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Hello. I recently came across a Durant 4 cylinder and a few other miscellaneous parts. The tag on the motor says
Star
W5-389355
Durant Motors of Canada Ltd.
I took the head off and cleaned things up a bit. The cylinders look good however there is some damage in #4 that will likely require some attention, maybe a sleeve. I don't see any cracks. Nothing catastrophic I don't think. It's complete with generator starter, water pump, fan. When I turned the flywheel it turns over nicely. Valves go up and down. I could also provide the transmission and associated universal joints as well as two front wheels but I would need to drive back and get them. No big deal. not sure of the year of the car but the whole front axle is left. Wheels are solid steel disc. Not spoke. Not sure of condition of the wheels at this time. Have one hubcap that has the star in the center. It is in nice shape. Taking offers. Hoping to help someone out with their project. You can email me at
nkd@sasktel. net
I am located 9 miles from the North Dakota/Saskatchewan border.
Thank You.
Where Are You From? Estevan, Saskatchewan, Canada
Do You own a car built by Durant? nope
Ok guys ... Nathan mentions disc wheels. Did Star have such wheels or was that Durant's only ? Just curiosity only. I note my early Star hub cap with griffin and one with just a star have same hub opening, however the early Durant one off a disc wheel is larger hub size but D cap off 28 / 29 D is slightly smaller than the early Durant ones. Know you can't tell anything by hub cap opening as different sizes were used on various models, or even same model. Was just thinking perhaps someone screwed a Star cap on a Durant hub and maybe there's parts for both Star and Durant, Nathan talks about. W5 motor for 26 - 27 Star and other parts for 22 - 26 Durant ?
Thinking back, all Star's I have seen have in the past, in fields etc or on road, had wood spoke wheels, yet all early Durant's with 22A motors had disc. Haven't noticed any Star's in Photos with disc, nor does Terry's site have them, only Durant. Perhaps its another Canadian thing, that our 22A's had disc.
Where Are You From? Ottawa Ont
Do You own a car built by Durant? 1932 614 sedan
Hi Norm. Star Cars did use disk wheels, I have a couple of sets. Our member James Miller, has a 1925 Star model F that was made in Canada & it has 20" disk wheels. Apperantly some roadsters & touring cars used them
Where Are You From? sunny Cali-fornia
Do You own a car built by Durant? Sevaral Star cars
Thanks Bert .. You know the Leaside parts catalogues makes no mention of disc wheels for either Star or Durant cars, only woodspoke reg or clincher. Only cast steel wheels mentioned are for rear 406, 416, 615 and 616 trucks.
As mentioned it was just an observation from my past running the roads, fields, and countryside, in about a 150 mile radius of Ottawa, Ont and Que looking for car parts in the 60's / 70's and I never found a 22A car with wood spoke or Star with disc. And there were loads of rusting Stars / Durants back then, everywhere. Almost as bad as model T Ford's. That's another reason I wonder if Lea and Hawley wasn't THE dealer in this neck of the woods, with so many cars back then, all over the place. Appears on the surface, they were start to finish of Durant Motors and Dominion Motors.
Kind of like the disc look, over woodspoke as it seems to make the car more classy looking than a standard issue. A cut above the rest.
Where Are You From? Ottawa Ont
Do You own a car built by Durant? 1932 614 sedan
This is a link to pictures from the Oakland, Star dealership in 1923. You will notice that most of the cars pictured have disk wheels. However most of the surviving Stars I have seen these days have wood spoke wheels.
You can also find these pictures in the Special Interesrt section under Oakland plant photos.
Rick
http://clubs.hemmings.com/clubsites/devaux/DMAC/dealers/Dealer%20Spotlight-Doty/index.html
Where Are You From? Fremont, California USA
Do You own a car built by Durant? 1929 Model 60 Sport Roadster
Thanks Rick ... Its like looking at our Canadian Gray Dort's with disc wheels. Only difference in the pic I have of a 22 Gray Dort is Star doors open from front hinge and Gray Dort is suicide doors with hinge on back of front and rear door on tourings. Handles almost look the same.
Seems Gray Dort Motors Ltd of Chatham Ont, (1915 - 1925) imported Gray cars from the American Gray Car Corp Detroit Mich, for a short time in the early 20's. Gray was set up 1922 - 1926 to be in competition with Star, to win a share of the mass market by Ford T. Gray was made by former Ford employees. This Gray was similar to Ford features of engine and chassis, and offered 4 wheel brakes 1926. Unlike the T it had quarter-eliptic springs front and rear. Don't have a pic of one of those.
Gray Dort was based on the US Dort (1915 - 1924) Gee it sounds like our Durant / Star .. Rugby's. The 1915 Gray Dorts were almost all American built cars with only emblems and hub caps changed, or were fully assembled in Chatham from American made parts. 1916 they used Canadian made parts. The Gray Dort far surpassed the US Dort and even out sold the cheaper Chevrolet in Ont. It only went out of business a year after the US Dort closed down.
Like Billy's past, Gray Dort originated in a carriage and sleigh making concern, William Gray-Sons-Campbell Ltd of Chatham.
What you can learn poking around ...
In any event hopefully someone can use Nathan's parts.
Where Are You From? Ottawa Ont
Do You own a car built by Durant? 1932 614 sedan
Boy!,,,, Did this thread get HIJACKED or what????
Nathan, I wish you were closer to Texas, I would like to obtain this small stash to keep it from going to scrap.
Do You own a car built by Durant? 1923 Star C touring, 1927 Star M coupe
Interesting stuff! If I can get back to the junk yard in the next few days (before it snows) I will take some pictures of what is left. I also found a 28 Durant coupe about 5 miles from me. Belongs to a friend. It has the wheels under it. No motor or transmission. Fenders are pretty **** nice. Doors are intact for the most part. The top is gone. I have pictures of that I can add sometime.
thanks
Nathan
Where Are You From? Estevan, Saskatchewan, Canada
Do You own a car built by Durant? nope
Nathan,
See if you can find enough of a load to make a decent trip up to your neck of the woods. I'm interested and I have an 18' pull trailer!
Later,
Don
Where Are You From? Texarkana, Tex
Do You own a car built by Durant? 1923 Star C touring, 1927 Star M coupe
Hi Nathan .. don't suppose that junk yard has 30 - 32 Durant or Frontenac parts ?? That's one thing that's very fast disappearing, is junk yards thanks to our Prov Govmt's and wanting anything over 10 - 15 yrs off the roads. Plus restrictions on what auto yards can now keep. I went back to the yard my 32 came from 42 yrs ago, just as I wonder if they might still have bits and pieces. I recalled seeing square bodies cars way back in the yard under the trees in the late 70's. Present owner told me there was nothing back there now and they aren't allowed to keep anything sitting on the ground more than 10 months. Whole handful of other rules and regs. Got the same from three other yards and why two of them crushed everything and closed shop.
Your friend has a 28 D with no motor and tranny. That W5 motor was used in Star to 27 and Durant to 29. Wonder if you can't make the coup whole again. Guys with those cars might know that equation. Perhaps you might take on a project yourself and own a piece of history.
Hold the snow out there. We are finally enjoying fall with weather we should have got in Oct
Where Are You From? Ottawa Ont
Do You own a car built by Durant? 1932 614 sedan
interested in this item , have a few questions could you call me? 269-362-8184....john
Where Are You From? buchanan michigan
Do You own a car built by Durant? yes