nsbrassnut
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Posts posted by nsbrassnut
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Hi Dave
Congratulations on picking up a Hudson 6-40. There aren't too may left and from my correspondance with a few others, most appear to be in west and midwest. Although I'm on the east coast of Canada with an early model 6-40. Mine has has repairs over the years, but has had not yet had a proper restoration that it needs.
The serial number can be found in two places. One is on a brass data plate which should be on the front seat heal board below the seat cushion. Most of those are gone however. The other spot is on the right front frame horn on the inside of the vertical web. Its usually buried under a layer of paint.
There should be an engine number on the aluminum crankcase. Look for a flat spot above the cover plate for the Delco starter gears cover. The engine number is shorter than the serial number.
Perhaps you have already sorted out the running issue. But just in case, these cars have gravity fuel feed systems from the tank under the cowl. To help prevent the gas dripping out through a miss set carburetor, they installed a shut off valve on the tank outlet. The original is a ball valve with a rod under the gas tank to under the dash so that you can shut the fuel off from inside the car. If the valve is missing, install one, even a modern one is better than nothing.
Sounds like step one is to make sure that the fuel is flowing freely to the carburetor. You should be able to check by taking the cover off the float chamber and then open the gas valve and see that the gas is free flowing.
Be sure tho check the timing also. Its easy for the timing to drift off as the rotor is only held in place by screw and clamp in the distributor (its like a bicycle fork clamp). The instructions for setting the timing are in the manual, which hopefully you have found a copy.
A good spring shop, either automotive or truck should be able to help with spring leaves and repairs. Mine had 3 broken leaves spread over 3 springs. It still doesn't site quite right though.
I'm less sure of the 1915 models, but when they were introduced in 1914 Hudson they still had bugs in them. And when you dig into the construction you can also see where Hudson cut some corners trying to keep the cost down. I have found in mine and heard from others that they didn't use the best quality wood in the bodies often either. Mine was eaten out by carpenter ants and a mixture of oak, maple(?) and perhaps other stuff. There were several changes between 1914 and 1915 models.
I got a lot of help from Bob Hopkins in the Sacremento CA area that has been campaining his 1915 for decades to the point he had to rebuild his engine for the second time a few years ago. I got a ride in it a few years ago and it could really perform. He knew of at least two more of them in his area.
Good luck with it.
Drive Safe
Jeff
Nova Scotia
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Hi All
Following the slight Garford drift. Here is a picture of the early, and big Studebaker that I think Eric Edwards later purchased when it was for sale at a HCCA swap meet several years ago (I think it was in Keene, NH). Labeled as a Studebaker, I think it was made by Garford and just marketed at Studebaker. And if memory is correct, I think it still had factory low tension mechanical breaker ignition instead of spark plugs.
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Hi Greg
I have the same problem. A spare RHD aluminum hogs head, but no pedals. I am one of the miss-guided local T guys that tries to gather up any RHD parts that I can find for future projects.
The lower steering bracket should be cast iron for RHD. I haven't never seen a brass/bronze one so yours is likely a reproduction.
I occasionally will part with a spare, if I have enough of them. 😉
PM me and we can check into Canadian RHD a bit more if you are interested.
Jeff
Near the East Coast Port.
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Hi All
Well this is an interesting discussion. As an owner of an RHD in a LHD here is one owner’s perspective.
First, a thank you to Gill for the complement on my ’15 Ford Canadian RHD roadster.
Here in Nova Scotia, we drove on the left side of the road up to 1923 before switching over as did the neighbouring provinces. Ford Canada built both LHD and RHD for the Canadian markets and early on also for Australia and the UK. So for me, locating and restoring a local RHD model was high on the desirability list. I’m not the only one in the area either as there are around a half dozen or more restored RHD Ts.
So for me it was worth a small premium to acquire a RHD even when living in a LHD world. However since I live in a busy area and want to drive on the road, I did add electric brake and turn signals to the car for visibility before ever leaving the drive way.
As to the RHD vs LHD value. As with real estate, location, location, location. RHD Ts are the odd ball and sometimes less desirable model in North America. However take that same car to the UK (or perhaps Australia) where the values for Ts is higher to start with (then here anyway) and I expect that a ready to run RHD T would attract a premium over a similar LHD model in a RHD market.
The market location says it all. The LHD E Type Jaguar is more desirable here than an RHD model, but take the same car to the UK and the relative value will be reversed.
So the like most of the collector car market, location and the eye of the beholder is a big part of the perceived and market value of any car by purchaser.
Drive Safe
Jeff
Nova Scotia
Canada
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Hi
Great by, interesting car. As everyone has already said. Put the car on jacks, open then engine and transmission for inspection and go through the suspension and brakes.
Sorted out they are quite the car to run and drive.
The first thing you should is contact the McLaughin Buick Club of Canada and join it. It covers all years of McLaughlin's and will be able to provide help and contacts for more information on how to service the car. Their website can be found by Google, I'll try including it below.
http://www.mclaughlin-buickclub.ca/
Drive Safe
Jeff
Nova Scotia
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They are 1915 Hudson 6-40 roadster or touring doors.
1914 Hudson 6-40 has the same interior pattern, but different hinges. I have a '14 and a pair of '15 rear doors that are identical. I would have to check the door dimensions to confirm if they are front or rear doors. The rears are slightly longer.
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Most of the time I"m not good or in the mood for answering the same question over and over when showing or driving my one cylinder Cadillac. I once saw a sign on an old car which reads like "Answers to Frequently Asked Questions" and made up one for my car and leave it with the booklet on the car's restoration on the front seat.
The last on the list:
What's it worth?
What are your spouse/children worth.
Most get it and smile.
Jeff
Nova Scotia, Canada
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Hi Leif
I think you have identified them.
Thanks
Jeff
NSBrassNut
Nova Scotia
Canada
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Hi All
Saw these at a friend's shop during a recent garage tour. None of us could identify the lights. I think they are from the 1930 to 1934 period.
Wondering if anyone here could identify them.
Thanks
NSBrassNut
Canada
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My friend also saw his oil pressure disappear due to gas getting by the rings and into the oil when the gas was sucked from the vacuum tank
When the oil pressure drops, stop the engine before its damaged.
Check how much gas is being used. If the gas consumption appears high, its another sign its being sucked into the engine.
Good Luck
NSBrassNut
Canada
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Another suggestion to check. Does your Dort use a vacuum tank to suck the fuel from a rear tank then drain to the carburater? I friend had a problem last summer with white and sometimes wet clear vapour coming out the tail pipe when the engine was running. He described it as gas coming out the tail pipe.
I didn't believe it a first, then when I saw it and looked closer it really was gas. You could collect it on your hand and smell it.
In his case his car had an earlier style Stewart vacuum tank which doe not have a back seat. The vacuum valve seat inside the top of the tank came loose and the engine vacuum would not shut off so the tank filled completely with gas and then sucked gas into the intake manifold and blew most of it out the tail pipe.
Disconnecting the vacuum line from the vacuum tank and plugging it temporarily for a test. If the engine runs with no white vapour, then the problem is likely leaks in the vacuum tank valves.
His tank leaked bad enough and long enough that gas started to get by the rings and into the crankcase oil.
Just a suggestion.
NSBrassNut
Canada
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Hi
You could be looking for either speedometer for a right hand drive car.
"Standard" models for the Canadian market would have been left hand drive with mph speedometers. The last provinces in Canada to change from driving on the left of the road to the right of the road switched in 1923. All used imperial measure and miles per hour until the change to metric in the 1970's.
Several companies with assembly plants in Canada also were able to tap into "favoured nation" status for exporting to other countries in the British Commonweath, such as Australia and New Zealand. This route had lower import taxes in the destination country then would have been applied to US build cars. For example, Ford of Canada built and shipped both left and right hand drive Ts and As from the Canadian factory.
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So if it is a right hand drive car it could have been factory equipped either way depending on where it was shipped to.
Drive Safe
Jeff
East Coast of Canada
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I had a similar problem on my '36 120 that took a year to find the actual and very simple problem.
Symptoms:
- Engine rebuilt with 20,000 miles on it.
- Started fine
- Idled fine
- Ran fine on the level
- Up hill, occasional to regular miss-fire and loss of power (it would nearly quit)
- Timing and electrical circuts all passed tests standing still in the shop, but would sometimes hesitate when the accellerator was pumped and the engine reved up.
Eventually the problem was linked to whenever the vacuum advance was in action, which happens when climbing hills and the engine vacuum drops. The causes the distributer point plate to rotate inside the distributor. There is a wire inside the distributer between the distributer power supply outside and the points inside the distributer plate. The wire looked fine, but has frayed inside and was actually broken inside. When at idle the wires touched and it ran fine. When the vacuum dropped point plate moved and the wires inside disconneted and the distributer lost power. The wire would even give false readings with an ohm meter when flexing the wire would make and break the connection inside.
When a new wire was installed, the problem went away and its been great since.
I lost a whole driving season trying to figure that one out.
Good luck with your search.
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Great looking Buick. I hope you find a proper future caretaker for it.
Some suggestions for the engine. If it ran within a year or two, there may be another reason other than the pistons for it not turning over. If the engine was not fully warmed up enough to fully oil the valve train, it could be as simple as a stuck valve. I have had this happen to two cars when sitting in storage. It has happened in as little as a couple months and the usual culprite is one of the exhaust valves.
You can sometimes test for this by trying to rock the crankshaft with a wrench on the front pulley. The crankshaft may be able to be moved a couple of degrees back and forth which at least tells that the bearings are free.
I would recommend taking off the valve cover and then oiling the valve stems. When there is some clearence between the valves and pistons then a second test is to carefully use a lever or soft mallet) to check that the valves are free to move. The stuck one will be obvious. This was the saving grace with a Hudson that was purchased at auction with a "stuck motor". Some careful work on the valve train and the engine freed right up. I was able to free up another with an L-head 8 with the head on when the stuck exhaust valve was under the spark plug hole.
Another good alternative is to take off the head and check the pistons and valves. It is more work, but it will show the problem quickly.
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Have you considered posting it on Youtube also? It can be easier to find there.
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I've had this for years and have no idea where it came from. My grandfather had a 1907 Cadillac, but this doesn't look like the fenders from it. Any ideas? I know it's rough, but maybe somebody has a use for it.
It a single cylinder Cadillac front fender, 05 to early 08. Someone already took off the mounting brackets, probably to install on a replacement fender. These fenders are simple with rolled wire edges and riveted mounting brackets. Many people make new fenders and transfer the mounting brackets. Often easier then repairing the old fender and trying to get it smooth again when you can see both sides. Might be good for someone for a pattern.
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I believe that the place to look is the center or right of the upper toe board where it meets the firewall. McLauglins of the late teens and early twenties placed the manufacturer's tag with the serial number on the wooden floor board. The plate is often missing by the time a car is collected. I have seen it there on a '20 and '23 models.
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Hi All
I understand that last year a different bus contractor was used for the free shuttle bus between Highfield, Hershey and the fields.
Previous to 2010 the shuttle buses would leave out the last couple rows of seats to make room for buyers cars & prizes. Last year (2010) the buses had all the seats in instead. This made is much harder to bring along your parts cart and purchases on the shuttle.
Does anyone know whether the shuttle busses will have the last seats removed this year to leave room for carts and purchases?
The extra space makes a big difference in how one plans to get stuff out of the fields.
Drive Safe
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Hi Jeff
Any idea what part of Canada he may have come from. There was/is a branch of the Volgler family here in Nova Scotia, Canada (East Coast). There is a Vogler's Cove named after the family down the shore from here and a now closed Vogler's general store.
Drive Safe
Jeff
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Marvels.
I recently had my first experiences with these dreaded beasts. I friend recently picked up a neat 1930 Essex roadster which had been stored un-used for the last 25+ years. When cleaned up and first run it barely run and then only on near full choke. It took three sessions for us to figure out the basics. It has the die cast body and air valve. Problems, the air valve would not move freely on the hinge pin. Careful filing of the seal ridge on the air valve flapper was require to restore free movement. Ran but still required choke.
Next, the passages looked good, but we found build up in the low speed jet. Carb cleaner and fine wire cleaned out the barely visible varnish. Started up and pushed the choke in and it stay running. We took it around the block and he said this was the first time it made it without stalling and quiting.
Next round is to better tune the mixture etc to reduce some smoking.
It was a great help that he had a spare carburetor that came with the car. We took it apart and put it together twice for practice to see how to work on the parts before attempting to fix the one on the car.
Key learning, the air valve flapper distorts with age and can bind inside the body. It should be check on occasion by removing the carb from the car and checking for free movement of the valve and piston.
Looking forward to learning more as we get his Essex to run properly.
Drive Safe
Jeff
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Hi
Actually Chris is closer. The touring is a 1914 Hudson 6-40. The roadster if a 1915 Model. Only the 1914 6-40's have the folding windshield. I know, mine in the garage.
Drive Safe
Jeff
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With apologies to others. Durant starting with Buick was a licensed member of ALAM and paid the Selden royalties from the very start. As did Cadillac and Oldsmobile, the three core cornerstones of GM.
Durant was more interested in building another syndicate of manufacturer's and suppliers of automobiles and parts with the formation of GM just like he worked on before with the Durant-Dort carriage companies.
Ford applied and was turned down for a license, in part after two previous company failures his company was not considered viable enough by ALAM for a license. And you know just what Henry though about being told he couldn't do something his way.
Drive safe.
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Good find, best of luck. It looks like a really good solid old car, so here is a thought. Go through the mechanics, brakes, etc. and make is safe & sound to drive, then wash and clean the rest and go have fun.
Reminds me of when I did when I got my first car, a '36 Packard 120 in similar condition. Drove it on the weekends through most of university, complete with the as found brush painted dark blue finish. I had more fun with it then then after it was restored.
By the way, 31 years and 30,000 miles later, its still number 1 in the garage.
Drive Safe, Have Fun
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Hi
Those are the spare tire strap brackets. They should attached to a mounting bar coming out of the upper part of the cowl on each side. The side of the spare tire rests against the plate and a leather strap is used to hold the spare in place.
Those plates are nearly identical from about 1914 (mine) up to the early 1920's. If you search some Hudson pictures they should be visable, especially on Super Sixes.
Drive Safe
Jeff
Don't let anyone drive your early cars, especial brass cars. BIG NO NO
in General Discussion
Posted
Hi AllThis has been an interesting thread to follow. I have had a little experience on both sides of the equation and would like to pass along a couple stories for consideration.
A bit over 40 years ago when I was starting out in the hobby an older member of the car club that I belonged to took me for a country drive with him in his ’52 Chrysler with the fluid drive transmission. A few weeks later he suggested to this then 18 year old teenager, take my Chrysler to the antique car show this weekend in the town that was 60 miles away; he couldn’t attend. That was a big lump of trust on his part to let me take his car for the weekend. Something that I have never forgotten since.Not much later I had my own un-restored ’36 Packard 120 to work on and take for drives. My dad had to drive it home as I didn’t know how to drive a standard. I learned to on the Packard in the driveway and neighbourhood.
A few years later when restoring my Cadillac I met a fellow 1 cylinder Cadillac owner who took me for a nice drive and then offered to let me try driving the car. At the time I had no experience on such a car and it nearly got away from me and I did get too close to a tree in his yard for comfort. I rode with him on a few tours in the Cadillac later one, but never did get offered the wheel again, which is not a problem. Perhaps he was not comfortable with my first early car driving experience, and really, neither was I.
Later I was offered the chance to try driving a 1912 Reo around the parking lot, with the owner present in the car. It was an embarrassing experience. I couldn’t shift into second, just made noise grinding the gears. So I stayed in first and went around the parking lot and said a big thank you to the owner for the experience. But the owner never cringed, he was very outgoing and would offer the wheel to many other old car people while he was driving it across Canada that year.
Not long afterward when on a brass car tour in New England I was offered the chance e to drive a 1912 Buick with the owner and his wife for the day when the elderly gent felt he needed someone else to drive for a day. It was a generous offer by a great gentleman, but at the time I turned down the opportunity as I was not comfortable that I could handle the car safely. I had almost no experience driving such a car and didn’t want to mess up.
In the years since I was given the opportunity to drive a few early cars. A couple Ford Ts that belonged to friends, along with a 1922 REO, a CDO and some others. I learned how to drive one reasonably well.
I now have a few brass era cars, covering the usual Ford T, but also lucky enough to include a 1 cylinder Cadillac and a Hudson 6-40 touring car. My early car driving experience has improved, but is still not very broad.
I have invited a few to try out some of my cars, but I do admit to being somewhat protective of who I would offer the wheel to, as the earlier cars do come with their idiosyncrasies.
Now if offered to drive someone’s antique car, I will likely say yes, but it will be conditional on the owner taking me to a parking lot for lessons first. If both of us are comfortable with my driving of their car, then I’ll drive it further if offered. If either of us is uncomfortable, then I will say thank you and that will be that.
The moral of the story though is meant to say thanks to those who offered and let me drive their antique cars, especially as a relative “youngster” at the time. They have put their trust in me with their prize possessions and I thank them for it. The experience been fun and interesting to see how various vehicles drive. It has helped continue to spur my interesting in early cars and how to restore and get them to run. And in the future, I will try to occasionally pay back their trust by offering to let someone else try my antiques out. Perhaps it will inspire another person to become an antique car care taker.
Drive Safe
Jeff
Nova Scotia