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I don’t use a thermostat, but don’t drive much in very cold months either.
It’s a huge debate that I’ve seen, but slowing down the coolant flow is very beneficial. I’ve seen the debate get to the atomic level, saying that the atoms of the cooling media get more time to absorb and transfer heat, but that’s all conjecture. I know what works…
I used to drive my car at speed, and when I took my foot off the accelerator, water would spew out the radiator. Simply, the flow of water was too great to the top of the radiator, it didn’t “shut off” when the engine went to lower revs, the momentum of the water flow didn’t stop and the water pump just pumped too much water.
I took a freeze plug that fits the top radiator hose, drilled a 5/8 inch hole in it, and inserted it right at the top of the hose. Problem solved. Engine heats up to operating temperature quickly, no water overflow if decelerating, and car runs cool.
I prefer this method to an inline thermostat in a car that wasn’t designed for same (i.e. no bypass).
Yeah, I’m still looking for the piggy bank that has my payment to Uncle Sam, so glad I have a couple extra days to dig!
I have some paperwork (files and such) and some factory-use forms that I’ve acquired over the years, as I’m sure many do, so not all paper goods were destroyed.
It would be nice if it were all in one place for research, but that’s a tall order. Wonder if the Emblidge collection is “on loan” or was given to that museum, sure would be nice if PAS could collect it, or second best, the AACA museum so it would be preserved and archived correctly.
Actually, taxes are due to be postmarked Monday the 18th, today’s a Federal holiday in Washington, D.C.!
In 1976 I purchased a very original 840 sedan. The original exhaust system was exactly as described by Greg in his paragraphs three, four, and five above.
At the time I was able to find an exact replacement system, and the car sounded great, quiet but still a nice subtle exhaust note.
Sheesh, Bob, just had to bring up my misfortune, huh? That’s OK, as a mechanical engineer I don’t believe in electricity anyway, so there.
My mishap was not a hoist leveler, but rather not thinking through how my engine was supported as being lifted. I will admit that someone else rigged it, but I saw it and should have stopped it.
My issue was too long of a bolt. If you have a chain attached to head bolts or head bolt threads, the attachment should be flush to the metal surface. In this case there was a couple of inches of bolt sticking out, the angle of the chain was such that it put a bending moment on the bolts, and sure enough, one of them snapped.
Let me tell you, it does not take very long for a 1000 pound block to fall about 4 feet. As we all know, if it had been 1000 pounds of feathers, it would have taken longer, right Mr. Newton? Snap/bam was just about all one sound.
The pan was off but the oil pump still on, and like a good little soldier, the oil pump sacrificed itself to help absorb the blow.
Again, thanks my friend, for dredging up such wonderful Pierce memories!
I will respectfully disagree, red rubber was still around in the 1930’s.
I had a painfully original 1934 840 sedan, that I restored in the height of the restoration craze in the 1970’s.
It had not only red radiator hoses, but red fan belts, and they were all in excellent condition and appeared to have come from the factory that way. Car was very low mileage and had been in dry Oklahoma storage since it was new. When I restored it, I went ahead and used the old red parts, and they were still on it when I sold the car in the late 80’s. I don’t think I’ve seen another car with red fan belts, but there may be some out there.
When I reupholstered my ’31 phaeton about 14 years ago, I added just a little extra padding to the front seat backrests. I couldn’t sit in car, not enough room. I took apart and removed the padding, and then some, so much so that the spring outlines are partially visible under the leather.
I now wish I’d removed the springs too! I still need more room for my legs……
I meant to say 1200 pounds….I think too quickly and type too slowly…
I’ll bet the assembly was closer to 120 pounds! The transmission alone is close to 200, one reason I didn’t buy that one at Hershey last year! Didn’t really need it and too heavy! My memory is getting weak (or as my Dad used to say my forgetter is working overtime), didn’t you get it? If so, is it the one now in car?
I don’t know Model 80 specifically, but usually a backrest on a 20’s or 30’s car has a couple of bolts holding at the bottom, under the very back of the bottom backrest, and then it slips down or up depending on how the attachment is made.
Sometimes these bolts are fasteners are well above the bottom of the backrest, as things have settled over the years, so you have to look under and UP the bottom of the backrest to see them. Luck.
David C.
Thanks, Rich, email sent!
SMS does have some availability of unusual fabrics, but they seem to be very iffy to deal with….so as Bob states, if you have a schedule, make sure it’s very flexible with regard to obtaining fabric from them..
From an ownership and enjoyment perspective, chose an appropriate material that you like and look forward to sitting on and in.
From a desirability or resale standpoint, an incorrect interior can be a real turn off. I’ve seen velvet interiors that were awful, and wild pattern material that just doesn’t make sense. I know of an early 30’s Pierce that had a JoAnn fabrics interior, it was obviously incorrect and made the car hard to market.
I’ve also heard a story about a fellow who found some beautiful wool fabric, at a distress auction, it was for men’s suits. He bought it for next to nothing, and used it for his car’s upholstery. After about a year, he noticed the driver seat was wearing and getting a nice shine to it…..remember, suit fabric is sat on, not slid across, and we know what happens to a fine wool suit if elbows are other parts are rubbed…a nice shine.
Just make sure you get something that is automotive and has the correct period look, and you’ll be fine. I’m not a fan of greenish paint, but that car is beautiful….
One more comment, you may know this, but be sure the fabric that you pick out is suitable for automobile use. Not all fabrics are capable of standing up to the sliding in and out that occurs in car. Furniture, you sit down on and straight back up in most cases, not so cars.
In other words, most of the fabrics you’ll find at a local or chain fabric store are not good choices for cars.
Make sure you post some finished pictures when it’s done!
My 31 phaeton had a similar color combination from the factory, and I remember on a tour in Texas the late Fred Tycher looking at it and saying it was “very Pierce Arrow””….yours is a very nice looking car…
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Beautiful car, very “Pierce” colors….and the rare bracket lights…great car, hope your trimmer does it justice, remember, no foam, cotton and horsehair like original! I do upholstery work so constantly preach against foam, it’s not original, nor is it long lasting…the additive that was used to make foam last longer was proven to cause cancer and is not allowed, so foam is sold in years by wholesalers, such as “8 year foam” and “12 year foam”….sorry, it’s just a real pet peeve, do your car in correct materials inside and it will last for a long, long time….
I saw the Gillet car at the AACA meeting in Philadelphia last month, amazing is putting it mildly, what a beautiful car and what fantastic workmanship on the restoration.
I noticed the car had bumpers that were not standard 1934 three piece with middle dip, but rather a one piece straight. Was that a feature of some of the 12’s, or a feature with a “custom” body, or?
Correct, no apple trees in picture! When we bought our house in Winchester, it was in a subdivision built in an old orchard. We had 17 apple trees on our property, York and Golden. Being new to the area, we thought that was great, until we found out that one, we couldn’t eat that many apples and two, you can’t give them away in an area full of such trees. Then, the bad ones fall, attracting bees, bees get sugar drunk on rotting, smelling apples, all in all not a fun environment. We now have the remains of one tree, the rest gone. Found that apple trees have a very shallow root system, very easy to pull out of ground with Suburban and a long chain!
Wish that car were in Winchester with me! LeBaron shops made the Pierce production convertible sedans, delivered in white to the factory (I know earlier, still in ’33?), and to me this car has the styling cues of a production car, along with the heavy hinges which, while not exclusive to LeBaron, are one of the first things you look for. There’s no heavy styling here, no V windshield or other large deviant from a standard body, so in my mind sure lean to LeBaron….
I agree with John, it has all the characteristics of a LeBaron body…and at least the hubcaps are 12, would have to assume the engine is too!
From the angle of the shadow and the tree bark, I’d say picture was taken on a Tuesday, just to add to Mr. Lyons reply….
