Chris,

According to the article:

The Chair Lock formula was developed in the 50's and is now in public domain.  The quick story is:, it is a mixture of chemicals with natural resin so that once the dried wood absorbs the mixture containing the resin, the fluid will dry up leaving the natural resin behind thus leaving the wood tight.

At some future point and in my spare time,?   I will be working on a respoking project for my wheels and this sounds like a good mixture to dip the wheels in after I am finished to expand the kiln dried hickory into a permanently tight position.  Of course since the hubs are hydraulically pressed into the new construction and the wood is kiln dried, everything is pretty tight to begin with and will only get better in time.  Maybe dipping the old wheels might relieve the necessity of redoing them.  The main problem right now is that Chair-Lock is sold in 2 & 3 oz bottles and I need to mix up a 2 to 3 gallon batch.  Currently buying it isn't cost affective because I am not sure it will do me any good.  The article listed the ingredients so maybe a cauldron may be in my future.  However I might need to find an eye of Newt.

Theoretically it all sounds good.

Chet...

Jim Yergin recently sent me an article, which he ran across in the Skinned Knuckles Magazine, which talked about wooden automobile wheels.  What I found interesting was the section concerning fixing loose or squeaky spokes.   

The article implied that back in day when our cars were new it was recommended to wash them often so as to allow the wood wheels to swell and tighten, especially if you lived in a dry climate.  The urban legend was mentioned that if your spokes were loose it was best to park the car in a shallow stream for the night to swell the wood wheels, which would tighten the spokes.  Also a product called Chair-Lock was mentioned which is a chemical composition used to swell woods for the purpose of tightening doweled joins without the use of glue.

What say ye..,  Any comments or experiences.    This seems to make sense to me.

Maybe not original but it looks A-OK and you can't beat the price.



Chet...

Link to the project... http://www.chetscoins.com/1929/Work_Files/Running%20Board%20Redo.htm

Jim,

If you don't see any telltale sign of leaking by the main bearing it is probably best to let it be.   I changed the main in my 48 with the motor in the car and it was a real pain to do.

See link...  http://www.chetscoins.com/1948p15/20045/04032005.htm

Flashers are a good thing to have.  I have noticed with the 29 that people are always trying to sneak around me while out in normal traffic.   Here in Northern Virginia speed limits are casual suggestions so I guess I am not going fast enough for the average VA driver.  Also the rear vision in the 29 Sedan is poor at best with many blind spots. 

I installed flashers in my car by using the front parking light bulbs as front flashers and installed a removable setup on the rear bumper.  Basically I created a trailer connection under the car where I could plug in my rear lights.  I used two standard round trailer lights and affixed them to the rear bumper using an aluminum back plate and wing nuts.   Of course 6 vdc bulbs.  They actually look fine and are very functional.  The point being is that I didn't have to modify the car and if you wish.., everything can be quickly removed for a car show and quickly reinstalled for the drive home.

I too thought about adding the extra tail light then decided on the above method.  I will try to find a picture and post it for you. 

Chet...

Jim,

Here is a link to Tod Fitch's Site - Plymouth's - The First Decade  with Info on the rear seal in the 29-U Plymouth:  If your 30 U has the 196 engine then this may or may not apply.   The master gasket kit is for both engines the 175 & 196 with minor differences in some gaskets so maybe this info might be applicable.  I am not sure.

http://www.ply33.com/Repair/rearseal

I hope this helps, Chet...

Quote from: Doug on February 23, 2008, 04:15:15 PM
Chet, My 30 U has wooden runming boards. As far as I can tell they are the origanel. If someone has changed them it was done more than 40 years ago.

Doug I guess mine will be wood also...

Today I finished the driver's side running board. 



The total project cost for both will not exceed $150.00  The ribbed rubber looks really nice and doesn't have the swirl illusion that the camera captured in the photo.
Total visiable width is 1.0625 inches

Looks pretty close to the link below minus the big price tag.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/29-30-Dodge-NOS-MoPar-Senior-6-RUNNINGBOARDS-Victory_W0QQitemZ140140174105QQihZ004QQcategoryZ6763QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQ_trksidZp1638.m118.l1247QQcmdZViewItem

Chet...   

For the Project Blow by Blow click on this link... http://www.chetscoins.com/1929/Work_Files/Running%20Board%20Redo.htm

Quote from: Jim Yergin on February 20, 2008, 09:27:05 PM
Chet,
I totally agree with you and your approach. I wasn't implying that you should look into buying the repo's but rather just confirming that the original running boards were metal and not wood.
Jim Yergin

Jim,

Sorry.., My rant was NOT directed at you I appreciate your help.  Chet...

Thanks Ski,

I also currently have a lead on one.  If he still has it I would grab it anyway.  This part is one of those that doesn't break so if missing it is very hard to find.  Right now I have a functioning "T" but it's not original and held in with tie raps.   If my car required state inspection the inspector would flip..!  Like a lot of stuff in my car it's temporary until I can find the real deal.

Let me know, I hope he still has your wheels and drums.

Chet...

Jim,

Thanks I saw the ad in the POC Bulletin.  The problem I have is a limit on the available dollars I have to spend on cars.  This year I will be sending the 48 to the paint shop and that will eat up a significant amount of available cash.   Even at the close to $900 dollar cost for the reproduction running boards I would still need to affix the rubber and buy a set of moldings.  It probably would be $1200.00 or more when all is said and done. 

I think I will stick with my project and see how it comes out.  After all.., at this point I don't expect to win any car show trophies just want to tool around in a car, that to the average bystander, looks good.  After all if I were rich I would probably be screwing around with a Duisenberg or a Cord. 

Anyway maybe someday down the road I will run across a parts car with useable running boards.  If not.., the option to spend money is always available.

I think I am starting to sound like Norm on the P15 forum.

Thanks for looking out for me,  Chet...

Judging from your profile picture you car looks real nice.  Is that a trunk attached in the rear?   If you get a chance post a picture or two of your car I am personally interested in seeing the Trunk setup.

Tks,  Chet...

PS... I opened the allowable size of a picture file from 250K to 1 Meg. (1,000K)

I am in need of the rear end hydraulic T connector.  Will pay $40.00. 

Also if you don't plan on keeping them I might be interested in your old wood wheels.

chet

Ski,

The Plymouth Master Parts List shows a different brake drum for wire wheels.  Group 22-B Brake Drums:

""Wheel brake drum (wire wheel) – Q, U after Y-024-PW U.S. Built and all Canadian built, 30-U up to 1558001 and also cars listed in Note 1.  and 2 group 22A and except cars listed in note 3  Group No. 3 group 22-A US built and up to 92002587 Canadian built is part number 44009.""

The book lists 4 pages of different combinations of drums and wheels.  Mostly in the 30-U category but there were still many versions.  Just a caution.!!!   4 or 5 hole drums seem to be an important item.

Jim B. is correct.., If you can also get the drums this might be best.  I have had trouble with 29 wood wheels.., in that they fit my car but my split rims didn't fit the wheel and I had to modify the position of the tire fill tube hole.

1929 Plymouth Salesmen Data Book:


Good Luck,  Chet...

Maybe someone else can give you advice on this conversion.  I have no experience.

Ski,

Wire spoke wheels were available for the 29 as an option.  I'm not at home so I can't check the book right now but I believe they were around $5.00 per wheel additional charge. 

Chet...

Quote from: Jim Yergin on February 15, 2008, 09:30:39 AM
How is the P15 coming?
Jim Yergin

Jim,

I haven't been doing much to the 48 over the winter.  I am in the body prep stage and that's a little hard to do with the cold weather.  I plan to use some vacation time to make headway in the early spring.  I hope to be out of the paint shop by summer or worst case.., fall.  Of course having two cars to work on has really divided my time.  It's hard to believe that I have been working on the 48 for 4 years now.  I am really looking forward to getting the car back from the paint shop so I can start rebuilding and detailing the interior.  Probably won't be on the road until summer of 2009.   You know how that goes...

Chet...

You know ski, I posed that question to the POC board some time ago and I don't remember who but someone responded by saying they were plywood with rubber coating.

I posted the question again this morning.  I did find a vendor at Hershey that made molded aluminum running boards to your dimensions.  They have inlayed rubber.   I believe the price was around $950.00.  I think my wood boards will work until I find an original set.  That is.., if the Detroit cars were in fact metal.

I am trying to repair some shabby work done to my car prior to my purchasing it.  The running boards that came with it when I bought it were tong & groove oak over plywood.  Not even close to what they should be.  The person that did the work was definitely not a carpenter.  I think more like a butcher.

Thanks for the heads up...  Chet...