1931 devaux

[JustDave]

hello everyone, i am starting the restoration on my 1931 devaux,does anyone have repair manuals on the engine,its a continental 40 a, im told continental used this engine in the late 30s in the massey ferguson tractor rebadged as 40aa,have had the car along time but theres little to no info on major engine specs or any torque specs,any and all info appreciated, thanks dave

[West Peterson]

There is a gentleman in Michigan who has two or three Devauxs. I would think that he would be your greatest resource.

[john2dameron]

Where are you located? There is a gentleman in Roanoke, VA who owns a '31 DeVaux with a Continental engine. You may be able to contact him through the Blue Ridge Chapter of the AACA or pm me and I'll try to secure a name and address if he's willing.

[Barry Wolk]

I believe that the original engines in a DeVaux were Continental engines private labeled as "Hall". If you have a Continental engine it's not likely an original. Since the two were interchangeable it would be an easy bolt-up.

The guy you're looking for is Myron Cummings. I believe he lives in Owasso.

This is one of Myron's cars.

Edited January 28, 2012 by Barry Wolk (see edit history)

[JustDave]

hello

ive talked to both myron & howard reike at hershey a fiew years ago they said there wasnt much info from the factory,what i need is probably a 1932 or 33 national service manual with the devaux info or maybe some old continental manuals showing the 40a or 40aa engine,the engines where devaux only, in 1931 they said hall on the side of the block,in 32 when continental took over they removed the hall but both where 40 a engines,my 31 has the hall my 32 and the extra 32 motor both do not have the hall but are both 40 a motors

[Barry Wolk]

If you find a manual for a C-600 Continental, please let me know.

[Durant Mike]

Dave

Go over to The Durant Motors Automobile Club - International website. The Durant Motors Club services Devaux and has many members there who have them. Howard and Myron are two of them, but they have more. If you post over there, many people have parts and literature and can help find and look up what you want. Devaux was originally the California manager of the Durant Plant there in Oakland and had a history with Durant.

[Guest noncompos]

Interesting bit re' the 40A/40AA, except it'd almost certainly be in a Massey-Harris (formed 1891) and not in a M-H-F (not formed until 1953), the MF name being adopted in 1958.

The 40A shows as 33/8 (3.375)x4, and while I don't find such a bore/stroke in my Massey/Massey-Harris engine listings, my info is far from complete.

Also interesting is that the "Hall" was the Hall of Hall-Scott.

Std Cat says the L-hd 6 was designed by Hall but presumeably built by Cont, as my old parts catalogs that list it list Cont'ls for 31-32, both 33/8 6s, somtimes ID'd as 40As...

THe Cont'l Ace for 33 used a 33/8 6, but ID'd as the Cont'l 41A, per a 38 Victor the same 33/8x4, apparently sharing many gaskets with the 40A and six other Cont'ls of the same b/s.

A Hastings catalog shows a ring change for DeVaux:

1931 with the top three each 1/8, the bottom 5/32...

1932 with the top two 1/8 and the bottom two 53/2...none of the Continental cars listed used either ring combination...

Incidentally, the Cont C400 4cyl, used in the Continental Beacon 1933 and the Model 41 1934, that I understood was unique to the Continental, was also used in the Angleworm tractor 1935-36 and the Divco trucks "R" 34-35 and "S" 36-37. Bud Tierney