James_Douglas

call these folks, they may be able to do something for you... http://www.westach.com/

Picking up on what Allan said about being concerned about a major part failure on a long trip... Here is my idea: We create a roster, with GTK's permission, everyone who wants to be on the roster has to sign up to secure and have boxed and ready to ship one critical part to the flathead engine. (Ok both engines) Someone with an old block has it cleaned and bored stored in oil rags and in a crate. Someone else fully preps a cylinder head. Someone else takes a spare crankshaft and has it turned. Someone else gets a set of bearings.... The folks on the roster will collectively agree on the price for the part should anyone ever need it. There are enough of us to have a whole engine in waiting so to speak without it costing any one of us a lot to do. You get the idea. Then in the event that anyone on the roster has a failure on the road in the middle of no-place, they contact the person on the roster with that part and it is shipped out ASAP. Now, this roster and its parts would not be for normal re-builds or replacement. Just for someone far from home in a pickle. So, what do folks think. Any interest in a virtual emergency parts house ? Best, James

Pete, The main reason I went with Stockton was that it was closer. My spindles, hubs, and uprights are the same as the big Chrysler 8 which are all bigger than everything else. I had to take my spare hub to them once I had the large disk kit back and we had to "play" to get the offset correct and not hit the fender on the rears. The people at SW are a little bit rough to deal with sometimes as the place is very busy. I do like the guy that does the custom work in back, but he does not have to sit on the phone all day.... James

Pete, I had Stockton Wheel make me a set of 4 custom wheels that fit my 5x5.5 hubs and had a 2.75" back space to clear my front disks. The cost was $87 each or $348 without shipping. These wheels can take a full size wheel cover, but not the little caps unless I take off and fit the original clips. I happen to use a 49 full cover as it is easy to get on and off. The work was very nice and I painted them with a good etching primer then a few coats of black. I guess I have been living in CA too long as the cost of the rims and the custom work to weld it did not seem that much to me. Best, James

Sometime around 1950 they started welding the hub to the pulley to save production time. They left 2 holes for the damper...very odd though. James

Greg, Remember that insurance is to repair or replace your car. Not sell it. So the amount of insurance you need is for acquiring a core car if needed plus the cost to make it like the car you are now driving. So, check the cars like your for sale and do the math and insure your car for that amount. Typically that amount is between 20%-40% more than the street price of your current car. James

Call George Asche.... James

Thanks Tim, I wanted it so I could get a look at the curve when I change to the 3-speed/OD with my 4.11 reared...

Hi All, Anyone have the 3-speed gear ratio's ? Mine is on the way and i want to do a little math. Also, George put in a "fast 2nd gear" which is a numerically lower one. Does anyone know the ratio of that gear? Thanks, James

I am starting to think that the problem is related to using Firefox and opening the forum in a 2nd or 3rd tab. This last message, I did from a "clean" Firefox broswer window... Hummmm....

This is the second time over the last month that a new post by me has failed to appear when I hit submit. When I reply to an existing thread no problem... This is a test.

Take a look here to sort of see mine...James http://www.dacoglu.com/block.htm

Yesterday my speedometer cable broke for the 2nd time in 5 years. When I purchased the car and drove it back from Idaho, it broke after a few hundred miles. I put a new one in and it broke again yesterday with about 5 years on it and only about 15K miles. It broke both times within 3 inches of the transmission end. Does anyone happen to have one out of the car and can you measure it for me? Also, anyone have a good shop that is making them up? I think I got mine from Andy B 5 years back. Thanks, James

The fluid drive coupling does not have any seals in it other than the one made of solid carbon. So nothing is in the unit that will swell. The most important issue for the coupling fluid is what is called the viscosity Index (VI). Not to be confused with viscosity as we usually use the term. What VI refers to is the ability of the fluid to maintain whatever viscosity it is over a large operating temperature. All organic oils have chemicals added to them to raise the VI. As the fluid is stressed by the turbines in the coupling those chemicals over time break down. So even if your coupling is full and sealed, the fluid needs to be replaced say every 5 years or you are throwing away power. Even in the can the VI additives breakdown and it is recommended that you don't use stuff older than 5 or 10 years old. So, I would use an oil with as high a VI as you can find and change it every five years. I did a test of using Amsoil synthetic in mine and it made quite a difference in the launch of the car. The only problem I can see with a very good oil like I used is that it may lower the stall speed too much as it does such a good transfer of power. Best, James

Don, As you know I coated my oil pan and the bell housing. I did it to seal up the metal so that it would resist having oil and dust sick to it and make that gunk we all love so much. When I am under the car a paper towel and it wipes clean as new without any effort. James

Take a look here: http://www.imperialclub.com/Repair/Lit/Master/028/index.htm

My engine is near new. The crankshaft IS new not a re-grind. The rear seal area was polished (new style) when I had the crankshaft polished. The seal is new type not rope. I was careful as can be. Perfect assembly. I am hoping it is the rear pan gasket or the seal on the outside of the rear main cap that is the problem. I guess I will have to jack it up and drop the pan to try and figure it out. James

My nice new engine is weeping a little oil at the rear main or the rear pan gasket. What if anything can be done, short of pulling the thing out if the rear main is not sealing correctly. Best, James

Wednesday, March 07, 2007 RE: A.B. 616 Dear Legislator, At one point in my life I worked as a Researcher - Planner for the 3rd largest Transit District in the state doing sophisticated transportation data analysis projects. I have also worked as a contractor designing and building computer models for BART. You should also know that I drive classic cars. Classic cars being defined as those made prior to 1975. I understand that in the current cut of AB 616 the older cars are exempt. I also know that legislation tends to change as it movers forward. My wife and I live in San Francisco and we use the SF MUNI or walk most of the time. Between the two of us we don’t drive more than 3000 miles a year. That is only 1500 miles each! The few miles we drive in our classic car per year has little impact on the environment no matter how much emissions it produces. Some years back I started to wonder what amount of auto air pollution is attributable to classic cars in California. I did a check of the literature and found out that in California no definitive research had ever been done. Let me repeat that for effect. No definitive research has been done on the amount of environmental pollution classic cars do in California in a typical year! In the last 15 years or so, folks in the Executive Branch, the Legislature, and some lobbing organizations have come out asking for tighter restrictions on classic cars. Spokespersons for these folks have made repeated claims as to how much pollution a restriction, monitoring, etc that their proposed policy would save. The problem is that it is all hogwash. I called each and every one of them and asked for the imperial data they based their claims on. They tend to quote someone else or another government agency. But if you run down those folks inevitably no one has ant research or data to support their conclusions. This kind of policy - data two step is just not acceptable. You may as well make policy decisions with a set of dice! Some time back I then proceeded to call the research units of the Bureau of Automotive Repair, the California Air Resources Board (Mobile Unit), and The Department of Motor Vehicles. They all informed me that the correlations, between classic cars and various pollutants, had not been done to their knowledge. We then discussed the most basic and direct way to do the research. They agreed with me that a correct research model (project) would take the DMV records of vehicle by Make, Model, Year, and Zip Code and then correlate them against the BAR-CARB emission standards by area (via aggregate zip codes) and emission type. Subtract that from the total emissions for a given area and you have it. At the end of our conversations I was told by their Senior Researchers that they had never seen any study like what we discussed and that if I ever did that kind of study would I please pass it along to them. I then decided to do the research at my own time and expense. That is, until I called the DMV section which would have to give me the raw data to do such work. Some years back the legislature passed a law making DMV data which includes address information confidential. Although I just needed the vehicle Make, Model, Year, and Zip Code without the license plate or VIN, I could not get the data because of the zip code. This is a classic lesson on the lack of legislative foresight and the law of unintended consequences. I thought about appealing to my state legislators to help get a waiver, which apparent can be granted for legitimate research. That is until I was told that if I was given a waver, it would still cost me $10,000 to $20,000 for the data which the state has on a $1 CD. Now this is information that I pay as a taxpayer to collect and process. All this was too much for me, and I had dropped my efforts. I urge you to keep older automobiles from having to participate in any pollution related programs until and unless real research is available to support any legislative position on the subject. My mother said that the right to complain comes with it the responsibility to offer a creative alternative. Therefore, if you would like me to do the research, which is sorely lacking, assign a staff person to contact me and provide assistance in securing the raw data necessary to do the work. Upon completion, the hard data will make the case, one way or the other, as to whether it is good or bad policy to include older automobiles in new government ordained pollution control efforts. Politician or Statesman the choice is yours. Sincerely, James Douglas San Francisco, CA

http://mirror.geenstijl.nl/pritt-mazda/www.mazda-ogn.org/forum/viewtopicef13.html

John, Hang on to those Zero parts....If I ever get this place built (http://www.Pursuitfield.com) maybe I can get you do donate them... James

I have a friend that shoots at a range for fun. I had to give up a VERY nice toy many years back because of the California law changes and I lost a LOT of money on it. So, I am getting one because I can and to practice with my friends. I am aware of the CMP but the price of their rifles is the same buying on from the shop that I plan to have re-work it to better than new condition. When you get one, you also don't get any choice on serial number. It could have been made in 1959. If I cannot connect with someone and get one with a known history, then I will just buy one outright, and rebuilt, from the local shop that does that work. They have enough cores on-hand to give me a serial number from WW-II. Best, James

Norm, I do realize that it is a needle in a hay stack. Not may of the guys smuggled their rifles out as it was a big deal if they got caught. That said, I do know of a few that did seep out as I have had seen a few about 20 years ago. So figured I would ask around just in case... James

Hi All, I am on the hunt for a WW-II M1 Garand. I plan on getting a core and having it rebuilt, to better than new, by a well know shop here just south of San Francisco. I could just buy a core from the restorers, but I would like to see if I can find one that a WW-II vet brought home and his family has no intention of keeping when he dies. This is for my personal use and is not a fishing expedition for re-sale. So if anyone thinks they may know a WW-II vet, or family of same, that would not mind seeing dads history going to a good home, let me know. Also, I was show yesterday a number of WW-II serial numbered receivers that had been "constructed" or "repaired" with welding and re-machining. Not something you want 4 inches from your face! That is why if I get one from a private part it must have perfect provenance. Asking around San Francisco proper for such an item is a lost cause for the obvious reasons... Thanks guys, James