HarryJ

I have been recently working on a "light six" of 1921 vintage which was experiencing some over heating problems. (see my post on the AACA general board). Concurrent with the cooling system maintainence I discovered the end frame of the generator (Remy) was severly deteriorated. Does anyone know of a source for a replacement for these diecastings?

I've owned my 1929 Model "A" since 1969; as a matter of fact it is the very first car of any kind I owned. It was my daily driver for many yaers.

RPrice...thanks for the lead. As to my situation, I went up to my machinist shop this afternoon; the flange has been welded back on and I watched him machine the mating surfaces flat again. I discussed with him having him remanufacture or machine another end frame for the generator. He thinks he can do it. It will not look exactly like the original die casting; however this is hidden under the car's floorboards.

Clincher....I have a 1931 Plymouth "PA" that some previous restorer converted to down draft by simply turning the intake manifold upside down. It came equiped with a Solex carb which was inadequate; I changed it to a Holley 1bbl unit that fit an early sixties Ford (170 ci) the Plymouth is 196ci. It runs the car great.

Progress report on the broken flange.....First thing today after downing a cup of coffee and smoking a couple of cigarettes, I proceeded to dismantle the assemblies that attach to the damaged aluminum housing. Not only does the water pump mount ot it; so does the distibutor, oil pump, and generator. Careful examination of the housing revealed someone in the past had also broken and partially repaired another area of the flange. My disaster was partially broken before I finished it off. Now I must proceed to my trusty machinist and get it fixed if possible. A couple other areas of concern were noted when I had the chance to study the dismantled assemblies; in particular, the generator end frame (while functional) is very swollen and has cracks in it due to the fact it is a zinc die casting succumbing to die cast disease. The unit is a Remy (not Wagner). Does anyone know if these end plates have been reproduced or are there any replacments out there? I also noted the distributor body has the same problem; although, it is not very evident as in the case of the generator end plate. I hope to have this car back on the road soon. It is a great runner. By the way, in case you didn't know the engine in this car was designed by Zeder, Breer, and Skelton right before they left Studebaker.

Folks...I have a 1921 Studebaker "light six" which I recently acquired. The automobile is a well preserved orginal with it's original touring top and interior. Let me say I am a preservationist primarily, looking to keep a car on the road and enjoy driving it. This requires me to ascertain how it was originally built and keeping it that way. I have driven this car several miles and on a few sorties to check it out since my acquisition. One of the first times I drove it the right rear wheel fell of due to the fact that one of the previous owners had failed to put a cotter pin in the axel nut when he did some maintenance on it. Upon further review of the car after repair of the rear wheels and brakes; I noticed the motometer indicated an elevated operating temprature after operating the car for 10 miles or so. The car never steamed; however, the motometer indicated it was above the recommended operating temperature. I took this to mean, that the cooling system was not functioning properly. I pulled the water jacket cover off and discovered approximately 3/4 to 1 inch of mud in the engine block. From this I assumed the radiator must be clogged or the water pump was not doing it's job. Yesterday I began to pull down the cooling system to check it out and give it a good flush out. The water pump on this car is very similiar to cars of it's period. It is composed of a two part housing enclosing an inpellar. I proceeded to remove the housing bolts and then started to split the halfs. To do this, I employed a puddy knife and a hammer applied to the flange gap arround the two halves of the housing. One half of the housing is cast iron and the other is cast aluminum. The aluminium half has a flange over the cast iron. I drove the puddy knife in between the two parts. Well, upon this application of the universal fixit (hammer) I proceeded to bust the flange off the the aluminum casting. Now, I have a real problem as I have broken one of the castings. I relay the experience to you in hopes it will help educate some of us when considering the use of the hammer. Take your time, and consider the situation. Pullers, penetrating oils, and time work best ; don't hurry some disassembly procedures, take your time and study it carefully. I hope to pin and glue my casting back together; if not I may have to recast it or find a new part. either way, it will add a great deal of time to the repair.

Tim...I have a 1928 Chrysler "72", this vehicle has Warner Lockheed hydraulic brakes just like the ones on your car. The Chrysler Historical Data Collection can supply you with an owner's manual for my car. This gives a description of how these brakes work and how to adjust them. As with all hydraulic systems, the brakes should be properly bled and free from leaks at the wheel and master cylinders. There may be some technical/service manuals out there that Warner/Lockheed issued in their day; however, I am not aware of any. Chrysler did not have "service" manuals for their cars at this period.

Bill....I would not shrink wrap the engine. This tends to trap moisture in the unit. Lube up the inside and turn it over every couple of months. The important thing is to keep the rust at bay and plug up any holes to prevent insects and general vermin out. When you are ready to reinstall it drop the pan and remove the valve cover to check and lube it. A general point to consider is when restoring a car;restore the subassemblies right before they are to be installed, this action relieves you of this storage task. I purchased a parts car that a novice acquired and started to restore; the first thing he did was to replace the tires! Needless to say, they are dry rotted today.

'53Windsor.....Sounds like you need some gaskets. Start with the one that is the worst; conquer this problem and move to the next gasket . Eventually, you will master the issue.

Restorer32.....I have a 1928 Chrysler "72" that I have been slowly working on since about 1975. A ground up is a long and expensive job to undertake. I will have ten times it's value in it by the time (hopefully) I finish the restoration. I also have several drivers I am trying to keep on the road and preserve for the future. Keep in mind that a restoration can be very time consuming; and expensive. If this car means alot to you, consider it's future, say 100 years from now. How much is a restored 140 worth and how much can you get for your car? Ponder these questions before you convert this complete car to a basket case.

avantey...An aside, M.T. Publishing Company just came out with " The Hupmobile Story From Beginning to End" by Bill Cuthbert"; great book! I just finished reading my copy. M.T. Publishing is located in Evansville, Ind.

My guess is a 1935 Oldsmobile....I can't tell if it is a series "F" six or a series "L" eight...I'm guessing the shorter wheelbase "F".

bschemesc/rambler.....First, let me say that it is difficult if not impossible to restore a car to concours standards and make a profit. Speculation in the collector car market has driven some prices into the stratosphere. The goal of the AACA as I understand it is to, preserve the technological history of the automobile. An automobile will die a horrible death unless driven regularily. These issuses aside ; I don't fault those collector/restorers who mount after market parts on their cars, as long as the car is easily returned to stock. I believe Trippe lights were after market items on all classics.

Leif W/Old Chrysler....External contracting brakes when properly adjusted are very good units. Basically they are self energizing due to the fact the wrapping action occuring upon application draws the band arround the drum. Drawbacks include exposure to the elements (water/dirt) which can interfere with application; especially water and ice. If you set up your system according to factory spec these units should produce a four wheel skid when firmly applied. Make sure you also have your transmission mounted "emergency" brake (which is mechanical) set up just in case. Having these brakes properly bled and the lines, master cylinder and wheel cylinders full of fluid will control pedal movement upon application. I don't think a booster system will improve action. A modern master cylinder with an attached reserve might help; however, let me warn you I don't have any experience in this area! Again, I would study all the literature on these units available and work on them to gain a full knowledge as to the ins and outs of their operation.

rikys....The body no. appears to fall within the serial nos for 1932 "CI" series; however the other nos don't match. A picture of the car would help.

Patience and penetrating oil and after many days the judicious use of a wood block and the 5 pound hammer.

crazycars...I agree early brake shoes are a problem to adjust; however, when right they should put the car into a four wheel skid. External contracting systems such as these are easier to set than internal expanding for this era. These are great brakes until you drive in wet conditions.

Debby....Great car , congrats!!!

F37Olds....I don't know the difference in expansion ratios between stainless steel and the steel origanally used in your Olds; however, I do know too much gap is better than too little. There are tables giving these ratios in expansion rates. I would reference these at your local library. I don't believe there will be much difference in a distance equal to the length of these valve stems. Obviously, the gap should be adjusted to add a little if the rate is greater or subtract a proportional amount if smaller. The original valves may have been silicone or possibly tungston steel; so the rate of expansion will be different from carbon steel.

Two or three years ago I saw an ad from a company that was reproducing the large diameter brake hoses that were used on twenties Chryslers. Does anyone know who they are? These are unique conpared to the thinner hoses that became common in the thirties.

crazycars....Have you checked the adjustment of the brake bands? If they are wearing in in such a way that it requires more and more fluid as the bands seat (ie, pistons have to move further thus a greater volume); you may be using the fluid that way.

52er...I am not an electrical expert by any means; however, the sending unit is a variable resistor, which can probably be hooked up to a volt meter and tested. I would talk to a friend who is an electrical expert and get their advice. The dash unit can be tested can be tested by running a 6 volt current through a variable resistor connected to the tank leads. As long as the resistor on the sending unit is OK and the arm and mechanism work freely it should function.

Gat....Try "Hemmings Motor News", Talk to a few of the suppliers there. Since this is a post war unit and a general universal replacement; kits, NOS units, and rebuild sheets should be readily available.

52er....Sounds like you have the fuel system well under control; make sure and put some oil in each of the cylinders and change the oil in the pan. Turn it over without starting a bit to insure the oil pump is primed and generating pressure. When you do crank it, first look at the oil pressure guage and make sure you have pressure; check your owner's manual or repair manual for the correct operating pressure. Good luck!

jimstulga....The ball & trunnion type of universal joint used by Chrysler in these years should have some play front to back: however, I would tear down and rebuild your units for good measure. They are simple, so this process should be easy. Canvas or leather covers were used as dust covers throughout their history.