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Inching ever closing to completion. Finished installing the driver's side door pocket/panel. As with everything, this was quite difficult. Getting all the holes to attach the panel that weren't marked by Moss on their repro panel (most were marked) was very difficult. I took my time and was able to get them to work. I also had trouble with the screws, as a previous owner had rounded out some of the original screw holes, so I couldn't use all the original size screws. I ended up using a combination of screws and eyelets, maybe 40% are original, in order to get it all to work. It was VERY difficult to get the door closed with the new door panel. I think it will just have to take some time to get things to compress a little. The passenger side should be a little easier because the NOS door has no holes at all, so I can just drill new holes, matching them up to where they go on the driver's side, just a mirror image. Completed some other small tasks, like getting all the paint chips on the doors repainted by touching them up. I'll have to give it 24 hours to cure, then wet sand, polish, see if I burned thru anything, then repeat, until I get it to where no one would notice it except me. Torqued the rear wheel cylinder bolts down (I somehow missed this originally). Still working on the passenger side door pocket. Is about 70% complete now. Bought a new battery. Decided to go with one 12V battery instead of the two 6v batteries. The 6V batteries are wet and it's almost impossible to find the acid for them. They are also 3x as expensive. Also, if just one battery fails, you're still dead in the water. The 12V I found will fit in one of the original cradles. The only thing I'll need to do is figure out how to cable it correctly, as I currently have the original cabling system in place.

Hello, I'm having my 1930 Plymouth 30U engine rebuilt, but upon removal of the engine, I discovered that one of the springs in the clutch plate had broken, allowing the broken piece and pin to float around the bell housing. How I never had a problem driving it is beyond me. I need a new one, or maybe I can get mine remanufactured somehow. The one I have now has a sticker on it "remanufactured," so it could be done in the past. It has a 9" diameter with 6 springs. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated, as usual. -Chris

Completed one of the door pockets today (Photo 1). Completely made from scratch. The only original parts I was able to reuse were the 3 tacks at bottom center used to provide extra fastening for the fabric to the card backing. At this point, it just needs to be screwed into place with about 16 screws. The actual door card will be screwed in surrounding the door pocket on the outer portion of the inner door. The other pocket is about 1/2 made and should be complete within the next week. I also made two missing headlight adjustment screw sheaths, found two missing windshield post mounting screws I was missing at the Carlisle, PA show (I had to modify some similar GM screws) and filled the transmission with the proper oil. A few more prep items and the car will be ready to go to the shop, which I anticipate happening maybe the first week in May.

Was able to get the engine out without removing the steering box by removing the trans, clutch, and flywheel. Thanks again for all the help!

Still more odds and ends to tend to before the car gets shipped to the British car shop. Installed the windshield wipers (Photo 1). I may end up taking these off again, because who knows if the wipers will work properly and in which position they will start in. I wouldn't want them to grind into the cowl panel. Next, I lowered the car off the jack stands and torqued and cotter-pinned all the suspension bolts. I'll have the Shop do another check to makes sure I didn't miss anything, although they will need to torque the steering ends, as the ball joints just spin in place and I don't have the proper tools to prevent that. In the "attention to detail" section, I reproduced the mint green blotch of paint that I found on the rear axle when I originally disassembled and cleaned it. Looks white in the photo, but it's actually minty fresh (Photo 2). Some more progress on the home-made door pockets. First, I completed the vertical portion of both pockets (Photo 3). I'm currently working on the U-shaped pockets themselves from a piece of card stock that seems to match the original almost exactly (Photo 4). I had to cut out the cardboard, bend all sides so they can be fastened to the vertical pieces, then glue on the vinyl. I couldn't do it all at once, as the pocket sides need to be bent at 90 degrees, so had to do the center first, then each 90 angle had to be clamped in, in order to get the glue to set on the card stock properly and the correct angle. Still a lot of work to do, as these will need small holes drilled/punched in order to fasten them to the vertical piece using split tacks, as original. I'll then need to piece together the chrome washers and screws that attach the whole works to the doors. The driver's side will be easy, as that door is original and all holes in the door are already there. With the passenger door being as NOS door, there are no holes for the door pockets and door card, so I'll have to mark them as a mirror image of the driver's door. Should be pretty easy, as it doesn't have to be perfectly lined up, just very close, so I can simply punch holes thru the door cards to insert the mounting screws. I think it will cost around $9 to make them myself; if I bought them, it would either be in a $500 kit, or I would have to find individual ones that would probably be around $200 for a set. Not bad when your labor costs $0/hr.

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Thanks for all the great tips. I'm going to attempt leaving the wheel and steering box on at this point. It may be easier for me to remove the transmission, clutch, and flywheel, and leave the burdensome bellhousing in place on the chassis so I don't have to remove the burdensome steering wheel and steering box. If that doesn't work, then I'll have to reapproach the steering wheel removal anyway, where I'll have to use some of your great tips and tricks.

Working on the odds and ends now. Installed the front interior trim in front of the door. Also found the original cable clutch nut and bolt for the "Demister" cable. Cleaned that up and installed it. Last, started making my own door pockets (Photo 1). I found the perfect outer card material, but had to use a thicker backing material, which is almost twice as thick as original, but there' no other material available. Should turn out just fine. For now, using the original I have to cut out the backing panel, cut out the new vinyl, and cut out the pocket card material itself. Also stopped by my British Car shop to give them a heads up. I'll meet with them again in two weeks and I will schedule having the car towed into their shop then for initial startup and a thorough shakedown.

TAKerry, thanks for the offer. I just need the door pockets, not the door cards themselves. Luckily, I have that one original, so it looks like I already have good backing material, I just need some of that lighter cardboard for the actual pocket itself, which yes, I think I can get at any craft store.

Big progress today. First, installed the lower rocker trim on both sides (Photo 1). Next, had to friends over and they were able to help me get the windshield installed (Photo 2). Took about four tries as the two repro gaskets on each sound of the mount were a little too thick. Ended up using only two gaskets and a few layers of painters tape in order to get it to fit and seat properly. Had a few problems with some of the original fasteners on the sides of the windshield. Two of the screws were stripped, so I'll have to figure out some replacements. Last, I installed the two grab handles on the windshield post (Photo 3). Next will be to install the wipers and wiper arms and the front interior trim panels, now that the windshield is installed. Will probably hold off on the door pockets to see if I can get some at the Carlisle import show in May, as I'm not going to buy the $600 kit. If I have some extra time (unlikely), I may just make them myself, as I have the vinyl. I would just need the card backing, which I could probably get at a craft store. I still have one original door pocket to use as a template.

Thanks. Do you have a better idea on the location for the place on Rt 147? I'm not familiar with that place.

Hello, I'm trying to remove my engine on my 1930 Plymouth 30U to get it rebuilt. In order to do this, the steering column must be removed. In order to do that, the steering wheel must be pulled, so the steering column and steering box can be removed thru the firewall. Attached is a photo of the steering wheel after the clum switches have been removed. I've since drilled two holes in the steering wheel metal in order to install a steering wheel puller. I tried using this, and the steering wheel won't budge. At a certain amount of torque, the threaded part of the puller will start to move off of the center threaded portion of the steering wheel. I don't know what to do now, the steering wheel will not budge. Does anyone know a secret to this, is there something I'm missing here? It feels like it's welded on, no motion whatsoever. Thanks for any help or tips. -Chris

Thanks again for the advice. I have a limited budget, but may have to just buy new and maybe finance it.

Thanks for all the advice. I'll keep my ear to the rail for good used ones, but I think I'll have to at least price out new ones in the meantime. I'll try racingjunk.com., too.

Thanks, all told, turning out quite nicely, especially compared with the pile of trash I started with.