convertibles

[42dodgeguy]

Hi guys: I'm working on a 42 Dodge convertible, and would welcome networking with other guys with convertibles to discuss some convertible specific stuff that comes up from time to time. I'm at present working on the folding mechanism, and have found that every place it folds there is a 1/2" bolt or pin that it pivots on. All the holes are worn to about .510" diameter which makes all the joints kind of loosy goosy. I'm wondering how much clearance is good. I'm thinking of making the pins/bolts from new stock on a lathe and making them about .508/.509" Has anybody done anything like this before or???? I'll post my e-mail address in case someone wants to contact me directly, or maybe ask me about anything?...Mike...mdracine@comcast.net

[greg g]

42 cars are pretty rare and convertibles rarer still, Have you any pictures of your car to post???

Wonder if you could drill out the holes a bit and add some tubing to restore the id for the pins rather than machining new hardware. Some brass tubing would make for a bushing for the pivots to ride in also.

Edited December 10, 2009 by greg g

[42dodgeguy]

Greg: There's a pic of my car as I got it on page 3 of the members list. I call that pic Genesis. I thought about the bushing trick, but am reluctant to make the holes any larger as then the surrounding cast iron gets weaker. I've had to weld one of the folding arms that was broken when I got the car. The cast iron in the top mechanism is pretty highly magnetic, so it's relatively easy to weld in case anyone else has problems in this area. The guy that welded mine used an almost pure nickel rod, and even built it up some to further strengthen it.

[wldavis3]

Mike,

Looks like the thing to do would be to "weld up" the

holes a bit, then redrill them out to the correct size and

then install the new pins you are going to make.

[42dodgeguy]

Bill: I thought of that too, but it's more work and expense than turning the new pins, and in any re-drilling deal, alignment becomes a problem without jigs and fixtures. The only bright side I see to the weld and re-drill is that I could use the old pins, but they'd need re-plating. If I made new ones, I think I'd use stainless, and polish the heads. I'd really be anxious to hear from a convert owner that has experience with the folding mechanism, and could give me some input as to how much loosenes is permissable. Perhaps some is even desireable? Drills as you know come in fixed sizes, and if you want something different, you get into adjustable reamers which are expensive, and I dont own, but turning is simple, and you can take it down a bit at a time till you have ideal clearance. Once you establish what that is of course.

[42dodgeguy]

I guess I neglected to mention in my original post that the holes in the mechanism although oversized are quite round, and not oval, so there would be no need to ream, hone or do anything to them to achieve roundness...Mike

[Norm's Coupe]

I don't have a convertible, but..... Wouldn't the size of the pins or bolts be listed in the 42 Parts Book? I know in the P15 parts book it shows all the attaching parts (bolts, nuts, etc.) for just about every part on the car. Maybe if someone has a parts manual for the 42, they could try looking it up.

[42dodgeguy]

Norm: I've got all the bolts, they're 1/2" It's the holes they go into that are oversized. Apparently the malleable cast that the folding arms are made of is softer than the bolts, so the wear goes on the most expensive and hardest to replace parts rather than on the lesser expensive bolts. Seems like even back in the 40's the car companies knew how to jab ya?