Essex 4 cylinder

Unknown

Hello to everyone I am new to the vintage car world & desperately need help for my 1920/3 Essex roadster. The whole car had been thrown together from various year model parts. What I know is - 1920 crankcase (date stamped on it), 1922/3 cyl head, timing gears, non roller camshaft lifters, & it had the hollow crankshaft. What I need to know is which is the better crankshaft type, the solid big end or the hollow big end type. I have an owners manual & it shows the timing chain with a hollow crankshaft & have a spare motor with timing chain with a soild crankshaft. Getting confused! Were the hollow cranks made from stronger steel or reduced vibration etc. etc.? All suggestions welcome.

Jon B

You've come to the right place, just be patient and I'm sure you'll get an answer. Meanwhile, "ask away" with other specific questions, so that as soon as a knowledgeable person arrives, he will have enough "ammunition" to keep him busy for awhile. Parts and serial numbers are always good (for identifying components).



What is the basic car serial number? (It's usually stamped in several places, one of which as I recall it, is stamped into the frame or spring perch, easily visible standing behind the car. (I'm not a 20's Essex expert but had to go to someone's garage a couple years ago to identify one by its serial number, so I recall this location).



If you intend to hold onto this car you might want to join the Hudson-Essex-Terraplane Club, it's an invaluable resource for finding parts, information and tapping into the network of other owners of similar cars. On the 'net at http://www.hudsonclub.org/



Meanwhile here are a couple of good web pages with lots of tech info covering your car and others:



http://www.hudsonterraplane.com/tech/tech_index.htm

http://www.freewebs.com/hudsontech/index.htm

Huddy42

Hey Jon,

Please stop trying to pinch our members.LOL We have already signed him up here in Australia, he attended our recent rally in Toowoomba. A great and knowledgeable guy. Im sure Geoff who met him in Toowoomba will be able to help Steve.



Come on Geoff where are you.

Geoff

I'm not really up with the play as far as detail differences in the cranks on the Fours, but our ex President of the N.Z. Club, Graeme Shaskey, will surely put you right. He has restored a couple of these. Unfortunately he doesn't usually come on the forum here, so if you email him at kayandgraeme@clear.net.nz I'm sure he'll be happy to help out. I restored a 1922 model 10 years ago, and it was right on the changeover period - had roller cam followers, but still had the gear drive cam. I can't remember if it had the hollw crank pins or not, but I think the changeover was around 1922. There is also some differences in the flywheel, but Graeme should be able to put you right. Tell him I sent you , if you want to blame someone!

Geoff.