New to the Club with Questions

[Deleted User]
[Deleted User]
edited November -1 in HUDSON
Hi all,

My brother, who is an old Rolls guy pointed me to your site. I just bought a 1935 Terraplane 2 door sedan, the one that was just on fleabay.



This is my first classic car so I thought I would ask questions of the group. I got her home and have gone over it. I think it has been sitting for about 10 years or so, it does start and run pretty darn good. I plan on going through it doing what I would think would be normal maintenance, but not sure.



I do have the original owners manual and looked at the manuals on line.



Here is what I want to fix, any advice will be greatly appreciated.



Windshield wipers, both motors run and both wipers move manually but the motors don't move the wipers.



The windshield crank works but won't open the windshield, it seem to be locked somehow.



I am missing the passenger side vent window and frame.



She over heats.



I want to change all the fluids, filters, belts, hoses, spark plugs and wires. Can you recommend oil, filters etc?



The radio comes on but can't receive a station.



It needs tires all around, should I go radials or stay with bias? It has 6.50x16 now but the spare is a 6.00x16 and that is what the manual calls for, what size should I go with? Is Coker the place to buy?



I need a tire jack, and both of the door latches that are on the door post, the ones that are 2 step wedge shaped.



I want to rebuild the carb, adjust the clutch and brakes. Go over the electrical system as the tail lights and horns don't work.



Other than that I have no plans to restore it as it's just fine the way it is, it's going to be a driver for my wife to have some fun in.



here is a shot of Karen and granddaughter



Thanks

Capt Van



100_1751.jpg

Comments

  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    Welcome to the hudson wolrd, the best car and car club. I cant ans. All your ques, tions but somebody else will. First join the nation hudson club, a great bi-monthley mag. With classified ads for all the parts. Some one will come on with directions to all the webb sites.
  • hudsontech
    hudsontech Senior Contributor
    First:



    You can get a membership application at the following web site:

    http://hetclub.org/ = click on Membership > Membership Application. Print out a copy and mail it in - Charlottes address is on the form
    OR click on On-line application and pay by pay-pal. I recommend first class, even tho it's $43 a month. 1st class is $33 - but the extra $10 gets your bi-monthly magazine a lot quicker.



    You can email the White Triangle News editor, Sam Jackson, and he will glady send you a copy of the latest issue of our HET club magazine so you can see what you'll be getting every other month. Sam's email - HET40tyqtipi@earthlink.net (drop the HET).



    For literature: The On-Line Library has some 1935 Terraplane stuff that I've scanned and Gregg Maroney has put on-line. You'll find a radio manual there along with a little tech handbook with a lot of good info. I have a web site with other material on it - but that's in the process of being moved. But in the meantime you can check out the '35 material at www.hetclub.org/burr . The On-line library also has, under 1930, a 1930-1939 Chassis parts book.



    The club also has a "non" on-line library. Eventually you may want to contact John, but don't think there is much he can help you with. Somebody will be around shortly to answer the other questions you have.



    Meantime, welcome aboard. I do hope you will join our happy little band of (Hudson) nut-cases!!! :D I personally think this is the best car club on the planet - I point to the 40 years I've been a member as amounting to something. There is a really fine line as to which is more important - the people or the cars. The attitude, "my-car's-better-than-your-car" so prevalent in to many car clubs is definitely NOT part of the Hudson club. We are a family club - and like every family, yes, we have family squabbles and skeletons in the closet. But, the emphasis is on FAMILY.



    In the meantime here's wishing you and yours the very best of the upcoming holiday season, Merry Christmas and the best of the New Year. Hoping to see you on the HET roster real soon.



    Hudsonly,

    Alex Burr

    Memphis, TN
  • Jon B
    Jon B Administrator
    Welcome Cap'n!



    YOu say you're new to "the Club". Does this mean you've joined the Hudson-Essex-Terraplane Club, or just the "club" represented by this website? Membership in the H-E-T is invaluable, if you're not yet a member I urge you join. See the membership link at the Club's website http://www.hetclub.org/



    A few quick answers to your questions:



    !. Check to make sure the wiper arm linkages actually connect to the vacuum motor. If possible, disconnect the motor from the linkage and determine if wiper arms work fairly easily. If not, they may need lubrication here & there. If the whole linkage works smoothly then you just need a motor rebuild. It'll cost about $100 at www.wiperman.com . Or if you want to try to save money, remove the motor and try sucking some neat's foot oil (for leather shoes) into the motor. Move link arm back and forth a few times, let it set a few days. This softens the leather seal and makes it work better. Hook it directly to the vacuum fitting on your engine (no need to re-install just to test it) and see if if works any better. If not, send it off to wiperman.



    2. windshield may be stuck to windshield rubber. Release lever and then carefully try to force the windshield outwards around its perimeter with your hands. Do NOT try to force the lever, it may break.



    3. Side window: you can find one later! (Are you missing the hardware and the glass, or just the glass? Any local glass co. can make you one in laminated glass)



    4. Overheating. Any number of reasons. One thing, you could remove the thermostat and observe it in a pan of heated water on your stove to see if it opens when the temp gets up around 160. Buy a spare, anyway. Have you had the radiator flushed out? Could also be bad timing. Another reason is that the inner plate in the water jacket (on driver side of engine) rusts out and the holes that distribute the cooling water correctly, are useless. You could unbolt that and check it. The gauge might be wrong also; it might not even be overheating!



    5. Changing fluids is good. I'd recommend a straight 30 weight oil, non detergent (you can find this if you ask at any good auto parts store) because you have no idea how gunked up the engine is, and you don't want to risk having a modern detergent-type oil loosen up the gunk and send it back into the system! If you happen to pull the pan and find that everything's clean, then go ahead and use 10W-40 or any modern detergent oil.



    6. Radio: Least of your worries right now. Save this til later. (Is the speaker connected to the radio box?)



    7. Radials will work better if you plan to do a lot of driving. Do you? They don't look as authentic as the original style bias ply tires, though. If 650 x 16 work okay without rubbing on the fenders, stick with them, they will ride better than the original-style 600-16. Coker is but one of many companies that sell antqiue car tires. Check Hemmings Motor News for others.



    8. Authentic tire jack is not your biggest issue now: the latch striker plates are! How does the door shut without them? Only way to find these will probably be by sending out a mass mailing to some of the Hudson vendors that you'll find advertising in the White Triangle News.



    9. I'll leave clutch, carb and brakes to others to answer. You should be able to follow the wiring to the taillights with a continuity tester 'til you find the reason they don't light. Try looking at the brake switch first, it's mechanical and (in your car) may be mounted on the frame cross member near the brake cross shaft.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    hudsontech wrote:
    First:



    You can get a membership application at the following web site:

    http://hetclub.org/ = click on Membership > Membership Application. Print out a copy and mail it in - Charlottes address is on the form
    OR click on On-line application and pay by pay-pal. I recommend first class, even tho it's $43 a month. 1st class is $33 - but the extra $10 gets your bi-monthly magazine a lot quicker.



    You can email the White Triangle News editor, Sam Jackson, and he will glady send you a copy of the latest issue of our HET club magazine so you can see what you'll be getting every other month. Sam's email - HET40tyqtipi@earthlink.net (drop the HET).



    For literature: The On-Line Library has some 1935 Terraplane stuff that I've scanned and Gregg Maroney has put on-line. You'll find a radio manual there along with a little tech handbook with a lot of good info. I have a web site with other material on it - but that's in the process of being moved. But in the meantime you can check out the '35 material at www.hetclub.org/burr . The On-line library also has, under 1930, a 1930-1939 Chassis parts book.



    The club also has a "non" on-line library. Eventually you may want to contact John, but don't think there is much he can help you with. Somebody will be around shortly to answer the other questions you have.



    Meantime, welcome aboard. I do hope you will join our happy little band of (Hudson) nut-cases!!! :D I personally think this is the best car club on the planet - I point to the 40 years I've been a member as amounting to something. There is a really fine line as to which is more important - the people or the cars. The attitude, "my-car's-better-than-your-car" so prevalent in to many car clubs is definitely NOT part of the Hudson club. We are a family club - and like every family, yes, we have family squabbles and skeletons in the closet. But, the emphasis is on FAMILY.



    In the meantime here's wishing you and yours the very best of the upcoming holiday season, Merry Christmas and the best of the New Year. Hoping to see you on the HET roster real soon.



    Hudsonly,

    Alex Burr

    Memphis, TN



    Hey, Alex,



    Maybe the new owner will find $43 monthly a little steep for HET membership! LOL! Although still a bargain at that price, I believe he can get a whole year's membership with 1st-class delivery for $43.



    Dee
  • hudsontech
    hudsontech Senior Contributor
    $43 a month - Weren't my fault!!!! I got a computer that don't know how to spell!!!! LOL



    Yes, it is $43 a year - figure it out; that's only around $3.60 a month, right. Or maybe 11-1/2 cents a day would be more impressive. :D



    But, then, I ain't the greatest when it comes to math either.



    Hudsonly,

    Alex Burr

    Memphis, TN
  • terraplane8
    terraplane8 Senior Contributor
    Make sure you give it a good grease too, as there are many grease points on the chassis, plus the prop shaft, clutch bearing, water pump, axle bearings etc and then there are wheel bearings to check.



    The brakes are somewhat involved to set up and adjust being cable (compared to hydraulic), so the Mech Procedure manual is essential.



    If it's been sitting a while it would pay to check the compression to ensure no valves are slightly stuck off their seats as then they will burn quickly. Sticking valves can occur when the car is started up from time to time during periods of storage and not run sufficiently to burn off condensation, which then can cause the valve stem to stick to the valve guide. It's happened on several Hudsons I have been involved with.
  • hudsontech
    hudsontech Senior Contributor
    To adjust the brakes, if needed (and probably will at some time or other:



    Go to the listing for my new web site (it is in the process of being made purty (as my web guru says) @ www.hetclub.org/burr - scroll down to 1935

    and click on 1935_referencesheets. You'll find an excellent bulletin - Hudson reference sheet No. 5 - within on how to adjust the brakes.

    For both Hudson and Terraplane.

    Print out a copy and have fun.



    Hudsonly,

    Alex Burr

    HudsonTech

    Memphis, TN
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    Thanks everyone for all the replies and help.



    I'll be joining the club even though I did think the $43 a month was a little strong :D but for the year is a deal.



    Couple more questions.



    I started working on it over the weekend and I have found that it seems that there is no thermostat so I'll need to have the radiator done, any shop suggestions in SW Florida?



    I want to do a full tune up, where can I buy the plugs, wires, cap, points and rotor etc?



    I have talked to Hudson Dave and the new hides are on the way, as is the carb kit and the wipers will be on their way to be rebuilt.



    Is there an oil filter? Should I use detergent oil and what weight?



    Thanks for all the leads.



    Capt Van
  • hudsontech
    hudsontech Senior Contributor
    Captvan wrote:
    Thanks everyone for all the replies and help.



    I'll be joining the club even though I did think the $43 a month was a little strong :D but for the year is a deal.



    Couple more questions.



    Is there an oil filter? Should I use detergent oil and what weight?



    Thanks for all the leads.



    Capt Van



    Straight 30 weight oil is best, as posted by Jon B earlier, - these cars didn't have an oil filter when new. There are pro's and con's from different owners - some say filter is ok, others say no.

    You'll want to stay away from detergent oil, at least until you've had a chance to pull the oil pan and check how much gunk has built up over the years. Detergent oil will break that stuff up and it'll start clogging oil passages.



    Hudsonly,

    Alex Burr

    Memphis, TN
  • Jon B
    Jon B Administrator
    Regarding radiators, I know of a shop in Sarasota (not necessarily south Florida!) that has made a new aluminum radiator for one of our Hudson members in that area. It's "Cooled by Ice", 1380 Fox Creek Drive, Sarasota, (941) 378-4227. He seemed happy with it.



    Regarding radio repair, there's a place in Port Charlotte, FL: Classic Auto Radio Service, tel. 800-880-1409. They repaired my '37 radio, back in the days when they were located in Maryland. (Again, not really waaay south...)
  • tigermoth
    tigermoth Expert Adviser
    hello, welcome to the group! if you have the original radiator...the one with a large casting riveted to the top tank with a by-pass pipe running down the left side of the radiator..it has a unique butterfly style thermostat. northwest auto supply in grand rapids, mi. has them. talk to sammy there. great guy. very knowledgeable. they have a LOT of NOS parts for these motors and other mechanical parts too..i got my new brake cables through northwestern auto supply.

    another cause for these motors to get hot besides poor timing, incorrectly set valves/tappets, blown head gasket or internal mechanical failure is dragging brakes.

    just for info, i have four blocks of this vintage and they are all cracked in the same locations, some worse than others... if the crack is minor you may not even know it or see any symptoms and you don't need to do anything about it. just don't be surprised if you open the motor up or pull the head and find your block is cracked. regards, tom
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