Bendix Drive spring

[aussieQ]

Further to my request in the "things your looking for" section, does anyone know if the Bendix drive assembly for Ford model A's are the same as Plymouth Q? They look the same in the workshop manuals.

Thanks
Gary S

[westaus29]

hi Gary,

they do look identical but the Ford model A spring is wound left hand and the Plymouth is right hand. The A model starter drives from gearbox side of flywheel hence turns in opposite direction to Plymouth. I have seen model A springs advertised as being suitable for Plymouth 28-29 so you have to be wary and check the photos. The RH springs are usually dearer than the A model.

A few years ago I was on rally in Tasmania and the Bendix spring broke. After seeing me crank-starting the Plymouth a fellow entrant with a 29 Chev gave me his spare Bendix spring from under his front seat. It fitted exactly. I bought two last year on ebay for $12.50 ea plus postage, see photo of box attached, part no SP104R / SS4R. I have also attached a photo of my rather dejected spare Bendix drive, with RH spring and 10 tooth pinion.

The spring and drive are advertised as 1925-1934 Chevrolet Bendix Drive Spring on http://www.marxparts.com/repro%20chevy_starter.htm, look a bit expensive and havent used that supplier myself. I would check a few more suppliers of Chev stuff.

regards Jim

[aussieQ]

Hi Jim,

Thanks for your reply. A friend of mine in the A Model Ford club checked out the remains of my bendiox drive and told me that it looked like the only difference between the two was the number of teeth on the pinion. A Model has 10 teeth instead of the 11 on the Plymouth. He obviously missed the fact that the spring was wound the oposite way. At the time he was probably more interested in trying to work out how my spring got wound so tightly around the shaft. Thanks for that important piece of infomation Jim. I was just about to place an order for an A Model spring thinking it was the same, to keep as a spare.

I was able to track down a complete bendix drive asembly for the plymouth at www.autosurplus.com.au they are in melbourne. Cost was $85.00 but I was happy to pay that to get me back on the road. good to know that the 25 to 34 chev springs are the same. I'll look out for one as a spare.

Regards

Gary S

[imoore]

Glad you got your starter functioning again.
See you Fri night

Ian

[westaus29]

good to hear you sorted it out ok. My starter drive has 10 teeth by the way!
regards
Jim