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There’s a lot of discussion about “PPebbles”” on the AACA forums. He seems to have EVERYTHING that different people are looking for. A scam for sure….”
Jim, if your car’s ailment includes running OK after it cools down, consider a defective condenser or coil, ESPECIALLY if you’re still running the original condenser in the distributor. Those old condensers have wax paper insulators under the shell and heat kills them.
You can get a modern condenser of the same value (I use one from a 1962 Ford full-size 6 in my Series 80) from NAPA. Be sure to get fresh, rather than NORS, stock. Because the modern shape won’t fit inside the distributor without modification to the plate, attach the lead to the primary lead on the coil that has the wire going to the distributor. BUT you must ground the case, as with a small hose clamp securing the body of the condenser to a radiator steady rod.
And carry a spare coil and some duct tape–a modern 6V coil (VW will do) can be taped to the steady rod as well, but no need to ground the coil’s case.
Greg, that was indeed a memorable ride up the washboarded dirt corkscrew known as Fandango Pass!
The most important thing to do is to wrap the exhaust downpipe from the flange down to the splash pan. When these cars were built, gasoline lacked volatility, so the placement of the downpipe at the front of the engine added THEN-needed heat to the updraft carburetor. Today we opposite problem–fuel is too volatile for low-pressure fuel delivery systems.
I haven’t seen, much less tried, wrapped front sections of the exhaust manifold itself.
I’ve also made up easily removable heat shields to wrap around the vacuum tank. The vac tank sits, unfortunately, where exhaust manifold heat will be blown against it, and it gets heat from the adjacent rear of the exhaust manifold. I bought aluminum-face quilted sheet insulation from a performance parts store, and cut to fit, including protection for the bottom of the vac tank. You can use large hose clamps or attach Velcro.
As Greg notes, the fact that gas is still liquid at the primer line just before the carburetor bowl indicates that the “boiling” or vaporizing is occurring INSIDE the carburetor bowl. That’s why the downpipe wrap is the most important. However, I believe that anything we can do to lower the temperature of the fuel in the vac tank and in the line to the carb will INCREMENTALLY assist. Another small thing that contributes is to slit some rubber fuel hose lengthwise and cover some of the lower fuel line between the vac tank and carb.
Another lesson of the Modoc Tours for climbing long grades in hot weather, read the motometer and drive so as to minimize the heat load being produced by the engine. The more fuel it gets, the more heat is generated, so find the sweet spot (speed and gear choice) at which the engine is working “least hard” while maintaining sufficient momentum, even if not at your desired cruising speed.
My roadster has 3/16 tube. The car and my calipers were very accessible 
1/4-inch bolts and sealing washers for Series 80 & 81, 5/16-inch for 8-cylinder cars.
Over ten years ago I bought copper-“asbestos”” (substitute) washers in both sizes from Dave Murray of Washington. These are “”donut-like”” and may be available thru McMaster Carr or other suppliers. They’re not cheap..”
They’ve been reproduced a couple of times in stainless steel. I got the last one that the late Irv Blonder had in stock. That was about 1995… Perhaps someone has a left over SS reproduction that was never installed; suggest you advertise in the Emporium.
That 1995 purchase replaced a thick flat steel plate someone fabricated and installed. If I can find it, it will be available if you’re interested, and would be a serviceable piece until you find a correctly shaped stainless repro.
McMaster Carr has thin wall round rubber tubing but it may not have enough internal strength to avoid being pulled shut under vacuum. It has been used as conduit for S80 tail light wiring and for low-tension wiring entering the metal spark plug wire conduit.
My 1930 roadster has but short pieces of conventional vacuum hose connecting metal tubing running inside the windshield frame.
To pick another nit, I have in my shop a “BROADMOOR” script, reportedly from a tail gate or quarter panel, from a junked custom 1956 Cadillac station wagon with open roof, given me 25 years ago by a friend who was stationed at Fort Carson in the 1970s. The script in in all capital letters with the ‘A’ raised.
You folks from the area will know the true story that I’ll hope you’ll share, but I heard many years ago that Spencer Penrose began the raised ‘A’ in the logo to elevate the status of his ‘ass’ (pack animal) that the previous ownership refused to accommodate.
And, by the way, I live on BROADMOOR Blvd in San Leandro, CA (no relation) . That’s why the script was given to me…
I’ve driven two of the Broadmoor Hotel cars, and both had 4.88 gears, affording a max comfortable cruising speed of 40 mph–my “seat of pants” definition of ‘comfortable.’ An old Arrow described some of the other modifications, of which I remember only leaner carburetor jetting and stronger brakes.
Their site doesn’t seem to show any prices, even if you “add to cart””….”
Bill M, yes, the Cadman Silver Arrow was acquired at auction by Mark Hyman about Jan 2005. He showed it at our Springfield, IL meet in 2005 and had it for sale at Hershey later that year. I examined the car closely at both venues. I think Roger Mayer was the last owner before Hyman. The car subsequently sold at auction at Boca Raton in Feb 2006.
The reason I know about that part of the car’s history is that it was a comp when I was negotiating the purchase of my Silver Arrow.
Ralph, the Wes Cadman Silver Arrow was two shades of gray (pale and paler), but with orange wheels. It was a beautiful restoration but has been on the auction block almost a dozen times since 2000.
Ken, I highly recommend Lock-n-Stitch in Turlock, CA. About 15 years ago — !!! — a 2.5″ lock crack into cylinder, plus several small ones, cost me $600, which I found VERY reasonable.
John. you’re right about load rating. Our A’s are about 3500 lbs before you put stuff in them. To me, the issue is clearance to the body. Suggest you compare diameter and width of 7.50 x 16 vs. 6.50 x 16 as published by Coker, Universal, etc. against available space.
Assuming that you’re going to do some serious traveling, you might want to check LT (light truck) radial tires for dimensions and load rating. Even if you go with repro bias ply tires, I recommend you use 16″ LT radial tubes from your local tire store, as the repro passenger car tubes have failed me many times, and I now run LT 16″ radial tubes in my 17″ Pierce passenger car wheels.
Randy, suggest you also replace the lock washer that holds the insulated pivot pin/post to the plate. You’ll have to remove the plate from the distributor body to do this. I spent many hours in 1996 trying to find a crippling ignition problem (OK at idle to 700 rpm, major miss under any kind of load), and the 1925 lock washer had fatigued and allowed the post to wobble just the slightest amount, actually almost undetectably, but a point adjustment wouldn’t hold. Most of us are used to point posts being pressed into the plate; these aren’t.
As to Greg’s comment about the wide range of point settings, bear in mind that the fiber rubbing blocks on new points of the era wear a LOT in the first thousand miles or so, then stabilize. I set new S80/81 points 0.024 and used ones at 0.020-.021.
Travelodges used Chev truck/GMC wheels. You can get correct replacement clips from Chevs of the Forties,
Travelodge hubcaps were ca. 1936 Chev/GMC without the stamped logos in the center, but with the same three ribs on the outer circumference. About 1o years ago I spoke with Jim Carter of Jim Carter (Chev) Truck Parts in Missouri, who has reproductions of the Chev & GMC caps made in the Far East. I asked if he’s be willing to do a special run for us without the GMC or Chev logo embossed in the center of the cap, and at that time he said it might well be possible. Then life got in my way…
You might want to check with him.
Nail polish is a technique for fixing a cracked cap when the cap is difficult to find. Epoxy nail polish is preferred. Using a Dremel drill, drill a tiny hole at each of the crack to prevent further propagating of the crack. Open the crack slightly with a dental pick. Clean out with brake cleaner or electrical cleaner. Apply one coat (one brush stroke) of nail polish to the crack. Repeat about four times, preferably one day apart.
I can add little, only the following: Pierce commenced the kick shackle midway through the 1930 model year “to reduce wheel fight.” The Parts Catalog actually shows different front fenders, BOTH of them, for cars so equipped. Perhaps an additional bulge to clear the shackle was required on the left side, and a new right front fender was required to mirror the appearance of the LF fender.
My 1930 roadster is about 30 chassis numbers (on the 134″ wb) BEFORE addition of the kick shackle. When I got the car, restored, it would almost lunge when leaving a highway for an exit ramp. A toe-in adjustment cured 80% of that (1/4″ total toe-in as a minimum), and experiments with tire pressure solved most of the rest. I now run 42 psi cold on the 700 x 18 Bedford Famous Coach tires.
I have not experienced the “death wobble” that so many others have. I did diagnose the death wobble in a 1930 Model A 7p touring as due to the replacement front wheel bearing seals. On that car, because OE design seals have not been available for many years, often a metal-cased seal is paced in a soft red plastic “carrier” (as I’ll call it) whose OD lip is deeper than the recess in the hub. That results in the drum and hub not being fully seated against the spindle backing–and there will always be wobble after the nut is set and cotter-keyed, because of the rebound effect of the soft plastic. The solution is to use a different carrier piece, OR to machine a deeper recess in the hub to accept the too-long outer lip of the plastic carrier.
I’ll appreciate any correction of nomenclature.
Tony and Pat outdid themselves once again! The program of attractions was superb, and Tom Peterson’s original 38 hp custom-body 3-door sedan with leather interior including headliner parked outside at the Franklin Museum was a special treat. It was wonderful to see old friends again and to meet new friends.
George
Depends on the wheelbase used, and the desire of the (wealthy) customer. I agree that “berlines” I have known as such have not had jump seats. However, the Cadillac Formal Sedan (7559) I mentioned does indeed have two rear-facing jump seats, but that close-coupled body is on the same 141.3-inch wheelbase as their “EDL” (in Pierce parlance). It would have been a bit chummy in the rear compartment, but perhaps less so because the jump seats were rear-facing.
