jreeder41 Posted December 13, 2016 Share Posted December 13, 2016 We have in our shop a 32 Thorne. The truck is mostly complete. It is missing the rad cap and the lever for the ignition is broken. The lever is very similar to a 28 dodge headlamp lever but the base is longer on the Thorne. I attached a couple pics. The radiator is a dodge unit #585936 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Restorer32 Posted December 13, 2016 Share Posted December 13, 2016 WOW! We restored a.'36 Thorne gas electric milk truck, the very last truck Thorne built. You likely will have to have the part made though I'm sure it's a generic switch, not made by Thorne. Thorne is one of those makes.you seldom hear of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F&J Posted December 13, 2016 Share Posted December 13, 2016 (edited) The handle is likely same shape for both. I'd cast a new pair from zinc, by using the green-sand method with a simple core box. Here is a talented home casting guy in UK, and he has plenty of videos to make parts like that. This one video deals with making green sand and some looks at the simple core box for small parts like that: I'd choose zinc, rather than aluminum because I think the zinc can be copper/nickel plated? Zinc is a bit stronger too, and not much more temps to melt it down, compared to Aluminum. I do small zinc parts using old carburetor bodies broken up. I used to heat the chunks in a indoor wood boiler in a small cast iron pot, and when the combustion blower was blowing on the wood, it took 10-15 minutes for a batch. You don't really need a cast pot, you can melt in a steel one. Castings shrink when cooled. There are online charts to tell how much per inch on a given metal. If that is a problem, you can use a dip coating on the old part to make it bigger, to end up with the right size. It won't need much for a short part like that. On the cap, if you knew what it looks like, you could also cast a new upper part by making a dummy cap to press into the sand. I'd assume the cap was pretty simple looking, and not too intricate design? That 3 tang lower piece that fits down the neck, would have been a cup shaped thing, held to the underside of the cap casting with a screw. The cup could be made from a "Marine" brass, cup-type freeze plug. Lots of places sell brass freeze plugs for the auto engine rebuilding trade. . Edited December 13, 2016 by F&J (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zipdang Posted December 13, 2016 Share Posted December 13, 2016 I would like to see photos of the truck itself if possible. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMoneyPit Posted December 14, 2016 Share Posted December 14, 2016 Switch looks like a Delco unit from the 1920's - please take an oblique picture of the handle and maybe someone can match it with a more common make. That vehicle sounds like a really interesting project! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Restorer32 Posted December 14, 2016 Share Posted December 14, 2016 If it were our problem we would remove the other handle and send it to the foundry that does work for us. They would cast us a new one in silicon bronze. Might take 3-4 weeks and cost $20. Yours is one of the easier problems to have in a restoration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jreeder41 Posted December 14, 2016 Author Share Posted December 14, 2016 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jreeder41 Posted December 14, 2016 Author Share Posted December 14, 2016 for whatever reason it wont load directly from my phone. Sorry its sideways. Restorer32 would you mind giving me the name of your foundry? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keiser31 Posted December 14, 2016 Share Posted December 14, 2016 Here you go.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Restorer32 Posted December 14, 2016 Share Posted December 14, 2016 Cattail Foundry in Lancaster, PA. They are Amish so no telephones or website. They do bronze, aluminum and iron. One of the few foundries that will still do castings using the original piece as the pattern. Where are you located? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Restorer32 Posted December 14, 2016 Share Posted December 14, 2016 Interesting vehicles. The '36 we did had a 4 cylinder Hercules industrial engine turning a 70 volt generator which in turn powered the motor attached to the rear wheels. Interesting trivia question. Why did owners buy the gas electrics to use as delivery vehicles? What was their advantage over traditional vehicles? Ours was a milk truck. They were also popular with bakeries and other urban businesses that delivered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarlLaFong Posted December 14, 2016 Share Posted December 14, 2016 1 hour ago, Restorer32 said: Interesting vehicles. The '36 we did had a 4 cylinder Hercules industrial engine turning a 70 volt generator which in turn powered the motor attached to the rear wheels. Interesting trivia question. Why did owners buy the gas electrics to use as delivery vehicles? What was their advantage over traditional vehicles? Ours was a milk truck. They were also popular with bakeries and other urban businesses that delivered. I would think the stop and go with, what was essentially, an electric vehicle, would be less fatiguing for the driver and maintenance would be easier with no conventional driveline Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Restorer32 Posted December 14, 2016 Share Posted December 14, 2016 Actually the big advantage was the lack of a clutch. Then as now employees seem to delight in abusing clutches. The elderly gentleman we restored the truck for ( member of the family that still owns the dairy) had to use the milk truck if he wanted to date with wheels. The family had money and a car but he was relegated to the milk truck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spinneyhill Posted December 14, 2016 Share Posted December 14, 2016 Yes, it is easier to ride the clutch than to put the hand brake on and if necessary do a hill start. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Giles Posted December 14, 2016 Share Posted December 14, 2016 Jay Christ from York, pa. restored at least one. Plus, his good friend Bif Flori is the son of the head engineer from Thorne and Walker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Restorer32 Posted December 14, 2016 Share Posted December 14, 2016 Actually we did the complete restoration of the Thorne Jay has. We restored it for his brother Dale, now passed. Jay likes to claim he restored the truck but he had nothing to do with the restoration. He was never in our shop. We finished the restoration in 1998. He simply inherited the restored truck when Dale passed. We contacted Bif and he helped us with the final wiring on the truck. The truck has been shown is several AACA shows, including Hershey. JusT setting the record straight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jreeder41 Posted December 14, 2016 Author Share Posted December 14, 2016 This one was a bread truck then used as a mobile welder and pipe thawing rig. The owners father put a surplus 50's Chrysler industrial flat 6 in it. We are located in Hartleton, PA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zipdang Posted December 15, 2016 Share Posted December 15, 2016 Thank you for the picture. Love it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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