TonyAus

Bernie You might try Capral Aluminium. They carry a large range of aluminium sections. BTW, who is your lino supplier? Tony

Hi Ray In that case, you could try turning the motor over with the starting handle while someone else holds the clutch out. You can apply just as much force as the starter by hand. Tony

Ray The easy way to unstick a clutch is to apply the handbrake, disengage the clutch then hit the starter. Slip the clutch a bit to get it warm and burn off the sticky surface. Tony

Ian A couple of small tips. If you are ordering six tires have them sent in two or more lots to ensure that the cost of each package does not exceed $A1,000 (including freight). This way you will avoid paying GST. Also, make sure that the freight is not sent through a forwarding agent - otherwise you will be hit with customs clearance charges. Tony

Mike I did most of the restoration, except the paint and trim (the bits you see). It took me thirty years due to interruptions from work, raising a family and a couple of part-time university degrees. Procrastination also played a large part in the delay. These photos are from 1965, 1979 and 2009 - the bit in the midle is somewhat of a blank. Cheers Tony

Yes, but here they are again (fancy myself as a bit of a showoff). The last photo is yours truly in 1965.

Hi Mike Photos attached. The first one is of my car. I am nearly sure that the earlier ring will fit the later headlight shell but you might like to check the one you have. You will see in the other three photos that there are no cracks or substantial marks on the ring - it should replate very easily. PM me your address and I will send it gratis. Cheers Tony

Mike I was about to offer you the spare rim whch has been sitting in my shed for many years. I always thought it was the same as those on my 25 roadster. On retreiving it I discovered it had a chamfer at the rear. The ones on my car do not - and I know for sure they are the originals. My theory is that the chamfer may suit the bowl-shaped headlights (1923 and earlier). However, If you wish to go non-original you are welcome to my spare to make up a pair. Tony

Hi Ray These photos should throw DB forum members into a state of confusion. The Peugeot 203 may be too far out of left field for some of them! I first owned this waggon in 1973-76. Subsequently sold, it had been shed stored and unused since that time. The first photo was taken on its emergence from said shed in 2009 after my re-purchasing. The second was taken at home after the dust, possum pee and rat droppings were removed. The last photo was taken two weeks ago at the painters' shop. As the original mileage is only 35,000 and the body is rust free (practically unheard of in a 203) I felt that a no holds barred restoration was warrented. I am attempting to ensure that remains all 1954 down to the last nut and bolt - unusual for Peugeots as, like DBs, they tend to be updated with later style parts. For bewildered forum members, this little number includes the usual Peugeot features of hemispherical combution chambers in an aluminium (Alpax) head, four sychromesh gearbox with overdrive top gear, transverse leaf front end and a worm final drive. The final result from 1290cc is 45hp and the ability to haul 600kg at 80 km/h (1350 pounds at 50 mph). The valve timing is square with no overlap. Consequently, like an air cooled VW, it can be driven flat out without exceeding 4500 rpm, or a theoretical 74mph. However, the laws of physics dictate that around 60 mph on the flat is about it with the pedal held firmly to the metal. Sorry about this diversion - now back to matters DB. Cheers Tony

Bump Looks like Car Nation has been eliminated. Any more suggestions?

Hi Ray The ones on Ebay look right to me. Pity about the price. Looks like you might need a heap of Australian Dollars (now up to around $US 1.07) to get them. Good luck. Tony

Bill White lead (lead oxide) was also used in house paint until they discovered why kids were being born with two or more heads. I believe the same condition was attributed to leaded petrol (gasoline).

This may help if your car has a Budd (all steel) body. The image is from a 1925 Book of Information and shows a 1924 body. I am sure your 1926 is the same. If your car has an English or other body, an important point to note is the position of the mount, which determines the angle at which the folded hood lies. You will see that the Budd body mount is at the bottom of the bracket. Another and fundamental point is to determine whether the the bracket will fit around the folded hood irons.

To clarify the "varnish" process, this was also known as coachpainting. A heavy undercoat consisting of white lead bound with boiled linseed oil was first brushed on and let dry (up to a week). The undercoat performed the function of a primer/surfacer and was subsequently rubbed down flat with a mixture of pumice and oil. Colour coats consisting of white lead, boiled linseed oil and selected colour pigments were then brushed on at daily intervals. Each coat was rubbed back with the aforemented abrasive. The final coats were clear oil-based varnish. As the the clear varnish was not UV stable, it tended to darken and crack, necessitating its removal and replacement after a couple of years. While the skilled labour costs associate with this process may not have been a large problem, the time taken was in a mass production environment. The introduction of DuPont's nitrocellulose system (DUCO) in 1926 overcame the time problem as nitrocellulose finish dries almost instantly through solvent evaporation rather than the atmospheric oxidisation of oil-based paints. The drying speed problem had previously been partialy addressed by the use of oven baked Japan. The oven baking accelerated the oil drying process but precluded the use of colour - hence all those black Fords and Dodges. I could be wrong but from memory, Oakland was one of the first makes to use nitrocellulose lacquer. I also recall that at first it was not rubbed down but left as a matt finish.

This problem appear to have been caused by not having the axles centralised, thus pulling the brake drum against the parking brake shoe. Adjust the bearing retainers so the axles protrude equally on both sides. Lots of luck repairing the worn shoe. It is made from malleable cast iron any attempt to build up by welding would probaby be impracticable given the amount of metal missing. I think the 14 inch brakes used by Dodge from 1916 were common up to 1923 and that a replacement parking brake shoe should be easily obtainable. Even a shoe from 1924-26 may be the same. Can anyone out ther help this man with a replacement - I am fresh out of DB brake bits.

I have subsequently noticed that the oil pump drive is similar to that used by Continental. Could this be an identifier or just a generic design? All suggestions gratefully received.

This engine has recently surfaced and, so far, has defied identification. Probably around two litres or less it is fitted with a Detroit Gear and Machine transmission, Eisemann G4 magneto and Zenith carburettor (not present in attached photos). The head is fixed, the valves enclosed and a camshaft driven oil pump presumably assists a splash lubrication system. The whole mess smells strongly of prorietary items which were once fitted to a very small American car - judging by the narrow mounting points. Best guess so far is that it is from a Car Nation but information is fairly scarce on this rather obscure make. Wikipedia suggests that the Car Nation was fitted with a Herreshoff engine but Georgano mentions that Hereshoff used Lycoming power. Is this in fact a Lycoming unit? The Car Nation is not unknown here in Australia so they may be a chance that this guess is correct. Are there any Car Nation owners out there who may be able to confirm or deny its identity. At the same time, can anyone make an alternative suggestion. Thanks in anticipation. Tony

I think you will find that, according to the relevant SAE standard, the thread on your hubs will be 20 tpi. Forget using the solid cast caps. By the sound of it you probably don't have a lathe and will need to pay someone to machine them out to size - a fairly time consuming job. It may be more cost efective to purchase Australian made reproduction caps which are available in the US through Myers.

Sorry Jason, but I feel you are speaking from conjecture rather than observed fact. In this case we are talking about four cylinder Dodges. The rear carpeting arrangements I refer to are based on unrestored examples I have seen or owned over the last 40 years or so. Floors had to be covered with something and carpet was the logical choice. However, I understand that Henry was inclined to use sisal or coconut fibre matting in some of his open Model Ts on the basis of cost. Perhaps you are confused about the welt to which I refer? This fits in the gap between the inner face of the cowl and the brace which supports the toe boards. The original welt in my 1925 roadster was made from a strip of leather sewn over 1/2 inch cotton rope. As the cowl is Budd-made all steel (attached to an Australian body) I have concluded that the welt was an original fiitting. Prior to restoration, my car had one owner and has been in our family since 1957. The only known trim work was re-covering of the top in the mid-1930s and the seat squab in 1958. You seem to assume that the makers of mass produced cars of the the 1920s gave due consideration to the durability of their body work. I beg to disagree. An attractive product at point of sale was needed to move ever increasing production. Mechanical shortcomings and advancing technology meant an effective life of probably less than five years (has anything changed?). And who had heard of rustproofing? Mouldy carpet was probably a good thing to encourage a replacement sale.

Mike Not sure about Budd bodied tourers but those built in Australia by Holdens certainly had carpet on the rear floor and halfway up the rear of the front seat. The tell tale signs are tags pressed out of the metal to retain the carpet. I can help on the inside faces of the cowl - these were painted but fitted with thick welt to avoid drafts. The welt was made made from 1/2 inch cotton rope covered with leather. Look down the insides of the cowl and you will see the clips that retain the welt.

Remove old bearings. Proceed to bearing supplier. Slap old bearings on counter. Look pitiful. I bet you will be presented with new sealed bearings.

Just a second thought. There are a number of clips on Utube featuring DB drives with sound tracks. Check them out, particularly one which involves hillclimbing out of Queenstown Tasmania - a real pull. This should give you a pretty good comparative growl.

Being straight cut gears they all howl in the intermediates. Of course, in top top gear the drive is straight through and the racket ceases. Anyone with some degree of mechanical sensativity and no experience of veteran and vintage cars is usually horrified by the noise. Providing your car does not jump out of first or second gear the gears are probably ok. Earplugs may help. Anyway, the usual Dodge driving technique is to get into top gear and hang on to it as long as possible.

Very few Budd bodied roadsters (image 1) were imported to Australia due to the tariffs applied to imported bodies. T J Richards did body many Dodges (image 2) but the majority were fitted with Holdens bodies (image 3 - my car).

Not quite. 490 was the original price in dollars. Daimler used a similar idea for their Conquest - its original price was 1066 pounds.