odyssey

Hi Martin - For a new seal - use Chicago Rawhide seal #CR23641. The timing cover must be carefully bored to the housing bore specs for the seal (3.000"). It is difficult to bore the hole exactly centered as there is always wear and it is not easy to center to an acme thread. One just has to do the best they can to center things. The fan hub is always in poor condition. You can use a harmonic balancer hub repair sleeve for a big-block Chevrolet. I use one from Pioneer Auto parts (available from engine parts jobbers) PioneerHB-4123. You may be able to get one at NAPA. You can buy one from a bearing house, but the price is triple that of the harmonic balancer sleeve. This presses and locks (with loctite) to the fan hub, giving a new seal surface for the 23641 seal. To insure the seal is centered exactly to the crankshaft, the factory installed dowel pins, locking the cover in place. With the new seal, the dowel pins must be removed, or the seal will likely be off-center slightly, potentially leading to a leak, or early failure. There are a couple options here. To insure a perfect fit, you can install the timing cover loosely and then install the fan into the seal. This will align the cover. Then either new, or oversize dowel pins maw be installed to align the cover. Pull the fan back off and assemble all. We tend to install the timing cover loosely, then the blower housing and then use a dummy fan hub tool which simulates the fan hub into the seal. We can then tighten the cover in this position, knowing we are centered properly. We just leave the dowel pins out. Without a dummy hub tool you would need to actually press the fan onto the crank with the fan housing in place, and carefully insure the cover is happily where it needs to be, install the timing cover bolts you can access, then pull the fan off to install the rest. I am making it sound more complicated than it is- one just needs to understand that the seal needs to be centered. If engine main bearings are worn, or someone has re-machined the bearings, things are never centered, so it is pretty important to not just put the cover back on using the old dowel point locations. I would not put an engine together without the seal since the blowing oil is a real mess and a common problem. For more info or questions - call or email Tom Rasmussen odyrestorations@aol.com 763-786-1518

Hi Bill - Check to see if the pushrod is free when you unscrew the adjsuter. You can even take the adjuster all the way out. The pushrod should spin freely with the valve closed (follow the book procedure of adjusting #6 valves when #1 exhaust valve just closes) If the pushrod is hitting the rocker and is not free, then it could be that the valve cage was installed without checking this. Was the engine recently assembled? If this is the problem, you can raise the valve cage with shims on top of the stud pads on teh cylinder head. The pads should already be about 1/16" above the cylinder head surface. Sometimes things are changed around and the valve cage no longer sits up where it should. Remember - if you change the position of the valve cage at all, you'll need to readjust the pushrod tube lengths. It's also possible that the pushrod is too long. Is it an original pushrod? You can also shorten the pushrod, but you need a good tip grinder to do a nice, square job and if you grind too far, you might grind through the case hardening on the tip. You would not need to take off much, so you could grind a bit from each end. It is better that the pushrods not be too short, so only take off what is needed and/or only shim the valve cage box up enough to get your clearance. If this is not the problem - let me know and I can help zero in on it. Tom Rasmussen 763-786-1518

Hi Bob - It looks like an oil rectifier. They were a popular add-on from about this time through the late 1920's on many cars. I've never fussed with one, but I think the idea was to heat the oil to flash off the contaminants. Most were made by Skinner tom

This was a fun one and took me some time to figure out! Left to right (with clues I used): 1908H (fenders, firewall) 1907G (no fan, column control levers) 1908D (shift levers, size next to 1907G) 1907D (firewall) 1907D (firewall) 1905E (hood, shift lever) 1905D (grill surround - a rare photo!) 1906G (column controls, fenders, no fan, size) tom PS - I had help, I had the Hi-res version!

Jim - I am sorry to miss you. But of course you can contact me anytime. I really hate to go a year without seeing Dominic. Please tell him I said hello and to have a great trek! I will miss the trek because my daughter Emily said she wanted to go on the New London to New Brighton Car Run in our 1905 Franklin. She is not often around, so I am jumping at the chance --and the trek will just have to wait another year. Tom

Hi John- It kills me to give in, but it looks like I am going to miss this year. Arrrgh! Have a fantastic time & best to all! Tom

The drawing shows the division at the rear quarter and I think the rest is above the window sill bottoms. tom

Sure wish I could get posts to format correctly! Posting has become difficult, editing does not work any longer for me - sorry for the messy format. t

A very handsome interior on Frank's 1929 Oxford. Beautifully crafted. It is very un-Franklinlike, however. Oxford's followed the same general patterns as the standard sedans - according to the drawing file and the few Oxford's I have seen. Interestingly however, there is evidence that the 1929 135's may have had some models built with special interiors in broadcloth similar to Frank's leather design, so one could possibly have ordered a special interior in leather done the same way. It just does not look like a standard Franklin. Dick - for your 1932, the OXFORD interior trim drawing is #56435 which is included on #56322 (the standard Sedan drawing). The difference for the Oxford, according to the drawing, is that for the Oxford "Leather is used on cushions, backs and sides up to the light line, broadcloth is used on sides above light line". All other interior features are identical - including cushion design (no pleates) stiching, pockets. etc. No mention of any particular grain is indicated on the drawing, although there is an erased area in the Oxford section that would be fun to be able to read. The drawing does specify where wireon and cord welt is to be used. As David said - use Jon Abrahamson at Enfield - they are the only place I know that will make correct wireon and binding for carpet and welt from your leather. Also re the padding - I agree - NO FOAM - it cannot be made to look 'right'. Another problem we have today is finding a material to match the cotton padding (coachwadding) which seems to have disappeared only recently. New materials are close - but not the same. Door and side panels look 'funny' if cotton padding is not used - they should not look puffy around stiching. You're going to have a beautiful car! tom

Yes - the axle will handle a jack in the center. Tom

Hi Bob - Your assumption was correct - someone needed to add the tapered shim below to correct the excessive caster from the incorrect placement of the upper bolsters. When you have the upper bolsters corrected, you can check the caster and you may well find that no shim is required. The factory did not use a shim, the upper bolster provided for the correct amount of caster. Tom Rasmussen

A light machine oil. I have a bottle of speedometer oil and it looks like 3 in 1 oil. If the speedometer feels stiff, the die cast may have swelled and oiling alone may not help. Oftentimes running with a stiff speedo head will cause it to seize. It's not too hard to take it apart to free up the main shaft. Tom

That's awesome grain - heavy, rich. Very 'period', hard to find today, but not impossible. tom

Hi Dick - Service bulletins from 1931 list the Oxford Sedan as having Gray-Brown leather in cars with color combinations the same as the 5-passenger sedans. There is a transcontinent Oxford that specifies Taupe leather. Overall, there is not enough data to suggest exactly what should be in your car with your color scheme. What is more important is to choose a leather with the right amount of 'sheen' and weight so that it looks and feels period correct. This can be very hard to find as we really don't know what it should look like for certain, but we know what it did not look like. Connolly leather or any very soft leather that is super flexible is not going to look or feel 'right'. A sample from an original car from a protected spot is going to be a great resource. If you can find something that is close to it, you may not have an exact factory 1932 Oxford, but it will be as close as can be determined. Did you talk to Randy Still in Tennessee? He has a 1932 Oxford, not sure if he has original samples or not. There's also a '31 153 in NY and one in CA. I would expect the 1931 153 would also be a legitimate one to copy. These are in the Roster... tom

Just an update - Jeff Hasslen reminded me that he has the parts for the 1928/29 boxes. Jeff supplies Brian Joseph with some of the parts Brian sells. It's best to try Jeff 1st for Franklin brake cylinders, master cylinder parts & hoses as he typically has them in stock, including the 1-3/8" oversized front wheel cylinders for better braking. Jeff can answer questions related to Franklin hydraulics as well. Brake & Equipment Warehouse in Mpls does the sleeving for Jeff and me. tom

The 1928-29 box style master cylinder can be tricky. The actual cylinder has a very thin wall and is not easy to remove to sleeve. When assembled, it has to index properly. Brian Joseph sells a kit with a new piston. Pistons are not available from any other source. Brian also offers rebuilding service. I've known Brian for 20 + years. He runs a first class business- not cheap, but done right once. Brian also has King Seely gas gauge parts and other items that fit our cars. His website is: Www.classicandexotic.com Good luck! tom

Terry, I need a similar fitting and will keep my eyes open for the Buick style. If you see one like the drawing below, let me know. Tom Rasmussen [ATTACH=CONFIG]307080[/ATTACH]

Does anyone have a valve like this in a box/drawer, on a shelf, or threaded into the bottom of a vacuum tank (click on image for a larger view)? Fits 1928 12-B Tom Rasmussen

Dean - i guess I am officially not going to make it this year. Oh well. Enjoy the tour and Webb's dinner. Have fun with Jim & Red! tom

I do not have a 130 factory manual, but the factory weights for: 1928 Ser 12 Sd (very close to 130 Sedan) 3,500 lbs 1929 135 Sd (bigger than the 130) 3,930 lbs So, I would guess the 130 is around 3,650lbs factory weight - if that helps. Tom Rasmussen

Hi Matt - I only have a 153 available to compare and the details are different, but: I suspect the steel support showing in the photo at the cowl bottom was added? The cowl skin should lap the post edge from top to bottom. I think there is a problem with the under-door strip as well, since it extends beyond the pillar edge. The cowl skin needs to fit around the edge. anyone with a 1929-31 standard sedan ( not 153) could take a few snapshots showing this detail. Or I just found a shot online- google 1930 Franklin Images and look for a car without side mounts, showing the cowl. I think I found the Phil Weisenbarger car, showing the detail. I can send you a cropped image if you cannot find one. Good luck! Tom Rasmussen

Follow the book.... tom

Notice there is evidence of a sump under the crankcase under the rear side cover. Also an odd looking bronze thingy on the side of that cover. The tank on the firewall has all the oil lines running through the gaping torn hole in the air deck. Somebody made something work... nice to see the original carb it it could make a fun toy, at a 'toy' price!

4 bolt? How long from bore to pin center? tom

Scott - I think the Franklin box is a #205. The Pierce box is a #215 - same as Stutz. If a #205 kit is needed, Dick Pratt had these made on the original Gemmer equipment and he is sold out, I believe. But there are likely some sets floating on shelves that were never installed. For the #215 box, I believe John Cisak has machined some worms (at very high cost). Go the Pierce Arrow forum and you can find the info. I cannot find interchange data for the Stearns-Knight, but would guess that they used the #215 box.