VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1912-1928 1928 National AB tags and tree parts

Thanks Chipper and Dean
Agreed, driven properly these cars should be fairly safe. I am quite used to older cars just not earlier then the 40's. Is There a thicker option for drums that anyone has found?
Does getting a little more out of the engine have a hard impact on the drive train of these models as well? Not looking to hot rod it just live in the mountains and we drive our cars on our trips and to shows. Don't believe in Trailers.
Checking out those tire now Dean. Is there Rim options too??

Starting to take this apart and we are about a third of the way. Should I start progress photos and posts under this title or make a whole new one? Still fairly new to the forum and just want to know what the general public would like to see.

Almost any old car pictures are okay. No pets (human or otherwise) kids, girly or scenery (unless it has an old car in it). Grease, dirt, rust and other not too picturesque stuff is okay.

The body tag is missing from this car and I'm looking at getting a few of the wood parts for it. I'm getting asked if it's the Job# 8150... Does this sound correct to any of you? Picture is in the very first post.
Thank you very much!! Have a great day!!

Wow Steve you have a sedan body ! My dad threw our sedan body on the tip in 1968 thinking he'd just get another one HA !. They are rare here in Oz. Braking isn't a problem if you learn the correct way to set them up, it is a tricky process but worth it, also take out every clevis pin throw it away dril out your links to the next size up and remove all the slop, my 28 sedan is a ute due to a lack of body and carries up to 600 kg,in the tray and stops well. It passes the electronic brake test we have to do here to get every day rego . Ray

If the tag you mention und the rear seat is attached to the seat spring it is just a part number for the spring assembly and not the body number.
Regards

Thanks Cabboy, The numbers didn't line up with anything but I know later on you could get build information from the seat tags.. 1970's. Quite a span of years but it was worth a shot. Sent pics to some of the wood suppliers and they still wanted a body number. Here is a question. Is the B pillar the same from the landau to the AB sedan?

Thanks Ray! yeah we're hoping it turns out really nice, it was a pretty complete car (minus the wood). Shooting for a four year build.. I hope that's stretching it out a little... Steel cars I'm a lot faster on.

Hello,
On the B piller question. My parts book says part numbers 361044 and 361045 right and left center body lock piller same for 1927 Imperial and 1928 Sedan and Imperial. I believe the body job number is 8150 for the Sedan.
Regards

Thank you! very much.. this helps a lot, I have a fisher body manual but not a parts book. I think I'll have to start looking for one soon.. Another odd question, are the roof side rails in two pieces? I think this car has been repaired before as some of the wood (what's left) work quality is sub par like the parts were made with an axe for shaping lol.
Thanks again have to start adding pics of disassembly...

On my 29 sedan the roof rails are two piece joined just behind the B piller by a finger joint. I expect the 1928 is similar or the same. I just did the roof for a 1928 Durant and the rails for it were three piece all joined with finger joints. I haven't seen a 1928 apart so am not sure.
Regards

Thanks ! Its a 45' slash cut with a piece of 1/8 flat bar holding it together with three 1/4" bolts. Just looked really out of place when I seen it.

Yeah that's wrong. Obviously someone tried to patch it. Maybe I can determine where the joints were originally. Of course if you fat a wide and thick enough piece of wood it could be made one piece but the larger the wood the higher the cost.
Later

Chipper, I find the issue of brakes on a 28 to be very interesting as I have 2 28s. The only thing that ever worries me on my cars is the brakes. No way can I lock them up no matter how much pressure I put on the pedal. I've checked the drums and the linings more than once and they are in spec. I use a combination of engine and pedal braking to stop, and always leave as much distance as possible between me and the other vehicles.

I've seen others occasionally say they can lock up all four wheels, but never talked to anyone in person or driven a car than can. One of my first tasks before putting my car on the road this year is the annual brake check; pulling all 4 wheels, checking pads, checking drum thickness, putting it back together and checking lining spacing (an old hacksaw blade). I also notice that the linings never seem to indicate full contact wear against the drums indicating the band is not perfectly round with the drum.

As to wet brakes I normally avoid all rain, but got caught in an unexpected downpour last summer. I quickly found that I had NO BRAKES whatsoever (1928 Coupe).

Am I missing something on stopping power and/or we brake driving? I sure would like to be able to stop better even if only on dry pavement since that is what I usually drive on.

You now are aware of one but may have to come to my house to see it in person. I have left four black streaks on a concrete road with my '28 Canopy Express. Had nearly worn out brakes when a white Ford truck make left turn and then stop in my lane as someone was blocking his way. Never had to do that with my coupe, yet. If you have high friction woven linings and reasonable contact between linings and drums they will stop.

I now use "high strength" lining from McMaster Carr. It has brass strands woven into the lining. I have not been satisfied with molded linings and steel drums.

Chipper is that the same lining as the high friction woven lining but it has brass strands woven in also? Do you know the number?

McMaster-Carr shows that high friction has Max. Coefficient
of Friction @ 0.55. The Max. Coefficient
of Friction for high strength is listed @ 0.51. Since the high friction only comes in sheets and the high strength in strips I have used the strips. McMaster-Carr also sells strips of metal-free with a Max. Coefficient of Friction of 0.47. Both are listed for rivets or bonding. Maybe others sell similar friction materials.

Do you use the strips to reline the front shoes as well? or are you only using this material on the rear brakes?

I use the strips on both front and rear brakes (both service and parking). Different widths are required.

Different thicknesses as well. Rear used 3/16" and fronts used 5/32".

Gaa! lol Missed out on an awesome deal on Ebay, 4 rims the right size blasted and primed for 250! Hit the Buy it now put in all the info .... Ebay froze and someone had just bought them at the same time LMAO!!! These things are getting harder to get. That's the second set I've missed on that site. If anyone notices some out there message me please, I need three minimum. If I have to I'll grab the new ones from Australia but that's not in the budget for a while and will put the wheel total past $2500 without rubber..lol Well I'll just keep looking

Found 5 rims, four of which are pretty good shape! And added a parts car to the mix which brought me two great rear hubs and a spare engine to work with. Still looking for a few wood wheel fellows for a 28 if anyone knows of any..... :)

Hi Steve,
Parts cars are good. While looking for one for my 29 sedan I ended up with a 29 cabriolet. I had some 1928 wood wheel felloes with spokes. I need to check to see if I still have them.

Thank you !! That would be awesome !

Hi,
Got a chance to check for the wheels. I have up to six 21" 1928 wheel felloes that have spokes but no hubs. I sent you a PM.