VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1929-1932 '31 grease fittings

I'VE ASKED SOME LOCAL FOLKS BUT THEY DON'T KNOW. sO NOW I'LL ASK SOME PEOPLE WHO DO KNOW....

wHAT IS THE TYPE OF GREASE FITTING FOUND ON THIS CAR CALLED? AND WHERE CAN I GET THE GREASE GUN MATCHING END?

THANKS AGAIN IN ADVANCE.

GOTTA31

The grease fittings used on the 1931 Chevrolet are called "Alemite" and they are of the pin type. I believe that Alemite pin type adaptors for modern grease guns are available from Gary Wallace. Go here:

http://fp3.antelecom.net/herb/gary.htm

Many thanks for the help. I knew some guru out there had the answer!

gotta31

By the way, in case you are interested, pin type Alemite fittings are still available.

Question about the Alemite greese fittings that are available today. Are they correct when it comes to judging? The newer ones have a hex at the base of the column and I believe the originals did not incorporate a hex. Not looking for an arguement, just curious.

Hey Oldie.......you are correct. The pin type Alemite fittings that are available today do have the hex on the bottom of the shank. Dudes that I know with cars that had Alemite pin type fittings with the straight shank, purchased the new Alemite fittings with the hex and then turned the hex round on a lathe to match the rest of the shank. They then had the fittings nickel plated as original.

The hex base fittings were produced by Alemite as early as 1929. (I have an Alemite catalog dated March 1929 that shows them.) A 1932 Chevrolet truck was recently found with three fittings with the hex base installed. Photos of the fittings in place were taken. Because of the locations it is highly likely that they were original.

So even though many people consider that the fittings with the hex bases were never used on Chevrolets it may not be correct.

chip and dawg: the 31 cabriolet i'm nearly finished restoring had mostly non-hex alemite fittings wehn i tore the old girl apart but there were several hex-alemites present. i posted the hex vs non-hex question several years ago and the concensus was that the hex were service replacements. i then gathered up a bunch of non-hex alemites and substituted them for the hex alemites. i've tore down quite a few chevys, vettes, olds and dodges over the years and i'd swear the hex alemites had never been removed for the ole 31. gonna let the non-hex on the 31 for the time being. my 2 cents. mike

Hey Oldie. Just as the junkyard dog says, I bought the new fittings and turned them on the lathe and then had them nickel plated. They look great and are correct. Now If I could get all my cotter pins pointing the same way and the ends cut at a forty five degree angle, I wonder If that was done at the factory?

I met a dude a few summers ago that had his 32 judged at a VCCA meet. He says he lost a point per fitting because they had the hex on them.

This really cracks me up. You can have the wrong replacement engine, and have no point deductions at a VCCA meet, but you get 1 pt. per incorrect grease fitting? What kinda' sense does that make?

I have been following the VCCA Judging thread on this subject, so this is a rhetorical question, but I find the judges' reverse logic amusing, to say the least.

I totally agree! Things like correct tires, grease fittings, batteries, fasteners and etc. are all redundant issues since it is now okay to have the wrong replacement engine. With this scenario, what difference does it make if the Alemite grease fittings have hex shanks or not?

:( :( :( :(

...So when my '32's 194 gives it up, I can replace it with a 235 c.i.?

No, another 194....either from a 1929, 1930, 1931, or a later 194. :( :( :( :(

When it comes to correctness statements like highly likely, it may not, and many people consider should not be how we determint how a vehicle should be judged. If we do not have Chevrolet Literature Documentation we shouldn't be deducting points for and detail of a vehicle. Opinions do not make it correct or incorrect.

Hey "dog":

You're right. Gary Wallace had the grease gun fitting for the alemite fittings.

Thanks,
Gotta31

Cool! Glad that Gary had one. I have one of those Alemite adaptors and they work slick on a modern grease gun.

BR,
Not to be argumentative, just trying to point out the problem with dependence on documentation exclusively.

If judging was only based on documental criteria then judging would be limited to a pitifully few items. If we are talking about grease fittings then many types would be acceptable as documentation is not existent or non-specific. Same thing would hold for most other parts of the vehicles. Unless there are pictures, illustrations, descriptions in literature specifically published by Chevrolet with the notation that the parts were actually used in the assembly and were the only ones used in all plants then we cannot rely solely on documentation. We must also depend on observation.

Another example is the paint colors. There are mixing formulas but the actual mixing colors used are no longer available so paint chips (that deteriorate with time and are from paint companies not Chevrolet) are used or paint from undisturbed parts of vehicles. Again it is observation not documentation.

Chipper,
I sent you an E-mail to continue talking Judging. I agree with you in part.

GOTTA31, be careful sometimes the original ones were replaced by an owner or shop before you.