Taylormade Posted March 7, 2017 Author Share Posted March 7, 2017 (edited) A while ago I was having a problem with the downdraft tube on my 32 DL. I discovered the tube on the car (which had been there since at least 1965) was too short and had been cut off at some point in the past. As you can see in the picture below, it was a stubby little thing. Forum member Joe Cozza sent me a spare he had and that took care of the problem. While all this was going on, Phil Kennedy, the PO of my car, sent me a shot of his original vent tube on his 32. Big difference with the sweeping curve and rear end position. His is a later production car, while mine is very early (January 1932). Phil's vent tube below. We assumed the curve was to take care of the Vacuum Clutch on Phil's car, but we couldn't find a separate part number listed. The owner's manual shows a straight tube, but it also doesn't show the vacuum clutch option. I just found this piece of factory literature. Take a look at how the have the vent tube positioned - facing forward.. This goes against everything I've ever heard, as this position would suck in dirt at every opportunity and would not provide the correct vacuum effect these tube are supposed to. Just another mystery that will probably have no solution. Edited March 7, 2017 by Taylormade (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest vitadex Posted March 7, 2017 Share Posted March 7, 2017 These pictures are from the instruction book for my '32 Chrysler. It is dated aug ´32. It's the export version (might be different?) and have the automatic clutch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil 32DL6 Posted March 7, 2017 Share Posted March 7, 2017 2 hours ago, vitadex said: These pictures are from the instruction book for my '32 Chrysler. It is dated aug ´32. It's the export version (might be different?) and have the automatic clutch. I know that the Auto Clutch was available on '32 Chryslers, but the diagrams you've shown from the manual don't show an Auto Clutch system on that motor. Here are a few pics from my '32 DB that show that the backwards curving crankcase vent pipe was needed to clear the large canister (#1) and the canister piston's linkage (#2) to the clutch at the back of the canister. The last picture shows the pipe just behind the linkage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spinneyhill Posted March 8, 2017 Share Posted March 8, 2017 I wouldn't be in a hurry to start the engine. You will just fill it up with condensation - you won't be able to bring it to full operating temperature in the open without a load. And it is probably going to sit for another year or so before it gets a proper run. Mind you, I would be very very very tempted and may not be able to resist either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taylormade Posted March 8, 2017 Author Share Posted March 8, 2017 Always a tough choice. I'd like to get it started before I get the front fenders on just in case it needs major work that I don't see coming. It's certainly easier to adjust the valves and such with it out in the open. It's one of the reasons I waited until the weather at least warmed up a bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JACK M Posted March 8, 2017 Share Posted March 8, 2017 I am thinking that the slash cut in the vent tube makes the opening face more towards the rear of the vehicle. This would create a vacuum of sorts so that it would tend to evacuate the engine. The engine would also tend to blow out of the tube a bit. I very much doubt that the engine would ever cause any suction there. So logic would tell me that the tube in your photo is indeed correct. These tubes need to be kind of long so that it can pick up a draft when the car is moving. You might be looking at your picture backwards. On my diesel pusher motor home the similar tube was short. (Came that way from the factory) Many opinions about that on its brand forum. I extended mine and slash cut it so that the opening was rear facing as in your drawing and it helped with the oil accumulation that was happing on my radiator thus collecting dirt and creating a cooling problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ply33 Posted March 8, 2017 Share Posted March 8, 2017 15 hours ago, Spinneyhill said: I wouldn't be in a hurry to start the engine. You will just fill it up with condensation - you won't be able to bring it to full operating temperature in the open without a load. And it is probably going to sit for another year or so before it gets a proper run. Mind you, I would be very very very tempted and may not be able to resist either. That was my decision too. . . Unfortunately once started I found a few leaks that basically will require the engine to be pulled which is more work than I want to put into it. So there is a drip pan under the car and I need to check the oil fairly often and the undercarriage needs cleaning more often than I'd like. Were I to do it again, I'd test run the engine prior to getting so much stuff around it that it is a pain to pull out to fix leaks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil 32DL6 Posted March 8, 2017 Share Posted March 8, 2017 Personally, I wouldn't worry about it. My DL drives all day at 140ºF and idles at 140º once it's warmed up. Me? I'd test run it for sure! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taylormade Posted March 9, 2017 Author Share Posted March 9, 2017 9 hours ago, ply33 said: That was my decision too. . . Unfortunately once started I found a few leaks that basically will require the engine to be pulled which is more work than I want to put into it. So there is a drip pan under the car and I need to check the oil fairly often and the undercarriage needs cleaning more often than I'd like. Were I to do it again, I'd test run the engine prior to getting so much stuff around it that it is a pain to pull out to fix leaks. Where were your leaks coming from? Maybe I can head things off at the pass based on your experiences. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ply33 Posted March 9, 2017 Share Posted March 9, 2017 14 hours ago, Taylormade said: Where were your leaks coming from? Maybe I can head things off at the pass based on your experiences. Looks like around the timing case cover, behind the front A-frame support for the front engine mount. To get to it I'll have to raise the engine up enough to have the crank clear the front cross member and also remove the radiator (and thus hood, etc.). Given the clearance between the impulse damper and the frame cross member, I might also have to allow the transmission to drop some, most likely just removing at least the rear transmission support. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taylormade Posted March 31, 2017 Author Share Posted March 31, 2017 This is not a very interesting or exciting post, but I finally got my brake system sealed up and leak free. The leaks were in the banjo fittings, and annealling the copper crush washers was the solution. They were too hard to crush properly. I heated them cherry red, let them air cool and cleaned the soot off. Put them on and the leaks were gone. I'm convinced that the silicon brake fluid is thinner and more prone to leaking than the old Dot-3. Maybe just an erroneous perception on my part and certainly not based on scientific fact. I'm happy to say that the Eastwood brake flaring tool I purchased made 100 percent leak-free flares on all my cunifer brake lines. Another thrilling episode in my restoration. ? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spinneyhill Posted March 31, 2017 Share Posted March 31, 2017 2 hours ago, Taylormade said: I'm convinced that the silicon brake fluid is thinner and more prone to leaking than the old Dot-3. It might be something to do with its surface tension. Maybe it has higher surface tension, so it can pull itself further through tiny spaces. Well done on another well done job! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taylormade Posted May 30, 2017 Author Share Posted May 30, 2017 (edited) It's been a while since I last posted, work and minor health problems slowed things down a bit. One of the major problems I've been having since the start of this restoration has been painting the car. I have gone through two painter so far with disastrous results. I finally found a local shop that was willing to paint the car at a reasonable price. We (or should I say "they") have the car at their shop and should have the body and fenders down in about three weeks. I already have the hood pieces and the running board splash pans back and they look good. I'm going with single stage for a more authentic look. It's not going to be a Pebble Beach entrant, but should be perfectly adequate for a fun driver and I want the car on the road this year! The chrome is all done, the mechanical work completed, the seats are coming back from the upholstery shop next week and I hope final assembly will commence very soon. I wish I could paint the car myself, but age and space prevent me from making the attempt. Here is the body heading off to the shop on the rolling support I built. You can see the crappy paint job in a couple of the shots - kind of like a pond on a breezy day. The painter actually cam on Memorial Day and brought his wife their grandkids along. They were fascinated by the "funny old car." Hopefully everything will work out this time and Daphne will begin to look like her old self very soon. Edited July 8, 2017 by Taylormade (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keiser31 Posted May 30, 2017 Share Posted May 30, 2017 Sorry to hear of your maladies with both you and the car/painters. Hopefully, you got the right guy now and all will be well soon. Glad to see you back on here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R.White Posted May 31, 2017 Share Posted May 31, 2017 I am glad you have found a good body shop but to be let down twice before is rotten luck. As it happens, I recently took my modern to a local body shop and it all ended in tears. A poor smart repair had been carried out by a previous owner and had lifted. The body shop I went to did a good enough repair to that area but when they removed the masking tape more paint had come away with it and they thought I wouldn't notice. It was obvious but they wouldn't take any responsibility. They wouldn't even share the cost so after a heated row I left and tried patching it myself - with only moderate success. The car is for sale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpage Posted May 31, 2017 Share Posted May 31, 2017 One of the biggest mistakes people can make is taking an antique car to a production shop or even a small local guy that dabbles in this kind of work. These cars take a lot more care and work than most shops are ready to invest, even if you're paying good money. They like the quick insurance jobs better and usually the old car just sits around, They also find out that they are not as experienced in delicate or intricate body work, a lot different than just changing parts and they usually know nothing about your car or any other antique for that matter. Always best, if you can afford it, to seek out a qualified and reputable restoration shop to take on a project like that. I know that there are really good private shops and bad restoration shops so one must do a lot of homework before selecting one. Some shops will tell you anything just to snag your business! Same in construction! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taylormade Posted May 31, 2017 Author Share Posted May 31, 2017 They are close, have no problem with me coming down and watching, have already started sanding the body and have been in business (same owners, same family) for 25 years. All I can do is take a deep breath and keep my fingers crossed. The closest restoration/hot rod shop wanted 12 grand to paint the car. While I was getting my oil changed this morning, the guy sitting next to me started complaining that the new paint job on his antique pickup was lifting and bubbling. Turns out the aforementioned shop did the paint work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bleach Posted June 1, 2017 Share Posted June 1, 2017 (edited) Taylormade, I'm assuming you still had to pay the two previous "painters". I'm shocked at what it costs to paint a car right these days. I paid $3K for a nice lacquer paint job a 51 Cadillac 2dr HT. in 1986. I stripped the body down to bare metal because it had by then three coats of paint which was cracking, flaking in spots and was badly weathered. The price included them to do the body work which included some tricky areas of rust repair. Even then, I thought at the time that it was a lot of money. This how it still looked in 2001. I sold it 7/28/2005 for which I still have some regrets. Edited June 1, 2017 by Bleach (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bleach Posted June 1, 2017 Share Posted June 1, 2017 Countrytraveler,I prefer to drink my liquor and not try painting anything afterward. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keiser31 Posted June 1, 2017 Share Posted June 1, 2017 At least it was straight liquor. On the rocks would have left some marks.... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bleach Posted June 1, 2017 Share Posted June 1, 2017 Straight liquor is usually called "neat" so it might be smoother. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taylormade Posted June 1, 2017 Author Share Posted June 1, 2017 3 hours ago, Bleach said: Taylormade, I'm assuming you still had to pay the two previous "painters". I'm shocked at what it costs to paint a car right these days. I paid $3K for a nice lacquer paint job a 51 Cadillac 2dr HT. in 1986. I stripped the body down to bare metal because it had by then three coats of paint which was cracking, flaking in spots and was badly weathered. The price included them to do the body work which included some tricky areas of rust repair. Even then, I thought at the time that it was a lot of money. This how it still looked in 2001. I sold it 7/28/2005 for which I still have some regrets. I actually got my money back in both cases. Both guys advertised on the web and I simply said I would post close-ups of their paint jobs and let the viewers decide if they thought this was quality work. The first guy brought a check over the same day. The other took a bit more persuading. I'm not sure if either are still in business. Nice looking Caddy. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R.White Posted June 1, 2017 Share Posted June 1, 2017 23 minutes ago, countrytravler said: The guy that sprayed the car could not spray unless he was half juiced. He was an amazing painter. He was killed when he took a Sunbeam Tiger on a test run and pushed it too hard. I always feel a sense of shame when I hear stories like this. The Rootes Group were nothing short of reckless to drop a Ford V8 into what I would describe as a hairdresser's car. The result was a death trap with small wheels and tyres and poor brakes. Not the best British car unless you like living dangerously. Ray. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spinneyhill Posted June 2, 2017 Share Posted June 2, 2017 12 hours ago, countrytravler said: The guy that sprayed the car could not spray unless he was half juiced. He was an amazing painter. Reminds me of the story that goes with the pinstriping on my 1930 Dodge. It is that the stripes were hand done by a man who was an alcoholic with the shakes most of the time. But when he picked up the brush and the guide stick, his hands were rock steady. I like my stripes, the hand done imperfections are perfect! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R.White Posted June 2, 2017 Share Posted June 2, 2017 I have pin stripes on my DB. With the whole car being painted white, the blue stripes stand out. Some folk think it is OTT but It wouldn't be the same car without them. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R.White Posted June 2, 2017 Share Posted June 2, 2017 When my wife carelessly clipped the gate pillar with my Range Rover I ended up having to replace the hood (bonnet). Unfortunately, the Paint job was a dud and spattered with grit. The paint shop re painted the hood O.K. but returned the car with a small dent in the passenger door!.. They were apologetic to say the least and to my surprise when I got the car back for the third time, not only had they repaired the door but had completely resprayed the front half of the car on both sides and buffed up the rest. It was all put down to the insurance job on the hood! It looked a million dollars! It's not all bad new stories. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bleach Posted June 2, 2017 Share Posted June 2, 2017 (edited) Back in the early 80's a buddy of mine rear ended someone with his parents 74 Datsun 710. The grille, front fenders and hood needed to be repaired and resprayed. They took it down to Tijuana since they wanted to get the front seats redone at the same time. They front came out looking better than the rest of the car since it was red and was faded quite a bit from the SoCal sun. They found someone to buff out the rest of the car and it came out great. It was one just like this, except red, which I can't remember the last time I've seen one. Edited June 2, 2017 by Bleach (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
countrytravler Posted June 2, 2017 Share Posted June 2, 2017 Sorry, Taylor. Lost track of what this thread is about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taylormade Posted June 5, 2017 Author Share Posted June 5, 2017 Yes, things seem to be veering off the tracks. I'll be working on the car this week and I'll have some posts that are actually related to the restoration of Daphne. I should have known that bring up bad paint jobs would send things off on a tangent. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
countrytravler Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 10 minutes ago, Taylormade said: Yes, things seem to be veering off the tracks. I'll be working on the car this week and I'll have some posts that are actually related to the restoration of Daphne. I should have known that bring up bad paint jobs would send things off on a tangent. LOL!! YEP!! I should have known better. Delete key works great. I will send that 32 pamphlet. Just been busy. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Lawson Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 Hey Dave, I banged my head where you said and now the computer has a cracked screen. LOL 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
countrytravler Posted June 6, 2017 Share Posted June 6, 2017 1 hour ago, Ron Lawson said: Hey Dave, I banged my head where you said and now the computer has a cracked screen. LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Lawson Posted June 7, 2017 Share Posted June 7, 2017 That pooch is far better lookin than I am Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taylormade Posted June 10, 2017 Author Share Posted June 10, 2017 Everything is finally back from the painter. My narrow garage is full to the brim with shiny parts and I'm starting to put Daphne back together. It's amazing how much you forget over the course of a few years. As I went to put on the rear gas tank cover, I went back to some photos I'd taken during the initial disassembly. I discovered all sorts of webbing and rubber pads that would have slipped my mind if I didn't have these reference shots. Here is the frame right after the sheet metal was removed. Much of the original webbing is rotten and falling apart, but it's still there. Here is the same area with new webbing and rubber pads installed. I had three of the four original rubber pads, but they were hard as a rock, so I made some new ones out of two layers of rubber to get the correct thickness. The gas tank cover went on without a hitch, held on by those odd bolts and cupped washers Chrysler liked to use. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keiser31 Posted June 10, 2017 Share Posted June 10, 2017 Ohhhhhhh....looking REALLY good!!!! I will have to save some of these photos for my own assembly of my '31. Nice job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Lawson Posted June 11, 2017 Share Posted June 11, 2017 Looking just fantastic You are going to be so proud of this car when you have completed the restoration You are doing a great job Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
30dodge35 Posted June 11, 2017 Share Posted June 11, 2017 Looking great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R.White Posted June 11, 2017 Share Posted June 11, 2017 Finding traces of that webbing etc reminds me of an archaeological dig! It must be satisfying to see it all coming together nicely. Ray. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpage Posted June 11, 2017 Share Posted June 11, 2017 I like those cradles you made to store the fenders! Car's looking really good! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F&J Posted June 11, 2017 Share Posted June 11, 2017 17 hours ago, Taylormade said: Everything is finally back from the painter. I can't help noticing the pic of the rear fender tail in wet look black....the sexy?, similar, curves well known to all 4 brands of mopar folk 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now