Doug McKay

You are doing all the right things-just keep trying!!! I had the same problem with my 1928 Chrysler 72.I kept the puller pressure on, applied heat and then used a copper hammer to strike the end of the axle.All of a sudden the hub came off with a bang.Just stand clear!It will happen eventually. Doug Mckay.

Check the engine number stamped on the front top left side of the engine block.Post the letter prefix and the number here and I can tell you what model of car you have if it is a Chrysler. Doug McKay.

Dear Pete, Please refer to my reply above to Peter Semmelrock. You can contact me on fitzmckay@bigpond.com or fax 0011 61 2 68474652 for further discussions. I would love to hear from you. Regards, Doug McKay.

Dear Peter, I am replying here on the forum rather than by private email in case this is of interest to others.I also look forward to communicating with you by email with photos of my car and your car for extra interest.I will send you an email with some photos in a day or so. Meanwhile,addressing the various point of your post as follows: A- Iam interested to know where in Australia your car came from and its history.My "72" has been in my family since new,albeit in derelict condition for the last 50 years until I met Ray Jones in Sydney who runs the best Chrysler "75" roadster in the world.He has helped me with my "72" recreation which is not a replica of the 1928 "72" roadsters which came 3rd and 4th at Le Mans that year but has a fabric covered Vanden Plas style body in period,high ratio differential and sufficient engine modifications to ensure 70mph to 80 mph cruising speed and a top speed over 100mph.His car was timed at 118mph at the Le Mans retrospective in July 2004. B-Unfortunately, although I am starting to build up a number of contacts for mechanical parts I am unable to source any roadster body parts at this stage. C-If you can send me your postal address I will send you a photocopy of all the material I have accumulated,including the "Chryslers in Competition" Le Mans material. D-I almost forgot; I have posted my extremely satisfying Steele Rubber ordering experience on this forum above.If you need any further information please contact me.My car's flattened and retempered springs are now sitting happily in their correct insulating blocks.However, as they are cast in rubber they will wear and deteriorate quite quickly,particularly with hard use .I am therefore going to use them as moulds to make another one set at least out of appropriate polyurethane or similar material which should be more durable.By varying the "mixture" it will also be possible to make up "hard" and "soft" sets to see which most suit the ride and handling characteristics of my car with its much lighter than standard body. I look forward to further communications with you and all other vintage Chrysler enthusiasts.Our cars are only now starting to be recognised for their quality and sporting potential.They are not "poor man's Bentleys" but "Bentley beaters" in their sporting configurations. Regards, Doug McKay.

I contacted Steele Rubber Vice President W Vaughan on wvaughan@steelerubber.com and he was extremely helpful, coming back to me very promptly with their parts numbers for my 1928 Chrysler "72'.I then placed my order by email to Cynthia Dancoff at cdancoff@steelerubber.com and the parts were here in Australia in about 10 days. They fit perfectly and I am very pleased with the service I received from Steele Rubber. As far as I can see, as I also have a 1930 V70 chassis, the spring insulators for your 1930 "70" should be the same as for my 1928 "72".If that is the case the parts numbers should be the same. On that assumption,if it is of assistance,the parts numbers for my order were as follows: 4 each 40-0527-98 2 each 40-0528-98 2 each 40-0531-98 Please let me know how you get on with your order and the progress of your car generally as I am interested in anything to do with vintage Chryslers. Regards, Doug McKay.

I am rebuilding a 1928 "72" which is almost identical to the 1930 "70".I have now accumulated a fair bit of technical and practical knowledge on these vintage Chryslers.Let me know either through this forum or direct on my email fitzmckay@bigpond.com or fax 0011 61 2 68474652 what information you need and I would love to help wherever possible.I can email photos of what I have done which may also be of assistance. Look forward to hearing from you. Regards, Doug McKay.

Very interested in your message posted .My main source of knowledge in building my car has been Ray Jones the co-author with Martin Swig of the book on Chryslers in competition in Europe in the 1920s.If you have Martin Swig as an advisor with the build of your car then between us we should end up with the best two vintage Chryslers in the world! I am aiming to have my car finished by the end of the year.I won't make it but shouldn't be too far behind. My email address is fitzmckay@bigpond.com and my fax is 0011 2 68474652.If you can let me have your contact details I can send you a lot more information more easily including such things as digital photos of the way I had my wheel hubs machined to accept the centre lock spoke wheels which is such an important feature of the car. To illustrate how good these cars are just read Martin Swig's article in the Summer/Fall 2001 "Forward" magazine from the Walter P Chrysler Museum.A copy can be downloaded from the Walter P Chrysler Museum website.In that article Ray Jones'"75" also features with Swigs'CD-8 and a V70 Spa which Ray Jones also built in his workshop in Sydney.Look at the photo on page 24. Ray Jones' car was timed down Mulsanne straight at the Le Mans retrospective last month at 118mph!They really are very special,underrated cars and vintage car enthusiasts are just starting to realise just how good they are.Those of us who own a 72,75,77,big engined V70,80 or CD-8 are lucky people and the cars deserve to be rebuilt to a high standard as they have a very high performance potential. I am looking forward to receiving your contact details so we can exchnge lot of interesting information on both our cars. Regards, Doug McKay.

I have a photocopy of a Chrysler 65 owners/workshop manual.Let me have your details and I will send you a copy.Contact me at fitzmckay@bigpond.com or PO Box 3 Warren NSW 2824, Australia or fax 02 68474652. Doug McKay.

Good question.I have a 1928 "72" and have tried all the above suppliers with no succcess as I don't have the originals to use as patterns.There are 72s and 75s out there on the road so someone must have the answers.Information please. Doug McKay.

I have a 1928 "72" and have tried all the above suppliers for rubber spring blocks for my car.If you don't have the originals to use as moulds then what use are these suppliers to you? There a few 72s and 75s around and someone must have found a solution to this problem.Information please.

I have a booklet entitled "Chrysler In Competition-European Road Racing 1925 to 1931" which has photos of the 1928 Le Mans cars, the 1928 24 hour Cass C record at Montlhery of 72.5 mph with hood erected and sealed bonnet and ,on the cover, a photo of one of the 1929 75s during a pit stop at Le Mans that year.The text covers the whole of the 1928 race.Every vintage Chrysler enthusiast should read this to see just how good these cars are. Send me your details and I will let you have a copy.Contact me at fitzmckay@bigpond.com,P.O. Box 3 Warren,NSW 2824,Australia or fax Australia 02 68474652. Would love to hear from you. Doug McKay.

I forgot earlier that I have an owners/workshop manual for a 1928 Chrysler 65.As the models are almost identical in many ways except for engine size most of the manual is applicable to a 72 and is very interesting.If you contact me at fitzmckay@bigpond.com I can give you a copy. Doug McKay.

I also have a 72.Mine has been in the family since new and was a sedan but the bodt was removed in the 1950s.I am rebuilding it with a vanden plas style aluminium and fabric covered sporting body in the spirit of the 72s which came 3rd and 4th at Le Mans in 1928.I am well into the rebuild with the body and chassis finished,new 3.5/1 differential and new hubs machined to convert the car to 18' Rudge Whitworth type wire wheels.My major challenge remains the rubber spring blocks.I had some moulds made but the blocks cast were still unsatisfactory.Others with 72s must have solved the problem somehow.What have you done? Would love to hear from you. Doug McKay.

What is the engine number for your motor so we know the cubic capacity? Doug McKay.

I have a friend with a 1929 Chrysler 75 roadster and a lot of spare parts.He is overseas until August but I will enquire for you when he gets home. Meanwhile,I am rebuilding a 1928 Chrysler 72 as a Le Mans type special.I have some home made moulds for the rubber spring locating blocks but I am not confident of getting a good result from them. Can you help me by telling me what you have done for those blocks for your car? Doug McKay.

My 1928 "72" was originally navy blue with black mudguards \(or "wings" as they are called in the USA ).It was a sedan sold in Australia in October 1928 to my grandfather.It may have had an Australian made body. Meanwhile, can you help me to obtain a set of the rubber spring mounting blocks for a '72"?.Steele Rubber can't help me.Any suggestions? Doug McKay.

Your car is a 1930 Chrysler "70" 27.34 hp rating between chassis numbers P117PY and P180VD and engine numbers V15075 and V27181. Doug McKay.

Iam rebuilding a 1928 Chrysler "72" as a Le Mans type special in the spirit of the '72s' which came 3rd and 4th after the Bentley and Stutz in the 1928 race. My car has a very light body and a modified engine so needs a higher differential ratio than standard.I solved the problem by having a new crown wheel and pinion machined to give me a 3.5/1 final drive ratio.It cost a bit but was simple to achieve.Many American cars can have their road ability transformed with a higher rear end ratio.You are mad not to do it.Not only will you save your engine but you will have a much nicer long distance drive and really enjoy your car rather than either crawling along at low speed or getting impatient and wearing out your engine. Doug McKay.