alsfarms

You are pretty darn handy and with good results. Al

hmmm, I would only change the rear end if I can keep the correct track, same lug pattern, improve gearing and have park brakes. That may be a tall order. Does sure a possible rear end exist? Al

Hello Gary and Al, I do live in an area that 100 years ago we did have black smiths, but no more. Next, Our area is very rural. The closest spring shop that actually may build springs is 170 miles away. The are a few shops that sell premade springs but that is a ZERO in doing me any good. Several years ago, I took my main leaf springs the 170 miles to the best spring shop available and they simply would not run the risk, with heating, forming and re tempering the leafs after an eye rework. That is when I gave up on the reforming option. I am sure with some care, a good sharp 4 flute end mill the proper size, I can end up with a much "rounder" eye hole for new decent bushings. Al

Hello Mike, I live in an old (1899) Victorian home, with a huge amount of interior wood trim. We have spent endless hours refurbishing the interior wood. Sadly, it is my experience that some stains are just not going to go away. I hope your circumstance is different and that you can mitigate the dark spots. Tell us if something works and I will sure make a note for when I steam bend my wood. The last steam bent wood I purchased was the two handles for my antique and still used single wheel garden furrower and cultivator. I need another set of handles, but I intend to build my own next time. Keep up the good work! Al

Yes, I do agree, no race car in the future for the DeSoto coupe. Just a nice driver. I have a spare Borg-Warner T-5 hiding in the back of my shop that I am considering a conversion that would give me an overdrive and an extra gear. When the time comes, I will explore that option. Al

Note: You can just see the head of the coupler that connects the pull rod to this release handle. That piece was also machined out of SS. Al

Second picture. I decided to make this piece out of SS so that it will never go away in a rust ball again. Al

Here is a couple of pictures of the release handle for a brake actuating lever, I lacked one and decided to make this one on the milling machine. It is not smoothed out and finished but will work out very nicely. Al

Does anyone have a spare right side screenside cab rear quarter panel in your pile of left over Dodge Bros. tin? I also need a pair of front fenders. Al

Hello Rusty, Thanks for your thoughts. I was thinking what you suggested which is to use the 1937 DeSoto head on the later series Chrysler 265 engine and end up with an increase of compression (performance) that way. I really do not care about a tire spinning race car but by using the 265 I should have enough twist that the car would behave nicer in our modern driving conditions. Al

Hello Gary, I have a set of adjustable reamers but in my experience are best used to finish a hole that is very close to what it needs to be. My spring eyes are very far from that and I can only see trouble if I put an adjustable reamer in the existing spring eye holes. I think if I set, the spring, up on a milling machine, lock down the spring in a very positive fashion, I can get right over the hole as I would like. (I want to favor a specific side of the hole so as not to weaken the run of the main leaf). Then with nice slow cutting speed and plenty of cutting oil, run the end mill through the eye. At least if I am telling the story that is how it will go and I will end up with a smiley face and ready to push in new bushings in what was once terrible spring eye holes. Al

Hello Mike, I have heard that the world is getting smaller. hmmmmm, it is still a big "drink of water" and a bunch of land travel to get from my place to yours! (certainly not just around the corner! Do you have an an appointment to get the covering put on your hood? What will the seat look like? Leather tufted or diamond pleat or pulled straight? Al

Joe, your approach will pay off in the end, you will have removed small variances or issues from the equation (your oil pump) and the result will ultimately spell success. Al

I am back on the spring eye issue and had thought seriously about using a spiral flute reamer to open up the eye hole ID to be more round then to custom machine a set of bearing bronze spring eye bushings. I think that method may work but I am currently leaning towards the use of a properly sized roto-broach or 4 flute end mill to resize the hole ID's. What is the consensus, on that subject, here? Al

Very Crafty

Hello Mike, I was able to find and purchase a couple of 6 quart pressure cookers that look just like your units. Next, I will install the hose barb fittings into the lids and disable the relief valves, (my system will not be allowed to build pressure but only make steam to be delivered to the steam chambers and atmosphere for the bending wood). I have a couple of steel tubes that I intend to modify very similar to what you have done on your system. One step at a time.... Al

Nice work up on the top! And if your wife can fit and is happy, you can be also. Under your cloth, the bows seem to be in the very conventional locations. We are going to be away for a couple of days and I am hopeful that I will be able to pick up the first of my 8 quart pressure cookers so I can get "Cooking" on my top bows. With your inspiration, I can think of quite a few uses for the steam bending set-up. Thanks again for sharing your learning here. Al

Persistence is always good. I think if you do a google search for modern vane pumps and do a bit of sleuthing around you would locate something modern with the same vane width as you have built then buy a set of replacement springs. When ever I rebuilt vane pumps in the past, the kit always came with replacement fiber vanes and a full set of springs. Our vane pumps rand wide open, 24/7 for 3-4 years between rebuilds. That is a bunch of run time your pump will never see! (At least I am guessing). Al

Did you find any Kelsey rims?

Here is a top view of the Carbide Generator. Note the stamped in number; B 3041. I am not an expert on Rushmore hardware or the numbers. Does anyone have a numbers list for these Rushmore Generators? Al

View of the Rushmore tag.

Here is the original Rushmore carbide generator that will be mounted on the Locomobile. I will post a few separate pictures. Al

Hello Dave, Have you been able to dig out of the snow yet? We went fro snow to rain and mud and today we are at the spring rain again! If you have a chance to get any good comparisons or pictures, even of your early 1922 cab back panel, that would be good. I have resigned myself to building a cab back panel for my truck. I need to get on with the assembly. Thanks, Alan

Good Morning Joe, I also have one of the later back background and white lettering from a later Locomobile. Fuel delivery is an interesting concept on the early cars. In some ways, the early designs more simple and actually very reliable. Al

I am still looking for jump seats also. If you still have them, drop a note. I am also sending you a PM. Al