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Membership to DMAC

Not a lot at the moment, putting odds and pieces together as my restoration continues.High light of the week was receiving my membership of the DMAC in the Mail from Bob Smith, Thanks Bob.

Where Are You From? Armidale NSW Australia

Do You own a car built by Durant? Yes

Re: What did you do with your Durant today?

I have been spending the last few weeks getting tail lights, fixing headlights, fixing grounding issues, rebuilding the ignition switch, had the starter rebuilt, investigated trunk latches and repair of them, Looked into getting pipe benders to make a support structure for the tail lights (too expensive unfortunately, at least for now) cursed a little over the still glaring lack of a radiator and the lack of funds to acquire one :). Purchased an Ahooga horn. Began a rebuild of that.

Where Are You From? Langley BC

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1928 Durant M2

Re: What did you do with your Durant today?

Gerald
I sent you a private email yesterday. I have an M-2 radiator here that holds water. Needs cleaning and restoration. Not sure how much it would cost to ship it to Canada, but check the email. I can send you pictures if you want them.

Where Are You From? Oviedo, Florida

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1928 Durant Model 65

Re: What did you do with your Durant today?

Well finally I got the old girl goin' again! Missed out on the Hydro races though,,,, fastest start up after being dry for so long I was really suprised! Do any of you out there rebuild fan assemblys? Mine leaks. Even though I Thought I got it right! Any ideas?


Do You own a car built by Durant? 30 Durant

Re: What did you do with your Durant today?

Durant got out of the garage today,,First time after I blew a head gasket in five years! A bad thermastat was the culprit for that little mishap. Time went by while I was busy with my day job, gigs, recordings, art shows, social gatherings and oh yeah that Packard with the bad attitude! The Durant just went forgotten. It runs like a champ. Truthfully the Durant has been a very reliable vintage auto with a minimum cost to repair and operate.

by contrast evry thing on the Packard is complicated and expensive.

Jeannes gives The ol' Gurl an UP-DO


Do You own a car built by Durant? 30 Durant

Re: What did you do with your Durant today?

Hi Mike, I tried to email your email address, but it bounced on me. I'm not sure why.
You can directly contact me via gfeather@gmail.com and it will give me your proper email.

Thanks :)

Gerald.

Where Are You From? Langley BC

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1928 Durant M2

Re: What did you do with your Durant today?

I have basically finished re-assembling the Chassis and motor for Cathy's Star last month, though I haven't tried to start it yet.

The plan was to get the chassis running, moving and everything adjusted before remounting the body...but those plans changed after I realized it would just be easier to mount the body and put everything together correctly than trying to improvise.



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Jim G.

Where Are You From? Ohio

Do You own a car built by Durant? Flints

Re: What did you do with your Durant today?

Hey Jim, she's looking great! Friday took all my front end and gas tank down to the blaster for cleaning. Should get them back this week sometime I hope, or at least that's what he said. Then paint. Need to find someone to put new brake pads on the 3 brake shoes for each wheel. Right now they have what looks like a regular brake shoe, but I believe they would have originally had a cloth/canvas brake material on them. Not sure any of the local brake places can do this, might have to ship them off. Been searching since Thursday for the Snubber belt material as I posted here on our forum and the AACA forum. I have some leads that I will hunt down today. From what I've leaned the normal antique auto suppliers do not have any 1 1/2" belt material which I need for my Gabriel snubbers. Not sure if all Durants used that size belt, but mine did. They advised that the other sizes will also soon be gone and they are not sure they will ever have any again since the manufacturer has stopped making it and they can't find a manufacturer that will make some for a decent amount. They were quoted a set up and minimum run of $60,000. I'm not ready to start on them yet, but will order what I need if I can find some so I have it. If anyone is restoring a car and needs this size belt, I'd order some now, because you might not be able to find some in the future. Nylon will not work since it does not have the same friction as canvass/cotton belting. I do have a few leads to follow today and hope to get some from these.

Mike

Where Are You From? Oviedo, Florida

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1928 Durant Model 65

Re: What did you do with your Durant today?

Ok, for an update. Spent the last couple of days, cleaning all my front end parts, in the parts washer, then bead blasting them to get them nice and clean. Started painting those parts that need painting using Eastwood's Extreme Chassis Black. I've received new snubber belt material and ordered and received new brass strips for the inside of the snubbers. (If anyone ever needs various types of metal, I've found a place that will custom cut brass, copper, stainless etc pieces for you.) They were real fast, ordered this brass on Thursday and received it on Friday. Ordered my brake band material, brass rivets for the brakes and copper rivets for the Snubbers. Got a call yesterday that my front end pieces are done, had them cleaned, blasted and painted and will pick them up today. He's still working on my gas tank restoration. As soon as I get this done, then on to the frame and rear end. She's moving along.

Where Are You From? Oviedo, Florida

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1928 Durant Model 65

Re: What did you do with your Durant today?

Winter is over.Fitted the front Bumper Bar (called this in Aussie) in position, and now have the car booked in on 28th October 2013 to have the hood
Covered, and then the Car will be finished. Have driven the the Car around the the local streets,the experience is just unbelievable,childhood memories keep flooding back as they were great times in our family.I will send it's history and photo's to our Editor when complete.

Where Are You From? Armidale NSW Australia

Do You own a car built by Durant? Yes, a 1924 Durant Rugby Touring. My Fathers first Car.

Re: What did you do with your Durant today?

Started the restoration on my snubbers. Outer case has been bead blasted and primed, some minor glaze or filler and sanding before painting. Snubber material is in. Ordered my brass strips for thin inside of the snubber and set up a template to drill the holes for the rivets to hold the snubber material. Interesting construction. You have the belt material that has brass strips riveted to it in two places. This all coils up inside the snubber and a spring keeps tension on another piece of snubber belt that ads friction to the roll of material to ad tension to allow it to act as a dampner when the vehicle drives over bumps. Who though of this stuff? Found a local source for my hard to find 3/32 1/4" copper rivets for the snubbers and I'm heading there today to pick them up. Stopped by yesterday at the restoration/blasting shop to see what, if any progress has been made on my gas tank. I still have to bead blast some small parts for the tie rod and brake area of my front end then re-assembly.

Where Are You From? Oviedo, Florida

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1928 Durant Model 65

Re: What did you do with your Durant today?

Just sat in my recliner in the garage and looked at my 1922 Touring. Love it.
OH, I did take the horn off. It needs to be rebuilt.

Where Are You From? Southern IL

Do You own a car built by Durant? yes

Re: What did you do with your Durant today?

Well not today, but yesterday I put together my front springs. Previously I reported taking them apart, having them each blasted, primed and painted. I needed to replace the front spring clamps and the spring center bolt. I thought I could use the ones for the Model A from Macs, but after ordering them found out they are too small. The back spring clamp is welded to the #4 spring by the factory so it did not need replacing. Going to have to make the clamps I guess, which should not be a hard job. I also ground off all the modern marks on the spring clamp bolts so it will pass the AACA judges scrutiny. The Model A spring center bolt will work perfectly. I sprayed each leaf on top with a graphite spray before reassemble to allow for some lubrication of the spring. They look, real good and I'll post some pictures soon. I've also removed the brake rods from the frame side and have started to blast them in my cabinet. I'm painting them to match the frame with Eastwood's Extreme Chassis Black paint. Seems to be a really great paint. One thing I like about it is that you can by it in quarts for big spray jobs or by both the primer and paint in aerosol cans do spray the small parts instead of firing up the big paint gun.

Where Are You From? Oviedo, Florida

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1928 Durant Model 65

Re: What did you do with your Durant today?

I finished rebuilding the this piece that controls the clutch, brake peddles and clutch fork. The forks are new pieces I had made a couple of years ago and the nee rods on each end are stainless steel.

Rick








Where Are You From? Fremont, CA

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1929 Model 60 Roadster

Re: What did you do with your Durant today?

Did a little more tweeking on the timing and carb adjstmt.
Vacuum gauge is steady as a rock Hope ya'll had a good T-Day!
I'v got a few days off to play with my cars,,





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