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Who is rebuilding your vintage water pump?


Matt Harwood

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I just learned with great dismay that my favorite water pump rebuilder has retired, so I need someone else to tackle the pump on my 1935 Lincoln V12. I called a few places I found using Google, but I'm never quite sure if they're the guys to trust. Worse, the quotes for the work were between $600 and $750, which seems like WAY too much for a water pump rebuild (my guy only charged $225). 

 

Who do you prefer and how much do they charge (roughly) for a pre-war water pump on a somewhat uncommon car?

 

 

Edited by Matt Harwood (see edit history)
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Fourty years ago I took my pump to a local machine shop.  Five days later it was ready and has worked perfectly ever since except for needing repacking every five years or so, just like the old one.  We don't have too many specialist rebuilders up here in Canada so except for my windshield wiper motor I have always used local machinists.  Never been disappointed yet.

Good luck with your search.

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The new guys in Holden Mass are good people, have a great shop, and own and collect Packards.......and the husband & wife team are in their 30's...........a few months ago they had a split windshield full custom Dietrich in the shop for service. They know what they are doing, and they will soon evolve into one of the new powerhouse shops in the east. Matt........pump rebuilds in my old shop run from 600 to 1200 depending on lots of different issues. BUT - thats with new sealed bearings, new stainless shaft, modern seals, correct end play, etc. All competent and qualified shops are getting few and far between. Its getting to the point that length of time waiting on service is becoming a very serious issue.........I last rebuillt  a late V-12 Lincoln pump like yours back in the mid 80's, and it had cracks in the pump housing, which I was told was common. Thats how I met Frank Casey! 👍

Edited by edinmass (see edit history)
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I've used Gould and would recommend them for doing good work.

Prices are decent and they communicate very well with you during the process.

 

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1 hour ago, zepher said:

I've used Gould and would recommend them for doing good work.

Prices are decent and they communicate very well with you during the process.

 

 I used to use Gould and was satisfied with his work. I WOULD NOT recommend the guys who operate under his name now. I'm probably not allowed to convey my issue with them or the moderators might get upset. My experience was with a fuel pump but it was so bad I won't send them anything now. Let me just say if anyone wants to know my experience send me a pm.

 

Carl

Edited by 1937-44 (see edit history)
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What exactly are you trying to accomplish? If you want a modern cartridge bearing and seal in there, friends of mine have used "Flying Dutchman", and were happy with the results.

 

http://water-pump-rebuilders.com/

 

Is that what I would do? Probably not. When you put a modern bearing in a prewar pump, it is like a modern pump. If it starts leaking, you need another one to get home. On a packing-style pump, you just tighten the nut a little. In fact, that happened to me on the day I brought the Pontiac home. The pump started leaking about 20 miles into a 165 mile trip. I tightened the nut a couple of notches and continued. It still works fine a couple of years later. If that had been a modern bearing and seal, I would have been calling for the slideback to take me the remaining 145 miles....

 

For a packing-style pump needing a complete overhaul, any general machinist you trust will do.

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  I think it may be a tossup between Gould in Holden. Mass and Terrell in Texas.

In January I sent my Packard '39 Super eight water pump to Gould on a Thursday (from Maine) and received it back the next Wednesday.  Not as rare as Matt's Lincoln V12 pump, but a one year only item so I had some trepidation about sending it out. Nice looking job.

  Had a good fuel pump experience with Terrell last fall.

  FWIW the PAC chapter had a tech seminar at the Gould shop in Holden last fall.

  Theres always some heartburn sending an expensive part out to be rebuilt. Thats what insurance is for.

  Good luck, Matt.

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2 hours ago, 1937-44 said:

 I used to use Gould and was satisfied with his work. I WOULD NOT recommend the guys who operate under his name now. I'm probably not allowed to convey my issue with them or the moderators might get upset. My experience was with a fuel pump but it was so bad I won't send them anything now. Let me just say if anyone wants to know my experience send me a pm.

 

Carl

 

Carl,

How long ago did you use them? 

 

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1 hour ago, JimKB1MCV said:

  I think it may be a tossup between Gould in Holden. Mass and Terrell in Texas.

In January I sent my Packard '39 Super eight water pump to Gould on a Thursday (from Maine) and received it back the next Wednesday.  Not as rare as Matt's Lincoln V12 pump, but a one year only item so I had some trepidation about sending it out. Nice looking job.

  Had a good fuel pump experience with Terrell last fall.

  FWIW the PAC chapter had a tech seminar at the Gould shop in Holden last fall.

  Theres always some heartburn sending an expensive part out to be rebuilt. Thats what insurance is for.

  Good luck, Matt.

 

 

The Lincoln pump is not a straight forward pump compared to most cars...........and, by the way, you won’t find a replacement if the shop ruins your old one.........I sold an identicle pump five years ago, you don’t want to know what I got for it. They were literally begging me for it. Just remember your dealing with unobtainium when it comes to that pump.

Edited by edinmass (see edit history)
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29 minutes ago, edinmass said:

 

 

The Lincoln pump is not a straight forward pump compared to most cars...........and, by the way, you won’t find a replacement if the shop ruins your old one.........I sold an identicle pump five years ago, you don’t want to know what I got for it. They were literally begging me for it. Just remember your dealing with unobtainium when it comes to that pump.

 

Well that's reassuring. 

 

I'll give a few of these places a try, starting with Gould's. My preference is for a stock rebuild with the packing rather than a sealed bearing, but we'll see what they recommend.

 

Thanks for the information, everyone.

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1 hour ago, John348 said:

 

Carl,

How long ago did you use them? 

 

 The last time I used them was May of 2012. I returned it to them only to receive it back nonfunctional for a second time. I then sent it in to a second rebuilder as a core.

 

Carl

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1 hour ago, Matt Harwood said:

 

Well that's reassuring. 

 

I'll give a few of these places a try, starting with Gould's. My preference is for a stock rebuild with the packing rather than a sealed bearing, but we'll see what they recommend.

 

Thanks for the information, everyone.

 

 

Rebuilding it it stock will be much less expensive.

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1 hour ago, 1937-44 said:

 The last time I used them was May of 2012. I returned it to them only to receive it back nonfunctional for a second time. I then sent it in to a second rebuilder as a core.

 

Carl

 

That makes sense, Artie sold the business before that and at that time it was being run by a few young guys. I had problems as well. I hope the new people who purchased the business are not haunted by this.

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9 hours ago, mercer09 said:

+The guy in NY was great and retired. I am assuming you are referring to him? Gould...........

 

business was sold to a co in CT and they are continuing on the same great service. They are very reasonable.

 

I used Arthur Gold for years, and then the young man who bought his business - professional and reasonable

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I was brave enough to send Gould the water pump from my Rickenbacker last year.

That pump is pure unobtanium.

They pulled it apart and found a bad, previous repair job and let me know right away what they had found.

I knew the pump had been repaired previously but not to what extent the repairs were. The previous repairs were done in the early 80's.

The pump worked great even with the bad repairs so I didn't think there were severe issues with the previous repair.

 

Long story short, they were a pleasure to deal with and there was great communication throughout the entire process.

I had a good experience, hopefully others will as well.

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8 hours ago, John348 said:

 

That makes sense, Artie sold the business before that and at that time it was being run by a few young guys. I had problems as well. I hope the new people who purchased the business are not haunted by this.

 I had assumed the people who had bought the business from Arthur still owned the business. When did it come under newer management?

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12 hours ago, 1937-44 said:

 I had assumed the people who had bought the business from Arthur still owned the business. When did it come under newer management?

 

I think it was about two years ago. 

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