Dixie Flyer "Firefly" speedster photographs.

[oldcar]

Hello Alan

In six months time it will be our turn to have winter although ours is much milder we only have snow on the near by hills about every five years and then it only last a day or two. Our big problem is that we have not had proper winter and spring rain for some years now and our reservoirs are just not filling. Our cereal farmers are having a hard time.

Re the Dixie Flyer body. If you are not a AACA Member you would have missed out on the series of articles that I am writing for the Antique Automobile. The body is based on an original Firefly Speedster but an Australian version I understand was built by W S Grice in New South Wales.

Below is a photo of a then new Firefly sent to me by a Alfred Messier taken in Boston in 1923. The Main difference will be that my car will have full length running boards not the little aluminium steps. I don't like the look of the mudguards being just cut off square.

Stationary engines can be good fun and they don't take up a lot of space. I have had several but like cars they don't seem to stay around too long.

Keep up the good work on the Alvis.

Bernie J.

[oldcar]

Hello Alan

In six months time it will be our turn to have winter although ours is much milder we only have snow on the near by hills about every five years and then it only last a day or two. Our big problem is that we have not had proper winter and spring rain for some years now and our reservoirs are just not filling. Our cereal farmers are having a hard time.

Re the Dixie Flyer body. If you are not a AACA Member you would have missed out on the series of articles that I am writing for the Antique Automobile. The body is based on an original Firefly Speedster but an Australian version I understand was built by W S Grice in New South Wales.

Below is a photo of a then new Firefly sent to me by a Alfred Messier taken in Boston in 1923. The Main difference will be that my car will have full length running boards not the little aluminium steps. I don't like the look of the mudguards being just cut off square.

Stationary engines can be good fun and they don't take up a lot of space. I have had several but like cars they don't seem to stay around too long.

Keep up the good work on the Alvis.

Bernie J.

[oldcar]

Hello Alan

I seem to have duplicated to above message but the system will not allow me to delete it.

Bernie J.

[alsfarms]

Hello Bernie,

OK, we are still freezing here in the snow bound western US. You lightly mentioned what your winter weather conditions are. I guess you have certainly been up to your elbows in Dixie stuff....(as the weather is not an excuse like it is for me). Drop us a note and make us all jealous with your progress.

Regards,

Alan

[oldcar]

Hi Alan

With the holidays now over it is back to work! The Dixie Flyer Chassis is due to go to Sleeping Classics later this week so things are really starting to move. I should have some really interesting photos sometime soon. Not just boring ones of reels of wire.

with a deadline of June 30 to have the car in Louisville Kentucky there is not a great deal of time. Especially when you allow for 6 weeks transit time. The seats and the bulk of the trim are currently stored in a spare bedroom so there is no chance of a photo just now but believe me they look just great.

Cheers

Bernie J.

Edited January 5, 2010 by oldcar (see edit history)

[oldcar]

Hi All

While still unable to supply any photographs of the body under construction. I have been going through the items still requiring either some additional work or sending to the platers for nickel plating.

One thing of interest is this windscreen pillar mounted spot light. The badge attached tells me that it was manufactured by Hawthorne Co of Connecticut. and patented on Nov 30 1914.

I think that it should just about look "right" when restored and mounted on the completed car.

Comments please.

Bernie J.

[West Peterson]

My opinion is pretty well known... less is better. But, if you don't have any other accessory lights, you've got my approval.

[keiser31]

Looks to be the correct era light although there may be a visibility factor involved.

[oldcar]

Hello West

Certainly I go along with your suggestion "Less is better".

However for the HS 70 (Sport) model Dixie Flyer, a windsrceen mounted spotlight was part of the standard equipment as was a dashboard clock.

The original spotlight is long gone! I bought this one as it closely matches the headlight shape and rim design.

I think that you will find the completed car will be understated in the extreme. No chrome exhaust pipes, no white wall tires and no radio aerial with fox's tail.

Sorry! it will have the eight (4 each side) Port-holes on the hood! A Dixie Flyer first?

Bernie J

[oldcar]

Well not too much happening here since saturday with temperature in the mid 40s C each day but a cool change this afternoon temp dropped about 15 degrees in 20 minutes so hopefully we will get something done tomorrow. At least we can get a good nights sleep tonight.

Bernie J.

[oldcar]

Just going back a peg or two. My good friends at the AACA Reference library came up with this advert for Gabriel Snubbers. If you read between the lines it actually contains quite a lot of information.

That snubber adjuster works at treat.....once you work how it works!

[oldcar]

Sorry It is a PDF file and too large to upload here but if you are interested send me an e-mail and I will try to send it direct to you.

Bernie J.

[oldcar]

At last what you have all been waiting patiently for...some early photos of the Firefly body.

Still a long way to go especially if the finished car is going to make it to Louisville on June 30th. All four mudguards require quite a bit of extra work and the cowl top is still to be fitted. Anybody know a friendly Airfreight company flying between Australia and The USA?

[oldcar]

Wow! The silence is deafening!!

Is it really so bad that I have shocked you all to the extent that everyone is speechless?

None the less, work is progressing apace now that I am committed to bring the Dixie Flyer to Louisville on June 30. Hope that you all plan to be there.......

Bernie J.

[oldcar]

:oHello again.

Perhaps these two photos of the seats will do something to help you overcome your shock at seeing the body in its naked state. It was quite difficult to take these photos in the rather cramped confines of a fourth bedroon /junk store but for what it is worth here you are. The seat backs both fold to give access to the luggage space in the tail. I just hope that all those early years working as a furniture designer were not wasted. Perhaps you should go back to page one and look at what I started with.

Bernie J.

Edited January 19, 2010 by oldcar (see edit history)

[alsfarms]

Hello Bernie,

What a nice product you are turning out! I am interested to see, if you have any, some pictures of your body structure. I can't tell yet, will you have an exterior access to the dickey area? You are right at the fun stage of a project, coming together! How did you finally come out on your steering gear? When you had your new trans. gear set built, did you improve the final drive ratio to make more drivable? I need to locate a gear shop and have a couple of gears built for an aftermarket Muncie Model T trans (with reverse) built. I am anxious to see your bright work hung on this nice body. Keep it up........we up here will keep dealing with the winter snow!!!!!!

Regards From Utah,

Alan

[Guest Backyardmechanic]

hello Bernie;

WOW great job on that body what color will it be? Hey to save you the $$$ on shipping it back to au in june you can just donate it to me ! lol lol Just kinding.

Vern

[oldcar]

Hi Alan

I believe that when John Needham cut the new gears that he would have raised the constant mesh gears ratio giving a slightly higher 1st and 2nd gears.

Hello Vern

The sales brochure said Brewster Green with Black mudguards etc and dark green trim/upholstery so that is what it will be. Slightly darker than the wheel colour.

Re; the luggage space. Having looked at the photo of the original it probably had a small exterior lid but given the overall size of the tail I decided that it would be almost useless! Added to which these things tend to leak both dust and water and develop lots of annoying rattles, so no exterior lid, just access from behind the seat. That way the paint on the tail does not suffer from having bags and parcels dragged over it.

It doesn't show up in the photo of the seat too well but if you look closely you will see that the outside back is covered with carpet. The seat is also mounted on (non original) runners so access is quite easy. The plus with the runners is that the driver can adjust the reach to suit. Not everyone is 5'10" tall.

More later

Bernie J

[oldcar]

Just one more thing Alan.

There really is not a great deal of "bright work" Just lamp rims, and windscreen pillars & frame. Oh yes and of course those "Port-holes" on the hood sides.

Bernie J.

[alsfarms]

Bernie......

Your little bit of bright-work/trim is exactly what will be nice to see in place! I concur with your decision to avoid the dickey lid. Is you wiring on chassis complete?

Alan

[oldcar]

Hello Alan

I have gone as far as I can with the wiring until the body is finished and the dash and instruments etc fitted. I collected the slab of timber for the dash yesterday and a parcel arrived from the Restoration Supply Co containing switches, globes and some small fittings. I still am looking for a suitable "Vintage" fuse box. I found a headlight switch at a country swap meet a couple of sundays back. So it is still a "work in progress" like everything else.

If Winter comes can Spring be far behind!

Bernie J.

[West Peterson]

Beautiful Bernie!!! And I like your color choices. The seats look extremely well designed and comfortable.

[jan arnett (2)]

Love you car and I live in Kentucky. If you want to put in tublar fuses I have always gone to radio shack and purchased a fuse holder which uses tubular fuses. I have done this of four cars and I salvage old connectors from scrap wiring harness I pick up at flea markets for a buck.

Have a fantastic day.

[oldcar]

Hello Jan

Many thanks for the tip. I live in Melbourne Australia but we have some people like radio shack here too. I have looked at lots of swap meets but fuse boxes are something that Aussie car dismantlers just don't seem to think worth saving.

Bernie J.

[unimogjohn]

Bernie, re the fuse block. Neither my 23 or 28 have them. All the wires are a direct connect to the gauge or the main combo electrical switch. The only thing I have is a circuit breaker for the main headlights on the 28. If something goes to ground in that circuit, the relay (for a want of a better word) buzzes/vibrates until you turn off the lights. With that said, I have seen folks put in a modern fuseable link on the main electrical wire that goes to the amp meter, so if there is a short circuit, it blows, versus your switches.

Now if you are going to run a modern alternator, radio, heater blower, turn signals, etc; then you do need a fuse block to provide protection and distribution.

[alsfarms]

Bernie,

I don't recall, what amount of work was required for the rebuilding of the rear axle of your Dixie? When you went through it, did you just use prudent mechanical approaches as you replaced parts and set the lash? What headaches did you encounter as you fit the wire wheels to your chassis?

Alan

[oldcar]

Hello Alan

Re the wire wheels; the front axle was simple just fit the hubs with new bearings and one extra spacer washer behind the nut. The rear was only slightly more complicated as it required re-machining the taper in the hubs to suit the axles. With the rear axle it is now mostly early Dodge 4 including the half shafts so this was mainly a case of replacing bearings etc and some machining. It also involved machining a spacer to go on the rear of the gearbox to accept the Dodge universal joint and ball coupling.

This is all discussed in the Antique Automobile articles.

Bernie j.

[oldcar]

Hello John

Re to your reply about fuses. I have just ordered a fuse block from the Restoration Supply Co. I know most pre mid-20s cars did not have them but having seen the sort of damage a simple short circuit can do I think that the occasional "Belt AND Braces" job is not a bad thing. I am spending a lot of money and effort on the Dixie Flyer and I would hate it to go up in smoke. It is like I have never used the fire extinguisher in the Lagonda but I still check it every 12 months and replace it every five years. Every car that I rebuild gets new electrical wiring including a fuse block. So far I have not had to replace a fuse but that does not mean that they are unnecessary. Perhaps I am just a natural born worrier.

Bernie

[unimogjohn]

Bernie, I agree. A short is a terrible thing in our cars. You might consider one of these in addition to your fused block. It is meant to take the current from the main power line as it goes to the amp meter. If there is a short or overload it should blow out before any damage is done to the rest of the wiring. Catalog No one will know that it is not original as it looks just like normal wire.

I have not done it yet, but am going to put it in the Avanti also as at some point in the past it had an issue and fried the primary wire and as a result melted several others causing a massive short in both ground and live circuits.

Enjoy your blog, can hardly wait until she all comes together.

[oldcar]

Thanks John

I usually run the battery to amp-meter wire through a 20 amp fuse so I guess that does much the same.

Attached is another shot of the right rear mudguard (fender) with the inner skirt being made. The light areas are rust removal patches. After all the original are 88 years old and have spent about 50/60 years out in all weather.

[oldcar]

:)Now for the front. The right hand front mudguard (fender) was the worst of the two requiring a new entire inner splash skirt. Here Arron is trial fitting the replacement piece he has just formed.

[oldcar]

While Arron is tapping away at the Dixie Flyer's front mudguards (fenders) I have not been slacking. This week I have had the gearbox and clutch out of the Lagonda Rapier, replaced the oil seal on the input shaft and stripped down the thrust bearing, a double sided ball race, and repacked with high temp grease, found the clutch friction plate to be in good order cleaned and re-assembled. All that is left to do today is to bolt back the centre cross member and re-fit the floor and carpet.

Bernie J.

[oldcar]

Following our European tour and as a consequence of the oil leak from the front of the gearbox the next job will be to steam clean the underside.

Edited January 28, 2010 by oldcar (see edit history)

[alsfarms]

Hello Bernie,

Looks like you are up to a bit of multi-tasking. Good for you. I am sure glad the furnace works, the snow cleared off yesterday and now it is cold! Do you drive the Rapier much or have you been to busy with the Dixie? What is the gearing in the Rapier?

Regards, Alan

[oldcar]

Hi Allan

Sorry about the cold.

The Lagonda Rapier has an ENV 75 preselector gearbox which explains the in-line selector.

For those who don't know, a preselector is an epicyclic transmission similar in many ways to an automatic except that the required gear is selected manually then engaged by pressing in the "Change" pedal which is in a similar position to a clutch. To complicate matters the "Rapier" transmission included a normal clutch operated by the same pedal the idea being that this reduces wear on the gearbox "brake" bands.

Most other cars fitted with "Preselector" Transmissions have either a fluid flywheel (Daimler) or an centrifugal clutch (Riley and Armstrong Siddley) Some others (Crossley Triumph and Alta) just relied on the "brake bands"

Hope this helps.

People have written books on the subject without actually explaining in layman terms how these things work. Other people have made their fortune offering to "overhaul" them. Once you take one apart everything becomes clear. Sadly lots of people take them apart then take fright and never put them back together so the car is declared dead until someone else comes along and hopefully puts it all back together again.

And this is the short reply!

Bernie J.

Edited January 28, 2010 by oldcar (see edit history)

[oldcar]

Of course I forgot to mention MG. For the people with Octagon shaped eyes and who only wear Brown and Cream underwear, the famous K3's also used an ENV 75 box with similar ratios to the Rapier, the "works" racers had even closer ratios.

[oldcar]

In answer to your question "Do we drive the Rapier much?"

Yes! We did over 6,000 miles in Europe during the three months we were away with it last year and use it once or twice a month here in Victoria mainly on local club events plus the odd interstate drive to events in New South Wales and South Australia.

During my ownership over the last 30 years it has never been on a trailer and has only once failed to return home under its own power.

As we say here "It is built for Going not for Showing".

West Peterson has the copy and photographs covering our week in the French Alps with two other Australian friends in their Rapiers. Perhaps he will find space in the magazine for it some time.

Bernie J.

Edited January 29, 2010 by oldcar (see edit history)

[alsfarms]

Hello Bernie,

I wonder how it would be to be able to take three months and do nothing but drive an early sports car in some very beautiful territory. Some day maybe I will try to do something like that. In the mean time....I better get busy and finish one!!! Keep up your posts and pictures, it gives me the spark to get in motion...even though it is cold and snowy

Regards, Alan

[oldcar]

Hi Alan

I had just finished a long and in depth explanation to you when my internet connection dropped out and I have lost the lot. One day I will send you a private e-mail with the full story. One thing is certain is that we certainly are not rich. I can only afford to keep one car fully operational by doing everything on it myself and don't have room to store any "for a rainy day".

The Alfa 33 is my everyday driver and work horse, We have owned the Lagonda Rapier for over 30 years. Helen's VW Jetta Turbo Diesel is our only "modern" car. We live on a suburban 1/5 of an acre lot with a double carport and a single car "garage/workshop".

I am now 73 and have survived a serious encounter with cancer 7 years ago. To us life is very precious and we live every day to the fullest. We both love travel and taking the car costs less that one business class air fare from Melbourne to London one way.

Having it in the UK and Europe is the best entree card you could ever wish for! It opens doors that otherwise would be forever closed.

Cheers

Bernie J.

Edited January 30, 2010 by oldcar (see edit history)

[oldcar]

Just in case you are wondering......

One or two glasses of Good Australian Shiraz per day works wonders!