Scott S

Thanks. I suspected it need something like that but did not want to just start poking around.

I a '30 roadster and when I push the horn button I get a very weak sounding noise, not the typical "ahooga." I am wondering whether there is some sort of lubrication or maintenance for the moving parts. It just sounds like it's stuck. It worked fine last year.

I am looking for a spare vacuum tank for my '23 4 cyl. that has been rebuilt. I would also like to rebuild my current tank.

I have a '23 4 cyl. and I learned from a 1928 Automotive Engineering book. Here is the basic method. First, close the needle valve on bottom of carb and then open about 3/4 of a turn. Then, turn the air adjustment (big screw on top) so the screw is even with the little spring that holds it in place. Next, you should start the car and warm it up. My book then says to open the needle valve in 1/4 turn increments, stopping to make sure that the car idles and revs smoothly. When it starts to sputter, stop and maybe even turn it back a little. Mine is adjusted to a little over one turn. Next, open the air adjustment 1/4 turn at a time until the car does not run smoothly. At that point, you are close and can add a little more gas until it runs properly. When I first did this, I wound up with the needle open about three full turns and fouled my plugs. I now have it adjusted pretty well. I am sure that others may have some better tips for this procedure.

A good tip that I learned to make the car easier to start is to remove the nut on top of the vacuum tank, stick in a funnel, and fill it with gas. I use a coffee can, and about half a can will do it. My '23 starts almost instantly when I do this. Regardless, the outer seal of my tank has been covered with sealer in an attempt to stop an old leak and I plan to either rebuild it or have someone do it for me this winter.

I have a '23 4 cyl. roadster. I use Champion W18 gap .025. This comes from an old Champion catalog. I got them at sparkplugs.com, but I don't think they are hard to find. I use a 30w non-detergent oil. However, I know that some on the forum may differ on whether it is ok to use detergent oil. I am excited to see another '23 4 cyl. Mine was owned by my grandfather for over 50 years and given to me last year. It runs great, has no rust, but needs new paint. Unfortunately, I don't have the knowledge that comes with doing the entire restoration myself, but I have learned quite a bit about the car.

What a difference a few years makes. For all who may not be satisfied with 50 mph, the owner's manual for my '23 suggests that 15-20 mph is fast enough for most drivers. As long as I do not have to stop too quickly, I can cruise comfortably at 35-40 mph.

I have no doubt that I have layers of lacquer on my car. I would like to paint it once and paint it right. If the old paint is stripped off and it is done right, I know that it will last for many, many years. I will just wait a little longer to do the paint.

I am looking for a new vacuum tank for my 1923 Buick Roadster. I have a 4 cyl., but I do not know if the tank was any different for the 6 cyl. Please contact me at clarkwood1@comcast.net

The Model A currently has two shades of blue on the body, with black fenders. It is mostly a dark blue with some of the edges in the lighter shade. Unfortunately, the paint is in similar condition to the Buick. Both cars have been my grandfather's for over 50 years until he could not really take care of them anymore. Fortunately, they run strong, have no rust, and no body damage. Once they have new tops and paint they will be perfect. Until then, I will just enjoy driving them.

The car has no rust and the body is in great shape. One of the problems is that, for reasons I can't figure out, my grandfather touched up some of the paint with spray paint. Maybe he thought this would be a good way to avoid any rust until he could repaint the car. According to my painter this caused two problems. First, the spray paint is uneven and hard to remove, and also automotive paint won't stick to it. I am guessing there may be several layers of old paint. I don't think the car ever had a real, professional, show-quality paint job. My instinct is to save up, get it done right, and not have to paint it again for a really long time. I will ask my painter about the soda blasting. He is pretty up-to-date and probably has something better than simply sand.

My car also needs a new top. I haven't got the estimate on that yet. What do you think that should cost? Is there anyone you could recommend who I could send it to? Again, I have a local person, but I would like to compare the cost.

I guess you get what you pay for. I have several coats of old stuff to remove. Should I be afraid to have it sandblasted?

I am curious what other owners have spent on paint jobs. My '23 roadster's paint is about 25 y/o and looks pretty bad. My painter, who is a friend, said that it should be sandblasted and stripped to remove all of the old paint. This is about 150-200 hours of labor and the cost is steep.

Thanks. I will look there. I called Snyders and although their corners are for Model A, they do not have holes pre-drilled for rivets. Therefore, I should be able to make them work.

What do you use in your transmission? Steam cylinder oil is available, but does anyone suggest using it? If so, what type?

I am looking for suggestions regarding finding replacements for the hood corners and the bumpers on the hood latches. It is easy to find these items for Model A's and T's. Has anyone tried to use them? They seem basically the same and could probably be made to fit. Any ideas?

I learned very quickly how important it is to shut off the fuel when parking the car. When I first got the car, I got worried when a little fuel dripped into the pan after shutting it off, but I think that is not a problem. In this case, I tried to restart just a few seconds after running. I am now pretty sure that it is a spark problem. I have not had time this week to pull the plugs again, but I cannot imagine that I could have fouled new plugs with a ten minute drive.

Thanks. The first chance I get this week I will pull the plugs. I have brand new W18's in there, but I suspect they are fouling. I recently re-adjusted the carb and the needle valve is only open a half turn, which I believe is the recommended initial adjustment. It ran so strong before I shut it off that I was afraid to touch the carb again. If they are fouled I will close the valve another touch.

My '23 four cyl. roadster has been running great. However, when I was out the other day, it would not start again after being shut off after a drive. After a tow home, I eventually figured out that it was a spark plug problem. I think the plugs were wet with fuel and would not fire, however simply waiting a few days did correct the problem. Since the plugs looked pretty old, I put new ones in and it fired up instantly. I went for another great drive and then when I shut it off, I could not restart it, even after only a few seconds. I think that the plugs must be getting wet. Anyone ever have a similar problem? Suggestions?

Thanks for all the ideas. My next thought was a loss of suction in the vacuum tank, but I will check everythin.

My '23 four cylinder idles good and runs strong through first gear. As I wind out second gear, and sometimes at the top end of third gear I get a sudden loss of power and it backfires. If I let off the gas and then ease it back on I can continue going and it picks up again. I tried adjusting the carb. I have a good old book with detailed description of adjustments for the Marvel on my car. However, I still cannot figure out what makes it backfire in second and third gears. My instinct is to open the needle valve futher on the carb, but this may not be the solution if the backfiring is not contant and is only in higher gears. Thoughts?

Thanks for all the tips. Regarding Mark's post- yes it does take a long time to get enough fuel to start. When it did start the leak stopped, but it is struggling to get fuel.

Any advice on rebuild kits if I need to do a rebuild?

Thanks for the guidance. I will look tonight.