cudaman Posted March 23, 2022 Share Posted March 23, 2022 A friend of mine came down on the first day of spring 2022 to help document the first drive of my 1912 Flanders 20 Runabout, see the attached video link. All in all, it went pretty well. I need to adjust the brakes and fix a couple of nuisance fuel drips. Later that evening, we lit the kerosene and acetylene lamps. One of the headlights wouldn't light, it turned out that the gas elbow at the bottom of the light was clogged, easy fix. 12 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesR Posted March 23, 2022 Share Posted March 23, 2022 Wow, beautiful old car!! I wish you'd drive that around MY neighborhood. Thanks for the video and pictures. How were the headlights originally illuminated back in 1912? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandy Dave Posted March 23, 2022 Share Posted March 23, 2022 Sounds real good. May it bring many joyful and trouble free miles. 🙂 Dandy Dave! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motoringicons Posted March 23, 2022 Share Posted March 23, 2022 (edited) There is nothing more exciting than the maiden voyage of any car-especially a brass car. Well done. Congratulations. Edited March 23, 2022 by motoringicons (see edit history) 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cudaman Posted March 23, 2022 Author Share Posted March 23, 2022 (edited) Regarding the headlights, I'm using the original E&J acetylene generator and lumps of calciaum carbide to make the acetylene for the headlights. The top tank is filled with water and the mesh basket holds the carbide lumps. When you open the valve, water drips from the top tank into the perforated brass cup in the middle of the mesh basket, wetting the carbide and generating acetylene gas. The gas is then fed to the headlights via brass and red rubber tubing. Once the gas is flowing, you open the headlight doors, blow inside to dissipate the accumulated gas, then light the burners with a match or other flame. I use one of those long nose lighters to keep my hand at a safe distance. Edited March 23, 2022 by cudaman (see edit history) 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAKerry Posted March 23, 2022 Share Posted March 23, 2022 Very cool! Good thing you kept the speed down, looks like there was a speed trap nearby. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAKerry Posted March 23, 2022 Share Posted March 23, 2022 My brother has an acetylene set up on his 1913 Rudge. The headlight drew more attention than the bike did at one point. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wayne sheldon Posted March 23, 2022 Share Posted March 23, 2022 Very nice! You have done a fine job of making that beautiful car so much better than it was when you got it! Congratulations. You earned it! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloo Posted March 23, 2022 Share Posted March 23, 2022 Pretty surprising how good acetylene lights are, isn't it? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erichill Posted March 23, 2022 Share Posted March 23, 2022 Too Cool! Enjoy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeC5 Posted March 24, 2022 Share Posted March 24, 2022 Where does one get carbide? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3macboys Posted March 24, 2022 Share Posted March 24, 2022 (edited) 23 minutes ago, MikeC5 said: Where does one get carbide? From Thomas "Carbide" Wilson of course - sorry I couldn't resist as he was a local boy who made those lights possible. Kidding aside it is still available: https://www.lehmans.com/product/five-2-lb-cans-of-calcium-carbide/ Edited March 24, 2022 by 3macboys (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cudaman Posted March 24, 2022 Author Share Posted March 24, 2022 10 hours ago, MikeC5 said: Where does one get carbide? I got my carbide from Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Calcium-Carbide-Miners-Grade-1-00/dp/B078X347X8/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2TYLW00F9HH0D&keywords=calcium+carbide+rocks&qid=1648125362&sprefix=calcium+carbide%2Caps%2C457&sr=8-2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cudaman Posted June 7, 2022 Author Share Posted June 7, 2022 I have driven my Flanders a couple more times, less than five miles each time. I relined the grease soaked brakes with new "green gripper" linings. I also increased the water drip rate in my acetylene generator and removed the blockage that was keeping one headlight from lighting. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wayne sheldon Posted June 7, 2022 Share Posted June 7, 2022 Such a nice car! You have done a fine job of sorting it out and getting it ready to tour again. Many years ago, I knew a couple different people that owned and toured with Flanders automobiles. An elderly fellow of great energy, by the name of Jack Kopp, was a longtime member of the HCCA, and had quite a number of good cars over the years. Back in the 1950s and 1960s, he and his Flanders Twenty runabout were often seen on club tours and outings! In his later years, he had an early four cylinder Studebaker, and he often toured with a four cylinder Cole. The Flanders Twenty was still in his building, needing some minor "freshening". He often talked about it and remembered it fondly, saying he needed to take care of a few things so he could drive it some more. About ten years ago, I got a bunch of early HCCA Gazettes, mostly from the 1950s. While thumbing through them, I found a few pictures of Jack and his Flanders on club tours. He was quite a character! It was like seeing an old friend again. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cudaman Posted August 11, 2022 Author Share Posted August 11, 2022 The heat wave finally broke (for now, at least), so my friend came over and we drove the Flanders again this morning. For this test, I leaned the carburetor out some and slightly advanced the base timing, the car seemed to like the changes. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wayne sheldon Posted August 11, 2022 Share Posted August 11, 2022 Looking really good! I want to read tour reports of you and that wonderful Flanders on HCCA or "Brass and Gas" tours! Beautiful! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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