PFitz

Bill, One reason the Then and Now kits may be more expensive is it has all replacement pivot pins and clips for the linkages. I don't see them with the Restoration Supply kit. As you mention in your FSS write up the pins wear and replacing them helps get pump travel pressure back into the 2-4 psi range the pump is originally rated for by Franklin. Another wear problem that prevents a rebuilt pump from getting the proper pressure(volume) output is the pump pushrod. With some wear at the camshaft lobe and pump arm, but most of the loss of pump diaphragm travel is the combined wear at each end of the push rod because it has the smallest contact patch. Not much can or needs to be done about the slight wear at cam lobe and pump arm. However, eliminating the pushrod wear makes a bigger difference than addressing the pump linkage wear. And by making a slightly longer than stock pushrod the wear at cam and pump can be compensated for more easily than other ways. As a result, I've had calls to make quite a few new longer pushrods in recent years. Including working with one member in Texas to find the correct length to get his very worn, but rebuilt '30 pump into the 2-4 psi range. A previous owner had welded metal onto the worn pushrod and made it too long. It was overriding the float with too much fuel pressure and flooding the carb and engine. Paul

Interesting that they use the same part number as Then and Now Automotive. Yes, Restoration Supply Company doesn't list Franklins. You'd have to know which year Franklin uses an "A" or a "B" pump and nothing in Franklin literature uses the model letter, just AC's Franklin-specific part number on the drawing and that number does not appear on the pumps. Then and Now does list by Franklin and you can see the different mounting gaskets to know the FPA-18 is the kit used for '29-'30. I learned the Franklin AC model letter years back during phone call ordering conversations with Tom Hanniford when it was just known as the Antique Autoparts Cellar. Tom liked to use the model letter when you told him what year Franklin you needed the kit for. Paul

The number 35083 on the exhaust gas heater is the Franklin part number, which is also the factory drawing number. I looked up the factory drawing, and it lists that used for 1928 Franklin Series 12 and 1929 Series 130. The early 130 also used a T-2 carb so it could be from either year. Paul

That's a Franklin intake manifold. Swan made the intake, but the exhaust/gas heater (aluminum casting) is Franklin. The pipe is part of an electric primer from the solenoid valve on the manifold down to an electric heating coil primer attached to the fuel bowl of a Stromberg carb, ether an OE-2 for 1927 or a T-2 used in '28. Here's a picture of that same type of manifold, gas heater, and primer tube on a '27 Franklin Series 11B. The one you have with the shorter rear exit from the exhaust gas heater is for '28 Series 12. It still has remnants of the potmetal T-2 mounting flange used in '28. Paul

Looks like somebody is doing a lot of Pierce UU-2 and UUR-2 carbs. Paul

Like at Morrisville College auto tech program, they may have other types of lifts for heavier vehicles. I've used the single post lifts at Morrisville for heavier Franklins than Ed's '29 Victoria for my tech sessions and with no flexing problems. Franklins have very strong frames combined with being much lighter than most comparably sized cars of their era. That '29 Franklin Victoria is less than 4000 lbs. Plus, the best perch-points to lift steel-framed Franklins are flat and reenforced with double wall channels where you'd lift for the front half. I agree with you about other makes. I'd never get under a Packard or Pierce of the same body type with a two post. A restoration shop has to have lifts for whatever their heaviest projects are going to be. Paul

One other thing to help reduce chances of vapor lock. Remove the engine splash pans. Unless you're going mud-bogging they are not needed. They restrict some of cooling air flow through the hood front by reducing the area that the hot air can leave. That extra airflow is what helps cool the engine compartment and all of the fuel system in it. Paul

"Then and Now Automotive" has the kits. You want the FPA-18 for '29 & '30 Franklins. The '31 and later pumps have a different base. FPA-18 Fuel Pump kit | Then and Now Automotive (then-now-auto.com) Paul

Ed, The work is coming along very well. I recommend you turn that fuel line loop so that it is horizontal and not vertical. As it is with a high point in the loop, in hot weather it can catch and accumulate vapor bubbles there and cause a vapor lock blockage. From '29 on, Franklin used a looped fuel line from the pump to the carb but they always kept the loop in a horizontal plane. While vapor lock wasn't a problem in '29, it can be now. Not having any high points in the fuel line allows bubbles to pass through to the fuel bowl where they can be vented out through the bowl vent while they are still small enough to pass through. Paul

Yup to what Roger said. You can make a crank snout removal tool out of iron pipe notched to fit the two side pins of the snout. Drill a hole through the pipe to put a prybar through. Wack the prybar to loosen the crank snout. Then a 2-1/8 inch socket to remover the large hex nut holding the fan on. Under the large hex nut of the crankshaft snout the fan hub has two 5/16 threaded holes to use a simple steering wheel puller - available at some Autoparts stores and tool suppliers. Once the fan is off you will see the rest of the airbox bolts that also hold the timing chain cover on with four additional bolts for the timing chain cover's under side fastened to the front of the oil pan. And yes, that fan hub fabric has hardened and is no longer flexible and there will be rust in the hub flange joint under the fabric that will cause the fan to wobble. And that will cause engine vibration. See my fan hub rebuilding ad in the Franklin Club's website, "Parts For Sale, Services" section. Paul

I was taught that automotive Japanning or Japaned meant it was the early nitro lacquer but not the natural lacquer that the Japanese used for a finish. Paul

Must have gone to my old email address. I changed it a while ago and updated the Club's email list and my parts ad. Since then, Yahoo has taken over Frontier webmail, and I can't access it anymore. Paul

They don't have the outward clamping force like the flair nuts so if the flair seat is not pitted, they should be ok to use. Paul

So that's still reduced holding strength..... if you're comfortable with that. A double flair on an early system is not needed as much as the number of flair nut threads for more safety margin. I would never use double flairs with any of my customer's brake system rebuilds. Nothing to gain with a double flair on a system like that except liability risk. Franklin used pretty much the same Wagner Lockhead brake line parts as Chrysler back then. Paul

It avoids the risk of a split because stretching the copper when flaring it may make it brittle. Yes. I've remade many brake lines and the SAE brass tapered flair nuts of the late 20's early 30's do not engage enough thread. Neither do the modern SAE duplicates. However, if your car's brake system originally had single flairs they don't need a double flair. Using double flairs with early type single flair fittings won't add safety it will actually reduce safety. And the flair nuts should be replaced. I find at least one cracked on almost every car because of the decades of outward force on the flair nut as they weaken with age and some of the zinc gets corroded out of the brass turning it pink. The H.H. Franklin club sells original SAE specification in the Club's website Members Only section. They are made in the USA, 1/4 and 5/16 inch, long taper brass flair nuts that are identical to the originals used on many early hydraulic brake lines. www.franklincar.org Paul

Don't forget that thanks go to Bill (Hook) for finding the switches. Paul

The original copper lines can be duplicated with cunifer copper tubing, which is a copper/nickel high strength tubing designed for brake lines. And they will never rust. Fedhill brake line - Where to buy brake line, fuel line, brake line flaring tools, brake line nuts and brake line fittings (fedhillusa.com) If you do a double flair with flair fittings originally designed for a single flair there may not be enough flair nut threads engaged to be safe at panic stop line pressures. Single flairs done correctly were plenty strong enough for early low pressure brake systems. Do a good single flair as large diameter as will fit inside the flair nut, like they were originally. Then anneal the copper flair by heating it cherry red and quickly quenching it with a wet rag (copper is done the opposite of annealing steel). Wipe it clean with 0000 steel wool and it will be fine. Paul

Good idea, Bill. I meant to follow up. The switches do work at 40-45 psi. I was able to convert them to look and work like the original switch's terminals with brass stems that use small roundhead screws for the wire contacts. The thick-wall brass tubing I used to make slip-fit brass stems on the bayonet type terminals is McMaster-Carr #7782T591 and a #36 drill 29045A795 to fit the tubing onto the bayonets. Then carefully solder the stems on the bayonet terminals, cut to lengths and drill and tap the new stems for a #6 RH slotted machine screw. Paul

Yes. Here's '29 Stromberg carb parts using Caswell's nickel kit directly on bead blasted and degreased steel, no base plating coat needed. Paul

Jon. The kit is not that bad. No hazmat suit needed. I just use nitril gloves and safety glasses. I have version 10 which is the current Caswell instruction book. It's only 181 pages and all the instructions for the Copy Cad is just page 99. The Copy Cad is a lot easier than many other plating operations. Plus, the power supply does not have to be fancy or expensive for small parts. I've even used flashlight batteries in series to adjust the voltage for carb parts - such as the pictures below. Parts that I did many years ago and have held up very well. However, most of the time I use an old cheapo transformer type 4 amp battery charger like ones you sometimes find at yard/garage sales. I set it on 6 volts and power it from an extension cord I made that has a box with an outlet plug fed by a simple household dimmer light switch to adjust the voltage to the plating. Doesn't work as well with the newer electronic type chargers. And if you do have any questions that are not covered on page 99, or the extensive trouble-shooting section in the back, I've found the Caswell people are a great help by phone or email. Correction. It's page 96 to 99 are the Copy Cad instructions. But there is some redundancy so it's not like four pages worth of complicated. And yes, it is a form of bright zinc coating to give the look of cadmium plating, hence the use of the word "copy". The nice part about it is if there is any opps, it's easy to fix. Just rinse the parts with water, easily bead blast - or use the wire wheel that comes in the kit - to strip off the opps, and start over. Paul

The right car, in the right era, with twin bumper bars and a Potter trunk with matching twin trim beads. Paul

Steve. there would be no need to mention a color if black was the standard. As with many other examples of factory parts, the exceptions to assuming black as the standard color was when another color was needed other than black. You see many examples of the factory doing that in the parts books and service bulletins for ordering exterior parts. One other point. Take a look at the pictures of Hubbard's '30 Pirate Phaeton posted in Walt's 145 and 147 price thread. When I was restoring Balderson's '30 Pirate Phaeton I spoke with Tom a lot about his. He told me he liked the car's original color, so he painted the car midnight green that it had when he got it from England. Despite what some have said that Tom told them about shutter colors, notice he painted the shutters black. Paul

Steve. This question has already been answered over in the "Franklin Series 145 and 147 price" thread. See the Factory service bulletin #566. Paul

Found it ! The service bulletin about painting the Series 14 hood front center bar is #566 - March 22, 1930. Does not say when the change took place, such as the usual after a car number. It just says, ".....highly desirable that this work be done on cars now in owner's and dealer's hands. It also shows an illustration of how the center bar should be painted to show off the bullet point ends of the bar. I prefer the center bar left chromed to contrast with the black shutters rather than the hood front looking like a big black hole. Paul

Yes, the shutter assembly drawings for 30 and 31 seem to be missing. But there are enough surviving orginal cars and some factory literature to go by. For Series 14 the hood front shutters are painted black as standard. Yes, some cars had black fenders, but black fenders or not, the shutters were black. Some shutters are painted body color or fender, like yours and the Marion Davies 30 Pursuit that are known to be restored, but that color many not be as it was when the car left the factory ????? Verifying that would take researching back to before they were restored. Remember that the hood front was to have the cars look like the cars with water cooled engines. There is a service bulletin later on in '30 about the factory starting to paint the center bar black also, and it goes into detail how to do it to earlier '30s.. You see that on some original '30s. Paul