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Be careful as there are even differences on the 12s.  I blithely ordered 6 750x17s for my 1933 1236, as the car was running on a set of 750x17s, and things were going along fine until I tried to change the spares.  Much to my surprise, the spares were 700×17.  the 750×17’s would not even fit in the tire wells, and forget about the tire covers.  I had to return two of the tires, and get 2 700x17s for spares.  The tires that were on the car looked fine, but I replaced them as they were approximately 45 years old and I didn’t trust them.  I purchased a new Milwaukee cordless tire inflator to pump up the spares in case I had to use them as the tire covers would not fit when they were fully inflated.  The Milwaukee unit runs on their rechargable 12v power packs, and it seems to have a lot of grunt.  I’d take a couple of spare batteries and a charger along on a tour just in case.

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When I first got my 1933 1236, I was afraid to drive the car in free wheeling.  I noticed a lot of brake fade, and always used engine braking to slow down the car.  Bill Morris was kind enough to let me drive his 1934 roadster at Gilmore one year, to see how the brakes were really supposed to work, and wow, I almost went through the windshield.  Problem on my car turned out to be the clutch disc in the SW power brake system.  Scott Stastny sent it off to be refaced with Kevlar, and the results were astonishing.  The new clutch, and the fact that the linings in the car were virtually new, really made for some great brakes.  Chicago, being relatively flat, I generally drive the car in free wheeling since the brakes are really effective.  The only caveat to the SW braking system is to get used to the slight lag in brake action at low speed.  I got used to that driving Dave Stevens’ 1933 1247 and have never had a problem with my car.

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Sorry I had to miss it this year. I have been getting the camper ready (my tow vehicle) for Hershey. Now I need to find a trailer, and to a few minor things on my Pierce.

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Correction to above….Scott’s brother Ed is selling his car. Just noticed that one.

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Rear view of Scott’s car….who’s that lurking up front?

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For radiator repair I can recommend:

Elburn Radiator and Repair

1 South First Street, P.O. Box 928

Elburn, IL 60119

Bert Veldhuizen, Owner

630/365-5800

I met Bert through the late Scott Stastny, and he cleaned tested and painted the radiator in my 1933. He has a very up to date shop, and seems to have quite a reputation in the antique car field. When I came to pick up my radiator, he showed me a Rickenbacker radiator he was rebuilding for a customer. He’s also involved with the local Studebaker Club in the Chicago area.

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There are two stores in Chicago, American Science & Surplus, and you can find a whole variety of really unusual stuff there. You never know what you might find there on a given day. I have a sealed lead acid rechargable battery that I hook up to my GPS and it works just fine. It’s good for a day’s drive without recharging. I also got a power supply to use as a charger. I need to do the math on this one, but I am also looking for a very heavy duty wire wound resistor that would drop 12V current down to 6V in order to start my car. Need to find the amperage rating of the starter and resistor.

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Have some Brillman parts in my car and they work fine.

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I was watching the news tonight, and along I-94, Greg Long was out there with a cardboard sign and a styrofoam cup. The sign said, “Will Drive For Food.”””

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Ditto, my 1236 has the keyed lock on the right front door.

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Do you think I could start a Go Fund Me page?

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I am also in the market for a trailer. I have heard that Feather Lite are the ones to buy. Aluminum, high capacity, light, and very expensive.

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Will a 1236 starter picture work?

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Is your front seat movable? If your car was originally an enclosed drive limousine the front seat would be fixed in place.

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Woodlites look great on a Ruxton!

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I just picked up an A.E.A Tune Up System Chart for my 1933 1236 on Ebay. It contains a lot of ready reference information as well as tune up information, including the reference for the windshield wiper motor. I checked to see if there was one available for your car, but no luck. For what it’s worth, my car, a closed car, has a Trico Service Motor KSL-226.

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Thanks Jim. The info I had on the Steinfelds is that they had the biggest department store in Tucson, and Alfred died in 1935. His son took over, and they also had a hotel across the street from the store. The son and his wife lived in the penthouse of the hotel, but there was a horrible fire about 1970 where he and his wife were killed. The store went downhill from there, and closed in the mid 197o’s.

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Jim, sorry to see you leave. My Pierce seems to have been a native of Tuscon, and I am wondering if you have any memories of it. I believe the car was ordered new by a department store mogul named Alfred Steinfeld, and eventually passed on to his chauffer. The engine seized in 1950, and it wound up with a hoarder. It was eventually discovered and restored by a man named Reid Hassler. It was sold to a doctor in Indiana in the late 1980’s, and I bought the car from him. Ever run across a maroon/black 1933 1236 Limousine out that way?

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Hey, it was 67 in my back yard in Chicago today!

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Merry Christmas from Chicago and safe travelling to all on the roads over the holiday season!

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