To submit questions to Old Cars Weekly Q&A section, E-mail ron.kowalke@fwpubs.com or mail to: Q&A, c/o Ron Kowalke, 700 E. State St., Iola, WI 54990-0001.

Q. I, too, have had hot-starting problems, with three widely disparate engine-carburetor combinations. Once the engine on any one of these cars is at operating temperature and shut off, it is hard to start. It will only start when I hold the accelerator to the floor, pump several times and then it will start with difficulty. A Hudson aficionado told me that the engine is boiling the gasoline in the carburetor dry. I don’t remember this problem with other carbureted engines. Can someone identify the problem and cure?

A. This is a problem that’s getting worse. Carlton Gravatt of Columbus, N.J., also has trouble restarting his ’41 Ford V-8 when it’s hot. One factor is today’s fuels. Modern gasoline is much more volatile than the mixture from your past. Many engines that had only marginal problems with vapor lock (flathead Ford V-8s, for example) can have it in spades with the new fuels, and many cars that never had the problem are now experiencing it. This may not be a single cause, but it will certainly not hurt to ventilate your engine compartment in any way possible, and to shield the carburetor, fuel lines and pump from any hot components such as exhaust pipes and manifolds. Any hoses must be alcohol-resistant, because ethanol is omnipresent, even if only in small quantities. Advice from anyone who’s actually solved a similar problem would be welcome.

Q. I purchased a 1940 Ford Tudor in 1999. I can trace the car back into the early 1960s, when it was a hot rod, with a Chevy 327-cid V-8 and a four-speed, split wishbones and a Chevy rear end. The owner lived in the desert and he loved to race. I don’t know how fast it will run as I can’t find a road that is long enough. I do know that it will do 100 mph in third gear. The VIN is 185523095. Can you tell me where my car was built?

A. No. In contrast to today’s 17-digit VINs, which reveal much about a car’s specifications and where it was built, the serial and engine numbers of yesteryear contain little information. In most years, Ford engine and serial numbers were the same, and a chassis took its number from the engine at the time it was installed, although for a long period the number was not even stamped into the block — it was on the bell housing. In your case, “18” (frequently expressed with a dash or hyphen after it, as “18-”) refers to a 221-cid flathead V-8. All 221-cid Ford V-8s from 1932 to ’42 used an “18” prefix, which comes from the ’32 Model 18, the first car to use that engine. It remained the same even though the engine underwent several significant redesigns during the period. The remaining digits represent a sequential engine number, that started in 1932 and reached 6925898 when production was suspended in Feb. 1942 for World War II. All your car’s number reveals is that it started life in model year 1940 (numbers ranged from 5,210,701 to 5,896,294). After the war, annual prefixes were used, but numbers were again sequential through the 1948 model year. Not until ’49, did Ford “reset” the sequential number at the start of a model year. The assembly location is not in the VIN, nor is it found elsewhere on the car.

Q. I have an older car on my lot and wish to restore it. I need information regarding its identification, vintage, etc. The metal label on the firewall has the following information: General Motors of Canada, Ltd., Made in Canada, Model 12-11, Serial 1121148396, Trim 44, Engine 478257, Paint 157. I’m told that Kit Foster is a genius and can interpret it.

A. I’m afraid that reports of my prowess are rather inflated, but I can decipher parts of your car’s data plate. Model 12-11 is a 1951 Chevrolet Styline Special two-door sedan. However, the serial number does not match those in the usual U.S. catalogs, which begin with JA or JK. I was fortunate, however, to acquire some copies of the Motor Vehicle Data Book, published by Sanford Evans Co. Ltd. of Winnipeg, Manitoba, for cars “found in Canada.” The 1956 edition shows that your serial number does, indeed, correspond to the ’51 Styline Special. Empirically, we can figure out that the first “1” is for 1951, the next four digits correspond to the model number 12-11, and the last five digits are the sequential serial number. I’m afraid I can’t tell you about Trim 44 or Paint 157, and Sanford Evans gives no information on 1951 engine numbers. U.S. engine numbers had a JA prefix. Engine specs, however, seem to be the same: 216.5 cubic inches, 92 bhp at 3,400 rpm. Interestingly, according to the published specifications, the Canadian model weighed 3,107 pounds, 37 more than its U.S. counterpart, and at $2,160 Canadian, it sold for the equivalent of $2,030 in U.S. currency, when the same Chevy cost $1,540 in Detroit.

Q. In Aug. 1976, I purchased a new Gremlin from White Bear Lake AMC in Minnesota. It was reliable for more than 100,000 miles. It had a four-cylinder engine and four-on-the-floor transmission. The car now seems rare. What engine and transmission were used? How many were built?

A. The Gremlin was American Motors’ answer to both the Pinto and Vega, cleverly created by shortening the new-for-1970 AMC Hornet. At its 1971 introduction, the Gremlin had the advantage of a six-cylinder engine, not available in Pinto or Vega, and a V-8 was offered from 1972 to ’76. After the energy crisis of 1973-’74, however, this turned into a liability since AMC didn’t have a four. Beginning in 1977 (some sources say February — are you sure yours was purchased in ’76?), an Audi-designed overhead-cam four of two-liter (121-cubic inch) displacement was offered, and a new Borg Warner four-speed was also available. In 1977, the four was standard on the Gremlin; for ’78, it became standard in the Concord (new name for the Hornet) as well. For ’79, Gremlin was renamed Spirit, and in ’80, the Audi four was replaced by the 2.5-liter “Iron Duke” from Pontiac. The four-cylinder Spirit was phased out in 1983, when the Franco-American Alliance (née Renault) was put into production, but the Iron Duke remained in the Eagle 50 and Eagle 30, which were all-wheel-drive versions of the Spirit and Concord, respectively. However, AMC’s own 150-cid four was finally ready, and it replaced the Iron Duke mid-year. The new engine also found application in several Jeep models. Four-cylinder Gremlin production for 1977 was just 7,558 units, about 16 percent of the total.

Q. I recently bought a vehicle simply because I’ve never seen another like it. Can you tell me if it’s rare? I’ve searched the internet and have not seen another with the same specifications. It’s a 1967 Dodge D200 crew cab short-wheelbase pickup with a stepside bed. It has the original slant six engine. I’ve found plenty of single cabs and plenty of crew cabs with a fleetside bed, but not one like mine. It was formerly a U.S. Air Force truck. Can you tell me more about these trucks?

A. If you had spent time on military air bases in the 1960s and ’70s you might have seen a bunch of this type of truck. The U.S. Government, in particular the armed services, often buys vehicles that are out of the mainstream and are specially configured. A truck like yours would be used to transport a crew of up to six people with a small payload of equipment or tools. All these military vehicles are purchased in relatively large lots, in response to government-issued specifications. This sometimes results in odd configurations. Some years ago, my son and I attended a municipal auction of surplus equipment, looking for bicycles. We came home with a 1977 Dodge 4x4 pickup, formerly in the service of the Maine National Guard. A little investigation revealed we had bought an M880, not an ordinary W200. The oddest thing about it, aside from some strange electrical equipment, was its lack of power steering. Real soldiers, no doubt, steer with their biceps, not their fingers.

Q. Sam Slade’s letter about General Motors valve springs (Aug. 12 “Q&A”) wasn’t completely an urban legend. His terminology was just a bit off. Valve spring life is greatly improved by proper shot peening. While the process looks like shot blasting to the casual observer, the media used and the application conditions are much different. The media is carefully cleaned by sifting through a series of screens to remove any broken pieces and debris. All the “shot” must have rounded edges to effectively “peen” the surface of the metal and increase the compressive strength of the metal. The process is routinely performed on springs, gears, shafts and other parts that are highly loaded. Interested readers can learn more by looking at the Metal Improvement Company’s web site (www.metalimprovement.com) or checking a few reference books. I don’t know about the “free car for life” part of the story, but the process has certainly made a lot of money for the patent holder.

A. Thanks for filling in the technical side of the story. I suspect the free car is akin to the proverbial free lunch.


Q. Prior to receiving the July 31 military-themed issue of Old Cars Weekly, my friend Dave and I were discussing whether 1942 cars were built for military use in 1943-’45 and dated 1942. Also, were 1946 car and truck sales above average?

A. All passenger car production stopped by Feb. 10, 1942. However, automobile rationing was already in effect, and the cars built were stockpiled for priority users: military, doctors, clergy, firefighters, etc. Thus, all new cars delivered from 1943 until production resumed in ’45 were built prior to the February 1942 date. There’s an extensive article on this in the July-August 2008 issue of “Antique Automobile,” published by the Antique Automobile Club of America. Truck production, of course, continued as needed throughout the war, mostly military types. As for 1946 sales, it depends on what you consider “average.” Car and truck sales had reached a peak of 5.3 million units in 1929, then sagged markedly during the Depression. 1932 was the worst, with 1.3 million sales. Recovery to 4.8 million in ’37 was followed by another recession in ’38, with sales sinking to 2.5 million. Sensing the coming of war, manufacturers rolled out 4.8 million vehicles in 1941, and they were eagerly snapped up by consumers. Ford was given the okay to resume civilian truck production in April 1944. Ford was also the first to recommence building passenger cars, on July 3, 1945, while others, such as Studebaker, didn’t get rolling until early 1946. Even then there were materials shortages and labor troubles, so while there was great demand the supplies were still limited. Calendar 1946 car and truck sales totaled “just” 3,089,565 units. The five million mark was not reached again until 1948.


Q. Did Ford Motor Co. build any 1939 half-ton four-wheel-drive pickups? If it did, who supplied the add-ons? The vehicle in question is VIN LLD3479917. What accessories did it have, where was it sold and who was the original owner? I believe the original owner was National Grass Lands in western Kansas.

A. Ford did not offer a factory-built 4x4 until 1959. Prior to that time, most four-wheel-drive conversions were carried out by the Marmon-Herrington Co. of Indianapolis, a venture of Walter Marmon, son of Marmon Motor Car Co. founder Howard Marmon, and Arthur Herrington, a former Army officer with experience in off-road transportation. Herrington held a patent for a constant velocity universal joint, an essential part of the 4x4 drivetrain. From 1931, they built light and heavy all-wheel-drive vehicles, mostly for the armed forces. Beginning in 1937, Marmon-Herrington converted Ford cars and trucks at its factory; after World War II, it also supplied kits to dealers. To decipher your VIN, I consulted Don Chew, an authority on Marmon-Herrington. He explains that the first L and the D signify Light Duty (appropriate to a half-ton truck). The second L means you have the high-performance 95-hp engine (the 239-cid V-8 introduced for use in the Mercury and some commercial vehicles in ’39). The 3 means third series (1937 was the first, so third series is ’39), 4 is four-wheel-drive, and the last five digits come from the Ford engine/serial number. Marmon-Herrington replaced the Ford data plates with its own, and requested that installing dealers do the same, though not all of them did. The VIN has no information on options, nor do we know who the original owner was. Your information on National Grass Lands may well be correct. Your Marmon-Herrington is rarer than the regular Ford pickups, but Chew cautions that its low gearing limits speed to about 35 mph.

Q. Prior to receiving the July 31 military-themed issue of Old Cars Weekly, my friend Dave and I were discussing whether 1942 cars were built for military use in 1943-’45 and dated 1942. Also, were 1946 car and truck sales above average?

A. All passenger car production stopped by Feb. 10, 1942. However, automobile rationing was already in effect, and the cars built were stockpiled for priority users: military, doctors, clergy, firefighters, etc. Thus, all new cars delivered from 1943 until production resumed in ’45 were built prior to the February 1942 date. There’s an extensive article on this in the July-August 2008 issue of “Antique Automobile,” published by the Antique Automobile Club of America. Truck production, of course, continued as needed throughout the war, mostly military types. As for 1946 sales, it depends on what you consider “average.” Car and truck sales had reached a peak of 5.3 million units in 1929, then sagged markedly during the Depression. 1932 was the worst, with 1.3 million sales. Recovery to 4.8 million in ’37 was followed by another recession in ’38, with sales sinking to 2.5 million. Sensing the coming of war, manufacturers rolled out 4.8 million vehicles in 1941, and they were eagerly snapped up by consumers. Ford was given the okay to resume civilian truck production in April 1944. Ford was also the first to recommence building passenger cars, on July 3, 1945, while others, such as Studebaker, didn’t get rolling until early 1946. Even then there were materials shortages and labor troubles, so while there was great demand the supplies were still limited. Calendar 1946 car and truck sales totaled “just” 3,089,565 units. The five million mark was not reached again until 1948.

Q. In answer to a question regarding gauges with positive ground, the only General Motors cars with positive ground were Cadillac and LaSalle. All the others were negative ground.

A. Thanks for clarifying that. I see in some of my references that Cadillac switched to negative ground after World War II. 

Q. I own a 1967 Dodge Polara 500 convertible. It’s well-optioned, with front disc brakes, power windows and cruise control. I’ve not seen another like it. How many ’67 500 convertibles were built?

A. No one seems to know. Dodge production figures in that era are not broken out by body style. The Polara 500 was available only as a hardtop coupe or a convertible, which helps narrow it down, but Krause Publications’ Standard Catalog of American Cars 1946-1975 gives total Polara 500 production as 3,200, rounded to the nearest 100, while the Publications International Encyclopedia of American Cars (2002 edition) states 5,606.

Q. I sold a 1950 Plymouth sedan to a gentleman 20 years ago. Lately, I’ve wanted to see if he’d consider selling it back to me, but over the years, I’ve forgotten his name and have no record of who he is. I don’t know the license number nor the VIN of the car. I’ve contacted my insurance company, with no luck, and our DMV can’t do a trace without this critical vehicle information. I’m stumped. Do you know any other way to trace the car?

A. No, unless someone reading this column remembers buying a Plymouth sedan 20 years ago in Vermont.

Q. A couple of years ago, Old Cars Weekly ran an article about Buddy Holly’s 1958 Chevy Impala being found behind a body shop in Texas. The picture with the article showed “Peggy Sue” standing beside it. Since I once owned a ’58 Impala, I’m interested in what happened to this car.

A. If Mr. Parris, or any reader curious about this celebrity car, types Buddy Holly Impala into an Internet search engine, they’ll be able to access a link to an almost four-minute video on YouTube that provides the history of this vintage Chevy.

Q. It would be nice to replace spark plug gaskets, but I’ve not been able to locate them. A few years ago, I was provided with a part number for Champion brand gaskets in the 14mm size, but I’ve not been able to order them from any source. Also, I’ve been advised that plugs for flathead Fords may fail to operate properly if abrasive blasted. Apparently, the ceramic tip should retain a smooth surface to avoid problems.

A. I’ve read that one should never blast spark plugs, simply replace them, in which case the new plugs will have new gaskets. Of course, if you have an old car that repeatedly fouls plugs, roughness from blasting is perhaps the least of your worries. In that case, I’d reuse the old gaskets, too.

Q. I’ve owned a 1928 Dodge Victory Six for four months, and would like to find out all I can about it. In what years was the Victory Six produced? What are the starting and ending serial numbers? How many are left? I’m 17 years old and this is my first collector car. I love old cars and learning about them.

A. I’m glad to hear that you’ve become so involved with old cars. The years 1927 to ’29 were a period of great change at Dodge. In May 1927, the company introduced its first six-cylinder car, the Senior Six. The last four-cylinder Dodges were built that year. January 1928 brought the Victory Six, a mid-sized car on a 112-inch wheelbase with a 208 cubic-inch, 58 bhp engine. In March it was joined by a smaller Standard Six on a 110-inch wheelbase with the same engine. The Standard and Victory Sixes were built only through that December, while the Senior carried on until June 1929. The cars built after July 1928 are considered “first series 1929” models. The Victory Six had a distinctive 3-3-3-2 pattern of louvers on the hood sides, and was offered in roadster, touring, coupe, sedan and brougham (two-door sedan) body styles at prices from $1,030 to $1,170. I can’t find any definitive production totals, but serial numbers ran from M1 to M87759, so we can estimate that nearly 90,000 were built. I can’t hazard a guess as to the number that survive. The Dodge Brothers company was purchased by Walter P. Chrysler in July 1928, and Chrysler influence was apparent in the Victory’s successor, the Dodge DA introduced in January 1929. Excellent Dodge books include “The Dodge Story” by Thomas A. McPherson (Crestline, 1975) and “The Dodge Brothers” by Charles K. Hyde (Great Lakes Books, 2005). The latter is a scholarly examination of Dodge’s founders and their company, and the former is a detailed illustrated history of Dodge cars and trucks to 1975. Copies are still available and reasonably priced on the used market.

Q. Where can I purchase the heavy-duty starter solenoid and spring for a 1967 Chevrolet 283-cid V-8? There were articles on this about 10 years ago. I’ve heard that General Motors has discontinued these items.

A. Given the extent to which the small-block Chevy pervades the collector car hobby, I’d be surprised if these parts are not being made by somebody. Readers?

Q. I’ve acquired a Chrysler Windsor, Vehicle No. 70165599, Model 22, Paint 6, Scheduled Item 110064. Is the year of the car 1955?

A. Your vehicle number identifies it as a Detroit-built Windsor Deluxe from the 1954 model year. Serial numbers for the Windsor ran from 70141001 to 70181908. For the ’55 model year, Chrysler shifted to a W55 prefix for Windsors, N55 for New Yorkers. I’m not sure about the model designation nor the paint code. The “Schedule” number is a code for the day it was designated to be built, but I’m not sure how to read it. The early 1960s Chrysler Corp. Schedule Order numbers with which I’m familiar have eight digits, broken down into month, day, body type and sequential number for that day.

Q.  My dad and I have a 1928 Chevy truck. The fuel pump is a vacuum canister. Ours has worked well for years, but now has failed. I believe, after a process of elimination, that the check valve in the canister is bad. The canister appears to be a sealed unit. Do you have any advice as to how to repair this valve or replace the canister?

A. Although much maligned and often replaced or augmented with an electric fuel pump, the vacuum tank is a simple and reliable device. It’s really two canisters in one, an inner chamber to which manifold vacuum pulls fuel from the tank, and an outer chamber into which the fuel drains once the inner chamber is full and vacuum is released. From the outer chamber the fuel feeds to the carburetor by gravity. Most of the “action” takes place in the inner chamber. There’s a float inside that operates two valves at the top of the chamber. When the float is in the up position, it shuts off vacuum from the manifold and opens a vent to the outside. When the inner chamber has drained, the valves do the reverse, enabling vacuum to the chamber and closing the outside vent. At the bottom of the inner chamber is a simple flapper valve that shuts off the drain when vacuum is applied. By removing screws at the top you should be able to extract the inner chamber from the outer. Now you’ll be able to see if the flapper valve is free (I’ve had them stick shut if left too long in old fuel). The top can be removed from the inner chamber, which will allow you to check the operation of the vacuum and vent valves. These are both metallic needle-type and as long as they’re clean, should work satisfactorily. The only other part is the float, which must not leak. If you sense any sloshing in the float once you remove it, there is fuel inside. It can be repaired in the same manner as any metal carburetor float. All parts should be clean, and should move freely. Be careful removing the top from the inner chamber, particularly if it’s cast from pot metal. There should be one gasket, between the top and the inner chamber. There is no gasket between the inner chamber and the outer chamber. Once everything seems to be operating correctly, make a new cork gasket, using as a pattern the old one you carefully removed, and reassemble.

Q. I put a universal catalytic converter on my 1970 Chevy van (six-cylinder 250-cid engine) to help clean up the exhaust smell. It worked great, but it’s been a few years and now the exhaust manifold gasket is failing in a few places. Is this failure related to the catalytic converter? Has it caused excessive back pressure? I recently took it off and put a pipe in its place to see if I could get better performance. There seemed to be no difference.

A. You don’t say what sort of smell you had, nor how strong the odor was. Whatever substance was making the smell is now inside the converter, and this conceivably could have plugged it up, though it’s hard to tell from your description. Certainly if your engine is burning oil the converter will be well coated inside by now, but how much it will take in order to produce gasket-blowing back pressure I’m not sure. In any case, you’ll need new manifold gaskets. Take a look in the converter inlet with a strong light to see if there are any obvious deposits. In worst case you could replace the converter, though I’m sure you’d rather avoid the expense. 

Q. Where can I purchase the heavy-duty starter solenoid and spring for a 1967 Chevrolet 283-cid V-8? There were articles on this about 10 years ago. I’ve heard that General Motors has discontinued these items.


A. Given the extent to which the small-block Chevy pervades the collector car hobby, I’d be surprised if these parts are not being made by somebody. Readers?

Q. I’ve acquired a Chrysler Windsor, Vehicle No. 70165599, Model 22, Paint 6, Scheduled Item 110064. Is the year of the car 1955? 


A. Your vehicle number identifies it as a Detroit-built Windsor Deluxe from the 1954 model year. Serial numbers for the Windsor ran from 70141001 to 70181908. For the ’55 model year, Chrysler shifted to a W55 prefix for Windsors, N55 for New Yorkers. I’m not sure about the model designation nor the paint code. The “Schedule” number is a code for the day it was designated to be built, but I’m not sure how to read it. The early 1960s Chrysler Corp. Schedule Order numbers with which I’m familiar have eight digits, broken down into month, day, body type and sequential number for that day.

Q. My dad and I have a 1928 Chevy truck. The fuel pump is a vacuum canister. Ours has worked well for years, but now has failed. I believe, after a process of elimination, that the check valve in the canister is bad. The canister appears to be a sealed unit. Do you have any advice as to how to repair this valve or replace the canister?


A. Although much maligned and often replaced or augmented with an electric fuel pump, the vacuum tank is a simple and reliable device. It’s really two canisters in one, an inner chamber to which manifold vacuum pulls fuel from the tank, and an outer chamber into which the fuel drains once the inner chamber is full and vacuum is released. From the outer chamber the fuel feeds to the carburetor by gravity. Most of the “action” takes place in the inner chamber. There’s a float inside that operates two valves at the top of the chamber. When the float is in the up position, it shuts off vacuum from the manifold and opens a vent to the outside. When the inner chamber has drained, the valves do the reverse, enabling vacuum to the chamber and closing the outside vent. At the bottom of the inner chamber is a simple flapper valve that shuts off the drain when vacuum is applied. By removing screws at the top you should be able to extract the inner chamber from the outer. Now you’ll be able to see if the flapper valve is free (I’ve had them stick shut if left too long in old fuel). The top can be removed from the inner chamber, which will allow you to check the operation of the vacuum and vent valves. These are both metallic needle-type and as long as they’re clean, should work satisfactorily. The only other part is the float, which must not leak. If you sense any sloshing in the float once you remove it, there is fuel inside. It can be repaired in the same manner as any metal carburetor float. All parts should be clean, and should move freely. Be careful removing the top from the inner chamber, particularly if it’s cast from pot metal. There should be one gasket, between the top and the inner chamber. There is no gasket between the inner chamber and the outer chamber. Once everything seems to be operating correctly, make a new cork gasket, using as a pattern the old one you carefully removed, and reassemble.

Q. I put a universal catalytic converter on my 1970 Chevy van (six-cylinder 250-cid engine) to help clean up the exhaust smell. It worked great, but it’s been a few years and now the exhaust manifold gasket is failing in a few places. Is this failure related to the catalytic converter? Has it caused excessive back pressure? I recently took it off and put a pipe in its place to see if I could get better performance. There seemed to be no difference.


A. You don’t say what sort of smell you had, nor how strong the odor was. Whatever substance was making the smell is now inside the converter, and this conceivably could have plugged it up, though it’s hard to tell from your description. Certainly if your engine is burning oil the converter will be well coated inside by now, but how much it will take in order to produce gasket-blowing back pressure I’m not sure. In any case, you’ll need new manifold gaskets. Take a look in the converter inlet with a strong light to see if there are any obvious deposits. In worst case you could replace the converter, though I’m sure you’d rather avoid the expense. 


Q. This is in answer to Worrell Stout’s question on Yale Engine Overhaul Pellets. They were nothing more than small black balls of wax that would fit through a spark plug hole. When the combustion chamber heated up, in theory at least, the wax would melt and run down, sealing worn rings and cylinder bores. This produced a temporary improvement in engine performance. Of course, the package didn’t tell you that’s all they were. Your engine had to be shot before you would start resorting to such miracle fixes, but at least the little balls did no further damage. I do not have any details about the liquid product you mention, but I have a can of it on the shelf that I bought decades ago, but have never trusted it enough to use.


A. Thanks. Randy Smith from Tacoma, Wash., wrote to say he did use the Yale pellets in his brother’s 1951 Chevy pickup. The truck was a real oil-burner, so they bought some of the pellets and a quart of engine-overhaul-in-a-can, changed the oil, removed the spark plugs and administered the potions. After a month of driving they noticed that the blue smoke and rate of oil use had both noticeably decreased. I’m not sure whether this disputes or confirms Mr. Langelan’s explanation.

Q. Regarding the questions about front end shimmy, we at Stempf Automotive Industries have been supplying front end and alignment parts and solutions for 70 years. Mr. Reiff was right about adding caster wedges to increase caster. This has also been shown to work on newer Dodge Ram pickups that have shimmy or even bump steer at higher speeds. I’m sure we would have the part on hand to help Old Cars Weekly readers. You can also check us out at www.stempf.com.


A. Thanks. You can also call Stempf Automotive at 888-596-5206. A number of readers have suggested hydraulic steering dampers or stabilizers for this or other steering-related woes. Bill McLellan of Pasadena, Calif., says he purchased one from Pep Boys. J.C. Whitney used to sell them, but no longer does. He says he sees “these steering shocks on all the vehicles in California that have been super-raised, where the tie rods are visible, so somebody is making them and probably hot rod magazines advertise them.” And off-road mags, too, I expect. For the straight-axle pickups, the caster wedges seem like a neater solution.

Q. I have a 1984 Oldsmobile Regency Brougham. Inside the trunk lid there is a Service Parts Information Sticker from the factory. At the bottom of the list there is a code TAG018: NEW CAR SHOW. At the time I purchased the car, I was told that it may have been the car used in the Detroit Auto Show or others in 1983 (it was built in August 1983) when the new models were introduced. Does anyone have knowledge of this identification designation?


A. I expect that “NEW CAR SHOW” means it was destined for some auto show, but the Detroit show is in January, so the timing seems off. Perhaps a reader is more familiar with this topic.

Q. At the risk of stirring up an old issue, here is more information on Buick engine decals. In the late 1960s, Buick moved from torque figures to displacement on the air cleaner labels. Through 1966 or ’67, the air cleaner said “Wildcat XXX,” where XXX was the maximum torque output of the engine. The 1962 Wildcat, for example, was labeled “Wildcat 445.” My 1968 LeSabre has a label “350-2,” that signifies a two-barrel 350-cid engine. Finally, the 1970 GSX says “GS 455,” which is the displacement, without mentioning the carburetion.


A. Thanks. Useful information is seldom risky. After answering the June 5 comment, I came across a 1959 Buick brochure that mentions the 401 cubic-inch “Wildcat 445” engine, apparently its first year. It was used through the ’66 model year. I think more than one person was confusing 445 with 455.

Q. I hear the average 18-year-old is surprised that cars didn’t always have power windows and door locks. That causes me to ask when they became standard equipment on mid-size and larger domestic cars. I’m going to guess it was in the late 1980s or early ’90s.


A. I think they’re often part of a trim package, as opposed to being standard on a specific model, but I’m sure our readers will be able to quote chapter and verse.


Q. I have a restored 1957 Ford Thunderbird with the dual four-barrel option. Any idea where I can find the correct air cleaner element? There are no numbers on mine.

A.  My tactic would be to take the old element to a well-stocked parts store and look for one the right shape and size. They may also have a catalog that shows dimensions for the various elements manufactured by their suppliers. I’ll bet, however, that some Old Cars Weekly readers know of specific elements that will work.

Q. I have a 2006 Ford Mustang with an alarm system that is constantly armed with a blinking red light on the dashboard. If I start the car in a period of less than a week it fires right up. When I try after it’s been idle for a week, the electrical system is a dead-starter: lights, radio, etc. The dealer tells me I have to either run it every four days or disconnect a battery terminal due to the alarm system discharging the battery. What is even more odd is that when I put a trickle charger on the “dead” battery it completely charges in about 15 minutes, rather than a long overnight charge. Is there some sort of system built in that shuts off everything if the battery partly drains due to the security light, that I’m not aware of how to disengage?

A. Some may say this is not an old car question, but I’m interested in the answer because I have a 1995 Chevy Suburban that does much the same thing (and I use it for towing old cars, so yes, this is an old car question). The other annoying thing about the Suburban is that the doors lock by themselves every time all of them are closed, which can be incredibly inconvenient when loading and unloading. I’d like to know how to disable the system, at least temporarily. I bought the truck used and there’s no documentation on the security system. It’s not mentioned in the owner’s manual, so I presume it’s an aftermarket setup. 

Q. I recently purchased a 1954 Ford pickup. It had been sitting for about seven years and the brake drums are frozen to the shoes. I know that I’ll have to replace everything, but how can I be gentle so that I don’t make a bigger mess? I’ve tried some heat and a lot of pounding. The engine is out of the truck, and the fenders and bed were removed by the previous owner, so it’s light right now. Should I just drag it around and hope for the best?


A. I think if you drag it the seized wheels will just skid along the ground. I’ve always had good luck using a hefty three-leg hub puller, even on the front wheels. The hold-down springs and cups will be trashed when the shoes finally let go (the cups will go first), but you’ll want to replace them anyway. If it has a full-floating rear axle you need to remove the axles and bearings first. But in general, gentle won’t do it; be bold.

Q. My problem auto is a 1928 Pontiac. Do you know of anyone who has plans or cuts wood for my car? I need the wood around the windshield, dash and front door pillar. I have the rear section almost done. I bought the car from a guy who started the project by taking the car apart and throwing away the wood! I’ve tried ads, and have had no response from print ads or the internet. The Pontiac club has little old car information. The new generation of auto restorers seems to know only hot rods or cars from 1955 up. Us old-timers are a dying breed.


A. As always, we’re happy to assist those who can help in contacting those in need. If you can help Mr. Aschebrock with plans or patterns, contact “Q&A” per the addresses below.

Q. Many years ago at Hershey (so long ago there were only one or two fields), I remember a 1929 LaSalle coupe that had been converted to a tow truck. On the side was painted “Wilton Garage” and the phone number was “1”. I believe the seller’s price was $2,500. I’m interested to find out what happened to that tow truck. I grew up living next to that garage, and in July 1967, that truck towed its last car, my 1960 Falcon. The garage owner then retired the LaSalle due to cracks in its wood spoke wheels. He refused to tow anything else with it and replaced it with a Dodge Power Wagon.


A. Well, it’s probably out there somewhere, but may have been restored back to a LaSalle coupe. Regardless of condition, I doubt you could buy it for $2,500. Do any readers have any recall of this automobile/tow truck?


A. Thanks for that information. I was sure the street rod community had a solution for the problem. Dan Wilken of Shannon, Ill., says he has been using a stock radiator in his ’37 Chevrolet, with a 267-cid V-8 engine from a 1980 Caprice. While having the radiator tested prior to installation, he had the shop install new inlet and outlet tubes to match the hose size to the engine. He runs a 4-pound cap, 160-degree thermostat and 7-blade, 17-inch fan. He’s had no trouble during several years of driving every day, winter and summer.

Q. I have a 1962 Willys four-wheel drive pickup. The steering wheel has the structural internal spokes situated at the 12 and 6 o’clock positions instead of the original 3 and 9 o’clock positions. Evidently, through years of service something has worn or changed in the steering system to change the steering wheel position. Can you tell me the proper way to change the wheel back to its original position? I’ve never had the wheel off, but I know from past experience that most of the time they are in a fixed position and cannot be adjusted.

A. As you say, some steering wheels have symmetrical splines and can be rotated relative to the steering shaft and others cannot. I’m not sure which type your Willys has. This problem is frequently caused by a bent component in the steering system, the remedy for which is replacement of the damaged part (some say that a minor kink can sometimes be corrected if straightened cold). On the other hand, your 90-degree displacement seems a lot, even for collision damage. I’d start by checking every part of the steering linkage for apparent damage, followed by investigation of the mounting of the steering wheel to the column shaft. I’ve had experience with a Chevy Suburban whose steering box sustained internal injuries in an incident involving a stone wall. The damage was not apparent from the outside, but only upon disassembly after replacing it with a rebuilt unit.

Q. In the April 24 “Q&A,” Christopher Sass asked for information on vehicles built at General Motors’ Fisher Body Plant located at 900 Baldwin Avenue in Pontiac, Mich. Apart from the Pontiac Fiero built there from late 1983 to about ’88, only bodies were built in the plant. A friend who was an engineer in the plant’s engineering department at Pontiac tells me his recollection is that A, B and G bodies (e.g.: LeMans, Bonneville and Grand Prix) were built there in the 1961-’83 period and sent via an overpass to the adjacent Pontiac Motor Division assembly plant. Prior to World War II, as far as I know, all Pontiac A, B and (sometimes) C styles were built at Baldwin Avenue.   

A.  Roy Nagel is a retired GM engineer, and we thank him for his recollections and those of his colleague.

Q. A friend found an old package of Yale engine overhaul pellets in his late father’s effects. The instructions read to put several pellets into the spark plug holes, reinstall the plugs and the pellets will then overhaul your engine while you drive. I never heard of this stuff in 40 years of mechanic work. How old is this product? It looks mid-50s by the package. What can you or your readers tell me about this stuff, good or bad?

A.  Like most magic elixirs, I suspect the product has been around about as long as internal combustion engines themselves. I have a 1957 J.C. Whitney catalog that offers both the Yale pellets and a companion product, “Engine Overhaul Liquid Plate,” which one was supposed to add to the oil. The blurb reads that “while you drive, the worn parts are plated with a metallic layer that actually rebuilds them with a factory-like finish and fit…. Genuine engine overhaul, it lasts and lasts. Unconditionally guaranteed – or money back.” The liquid and pellets were sold together for $4.95 postpaid. We used to joke about the stuff back in the day, but I don’t know anyone who actually tried it. Do any of our readers have experience with these potions or even know what they’re made of?


Q. Years ago, I owned a 1938 Chevy convertible with a rumbleseat. I don’t ever see them. Can you tell me how many were actually made?


A. According to Krause Publications’ Standard Catalog of American Cars 1805-1942, Chevrolet offered a cabriolet in the Master series (HB) for 1938, of which 2,787 were produced. The only other rumbleseat model was the HA Master Deluxe sport coupe, with 2,790 built. These were Chevy’s final rumbleseat cars. The cabriolet was not the rarest ’38 Chevy, however. That distinction goes to the Master Deluxe five-passenger “flatback” sedan, whose production halted after 236 cars. Apparently most customers preferred the sport sedan, which had the increasingly popular built-in “touring trunk.”

Q. Regarding the standard shift 1961 Thunderbird (“Q&A,” April 17), in January 1996, I was in Belleville, Ill., and a gentleman there had a 1961 T-bird with no radio, no power windows, no heater, clear glass and small hubcaps. It was standard shift, low mileage and had probably not been driven in 20 years. How would you like to look for a radio-delete plate for a ’61 T-bird!


A. Thanks for reporting your sighting of a “stripper” ’61 Thunderbird. We’ve also heard from Carrol Hiatt of North Platte, Neb., who acquired a similar ’60 T-bird, with three-speed column shift and overdrive, and no power brakes, steering or windows nor air conditioning. He says it has the 430-cid V-8, which many sources state was only available with automatic. Dick Gervais of Rochester, N.H., also remembers one owned by a neighbor, a ’59 or ’60 with overdrive and the 430. That was 40 years ago, and he recalls that it would do 90 mph in second gear.

Q. In the April 24 “Q&A,” Jim Kruk asked about his overdrive solenoid when changing to 12 volts. The 6-volt solenoid does need to be replaced with a 12-volt solenoid. A voltage reducer or resistor will not work because there are actually two sets of contact points inside the solenoid. The heavy windings and contacts engage the solenoid and draw about 10-11 amperes. The smaller holding coils hold the solenoid engaged and draw about 1-2 amps. Trying to use a single voltage reducer will subject the smaller coil to too high a voltage and eventually destroy it. Spare solenoid parts are expensive and difficult to find. You can use a 1956 or newer 12-volt solenoid – just be sure it’s from the same type and model. Check the shaft lengths and end of the shaft to be sure they match. Station wagon and convertible models typically have long shafts due to the extra crossmembers in the frame. It helps that 11 different car companies used the same Borg-Warner overdrive, and that the solenoids will interchange between makes.


A. The solenoids are more complex than I thought. I’m glad I was on the right track in suggesting a 12-volt solenoid.

Q. I’m having trouble getting an ignition switch for my 1954 Packard Patrician. I’ve bought two, and both stick in the “start” position. Do you or any readers know where I can get a good switch or where I can get mine repaired? Or, are there other cars that use the same switch?


A. I presume you’ve been finding used switches, and it sounds like you’ve discovered their weak point. Short of finding an NOS switch, you might try carefully disassembling one of yours. I don’t know this type personally, but I’ve had good luck with repairing other switches, including the multipurpose light stalks used on modern cars, that were never intended to be taken apart. In your case, it sounds like wear on the mechanical parts rather than an electrical contact problem. Be patient and work in an open, clean area so that you can find any little springs that take flight. Has anyone got any other tips?

Q. I’m trying to help a friend with his 1951 Plymouth. The car has a ’54 Plymouth six-cylinder with three-on-the-tree. He’d like to install an automatic, and I suggested an old Torqueflite. Do you know if this combo is compatible, or do you have any other suggestions?


A. It sounds the most likely candidate, or a Powerflite, used by Plymouth from 1954 to ’60, if your friend will be happy with two speeds, bearing in mind that a ’56 or later unit will be set up for push-button shift. In addition to checking how the torque converter mounts to the engine, you’ll have to measure the installed length to see if the driveshaft will need to be modified. Finally, and perhaps most important, check the floor clearance. In 1953 and ’54, when Plymouth offered Hy-Drive, its version of Fluid Drive, the cars so-equipped had a completely different floor pan. Has any reader done a similar project?


Q. I have a 1941 Ford V-8, and I’ve had nothing but trouble with ignition coils. I can only drive about 30 minutes before the coil overheats and shuts down. I have a spare that I use and the same thing happens. Do you know of any method of adapting a 1942-’46 distributor to my engine?


A. Early Ford V-8s had a front-mounted distributor, with the coil located directly on top. This location, directly behind the radiator, subjected the ignition system to high temperatures, shortening the life of electrical components. Beginning in 1942, Ford provided a partial remedy by relocating the coil to a position atop the engine. In the final iteration of the flathead, 1949-’53, the whole distributor was moved to the right side of the engine and driven by an angled shaft, rather than directly from the front of the camshaft. I suspect that both your coils have deteriorated, resulting in heat soaking after a half-hour of running. This is not unusual for old electrical components; the plastics and varnishes used in their construction naturally degrade over time, and heat accelerates the process. The diagrams I’ve found of the various configurations show that the distributor mounting changed in 1942, so you will not be able to directly substitute the later unit. I’m not sure if it’s as simple as swapping the timing gear cover on which it mounts, nor whether the tongue that engages the camshaft is the same. It’s been quite a while since I’ve dabbled with Ford flatheads, but I seem to remember improved aftermarket ignition coils that would better withstand the heat – materials science has come a long way since 1941. I’m sure there are readers who know about this, and whether a later distributor with remote-mounted coil can be substituted.

Q. I’ve owned a 1989 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme International Series coupe since 1991. Like a similar car mentioned in “Q&A” some months ago, mine has a factory five-speed transmission and other items not found on other examples: four-wheel disk brakes, quick steering, stiffer suspension, 16-inch alloy wheels, dual outlet muffler, digital dash and 2.8-liter V-6 engine. While it was still under warranty, the Olds dealer could not/would not work on it as they had never seen one. How many International Series were made in coupe form, and with a factory five-speed? My car is all original with 72,000 garage-kept miles. What is its value?


A. Oldsmobile offered International Series models in all three Cutlass subseries in 1989. The Cutlass Calais used a 2.5-liter OHV four and was available as a coupe or sedan. The mid-range Cutlass Ciera also offered coupe and sedan International Series models, but with the 2.8-liter V-6. The Cutlass Supreme International Series was offered only as a coupe with the 2.8-liter V-6. Interestingly, the five-speed was standard on this particular model, with a four-speed automatic as optional equipment. According to Krause Publications’ Standard Catalog of American Cars 1976-1999, the Supreme was the most popular of the International Series coupes, with 18,116 built. Cutlass Ciera and Cutlass Calais International Series coupes were far rarer, at 1,913 and 3,345, respectively. Interestingly, the rarest International Series 1989 Olds is the Calais sedan, with 1,590 built. There were 5,132 Ciera sedans. As to your car’s value, it’s new enough that some of the used car books list it, but ascribe to it a low figure. In the collector car market, it’s considerably more valuable. Old Cars Price Guide June 2008 edition lists a condition 3 car at $3,600. I don’t have access to any figures on the number of five-speed cars built. Even though a manual transmission was the basic option, I suspect most were built with automatics. Perhaps some readers know more.

Q. In the March 17 issue’s “Q&A,” there was a question about 1931 steel-roofed pickups. The all-steel body and top were introduced in August 1931, according to The Ford Model A as Henry Built It by George DeAngelis, Edward Francis and Leslie R. Henry (Motor Cities Publishing, 1971 and later editions). The all-steel body was produced only by Budd.

A. Thanks for that information. If my calculations are correct, then, there were nearly 70,000 Model 78B pickups built with the steel roof between August 1931 and March 1932, out of 95,529 closed cab pickups produced between the introduction of the 78B in May 1931 and the end of Model A production. I used Krause Publications’ Standard Catalog of American Light Duty Trucks and James K. Wagner’s Crestline book Ford Trucks Since 1905 as sources for dates and production figures.



Q. Some time ago in “Q&A,” a reader asked about window price stickers for cars. I e-mailed the gentleman who does the stickers, concerning my 1958 Chevy Impala. I was told that the stickers started in ’59. A few weeks later, I read somewhere that the stickers started with the ’58 models. Which is correct?


A. You’re referring to the “Monroney sticker,” named after Almer Stillwell “Mike” Monroney (1902-’80), U.S. Representative from Oklahoma from 1939 to ’51 and Senator from 1951 to ’69. In March 1958, he sponsored a bill calling for the posting of a window sticker on each new passenger car, van or SUV that would show the manufacturer’s suggested retail price, the transportation method and cost, and the price of all installed accessories. It was signed into law on July 7, 1958, and became effective on September 1. It applied to all vehicles from the 1959 model year onwards, and presumably to those ’58s that might still have been in dealers’ inventories. There has long been some confusion about the effective date, a subject that has been raised in Old Cars Weekly before.

Q. I’ve been trying to find out if there’s a free database of cars and the cities in which they were produced. I live in Brockton, Mass., and there were three cars made here. One was the Marsh, but I’ve been unable to find out the other two. Is there a database that has listings by city or town?


A. I don’t know of a free database, but the Standard Catalog of American Cars 1805-1942 has a geographical index of prewar car manufacturers. For Brockton it shows no fewer than seven: Atlantic Steamer, Cameron, Leighton, Marsh, Pickard, Roader and Sterling. Once readily available at a modest price, this Standard Catalog, written by Beverly Rae Kimes with research by Henry Austin Clark, Jr., and published by Krause Publications, is now out of print and used copies have become pricey.

Q. In reference to Bill Vandever’s question (April 10 issue) about putting a 1968 Chevy truck six in his ’37 coupe, I just completed installation of a 235-cid ’62 truck engine in my ’36 Chevy five-window coupe. This engine has a short-shaft water pump. After installing the engine, there was only three-quarters of an inch clearance at the cowl and a similar amount at the radiator – with no fan blade! I installed a 16-inch electric fan in front of the radiator. It works fine but, after a call to an air-conditioning specialist, I wasn’t able to add air. He said a pusher fan alone wouldn’t keep things cool enough, and that I needed to install a puller fan. With the close clearance at the radiator, there was no way. I’ll just open the cowl vent and call it close enough.


A. That’s a good point about clearance. I hadn’t considered what should be obvious: Take some measurements before you begin your project to see if things will really fit together. I’ve learned and re-learned this simple principle myself. I don’t understand, though, how there’s a difference in pulling or pushing the air, unless the capacities of the two types of fans are different.

Q. Regarding the question concerning “water injection” for a 1936 Buick Century (March 20 issue), the ’36 Series 60, 80 and 90 had an oil temperature regulator. It controlled the temperature of the oil supplied to the valve mechanism, which maintained the valve lash at a uniform clearance. When the engine was started from cold, the regulator quickly brought up the oil to water temperature and closed valve lash to normal. When the engine was driven under conditions giving high oil temperature, the regulator cooled the oil.


A. Thanks for explaining that puzzle. You don’t say how critical this component is to the operation of the engine, but it’s safe to say that if one wants to use it one should ensure that it doesn’t leak.

Q. I own a 1983 Chrysler LeBaron Town & Country convertible. Last summer, one of my top pistons broke loose. I disconnected the top from the hydraulics and have been raising and lowering it by hand, which is fairly simple to do. Can I harm the top frame or fabric by doing this? I cannot afford to replace the pistons at this time, but love to go top-downing in summer.


A. As long as the top moves freely up and down – and if it didn’t it would be more apparent to you than to the hydraulic mechanism – I can’t see why there would be any problem. In fact, you probably operate it more carefully than the automatic system did. Sometimes simpler is just as good, if not better.

Q.  I recently purchased a 1938 Oldsmobile sport coupe with the rare factory-installed Automatic Safety Transmission. I’ve been unable to find out how many were produced. I’ve searched through all available reference guides, spoken to the 1938 Oldsmobile specialist of the National Antique Oldsmobile Club, of which I’m a member, and written to the R.E. Olds Museum historian, but no one can give me any information. I know that Oldsmobile offered this semi-automatic transmission from July 1937 until the end of the ’39 model year. It was an expensive option: $100 in 1938. Oldsmobile built 5,353 F series (six-cylinder) sport coupes, Model 38-3627, in 1938, plus 279 for export. Can you or any of your readers tell me how many ’38 six-cylinder sport coupes had this option, or how many ’38 Olds of any model had it?


A.  I can’t, at least with any certainty. The Jan.-Feb. 1974 issue of Special Interest Autos has a good article on the Automatic Safety Transmission, a semi-automatic with conventional clutch. Dennis Casteele in “The Cars of Oldsmobile” (Crestline, 1981) notes that it was introduced on eight-cylinder Oldsmobiles in June 1937, and extended to sixes for 1938. According to George Dammann’s “Seventy Years of Buick” (Crestline, 1973), it was also offered on 1938 Buick Specials. The unit was actually built by Buick although development was done by General Motors Central Staff. Lead engineer was Earl Thompson, a brilliant fellow who had invented synchromesh and went on to develop the Hydra-Matic. The SIA article estimates less than seven percent of 1937-’39 Oldsmobiles and Buicks had it. If the same proportion applies to your sport coupe model, it would be some 375 cars – in all probability not even that many, as one would expect the expensive option to be more popular on upmarket Oldsmobiles. It’s a rare survivor. If anyone has any better numbers please let us know, particularly where you got them.

Q. The gas gauge on my 1957 Chevy goes all the way to the top when I turn on the car. It stays there for some time, and when it drops to the full mark I better be looking for a gas station. I’ve changed the gauge twice and the sender three times. I’ve also grounded the sending unit. The wiring from tank to dash has been checked and is okay. What can I do? I don’t like carrying a can of gas in the trunk.


A. The gauge works on a variable resistance principle, so the first suspect is one of the resistance elements, either in sender or gauge, but you’ve changed those several times. Most cars also have some sort of voltage regulator for the instruments. If yours is faulty you could be getting too much voltage, causing the gauge to register off scale. Does your temperature gauge read properly? The two usually run off the same regulator.

Q.  I have a 1963 Ford Thunderbird. I can’t get the gas gauge to work. I installed a new gas tank, new sending unit (tried two of them, made in Taiwan), and a new constant-voltage regulator. The needle moves about one-quarter inch, so I know there’s power getting to it. The temperature gauge works, and both gauges work off the same voltage regulator. Any suggestions?


A. This must be the erratic gas gauge season. Did the gauge work properly before you replaced the gas tank? If so, I’d suspect you don’t have a good ground from the sending unit to the body. The other possibility, other than a bad batch of imported senders, is a bum gauge in the dashboard.

Q.  I sold my 1972 Buick Riviera in Florida in 1998, and now I’d like to find it again. I know the buyer’s name and where he used to work. I tried contacting the Florida Department of Transportation, but that was no use due to privacy issues. I’ve tried car shows by showing pictures, etc. CarFax only handles cars with 17-digit VINs – the Riviera has 13 digits. Is there a company or resource that can help me locate it?


A. Even if you had a 17-digit VIN, CarFax would not give you an owner’s name or address, only a general location based on registration or inspection reports. Your best bet may be to exercise some of the internet search resources to locate the man who bought the Riviera from you. However, since 10 years have elapsed since you sold it, the car may have changed hands several times. You might try the Buick Club of America (www.buickclub.org) or the Riviera Owners Association (www.rivowners.org).


Q. My latest project is a 1953 military-style Jeep that I’m converting to a wood body. It has an overhead-valve four-cylinder engine and operates with a 24-volt electrical system. I desperately need a 12-volt starter and distributor. Could you please point me in the right direction?



A.Your Jeep must have what we call an “F-head” engine, with overhead intake valves and exhaust valves in the block. Willys Motors began offering Jeeps with 12-volt electrics in 1958, though 6-volt systems continued to be available. You merely need to find the electrical components from one of these later Jeeps. My interchange manuals suggest MDM-6005, MCH-6215 and MDU-7004 as possible Auto-Lite part numbers for a starter, GJC-7002S, GJP-7202S and GJP-7402S as generators. Generators for some 1956 and later Chrysler products and Studebakers may also fit. For distributors, look for Auto-Lite IAY-4401 or IAT-4405.


Q. Regarding Larry Day’s question about his 1964 Thunderbird convertible top (March 6 issue), I suggest he join a T-bird club. There are several chapters in the greater Detroit area (do a Google search) and they often offer technical advice. I assume that this is a fully disappearing top such as those on Lincolns of the same vintage. If so, a good resource is John Cashman (www.convertiblelincolns.com). He travels the United States in his motorhome and comes to you to fix your 1960s Lincoln convertible top. The Lincoln shop in Connecticut you recalled is Baker’s Automotive in Putnam (www.bakersauto.com). They offer free telephone technical advice – call 860-928-7614 and ask for Steve.



A. Thanks for that generous helping of advice. Indeed it was Baker’s Automotive I was thinking of. Gary Husted of Bricktown, N.J., also recommended them. In addition, Sherman Smith of Winona, Minn., has had good luck with Thunder Enterprises of 7158 County Hwy. B, Pittsville, WI 54466. Call 715-884-6546 and ask for John.


Q. In the 1960s, my brother and I were Ford-Mercury dealers in this small California seacoast town. One day, I got a request for a service appointment from a couple with a summer home here. When they arrived in their 1962 or ’63 Thunderbird, my mechanic drove the car into the shop and immediately came out to say, ‘This car has a stick shift transmission!’ None of us had ever seen or heard of a Thunderbird of that era with anything but an automatic. When the couple returned for the car I asked about this, and this is what I was told: ‘We lived in Detroit for years and I worked for Ford and was acquainted with many important people in the company. My wife wanted a Thunderbird, but was skeptical whether she could handle the automatic transmission. I pulled some strings and got this car made to special order for her.’  I haven’t really researched this, so maybe someone can set me straight.


A. With the right resources and connections, anything is possible. The easiest installation might have been a four-speed with console-mounted shifter, but maybe the column linkage from a full-size Ford could have worked. Do any readers have ideas or experience?


Q. I’m restoring a 1957 Ford Fairlane 500 four-door hardtop, with 292-cid V-8, automatic transmission and power steering. I’ve gotten the wrong parts on occasion. Some parts houses list it as a four-door hardtop with post, others list it as a four-door sedan. The ID plate has been replaced with gibberish that tells me nothing. Can you tell me the difference between the two? One parts place said the sedan has more trim than the hardtop with post, but where and how much is unknown.


A. The basic difference between a “hardtop sedan” and a “four-door sedan” (often called “post sedan”) is that the post between the doors on the latter goes all the way to the roof. The hardtop’s roof has no support between the front and rear doors. That post has exterior trim, while the hardtop has chrome-edged windows that meet on some sort of gasket. Ford literature called the hardtop “Town Victoria,” body style 57B. The “post” sedan was the Town Sedan, body style 58A. As for the speedometer gear, it must be selected to match the rear axle ratio. The ratio is often shown on a tag secured to one of the differential cover bolts, but they are frequently lost. Ford V-8s with automatic transmission usually had a 3.10 to 1 ratio. A ratio that is higher numerically, as from a stick shift or overdrive car, would cause your speedometer to appear “fast.”


Q. Many years ago, I owned a number of Borgward automobiles. Borgward went out of business and slowly my cars were sold off. Some time later, I heard that all of the Borgward dies and manufacturing tools were sold to someone in Mexico. It was also my understanding that the cars would be produced again in Mexico. Can you provide more information about this? Obviously, if the materials were shipped to Mexico, the cars were never produced again.

A. This is all partially true, but Mexican production didn’t amount to much. German manufacturer Carl F.W. Borgward had his share of ups and downs in the automobile business. Starting with small three-wheeled delivery vehicles, he developed a good business in cars and trucks. During World War II, he built military vehicles. He didn’t restart car production until 1949, but in 1954, he introduced the Isabella, named for his wife. It was a unibody car with four-wheel independent suspension, just in time to catch the gathering wave of imports to the United States. Annual production was about 20,000 cars, some 40 percent of which went to the United States. Your cars, I’m certain, were Isabellas. Borgward, however, had neglected his accounting, and the company was declared insolvent in 1961. Not long after he retired. Some claim that the downfall was politically engineered. Car production ceased, and the machinery and tooling were sold to Mexican investors. There are references to Mexican-built Isabellas in the 1962-’66 period, but as far as I can tell, nothing happened there until 1967, when production of a larger P-100 model began. Slightly more than 2,000 were built through 1970. Interestingly, recent European news reports say that Carl Borgward’s grandson is trying to start a German company to build an Audi-Mercedes-BMW rival.

Q. I’m building a 1937 Chevrolet coupe and installing a 250-cid six-cylinder engine from a 1968 Chevy pickup. Will the original radiator handle the 250? I plan on adding air conditioning as well.

A. You’ll want additional cooling, particularly with a condenser dumping heat ahead of the radiator. You’ll want to have the existing radiator refurbished, and that’s the time to add a thicker core. Street rodders do this sort of thing all the time, with engines larger than your 250. Can anyone offer wisdom from experience?

Q. In regard to the question in the Dec. 6, 2007, issue about the 1953 Studebaker automatic transmission, it was by Borg-Warner, the DG-200 introduced in 1950. The transmission featured a “hill holder” completely separate from the brake system. According to Philip G. Gott’s book “Changing Gears – The Development of the Automobile Transmission” (Society of Automotive Engineers, 1991), “The reaction of the reverse and forward free-wheeling clutches acted on the sun gear of the rear planetary gear set. The drive torque of the idling engine, combined with the tendency of the car to roll backward on a hill, lock up both one-way clutches and prevent reverse rotation of the transmission’s main shaft. An increase in engine torque by pressing on the accelerator pedal would ‘unlock’ the transmission and allow forward motion.” The transmission also incorporated an “anti-creep” feature. Those both seemed to be advanced features that were not available on other automatic transmissions.


A. I remember the anti-creep device. My 1953 Studebaker had one. It worked on the rear brakes, holding pressure after the brake pedal had been released, but before any throttle pressure had been applied. Pushing the accelerator pedal or turning off the ignition would release the pressure. The device mounted to the rear of the master cylinder, not the transmission. I converted my car to an overdrive transmission, so I removed the anti-creep unit and installed a Wagner “NoRol” hill holder, which was activated by the clutch linkage. It had an internal valve that disabled it when the car was headed downhill. I liked it very much.

Q. With the recent Midwestern cold snap, including below-zero weather, I’ve been wondering about the issues involved with driving a steam car in extremely cold winter weather. In particular, what are the precautions necessary to avoid freezing when not in use, freeze-ups of water tank when driving, etc. What other cold-weather peculiarities do steam cars have?


A. Having written a book on the Stanley Steamer, I can give you some answers. The Stanley twins, always reluctant to admit that steam had any drawbacks, advised that their customers only needed to put their cars in a barn or carriage house overnight, and keep the pilot light going. The warmth from the pilot kept the boiler from freezing. But that was in Boston, where winters are not as severe as in the northern plains states. And, as you point out, it’s not just the boiler that’s at risk. There is a water tank, water pumps and plenty of tubing that’s nowhere near the pilot and will freeze first. The simple answer for cold climates is to thoroughly drain the car when freezing weather sets in and keep it that way until spring. Many people ask about antifreeze. Steam boilers and engines are designed to work with pure water. Old-fashioned alcohol lowers the boiling point of water while modern ethylene glycol raises it. Either one will render the steam powerplant inefficient, if it works at all. Interestingly, despite the severe winters, Iowa was one of Stanley’s best markets outside of New England, perhaps because farmers were familiar with steam threshing equipment.

Q. Here in the Twin Cities, we have a newspaper columnist who writes a column similar to yours, answering readers’ questions, only about more recent vehicles. He calls himself “Dr. Gizmo.” I enclose a snip from one of his columns a few weeks ago, which stumped him. If anyone could answer this question it would have to be the experts at Old Cars Weekly, so here you go: Do you know what it was that was referred to as “Boc Hevies”?


A. The clipping sent by Mr. Raasch led off with a question from “E.J.J.” of Carlisle, Pa., who had a 1939 ad for “tires, oil and Boc Hevies.” Dr. Gizmo gave up after an “exhaustive search of the vast Dr. Gizmo automotive library, the staff and … the Internet.” Despite the good doctor’s lack of internet success, I consulted Google, my frequent strategy for confounding puzzles. Google’s listing wasn’t helpful, but the search engine had a suggestion: “Did you mean ‘boc heavies’?” The possibility of misspelling had occurred to me, too. Further search taught me that “heavies” is industrial gas industry lingo for heavy hydrocarbons. That rang another bell: Boc gases, or rather BOC gases. Indeed, wikipedia, the online encyclopedia tells us that Brin’s Oxygen Co., Ltd., was formed in 1886 by Arthur and Leon Brin. It became British Oxygen Co. in 1906. In 2006, it was taken over by the German industrial group Linde, also a gas manufacturer and distributor. “Heavy hydrocarbons” seem to be, in industrial terms, crude oil and bitumens, which don’t seem like consumer products such as tires and oil. I think the 1939 ad refers to propane, acetylene and similar gases, which are heavier than air. Had it read “Boc Heavies,” or, even better, “BOC Heavies,” we might have figured it out more easily.

Q. I’ve heard a lot about “numbers matching” cars. I have a 1958 Plymouth Belvedere with a 318-cid V-8 and dual Carter four-barrels. The engine casting number is 1737828, and the number stamped on the driver’s side of the block below the head is LP8-185428. The VIN is LP2L**8529. I’ve heard several opinions about whether this is the original engine or not. I’d appreciate any help.


A. The term “numbers matching” is relevant to cars whose manufacturers identified engines and chassis with a single number (or at least the serial part thereof). These include Ford products and many General Motors cars. Chrysler Corp. followed a different drummer. In the late 1950s, Plymouth and other Mopar cars had engine numbers that resembled Vehicle Identification Numbers (as chassis or serial numbers are now called), but did not exactly “match.” Your VIN decodes as a 1958 Plymouth V-8 built in Los Angeles. The final digits of the VIN are a serial identification, corresponding roughly to its place in the quantity of all cars built in that plant in that model year. All 1958 Plymouth V-8 engine numbers had a prefix of LP8. Your engine’s number may designate its place among all Plymouth V-8s of 1958, so yes, it could be the original engine, but we can’t tell from the number alone.

Q. I have been watching the “Green Hornet” TV show lately on the American Life Network. On the show, they have many fine early-to-mid-1960s Chryslers, Dodges and Plymouths. Brett Reed drives what looks like a 1966 Chrysler Newport convertible. But the car that interests me most is the “Green Hornet” car he drives. To me, it looks like a customized 1966 Chrysler Imperial. Is there anybody who can confirm this, and is the car still around?

A. According to the Imperial Club Web site, the “Green Hornet” car is “Black Beauty,” a 1966 Crown Imperial customized by Dean Jeffries. Actually, there were two cars. Apparently, George Barris built another four unauthorized clones for publicity purposes. For more information, check out www.imperialclub.com/Yr/1966/BlackBeauty/. “Black Beauty,” of course, made its first appearance on the 1936-’52 “Green Hornet” radio show, for which no real car was necessary. I’m just old enough to have heard the show, but my father never allowed us to listen to serial programs. Can anyone recall descriptive information on that imaginary car?

Q. I have owned a 1941 Dodge D-19 Luxury Liner for 26 years, acquiring it from the original owner, my grandfather. The car’s original colors are burgundy on the lower body with light gray on the top. I have not seen another one these colors. Is there a way to determine how many were made with this color scheme?

A. The short answer is “probably not.” Production statistics by color or by optional equipment are quite rare, especially for cars of this era. De Soto offered a two-tone Sportsman model in 1940, a variation of the four-door sedan, but this sub-model wasn’t even broken out in production reports.

Q. Regarding Les Warner’s letter about 8-volt conversions in the Jan. 24, 2008, issue, there is a down side to converting a 6-volt car to 8 volts. Most 6-volt cars have electrical components that are designed to operate in a range of 6-8 volts or so. The voltage of a discharged 6-volt battery is about 6.0 volts, and the output from a regulated 6-volt generator or alternator is about 7.25 volts, when the engine is up to speed. That is well within the voltage rating of the various electrical components. An 8-volt battery in a discharge state has a voltage of about 8.0 volts; a generator or alternator set up to charge an 8-volt battery is regulated at about 9.3 volts, outside the rated range of the electrical components. This means they can overheat and will have shorter service lives. Expect light bulbs and radio tube filaments to burn out relatively quickly.
    A well-maintained 6-volt system will work fine. However, if you decide to change the system voltage, change it to 12 volts. Generally, there are 12-volt equivalents to 6-volt bulbs, and there are ballast resistors and voltage converter boxes on the market so that your 6-volt components can operate at their rated voltage. Also, you can then safely jump start with a 12-volt battery. It is unsafe to jump either a 6- or 8-volt battery with a 12-volt battery (I know, it’s done all the time — it’s still unsafe). If you change polarity, as well as voltage, make sure that your instruments and accessories (e.g. radio) are able to handle the changed polarity.


A. We’ve had several other comments on 8-volt conversions. Ken Taplin of Blue Hill, ME.; Buddy Cavin of Stanley, N.C.; and Bob Huffman of Jonestown, PA., report good results from simply setting the voltage regulator for greater voltage output. W.R McBee, on the other hand, relates that his father did an 8-volt conversion on an old Lincoln during the early 1960s, and had to change light bulbs weekly, bearing out one of Noel DeLessio’s cautions. Several of you described techniques for jumping an 8-volt system from a 12-volt battery, which I’ll not repeat. Again, to echo Mr. DeLessio: don’t!
I think it’s worth quoting veteran car dealer and former Classic Car Club of America president Jon Lee, writing in the January issue of that club’s Bulletin. He says he’s spent a greater part of his life coaxing old cars home, and he’s quite emphatic that “8-volt batteries and 12/6 step-down batteries or other magical combinations are treating a symptom rather than fixing the cause of the problem.” He goes on to recommend a through examination and refurbishment of your wiring, particularly terminals and connections. The effort and expense of that upgrade might be more satisfactory in the long run than your own attempts at re-engineering.

Q. In the Jan. 24, 2008, issue, Mr. Mawhirter of Derby, Kan., provided some Ford Crestliner information. What he doesn’t mention is why Ford quit making the Crestliner in the middle of the 1951 production year. It was indeed a stopgap. The Crestliner was a response to the introduction of the Chevrolet Bel Air two-door hardtop at the beginning of the 1950 model year. Ford didn’t have a true hardtop body style ready to go, and didn’t tool one up, because Fords were due for an all-new body shell for the 1952 models. The Bel Air was a runaway success, so Ford started work on a true hardtop to be put into production ASAP. When the Victoria hardtop was in production in mid 1951, the plug was pulled on the Crestliner.

But before its demise, the Crestliner was a classy car. Interiors and exteriors were very colorful, as Mawhirter described. It was the first Ford to have carpeted front floors and truly colorful interiors coordinated with the exterior color. The name “Crestline” was attached to Ford’s top-line models starting in 1952, but it was not until 1954 that there was a Crestline sedan.

 
A. Indeed. The Crestline series in 1952 and 1953 consisted of the Victoria hardtop, Sunliner convertible and Country Squire wagon. In 1954, they were joined by the glass-top Skyliner and an upscale four-door sedan. Thanks for filling out the Crestliner story.


Q. I have a 1964 Thunderbird convertible with continuing convertible-top maladies. I cannot seem to find anyone who can work on the problems — not even convertible top shops. I live in Michigan, just north of Detroit. Are you or your readers aware of any mechanics that perform this kind of work?


A. Top mechanisms for the 1958-’66 Thunderbird convertibles are unlike those of any other manufacturer’s “drop tops,” although they share some concepts, if not any parts, with the 1957-’59 Ford Skyliner and the 1961-’67 Lincoln four-door convertibles. There used to be a shop in Connecticut that specialized in the Lincolns, so I’d be surprised if there isn’t someone in Michigan who has a similar business. Can any readers help?

Q. How do you pull the rear brake drums off a 1951 Chevrolet 3/4-ton pickup? My buddy and I can’t seem to get them off, even after trying to take out all the adjustments to free up the shoes. We beat on the drums to no avail. What are we doing wrong?


A. If the truck has a full-floating rear axle, and I believe it does, you have to remove the axle shafts first. There will be eight cap screws around the edge of the hub. Remove these, and you can slide the axle out (put a can under the hub as some oil may drool out). You will then see a large, thin hex nut secured with a locking tab on one of the flats. Pry the tab down so you can turn the nut — shop manuals show a special socket wrench for this, but I’ve always been able to tap the nut free with a drift punch. Take off the locking tab ring and remove a second nut, and you can then pull the drum and hub off as a unit. I believe the bearings are retained by a snap ring inside the hub, but be careful nonetheless. Shop manuals say to tighten the inner nut to 50-60 lb.-ft. upon reassembly, then back off 1/8 turn before fitting the outer nut. I’ve been known to do this by feel with no ill effects.

Q. I was watching a television program titled “Texas Country” on RFD-TV recently. The host travels to Texas and films places of interest. He visited with an Arlington man, Stacy Brown, who sells old auto parts from stock he has acquired by buying out auto parts suppliers. The parts range from the early 1900s to 1972. Mr. Brown has nine warehouses packed with parts of all makes. This was interesting to me and probably to many others. Mr. Brown says he sells only by phone and does not have a computer or inventory lists of his merchandise. Yet, he can come up with most any part someone would need. Do you have anyone in that area that could check this out? The program did not offer a phone number, and Mr. Brown’s sign was not readable when the camera was on it. Also, the business location wasn’t disclosed.


A. This is a good idea, and we would like to hear from someone who has visited Mr. Brown in Arlington, Texas. There is another business with a large selection of vintage auto parts in Grand Rapids, Mich., called Northwestern Auto (616-241-5611).

Q. I get asked about the unusual headlights on my 1928 Ford roadster hot rod, but I have no information about them. They are an old swap meet find and the only others like them I’ve seen was on the “Moonbean” ’32 Ford roadster. Any idea what these headlights are from?

A.These headlights have sealed beam units, which appeared in 1940. By then, most cars had the headlights built into the front fenders. Notable exceptions were Packard, Crosley and Americam Bantam, none which matched yours. They may be aftermarket items.

Q. Concerning Harley Phillips’ C60 Chevy truck (discussed in the Nov. 29, 2007 issue), with single-circuit hydraulic booster, what he has is the industry standard for local delivery trucks from the mid 1960s through the mid ’80s. 

    A GVW (gross vehicle weight) just over 30,000 pounds would now require a CDL, but was subject to state regulations. What is unusual is the engine. A big-block V-8 (366/427) was standard. When gas went from 30 cents to 50 cents per gallon when you could get it, diesel was an alternative. Unfortunately, this engine was not the answer. At 212 cid (4-cyl x 53 cid) and 122 hp, maybe 150 with the turbo, and a whopping 270 pound-feet of torque, he’d be as well off with a 292 or 300 inline gas engine. What’s rare about this truck is it survived the crusher. Tim Rahdan, Port Defiance, Va.

A. We also have heard from Greg Rourke of Batavia, lll., who writes, “To Mr. Phillips: With the 1978 C60 Chevrolet and 453 Detroit… I’ve seen a number of them around, certainly less common than gas engines, but not especially rare. As far as speed goes, they should run 65-70 mph on a flat road, empty. Two things may be wrong if it’s way slower … you may have the two-speed rear in low range … the button must be up for high. It’s worthwhile to learn to split shift that thing. Also, the gear ratio for the diesel trucks will be in the low to mid fours in high range. The gas engine trucks may be in the fives or sixes, since they will run 4,000 rpm or more, while the Detroits are governed to 2,300 rpm.

 “I’ve seen cases of someone blowing a rear, and getting the wrong rear from a salvage yard … it bolts in, but it’s for the wrong engine. That results in a 40 mph top speed. Lastly, the C60 is under 26,000 GVW, so no CDL is required, unless it has air brakes. I’m not certain they were available on the C60.”

Q. I Iove my 1936 Ford coupe and talking to people about it, but I wish I had a dollar for every time I had someone ask about the center pad in my roof and how does my “sunroof” work. I’ve always said that’s just how Ford built them. Is there a reason Ford didn’t have an all-metal roof until that point? I know it came shortly after that.

A. The reason is simple: steel mills were unable to roll a wide enough sheet of metal, hence the pad in the center of the roof. The following year, steel wide enough for an all-steel top was available.


Q. With respect to your reply regarding my comments on overdrive units in the Dec. 27, 2007, column, I didn’t make myself clear. When I said there are no buttons to push to engage/disengage the overdrive, I was speaking of the Borg Warner unit, which is like the one on my Studebaker. Of course, with the Laycock units, one does have to flip a toggle switch, or, as in the case of my Volvo, push a toggle lever, which is located on the steering column. The advantage of the Laycock over the B/W unit is that it does not free-wheel, and coupled to a four-speed transmission, it’s just as effective as a five-speed manual transmission. You always have engine braking regardless of whether you are in or out of overdrive. Not so with the Borg Warner. Unless you lock it out of overdrive, you do not have engine braking below about 26 mph. That said, I disagree with you completely when you say free wheeling makes good sense. Granted, it makes for clutchless gear changing, but its disadvantages far outweigh its advantages. Somewhere in the early to mid 1930s, a few cars featured free-wheeling (sans overdrive). To illustrate a point, how would you like to descend, say Pikes Peak, coasting all the way down with no engine braking, and depending entirely on the minimal drum brakes of that period to slow the car? Downright suicidal! Admittedly, that’s an extreme case, but it still would be treacherous in any sort of mountain driving. No wonder it didn’t stay on the market long. That sort of thing, if done today, would be cause for massive recalls. Also, thank you for the info on the Borg Warner overdrive booklet. But I’m 70 years old, and have had extensive experience with both Borg Warner overdrive units and Laycock, on many different cars, both foreign and domestic, and I don’t require a “booklet” to tell me how mine works.


A. People driving cars with free-wheeling overdrive transmissions should be aware of the possibility of over-running their brakes while descending a hill. In fact, the owners manual reminds of this danger. However, as I’m sure you’ve experienced, the free-wheeling feature is a great boon in normal driving. It makes a manual transmission nearly as smooth as today’s automatics. There is no abruptness, even in a clumsy shift, and a fairly skilled person can make shifts without using the clutch. One of the features that I especially enjoy when driving Borg Warner overdrive-equipped cars and light trucks, is gear splitting. A person can go from second directly to second overdrive and have intermediate gears, which are helpful in those fairly crude three-speed transmissions. But your caution must be observed. Overdrive can, and should, be locked out barring the free-wheeling feature for driving in hilly country.

Q. Growing up in North Bergen, N.J., in the 1930s and ’40s, one of the fellows had a seven-passenger 1930 Packard with a four-speed and dual sidemounts. Two things I remember are the taillight, which had a green lens, yellow lens and red lens. If I remember correctly, the green illuminated while accelerating, yellow while coasting or holding back, and red while braking. I also remember when the owner’s dad took the car for a drive, the engine raced, and other times it would drive away normally. We later realized that his dad would pull the gear shift into low-low, past what was considered first gear, as going into low-low the lever was spring loaded. They sold the car for $100 in 1949. I think it was aluminum bodied.


A. The transmission must have been a four-speed with a “stump puller” low gear, with second used as the usual low. Our Standard Catalog of American Cars 1805-1942 reports that Seventh Series (1930) Custom Eight Packards had a four-speed transmission and 4.69:1 differential, which would have made for a very low first-gear ratio. Dual sidemounts were standard.


A. The usual procedure for lubricating a speedometer cable is to remove the cable from its housing and soak it with graphite. You can purchase graphite lubricant for this purpose. A word of caution, though. The graphite is viscous and can stain clothing easily. You can also squirt liquid graphite into the speedometer cable housing. As to the dome light bulb for a ’52 DeSoto, I would assume the dome light to be visible, and the cover to be removable, but we will ask our readers if a source for this light bulb exists.

Q. This is in answer to Mr. Georghegan’s letter in the Nov. 8, 2007, issue. He was looking for retainers for the molding around his wood grain along the side panels of his 1964 Ford Falcon Squire station wagon. If they are the same size as the ’64 Ford Country Squire, and I believe they are, I have four retainers (washers), the three bright metal caps that I picked up off the line where they were installed at the Dallas assembly plant in 1964. I put them in my toolbox at that time, thinking that if I found a use for them I’d get all I needed later. Well, that was 43 years ago, and until now, I could not find any use for them. If Mr. Georghegan would send me his address I’ll mail these to him. He could use them to show someone what he’s looking for. Some hardware stores carry these type of caps as well as plastic ones. If he can’t find any there, he’ll only need to locate 82 more to complete this part of his restoration.
 

A.These may be a rare item. Normally, we don’t print phone numbers to protect readers’ privacy, but Mr. Lunday offers his, inviting Mr. Georghegan to contact him. That number is 903-473-8063.

Q. In reference to the Dec. 13, 2007, column concerning steam-powered airplanes, here is more information to assist in answering that question. The Besler airplane in the photo was made in the 1930s and flown for publicity purposes by Bill Besler. The engine was sold to the Japanese just before World War II. Besler was not a German company, as stated. He was the son of a railroad person from out east. In the early 1930s, he bought into the Abner Doble Co. in Emeryville, Calif., and ended up purchasing the whole company and evicting Abner Doble. The answer to the question was quite good coming from a non-steam person and except for the German company reference, was accurate. As a follow-up, there is a Besler steam engine in the Smithsonian. It’s the same engine that was photographed in the trunk of a car. This engine was designed and built for a different steam airplane project, and the report was written in 1958. The engine was tested, but never installed in an airplane. It was run in a naval launch for a while and then taken out. This report is available from the storeroom of our club, the Steam Automobile Club of America, Inc. (www.steamautomobile.com), which is always looking for more members. Steam car ownership is not necessary to join.
 

A. Paul Albert, of Oswego, Ill., also mentions the steam-powered airplane. “I read about the airplane that had the Doble engine installed. It astonished spectators because it sailed through the air and made no noise. The other part of that story was that once the plane was on the ground, a lever was moved and the engine reversed, stopping the plane dead. This was long before reversible props and jet engines. Abner Doble made an automobile powered by steam somewhat after the Stanley Brothers had perfected their car. Abner was a perfectionist and the end products of his efforts were notable. During the 1920s (1923-’30), he built some 40 cars. They were expensive and guaranteed for 100,000 miles. There is a record of one that ran 600,000 miles and another that covered 200,000 miles, in both cases with only minor maintenance. The Stanley car carried 15 to 20 gallons of water that had to be brought to a boil every time the car was to be used. This required 15-30 minutes. The Doble boiler held two quarts. Rather than a burner heating water, Doble used what came to be known as the ‘flash’ boiler. Kerosene was vaporized and the mixture forced into the boiler under pressure and then fired by an electronic spark plug creating a blow-torch effect and virtually instant steam. The start up time for the Doble was 30 to 60 seconds. Originally, the Stanley did not use a recovery system to reuse the water. Abner Doble, eventually, through the use of a honeycomb radiator and other modifications, could manage 1,000 to 1,500 miles on a tank of water.” Thanks to both Mr. Kimmel and Mr. Albert for providing more information about the steam-powered airplane. The literature that accompanied the Besler photo implied that the airplane was of German manufacture.


Q. Recent interest in substitute materials prompts me to recall an experience our family had early in World War II. We lived on a small farm in the Illinois Ozarks. One day, I parked our pickup in the hog lot to unload feed. Brenda, our precocious 300-pound brood sow, promptly explored every inch of the 1940 Plymouth half-ton, adorning the bright surfaces with full-moon nostril prints. She paused briefly at the front bumper. Too late! She ripped the license plate from its bracket and scurried across the lot where she wolfed down the shiny entree. Sensing Brenda was eyeing the rear plate for dessert, I quickly moved the truck out of her territory and slammed the gate. So much for soybean license plates!


A. Thank you for sharing your story about soybean license plates. They were definitely a problem to farming families as you described – tasty to farm animals.

Q. I can’t help but respond to Mr. Fisher’s inquiry regarding Ford Crestliners. I also was only 10 when I first saw one of these beauties in a showroom. I owned one for about 12 years, and it’s an important car in Ford’s history. It was only built from mid-year 1950 until mid-year ’51. Production for 1950 was around 18,000 and approximately 8,703 were built in ’51 before the Crestliner was taken out of production around July of that year. For ’50, they only came in three colors, the most popular, Sportsmen green (Chartreuse) and black, Coronation red (a fire-engine red, later changed to a more maroon hue) and black and, at the end of the year, the rare Hawaiian Bronze and Chocolate brown. I remember people admiring my car and being amazed with the vinyl weave top; many thought I had customized it. The ’51s received minor trim changes, but were still distinctive as Crestliners. Ford developed it as a stop gap. In late ’51, the Crestliner became history. By the way, the Crestliner should not be confused with the later Crestline series introduced in ’52, and ran for several years into the later 1950s. I always thought this car has been overlooked by serious Ford collectors and has evaluated well in the last few years.


A. You’ve given Mr. Fisher, and all of us a thorough history of the Crestliner. These details are appreciated, and we thank you.

Q. I’ve read many letters in this column concerning 6-volt positive ground vehicles vs. 12-volt negative ground, and mixing, matching and jumping in various forms. I want to tell you about something I did to my 1951 Ford, which solves all the problems at once. I’ve never seen anything discussed in this column about anyone installing an 8-volt system. I removed the 6-volt positive ground battery and the generator and installed an 8-volt negative ground battery and an 8-volt alternator. All the 6-volt gauges, bulbs and accessories will operate directly on the 8-volt system with no alterations necessary. (Reverse the leads on the ammeter.) The 8-volt battery will jump from 12-volt with no damage, if necessary. The voltage regulator is, of course, no longer used, but was left in place for show and possible conversion back to original in the future, if necessary. These parts are readily available, as is the adapter bracket for the alternator. The new combination supplies more than enough power and I never have trouble with starting or low battery. The whole conversion job was done in one day by Bear Hill Auto Electric in Bethany, Conn., for a reasonable sum. The company also supplied an 8-volt trickle charger, which keeps the battery up all winter.


A. Readers continually tell us that a well-maintained 6-volt system works just fine, and that there’s no reason to increase the voltage. However, yours is a good solution because the 6-volt equipment continues to work, and, as you say, the system can be jumped from a 12-volt battery. Your final comment is an important one. However, to leave the trickle charger on the battery unsupervised can cause the battery to reach full charge and boil off the electrolyte. Better is a charger that senses when the battery reaches full charge and shuts down.

Q. Where are all the Oakland cars? I don’t see any of them mentioned in Old Cars Weekly or the auction reports. My Dad had one, about a 1926-’28 model. He traded it for a straight-eight 1932 Pontiac that did not like to start in winter.

A. Have you attended any Pontiac/Oakland club events, or any large AACA meets? You are more likely to see an Oakland car shown at one of these specialty club events, but a former teaching colleague has a 1929 Oakland that he displays in local club events.


Q. I’m writing to share my experience with radial tires on stock rims. I had a 1955 Chevy on which I installed radial tires. The front rim cracked about two inches on its edge. I also had problems with my hubcaps spinning around on the rims. This caused flat tires because of the valve stem being pulled. As a caveat, I’m never one to buy the most expensive tires on the market; maybe these tires were cheap.


A. You don’t say whether you fixed the problem by installing wheels designed for radial tires or reverting to bias-ply tires. The “walking” hubcap problem is common with radials installed on bias-ply rims, readers report. The two-inch crack on the edge of the rim should be warning enough.

Q. In regards to the answer to the question in the Nov. 29 issue about headlight buckets that bolted on top of the fenders, the only years Chevrolet cars had them on top of the fenders were 1939 and ’40. The ’41 model’s headlights were an integral part of the fender, not bolted on.


A. Mr. Cummings sent photos of his headlight buckets (unfortunately, there wasn’t sufficient space to publish them) that, assuming they are car items, didn’t have parking lights integral with the “speed streak” as on 1941-’46 first-series Chevrolet trucks, and they definitely are designed for sealed beams, so they must be 1940; ’41 does look similar, though.

Q. Having lived through the development of both fluid couplings and torque converters, I can clarify the difference for Jim Degenhart of Buffalo, N.Y. The fluid coupling came first, and did nothing more than allow an engine to idle without releasing the clutch or putting the transmission in neutral. No more torque came out the back of the coupling than was put in the front. This was seen in the Chrysler Fluid Drive and the early Hydra-Matic. The torque converter, on the other hand, multiplied the twisting effort of the engine – called torque multiplication. Through the use of turbines and stators, the oil was spun in such a direction as to multiply the twisting effort out the back of the transmission. These torque converters were used in the Hellcat tanks built by Buick during World War II. Because no gears would ever shift, Buick found the torque converter (think Dynaflow) the answer to a smooth flow of power without the jerking of a shift such as in the Hydra-Matic. In 1948, Buick introduced Dynaflow on its senior models, Roadmaster, and made it optional on the Super series. In 1950, all three series of Buick had the Dynaflow, and Chevrolet offered PowerGlide, its version of the Dynaflow. The sensation of driving an early torque-converter car was smooth application of power without a jerking shift. The engine would rev to 3500 rpm and stay right there; the car would then accelerate to the speed the engine was turning and remain at that speed until the position of the gas pedal was changed.


A. Charles Farley of Greenville, N.C., also wrote about the difference between fluid coupling and torque converter as follows: “Torque converters, such as Chrysler’s Torqueflite and its earlier Fluid Drive, are actually two different technologies. The fluid-coupled clutch offers no torque manipulation while a torque converter gives real gearing. I owned both a 1951 Dodge with a fluid coupling and a ’56 Plymouth with Powerflite. With the same 230-cid flathead six, there was absolutely no comparison. The Dodge could not pull a sitting mule, while the Plymouth, when pressed to the max, would spin its tires on takeoff; a feat the Dodge could never do.” Jerry Boden, who describes himself as “just an old mechanic” adds this: “A fluid coupling and torque converter are similar in that both allow an engine to idle at a stop sign with the transmission in gear. The torque converter has the same parts as a fluid coupling, but also has an additional member: a stator. The difference is that the torque converter can actually increase engine torque. Torque is multiplied whenever the impeller spins faster than the turbine. Maximum torque multiplication occurs at stall speed. The amount of torque increase is usually about 1.8:1 to 2.6:1 in an automobile. Some slippage (5 to 10 percent) still occurs at highway speed. Newer vehicles have a lock-up torque converter. This provides a mechanical link between the engine and transmission. The result is no slippage, increased fuel economy, less heat developed and decreased engine speed. The lock-up converter is important in overdrive because of low engine rpm.” Kit Foster, from the Society of Automotive Historians, adds: “Dynaflow and Powerglide had torque converters from the get-go, which allowed them to operate without shifting in normal operation.”

A. Thanks to our readers for clarifying the difference between fluid couplings and torque converters.

Q.There has been discussion on early Oldsmobile V-8 engines making lifter noise. I was an Olds tech in the 1950s and did my share of engine work. On 1946 through ’56 engines, a lot of valve train noise was from rocker arms running dry. What I did was first make sure that oil was getting to the rocker arm shaft. If not, I had to first clear any obstruction in the oil feed line. Then, I’d take the rocker arm shaft and grind a slight groove across the rocker arm feed holes for about a third of the diameter of the shaft. Sometimes, I’d also pull the pan to clean the oil screen, and I’d shim the pressure release spring a little. On 1956 and ’57 engines, we had a lot of cam failure problems, not so much lifter problems. The 1956 and ’57 engines had stronger valve springs than earlier engines. Our dealership handled Mobil and Royal Triton oils. It was interesting to me that the users of Royal Triton usually had no cam or lifter problems.


A.Thanks for sharing your experience correcting Olds V-8 lifter noise.

Q.As to the two types of overdrives (I have one in a Studebaker and one in a Volvo, Nov. 1 Q&A), I must comment. First, the correct spelling is Laycock not Lycock. Second, the BorgWarner unit, as in my Studebaker, has freewheeling, while the Laycock de Normanville unit, as in my Volvo, does not, nor does one have to push any buttons to engage it. One simply lifts one’s foot from the accelerator at approximately 26 mph, and the unit goes into overdrive. There is a “T” handle for disengaging the unit. Aside from mechanical features, the basic difference is that the BorgWarner overdrive freewheels while the Laycock unit does not.


A. I’ve seen an overdrive toggle switch on the dashboard of Austin Healeys with Laycock units. Beyond that, BorgWarner overdrives evolved from freewheeling units, so this feature, which allows coasting and clutchless shifting, makes sense. A BorgWarner overdrive booklet is available from Fifth Avenue Antique Auto Parts in Clay Center, Kan.

Q. I have a 1941 Pontiac 257 sport coupe. I’d like to know how many were made. I’m 79 years old, and have never seen another like it.

A.Pontiac did not list serial numbers by model in 1941. We know only that 117,976 Pontiacs of all models were built in 1941. Your coupe is a deluxe six. Since coupes were a popular body style and a six was the less expensive model, it’s likely that several thousand were produced. Have you ever attended one of the Pontiac club’s national meets? That is the most likely place to see other cars such as yours. In 1941, the United States’ economy was beginning to emerge from the doldrums of the Great Depression, due, in part, to orders for war equipment being sent to Britain under Lend/Lease, but also because many people believed that the United States would be at war soon and now was the time to buy a new car. Additionally, for most makes, 1941 brought fresh styling.

Q. Just recently, while finishing the restoration of my rare Firebaugh three-wheel scooter-pickup, I dropped and broke the headlight lens into three pieces. It’s an odd diameter made before 1946, and after much searching, I decided to order a lens from my Cushman scooter parts supplier in San Jose, Calif. He sent me a new lens and a good used one. I took the used lens to a local glass shop, and the owner tried cutting it down with a glasscutter, but he eventually broke it. I tried the motorcycle shops and every other place I could think of, all with no luck. On my way home, I passed a small shop called “Glass Fire.” I went in and met a couple who made all kinds of glass novelties by blowing molten glass. I explained about my broken headlight lens and the man said, ‘No problem.’ He cut a piece of rubber sheet just bigger than my lens and said, ‘I’ll be right back.’ In about 10 minutes, he came back with my lens cut to the proper size and appearing exactly like the original, also in one piece. The edge was so smooth that I didn’t even have to grind it, like I expected. Turns out, he used a laser beam to cut my lens, which explains its perfection. I’m told that high-pressure water is used as well. Maybe this will help someone else who has a glass-cutting problem.


A. Thanks for the tip. Glass cutters have to be sharp and require a lot of skill to cut circles or curves.


Q. A number of readers have expressed interest in disc brake conversions. Yes, kits can be purchased for many applications, but in many cases the conversion can be done by using factory parts and taking advantage of factory engineering. I equipped my 1966 Chevy Impala with disc brakes at a total cost of $400. I purchased the caliper bracket kit from Classic Performance Parts. Rotors and wheel bearings are ’70 Chevelle from a local salvage yard. The calipers are rebuilt units from a 1970-’77 Camaro. The brake hoses are from the same application, as is the brake booster. The master cylinder is another rebuilt unit, this one from a ’70 Impala. The proportioning valve is from the same car. A ’73 Impala in a local yard supplied the brake lines, but I could also have bought these lines at a parts store. The brake pads are 1970-’77 Camaro. The rims are 14x7 inch, which were installed on early ’70 Chevelles and Novas made for disc brakes. I used my original front spindles.


A. Thank you for sharing your parts list with us. With disc brake conversions becoming increasingly popular for older cars – and almost a necessity if cars are going to be driven in traffic – unless one plans on buying a commercial kit, most car clubs have technical advisors for different years and models. These people usually serve as clearing houses for the type of information you have given us.

Q. In 1973, I bought a set of Sears bias-ply tires for our 1949 Packard Super 8. About five years ago, I installed them. Recently, I drove the car in the Great Race from Detroit to Dallas and on to Daytona Beach, a distance of about 4,200 miles, without mishap. I believe that tire pressure is important in the longevity of tires and keep these tires inflated to 35 psi, and keep the car garaged as sunlight can be harmful.


A. The five-year life rule on tires comes from the tire companies, based on tire failure due to the effect of sunlight and oxidation to tires on motorhomes, most of which are stored outside. I heard recently that legislation is now being proposed to outlaw the sale of used tires or new tires with a manufacturing date that is more than five years old. Keeping tires properly inflated is, obviously, important.

Q. This is in response to the reader who has problems with torque-converter leakdown in his tri-five Chevy’s Powerglide transmission. He says he has a check valve in place, but he’s still having problems with leakdown. I’ve found that the simplest solution for this problem is to call any General Motors dealer, and ask the parts department if it has a vent assembly (part #15771000) in stock (cost is $2.61, plus tax). This is a pressure-fit piece of nylon that, when installed on the tailshaft of a tri-five or earlier Powerglide, allows the air to exit that builds up when fluid is being circulated during operation of the vehicle. I had my ’57 done for $20 at a local transmission shop, but anyone with an angle drill can install this part as the tailshaft does not need to be removed for installation. Just mount this part as high up on the tailshaft as possible, so that fluid doesn’t exit through the vent. The tailshaft can be removed, but this is a tedious job. Chevy didn’t realize this problem until the ’58 model year (although this transmission was used as early as 1950). Placing a vent on these Powerglide transmissions prevents the transmission from burning out due to lack of fluid. Regular driving seems to help avoid this problem. Everyone with a Powerglide built before 1958 needs to install this part; it’s also great for resale of the car.


A. Thank you for telling us, again, about the Powerglide vent assembly and giving us the part number. Readers continue to ask about this part and how to install it.

Q. I agree with your battery cable solution to the hard-starting-when-hot problem. I restored a 1952 Chevrolet that cranked slowly when hot. Initially, I had installed 12-volt battery cables, which were the problem. I installed six-volt cables, which are larger in diameter and carry more amperage, and the problem went away.


A. Installing new 12-volt battery cables on a car with a 6-volt system is a common error that can lead to a problem of hard starting when hot, but a poor ground at the return cable can cause the same thing. It’s best if the ground cable attaches directly to the starter.

Q. I’m finishing re-assembly of my 1964 Falcon Squire station wagon and haven’t been able to find the hardware to reattach the woodgrain that goes around the woodgrain decal. When attached, this hardware appears as small chrome bumper bolts. From the factory, approximately 85 inserts were installed into the body. With a screw and special washer, you can install the trim. Then a chrome cap is installed onto a special washer and gives the look of a chrome bumper bolt.


A. I assume that you’ve tried the various Falcon parts suppliers and a helpful parts counter clerk at your local Ford dealership. Often, if the dealership has saved its old parts books, a sharp parts guy can find the parts number to order obsolete parts. You might try Restoration Specialties and Supply (814-467-9842), but a possible better bet is Northwestern Auto (616-241-5611) in Grand Rapids, Mich. It has a huge inventory of obsolete parts.

Q. Regarding the question about the 1967 Mercury S55 Super Marauder, the standard engine is the 428-cid V-8, which was rated at 345 hp, and not the 427. The upgrades to the S55 also included the Park Lane sound insulation package and heavy-duty suspension. Supposedly, one convertible was built with a 427-cid high-performance engine, but I don’t recall where I got that information or whether the source was reliable. Marti reports 559 hardtops, 31 with four-speed transmissions, and 145 convertibles, eight with four-speeds. I bought a ’67 Mercury S55 hardtop new; it was 1 of the 31 produced with a four-speed. After a few years, it got traded in on a new car. It was my favorite of all the cars I’ve owned over the years. It was a wonderful driving car for its time, a muscle car that was big, fast and handled well. I’ve looked for another S55 with a four-speed and finally found what was left of one in 1992. It has been totally restored and was awarded a first at Hershey in 2002. I looked for that car for years. Until 1992, I had only seen one ’67 hardtop advertised for sale, and it was equipped with an automatic transmission. Until now, I’ve only seen five ’67 S55 hardtops advertised and no convertibles. The only convertible that I’m aware of was rusty with a cracked block, and the owner sold me his cache of NOS parts. There is no way the Old Cars Price Guide can put a value on the ’67 S55 convertible. There are no sales reported on which to base the 30 percent figure over the base Monterey. I saw a ’66 Mercury S55 convertible in number 3 condition in the car corral at Hershey in October 2005 with an asking price of $20,000. It didn’t sell, but wasn’t back the next year.


A. Thank you for sharing your knowledge of ’67 Mercury S55 models. As you imply, the experience of driving a full-sized, 1960s muscle car is like no other.

Q. I have two 1963 Pontiacs (Catalina and Bonneville convertibles). On both, the dome lights work, but won’t shut off, either with the door button or the headlight switch, or at the light itself. Also, the Catalina has a 389-cid V-8 equipped with a two-barrel carburetor. When I rev the engine, it either floods or chokes out. Initially, it will run rough, but after that it’s fine. I’ve replaced two floats and two fuel filters with no improvement.


A. Your dome light problem is most likely caused by a short circuit. You’ll need to buy a service manual and trace the dome light circuit. You can begin at the door switch. If a inexpensive test probe or more expensive, but not costly, multi-meter show current flow past the switch, regardless of whether the switch is in the off (depressed) or on position, you can look for the break at the switch. The rough idle may not be the carburetor, but rather the ignition. Make sure everything (rotor cap, condenser, etc.) is fresh. Otherwise, check the accelerator pump adjustment (you can watch this pump in action by removing the air cleaner and looking down the carburetor throat as you manuever the accelerator linkage.

Q. I have a Hemi-powered 1956 DeSoto Firedome with a Carter two-barrel carburetor. If the car sits 24 hours or longer, it will not start, no matter how long I crank it or pump the accelerator. If I pour a half-ounce or so of gas into the carburetor, it will start and run fine thereafter. If I try to start it sooner than 24 hours, I don’t need to pour gas down the carb. I can see gas in the inline filter when it won’t start.


A. The likely cause of your problem is a faulty automatic choke. Either the linkage is out of adjustment or the choke is not working. Again, you can make a visual check to see if the choke is closing.


Q. I have a 1942 Chrysler Club Coupe, six-cylinder with Fluid Drive. The VIN is 70005896. How many were built? I understand that production of cars and light trucks stopped in February 1942, due to war production. I also have a 1951 Chevy Deluxe coupe with Powerglide. This car has 40,000 original miles, no rust and is a driver. I’d appreciate any details on this one, too.

A. Your Chrysler is a Royal, or Series C-34, of which only 779 were built in that short production year. The starting serial number for Royals was 70001001, but five models were made. You are right, car and light truck production for civilian use stopped in February, a combination of the United States having to fight a war on two fronts, a measure of its military unpreparedness and lessons learned from World War I. You may be interested to know that in just three years, Detroit’s “arsenal of democracy” had already won the war on both fronts and that military contracts were already being cancelled, although fighting continued into mid-year 1945. Cars built late in that model year (after December) had painted, so-called “blackout” trim instead of chrome parts. Distinct on your Chrysler is its “art deco” grille consisting of five horizontal chrome bars. Your Chevrolet was built during the height of the Korean War and, therefore, has what’s known as “Korean War Chrome,” meaning that it lacks a nickel base – nickel having been placed on the strategic metals list (a reader corrected me on this after I wrote the recent article, “Show plating for go plating prices”). Without a nickel base, this chrome looks tinny, dull and thin. On most cars this “Korean War Chrome” peeled off in thin strips within a few years. The Deluxe Styleline Sport Coupe is Model 2124, and was priced at $1,647. Production of this popular model was 64,976. Deluxe models are distinguished, among other things, by bright metal splash shields on the front of the rear fenders. Cars with Powerglide installed had the more powerful 235-cid/105-hp six-cylinder engine and 456,030 cars came so-equipped out of a model year production of 1,250,803, of which 1,044,896 were Deluxe. Redesigned, of course, was the grille.

Q. In a recent column, you mentioned the Frantz “toilet paper” oil filter. Enclosed is some information on the Frantz system.


A. The literature Mr. Floyd sent indicates that Frantz filters are still sold. The sheet describes both partial-flow (most add-on) and full-flow (most factory) filter systems. The problem with full-flow systems, it claims, is that they allow oil to bypass the filter, plus they use a course filter element. The Frantz is a partial-flow filter that works in conjunction with a factory full-flow filter to provide a dual filtration system. Combine that with Frantz’s dense, absorbent filter paper, and the result is that, according to the sheet “….[it] yields the ultimate in engine protection.” The big pitch, however, is the degree to which a Frantz filter will extend oil life, thereby conserving that resource.

Q. There has been correspondence on the safety of tire rims on older cars when used with radial tires. A gentleman wrote in representing himself as an accident investigator and said that old rims should not be used with radials. I’ve asked other car buffs about this and have come up with no solid information, including where to buy new rims for my old Mercury. I then wrote to an Old Cars Weekly advertiser stating these concerns, and they wrote back that this issue is a myth. They cited the fact that Sears has been selling and installing radials since the 1960s with no apparent catastrophes. I’m not sure what to believe at this point, other than to keep an eye out for signs of cracking on the rims and to make sure that the tires are properly inflated.


A. The argument that Sears has been selling and installing radials since the 1960s makes sense. Although radials flex more than bias-ply tires, the fault may be more with the condition of the rims and more aggressive driving than with the bias-ply tires. Reader John Harvey, who also commented on this issue, observes, “When driving, the tires are in contact with the pavement. Any twist, turn, sway, etc., is transmitted through the rims to the suspension, eventually to the chassis, and any correction requires steering effort. Driving the same car is a lot less effort when it has radial tires, so, to me, the stresses exerted on the rims are less, not more, with radial tires.”

Q. While watching a 1937 movie, I saw a bus from the early 1930s with headlights built into the fenders. Did Pierce-Arrow build a bus?


A. The answer is “yes.” Bus production began at Pierce-Arrow in 1924, with the Model Z powered by the T-head engine used in passenger cars.


A. New drums are not available for three/quarter-ton Advance-Design Chevrolet pickups from any of the parts sources that I checked. I suggest that you place a wanted ad for good used parts with The Stovebolt Page, www.stovebolt.com. Ads are free and readers of the site, called, in their lingo “bolters,” tend to be concerned, helpful, dedicated hobbyists. If you’re wondering about The Stovebolt Page, its history and integrity, a story on its founders and present editors, John and Peggy Milliman, appeared in the January 2007 issue of Vintage Truck magazine. Back copies can be ordered on its Web site www.vintagetruckmagazine.com or by calling 800-767-5828.

Q. I purchased a 1935 Chevrolet five-window coupe years ago and have not seen one since. Can you tell me if this car is rare?

A. The five-window coupe came only in the Master series. This was quite a popular model in 1935, selling 40,201 copies.

Q. I have a stock 1950 Chevrolet Styleline four-door with the 216-cid six and three-speed. I’m restoring the car to drive and enjoy. My problem is with the optional, remote oil filter. I have the canister, hoses and fittings, but no instructions on how to connect it to the engine. I’m hoping that you can tell me how and where the hoses connect to a stock engine.

A. You’ll find the installation instructions for a remote oil filter in a shop manual. It would be good to have a manual anyway, and one should be available from literature dealers advertising in this publication, the extensive service manual inventory at Brushy Creek Collectibles (www.brushycreekcollectibles.com) or ebay. The following instructions come from Randy Rundle at Fifth Avenue Antique Auto Parts in Clay Center, Kan., a publisher of books and manuals on specialized topics such as “Everything You Need To Know About Borg Warner Overdrive Transmissions” or “The Official 12-Volt Conversion Guide” as well as vintage car electrical parts, available by calling 785-632-3450. Rundle says, “Connect the input line of the remote oil filter (the one on the side of the canister near the top) to a hole in the block located just below the triangle-shaped tin cover on the left side of the engine block. The return line from the filter (which is the connection on the bottom of the canister) connects to a hole in the block about six inches to the rear of the first hole. This is also the hole where the dash oil pressure gauge line goes into. When you add the remote oil filter, you will have to add a “T” fitting in order to be able to connect both the return line and the oil pressure line to the dash gauge into the same location.”

Q. What should be the running voltage on the primary side of the coil on a points-type distributor? I own a 1965 Pontiac GTO equipped with a ’71 Chevy 427-cid V-8, and it reads 3.4 volts on the battery side of the coil. Motors manual does not state the voltage, only resistance. How do I check the resistance of a wire when one end of wire is inside the car at the ignition switch and the other is inside the coil? If I run a long jumper from the ignition switch to coil, so that the ends will touch, I’ll get a misleading reading because I’ll also be checking the jumper wire. General Motors cars of this era had a resistance wire instead of ballast resistor. I know that 12 volts should be going to the coil only when the starter is engaged.

A. Randy Rundle of Fifth Avenue Antique Auto Parts also fielded this question, and responded, “I’m not sure on the later muscle cars, but on the earlier cars the ballast resister, which was external first and later built into the coil, normally dropped the battery voltage down about 2 volts to 10 volts on a 12-volt system and down to about 4 volts on a 6-volt system. You should have full battery voltage at the ignition switch and about 10 volts at the battery terminal of the ignition coil. If all you have is 3.4 volts at the ignition coil battery side, then I’d say your resistance wire is defective. I suggest you replace the coil with one such as a NAPA number IC64, which has a built-in resistor. That should get things going. For resistance, you can check the ignition coil primary coil resistance by connecting an ohmmeter between the positive (+) terminal and negative (-) terminal on the coil. To check the ignition coil secondary coil resistance connect an ohmmeter between the coil output terminal (tower) and the ignition coil negative terminal.”

Q. The early Econoline with a “factory-installed” V-8 question has probably been beaten to death by now, but this swap is amazingly easy to do and have it look “factory.” I installed a 289 from a 1965 Galaxie in my 1961 E-100 pickup many years ago. I used the engine crossmember, radiator and support, alternator, wiring harness, steering column and C-4 automatic transmission from a heavy-duty 1967 van that had a 240. The radiator outlets were even correct for the 289. I only had to weld the engine mounts to the crossmember and the transmission mount to the bottom of the bed floor for the automatic. I’ve had many miles of trouble-free driving since.
A. Ford has done restorers and rebuilders lots of favors through easy interchangeability of parts over the years. A downside of that V-8 swap would be the Econoline’s marginal drum brakes. I wonder if the van brakes, which were probably heavier duty, and may even have been disc in front, could have been swapped in as easily as Fairlane V-8 brakes do on lighter duty, six-cylinder Falcon brake-equipped Mustangs?

Q. I have a 1954 Lincoln Capri four-door sedan that was advertised as 1 of 13,000-plus made with factory-extended rear fenders and continental kits. The VIN is 54WA2056H. I can’t find anything to verify if the 13,000 number is true. Can you or your readers help me?
A. Actually, 13,598 is the total number of Capri four-door sedans built in 1954, and says nothing about fender length. Unfortunately, the VIN doesn’t help, either. It only tells us that the car is a ’54 Lincoln Capri four-door sedan. We do learn from the VIN that this car was built in Wayne, Mich. (from the letters WA; Lincoln’s other assembly plant was in Los Angeles). Manufacturers seldom list production figures for special items such as the continental spare tire kit and longer rear fenders, so we’re unable to confirm how many cars were built with these options. Wards Automotive Yearbook will typically give a production percentage for major options such as a manual or automatic transmission, and, in later years, for accessories such as air conditioning, but even Wards does not list the number of cars built with more individual accessories such as stretched rear fenders. We’ll guess, though, that the number of ’54 Lincolns built with continental kits and the longer rear fenders is small – probably fewer than 100. The year 1954 posed a challenge for Lincoln. Cadillac, along with Buick and Oldsmobile, had a new body that incorporated the wrap-around windshield, first seen on 1953 General Motors show cars and a few earlier limited-production models. By 1955, wrap-around (also called “panoramic”) windshields would sweep the industry. So strong was GM’s styling influence, that Lincoln was caught off-guard and re-issued cars with ’52 styling. Altogether, though, ’54 Lincolns were great cars. In engineering, they excelled: Lincoln had been the first U.S. make to adopt ball-joint front suspension, and, in ’54, Lincolns placed first and second in the grueling Pan Americana Road Race that took place on public highways down the spine of Mexico. The course was dangerous, with cars rolling over down steep mountainsides, and just to finish (saying nothing of placing, as Lincoln did) spoke enormously of the car’s durability as well as the courage of its drivers.

Q. My advice isn’t new, but if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Several years ago, I replaced the engine in my 1941 Mercury. While the car was down, I decided to remove the gas tank and have it cleaned. I took the tank to a local radiator shop and had it boiled. Then, I purchased sealer and swished it around in the tank as directed. After three months, the car would quit on the road. (Sitting in the driveway, it would run all day, but not on the road.) After weeks of frustration, I drained the tank. It held flakes that took up a couple of inches in the bottom of the drain can. These would clog the tank’s pick-up tube and stop the flow of gas. The sealer company claimed the tank was not properly cleaned. I don’t have a question; just the advice: If it ain’t broke....
A. Years ago, a friend used a gas tank sealer product in his 9N tractor’s tank and determined that the sealer was a close cousin to contact cement. Perhaps, in those three months you filled up on ethanol-laced gasoline that reacted with the sealer. At any rate, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” is good advice in more areas than just old cars.

Q. Can I tow an automobile with an automatic transmission if I overfill it with fluid, or is this done only on certain transmissions? Also can a kit for this purpose be bought?
A. Automatic transmissions are lubricated by a pump. Unlike manual transmissions, which receive some lubrication from splashing oil when being towed, if the pump is not working, automatics do not receive lubrication when a car is towed. Some automatic-transmission cars have a rear pump that provides this lubrication during towing. Saturn is an example as is the Chevy Malibu (a reason, besides price, is that these cars are popular with RV owners); these cars can be towed without harming the transmission. If you’re not sure whether or not your car has an automatic transmission that receives lubrication during towing, follow these guidelines: Tow only for a short distance (10 miles or less); tow at a slow speed (30 mph or less). Overfilling with oil, as you suggest, can be helpful in both these conditions, but is not the lubrication answer for longer distances or higher speeds for automatics without a rear pump. If you’re not sure which type of transmission your car has, the easiest and wisest solution, assuming you’re towing with the drive wheels on the ground, is to pull the driveshaft. That way, the transmission is not engaged.

Q. I’d like to add more historical detail about the gold tools (Jan. 4 issue). In 1947, Chrysler started a training program for technicians called Master Tech Service Conference (MTSC). This training program was used in dealerships by having enrolled technicians view a film strip while playing a record for sound. Starting in 1962, participating techs earned a “gold tool” by completing 12 sessions and returning their test scores. This program is still in effect today, although the delivery methods and award procedures have changed over the years. Accompanying this information is a brochure from 1997, which was the 50th anniversary of the program, along with a two-page sheet listing all the gold tools ever awarded. I have them all. The 2006 tool will not be announced until spring 2007. The tools pictured in the brochure are a set of wrenches that was the 1965 award. When Chrysler was getting ready to observe its 50th MTSC, no one there knew what the first gold tool was, so I was contacted by them through a head service representative, and I sent them the original gold tool set, which they pictured on a tech film and then displayed for a year in their headquarters. In 1973, a jacket was awarded instead of a gold tool. I also have an original projector and record from 1947. This program was for Chrysler Corp. techs only.
A. Although we previously printed reader responses to the gold tools query, Mr. Meyer’s letter arrived more recently, has more detail and explains some of the inconsistencies in the earlier responses. According to the 50th anniversary MTSC brochure, in 1997, over 9,400 dealerships and 60,000 technicians participated in the program. In a brief overview of the training program’s history, the brochure mentions various notable Chrysler Corp. products, including the DeSoto Suburban, asked about in a recent “Q&A.” According to Mr. Meyer’s tool list, the torque wrench, mentioned previously, was the 1963 award.

Q. I collect old key chains as a hobby. Do you, or any of your readers know of a club for this hobby? I’m interested in any sources, catalogs or magazines.
Key chains of interest include B.F. Goodrich and cereal box tags.
A. I don’t find a club listed for key chain collectors, but am certain other people share your hobby interest. If you do a key chain collectors search on Google, Yahoo, or some other search engine, you will find Web sites by others who share your interest.

Q. I own a 1993 Geo Metro convertible in mint condition, in storage most of the time. My only problem is the plastic rear window is fogging badly. What can I do about it? Anything?
A. Most manufacturers of full-line refinishing products, such as Meguiars, have plastic polishes for restoring the clarity of plastic headlight lenses and convertible rear windows. The fogging condition you describe has been a problem that convertible owners have suffered with for years and prompted manufacturers to install glass convertible rear windows. But, if a child left a toy in the window well, or tall items were placed in the trunk, the glass window was history. An example product intended to correct convertible rear window fogging is Meguiars Plastx Clear Plastic Cleaner and Polish, available from Meguiars.com or by calling 800-347-5700.

Q. Are serial number 8A384259, style number 503767X, and body number L4806 correct for a 1950 Olds convertible? How many of these cars were made?
A. We ask our e-mail correspondents also to include their city/state or province address. The short answer is, “Yes.” However, the serial number (stamped on a plate located on the left-hand body pillar post) should start with the digits 50, indicating 1950. Those digits are in the style number, which also indicates that your Olds convertible is from the 88 series (37), and that the body is a convertible coupe (3767X). From body number, we learn that your car was built in Lansing, Mich. Oldsmobile built 9,127 convertibles in the 88 series in 1950.

Q. I’m wondering if you can identify the radiator cap shown in the accompanying photo. My stepson found it recently while going through some of his deceased father-in-law’s things.
A. I thought I’d find this elegant mascot in William C. Williams’ book “Motoring Mascots of the World,” but it’s not there. Although the head bears some similarity, it’s definitely not a Model A Ford quail. The bird may be an
eagle; the arched wings have that more aggressive appearance. Several makes of cars had eagle mascots, including Oldsmobile, Hudson, Marmom and Kissel. The head and wings of this mascot bear resemblance to the eagle radiator mascot on a 1931 Olds, but on the cap, the wings are upswept, not attached to the base. We’ll have to ask our readers if anyone can offer a clear identity.

Q. In reading Eric Lundgren’s letter in the Jan. 25 issue, I must agree with him. I worked in a wrecking yard for 15 years and saw occasional 1966 and ’67 Econolines with what I’m certain were factory-installed 289-cid V-8 engines. I no longer have access to “Hollander Interchange Manuals,” but my guess is that these vehicles will be cataloged in them. I, too, checked the literature I have at home, and only found the addition of the 240-cid big six in 1965. If memory serves me, the 240 used the V-8-style bell housing, which would facilitate V-8 applications from the factory.
A. As a dealer in automotive literature, Bob Christiansen doesn’t think early Econolines could be optioned from the manufacturer with a V-8. He writes, “I saw the question about a 302 in an early Econoline. I didn’t think Ford offered a 302 until it got to the second-generation Econoline. Today, I was working with some Econoline stuff, and made it a point to look at the engine offerings each year. My ads for 1965, ’66 and ’67 show only the 170-cid six standard with the 240-cid six as an option. Likewise, the ’67 sales brochure shows the 170 and 240 sixes as the only engines available. Neither the 289- nor the 302-cid V-8s are listed in any of these pieces of factory literature. As small and narrow as the 221/260/289/302 V-8 is, it could be swapped in (along with some cooling help), but was not available from Ford directly, it appears. I once had a 1963 Econoline pickup that I used as a race car “gofer.” It wouldn’t pull the hat off your head, but it did get a steady 20 mpg. It was scary driving it on a two-lane highway meeting heavy trucks, what with the air-blast against the nose and the feeling of vulnerability sitting in front of the engine and axle with just a sheet of tin between you and a 20-ton truck.
“Additionally, let me make two corrections to the answer to Dennis Shenk’s recent shrink wrap question. First, we are Brushy Creek Collectibles (not Bushy), and our two Web sites are www.brushycreekcollectibles.com and www.brushycreekcollectibles.20fr.com (each will link to the other site). Second, the bag pricing I gave was correct only as of our last order of 9x15-inch 2-ml bags. We had to reorder from Associated (we buy in quantities of 1,000), and the invoice, when it came, was $70, so it’s seven cents a bag versus the four-cent price I had stated.”
Even though the sales literature cited by Mr. Christiansen says that only sixes were available in early Econolines, as Mr. Fischer suggested, I checked in “Hollanders,” which also shows only the sixes for early Econolines. Whoever installed the V-8s in the Econolines, reportedly seen by Mr. Lundgren and Mr. Fischer, apparently did a professional job.

Q. Great dialog on rust prevention in your Dec. 28, 2006, column. You missed an application of used motor oil, though, that a mechanic friend of mine has used for years. We both live in western Wisconsin, so our cars are exposed to plenty of road salt. He takes the inner panels off the doors, fills the bottoms of the door with sawdust, and then pours in the experienced motor oil. Ditto for sunken areas in the trunk, such as the spare tire cubbyhole and other pits next to the fender skins. He even does the front fenders behind the wheels where the outer skin curls up to make a small trough. After a day of allowing excess oil to drain through the door-bottom holes, and a quick wipe of the sills, he’s all set for winter. In subsequent years, he simply loosens the corners of the door panels and squirts in “fresh” used engine oil.
A. Sawdust is, no doubt, a great way to hold old engine oil in place. But by plugging the drain holes in the doors, if the car is caught in a downpour there’s no place for the water to go, leaving the door skin exposed to soggy sawdust for the next six-to-nine months.

Q. I’ve read about ethanol and rubber, but I also read about fiberglass fuel tanks in boats having trouble with ethanol fuel. This makes me wonder about POR gas tank sealer. I’ve used the POR products on several gas tanks with great results; at this time, I have two cars with gas tanks treated with POR sealer. Do you know if ethanol will deteriorate this coating? It seems plastic- or fiberglass-like when cured.
A. There have been reports of ethanol softening and eventually destroying the gas tank sealers that were, in essence, contact cement, but all reports on POR products, including gas tank sealer, have been positive. Applied correctly, POR sealer has the hardness and appearance of POR silver. Jeff Gent, who used this product to seal his motorcycle gas tank said, “Nothing short of an A-bomb will affect it.” We’d like to hear of reader experiences with POR gas tank sealer and ethanol fuel.

Q. A question was asked about delivery trucks. The answer describes the Metro delivery van and also the Divco. I’m not aware of any being restored. I live outside of Hood, Ore., and a Divco truck is sitting in a nearby field. If anyone is interested, have them call me and I will check it out.
A. Divco vans are popular with collectors, and you may have someone take you up on your offer to check on the van near you. We’re reluctant to print phone numbers for privacy reasons and feel that if readers wish, they can make contact through directory assistance or the white pages on the internet. Since you offered, and to help that process, readers will find your phone number under the 541 area code. Restored Divco vans appear periodically in Vintage Truck magazine and that magazine’s library has published a book on Divcos.

Q. I have a hard-bound book, dated 1914, titled “How to Buy an Automobile” by Thos. J. Fay. It’s all about the Rockefeller sleeve-valve engine. This engine is totally unlike the Knight sleeve-valve engine as the Rockefeller sleeves are in the same position as poppet valves in an L-head-type engine. I’ve owned this book for 25 years and showed it to old-time mechanics who were amazed that something like the Rockefeller was made. My interest is in the older cars. I belong to the Horseless Carriage Club of America and Antique Automobile Club of America and have much paper on the pre-1915 period. My question is, does anyone have information on the Rockefeller sleeve-valve engine ever being used in a production automobile?
A. If there was a Rockefeller car, Bev Kimes and Austie Clark missed it, which is unlikely, in their monumental work “The Standard Catalog of American Cars 1805-1942.” Nor am I aware of a source similar to Kimes’ and Clark’s book that references cars by engine, so I do not know if Thos. J. Fay was describing an actual production engine. Knight sleeve-valve engines, designed by Charles Yale Knight, were used by Stevens and Willys in the United States, among others. Perhaps our readers can tell us whether the Rockefeller sleeve-valve engine ever saw production, and if so, was used in what automobile(s).

Q. I have a 1950 Oldsmobile 88 convertible with the plate missing that would have the serial number on it. The title I have for the car has 8A384259H for the VIN. Is this number correct for this car?
A. At best, the code on your title is garbled. The VIN for a 1950 Olds should start with the numerals 50, indicating the year, followed by a series code, which would be 8 for 88. The fourth digit represents the assembly plant, and although Olds used A for Atlanta, Georgia, this letter is in the wrong location in the number on your title. The VIN ends with four numbers showing the car’s production sequence at that assembly plant. Body tag numbers (found on a plate attached to the firewall) also begin with 50 followed by a code for the series (37 = 88 series) and then the body style (3767X = 88 series convertible). Clerks at the motor vehicle department sometimes make mistakes when copying numbers onto a new title, but this appears to be a greater error than that. Perhaps, sometime in the car’s past, someone used the numbers from a different vehicle; you seem to suspect that to have occurred.

Q. Your explanation as to why the reader’s 1960 Chevrolet Impala has three-piece bumpers is possible. The one-piece bumpers were used only on the Van Nuys assembly line until 1965, and were not available through the General Motors parts division. Perhaps this particular car was damaged and the original one-piece bumpers were not repairable and were replaced with three-piece bumpers.
A. Shawn Thompson of Parrish, Fla., Christopher Sass of Highland, Mich., and Ron Bannister of Webster, Mass., also responded to the Chevy bumper question. Mr. Thompson writes, “1960 Chevys do have three-piece bumpers, as do 1957 Chevys, except for versions referred to as California. The frames on the ’57 Chevys have a welded seam, but the California frames are seamless (they are obviously welded, but the weld is much less noticeable). Today, the one-piece California bumpers are more desirable and more expensive, naturally. Mr. Sass also suspects that the three-piece bumpers on Mr. Kycia’s 1960 Chevrolet were damaged, as happened to a friend’s ’57 Chevy, and were replaced with more commonly available one-piece bumpers. Mr. Sass says that he thought that one-piece bumpers were mandated by California law, but Mr. Ladley’s information seems to contradict that. Damage to the bumpers and their replacement seems the most likely scenario.

Q. I’m writing in response to Mr. Geilman’s letter in the Feb. 8 issue asking for advice on moving the supercharger and power steering from his 1957 to his ’63 Studebaker Avanti. The supercharger in the ’57 Packard is similar to the supercharger that was used on a ’63 Avanti, the major difference being the 1957-’58 unit used a variable speed drive pulley and the 1963-’64 unit did not. There are also differences in mounting. The ’57 unit uses a pressure box over a two-barrel carb. The ’63 blows into the intake of a sealed four-barrel carb. If Mr. Geilman can physically change-over all of the supercharger parts, he will either have to use the ’57 carb/intake setup or get sealed R2 four-barrel carb or an R3 carb pressure box. I’d not even suggest trying this due to compression ratio differences. The supercharged engines use a low compression ratio. The normally aspirated engines, such as the R1 that he has now, use a high compression ratio. It’s hard enough to get an R1 to run well on today’s gasoline. If he adds the supercharger, he’ll be unable to operate on today’s pump fuels. The type of power steering system on the 1957 Packard is completely different from the type of power steering used on the Avanti. However, since the two cars frames are basically similar, the ’57 system may be able to be installed, but I strongly recommend against trying it. Mr. Geilman should get the proper system if he wants to add power steering to his Avanti. Few Avantis were built without power steering. I can remember only driving one. Whereas all 1957 Packards came with the supercharged engine standard, for ’58 only the Packard Hawk came with a supercharger. If Mr. Geilman persists with these swaps, he’ll be altering two rare and desirable cars. I suggest that he join the Studebaker Drivers Club, Inc., and learn more about his cars. Membership costs only $19.95 for the introductory year and includes an excellent monthly publication. He can join at www.studebakerdriversclub.com or by calling 763-420-7829.
A. You have answered Mr. Geilman thoroughly and well.

Q. A number of years ago, I installed an air conditioner in my 1968 GMC 2500 pickup. It has a 305-cid engine. I’m trying to put it back to original, but cannot find the alternator bracket. I’m sure that General Motors probably used the same bracket on different vehicles. Can you suggest where I can find one?
A. Maybe this sounds too easy, but have you checked the part number and applications with your local GMC dealer’s parts department? If I’m reading Hollanders correctly, the following used the same alternator as your truck: 1967-’68 Camaros, 1965-’68 Chevelles,
1965-’67 Chevy cars, 1965-’66 Chevy trucks, 1965-’68 Chevy IIs, 1965-’66 Corvettes, and GMC vans, but I don’t see anything mentioned about the bracket.

Q. I became the proud owner of a Thermador car cooler made by a company with the same name. A friend thought I needed this period accessory for my 1941 Plymouth. After installing it on the car window, I noticed that there’s a rope on the inside of the vent. The rope turns a cylinder. What’s that cylinder’s purpose? Also, there’s an opening about the size of a quarter to add water – how much, I wonder? When using this device, should I keep the car windows closed? No one in our car club has been able to help with answers to these questions.
A. Although I’ve seen these coolers, I’ve never owned one, so readers may need to help with the explanations. I believe that the cylinder is some kind of wick, and turning it brings fresh, cooling moisture into the car. I’m not sure how much water to add, except probably until the bag is full. Having other windows open would probably defeat the cooler’s purpose, so I assume they are kept closed.

Q. Long Island, N.Y., still has “barn-fresh” treasures! I recently bought a one-owner 1954 Chevy Bel Air hardtop from a family. The car has 35,000 original miles, and was garaged since 1989. Getting it running was thrilling. I’ve owned several ’54 Chevys over the years, but none optioned as this with automatic, factory radio (works), power seat, power windows, power brakes, power steering and door window rain guards. There’s some rocker panel rust, but nothing serious. Can you give me the production figure for this body style and a rough value for the restored car?
A. Congratulations on your find. 1954 Chevy hardtops are well-styled, desirable cars. If you’re asking how many 1954 Chevys were built with this combination of accessories, we can’t be of much help. Manufacturers don’t normally keep records on production that way; however, percentages of cars built with automatic vs. standard transmissions and percentages of cars built with other accessories are sometimes shown in Ward’s Automotive yearbooks. The power steering on your car was a $135 option. Power windows added $86 to the sticker. PowerGlide cost a whopping $178, these on top of a factory price for the car of $2,165. Chevrolet built 19,383 Bel Air hardtops in 1954. The 2007 Collector Car Price Guide lists a value of $27,000 in number 1 condition. Based on your brief description of your car’s condition, it may have more value as a “preservation” car, meaning the parts needing replacement or showing wear are fixed, and then as minimally as possible, so as to preserve the car’s originality. Any car can be restored, but only a handful merit preservation. You can read more about this option in the book How to Restore Your Collector Car.

Q. I purchased a 1935 Chevrolet five-window coupe a couple of years ago and have not seen one since. Can you tell me if this car is rare?
A. The five-window coupe came only in the Master series. This was quite a popular model in 1935, selling 40,201 copies, so one would think you would see a few others, especially at Vintage Chevrolet Club of America-sponsored shows.

Q. I drive a Chevrolet Avalanche. I’ve seen a topper on one, but can’t get information where to buy one or where they are made.
A. Surprisingly, this seems to be a rather frequently asked question – not in this column, where we normally focus on older cars, but by Avalanche owners generally. Even though the company that makes toppers for the Avalanche has a presence on the Web, it apparently, can be difficult to find. Its name is SnugTop and the URL is www.snugtop.com. The company is located in Long Beach, Calif., and it’s been making fiberglass tops, initially for sports cars, since 1959. Its first truck cap was built in 1965, initially for Datsun, then El Camino and Ranchero. The Web site contains a list of dealers, although, you can probably order a SnugTop for your Avalanche through the parts department at your local Chevrolet dealer.

Q. Regarding the question about a Ford six-barrel carburetor, I’ve never heard of one, but in the late 1960s, early ’70s, everyone had a tri-power setup (three two-barrel carburetors). I don’t know if Ford ever referred to this setup as a six-barrel, but Chrysler referred to it as such and even had decals to that effect on some of the air cleaners on its 426-cid engines, using the term “eight-barrel carburetor” on its dual four-barrel setup.
A. This question generated numerous responses among our readers. Most believed, with Mr. Myers above, that Mr. Hartog who asked, probably was referring to Ford’s advertising for its multi-carburetor setup. Along this vein, David Stegman of Silver Spring, Md., wrote “There was a high-performance ‘six-barrel’ setup offered through Ford parts. It was made by Delorto, an Italian carburetor maker. It looked like a regular three two-barrel setup, but it was one casting with the venturis in pairs. The cost of this unit and associated parts was quite high, and thus very few were sold.” Robert Dalsky of Wausau, Wis., adds, “...the 390 6V (three two-barrel carbs) was an option (code M) on 1963 Thunderbirds with the 390-cid/340-hp engine.” Joe Tomaeno of Bartlett, Ill., Lance Keen of Perryville, Md., and Larry McGray of McGray’s Antique Automotive in Lena, Wis., agree on the M code designation. Steve Foster of Mount Jackson, Va., thinks Ford may have referred to the triple carburetors as “6V” for “six venturi.” Ron Hermon thinks he remembers those ads. Phil Pfersching of Deer Park, N.Y., thinks that Mr. Hartog may have been thinking of Ford’s side-by-side dual four-barrel carburetors used on competition Boss 302s. He believes these were experimental, but that a few sets may have been made. Alan Tast, past president of the Vintage Thunderbird Club International, sent an extensive description of the M-code (he calls it a “series”) option on mid-1962 to mid-’63 T-birds. He writes in part, “[These] used three Holley 2300s on an aluminum intake. While similar to the tri-powers used on 390-406 Fords/Mercurys from the period, there are several unique items to the package [he then enumerates these]. The T-bird tri-power was also provided with a chrome dress-up kit as standard equipment along with a unique open-element oval air cleaner with a ribbed, cast aluminum lid modified to use the 1961-’62 T-bird emblem from the rear seat header. The stock 390 cid/200-hp engine was fitted with 406 cylinder heads to raise compression, and the Cruise-O-Matic transmission’s valve body was beefed up to handle the extra power. As you correctly noted, the 1967-’71 models did not offer multiple carburetion ... the 1973 Arab Oil Embargo and subsequent rise in gas prices forced the change to two-barrel carbs.”

Q. Regarding rumble seats on 1950s and ’60s cars, there was a company that made a replacement trunk lid, probably fiberglass, and rumble seat kit called “The Bird’s Nest.” A search of auto magazines of the ’50s might turn up the ad. I recall that the ad had a picture of two kids in the rumble seat, but I don’t remember the company’s name.
A. Phil Pfersching, who also responded to the previous question, remembers an aftermarket rumble seat conversion kit being available for early Mustang hardtops and convertibles. The “Bird’s Nest” name jogs my memory somewhat. This kit, I believe, was for early two-seater Thunderbirds and pre-dated the safety-conscious consumer protection movement. My collection of ’50s car magazines is at the International Motor Racing Research Center at Watkins Glen, but one of our readers may send us a copy of the “Bird’s Nest” ad from a mid-’50s Motor Trend (that’s where I recall seeing it) or similar publication.