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scott12180

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Everything posted by scott12180

  1. Hi all, Forgive me for not following the group religiously, but I now have the opportunity to acquire a friend's 1938 Buick Special Two-Door so high speed gears comes to mind again. A while ago there was discussion about making high speed rear axle gears for these cars to improve on the 4.41 stock ratio. I would certainly want a set if I bought the '38. Has anything come of that? Is someone making these gears, or what was decided or what was the consensus? Would a Mitchell overdrive fit under a '38? They are a pretty nice unit. --Scott Troy, NY
  2. 1926 Packard 236 Phaeton. Powerful Eight cylinder 5-passenger open car with a Mitchell overdrive and 4.27 rear end. Recent engine rebuild. Perfect mechanical condition. Car has been driven many thousands of reliable miles all over New York and New England. Well sorted out mechanically. Older restoration (1980's when it received new paint and leather) that is holding up well. Nice mild patina of careful enjoyment. Terrific tour car. Has full side curtains and demountable tonneau windshield. Has correct carburetor, vacuum tank, distributor, Skinner Rectifier, and all other components. Not a trailer queen. This car is for someone who wants one of the best wind-in-your-hair driving experiences the 1920’s had to offer. $97,000 Scott Dwyer, Troy, New York. dwyers@rpi.edu
  3. Has anyone used a Southwind gasoline heater in an old car in modern times? Are they simple to plumb in and relativly safe to use? The application is a 1936 Ford. They seem to be an easy solution to an unheated cabin but, well, I don't know. Too good to be true? Any thougts appreciated. --Scott
  4. Hi all, I'm going to look at a 1996 Dodge Ram 2500 with a Cummins Turbo Diesel (12 valve) engine. The truck has nearly 200,000 miles on it. It appears to be very clean and well taken care of, but I don't know the history. I've heard that these engines suffer fuel pump failures at high milage and this is a $1500 repair. Any comments on if this is true? Anything else to be aware of? Is 200,000 miles alot for this truck? I don't want to be continually doing repairs. Or are these things pretty tough? --Scott
  5. Seems many of you like the Dodge Cummins diesel. I've had alot of respect for Cummins engines and this sounds like an interesting option. How many miles on one of these is considered high? There's one on E-Bay now in New Jersey with 144,000. (auction # 180157460969 )Are they all tapped out by then and ready for major repairs? Or what? I guess what I'm wondering, if I can't have a new or very low milage one, how many miles do you think is "too much" ? Thanks -- Scott
  6. Hi, Thanks for the recommendation on Earl's Suburban. I doubt that a 2004 can be had for around $10,000. Plus, I think a pickup will serve me better. I appreciate the suggestion, though. Thanks again. --Scott
  7. Hi all, I need to find a new modern car and figure that I ought to get a truck capable of towing a trailer with an old car loaded. I've never owned a tow vehicle so I'd like your recommendations on what I should buy. I'm NOT buying a new truck. Can't afford that. I'd like to get something for around $10,000 max. I won't use it much other than going to the store ocasionally to keep the juices flowing, and towing two or three times a year. I figure on mostly an open trailer with a lightweight car, like a Franklin or Model T. However, maybe I should look for something capable of towing an enclosed trailer and a 4000 pound Packard as long as I am shopping around. Any thoughts? I've heard that you want the longest wheelbase you can find. What would that be? Any comments on the merits of Ford vs. Chevy vs. GMC vs. Dodge? Thanks alot guys! --Scott
  8. When you replace the oil pan with the pump attached, be very careful to make sure that the drive for the oil pump fits into its slot --- in other words, the driven shaft of the oil pump which is like a slotted screwdriver should fit into its driver mate attached to the engine. If you don't have these lined up you can crush the oil pump or otherwise damage something. Very good advice to look at the bearings. Old babbitt is like glass -- very hard and brittle and prone to catastrophic failure. --Scott
  9. In Murray Fahnestock's (sp?) book published in the 1920's, there is a short mention of an eight cylinder Model T Center Door Sedan. An Eight would be easier to do than a Six. With a little more effort, you could split one block in two and weld it to the front and back of a standard block. With the cranks at 90 degrees, the resulting configuration would be a 2-4-2, which was the same configuration that the first Packard Eights used in the early 1920's. In Fahnestock's book, they simply put two fours back to front, but commented that the result wasn't very satisfactory. If I had the money or facilities, I think it would be cool to build a 2-4-2 Eight cylinder Model T. The long hood would be sexy and it ought to give decent performance. I think you'd want to use a Model A crank as the T crank would be too whippy that long. Or if money is no object. . . . :-) --Scott Former owner of a 1913 Roadster and 1926 Coupe. Wish I had them back !
  10. The exhaust pipe does come out on the driver's side. It takes a bend in the rear to go from the right to the left side. Don't know why, but that's the way it is. Had the car out yesterday for a nice ride. Running well. Stopped in to see an old farmer who recently restored his 1917 Model T Ford which he has owned for 59 years. Had a nice ride. He liked the Packard.
  11. Looking to buy a 1915 or 1916 Franklin Series 8. Earlier six-cylinder Franklins also of interest. Will consider any body style or condition. Any leads appreciated. Thanks ---- Scott dwyers@rpi.edu 518-276-8414
  12. Oops --- crossed in the mail. Thanks again, Jay, for posting the photos!! --Scott
  13. I will have to send you photographs in a personal e-mail. Perhaps someone cah help me --- how do I post a photo on this forum? When I click on the "add image" icon, it wants an html address. huh??? All I want to do is add an attachment. I don't see how to do that. Anyway, if anyone wants photos, please ask. --Scott
  14. Thanks for the compliment. Yes, indeed, that 1932 Victoria is knock-out handsome. I cannot claim that I chose the paint colors --- they are as close to the original colors as the previous owner could find. It came out very well. And it's holding up remarkably well, too. At one time I was hot for a 1940 Packard -- I like the looks of the car being the last year for separate headlights. But I've learned that my tastes run more toward earlier cars. I have a 1926 Eight Phaeton which I love. If I buy another car it will be pre-1929 and hopefully earlier. --Scott
  15. Yes, I had this for sale about two or three months ago. I put new bearings in the engine over the winter, then when I drove it decided that it needed to have new pistons as well because the originals were OK but marginal. (I heard some piston slap.) Since the last post I had the cylinders rebored to 0.020" over and installed a set of new Arias pistons. I didn't feel right about selling the car while it still was in need of something. As far as I know, this car needs nothing except the normal maintenance and tinkering we all do. --Scott
  16. 1932 Packard 902 Victoria Coupe. Classic Car Club First Place #1787. Very handsome, properly restored car from a particularly solid and sound original. Dark green and midnight blue on black, proper tan broadcloth upholstery. New engine bearings, new Arias pistons, valves, new waterpump by O&G, rebuilt Detroit Lubricator carburetor by "Old Carb Doc". Bedford blackwall tires with authentic tread design. Runs and drives very nicely. Plenty of power and pep. Heater for comfortable touring in all weather conditions. Asking $55,000. Scott Dwyer Troy, New York dwyers@rpi.edu 518-276-8414 leave message. I don't see how to attach a photo, so please ask and I'll send photos. Many photos are available.
  17. The type of motor oil depends on how you intend to use the car. If you aren't going to drive it much and do not intend to take the engine apart for any sort of repairs, then use non-detergent oil and change it often. (Every 500 miles or once a year). However, I would strongly recommend that you drop the oil pan and clean out all of the accumulated sludge that you possibly can so as to get it out of the circulatory system. While in there, pull out the pistons to inspect the connecting rod bearings and, if at all possible, check the main bearings as well. The reason is that old original babbitt, which this car has, becomes brittle with age. You might find large chunks missing or visible cracks in the bearings. This is bad, for obvious reasons. If one of your bearings disintegrates while driving, you will ruin the crankshaft journal, which will be an expensive fix. Better to check these things now, or for a good winter project, and then next spring you can drive in confidence. Several businesses around the country will rebabbitt your engine parts for you, or rebuild the whole engine if you have the money and lack the confidence. A full engine rebuild runs about $2000 a cylinder, but just new babbitt costs about $50 a bearing (your milage may vary). Once apart (as long as you've gone this far) have the cylinders rebored and install new pistons. You'll be alot happier if you intend to drive the car very much. And when you are done, with a nice clean engine, you can use detergent oil --- Shell Rotella 15W-40 is commonly recommended, but everyone has their own favorites. Just remember that anything on the market today is far, far better than what was available in the 1920's (or even thirty years ago). --Scott
  18. In the past I have commented that the Mitchell overdrive on my 236 Packard Phaeton was very noisy --- alot of gear noise which got quite loud at times. I hated to drive with the top up ! I must make a public apology to Mitchell by saying that to my great surprise the noise was not from the overdrive but the differential ! I never suspected that a Packard differential could make such a howlingly loud gear noise and for the past four years just assumed it was the overdrive. But apparently someone had been into my differntial before I acquired the car and did not know what they were doing. I removed the overdrive and re-installed the original driveshaft to make this diagnosis. A friend had a rear axle from a 1927 which I swapped for my original, and with the overdrive I now have a relativly quiet driveline. There is some slight gear noise which may still be from the overdrive but it is nothing like it was. Related to the thread on "High Speed Gears", it is very critical that the ring and pinion be installed properly. If any one of a number of adjustments is not just right, the gears will be noisy. . . or fail. --Scott
  19. Hello -- I am thinking of installing a set of Phil Bray's high speed ring and pinion gears into my 1932 Packard. I know that installation of these is a precision operation and not something for the shade-tree mechanic. Does anyone know of an exerienced man in the northeast who I could inquire to? I live near Albany and would like to find someone within 100 miles or so. I can remove the differential and bring it to whomever can do the set-up. On the other hand, has anyone done this themselves? Just how difficult is it? Should I try it myself? I've rebuilt a coule of engines, so I'm a little better than shade-tree. --Scott
  20. Hi, all. The hood hinge on a 1932 Packard, and others I'm sure, uses a brass rod with a complex C-shaped cross section which forms the working part of the hinge. The other chromed steel parts are fixed to both sides of the hood itself. Being brass, that C-shaped inner part tends to crack with age. Is anyone making these things? Any suggestions how to repair or replace this thing? --Scott
  21. You can switch grounding without much trouble, at lesat on early cars. My 1926 Eight had been switched to negative ground because the previous owners fitted a fuel pump that was sensitive to the proper ground. I went back to vacuum tank and put the system back to positive ground. SOmetimes I've heard it said that you will need to "flash" the generator to give the field windings the proper polarity to start charging correctly. Just once -- the first time. Momentarily close the cut-out or touch the battery hot wire to the generator directly, bypassing the cutout. I did not do that (out of curiosity) but had no trouble. Starters don't care about polarity, neither do lights or horn. If you are using an electronic ignition or ignition booster, then be VERY careful about the proper ground. (Ask me how I know :-) ) --Scott
  22. Hello -- On a closed car from the early 1930's that has a fabric insert in the roof, is there any suggestion on how to treat the top to make it waterproof without ripping it out and installing a new one? It is in very good condition but being old is probably brittle. I am also concerned about water leaking around the edges and staining the upholstery. Any suggestions for a coating or treatment will be most appreciated. --Scott
  23. Does anyone have recent experience with Egge pistons? I heard alot of bad things about them. Managemnet changes, Mexican labor, poor quality, etc. My last car was done with Arias pistons which were beautifully made. Trouble is they are well over twice the cost and take four weeks to make. Egge pistons are in stock and off the shelf. If they have improved then I might give them a try, but I am still wary. Any opinions on Egge these days? --Scott
  24. What is a good modern spark plug that I can use on a 1932 Standard Eight Packard? References I have call for original equipment A-C type K-9 or K-7. This nomenclature is not currently available. Any recommendations on modern equivalent? --Scott
  25. Classic Car Club First Place #1787. Very handsome, properly restored car from a particularly solid and sound original. Dark green and midnight blue on black, proper tan broadcloth upholstery. New engine bearings, new waterpump by O&G, rebuilt Detroit Lubricator carburetor by "Old Carb Doc". Bedford blackwall tires with proper tread design. Looks good. Runs and drives very nicely. Plenty of power and pep. Heater for comfortable touring in all weather conditions. Needs nothing. Asking $55,000. Scott Dwyer Troy, New York dwyers@rpi.edu 518-276-8414 leave message. Photographs sent on request.
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