The Ressurection of Daphne - a 1932 DL

[Johnthistle]

On 2/16/2017 at 10:10 AM, keiser31 said:

I commented on your other post about this.

 

[Johnthistle]

On 6/10/2017 at 1:42 PM, Taylormade said:

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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comment from Johnthistle: Beautiful! Exciting times! We have all certainly vicariously enjoyed following this project with your great photo series!  John

Edited June 12, 2017 by Johnthistle
Clarify (see edit history)

[Taylormade]

After two years the body is finally back on the frame and Daphne is actually starting to look like a car again.  As you can see from the pictures, I used concrete blocks to raise the body up enough to roll the frame underneath - not a method I'd recommend, but I had six people helping and it all went smoothly.  After the fact I realized I hadn't taken any pictures - too much going on at the time.  Please excuse the fingerprints all over the freshly chromed radiator shell in these after the fact shots!

 

 

 

 

[keiser31]

Purrrrty!

[ply33]

19 minutes ago, keiser31 said:

Purrrrty!

+1

 

[Taylormade]

All of the fender welting was gone on my car when I got it.  Does anyone know what size welting was used on the 32 models?  I assume it was either 1/4 inch or 3/16 inch, both of which are available from Restoration Specialties.  Here are a few shots from an original car.

 

 

 

 

 

[Taylormade]

I was reading, with amusement, some of my early posts from April, 2013 where I confidently state I plan to have the restoration of Daphne completed by the Dodge Brothers Centenial Meet in 2014.  Boy was I naive!  Over four years later and I'm still grinding away. Still, despite many setbacks - and more to come, I'm sure - it's been a lot of fun.

 

 

 

[countrytravler]

3 hours ago, Taylormade said:

I was reading, with amusement, some of my early posts from April, 2013 where I confidently state I plan to have the restoration of Daphne completed by the Dodge Brothers Centenial Meet in 2014.  Boy was I naive!  Over four years later and I'm still grinding away. Still, despite many setbacks - and more to come, I'm sure - it's been a lot of fun.

 

 

 

Plus you moved?

[Taylormade]

Yes, the move cost me a good nine months.

[keiser31]

Well, I know my Dad was a stickler for originality and when he got these rolls of welting, he compared them to the tattered original stuff he took off of the '31 coupe. It's 3/16" and some has the vinyl all through and some is fabric and vinyl.

[Taylormade]

Looks like 3/16 it is!  Thanks for the valuable information.  I probably would have gone with 1/4 inch and been wrong.

[jpage]

I'd say that you should use 3/16 around the fenders. Restoration Specialties still carries the lacquered cloth welting but make sure you ask for the original style stuff. Some guys are selling a vinyl welting that looks like crap. the lacquered material is paintable too.

[Taylormade]

Yes, I planned to go with the Restoration Specialties fender welt. 

 

Every once in a while, when I get a bit down, I pull out an old picture of Daphne and get a better idea of what she will look like when I'm finally finished.  I love this one, taken by Phil Kennedy when he owned her around 1969.

 

[keiser31]

Very cool shot. I wish I had ANY photos of my 1931 DB coupe when my Dad got it.

[Taylormade]

Got the front fenders on today.  First job was installing the webbing between the frame and the fender.

 

 

 

I used self adhesive webbing from Mac's and it worked very well.

 

After that the fenders went on with a bit of fiddling.  For any 32DL owners out there with sidemount fenders - take the sidemount well brace off the frame before installing the fender.  I learned that the hard way.  Here's my lovely and patient wife, Kathy, putting the brackets back on.  Honestly, I was too frustrated at this point to do it myself.

 

 

Fenders on with plenty of fingerprints to show for  it.

 

 

 

Rear fenders next and then covering the running boards.  The weather looks good this week so I should be able to make good progress.

 

[keiser31]

On 3/8/2017 at 7:00 AM, Taylormade said:

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.

Did I miss it or did this happen? Is the car running?

[keiser31]

That car is looking soooooo sweeeeet!

[Taylormade]

I went yellow and decided to hook up the gauges and wiring first.  I may regret it, but the car turned over easily and the valves are adjusted so I went cosmetic over mechanical.  It just looks so cool with the fenders on I couldn't resist.  As I said, I may rue the day!

[frank29u]

So cool!!!  I wouldn't have had your patience; connect oil and ammeter gauges and away we go!

[Johnthistle]

Beautiful to watch Daphne emerge!!

[Gunsmoke]

Very nice, looks like you are about 50% complete!!! Just kidding TM, amazing how long it actually takes to finish assembling a car even after all the rebuilding/painting/upholstery work is done. Don't know how the factories back then could produce a few hundred of these a day! Love the car.

[Taylormade]

I'm in the process of converting all my third party Photobucket pix on this thread.  If some photos disappear, never fear, I'll get them back.  Everything should be good past page 38, but there may be a temporary problem with photos earlier than that - if anyone is actually bothering to still read my posts from two years ago.

[Taylormade]

Okay, here's a technical question - two companies with similar names, so I always get confused.  I need 3/16 fender welt and it was suggested that I get it from Restoration Specialties as they had the original, non-vinyl style.  But in their catalog they state their product is vinyl coated.  When I look at the Restoration Supply product, it's listed as "Black heavy coated, bright glazed drill, folded cord and glued to form a bead on one edge; resists flattening around sharp corners."  I'm assuming this is the stuff that is the better product.  It better be as the Restoration Specialties stuff goes for a buck a foot, while the Restoration Supply welt is $3.70 a foot.  Anyone had an experience with either of these products?

overc

 

[Spinneyhill]

Can you ask for a wee sample of each? or really good photos?

[Taylormade]

That may be my only option, but, as usual, I'm ready to install the welt now.  Hurry up and wait.

[Taylormade]

Dumb question of the day - what is this threaded hole for on the backside of my BB-1 updraft carb?

 

[keiser31]

This one shows a bolt in the hole....

[Taylormade]

Is the hole there for a reason?  I'm glad a simple bolt will solve the problem!

[keiser31]

Where's Carbking when you need him?

[R.White]

I thought it might be for a balance pipe should more than one carb be used.?

[countrytravler]

6 minutes ago, R.White said:

I thought it might be for a balance pipe should more than one carb be used.?

Never seen dual updrafts on a Dodge.

 

[R.White]

Could this carb have been used on other makes?

[carbking]

1 hour ago, keiser31 said:

Where's Carbking when you need him?

Hosting a family reunion!

 

On a 1932 Dodge, I do not have the answer and looking forward to learning the answer from a 1932 Dodge enthusiast; however:

 

Carter also made the type BB-1 updraft for marine applications.

 

When the engine is turned off, with an updraft carburetor, all fuel currently in suspension in the intake manifold will fall (gravity) to the throttle plate, and then into the air intake of the carburetor. To counteract this issue, Carter offered a "drip tube". There is a threaded boss in the lowest point of the air intake with a tiny hole. All of the gasoline falling into the air intake will congregate just above the hole. The drip tube was a piece of copper tubing connected on one end to the threaded hole in the intake, then dropping a couple of inches, sometimes making a loop for more volume, and finally connecting to the threaded hole in question in the picture, which is above the throttle plate and exposed to engine vacuum. When the engine Is turned off, the fuel will accumulate in the drip tube. When the engine is started, the fuel in the drip tube is pulled into the intake, and acts as a "starter circuit" instead of the physical choke. Fuel leakage is not a desirable trait on a boat, and the drop tube pretty well solved the issue!

 

Jon.

[Taylormade]

And there is carbking when you need him!  That makes perfect sense, Jon.  And since you sold me parts for my carb, I'm looking forward to good performance from my unit.

[Phil 32DL6]

As further reference on this, mine seems to have a simple plug installed...probably brass?...probably factory installed?

 

(Image taken in a mirror, then flopped)

[keiser31]

1 minute ago, Phil 32DL6 said:

As further reference on this, mine seems to have a simple plug installed...probably brass?...probably factory installed?

 

(Image taken in a mirror, then flopped)

Interesting that yours has no hole where the other shows a bolt.

[Taylormade]

Now I'll add to the confusion.  I'm not sure if Phil's photo is flopped or he has a left hand carb.  Being left-handed myself, I'm always confused when it comes to direction.  Anyway, I flopped his photo to what I think is the correct orientation and compared it to mine.

 

It looks like Phil's carb has no hole drilled and tapped like my carb does.  I think what Phil is identifying as a plug is actually the brass pivot shaft for the throttle valve.  At any rate, I think carbking's explanation makes perfect sense and I think we have the problem solved.

[Phil 32DL6]

I think it was a brain flop instead. I had the flopped photo ready to upload when I realized that i had wanted to put the red arrow in. So I went back and put that in but forgot to flop the newly revised photo...thus the original true mirror image look. And, yes, yours has the throttle linkage in the back of the carb while mine has it at the front, so mine just shows a flush pivot shaft in back. My throttle linkage is intimately tied in with the auto clutch linkages in front.

Edited July 15, 2017 by Phil 32DL6
Additional info. (see edit history)

[carbking]

One of the issues which continually haunts enthusiasts is the incomplete information in the factory parts manuals, which is then parroted on this and other forums. My guess would be the factory parts manual for the 1932 Dodge lists a Carter BB carburetor.

 

Carter made the BB carburetors in two styles, updraft and downdraft (although most refer to the BB downdraft as a BBR).

 

I have information on 28 different BB updraft carburetors used by 14 different makes, plus the 5 different universals.

 

Always a good idea when posting to list the carb number (if known) along with the type.

 

And not just carburetors! I learned this lesson on a different forum when finished my highly modified 1974 Pontiac GTO (yes, I know this is a restoration forum, but I did save all original parts, and some future caretaker could return it to original, if desired). Two gentleman that I know well and trust implicitly answered my question as to whether the GTO long branch factory Ram Air exhaust manifolds would fit on the '74 GTO. Both had the long branches on their cars. On the strength of that knowledge, I ordered a set of the reproductions. We put the engine in the car, and could not attach the driver's side manifold. Finally gave up, pulled the engine, installed the manifolds on the engine, and could not get the engine in the car! Called one of the gentlemen on the telephone (still a much more powerful tool than email!!! ). We talked for awhile, and finally one of us mentioned steering. He had manual steering, I had power. Found a manual steering box. Sure enough, the power steering box was 1/4 inch, one miserable 1/4 inch wider!   Then had to find a steering link but that is another story. 2 years later, had the entire manual steering AND the engine with the long branches installed.

 

Entirely my fault for not mentioning that I had power steering.

 

One simply cannot post too much information when asking questions.

 

Jon.

Edited July 15, 2017 by carbking (see edit history)

[Taylormade]

Good info, Jon.  In fact, the original carb on the 32 Dodge Brothers was not a BB-1 updraft, but one of the Carters with the brass bowl - like the one you rebuilt for my 1929 Plymouth Model U twenty-five years ago.  I know the BB-1 was a dealer replacement as the original carbs had problems.

 

Edited July 16, 2017 by Taylormade (see edit history)