Help with Remy Generator Pot Metal End Plate

[STuTZ693]

How have you guys dealt with the deteriorating pot metal end plate on 1920 era Remy generators.

I have a 1925 Remy Generator 917-R and the end plate that holds the brushes is starting to fall apart and must be replaced.

Thank you all in advance.

Dan

[Friartuck]

Dan, can you post pictures of the plate? I don't rebuild electrical motors or generators, but I'm an amatuer machinist and maybe I can suggest something. One comes to mind is a posting on one of the machinist news groups/forums.

http://www.practicalmachinist.com/cgi-bin/ubbcgi/ultimatebb.cgi

http://www.homeshopmachinist.net/

Some of those guys like the challenge and do it for low cost. If you go that route, remember it might make sense to make several, either as spares or for other folks with Remy's. If they've disintegrated, likely they all are.

Chris

NJ Shore area

[bluetaxi]

A friend of mine had a new brush housing machined out of a solid cylinderical piece of aluminum, the diameter of the original housing. It was then machined and tapped for the brush holders and bushing. He sold me one, which I have on my Remy generator on my '24 Studebaker. It doesn't look authentic, but functions very well. I'm sure a machinist could make one copying your parts & pieces.

[STuTZ693]

Chris,

Thanks for the reply. Photo's sre sttached.

As you can see from the photos, the part is orginally a pot metal casting but can probably be fabricated. The end plate is a little more complicated than just a round end plate to hold the brush rigging because it has the standoffs cast into it.

I think you are correct about a machinist seeing this as a challenge.

I saw a Chevy vendor at Hershey who had a bronze casting made for a Remy starter end plate which is very similar to the generator piece.

[STuTZ693]

I found a pattern maker that will make me a pattern, have the piece cast out of aluminum then machined to final dimension.

I do not have his final pricing yet but may consider having a few extras made to offer for sale.

sldan

[HarryJ]

sldan...I am the one who had the end frames machined for my '21 light six Studebaker and 32 Dictators' 24. These parts were originally die cast, not sand or investment cast; so making a pattern and sand casting copies will give you a copy that is as close as a machined part. Machining is probably more economical than casting then machining. I am presently working to develope a rapid prototyping technique that will allow parts such as these and others to be produced in a some sort of somewhat affordable fashion.

[STuTZ693]

Hello Harry J,

I am interested in learning more about your rapid prototyping technique.

Here is what I have learned and my current idea.

I discussed the die cast vs. sand casting issue with the pattern maker and the need to machine the casting to final dimensions. Other than the cost of the pattern, having one piece machined is costly and there is not a lot of price break because of the number of machining steps needed.

I have explored the idea of machining the part out of round stock, as well as having a specialty generator repair shop modify an end housing from other generators and all of these approaches, even though they are functional, left out a lot of detail.

Since I am not knowledgable enough to know which Remy generators used this exact end bell, I do not plan to speculate making a number of raw castings. I may have only one unit cast in aluminum alloy and machined by a friend at this time. But I will own the pattern and I will have developed a working drawing for the machinist to finish the piece.

I may entertain selling raw castings with the drawing, in order to recoup some of the cost to have the pattern made, to anyone that has a 917-R generator or knows that their end housing is the same part.

[HarryJ]

sldan....We are in the early stages of piecing together the rapid prototyping technology. I originally delved into this to reproduce early die castings. I am working with two engineering colleges to sort out and find the latest technologies available and techniques. The machinist I recruited to help me with the end frames is here in Atlanta. He made the two copies in about two weeks. Don't expect to get rich or even recoup your cost in this endevor; as there is not a significant demand for parts to fit a 80 year old car. Still, if I can read a part or drawing into a computer and then make a copy and or pattern using stereolithography or one or two other newer technologies we just might be able to produce parts at an affordable price and in a very short time frame. Since this is not my primary business, I am having to do this project in my spare time.

[STuTZ693]

Thanks Harry.