Aussie 1930 Chrysler 66 Tourer Restoration.

[lambroast]

Great job mate, and thanks for sharing your story!

I look forward to reading your future posts, and seeing the Chrysler hit the road!!

[Sasha39]

As always BEAUTIFUL work, hope my tourer comes up to at least approaching your standards.

 

[viv w]

Looking good, nice work

 

[Gunsmoke]

Wow K66, I can only imagine the hours of work it took to get from the first photo in this set to today. Meticulous but very accomplished result. I'm sure it will be a pleasure to finish and drive.

[lambroast]

Just out of interest, how many model 66 tourers are still surviving?? (if any!)

[keiser31]

6 hours ago, lambroast said:

Just out of interest, how many model 66 tourers are still surviving?? (if any!)

Absolutely no way to know as there may be some languishing somewhere unknown.

[viv w]

Hi Mark,

 In a recent copy of South Africa's Piston Ring club, one of their members has a series 66 phaeton, also right hand drive, with pictures of the car, its history and this description  as follows,

" The “66” was Chryslers “Entry Level” Model in 1930 and 66 stood for the top speed in miles per hour!! At this time open cars were falling out of popularity, in favour of Sedans and Coupes. Therefore out of a total production number of 22606 only 26 Phaetons were built in the “66” Series. "

The series 66 phaeton was rare when new and I doubt if many have survived. Your one and the South African one, may be the only survivors, lets see if any others pop up. 

 I'm private messaging you with the South African guys details, he is a great guy and I'm sure will be happy to make comms

Viv.

 

[Vintageben]

Here in a Australia I think there could be a good number of 1930 Chrysler 66 Tourers that have survived, I now of at least 3 that have been for sale over the last few years and another in a shed nearby, so likely more are about. Open cars seemed to have stayed popular here longer then many places, must be the great weather we have here 🙄😁. However I do know on hot days I would much rather be in a Tourer then my Sedan. 
On another note all the photos and info in this thread has been great, it has given a few ideas for my roadster project that I’m about to kick off. Thanks

[1930 Kram66]

I also know of at least 3 others here in Australia. (possibly the same one's that Vintageben mentioned) one is owned by another forum member ( Hi John K) and  is a little further along than mine in it's restoration , the other two 66's (  recently advertised for sale have changed hands )   all cars I know of are in Queensland. I agree that its very likely that there would be a few others around.

From memory, Production figures for Holden Bodied cars in 1929 -Chrysler(CC) 66 Tourers- just under 200 built ,the next year only  5 were built. As Viv mentioned sales for open cars were rapidly declining and of course the recession was not far away. I don't know if any of the other local body builders built bodies for Chrysler.

[1930 Kram66]

 

Since getting the body on the chassis and bolted down, I have been working towards getting the car assembled as completely as possible, before I pull it all apart and remove the body again to allow me to finish the body work and prep for painting, as well as sorting the various mechanical systems at this point. Trying to make sure things fit and work correctly now so that hopefully I wont have any nasty surprises when it goes back together after painting.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          The major work of fitting the engine and running gear happened soon after I started back on the project in 2019. Speaking of the engine it has been dismantled and cleaned, mains and rod bearing checked, they showed very little wear, cylinders also checked out nicely, new rings where fitted and the cylinders honed ,valves and seats tidied up and a new timing chain, rear main oil seal and head gasket were also replaced.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Prior to starting the engine for the first time and before running coolant through the new radiator, I thought it would be a good idea to run some rust removing fluid through the engine. More for my peace of mind than anything. So I set up a small pump, a 12 litre metal container, a heating element to heat the solution and some clear plastic hose to connect to the inlet and outlet of the engine. I ran heated Thermocure through the engine block for a total of 12 hours over 4 days. I was surprised at how dark the solution became in this relatively short period of time.                                             First photo today is of the engine after I assembled and painted it in 2019, notice how clean the water jackets appear to be. The next few are of my crude set up for flushing. Notice the change in colour of the fluid over time as it was circulating through the engine. In hindsight I should have used better quality hose, as the hose I used tended go soft and collapse on its self at around 130 degrees F. I hope to run the engine in the next few weeks ,still have a couple of small things to take care of before that can happen.

Cheers Mark

[Gunsmoke]

When I "cleaned out" my 1931 CD8 block and head I used a "dry cleaning" method. After removing all frost plugs and other openings in the head and block (head was off block as was oil pan), I used various tools to access, scrape, wire brush, poke and scour and vacuum(using a small home-made long nozzle) all interior coolant cavities I could get to, clearing them of rust scale and buildup of deposits of all sorts. Got about 2-3 cups of stuff much of which had been pretty solidly caked/adhered to surfaces, particularly in end areas such as around 7th&8th cylinders, material that I'm not sure would be removed through a "water&solvent flushing" operation. I then ran regular water thru until running clear. After re-fitting frost plugs, I put everything back together and filled engine with antifreeze 50/50 mix and when engine started, after a few minutes of running, antifreeze solution was barely changed in color. For anyone with the time and patience, I would suggest  a "dry cleaning" is worth the effort before using a solution for final flush. 

[1930 Kram66]

    When I first pulled the tin covers that allow access to the water jackets off this engine ( after first breaking half  the bolts that hold them on) I was greeted with the sight of caked crud 1/3 of the way up the cylinders. Much scraping/poking and cleaning just as you describe. Been there done that 😊  I ran this motor on a test frame that I made for it prior to rebuilding the engine in 2014.           As the engine  has been sitting around for the last 7 years, I know that some surface rust had formed inside the water passages so that's why I ran the rust remover through the block. It probably would have been ok as is, but I just wanted to be sure.

Cheers Mark

 

[1930 Kram66]

While keeping an eye on flushing the block out, I took the opportunity to take care of a few smaller projects that needed attention. One of these jobs was restoring the horn. I dismantled the unit completely and found a lot of brown stuff inside.😐

After I cleaned things up a bit, I removed the old paint and surface rust from the metal parts,  tapped out a couple of small dents in the metal bits, after which I primed and painted the metal parts gloss black. While the paint was curing I removed the motor coils so that I could replace the rotted insulation on the coil leads, I used some clear electrical insulating spray to seal and protect the windings. Next the armature was mounted in the chuck of my drill press and I lightly polished the armature commutator, after this I cleaned out the grooves between the copper bars. I also replaced the split pins that retain the brush springs at this time . All that was left to do was reassemble it and to adjust it's tone. To do this I set up some test leads from a battery to the horn with a amp meter in the circuit, I stuffed a rag down the trumpet to muffle the sound ,next connecting the power to make the horn sound, I adjusted the nut on the end of the armature so that the least amount of current was flowing consistent with fastest spinning of the armature, by placing the rag in the trumpet I could hear just the armature rubbing on the serrated centre on the horn disc, when this sounded happy I knew the horn would work well. With it adjusted and sounding great  I mounted back on the engine and tried it out just a few more times,( this time with out the rag) ,enough to annoy the people next door.😀 Happy days

Cheers Mark

[Sasha39]

Nice work Mark!

Mate looking at some of your photos did you realise that you have two small holes in the Headlight cross member? and if so what are they for??

Cheers

Alex 

Edited July 5, 2021 by Sasha39 (see edit history)

[28 Chrysler]

2 hours ago, Sasha39 said:

Nice work Mark!

Mate looking at some of your photos did you realise that you have two small holes in the Headlight cross member? and if so what are they for??

Cheers

Alex 

The two holes are for the emblem, a 66 with a lightning bolt.

[1930 Kram66]

Hi Alex

 As 28 Chrysler said -

Here's a picture of what the'' 66''  emblem looks like 

Cheers Mark

 

[Sasha39]

Thanks  for the reply 28 Chrysler and Mark,

 

Just what to know if you had one or needed one, as I have one and its got your name on it Mark so if you need or want it. just let me know.

Cheers mate!

 

[1930 Kram66]

Over the last couple of weeks I've been working on the the rear section upholstery "foundations" and  also the rear seat base and back rest  spring frames. Todays post is about the "foundations".

I built them up by first using pine for the upright section near the rear door opening and along the belt line, then I glued MDF to this frame. The area around the door opening requires a lot of shaping to give it a pleasing look, using the thick pine in this area allowed this. As MDF is not water proof I coated both sides with a mixture diluted Tite-bond water proof glue to seal it, then I painted both sides with some bitumen paint to make it completely water proof.

Cheers Mark

[viv w]

Hi Mark,

 Your work on this car is good and I take my hat off to you. 

 I've built a few earlier Chryslers and the original door panels and rear quarter panels had survived on a couple of them, I was also lucky that the rear seats on one had survived in quite good condition.

 The door panels were made of a fairly stiff weatherproof type of cardboard and had a flap covering a hole in the top of the doors, the panels were covered in rexine originally and then nailed onto the door frame, the nails were then hidden with hidem welt tacked onto the panel. The flap parts had a piece of 1mm metal plate inside them to help weigh them closed.  All 4 doors had these holes on my Models 50, 52, 62 and 70 series.

 The rear quarter panels were made out of the same type of cardboard with no fancy frames as you have made. Again the card was covered with rexine, padded generously with lots of stuffing either of cotton wool type material or wadding, again these were nailed to the wood frame at the top and the nails again were hidden by hidem welt.

 There should be a piece of wood 19mm square section going across the very rear wood X piece on your body, this stopped the seat base from going backwards, just behind this piece of wood were 2 hinges that attached the seat back to the floor, this allowed the seat to be screwed down and then it could be hinged backwards and nailed to the rear beltline wood for a permanent fix, again the nails attaching it to the belt line wood were hidden under hidem welt.

 The front kick panels in the cowl were also made of the same materials and also nailed to the wood frame, the hidem welt went up the front hinge pillars and across the under side of the cowl to hide nails holding the cowl sheet metal to the body wood.

 I could be wrong but I would think your 29 upholstery would be very similar to these pictures I am enclosing. Your car may not have had this pleated upholstery, maybe someone else may have pictures for you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

When I bought my G70 body from Sydney I corresponded with another guy who had bought the remains of this sedan, it may have been a 29 or 30 but these 2 pictures may give you a clue to some of the lower wood work, certainly your car was likely to have had those smaller pieces of wood along the bottom of the rear quarter panels, these again are about 19mm sq and the upholstery was attached to these, hope this info is of help to you.

Viv.

 

 

[1930 Kram66]

Hi Viv,

Once again great information and pictures, thank you.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             I know how much effort is involved in posting such a informative reply. its appreciated.                                                                                                                                                                                                  Its very hard to find good photos of original detail, these pictures will definitely help me out and more importantly other's reading this thread in the future. 

Cheers Mark

 

[1930 Kram66]

Got the rear seat wood frames made and positioned in the car. I also was lucky enough to be able to reuse two pieces of original wood 😊 ( If you look closely they live on the top cross piece ) how good is that! I still need to mount a couple of hinges on the bottom cross piece to allow the seat to hinge forward and work out some sort of method of holding the seat against the top rail frame of the car behind the seat.

The seat base just locates on two dowels that protrude through the frame.

Cheers Mark

[1930 Kram66]

With the rear seat timber frames made I could  now mount the spring frames to them. As I did not have an original set of springs to use I cut down a set from a 1959 model Mercedes Benz rear seat.

Luckily the Merc's seat was the same depth and height it was just a tad to long ,so I cut it down to the length needed. Next I cut some strips of metal to mount the springs to the timber frame. 

Next job was covering the seat back and cushion with hessian.

Cheers Mark

[1930 Kram66]

As I have been pretending to be an upholsterer over the last week or so, I had a go at trimming the panels I made for the rear quarters. Many hours watching You-tube have given me next to no skill at upholstery so the best way to learn a new skill  is to actually have a go at it and learn from your mistakes and I made many 😐  after a couple of aborted attempts this is what I came up with. 

 

Cheers Mark

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Sasha39]

I keep saying it, Beautiful work Mark! Looks like I'm going to buy a sewing machine for myself LOL 😂 

[1930 Kram66]

Well, I found myself at the sewing machine again today, this latest lockdown has made me start the upholstery a bit earlier than I had anticipated, anyway  got the drivers side door trim and pocket done today.

  I am using a Singer 31k made in 1947, I got it from a guy who used it to completely reupholster a E type Jaguar in the 1980s.

One door down three to go.😀

Cheers Mark

[1930 Kram66]

Got the left front door trim and pocket in place-   two down, two to go.

Because of my OCD  😀 I decided to cover the back of the front seat before moving on the the rear door trims. 

First I glued on some padding, then cut out a piece of material big enough to cover the seat back.

I tacked it in place and massaged it in position, lots of pulling and tacking and re-tacking.

To finish of the bottom edge I made some hidem  trim to cover the tacks and raw edge of the covering.

Cheers Mark

[1930 Kram66]

Had a few spare days this week to continue with the front seat upholstery . I made the seat base top, front and rear panels and the back rest top panel. I stuffed the channels on the seat base with cotton - sorry no picture I got carried away and forgot , then and sewed the front and rear panels on ready to fit to the seat spring base. With a bit of luck it might fit.

Cheers Mark

[1930 Kram66]

After a lot of pulling and stretching  this is how the base came out. Overall for a first attempt I am fairly happy with what I came up with, the rear corners are very ordinary . At least they are not seen in position. I am going to live with them for the time being. On to the back rest tomorrow should be fun.

Cheers Mark

[1930 Kram66]

Worked on the seat back today-not quite finished at this point but very close. May get a couple of hours on it tomorrow if the boss lets me.

Cheers Mark

[1930 Kram66]

Got the front seat assembly finished to-day and temporarily installed back in the car. 😊

Cheers Mark

[Sasha39]

Mark,

 

You'll have that finished in no time, have you given any thought to want you'll be doing with all the free time you'll have once it's all done.

Would you consider working out a quote to do the upholstery for my 1929 model 65 Chrysler tourer? just saying you could put that new skill of yours to good use considering it looks like we'll be in lock-down till Christmas. Great job mate! 

[1930 Kram66]

Since my last post I have been working on the rear seat bottom cushion, at this point the cover is just  pin tacked in position, Still need to work out some  looseness on the rear panel and trim the surplus material on the base then finish tacking the cover in place.  I will leave it for a few days before I finish tacking it for good. 

Cheers Mark

 

 

[1930 Kram66]

 A few posts back I trimmed the front doors, at that time I was unsure as to how I was going to deal with the fact that I had no escutcheons to fit around any of the inside door handles, front or rear.  So for a fun little job today I made a couple for the front doors.

 I still may order reproductions ones down the track- when I save up enough  😀  However these will keep my eyes happy for now.

I had some 1/8 x1 1/2 inch steel flat bar,  I cut 2 pieces 3 1/4 inches long, next drilled 2  1/2inch holes in each, next I cut a slot between the holes about 1 1/2inches long and finally drilled some holes for mounting screws. After the cutting and drilling was done I soldered a 1/8 inch wide strip of tin around the edge of the slot on the back to give a deeper look to the slot when viewed from the front. Next was shaping the radius on all the edges followed by sanding then polishing the completed parts, all that was left to do was to Nickel plate both of them.

Cheers Mark

[Vintageben]

That’s some really great work. I really enjoy seeing when people have a crack at doing the majority of the restoration them selves and succeed well.Thanks for sharing. 

[1930 Kram66]

Vintageben - Thanks for the kind words and your continued interest in my little project, I appreciated it.

Cheers Mark

[1930 Kram66]

I put the escutcheon on the left front door today, while doing this I realised I have no idea as to how the actual pocket was made that goes behind the flap on the door, was it a actual box made out of fiber /cardboard or was it maybe a fabric bag of some sort? 

I would really appreciate any input or idea's on this.

Cheers Mark

[1930 Kram66]

I finished sewing the cover for the rear seat back rest over the weekend.

Spent a couple of hours today fitting the completed cover to the seat frame. 

Now that both front and rear seats are finished, all that is left to upholster are both rear door covers and pockets and covering the tack rail that runs around the body behind the rear set.

Cheers Mark

[viv w]

Looking good Mark.

 On the earlier Chryslers I have built, you could get your arm inside the flap and reach the bottom of the door. They did not appear to have a box or bag of any kind inside the door panel. I used mine for putting Jerseys, jackets, hats, odd tools and small spares , like fan belts, plugs, points etc. Just wrapped up tools in a bit of rag , so they don't rattle themselves and drive you crazy.

Viv.

[1930 Kram66]

Thanks Viv for that information. 😊

Well all the doors/pockets, side trims and seats are done. I think overall it all came out decent for my first attempt at upholstery. 

I have started cutting out some underlay for the carpet in the rear section and under the rubber mat in the front.

All that's left to trim is the timber rail that runs behind the rear seat on the belt rail  -it's going to have to wait until I set the hood irons, bows and tension straps in place.

So that's the next job.

Cheers Mark

 

[1930 Kram66]

Spent the best part of today setting up the hood irons and bows.

The hood irons and bows on this car were buggered - that is the sockets that receive the ends of the bows were completely rusted out and all bows had broke at some time and had been patched with number 10  fencing wire and random bits of wood and nails - some time in the distant past.

Last year I made new bows  and replaced the sockets with steel flat bar.

So today- firstly I attached 4 ratchet straps to the second and third bows and anchored them to the bumper bar mounting bracket.

Also I made some tension straps and attached them to the same bows. I will replace these later with straps made from the top material. Also I mounted tensioning belts to the rear bow.

Next I braced the fourth bow roughly where I thought it should go using a stick and a couple of wedges.

Then I started tensioning the ratchet straps to pull the second and third bows into their correct positions relative to the fourth bow which I had levelled to the windscreen bow.

When happy with how things looked I attached the tension straps to the fourth bow- thus holding the second and third bows and irons in place.

Next I slowly released the tension on the ratchet straps thus lowering the front irons down to meet the windscreen bow  and finally screwed them in place.

After removing the ratchet straps much to my surprise it all stayed in place and did not sag in the middle- happy days.

Cheers Mark