bamfordsgarage

Thank you Dan and Sniper. I agree that castor and maybe camber are bigger factors in steering return. In Model Ts the only steering adjustment is toe-in (the others are built in) and that affects it as well. Good to hear Dan that yours has play near the extremes as well. Also agree that free play near the extremes is not a big deal during low-speed - ie parking - operation. This much thought about a steering box is new for me. Dunno about “over thinking”, just trying to fully understand. A big hurdle for me was the notion that this critical component, subject to wear and requiring adjustments, would in fact be ready to go as pulled straight from that wreck. I appreciate everyone’s comments and input... off to the workshop!

The 5/32” stock should be available locally. Save yourself time and save your lungs some abuse and get the right stuff from the start. On the other hand, depending how much material your machinist took off the drum diameter, the thicker lining could work.

Hi Dan, thanks for your comments. To clarify, I did realize that the lock-to-lock on the bench is greater than in the car with steering components attached. By my figuring it was 4-1/2 turns on the bench and 3 in the car. Having said that, even at 3 turns lock-to-lock on the bench, there is the equivalent of 4" play at the steering wheel rim even though there is no rim play when centred (the steering seems play-free until about 1/2 turn either way from centred). Also, there is none of the in-out play of the steering shaft that you mentioned. Although the bench test is for wheel effort, that probably doesn't preclude rim play from being measured on the bench as well. I've been PM-ing with forum member RobertKB and he mentioned his vintage Mopars also have more free play towards the extremes than in the centre. A local friend is going to jack up his '47 D25 Coupe today and measure the total turns lock-to-lock and the steering wheel play at various points and let me know. I'll post his findings here. Finally, I did read a random comment on line (so it pretty much has to be true) to the effect that the lack of worm/roller play when centred is intended to help the vehicle straighten out after making a turn. Anybody here familiar with that concept?

You are in the greater Denver area — there have to be a number of businesses nearby that will sell you the necessary lining right off the roll while you wait. Look for an outfit that offers truck clutch and brake service. These guys reline brakes, or have them relined, all the time. A couple weeks ago I purchased 63" of one size lining and 54" of another size for a not-Mopar project. $127Cdn tax in with a nice profit for the vendor.

" ...anybody see a snake in this picture...?" I hope you're not referring to friend Jerry ? " ...you should grab the cowl trim off that beast!" Would those be the short pieces ahead of the doors? If I do go back to recover more bits it won't be until spring — winter landed here today:

Hello all, good to browse a bit and see some familiar names. It's been too long since I visited regularly. I'm replacing the steering box in my well-travelled D25 sedan. The original box seems worn past the limits of adjustment. I've found a replacement box from a D25 coupe and to my amazement it seems nearly perfect as is. That rarely happens in my world, and I'd like comments from those more knowledgeable before making assumptions. There is no discernible end play in the steering shaft or cross shaft, nor can I sense any looseness in the bushings. The shaft turns easily and the pitman arm spins the shaft with reasonable effort. There was no particular indication of chronic leakage and the box contained plenty of heavy oil. With the steering centred, there is no discernible play/lost motion between the steering shaft and the cross shaft. This holds true for the first 1/2 turn of the shaft in either direction. From that point, in either direction, there is increasing play between the worm and roller. At full lock, which is two column rotations in either direction, the play translates to about 8" at the steering wheel rim (the end of my wooden spoke). The box is 4-1/2 turns lock-to-lock on the bench with no components attached. My car's lock-to-lock is about 3 turns — on that basis, when the replacement steering box is rotated 1-1/2 turns in either direction (3X L2L), the free play is about 4" at the wheel rim. I don't think I should go tighter on the cross-shaft adjustment because it turns easily and there's no play to be felt. With the cap off the box it appears that increasing play at the extremities of travel is a function of the design — the arc of the worm — and not something I can address. The factory and Chilton manuals call for lash adjustment to be made when steering is centred. Finally my question: If the gear lash is correct with the steering centred, is the increasing play as the wheel is turned considered normal or cause for concern? Photos: 1 Box cleaned up; 2 Steering wheel centred, extremes of travel, & no-free-play zone in red; 3 Steering centred; 4 Steering left lock; 5 Steering right lock; Donor D25 Coupe

Model T Ford valve door stop. 1920s Dodge rad shell hiding modern exhaust fan. Inset is expanded-metal screen from the abandoned Packard plant in Detroit. Four-blade fan is 1926-27 Model T, rotates gently when the powered fan is on.

Sorry, the rascal disappeared into the woods before I could get a clear shot. Despite their size they are shy buggers. This is the only Sasquatch photo I have...

Late update, but we made it to and through the area August 30. A very enjoyable drive although too much washboard on the Hurley Pass for my liking. Sadly, the Bralorne Museum was closed the day we were there. Photos below are on the road to Minto, that once-flooded community where we were besieged by three families worth of adolescents, on the Hurley south to Pemberton, and after dark into Vancover. No car trouble to speak of, although we did char the floorboards near the exhaust manifold on a couple long hard climbs. Only regret was planned meetups with Keithb7 in Kamloops and bach4660 in Surrey both fell through — because we were too early for Keith and too late for Bach.

Thanks Keith for the additional info and photos. Gold Bridge/Bralorne and the Hurley Pass sounds like a great diversion on our way south. We should be good for the grades — added hydraulic front brakes three years ago and a period auxiliary 3-speed under/overdrive transmission in 2016. The underdrive is big at 50% so up or down the steep ones is no problem and 25% overdrive enables comfortable 50 mph cruising. We'll be in touch about getting together for coffee in Kamloops, probably Wed Aug 29 on our way to Lillooet for the night. Thursday night in somewhere in Washington state then Friday in Wilsonville, Oregon — we do about 300-350 miles/day. This trip will be a big loop, likely returning via Montana. Please send me a PM with your contact info for next month. Thanks.

Thanks Keith, that's very helpful. Yes, we'll be in the Speedster -- we are drawn to bad roads like flies to an outhouse. These photos are from last Labour Day weekend when we did 600+ miles of gravel from Whitecourt to the Crowsnest (eastern slopes of the Rockies)

Thanks for posting this — very timely, as we expect to be speedstering through the area in late August on our way to Oregon and it will be an interesting stop. Can you tell me whereabouts the artifacts are based on the map below? Thanks.

Years ago I was told by an old carpenter friend that one's workbench was the proper height if he could unzip and lay it out horizontal on the bench (apparently this fellow didn't believe in women carpenters.) For me that would be 33", although I prefer 36-38" for mechanical work.

No Arctic travel plans in the works — as a matter of fact, they replaced that 112-mile ice road from Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk this year with some new-fangled all-weather gravel job. Very glad we drove the ice when we had the chance. Anyway, I put the studded knobbies on the Dodge every winter — the Dodge, the T, and my bike are my winter transportation since I sold my modern a couple years ago (we usually drive Michelle's PT Cruiser when we travel together). The bike has studded winter tires and I have chains for the Model T, although deep enough snowfall to use them is increasingly-rare.

Sometimes those 6-volt headlamps aren't quite enough on a dark December night... About those presents up top — they are liquor store boxes wrapped in dollar-store plastic tablecloths, and ballasted with bits of scrap metal, rocks, water jugs etc. I've used them for several Christmases on the Dodge or in back of the '26 T Touring. A couple of years ago, two presents went missing overnight. I chuckle to think of the thieves' disappointment to unwrap their ill-gotten loot to find only a couple of broken bricks.

I don't post often anymore, but still pop by a few times a week for a look-see. Merry Christmas to you all!

Franklin for sure. Air-cooled. In a period-look speedster. The side draft carbs are obviously more modern. Franklins were distinctive not only for air cooling, but also used wooden frame rails from day one until the very late '20s. This speedster has a steel frame, which could be late Franklin or perhaps some other make.

It will certainly lose all its value as an antique car, it simply won't be one any more. To have the planned work done commercially, and properly, will cost far more than the realistic resale value of the completed street rod. We don't know what condition the car is in now, but assuming it needs pretty much everything restored, that, too, would cost far more than the realistic resale value of the completed restoration. The only way your friend can retain the current value of the car is to sell it for his purchase price — now. If he waits a year or two the opportunity cost of his investment $$ is lost, plus the cost/hassle of storage etc. Otherwise his choice is between an expensive car that looks sort of old (aside from wheels, tires, stance, colour, interior and glass) and drives much like a new one, or an expensive car that actually looks and drives like an old one. The latter is certainly my preference but then I'm always willing to trade off a significant degree of comfort and performance for the vintage experience (ie just got back this afternoon from a 400 mile round trip in my '24 Ford T speedster to go dirt-track racing).

Friend Jerry is attempting to service the heater in his 1950 Plymouth, but we've hit a snag during disassembly — it seems prudent to tap into the collective wisdom of the P15-D24 community before we break something! The inner shaft (green arrow below) is seized solid. In order to access the mechanism within, we needed to separate the inner metal housing from the main housing, easy done, and the core (blue arrow below) from the inner housing. That's the problem — the inner housing and core are acting as one permanently-sealed unit. Is there a trick to splitting these two items? If we try much more pry-apart force we fear breaking something. If it is likely just 66 year old weatherseal "gluing" the two items together then I guess we keep working away at it and hope to not bust anything. Suggestions?

Thanks for posting, Bob. Very nice! Austin, that thing in front of the driver is a "Frost Shield", basically a thin clear plastic sheet stuck to, and held slightly away from, the windshield with a thick, double-sided tape. It forms a rudimentary double-glazing that reduces frost and ice buildup on the windshield in cold temperatures. There were very common here in Canada up to the 1970s, but fell out of favour with the advent of better automotive HVAC systems. I run frost shields on the front doors and rear windows of the '47 D25 sedan which is my winter daily driver. The cold weather photo below was taken in Canada's Yukon Territory at about -33°C/-27°F. Despite the distorted view, frost shield are a huge help in those sort of temperatures.

Special Deluxe, made in Canada, Model P20C, 25" block Here is a shot of the dash...

Tried to attach this as a second photo to the original post, but no luck until now.

My very good friend and road trip partner Jerry has just joined the Mopar gang with purchase of this 1950 Plymouth from an aging local club member. It's probably the sweetest-running and smoothest-driving car of that vintage I have ever experienced. Original engine and radio, overdrive, first rate steering and brakes, very nice recent interior and woodgrain. Previous owner drove it to Virginia and back a few years (and only a few miles) ago. Of course it hasn't near the patina of my D25...

Hi Bob, Fred, thanks for asking. Nothing particular planned for this year, but one never knows — we've sure enjoyed our big journeys in the old heap. The only unusual undertaking for the Dodge so far in 2016 was hauling some old living room furniture to the dump:

Thanks Ralph