Projects Giant speedster project

The aircraft engine is the same was use by Ernest Eldridge in the mephistofeles. Eldridge managed to acquire a 21.706 litre six-cylinder A-12 Bis Fiat airship engine. The Fiat A-12 engine was a six-cylinder liquid cooled in-line, single overhead camshaft, engine of 260 horsepower. It was used in such aircraft as the S.I.A. 7B1, Fiat R-2, and S.A.M.L. S-2 reconnaissance aircraft, and the Caproni Ca. 46 bomber. Eldridge was then obliged to lengthen Mephistopheles to accommodate it. The story goes that elements of a London bus chassis were used in the conversion.

 

Very interesting! Where can I find an engine like that! Great website too.

Jerry

 

I put these stories because it seemed right with regard to the size that has this great speedster...

 

American Lafrance 1915 speedster, it seemed not a original speedster, did never hear that giant Lafrance was in a race!!

 

Sill

Only got about 3 hours in today due to VBS. I spent that time on the passenger's door sill. I need to get the framework of it made so that when I take the body off I can put the sheet metal on it. I also remembered I had some PPG paint books for imports from the early 90's so looked at them a little. Spent some time ponging on the sheet metal in the boattail too. Tomorrow I get most of the day to work if I can take the 100 degree heat in my shop. Bring on the Mctea.

Jerry

 

Add any color trim highlights that go along with brass -copper- wood - canvas ..

 

Jerry,

Don't know if you've seen the thread on Corky Coker's Mormon Wasp recreation, but when I saw these wheels (it's been a good while since I've looked that closely at the MW), I thought of your build:

 

That gives me goosebumps!

 

I've seen a few pictures but I never saw the whole build. Pretty neat! I wonder what kind of firetruck that was? Corky never says. Might not want to piss off the purists. I've got an extra 1915 REO engine and chassis I wanted to build a Marmon replica with. Now I'll just have to make a period REO racer.

I worked on the driver's door sill today. I also fitted the carb linkage to fit the new manifold as well as tinkered with the spark advance linkage. Pounded on the body a bit too. Lot's of little things to do before I dismantle the car for painting. Kinda hard to see anything in the pictures. Tomorrow I'll modify the fuel line to fit the new carb placement and...

Jerry

 

Steering Shaft

I've been working on the spark advance controls and I came to the part where I needed to insert the tube inside the steering shaft. However, without a steering wheel in place I didn't know quite where to put things. The threads on that hold on the steering wheel where just about eaten away from rust. I tried to clean them up but it was hopeless. So, I cut them off and made up a threaded insert on the lathe that would slide into the shaft and be welded in place. That done I had to come up with a nut with a hole in the center. I found one from an unusual place. A free ride on the Seagrave to anyone who can name the origin of the nut. After I fitted the nut I realized I needed a washer which I fashioned out of some brass stock. I also finished up the new fuel line and made up a 3/8 rod to carry the bevel gear that drives the spark advance on the end of the steering shaft. You can see now why some genius invented the automatic spark advance.

Jerry

 

My guess, from an old boiler.

 

Looks like it's from a garden hose to me.

 

Pump shaft packing nut?

 

Brass Faucet Nut?
1/2" pipe thread

 

Made it from a piece of hex stock?



Ooops!.....................I see the self locking clinch feature on it now..............

 

Peerless and Hollansworth ring a bell?

 

Attaches the anti-pincushion magnet to a Hotchkiss reciprocating force pump where it connects to the unattended stand-up free heater???

 

Hmmm?
Origin of the nut .. Other than on this "thread"

can't fool me all nuts have holes ......... Well at least one ...

Water heater...element

 

Foot valve?

 

Don't know if you've seen the thread on Corky Coker's Mormon Wasp recreation

A polygamous yellowjacket????

 

The threaded snout looks like the male half of a dielectric union off a water heater.

 

The winner!

Thanks for all the entries but I have no idea who the winner is. The nut came from a water meter connection. Maybe it's used on other things. It has that weird little cutout on two of the flats. So show up at my shop and you get a ride. I had kids all day so I got nuthin done. Hopefully tomorrow I can do something--anything!

Jerry

 

i want my free ride ! just pick me up the end of my driveway.. heading out there now to wait...believe the wind is at your back....how soon will ya be here ?

 

500 gas stops from now...

 

Spark controls

Here's a picture of the nut and pipe before I turned them into Seagrave parts. The rides start Wednesday. I piddled around with spark controls today. The quadrant I bought off ebay, no idea what it fits. The lever was an extra REO part I accumulated somewhere. The rest I made from various pipes and rods and bushings I had laying around. It's not the prettiest spark control I've seen. The one on my '14 Buick was real nice. Unfortunately spark controls come up very rarely on ebay. So should I put it up or down. Winner gets a free ride. No wait, I already did that.

Jerry

 

to the right so that you can use your shifting hand to adjust it. And the passenger wount be able to fiddle with it while you drive.

 

That's going to be a bear to adjust while you're driving along and texting...

 

and do hand signals

will you be able to do this with either knee while covering eyes before the crash

 

good one

 

Jerry,

Usually the arc is to the right & UP is retarded for starting. When it relates to something important, up & down are easier to remember than left & right.

While the Seagrave will not likely see much hand starting, a mistake in the spark department can lead to a broken arm with some cars. It can also cause severe starter damage.

Jack