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Eric Haartz is a great resource for our hobby, I won’t go into the whole story, but he reproduced 40 yards of a fantastic replicated Pantasote for me, which now is proudly on two 1907 Autocars, a 1909 Reo, and a 1910 Stanley….and it’s great, black with a whipcord liner, impossible to get these days. Oh, and I have enough material left to do one more of my cars! He should be commended for his efforts, which are motivated by his love of early cars. Stop at Hershey on the Red Field and say hi to him! I do think that the Tonneau material that Benjamin is referencing is one of the closest things to original I’ve seen, a good grain, but no distinct directional stamping….thanks for sharing…

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I believe in the original design the hub had a standpipe at the drain hole, thus when you rotated 180 degrees as stated, the proper amount of oil would stay in the hub, excess would drain out. The remaining oil is then distributed correctly by centripetal force (engineer speak) to the correct places (I must interject, my family gives me heck about thinking like an engineer, once they were trying to take a picture of our then- 2 year old granddaughter, and I told her “turn ninety degrees” to get her in line with camera…and the response was, seriously, ninety degrees, to a 2 year old??!?…). A good system, well engineered, but it takes maintenance. How many of us are guilty of storing a car for a year or more, then hitting the road on a tour and expecting the car to be 100%. Part of the enjoyment of old cars is tending to their needs, and the more you do so, the more you understand every noise and smell and feel of your car.

For example, my ’31 did a wonderful job of driving 250 or so miles in two days, but the second day I noticed a little water leak down the right side of the radiator shell. I’ve been there before, water pump sucking air, foaming the coolant, most noticeable when you’re driving at speed and back off the gas,causing an overflow, so know what it is since I’ve experienced before. Time to look at packing in water pump, but also water pump grease, as the grease around the water pump shaft performs both lubrication and sealing duty.

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I agree, I’ve put a number of top inserts in a lot of different make cars, and never seen such a robust top frame. Much more typical, as Greg mentions, to have the larger spacing for the front to back slats.

As to the jute, you can buy it in different weights. The most common available now are 20 ounce (about 1/4 inch thick) and 40 ounce (about 1/2 inch thick). The weight is per square yard of the jute fabric. If I were using jute on an insert top, I’d go with the 20 ounce. You don’t want such a thick padding that the top material stands “proud”” of the roofline.”

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Well said, Greg, and he’s right, folks….it’s just something that needs lubrication and one never thinks of it….and it seems to be the most common semi-disastrous failure that can happen to our cars…

I believe the previous owner of my ’31 reworked the fan hub, but I’m probably going to go with John Cislak’s fix anyway. His work is excellent, and the price of the new hub, if it saves radiator and/or other damage, is reasonable.

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The proper construction of the top insert should be, in my experience and observation:

-wooden slat framework

-chicken wire

-very thin material over chicken wire, similar to drapery backing cotton material

-very thin cotton batting, yes, you can go to a fabric store and get quilt padding, it’s very thin, I usually use two layers

-top material

Please don’t use foam, it will disintegrate. Also, the chicken wire is often used as the antenna for the radio in later cars. As such, it is attached to the wood only, and not touching any metal body part.

Headliners have a seam sewed in them, and the seam will leave a tail of about half an inch. To this tail is sewed a piece of listing (thin cotton fabric). The listing is tacked to the cross braces of the top, starting in the middle and stretching to the side as you go, hanging the headliner slightly below the cross braces. The other old trimmer trick is to use tacks on the listing, and DON’T drive them all the way in. That way you can pull sideways on the headliner to eliminate wrinkles, and the listing will rotate on the tack allowing you to do so.

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Curtiss, enjoyed our talk, good to see you!

Yes, wonderful job by David and Diana, and Bill and Wilma, it was a wonderful event…..

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My first Gathering (Merlin tap danced on my head about it enough that I HAD to go!), back at home now but basking in the great memories! Beautiful cars, beautiful weather, and best of all, GREAT people to tour with and be around.

Had an absolute blast at the Gathering, many thanks to David and Diana, very well done!

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Just back from the Gathering so catching up. We looked at a couple of original tops that were at the meet, and I’ve looked at a number of original tops over the years. However, this is my opinion, as it’s been discussed before and there are other opinions.

What I’m seeing is not a heavy grain. It almost appears to be a multidirectional grain, and is very light, as if you took a short grain material (like a cobra grain) and sanded it down.

So, that doesn’t really answer the question “what should I use”. One option is what is called Colonial Grain, available from Lebaron Bonney and probably others.

My advice would be to get samples of different topping materials, and pick the one with the lightest grain, and use that.

As a side note, a trimmer never likes to see oak in a car, particularly when using tacks. Oak is a hard wood, but has a very large and loose grain, and splits easily when driving a tack into it. Not meant as criticism, just as information….

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Leaving in the morning, have to stop at Greg Long’s place to pick up my Pierce! See y’all there!!

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Nope, just an accident….I wanted to laugh, so I prayed to God to “keep me in stitches””…..he answered yes….”

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HCCA site. Prewarcar, both international and US. Those two sites will give you interesting options. On the HCCA site, make sure to look at the non-photo ads, too….a friend just scored a great, rare, early car, that had a two line ad with no pictures….

Word of mouth, too…let your buddies know you’re looking….I just bought a squirreled away 1911 Hupmobile by word of mouth….

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I do trim work as a hobby (although I’m trying to quit so I can work on my own stuff!), if you have any trimming or upholstery questions on early cars I’d be glad to try to help.

Upholstery isn’t difficult, just takes patience and knowing a few little tricks….

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Are you asking about the disc that drives the water pump? If so, John Cislak makes them, either call him or buy off ebay, search “Pierce Arrow disc”” and they pop up….”

http://www.ebay.com/itm/PIERCE-ARROW-WATER-PUMP-DRIVE-HARDY-DISK-FITS-ALL-PIERCE-TWELVE-1932-TO-1938-/112199489817?hash=item1a1f9c5919:g:mJQAAOSwGotWnQ3s&vxp=mtr

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So sorry to hear of this, and hope all is found…make sure to get some kind of list, so we can all be on the lookout, Ebay is the favored method of disposal, sure can’t imagine this thief going to a pawn shop…keep us informed…

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I would start by discussing your needs with Kent Jaquith, listed in the parts and services roster under wiper repair. He just refurbished two wiper motors for my ’31 phaeton, and mentioned he had some bodies that might be better than mine (if I was going to go the rechrome route, which I was and am not). Kent is very helpful, and could at least tell you what to look for, as some motors that appear correct, aren’t….

Don’t bother to talk to Ficken, also listed. On these wiper motors his answer is “get RainX”. Seriously, a ’34 wiper motor taken to him at Hershey, and that was his dismissive reply……

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Larry, received Travelodge copied information, thanks! I have the smaller green brochure, but have never seen the larger one that you sent copies of (about commercial coaches). Thanks!!

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Very neat, thanks for sharing! Will look for mail thanks dc

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Thanks Larry, very neat piece! I wonder if it’s a Pierce item (such as a dealer give away) or just a company using the Pierce name to sell items. For example, there’s a Pierce Arrow pen, but I don’t think the pen had any direct connection to the company.

Either way, if you wish to part with it at some point I’d be interested, my memorabilia collection includes all sorts of stuff! thanks! dc

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Thank you! Exactly what I was looking for. At this point mine could be considered a “display coach” as most of interior out of it, and this will help with trying to register/title it. Thanks!!

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Did he drive an imported car from a Slavic nation? The he would have had a deflated Yugo…..

Interesting that the published specifications for the Travelodge mention every little detail, except weight….

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