummer.

You know you're a Hershey Oldtimer if you remember The guy from Eastwood only selling polishing supplies out of the trunk of his car and the Kanter Bros selling Packard parts only. In 1969 we bought a '47 Lincoln Cont Conv in the flea market for $1495. The next year we bought a '35 Auburn Phaeton for $3500. Tried to convince Dad to buy a '29 Cadillac Dual Cowl but he thought $4500 was way too much.

'60 Corvair 4 door for the same reason...

...and radios. We sold one of those maybe 20 years ago for $15 just as a curiosity. NOS in the original box. Should have kept it, just as a curiosity.

I would like to hear the opinions of all those Tucker dealers who were required to buy a stock of accessories and/or parts before the cars were available. Used to be you would see NOS Tucker heaters at almost every large flea market.

This will be my 40th Hershey. It will be my Son's 25th and he just turned 24! Do the math, he was a vendor in the fleamarket at 7 weeks old. The flea market has certainly changed. We used to scour the flea market with lists of parts we needed for ongoing projects. Now, I can be far more productive spending a couple hours on the internet in search of parts than spending 4 days at Hershey. All that being said...We wouldn't miss it for the world! In my mind Hershey has evolved from just a flea market to the world's largest family reunion. Now, if they could figure out how to have grass grow on the macadam it would be perfect. Funny how it's the years with torrential rain and ankle deep mud that stick out in one's mind as the most memorable.

Can't tell you where to find one but I can confirm that the 900 is the same. The correct pump is about as difficult to find as the rod. There is a modern AC available that is modified to work on Packards but it does not have the appearance of the original Stewart.

I have lived in India. A $2500 car is entirely conceivable. Of course, you may have to modify your definition of "car". Those 3 wheeled 'Bumble Bees" were ubiquitous in 1970 and I see they are still clogging the streets today. Remind me sometime to tell you about my 47 mile ride down thru the foothills of the Himalayas from 6000 ft to sea level in a '60's Plymouth with no brakes whatsoever and with the engine turned off for at least 45 of those miles.

I have a customer with a '21 Rolls Silver Ghost. Car was never prone to overheating but he likes to experiment with new products and installed the Evans System, which is expensive, as you know. Total disaster! We hauled the car out here to use in my Son's wedding in June. After the wedding the owner left for the drive back to Philadelphia, about 100 miles. Overheated badly within the first 25 miles and repeatedly thereafter, making what is normally a 2 hour trip a 5 hour nightmare. Drained the Evans System, refilled with the normal 50/50 antifreeze/water mix and has had no problems since. Evans' claim to fame is a boiling point abore 500 degrees but apparently it is less efficient at removing heat at lower temperatures. Just our experience, yours may vary.

Still no source for 9/16" LOW CROWN ACORNS. Can't simply lathe down the pointed end ones as those are threaded too deeply. Can't rethread smaller or larger nuts, the flat to flat size would not work. No alternative but to make them. As with most unusual hardware items, regardless of where you buy them they are actually the product of one of just a few manufacturers. Thanks everyone for the effort. Does anyone need 9/16"x18 LOW CROWN ACORNS while we're making the 12 we need? Bargain at $20 each!

It's kinda tough to tell but it appears that you have cad plated spark plugs rather than the correct black painted/black oxide finish. This would be a sure 4 point deduction in AACA competition. Fiberglas rear fenders would effectively put you our of the running for an award. The deduction is 40 points per component to a maximum of 120 points.

Oldcarstuff only has acorn lug nuts, tried them already but thanks for the effort.

Restoration Supply says this size acorn is no longer available. They were one of the first dozen or so places I checked. They can supply the pointed style but not the domed.

5/8" are too wide across the flats to work, 1/2" are too narrow. Thanks anyway for the attempt to help. We are constantly amazed at the collective knowledge and experience of those on this forum. As most of you know, restoration is basically a long series of "problems" that need solved. We work on quite a fair number of early vehicles and are constantly frustrated at the ever increasing difficulty of finding parts, materials and services that were readily available when we began restoring 30 years ago. Can't even find slotted wood screws in the hardware store anymore, have to order them. 7/16" and 9/16" bolts, studs, etc are becoming more difficult to find as well. All part of the challenge I guess. Thanks again !

200 MPH on bias ply tires would have been interesting for sure!

Just to update this thread. I have looked high and low for these 9/16 Domed Head Acorn nuts. Apparently they are not available anywhere on this green Earth. I have contacted all the suppliers mentioned on this thread plus a few others, no go! I guess we will just spend the time at the lathe and make the little rascals. I can find pointed head acorns from several sources but they are threaded too deeply to simply turn down the points. These nuts are to go on the bumper end bolts for a '27 Kissel Brougham. Let's see, 12 nuts @ maybe 3/4 hour each to lathe, drill, thread and polish times 12....Just one more frustration to deal with. Don't you just love old cars?

If you were a "revenuer" chasing moonshiners in a government issued "off the record" car why would you even care how fast you were going? Sounds like a story someone made up on the spot. Did the fellow who sold you this car tell you these facts?

Further measurement shows that rethreaded 1/2" acorns will not work. The flat to flat measurement is too small to do what they need to do. I guess we can buy 7/8" stainless hex and lathe then drill and tap but that's a tough way to get 12 acorn nuts. Hope the customer has a sense of humor!

That is our back up plan. We couldn't live without good old McMaster.

Looking for a source for stainless or chrome domed (rather than pointed) acorn nuts size 9/16-18. Already checked Gardner-Wescott and Restoration supply, no luck. Anyone have any other ideas? Thanks!

I'm betting on a burned or stuck valve or a blown head gasket between 5 and 6.

We'll be there at RWO 10. This will be our 40th year in the swap meet. Stop by for a free apple or some peanuts. Jeff Hammers/Restorer32

I have a friend who has 5 Cummins Dodge diesels in his business. He regularly runs them 350000 miles without major problems. There is a local truck with 750000 miles on the engine that is still running strong though it does use a bit of oil. Mine has only 200000, hardly broken in.

We have put over 100000 miles on our '99 Dodge Cummins Turbo Diesel towing a trailer weighing 4000# loaded with vehicles up to 6000#. Best tow vehicle I've had in 30 years of restoring and hauling. Best part is, even towing a trailer with a 6000# car loaded we average about 14 mpg. In my opinion the weight of the towing vehicle is more important that wheelbase. Our Dodge Extended Cab weighs 7000#. I would never try to tow extensively with anything other than a standard trans but that's just me. My only complaint is that the space between 3rd and 4th gear is too big. My Son has a newer 6 speed which solves that problem nicely. For year I was strictly a Ford man until my Son talked me into the Dodge. For my money it is the perfect tow vehicle. Expensive to work on but what isn't these days?