Restoration update and cool accessories

[Author nameAuthor names are only available to PAS members.]

Hi everyone,

Im afraid I do not have any new pictures as of yet,but the latest is that the engine has been boiled and taken down to the very last nut and bolt. All the cylenders are in great shape. The engine does not have to be rebored or anything catastrophic. In fact, the entire engine should be ready for for pic up in about 3 weeks. The entire project is running faster than expected. The transmisison and remaining drive train has been entirely rebuilt and is awaiting the heart of the car to return.

The first batch of chrome is leaving the shop this coming week. I have 3 different samples of leather and converitble top sitting on my kitchen counter waiting for me to decide what color this beast is going to be. Funny how your begining color choices all of a sudden are questioned. “well, this is kinda cool, Oh, look at that one!, Oh, look at that color?” lolololo Its actually quite hard to pic a color. Its like painting your house. Not easlily changed.

I have found some neat accessories along the way of this journey. I have shared the vacuum, fire extinguisher and assortment of tools. I have found a few other things that I thought you might like. Some Pierce and some just automotive accesories.

1. Custom made open car, embroidered Pierce Arrow leather lap robe.

2. Running board pic nic box

3. Leather lap robe, open car, soft rail, with hand straps. My car has the little hooks for hanging things, so I assume that is where the leather straps would attach. This one has been a head scratcher. Othes have heard of open car hand straps but no one has seen a pic or one in person. mmmm?

4. Portable Radio with matching coffee clutch and suitcase

5. A super cool tiny portable 1920’s phonograph

6. An original 1920’s First aide kit with all orignal contents.

[Author nameAuthor names are only available to PAS members.]

`

[Author nameAuthor names are only available to PAS members.]

1

[Author nameAuthor names are only available to PAS members.]

`

[Author nameAuthor names are only available to PAS members.]

`

[Author nameAuthor names are only available to PAS members.]

`I know the Radio is a bit newer than the car but it was so cool to me with the matching coffee clutch I had to get it.

[Author nameAuthor names are only available to PAS members.]

`

[Author nameAuthor names are only available to PAS members.]

`

[Author nameAuthor names are only available to PAS members.]

The fire extinguisher was made in brass and nickel plated. The Nickel plated one was $2 more in 29′. Of course, pierce put the nickel plated on in their accessorie list.

[Author nameAuthor names are only available to PAS members.]

`

[Author nameAuthor names are only available to PAS members.]

`

[Author nameAuthor names are only available to PAS members.]

Currenlty under restoration for the Phaeton. Fire wall mount with steering colum mounted control head.

[Author nameAuthor names are only available to PAS members.]

Is that open box hinged to the left the inside of the first aid kit? When I expand the image it’s too fuzzy to read, the info on the back of the door or on the boxes.

Rick, I don’t think your car would have had any assist straps, I’ve never seen those anywhere but on the door post of an enclosed car. The woven lap robe strap I’m not sure of. Maybe attached to the underside of the hinged rear cowl? So the lap robe is lifted up and out of the way of the passenger’s feet as they get in or out of the back seat? Otherwise I’m thinking your very nice leather lap robe is going to have foot prints on it, or trip up someone.

Thanks for the over all update on the car. It’s going to be a very nice car when done.

Greg Long

[Author nameAuthor names are only available to PAS members.]

Oh, a big concern: I hope that the engine rebuilders are going to re-babbitt the connecting rod bearings and the main bearings REGARDLESS of how nice they might look or how good they measure.

The babbitt is a soft metal, and acts much like Potmetal does as it ages: it starts to develope internal cracks and stresses. The bearing material might look good, but WILL FAIL soon after being put back into service.

So: it’s great news that the cylinders are in good shape and won’t require any reboring, but the rod and main bearings MUST be re-babbitted, even if back to the same size as they are now. DON”T RISK IT !!

Greg Long”

[Author nameAuthor names are only available to PAS members.]

Though you can not trust to put a wrench in my hand, the mechanics listed an etire list of things they are putting in new. They are not using all the orignal parts. Unfortunately for me, I can only understand a small level of what they are doing. But, NO, they are not putting back all the orignal internal parts.

[Author nameAuthor names are only available to PAS members.]

I was thinking the same thing about the lap robe rail. Well see when we have the dry fit of everything.

The cars convertible frame has some hooks for hanging stuff as well as a hole. Not sure if it just missing a rivet or if it was for something else. It doesn’t look like it was every used.

[Author nameAuthor names are only available to PAS members.]

Interesting comment about the bearing metal,My C-3 Pierce Arrow built fall of 1914 still has her original English main bearing material and the car has always run just fine.She is though a western car which may make a difference.

Die cast parts on western cars seem to hold up much better so suspect the same with bearings and other parts.

[Author nameAuthor names are only available to PAS members.]

I believe the hooks that you mention are to lock the top in a down position when irons are folded. If you look, you’ll see a corresponding slot on another adjacent iron.

That’s what’s on my ’31 top, and can’t imagine it’d be different….

As for the babbitt replacement, I agree. Some materials hold up better, the bearings in my 1910 Hupmobile are Parson’s Bronze, and they seem to hold up well.

[Author nameAuthor names are only available to PAS members.]

David: do you remember the ’31 club brougham I looked at that was not far from you in Virginia? That car’s babbitt in the rods had broken into numerous pieces.

There is a good thread on this message board started by Bill Morris showing the fractured babbitt in Wilma’s car.

And Ernie Follis’ beautiful ’29 roadster that won the Weis Trophy in ’06 at the Redmond Oregon meet, had a rod knock develop on a tour at the meet. Ernie said he’d looked at the bearings a year or two earlier, measured them and the crank, and had new-spec oil clearances, yet the babbitt shattered into many pieces just a few hundred miles later.

Greg Long

[Author nameAuthor names are only available to PAS members.]

Yes, it was a 32 club brougham….I was looking at buying or trading for it, but heard through the grapevine that the engine had some developmental challenges so ended up passing also.

I don’t trust old babbitt, particularly on rods as they take a beating. The mains on a 9 main bearing engine are much longer lasting.

Anyone working with old engines is also aware of the high price of tin, which in turn makes Babbitt metal very expensive. How many of you have converted rods to inserts? I’m a fan of that……

[Author]

Posts