VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1912-1928 2 Things, top and spark plugs

1) What spark plugs are recommended for a 26 Chevy 4 banger?

2) How does the top work? I can't get the middle to fold it appears the wood is crossed with the metal. Also it is heavy, where should it rest when it does get put down? I have some metal C shaped braces but no where for them to attach. Do I drill the body?


Thanks


Car in question

raidmagic the original AC spark plugs were 'B' plugs. They weren't marked on the plug; only on the box they came in. In the late 20's or early 30's the plug was marked with the letter 'B'. They are very hard to find.I got mine one at a time on Ebay. Be ready to spend $20-$25 per plug. I can't help with the top; I have a sedan.

Unfortunately your top looks incorrect, the original top had no clips down the side and the rear bow is on the outside of the top.
If it is not attached to the tub/rear of the car and only has clips, un clip it and undo the two nuts holding it at the windshield and the two at the rear, lift it off with a friend and leave it in the shed, these old Chev fours seem to run along much better without the top (parachute) and you can motors hum.
Looks like a nice car, enjoy.

Your top looks incorrect as it did not have the side snaps down the sides. The rear bow is also covered by the top fabric and is not exposed. The top was fastened to the rear tub with screws along the back and snaps along the side panels. There should be top bow saddle brackets that go through the rear of the tub right behind the rear bow and fasten to brackets screwed into the wood frame. You will not be able to see them as they are covered by the upholstery. If you do not have holes then someone filled them when they restored the car. The top folded down and was stowed in the folded position with a boot cover for protection. I suspect all of the mechanical joints are frozen from not being used. I would suggest removing the top and carefully working the joints free so as to not damage any of the frame mechanism. It is also possible the top was not installed correctly to allow the top to fold. Here is a link to a post with a few examples of the car with the top down. If you PM me I have a lot of photos taken during my 8 year restoration of a 1924 Touring which is very similar in body style and design that may be of assistance to you.

Superior Touring top down

AC 78 or AC 78S spark plugs will work.

That is a very nice looking car!

I am glad I was not the only one that thought the top looked a little wrong. I would think the edges of the top along the side would be more or less parallel to the top edge of the body and from back to front would angle down on top. I think that you might start by pulling the back curtain loose from the body and reset the bows to look more correct. Then see where the top material itself need attention. Looks like the back curtain is a little on the short side. The top should be taut but so tight that you are going to pull the windshield post back too far when you mount it. Right now the top looks too tight, see how the areas between the bows are sunk in the back area and it's not fully up. Most tops had some web strapping between the bows to set the distance between them. ARe yours in place? One other thought, could the edge of the top be permanently mounted in too many places along the edge not allowing it to fold back correctly? I would think along the sides there should be fasteners that you could undo to put the top down if any.

RE spark plugs; do you want to go with original type? You might think also about getting 7/8 to 14mm adapters. That would allow you to get a longer reach plug. Looks like you have the Model A type plugs in it now. They should work but the Chevrolet plugs would have had the electrode further down into the chamber.

RE: The top should be taut but so tight that you are going to pull the windshield post back too far when you mount it.

Should read;
The top should be taut but NOT so tight that you are going to pull the windshield post back too far OUT OF ALIGNMENT when you mount it. Added the words in cap's.

OK good info, I'm not married to buying original plugs so anything that will work is good for me. As for the top thanks for the link. I can take more pics of the bows and the supports I got with the car if that will help. The whole top goes down pretty easy it just doesn't bend at the 1st joint ( the one that's above the doors). I guess I could just take if off to cruise I didn't consider that. It's a fun old car to drive around. I just need to get it running a little better.

Many of us run Autolite 3077 plugs they and Champion W-89D are long reach plugs. The Autolites are out of stock but you may find someone with older stock. The Champions were available last I knew. A few others use Autolite 3076 which are not long reach plugs. Any 7/8" plugs will work. Because of the head design the longer reach plugs work better for most of us.

Back to your question about the top. A couple of years ago I made the top for my 1926 Chev Touring so I have a pretty good idea of how they work. Despite what others have suggested, I believe the top is actually constructed correctly. The back bow is in its proper place. What I believe has happened is this:

The top materiel is supposed to be fastened only to the back and front bows. It is supposed to be stretched tight when the top is up. Like an umbrella you push the centre up and the tension on the materiel keeps it up. Over time this material stretches and the top won't stay up and sags which doesn't do much for the driving experience or the look of the car. A previous owner did a "farmer's fix" and solved this problem by fastening the material to the irons along the side with the side curtain fasteners. That is why you can't fold up the top. Since to top was now permanently up they felt they could do without the saddles and removed them. You'll need to find another set. The previous owner of my car must have had the same problem since there were extra mounting pins installed behind the front doors. They probably held some kind of support to keep the top up.

Assuming that the material is in decent shape you can fix the problem by 1. Remove the screws or fasteners that hold the the material along the sides and 2. Loosen the material from the front bow and refasten so as to tighten the material enough so that there is enough tension to hold it up.

If the material is just a bit loose you may be able to get the top to stay up by just moving the windshield pillars back as far as the bolt holes allow and/or moving the front bow legs out of their sockets a small amount. This would be an easier fix.

In any case you should keep the top and get it to function properly. On a nice warm day it's really nice to have it down and let the wind blow through your hair. However if you get caught in a rainstorm you'll appreciate having a top to put up. Raindrops feel like bullets when you're driving through them. We always put the top up on a hot sunny day at shows otherwise the black vinyl seats get really hot. In any case, enjoy the car. You'll get a lot of attention and they are a really fun car to drive around in.

I got Autolite 3077's and they work great.

Arend

Another vote here in Oz for 3077's

If you cant get them anymore use an equivalent, you will be pleased with the result.

Cheers

Ray