What are you working on right now?

[Jeff Perkins / Mn]

2 hours ago, dei said:

Nothing car related  and frankly quite depressed about the whole situation.

Things keep cropping up that I have no control over but need to be addressed.

At least I can say we are all healthy but... 

 

Ya know, without good health we have nothing. “Fires” always seem to pop up in our lives, just have to take care them and move on. Cheer up friend, when you look at the garden see the flowers instead of the weeds!

 

[Brill_C-37M_Bus]

I’m working on restoring the 11 light fixtures for the front of my ‘51 Brill coach.  Today I installed the parking lights, and what a journey that was!

 

- Just studying old photos to find what parking lights would be accurate took a while.  I finally found a fixture that looks close on eBay, then had to find a clear lens to fit it.  Had to flatten part of the bezel to fit the lens, and cut my own gaskets, but it worked!

 

 

- The round holes were just a bit too small for the more accurate fixture I switched to. To cut the aluminum body, I clamped a reciprocating saw blade in a vice and hammered it until it was curved.  Worked pretty well!

 

- I couldn’t solder the wires with my pencil iron, so I cut an aluminum can as a heat shield, and torch soldered both connections.  Hard work, but they’re very solid now.

 

 

So here’s the results: two nice 1950s clear glass parking lights where there used to be ugly 1990s amber plastic lights.  I need to finish other lights before I reinstall the battery and test everything.

 

 

[Brill_C-37M_Bus]

Got more of the lights rust treated and reinstalled, and temporarily put some nice shiny chrome and enamel on her nose.  Lots of work remains, but it’s nice to stand back and stare at a dream steadily coming true!

 

 

 

[Terry Harper]

Once again I found myself at the Maine Forest & Logging Museum. It might sound like I live there or at least closeby but thats not quite so.

I live in a small northern Maine town tucked in close to the Canadian border - complete with thousands and thousands of acres of rolling potato and brocolli fields and a growing Amish community. Its a 2-1/2 hour drive one way to the museum.  Todays highlights were a moose just off route 1A south of  Easton,  hard braking for a deer  on I-95 by Island Falls and cautionary reduction of speed for a healthy Black Bear just north of Oakland.

 

Anyway, after dropping off our grandson I headed over to the museum and met-up with Herb. We spent the next three hours hiking  and cutting and clearing blowdowns on the Blue Trail. Next project will be re-building a hiking bridge that collapsed and leveling-up the walkway on the Red Trail.

 

After lunch I set to work to do some annual maintenence on our 1934 10 ton Lombard. This included greasing all the universal joints among other things.

I also spent some more time on the dump truck. I hae lost count of how many grease fittings this beast has! Today I found 23 more! 20 of which are for the road wheels. I found these hidden behind sizeable plugs.

 

 

Below is a good view of the drivetrain. Differential, brake and transmission.

 

Note the size of the universal joints. For comparison the deck on each side is 16" wide.

 

And last... one of the 16 plugs and grease fittings for the road roadwheels on the dump truck.

Actually its more than that since the front roadwheels have double fittings per side.

 

 

 

 

Edited June 9, 2020 by Terry Harper (see edit history)

[8E45E]

On ‎6‎/‎7‎/‎2020 at 8:15 PM, Brill_C-37M_Bus said:

Got more of the lights rust treated and reinstalled, and temporarily put some nice shiny chrome and enamel on her nose.  Lots of work remains, but it’s nice to stand back and stare at a dream steadily coming true!

 

 

 

 

Is your Brill a highway coach as opposed to a city transit bus?  I note only one front door, with no second rear exit door, and fog lamps which were not normally seen on city transit buses.

 

Where I lived when I rode city transit on a regular basis, there were plenty of Brill buses, gasoline and trolley buses: http://www.barp.ca/photo_index2.html

 

Craig

[Brill_C-37M_Bus]

Mine is an interesting hybrid: a suburban coach built on a city transit body, all a special order for the US Army.  They started with ACF-Brill’s rather lightweight C-31 city bus and specified a larger engine, a spare tire compartment, luggage racks, and more comfortable coach seats.  I only knew she was built by Brill when I got her, everything else I figured out as I worked on the bus.  If you want some more details, this is the historical sign I keep with the bus:

 

[8E45E]

On ‎6‎/‎9‎/‎2020 at 10:08 AM, Brill_C-37M_Bus said:

Mine is an interesting hybrid: a suburban coach built on a city transit body, all a special order for the US Army.  They started with ACF-Brill’s rather lightweight C-31 city bus and specified a larger engine, a spare tire compartment, luggage racks, and more comfortable coach seats.  

Thanks for the information!

 

One thing I learned about passenger coaches, is that there was never one 'fits all' specification for them.  Each batch was basically a 'special order' for the administration that purchased them.  Different transit systems in each city and inter-city coach operators, as well as the various government agencies had their own set of requirements for their buses, and color schemes, seating arrangement/capacity, standee windows, or not, etc.  I first noticed this where the transit buses owned by the city I lived in had more basic two tone vinyl seating, where the county next to it had more comfortable thicker padded cloth seating in their buses when I was able to compare each other's fleet of later 1970's order of GM New Look transit buses.

 

Craig 

Edited June 10, 2020 by 8E45E (see edit history)

[Brill_C-37M_Bus]

3 hours ago, 8E45E said:

One thing I learned about passenger coaches, is that there was never one 'fits all' specification for them.  

 

That’s certainly true, but the C-37M model was still an outlier among outliers.  The engine option it has isn’t listed in the Brill C-31 spec booklet, although exceptions seemed to be the rule at ACF-Brill.  Pittsburgh Railways got the same bigger engine in their even smaller 27-foot buses.  Also, the enlarged Evans heat/ventilation setup was unique to the Army coaches.

 

ACF-Brill thought the unique buses they delivered to the Army might catch on with civilians, so they introduced a revised version right after C-37M production ended: the model SU-37.  Sadly, they only built 15 of this new “SU”burban model.

 

 

My bus is getting covered back up for a while, so I won’t have many more updates. I have a lot of small parts like wipers and marker lights to fix.

 

Once the restoration really gets moving again, would anyone object to a separate restoration thread for my bus in this forum?  I find my coach is out of place in most bus forums, since 99% of the content there tends to be heavily modded diesel-powered motorhomes.  I like that folks here care about carburetors, preservation, and restoring all the little details to original condition!

Edited June 10, 2020 by Brill_C-37M_Bus (see edit history)

[8E45E]

2 hours ago, Brill_C-37M_Bus said:

 

That’s certainly true, but the C-37M model was still an outlier among outliers.  The engine option it has isn’t listed in the Brill C-31 spec booklet, although exceptions seemed to be the rule at ACF-Brill.  Pittsburgh Railways got the same bigger engine in their even smaller 27-foot buses.  Also, the enlarged Evans heat/ventilation setup was unique to the Army coaches.

 

ACF-Brill thought the unique buses they delivered to the Army might catch on with civilians, so they introduced a revised version right after C-37M production ended: the model SU-37.  Sadly, they only built 15 of this new “SU”burban model.

 

 

My bus is getting covered back up for a while, so I won’t have many more updates. I have a lot of small parts like wipers and marker lights to fix.

 

Once the restoration really gets moving again, would anyone object to a separate restoration thread for my bus in this forum?  I find my coach is out of place in most bus forums, since 99% of the content there tends to be heavily modded diesel-powered motorhomes.  I like that folks here care about carburetors, preservation, and restoring all the little details to original condition!

I certainly would not object, and see absolutely no reason why anyone else should, either.

 

A vintage bus is still an antique road-going vehicle, and has its place among collectors.  Look at the vintage bus scene in England, if one wants to see some real appreciation for old coaches.

 

Craig

[Lahti35]

On 4/29/2020 at 10:49 AM, Rob H21. said:

New project for rescoration on my way!!!

Nice, don't see many of those around. 

 

I restored a GAZ-69M a number of years ago, surplus out of East Germany that ended up in Florida where I bought it. 

[Steve_Mack_CT]

Spent a few hours this weekend pulling rear end on the Model A roadster as we are replacing the clutch.  Been too hot to drive much but the best time for an open A in New England is coming up fast!

[auburnseeker]

Still working on the darn Dodge.  Wet sanded and buffed the paint,  pulled and straightened / polished the front stainless fender moldings and center grille pan, Realigned the front bumper,  which was way off and actually below the front pan,  pulled all the tires, mounted all new ones and balanced all of them with my bubble balancer, Replaced the master and Wheel cylinders and rubber hoses, Set everything up with my new Micro brake gauge and added a brake return spring that they forgot to install, Changed the oil and gave it a full grease job, Pulled and fixed the radio, replaced the center chrome on the dash with an NOS unit and now I'm finishing up  making new brackets for the cowl ventilator as they were missing.  Lots more little things to do.  I've got to stop looking,  I keep finding stuff to fix I just can't leave. Top still needs adjustment as do windows.  I still have to install the NOS heater control head.  Also repair the check arms on the doors as that's what wrecked the moldings originally. 

Does it ever end?  Remind me to never buy a car that the owner said they restored to the best of their ability.  

I'll have to post some photos. 

[Steve_Mack_CT]

New clutch, etc. And rear brakes installed last night.  We finished around 9:00 as my little mini barn is not electrified, so it was extension cords and drop lights for last couple of hours.  Two hours of cleaning and organizing this morning.  I still need to bolt up U joint cover, reinstall a few things but 90% there.. 🙂

[Mark Wetherbee]

While waiting on a set of Rebabbited rods I decided I would like to get a second set of taillights on my Pierce and bought a pile of pieces on eBay to tinker with. One of the buckets had a bullet hole but it was otherwise in decent enough shape so here it is before and after spending around 8 hours on it...

[dei]

Using this as therapy and keeping busy.

 

More than a few hours polishing chrome and stainless just to keep her up.

Then I have front sheet metal to restore, put on her and an engine to rebuild,

It's been a long time coming....

[auburnseeker]

Pulled the door panel off and spent a ton of time adjusting the vent window assembly which hit the Windshield pillar when closing the door.  Of course that meant adjusting the window as well and making up stops for it as they were missing so you could roll it up too far and it would hit the rails on the top before you closed the door. Got that figured out and the door closing pretty well,  now I'm working on the top.  I installed new nylon washers on the shouldered pivot bolts and worked down a couple of machine brass bushings for the long shouldered bolts so all the hardware doesn't rack when you raise and lower the top.  I've finally got it pretty close.  Once I do the other side,  I'll have to try the top.  It should go down nicely.  Driver's side is so screwed up you can't even roll the window up all the way or it will hit the top frame and not allow you close the door.  Fortunately when they put the door panels on,  the upholstery shop used the nice spring clips so they come off easy without damaging the panel.  Might as well wet sand and buff the door garnish moldings (quite wide) while I have them off. 

I still have to get one of the cowl ventilator brackets freed up.  It's been soaking and I've been working on it.  Interesting double pivoting affair, that hooks up to the new brackets I made. 

My wife thinks I'm just looking for things to fix.  I told her,  you need to have stuff like windows and doors that work properly and a top that doesn't feel like it's going to fall apart when you put it up or down.  One of the problems with a car that was all apart and I believe put together by someone that didn't take it apart.

[Jeff Perkins / Mn]

13 minutes ago, auburnseeker said:

 One of the problems with a car that was all apart and I believe put together by someone that didn't take it apart.

This has been the case every time I have bought a car partially assembled. Lots of head scratching and some teeth gnashing.

The best old cars I have purchased (3 I can think of) were owned by airplane mechanics.....workmanship was excellent.

[Steve_Mack_CT]

Reinstalled rest of brakes on the A, rods, etc. and adjusted them "in place" along with new clutch.  Batt box, batt, floor and rear shocks, and we should be road test ready.  Oh, and I should order up another gross of cotter pins!

[Jeff Perkins / Mn]

On 8/31/2020 at 9:38 AM, Steve_Mack_CT said:

Reinstalled rest of brakes on the A, rods, etc. and adjusted them "in place" along with new clutch.  Batt box, batt, floor and rear shocks, and we should be road test ready.  Oh, and I should order up another gross of cotter pins!

 
Please post a picture when you take the road test.

i once bought a running / driving Model T Touring from a local gent and that car had NOT EVEN ONE cotter pin on it, including the mains and rods. Took me over a week to place every one....

[Steve_Mack_CT]

Wow, will do Jeff!! 😯

[dei]

Continuing sorting, putting on labels after polishing parts.

 

 

 

 

Enough there to keep me out of trouble.

[Steve_Mack_CT]

Ok Jeff.  Clyde finally broke out of the mini barn today!  25 or so cotter pins.  Note to self, A. They are a pain in the butt to install on clevis that like to move around, and B. Tractor supply is cool, but their super cotter pin assortment pack has tons of one size too small and one size too big. Of course, a few, but not quite enough of "just right"... 

 

Installed everything but rear shocks, I have a pair of arms coming to finish that job.  

 

Short road test, stops and shifts well!  I do think brakes need a bit more adjusting, but no pulls.  Didn't go far enough to brake at any high speeds.  Only issue was I left my cell phone on the rumble deck, and drove off.  Luckily I found it a few houses down in the middle of the road, face up and amazingly intact! 😯😊

 

I should have taken picture after his annual wash!! 

Edited September 5, 2020 by Steve_Mack_CT (see edit history)

[Jeff Perkins / Mn]

Ok! Fold the windscreen down, turn your hat around and give it snoose (as we say in minnesooooooda)!

Happy to hear you are on the road.......with phone. (We all need a little luck!)

Edited September 5, 2020 by Jeff Perkins / Mn (see edit history)

[edinmass]

What am I working on right now? That’s easy....a nervous breakdown.............

[auburnseeker]

3 hours ago, edinmass said:

What am I working on right now? That’s easy....a nervous breakdown.............

Haven't you used your alotments of breakdowns up already for the year? 

[edinmass]

5 hours ago, auburnseeker said:

Haven't you used your alotments of breakdowns up already for the year? 

When you make your living fixing pre war cars, your entitled to a limitless supply.

[Steve_Mack_CT]

Nervous breakdowns can be cpntrolled by letting anger out.  That is why I love being close enough to neighbors for a friendly wave, but far enough so certain language can be used freely, as needed, without apologies or emabarassment. 

 

Occasionally, but much less often with age, it  even becomes necesary to punish a tool.  That can be most therapuetic. 😉

[edinmass]

3 hours ago, Steve_Mack_CT said:

Nervous breakdowns can be cpntrolled by letting anger out.  That is why I love being close enough to neighbors for a friendly wave, but far enough so certain language can be used freely, as needed, without apologies or emabarassment. 

 

Occasionally, but much less often with age, it  even becomes necesary to punish a tool.  That can be most therapuetic. 😉

 

To quote W C Fields......... “The liver is evil, and it must be punished!”

[auburnseeker]

The 6 inches of roxul insulation and 1 inch of High R foam work great for insulating heat and cold,  but also work great as a sound barrier.  With that dodge,  choice words have filled the air several times.

[alsancle]

My dad and I have spent the summer leisurely trying to sort out the shifting problems on his Cord 812 Cabriolet.    The shifting is controlled by an eletro-mechanical switching mechanism with the aid of engine vacuum.    When I drove it last in the spring home from getting a new top I had to cover 12 miles or so with only 2nd and 3rd gears.  No 1st, 4th or reverse.

 

We have eliminated the interlock switch at the front of the car on the transmission as the problem and worked our way back to the selection switch in the steering column.   Swapping the column harness and the switch itself is a HUGE deal and I only want to do this once.  We have gotten a lot of support from the ACD club and most of the parts are available.

 

In in the process of deciding how much of the wiring harness we are going to replace while everything is apart.   The choices all have tradeoffs.

[edinmass]

The water you are swimming in is very deep...........do you know how to swim?

[auburnseeker]

I got a few spare minutes today and tackled the vent window on the dodge only to find out the rivets or welds or whatever they were that hold the post in that mounts the front of the frame was broke free and they siliconed the post in place.  Since I needed to bend it so it would adjust the front of the frame properly it came loose.  I cleaned it up ground off the 2 spots, drilled them out and threaded it to 6/32.  Now I need to get oval headed stainless machine screws tomorrow so I can put it back together for final fit. 

I replaced the fuzzy weatherstrip on the outer door molding as someone caught it when it was out of adjustment on the jamb,  bent it and put a kink in it,  which actually pulled the stainless beed from the backing.  It looked like hell. 

Little steps of progress.  I just want to get the darn thing done so I can drive it and get to work on Victoria.  I think I have the top properly adjusted so once this is done and i make new stops for the window,   I should be on the home stretch. 

Nothing will get done tomorrow as I have to go up to my Father's and help him put a roof on his house.  Same weekend 19 years ago we put a roof on his small garage.  I only remember because I told him I would help him any day but labor day weekend.  Guess what,  that was the time he decided to do it.  Maybe Monday if I'm lucky I can make some progress. 

[Rivka Lela]

What am I working on now...well, joining AACA.   Hello from the noobie (with the raggedy manicure: nice nails and old cars don't mix).

 

Last week I was dealing with broken wheel studs on my 2010 Prius.  This week more interesting (and less need to Get It Running NOW!) - it's time for my 1941 Plymouth P12 to pass Mass inspection again, and...the horn's been flaky, and the headlight I used a modern NAPA connector on wasn't working.   So I've got two old original connectors and I am redoing the headlight and horn wiring.  Right now, just enough to pass inspection.   6 volt systems aren't a problem.   Good grounds, good connections, and big enough wire is all you need.  The first two tend to need attention.  Every iffy ground, loose connection, or short piece of 18 gauge in the circuit adds to the voltage drop.  It's a long run to the headlights, and you need to have clean "pipes" and solid connections so the electricity gets there.  (Or worse, it lets the magic smoke out!)  I have lots of pictures of sections of wiring, but it's all for study now - pictures later, I suppose.   

That said, I think a relay for the headlights is a good addition.  Half the voltage is twice the amperage, as Mx. Ohm said.

 

I do think I am going to give up on the 1965 Cub Cadet project. 

Edited September 10, 2020 by Rivka Lela
addition (see edit history)

[95Cardinal]

1 hour ago, Rivka Lela said:

What am I working on now...well, joining AACA.   Hello from the noobie (with the raggedy manicure: nice nails and old cars don't mix).

 

Last week I was dealing with broken wheel studs on my 2010 Prius.  This week more interesting (and less need to Get It Running NOW!) - it's time for my 1941 Plymouth P12 to pass Mass inspection again, and...the horn's been flaky, and the headlight I used a modern NAPA connector on wasn't working.   So I've got two old original connectors and I am redoing the headlight and horn wiring.  Right now, just enough to pass inspection.   6 volt systems aren't a problem.   Good grounds, good connections, and big enough wire is all you need.  The first two tend to need attention.  Every iffy ground, loose connection, or short piece of 18 gauge in the circuit adds to the voltage drop.  It's a long run to the headlights, and you need to have clean "pipes" and solid connections so the electricity gets there.  (Or worse, it lets the magic smoke out!)  I have lots of pictures of sections of wiring, but it's all for study now - pictures later, I suppose.   

That said, I think a relay for the headlights is a good addition.  Half the voltage is twice the amperage, as Mx. Ohm said.

 

I do think I am going to give up on the 1965 Cub Cadet project. 

 

Welcome aboard, Rivka!

That was an AWESOME first post!

[Mike "Hubbie" Stearns]

“Letting the smoke out” is a safety device. It lets you know what’s bad. 

[Steve_Mack_CT]

3 hours ago, Rivka Lela said:

What am I working on now...well, joining AACA.   Hello from the noobie (with the raggedy manicure: nice nails and old cars don't mix).

 

Last week I was dealing with broken wheel studs on my 2010 Prius.  This week more interesting (and less need to Get It Running NOW!) - it's time for my 1941 Plymouth P12 to pass Mass inspection again, and...

 

Welcome Rivka!!  Pics of the Plymouth please!!  My first antique car/first car was a 41 Ply - still a favorite! 

[Jeff Perkins / Mn]

Welcome and Thank You for posting! ‘41 Plymouths have one of the nicest looking grilles of any of the 40’s cars. Please post pictures at some point!

[edinmass]

Rivka.......I have lived in Ludlow for 50years, and recently transplanted to Palm Beach Florida. Still have my home about 800 feet from the Belchertown line. Welcome to the club, and our wonderful little forum. If you need any specific help, feel free to ask me by PM ........good luck with your car......Mass inspection stickers can be difficult for any car.......I had two stations at exit seven for many years. 

[nick8086]

Wall art..

 

I added my wife stuff.. Her stuff cost more than my stuff...

Edited September 11, 2020 by nick8086 (see edit history)

[auburnseeker]

3 hours ago, Mike "Hubbie" Stearns said:

“Letting the smoke out” is a safety device. It lets you know what’s bad. 

As long as it's just smoke you are OK.  When the orange lights start flashing inside it,  then it's a whole new game.  I'm surprised I don't have nightmares of trying to put out the under hood fire on my 60 Fuelie Corvette. (dead short in the starting circuit at the starter I believe)   Funny smell, little smoke,  flames start poking out,  then the black smoke started rolling. 

Fortunately we got it out but not until it did $30,000 worth of damage.  That was all under hood and hood as we saved the body and even paint work on almost everything but the hood. Interior even cleaned up nice as I helped the fire department put it out, then immediately went to work to preserve it so it never sat out neglected.