Rusty_OToole

There are clubs for antique trailer fans. They take pride in their restored trailers, just as much as AACA members do in their cars. They also have shows, camping weekend and get togethers although I don't think they go in for show judging. More of an informal weekend get together. The Tin Can Tourists is one such organization. It was founded in 1919. There are other clubs and groups around the country. If you do a web search for vintage camping or vintage RV you will find some. A search for vintage trailers turns up too many old movie ads.

They don't want the liability or hassle of someone's junker showing up back on the road after they sold it for scrap. Many junkyards have this policy.

I just checked the wiring diagram for a 1952 Chrysler in my Canadian Service Data Book for 1953 and it does not show a starter relay. To double check I looked it up in the 1949-51 DeSoto Shop Manual and it does not show a starter relay for the 51 although it does for earlier models.. I even went out to the garage and looked under the hood of my 51 DeSoto, twin brother to the Chrysler Windsor, and it does not have a starter relay. All the information I have indicates that the starter works by a wire from the key switch. This energises the solenoid on the starter which makes the starter go. There are other wires off the starter which supply power to other things including the horn relay. If you want everything correct you will need a wiring diagram. But you will not need a starter relay. My diagram shows 4 wires connected to the starter solenoid. A big fat wire that comes from the battery. A small wire that comes from the key switch to its own terminal on the solenoid. And on the big fat wire, 2 smaller wires are added to feed the ammeter and the horn relay. That's it.

In column shifters I am familiar with there is a set of plates and linkages at the base of the steering column. The end of the gearshifter has a pin that lifts up to engage one lever, down to engage another. If you somehow engage both at once the shifter jams up. The solution is to grab the rod and move the linkage so only one pin is engaged. This cures the problem temporarily but the same thing is apt to happen months, weeks, or days later. Because the real problem is worn parts. In your case cleaning, oiling and adjusting may cure the problem then if you shift slowly and deliberately it won't occur again. At least that is what I do. If it gets real bad you have to replace worn parts or take the mechanism apart and rebuild it by rebushing worn holes, replacing worn pins and bolts and welding or brazing up worn parts and grinding them down to their original shape.

Could be a dragging clutch not letting you shift gears properly or else something the matter with the shift linkage. Have you inspected underneath the car and under the hood to see if the shift linkage is OK? Is this a column shift car? If so look under the hood at the bottom of the steering column. The levers sometimes get jammed up. If you watch the mechanism while someone slowly works the shifter you will soon figure out how it works. If it is jammed it will come free if you yank on the rod.

Chassis appears to be an English or European import from the late 40s or early 50s. If you held a gun to my head I would say English just because they sold a lot of cars in the US in those days. Rear suspension is unusual trailing arm with 1/4 eliptic leaf springs, appears to be home made. Engine may have been a big Vtwin harley or indian mated somehow to a small car transmission and a very short drive shaft. There appears to be a pair of exhaust pipes or mufflers under the deck that bears out the Vtwin hypothesis. I might be able to figure out more if I saw the car in person.

Judging by the short hood and louvers behind the seat it was meant to be a mid engine sports car. There were many home made sports cars built in the fifties. Some of them were even finished. This looks like one of the other ones. My question is how was he supposed to connect an engine and transmission direct to the rear axle, and still allow the axle to move up and down for suspension movement? I suspect this stumped the original builder too.

There has been some discussion on the General or Technical board, about cork carburetor floats and how gasohol washes off the shellac and allows them to get soggy and sink. There was quite a range of opinion on what to coat them with and how to make new ones. Might be worth a look.

That I don't know. There must be some one around who knows these things, is there a board for show judges questions?

Or since it was in a stable maybe it was a chicken.

We are still waiting for the owner to respond. Maybe he hit the lottery.

I knew an old timer who told me how he got tires for his Model T in the twenties. He could not afford good tires so he picked up old tires behind garages. Soak them in a pond, then put them on his car and stuff them with hay or rags. He could drive along OK but once in a while zing! a tire would go flying past his ear. Clincher rims on the old T.

You are telling me. Somebody shelled out big $$$$$ bucks for that car in 1954 $4000 plus which was Cadillac money back then.

Well if it was a special finish show model that was a long time ago. The bloom seems to be off the rose. I would like that car myself. It could be made into a neat looking and useful old car even if you had to substitute a 318 or 360 V8 for the original. When they are that far gone I don't think there is any harm in modernizing especially if the alternative is crushing.

If you take the seats out there is usually a piece tucked underneath that is not so worn and weathered. Yes the velvet like stuff is mohair. Yikes it is expensive, no wonder they stopped using it on cheap cars. It takes 5 or 6 yards to upholster a car. But a modern synthetic mohair made for cars will wear forever.

Practically everything you need is at your local NAPA store. Your local Dodge dealer should have everything else. Used parts are available from wrecking yards if you can find one with a car like yours. By our standards it is not that old, and easy to get parts for.

"Safety Stutz" featured safety glass in all windows in 1926. This was not like today's safety glass, it had wire mesh embedded in the plate glass window. The only place I have seen this type glass is in a school entry door. The Safety Stutz, note the ad features safety glass in the first paragraph. New Safety Stutz - National Geographic Oct. 1926 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Brake parts are available from your local NAPA store back to the thirties. As you do not state what kind of car you are working on I have nothing further to add.

Most likely suspect is a bad ground then the sender unit. Next is the wire from the gauge to the sender, but if the gauge works at all it is most likely OK. What do you mean way off? Always full, always empty, bounces around? Does it move when you turn on the key?

I'm a Dinky Toy man myself. Wish I saw more cars that remind me of the old Dinky Studebaker, Hudson, Austin, Hillman, Plymouth woody and Nash models from the fifties. http://www.sinanju.ca/dinkypage/North%20American%20Cars.html

Skip what exactly was done to your car? Or do you know? If you don't know anything about cars did you get an itemized bill?

How about just using a Zener diode? Or even easier, buy a voltage drop device from one of the hot rod suppliers. The Hot Rod Company - Electrical, Lighting, Ignition

Just how badly did your 12 volt genius bugger the car up? Did you save the old parts? It may not be too late to change back to 6 volts. You will have to use 6 volts for the coil, transmission, wipers, and radio anyway plus the lights unless you replace all the light bulbs. That means the only thing on 12 volts will be the starter unless you install a stereo. If all he changed was the generator and battery it may not be too hard to change back.

You can jack up the car and use the front hub as a truing jig.

All right. The change to neg from pos ground shouldn't stop the solenoid from working. If you have 6 volt power to the system you should be OK. This could be the problem, the power MUST go by way of the ignition coil because the coil is cut out during the shifts. The engine must be "stalled" this way momentarily for the shift to complete. So, wiring must be stock for the system to work. You say one of your solenoids has burned out, that will need to be replaced. If you can't face changing everything back to stock you will at least have to be sure all the transmission wiring is stock and running on 6 volts including the coil. Polarity shouldn't matter. Then the idle must be set to stock specs of 400 RPM. Too high idle will inhibit shifting. The transmission must be filled with the correct oil, if the oil level is too low it won't work. Those are the basics. Check those things and get back to us if they do not solve the problem.