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There are a couple of ads for Francisco heaters being offered on Ebay. They show some different models: the manifold box we are discussing, plus a hot-coolant underdash model and one which has the exhaust manifold built in.

Worth looking at for those interested.

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Hi, Peter, I don’t really need heat in the Pierce, but I am interested in learning useless info like this!

Jim: do you have a photo of one handy? Would you sell one?

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That’s great information: I can’t wait to look around.

Thanks for sharing!

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Thanks, George, I would really enjoy coming up with one of those! Maybe we will be able to find a photo or even one intact somewhere. One of my favorite tasks is learning about and looking for esoterica. Pretty useless, maybe, but as a member of the Keepers Of Odd Knowledge Society, well…

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Engine side

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Never saw rods chipped like that; have seen many old thick-Babbitt bearings like those. Thick Babbitt has lower strength and there can be problems with the initial bond as well as it starting to disbond and break up late in life. Sometimes pieces of main Babbitt find their way into the crank oil passages and into the rod bearings and rod passage to the wrist pin; sometimes the oil pan, sometimes smeared on the rest of the bearing, just as Greg said.

I have seen bearings with these defects run a long time undetected and I have even seen the time when the men would be forced to get one which had previously been discarded, blend out the edges of the failure, and run it, because they had no choice.

These are large engines not car engines, of course, but similar principles etc. as they were designed and built in the same era.

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Congratulations! Many happy returns!

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James, thanks for the additional photos. Your Car had vanities on each side in the rear and the one on the right side had the lighter; correct?

It seems unlikely I will find an original but it is fun to search for one; it gives one purpose when visiting flea markets, Hershey, et al. Probably someone could create a passable replacement if desired, but as my Car’s mounting points have been upholstered over, it is not obvious anything is missing and it will have to do for now (“Oh! The Shame!””).

This became an interesting thread.”

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Greg my Car was probably reupholstered and the screw holes just covered over; I don’t see any. I will look again this afternoon when there is more light.

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Thanks for all the great information and photos. I did see Miss Helen at Gilmore but did not take a pic because I figured she was different from my Pierce-bodied coach. The reprint of the 1927 specifications booklet states it should be leather-covered in the coach and it states the trim in the Deluxe is all wood rather than wood grained metal.

I can look around some but I am not in a panic to get one for my driver; I am always looking for improvements of course.

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There is still a Ferro corp.; it was founded in 1919 by Henry Cushman. It could well be the same company. Most likely they will not have Travelodge door handles in stock!

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Thanks, Greg; I believe I can do that already. I have some thin wrenches.

I will be on the lookout for a genuine Pierce wrench though. If I had known I would have asked Karl at Hershey.

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That raises the question: what about the front adjuster wrench? As I don’t have one nor do I know if this is something I can get by without. Please advise!

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Great Information and just what I needed to kmow. I will

Leave itvalone until I am better-prepared for a successfull outcome.

Thanks, Greg!

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If I can get him to agree the loan of a model would be greatly helpful.

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I found seversl oval lights and a similar round light but the glass was a little small. I encountered a vendor of lenses at Hershey who wants to try so I plan to pursue that path.

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You are right to be concerned with heat and vapor lock; after all vapor lock is caused by gasoline boiling and this is heat and low pressure (vacuum). I would not wrap the fuel pump with insulation, tbough: remember it is exposed to crankcase heat and hot oil already so it needs to shed as much heat as it can. Rather, concentrate on a radiant heat shield between the exhaust parts and the pump. Be sure all you higher-volitility, “winter” gas is gone beforeyou start touring in the warmer months.

Exhaust system design is somewhat similar to the design of suction and discharge piping for natural-gas compressors. It uses choke tubes and other “tricks” to smooth the pressure impulses and dissipate the energy which creates the objectionable sounds. In the case of compressor piping we are trying to reduce pulsation-induced piping vibrations and energy-wasting pressure drop, but it’s all tradeoffs and a balancing act.

One might think a car of the Era with an engine of similar size and configuration would have a similar exhaust system.

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A machinist friend may see this as a worthy challenge: billet brass or stainless maybe.

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My first Hershey was great! It was great to see all the PAS folks!

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Thanks, Ken, I need to pay better attention!

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