TonyAus

Sorry Bernie The comment was very much tongue in cheek. You would appreciate that many who live north of Wodonga hold that opinion that Victorians speak a different language. I for one was confused when my Esky was described as a car fridge! Perhaps we are different people. I am slow, methodical and pedantic with a fetish for originality down to the last nut and bolt. My enjoyment comes from small goals during a restoration and I find the final driving experience to be somewhat of a letdown. Playing with old cars is a personal thing and I don't expect to gain recognition from others on the number or quality of restorations undertaken. I do not seek to judge others in the same game and would hope that they reciprocate. No, the Dodge still has the vibration and I feel that the only partial remediation will come from a complete strip down and balance. I strongly suspect that the clutch is the main culprit. However, this will have to wait until the Peugeot is finished later in the year. Details of that job are in the restoration section of Aussiefrogs. Turning to your last Dodge, I would be interested to see a photo taken from the rear, particularly how you handled the rear suspension. Did you taper the chassis inward a la Bugatti? Respectfully Tony

Funny -I thought these things were called footman loops. Is this a south of the border thing?

The shaft can be pushed through the drive gear with a hydraulic press. However, you need to ensure that the housing is well suported as it is easily cracked - ask me how I know! The bronze water pump impellor can be removed by careful alternative application of heat and WD40 or similar. Drive it off with a piece of pipe which will just clear the key. Hope this helps.

Hi Bernie Can you please give me a contact for the battery makers? A pair of these (two six volts) would look great in my 203. Thanks in anticipation and merry Christmas Tony

My tail light, the type with the reflector, was made by E&J (Edmund and Jones) and is as illustrated in the Book of Information for the 1925 series. The E&J name may be found on the lower (clear) glass. I have seen Type B Tail lights on later Dodges, including the six cylinder variety. Perhaps they were cheapened later by deleting the reflector and painting the interior white?? Mine was originally painted black inside.

A second thought. An important part of the tail light is the reflector behind the stop bulb which, like the headlight relectors, should be SILVER plated. Siver is used as iot has the highest reflective index of any polished metal - some 97 per cent if I recollect correctly. I cannot see the reflector in your photos nor the indented hole behind to take the single #5-44 fixing screw (strange). Do you have the reflector and screw? If not, send me a PM and I can help you. Tony

Charley Sorry to be pedantic, but the "stop" cutout should be nickle plated. I think the purpose was to reflect the light of the bulb backwards, which the flat black will not do. You might consider this when the rim vists your plater. Also make sure you use a 50 watt single contact headlight bulb for the stop light - every lumen counts when you are being tailgated by a mindless P-plater texting on a mobile phone. Keep up the good work. Tony

Pete I find the attitude of your police incredible given that the 15 digit VIN system was only introduced in the late 1980s. Surely someone in your State has a registered car made before then. Perhaps you my be able to Google up a little history on the subject which you may insert (gently) up their left nostrils! Best of luck Tony

Jason This the tool kit I currently have. A few missing bits were collected with reference to the Book of Information. The hammer is non-original, the screwdriver may not be quite right but is of the style. The punch and tommy bar are home made representations. The tool roll is genuine and has the scars to prove it!

Jason Here it is - enjoy! Book of Information May 1925 (Export). Tony

Pete I can also say that export Dodges were shipped with tool rolls as illustrated in the Book of Information. I have the original from my car and Dodge tools turn up here with predictable regularity. The can containing instruction books, tire information sheet and headlight focussing disc was also included. The Book of Information also says that a jack ,its handle and a tire pump were included but does not illustrate these. Tony

Pete The 1927 parts book illustration is somewhat misleading. It is the same as the one used in my c1919 parts book and includes a number of items that apply to the earlier cars. For example, note the size of the spare tire mount. I think that this illustration has been used generically and that while it shows the earlier syle of jack the quoted part number may not have got you what was supplied in 1925. I can only reiterate that my jack is authentic to my 1925 car. This is not say that that a different style from a different supplier was used during the 1925 series run. Regards Tony

Business Coupe from 1924 on. However, if the engine is original the kinked crankcase breather would indicate 1924 series. Wheel size (if any) would help further. 24" for 1924 series, 20" for 1925 series.

Here you go. This is the jack and handle which came with my 1925 roadster. I am 100 per cent sure that these are the originals as the jack was still strapped into the boot and the handle was with the original tool roll under the seat. You will note that the handle is articulated - the bent bit is round and the other end is square to fit into the jack. The number on the jack is Q2286802C. If you get desperate, I think I have an identical Jack somewhere but no handle to go with it. Cheers Tony

Mike Make sure that the balls and their tracks are well greased as well as the ends of the springs. The whole mess depends on good lubrication to overcome the spring tension when required. The nuts do not have to be fully tightened as the spring tension will stop them loosening. Just tighten them untill the sashes move with moderate pressure.

This is the original pattern which was embossed into the leather. The new pattern is stitched in.

For what it is worth, here is my approach to the problem. My wheel was badly cracked and requred extensive filling. Noting that the rims of all the wheels I have seen appear to have been painted black I decided to hide the repairs. Several coats of Primebond (heavy enamel undercoat no longer available) were rubbed back. Flat black over provided the colour. The final sprayed coats were clear gloss polyurethane. I have never seen the die cast aluminium allow spokes painted. They buff up fairly easily.

Jay, I think you have your advice mixed up here. The single dotted tooth is on the PUMP gear. It goes between the two dots on the cam gear.

This may help (from Dykes Carburettor Suppliment 1937).

The safety gap will NOT spark if the plugs are attached. It is an alternative route to ground. That spark is not strong enough. Looks like you are up for a rewind. This is a good idea as you cannot trust an old magneto not to let you down at the worst possible moment. I can Recommend Peter Scott, 44 Ravel Street, Seven Hills NSW 2147 (02) 96241262. He went right through my magneto (rewind, modern capacitor, new bearings, recharge magnet) for, from memory, less than $400. Give him a ring to confirm your problem - he is the expert on magnetos. (Usual disclaimer - no connection rather than as a happy customer).

Mike This may be a long shot, but have you checked the length of thread on the cap screw which secures the fan bracket to the mounting spigot. The screw may have stretched, preventing the clamp fully tightening on the spigot. Try another screw or put a few washers under the head of the old one to test this theory. Tony

You may be suffering from the same problem I had - a crook magneto. The magneto will produce what looks like a good spark at the plug gap but not under compression. This can be due to the windings breaking down when the going gets tough, a problem with the internal capacitor or a weak magnet. As a rough check, a good magneto should produce a spark at the safety gaps when the plugs and leads are disconnected. These are the two pointed brass screws adjacent to the slip ring (the bakelite and brass bit on the end of the armature which transfers the spark to the cap via the bottom carbon brush. These gaps are placed so the spark has somewhere to go if the plugs are not connected. Remove the magneto cap and turn the engine to check these. Another test is wave a screwdriver close to the slip ring while earthing its shank against the magneto body. A good magneto should throw a bright blue spark about at least 1/4" here. If all fails here I can put you on to a good magneto repairer in Sydney - he did mine and the car has never failed to start since (except when I forgot to turn on the petrol tap).

Mike Forget the filter idea. What you have to consider in the first place is the purpose of a filter. Filters are designed to work with detergent oils. A detergent oil has the ability to hold contaminents in suspension and these are removed when the oil is passed through a filter. Filtering becomes a critical factor in ensuring long life from the relatively hard facing used in modern shell bearings which have little tolerance to contaminationg particles in the oil. Your Dodge uses relatively soft babbit-faced bearings. These are able to cope with the relatively unsophisticated single grade non-detergent oils available when they were new. In fact, you are better to continue using a single grade non or low detergent oil which does not hold too much crud in suspension. A modern high detergent oil will circulate what it picks up and sends it through your bearings. As you may have found, with a non-detergent oil said crud will drop into the pan and may be cleaned out at irregular intervals. In these circumstances the mesh screen fitted to the pump intake is ok providing it remains over the crud level. I maintain with all my cars, old and modern, the cheapest maintainence you can do is to change the oil regularly. Get the crud out early and you will have no problems. Cheers Tony

According to the Mechanics' Instruction Manual (April 1927) the clearances should be .004" (inlet) and .005" (exhaust) when set hot.

A quick tip on splash shields. Mine were rather rusted and bent so I decided to make up a new set. The hard bit is the pressing which fits over the rear shackle of the front spring. This pressing is spot welded to the shield, not usually damaged and easily removed - save it for reuse. The rest is a simple folding, drilling and filing job using 20 gauge panel steel.