Graham Technical Corner
last update December 7, 2011
Headlamp Shields for 1938 to 1940 Grahams
Submitted by Dale Robbins
Installing Chevy 6 volt generator.
On my 1929 615 I would like to install a '54
or earlier Chevy 6 volt generator. I need more amperage to run lights, elect
wiper and heater. The main trouble spot is that the generator is negative
ground. Is it possible to polarize it to a positive ground and is there a
regulator with a positive ground. Has anyone used a Chrysler Product one, as
they had a positive ground (just thought of that)?
Andy Wittenborn
EMAIL
914 941-2744 (cell)
Regarding the generator with more amperage.
I took a late '40's, Plymouth or Dodge, 6 volt positive ground and installed it
on my '29 615. I removed all the mounting bracket tabs so it would fit in back
of the water pump. Had an adapter made ($205) to use the tube type connection
from the water pump. Got a regulator ($65) from Andy Bernbaum. Added an amp
gauge under the dash. Hope one day to be able to put one (gauge) where the other
is in the cluster. Seems to work OK, have not tried it driving yet. WP turns at
1.2 times the crank sprocket which may be a little slower than it should be.
Had trouble with my turn signal indicator light staying on. Found it was the
flasher. Got a bi-polar flasher from Snyder Auto Parts ($4.95) and it now the
light comes on only when I signal. Truck Lite had me reverse the leads on the
flasher because of the positive ground. Changed it back to what it was before to
make the flasher work. Truck Lite made my turn signal switch.
Since I am 6' 2" and older I moved my fixed front seat back 4 1/2 inches
which makes driving more comfortable. Used steel plates to hold the back cushion
anchoring the plate to the seat & center post. Makes getting into the back a
little more difficult.
Andy Wittenborn
EMAIL
914 941-2744 (cell)
If you want to check and adjust your car's toe
in alignment yourself the following may be helpful.
Start by making a trammel bar out of a straight 2 by 4, two plywood triangles
and screws. Screw one triangle solidly to one end of the 2 by 4. The second
triangle needs an anchor screw to act as a pivot and a second screw in a slot in
the plywood triangle to make the bar adjustable.
See photos.
1.. Raise the car and place jack stands under
the front axle as close to the front wheels as possible. When you let the car
down onto the jack stands the suspension must compress to it's natural position
as if the wheels were on the ground.
2.. Set wheels facing forward.
3.. Next use chalk to whiten the center of the tread all the way around each
wheel.
4.. Then hold a nail on a block of wood or cinder block and scribe a line in
chalk by spinning each front wheel.
5.. Using your trammel bar set the points of the two triangles on the two
scribed lines at the back edge of wheels between the top and bottom of the
tires. Then tighten the screw in the slotted adjustable triangle end of the
trammel bar.
6.. Carefully move the trammel bar to the front scribe lines. These lines should
be toed in by the amount recommended by the manufacturer.
7.. If not loosen both tie rod end locking bolts and turn tie rod to toe in or
toe out as needed.
8.. Now check position of steering wheel. If not centered you have to lengthen
one tie rod end and shorten the other exactly the same amount until the wheel is
centered at the straight ahead position.
I hope this information is helpful to you guys out there and feel free to call
or contact me anytime.
Patrick Caron
Phone (860) 722-1630 Days
Phone (860) 742-6539 Evenings
Patrick.Caron@jud.state.ct.us
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Three Planets Method of Setting Timing:
1. Remove number one spark plug and hopefully you will
be able to see the two valves and the piston.
2. Also find the timing mark on the flywheel
3. Set the manual spark advance to fully advanced (Normal position)
4. Crank the engine using a socket wrench on the bolt of the crank shaft
and when you get the timing marks lined up check to see that you are not between
the point where the exhaust and intake valves have just closed and just about to
open respectively.
5. If you are between the valves closing and opening then you are two
strokes out cycle and need to advance one more full revolution. Crank the engine
another 360 degrees and repeat step number four above.
6. Adjust distributor setting so the points are on top of the cam.
7. Once you have successfully completed the distributor rotor should be
pointing directly at the Number 1 spark plug wire terminal on the distributor
cap. Plus or minus a couple of degrees.
8. Timing light should be able to clean up the rest.
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Graham-Paige Rear Wheel Puller
For more information contact:
Patrick R. Caron
I received this article October 14, 2001
I thought your club members may like to read
the following letter I had recently sent to Dodge Brothers Club. I am almost
positive that the device I that I have described and made would be appropriate
for those members with Graham-Paige antique autos from the 1930's and 1940's.
Once they read the letter and see the photos they will know if this procedure
would work on their cars. Would enjoy a reply from anyone interested.
Don Lohr
I have a 1931 Dodge Brothers Sedan. Last year I completely did over the brakes
on the car including having the drums turned and having new brake linings bonded
to the brake shoes. When I went to install them I could not figure how to adjust
the bottom anchor pins correctly. My handy dandy manual said that a
"special precision tool" will be necessary. I tried in vain to locate
such a tool but had no luck. One source said he had seen such a device; it
looked like a brake drum with a section cut out so a measurement could be made
while on the car. What I did was to try different adjustments then look at
the wear on the linings and then try another adjustment. A man at a brake shop
said to put lots of sidewalk chalk on the surfaces and then take off the drum
and see it they were wearing uniformly. Drove me crazy; too much work and I
could not say for sure the adjustments were correct. I put out a
"distress signal" on the Internet and a wonderful gentleman by the
name of Frank from the West Coast told me what he had done to make the
adjustment very simple. He had also gone through hours and hours of trial and
error before he came across the idea below. He actually made his device
out of metal and drilled and tapped 1/4 inch threaded hole for the metal rod. I
simply used a piece of maple stock for my device and was able to drill and tap
the 1/4 inch hole in that. When I threaded the rod into the block I also filled
the hole with Elmer's glue. The wing nut on the device gives you a quite precise
measurement; the screw in the smaller block gives you a more precise
measurement.
HERE IS HOW I USED THE DEVICE!
With the Dodge jacked up I turned the top ADJUSTING NUTS until the shoe just
touched. Then I took off the brake drum and swept the brakes shoes with the
device using the distance at the top of the shoes as the radius. I had to loosen
the bottom anchor bolts on each side and turned them individually until the
device just touched all the way around. I then knew that the shoes were in the
correct position because they were forming a perfect circle. I did this all the
way around the car. Excellent brake pedal and excellent brakes. I assume
that there may be other Dodge and Chrysler owners out there that may be
interested in this idea. Please pass it along. I have made several extra devices
if anyone might be interested. I was very lucky to have a drill press and a 3/4
inch spade drill bit. That size holes really fits snugly on my axles; the
original nut holds the device on. Because my device was about 7/8" thick
there was not room enough on the back axle shafts for the nut to be put on; I
simply countersunk a hole so more threads were sticking out. Because the nut on
the back was much larger than the front, I temporarily use a nut from one of the
front wheels to hold the device on. I would not be too surprised if many of the
other models and years of Dodges, Chryslers, etc. probably have that same
3/4" diameter measurement. Let me know what you think. You will
probably will write back and say many others have thought of this idea. I just
had never run into anyone that had.
Regards,
Don Lohr
Link for the Graham technical corner -
Removing rear brake hubs all Grahams that I know of
Thanks,
Scott Maynard
http://www.plymouthbulletin.com/rearbrakes.htm
This regards the flywheel resurfacing for my
l929 G-P 615 and I guess similar flywheels. No one was able to give me a
definitive answer on removal of the clutch plate mounting pedestals (there are 6
of them). They just push out with a drift pin and hammer (or in a press). Be
sure to measure height of pedestal top to flywheel surface before resurfacing.
The pins (pedestals) do not have a shoulder.
Thanks
Andy Wittenborn
These seal used in my '29 615 Graham-Paige.
Rear axle outer seal- Timken 472150. OD is slightly smaller, but have not tried
to install it yet in the original seal housing.
Lovejoy one way shocks. Seal for arm was originally cork, I've replaced it with
a modern seal that works very well. SKF 9934 (front) and SKF 8648 for rear. Did
all work my self after some trial & error.
Can assist anyone who want to do it.
Andy Wittenborn
Got something Graham related and technical?
This is the place for it. Email it to me and I will post it.
