Jon Robinson

HH56: Thanks for your reply. Sorry I didn't write back sooner. I just changed jobs, and I got a little busy. I found a complete rebuild kit at rockauto.com. The kit is a Dorman MK-1. It's a nice, complete kit, too. It even had a new retaining clip. Coincidentally, the master cylinder went bad in my own 1936 Chrysler Airstream Six. The Chrysler also uses a Lockheed master cylinder but with a 1-1/4" bore. The design is identical internally. RockAuto sent me a Raybestos kit which was just as good as the Dorman kit for the Packard with the exception of the retaining clip. The Raybestos kit came with a snap ring that didn't look like it would retain the piston as securely as the spring steel clip, so I reused the old clip. They Chrysler and the Packard are both back in good health. JON

Once again, I'm working on a friend's 1940 Packard 120 sedan. I need to put new seals in the master cylinder. The piston is in good shape, and I just need the seals. The cylinder has a one-inch bore with one cup-type seal and one ring-type seal. Anyone have a source or part number? I believe the original number might have been 25. It's really frustrating. I worked in auto parts for 11 years, and we always had trays of seals. Those days are gone, and NAPA and Carquest can't even get the ring-type seals at all. If they have the cup-type seals, they make you buy ten at a time. Thank you, JON

Thanks, Joe. This is, indeed, helpful -- especially the brake hose numbers. I'm going to open up the wheel cylinders later this morning and check the bore sizes. While the cylinders appear to be the same front and back, I suspect the front cylinders have a larger bore to create more braking force in the front compared to the rear. If nothing else, I can check the condition of all the bores and just replace the seals after a good honing, but it would feel safer to have the cylinder numbers on hand in case the bores are bad. I worked for NAPA Auto Parts for 11 years between 1998 and 2009, and everyone in the store knew to check with me before throwing away the paper catalogs when the updated catalogs arrived. A lot of the old parts would fall off as they added new, more recent parts. Thus, the NAPA warehouses have the parts for the old cars on the shelves, but the stores would throw away the means of identifying them. So, I have a library of catalogs from the late-'90s that have many listings going back to the '30s that the new catalogs don't have. I thought sure I had an "early" brake book, but I'm shocked I don't. NAPA countermen can call the tech phone numbers for different product lines, and the techs do exactly what I'm describing -- open up old catalogs that the individual stores have thrown away. Remember that when you're looking for old parts, if you're lucky enough to have a knowledgeable, non-lazy counterman, he might be able to find the parts from the tech lines. Thanks again, and I'll post a photo here of the car next time I see it, which should be in about two weeks. It's weathered, but it's a good, restorable car with a serious owner. JON

I'm working on a 1940 Packard 120 sedan for someone, and I removed the shoes and wheel cylinders. I was going to rebuild the wheel cylinders from separately-bought seals and all that, but I noticed this is a Bendix brake system that several car brands shared over quite a few years. They even look like Chevrolet truck wheel cylinders from the '50s. Does anyone have factory or, say, NAPA part numbers for the wheel cylinders or kits and for all three brake hoses? If Packard shares these cylinders with cars as common as Chevrolet trucks, I bet they're still made new. Thank you, JON

It's the stock color the car came with. The car also came originally with the Highlander interior, too. Being a Windsor, the interior metal being black is also correct. So, it's a good, stock restoration. JON

The owner wants me to add some information to this ad. All the weatherstripping has been replaced with the exception of the windshield gasket. The car had some rust here and there, but it was never a rustbucket. The body man did a great job on the rust repairs, and this included brand-new rocker panels. All the chrome has been redone, and the stainless steel trim polished up nicely. JON

The owner wants me to add some information to this ad. All the weatherstripping has been replaced with the exception of the windshield gasket. The car had some rust here and there, but it was never a rustbucket. The body man did a great job on the rust repairs, and this included brand-new rocker panels. All the chrome has been redone, and the stainless steel trim polished up nicely. JON

Right in the middle of the state. The nearest town is Gothenburg.

Beautiful maroon. Restored. New Highlander interior. New wiring. Rebuilt engine, bored .030 over. Rebuilt torque converter. Rebuilt started and generator. Overhauled steering gear, no wander in steering. Rebuilt upper and lower outer suspension pins. New kingpins. New brakes. New WWW bias-ply tires. Everything re-chromed. This car is very close to perfect and needs very little. It's a special car, too. This has the optional torque converter transmission. It has an M-6 automatic gearbox like the Fluid Drive cars of that time, but it has the modern torque converter that shares oil with the engine like a Hy-Drive Plymouth. This was called Engine-Fed Fluid Torque. This system is nothing to be afraid of. It drives just like a Fluid Drive/M-6 car, but it has a lot more snap off the line during acceleration. So, picture a Fluid Drive-like car that jumps off the line like a modern automatic. The car comes with a very detailed manual the shows the torque converter system clearly. The car is in central Nebraska and will drive anywhere. It needs a new windshield wiper motor. It needs the radio repaired or rebuilt. It needs the side-glass adjusted professionally to meet the weatherstripping better. It might need another layer of stuffing in the front seat, and it would certainly drive even better with radial tires. Other than that, it's just about perfect. For more photos: http://www.jongrobinson.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=1933 $12,000 Call the owner to talk business. Wally Rose, (402) 753-1665 Call me to talk about the mechanical condition of the car. I restored it. (308) 537-4433

Beautiful maroon. Restored. New Highlander interior. New wiring. Rebuilt engine, bored .030 over. Rebuilt torque converter. Rebuilt started and generator. Overhauled steering gear, no wander in steering. Rebuilt upper and lower outer suspension pins. New kingpins. New brakes. New WWW bias-ply tires. Everything re-chromed. This car is very close to perfect and needs very little. It's a special car, too. This has the optional torque converter transmission. It has an M-6 automatic gearbox like the Fluid Drive cars of that time, but it has the modern torque converter that shares oil with the engine like a Hy-Drive Plymouth. This was called Engine-Fed Fluid Torque. This system is nothing to be afraid of. It drives just like a Fluid Drive/M-6 car, but it has a lot more snap off the line during acceleration. So, picture a Fluid Drive-like car that jumps off the line like a modern automatic. The car comes with a very detailed manual the shows the torque converter system clearly. The car is in central Nebraska and will drive anywhere. It needs a new windshield wiper motor. It needs the radio repaired or rebuilt. It needs the side-glass adjusted professionally to meet the weatherstripping better. It might need another layer of stuffing in the front seat, and it would certainly drive even better with radial tires. Other than that, it's just about perfect. For more photos: http://www.jongrobinson.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=1933 $12,000 Call the owner to talk business. Wally Rose, (402) 753-1665 Call me to talk about the mechanical condition of the car. I restored it. (308) 537-4433

Looks like the link to the photo page is not working on the first post. Here is a working link. http://www.jongrobinson.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=1683 Sorry about that. JON

Looks like the link does not work in the first post. Here is the link to the photo page again. http://www.jongrobinson.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=1683 Sorry about that. JON

1957 Pontiac trim parts. Located in central Nebraska. This is a large collection of parts taken from salvage yard cars in the mid-1960s. These parts were only a few years old when they went into storage, and many of them are in nearly-new condition. A few of the parts are in fair or poor condition, and I’m selling those at deep discounts that reflect their conditions. See the list below, and see detailed photos and descriptions here: http://www.jongrobinson.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=1683 Important Notes: 1. Sets will only be sold as sets. 2. Prices include shipping. Bear that in mind if the prices seem a little high here and there. 3. If you buy several parts – especially smaller, lighter items -- and I’m able to package them together, I’ll reduce the shipping and, thus, the prices. The possibility of shipping reduction and the amount of that reduction is completely at MY discretion. It will depend largely on packaging and postal rates. This is good stuff, folks, and it’s a waste to keep in storage. Your ’57 Pontiac will thank you for bringing these pieces home. Thank you, and please call or e-mail me with questions. Jon Robinson, (308) 537-4433 jon@jongrobinson.com 1 Horn ring with Pontiac script and emblem; nearly perfect; $225. 1 Glove box door assembly with chrome face and hinge; good, missing latch and lock; $95. 1 Dash trim plate, chrome; good, $65. 1 Gas pedal; very good; $60. 1 Complete brake pedal with arm and hinge pin (?); very good; $85. 1 Brake pedal pad alone; very good; $60. 2 Fuel/Oil gauges, 1 Batt/Temp gauge; very good; $120 set. 2 Interior vent window trims, one each side; very good; $70 set. 4 Door/window trims (vent window trims?), 2 for each side; very good; $70 set. 3 Short interior trims, 2 for one side and 1 for other side; very good; $50 set. 1 Arm rest; good, needs upholstery; $65. 6 Door handles; 4 excellent, 2 good; $75 set. 3 Long window cranks; good; $55 set. 4 Vent window cranks; good; $60 set. 2 Vent windows; both very good, 1 has good weather strip; $100 set. 3 Window crank springs (?), 4 plastic window crank backs; good; $20 set. 3 Backup light lenses; 2 good, 1 mildly cracked; $70 set. 1 Trunk light/removable work light; good; $65. 1 Headlight housing; very good, rust-free, with good rubber gasket; $85. 3 Internal headlight mounts; very good; $45 set. 3 Headlight retainer rings; very good; $20 set. 1 Headlight bezel; good; $125. 1 Parking light housing, RH; fair; $35. 1 Tail light trim; good; $50. 1 Gas cap door; good chrome, surface rust on hinge; $90. 2 non-light fender ornaments; nearly perfect; $165 set. 1 light-up fender ornament; pitted but restorable, plastic good; $65. 1 LH trunk ornament; very good; $85. 5 Exterior trim stars; $50 set. 1 Bumper bullet; good structure, good chrome, mildly dinged center tin piece; $150. 4 wheel opening trims, probably rear; 3 fair, 1 poor; $20 set. 1 Gearshift collar, fair; $30. 2 Vacuum wiper motors; fair; $60 set. 1 Radio antenna; poor, broken, good chrome mount; $20. 1 Hood hinge, RH (?); good; $80. 1 License plate mount; poor; $10. 3 Mystery pieces; very good; $15 set. 1 Mystery grommet; good; $15. 1 Wiper arm; good; $15. 1 Power antenna hydraulic motor; poor; $25.

1957 Pontiac trim parts. Located in central Nebraska. This is a large collection of parts taken from salvage yard cars in the mid-1960s. These parts were only a few years old when they went into storage, and many of them are in nearly-new condition. A few of the parts are in fair or poor condition, and I’m selling those at deep discounts that reflect their conditions. See the list below, and see detailed photos and descriptions here: http://www.jongrobinson.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=1683 Important Notes: 1. Sets will only be sold as sets. 2. Prices include shipping. Bear that in mind if the prices seem a little high here and there. 3. If you buy several parts – especially smaller, lighter items -- and I’m able to package them together, I’ll reduce the shipping and, thus, the prices. The possibility of shipping reduction and the amount of that reduction is completely at MY discretion. It will depend largely on packaging and postal rates. This is good stuff, folks, and it’s a waste to keep in storage. Your ’57 Pontiac will thank you for bringing these pieces home. Thank you, and please call or e-mail me with questions. Jon Robinson, (308) 537-4433 jon@jongrobinson.com 1 Horn ring with Pontiac script and emblem; nearly perfect; $225. 1 Glove box door assembly with chrome face and hinge; good, missing latch and lock; $95. 1 Dash trim plate, chrome; good, $65. 1 Gas pedal; very good; $60. 1 Complete brake pedal with arm and hinge pin (?); very good; $85. 1 Brake pedal pad alone; very good; $60. 2 Fuel/Oil gauges, 1 Batt/Temp gauge; very good; $120 set. 2 Interior vent window trims, one each side; very good; $70 set. 4 Door/window trims (vent window trims?), 2 for each side; very good; $70 set. 3 Short interior trims, 2 for one side and 1 for other side; very good; $50 set. 1 Arm rest; good, needs upholstery; $65. 6 Door handles; 4 excellent, 2 good; $75 set. 3 Long window cranks; good; $55 set. 4 Vent window cranks; good; $60 set. 2 Vent windows; both very good, 1 has good weather strip; $100 set. 3 Window crank springs (?), 4 plastic window crank backs; good; $20 set. 3 Backup light lenses; 2 good, 1 mildly cracked; $70 set. 1 Trunk light/removable work light; good; $65. 1 Headlight housing; very good, rust-free, with good rubber gasket; $85. 3 Internal headlight mounts; very good; $45 set. 3 Headlight retainer rings; very good; $20 set. 1 Headlight bezel; good; $125. 1 Parking light housing, RH; fair; $35. 1 Tail light trim; good; $50. 1 Gas cap door; good chrome, surface rust on hinge; $90. 2 non-light fender ornaments; nearly perfect; $165 set. 1 light-up fender ornament; pitted but restorable, plastic good; $65. 1 LH trunk ornament; very good; $85. 5 Exterior trim stars; $50 set. 1 Bumper bullet; good structure, good chrome, mildly dinged center tin piece; $150. 4 wheel opening trims, probably rear; 3 fair, 1 poor; $20 set. 1 Gearshift collar, fair; $30. 2 Vacuum wiper motors; fair; $60 set. 1 Radio antenna; poor, broken, good chrome mount; $20. 1 Hood hinge, RH (?); good; $80. 1 License plate mount; poor; $10. 3 Mystery pieces; very good; $15 set. 1 Mystery grommet; good; $15. 1 Wiper arm; good; $15. 1 Power antenna hydraulic motor; poor; $25.

Thank you for the identification. I didn't realize GM used hydraulic motors for their power antennas. JON