edinmass

Interesting thread, and very technical……….I have only experienced two bad condensers in fifty years and countless miles. One car had 103 year old originals in it.(1914 Caddy). I have had at least twenty coil failures over time. Seems today lots of the old units that were fine for decades are giving up the ghost. Had a coil failure last week on the 851 SC speedster. Happened right after the float sank. It was a rough month driving the Auburn.

Probably doesn’t have seals. Most likely just felt. Don’t be afraid to take it apart. Some cars just have reverse slingers, so as long as they are not overfilled you’re good to go. Never had a big Chrysler rear apart. Post photos when you take it apart.

If your tank is missing, it was probably running on an electric pump with those two Johnson carbs…….a very bad idea and basically begging for a fire. Most likely your carbs are modified…….so be ready to take them on also.

I prefer not to drive cars with cracked blocks……..and yes especially on pre 20 stuff there are often cracks and castings flaws that evapo rust will find. Finding cracks doesn’t bother me, driving a car with a crack would.

I agree.......we shall see!

The first one........I try never to be derogatory to anyone in the hobby, or in life generally. I am known to occasionally be opinionated. Happy New Year George........still looking for my steam car.

For years my only way to work through the hobby and move up into better cars was finding something with acceptable cosmetics and fixing the “bad engine” or severe mechanical issues with the car. Seemed like 80 percent of the bottom feeders out there along with me had the same idea. Today, a 100 point car with a very bad engine is now no longer attractive………simply because of the economics changing. Less reproduction parts are available today than just five or ten years ago. Some modern technology has filled in the gaps, but at much higher costs. It’s getting to the point again like it was in the 50’s. Buy a perfect running closed car and source it for parts. Literally it’s going to be easier to buy a high point sedan and pull an engine out of it to drop in the open car than do a rebuild. Just the time factor makes this a viable option. It may make the numbers matching crowd rethink the concept, especially on more common production cars.

Myself also.

That would have been a capacitor…….usually for an electric motor. We did it all the time at our motorcycle shop. Put a 3hp capacitor out of a walk in beer cooler all charged up on the counter with a sign that said danger, do not touch. The screams were a riot. Fantastic entertainment for the boys in the shop. Then again, the acetylene bombs are much more fun!

Too easy. Late 30’s vacuum switch for trailer brakes……or an overdrive. Most likely a trailer.

Cadillac called theirs a Town Coupe. Pierce Arrow called it a Club Brougham. Interestingly, the Pierce body style was the second most popular of all body styles produced. There are 49 1932 series 54 Pierce Arrow Club Brougham’s known to exist. That a higher survival rate than the sedans by two.

A well known collector had his 18 wheeler stolen a few years ago on his way to Pebble with his show cars in it…..3 or 4 if I remember correctly. He got lucky and had apple air tags in his luggage in the back of the trailer. Cops weren’t interested in helping recover the truck and trailer. They bought a drone, flew it over the lot/warehouse where it was left to “cool off”. They were able to see the tractor sticking out from under a covered loading dock. They got smart, called 911 and reported it and when the police responded, the opened the gate and recovered everything intact. Trailers are really never safe anymore. I use locks on the hitch, and heavy cables through the mag wheels. Hoping they look for easier pickings. Never, ever put photos or logos on your trailer…….it lets them know what they may be getting.

A taste of what is on display……sent to me by another visitor. They allow photos, most collections this large do not.

I have a friend in the Detroit area with a 15 or 16 Chandler if my memory serves me. Like a 60’s back yard restoration done decent light blue and black fenders touring car. If interested let me know, and I will send you his contact info, as he told me a while back he was going to offer it for sale.

I have had Model L’s and a Model K apart. Never dug into a KA or KB…….yet! Thanks for the explanation. 👍

To be honest, with all the accessories, it’s probably light. The car looked decent, but we both know when you open up Pandora’s box…………it’s getting frightening how expensive it is to restore cars now. Labor, chrome, paint and materials. Hell, how do you charge for materials when you’re welding in floors? Wire/rod, gas, electricity, grinding wheels, wear and tear on equipment. I shudder to think what a paint booth costs now. Overhead is outrageous in many parts of the country, and the never ending labor shortage. Every restoration shop I know is looking for two to five guys…..to start tomorrow.

Strange noise. Possible timing chain slap on the cover? I think I would pull all the belts off, run a large fan in front of the radiator and see if there is any change to the noise. At least that will give a definitive answer to internal or external.

I guess I should pull out my Herbrand 660 coil and condenser tester and do a video.

Yes, Matt was well over 50k, and did half the labor himself. It is a fork and blade rod set up. I can’t remember everything Matt did. I’m certain he did the radiator, but his car was a modern style core, not a honeycomb unit. He didn’t use new valves or springs. Didn’t do the mains if I remember correctly, as he had a parts engine.

I have never worked on an engine like your doing now………I understand using pistons over with a light hone if all check out fine…….as for bearings, why not just replace everything? I’m guessing they are available, what is the cost? Same for the chain…….why toss in a used one? Are all hard parts readily available?

As we said at the track countless times…..it’s not cheating if you don’t get caught! Some day I will wright a book…..

Do the math…….piston kit with rings is 2k, rod bearings 150 each, main bearings 2k, new valves, timing chain, obviously you do the starter, distributor, water pump, clutch, carb, machine work, chrome, gasket set. R&R the engine….. it’s easy to spend money. I have three cars under restoration right now, so it’s fair to say I know the going rates for work. What do they charge in your area for labor……I’m talking a competent shop with experience in these engines. Not some local desiel shop pushing out good enough work. What would you charge to do the entire job and warranty it? 80 percent of the engines that passed through our shop were “do overs” from others. We just did a 32 Pierce over for a friend. One of the “top shops” who have several Pebble Best of Show trophies didn’t last 200 miles. And the right rear wheel fell off within the first 25 miles of driving. Another question…….we only do total rebuilds with new radiators……..would you build this engine and run the existing radiator? We would not…..regardless of what the owners says. As you are aware, I have sent several friends to you shop for service and repair, (and they were happy with your work) so I have faith in your abilities………what would you quote for an entire rebuild of this engine to like new condition………..to be honest, not having visited your shop, I don’t know if you do all or partial in house? Last month we were machining some rod bearings that were sent to us semi finished. The babbitt was tinned incorrectly…..and it failed before it got into the car. Easy way to eat an engine……….the risk/reward on rebuilding today is significant.

Ok boys. I think I’m the first guy to recommend Evapo Rust here 15-20 years ago. I especially like it to clean blocks and radiators. Heat speeds up the process as explained in the video. I would not use it on a frame like in the video…..to each his own. Great for rusty tools. Please watch the entire video, as the chemical reactions are explained in different areas of the video. It won’t touch paint, brass, copper, aluminum, or anything else. It binds with the oxygen in the rust and leaves metal alone. Back in the 60’s a NASCAR guy soaked his entire car body in hydrochloric acid……..made the metal thinner and thus his “stock car” lost half its weight. It was the same guy who made his fuel line four inches in diameter to carry twice the fuel load…….worked great till they changed the rules! Enjoy…… FYI- it’s fifteen thousand dollars of Evapo Rust. Fortunately YouTube and the manufacturer carry the out of pocket cost…….500,000 views in just five days.

I was driving a Springfield Rolls Ascott in Springfield back in 1984. Nice high point turn key car, and a 80 year old lady walked up and said “nice Model T”. I have my car recognized correctly more today than forty years ago.

200k wouldn’t even put a dent in the restoration costs. A running and driving car for 68k, or wait three to five years and have 500k minimum if a shop does it. Unfortunately, it’s probably destined to be a hot rod.