What's the story on the swallow radiator cap? Was it a Dominion Motor thing? Have never seen it mentioned in any company literature.

Dave

Dave:
It was a deluxe accessory. I have an advertisement picture somewhere showing the car with the swallow. Also, it is listed in one of those catalogues of parts from 1935 or so advertising it for $1.95
In my "Repair Parts List" for the model E - 670 Frontenac -- I have a listing ----
Part # 43634 - Radiator cap complete - Swallow type.
They were only used on the Frontenac cars. Not on the Durant's. Not until Harvey Frid started casting them and selling them to all the members to dress up their Durant's.
I have a Durant Frontenac Owners Catalogue from 1936 and it shows that part number - Swallow type for models E 618 670 The 618 was a Durant so maybe I am wrong about not being on Durants. Never mind, they look good.
Hope this helps.

Do You own a car built by Durant? Frontenac 1932

Thanks Gord! I knew one of you Canadians would know the answer!
Dave

Gord ... my 35 says $1.85 for mounting on the rad cap, reduced from $3.50. Haven't got one in your back pocket eh ? Looks like it was intended for any car D or F, per the catalogue. Just dress up accessories at "Outstanding Values".

A few other items like Clock Mirror at $2.89 or Lyco non glare rear view mirrors. Stops the blinding glare at night and only 34 cents. My mirror does that with little silvering left ha ha.
Norm

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1932 614 Sedan

There was a Swallow radiator cap of some sort that was considered an accessory on the DeVaux. In "photographs" see Myron's 32 roadster. There is a good side view of his cap.

Do You own a car built by Durant? Yes

I would imagine the dress up swallow applied to all after Durant Motors 1931 failure. DeVaux, Continental's, Fronty's and Canadian 614 / 618 / 633 Durants. They were all intertwined still, just different names.
If you look in Terrys Durant site the Continental's / Fronty's have the swallow. Once all production was stopped it was probably offered to everyone with cars to get rid of remaining stock and that's why its shown in the 35 / 36 parts catalogue.
Still a nice touch and Gord should watch his car after dark, heh heh.

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1932 614 Sedan

If you want to buy one, just phone Mike Butters in Cobourg. He has all of Harvey Frid's molds. I am running one as I ran over my original about 20 years ago. Cheaper to buy one than get an old one rechromed.
I had my original repaired and rechromed in 1969 for $35.00 Now I believe that it is over $400.00 to get one rechromed if you want a real good job.
Gord

Do You own a car built by Durant? Frontenac 1932

Probably cheaper to get one from Neil / Mike Butters. Your not supposed to drive over the swallow, only our land gulls (the Canadian eagles, lol). Thanks but I'll pass. Not drilling the ebay cap until I find an orig V cap. Even at that I'd probably not destroy the cap I got. Hard enough to find any caps that fit the 30 - 32's.
You have chrome places down your way ? Think our closest place is now Valleyfield / Montreal. When I took the rad shell in to be chrome painted (yes paint not chromed) the lad told me the Govmt ecology boys basically forced them out of our area. Got a call from Vernon Acres, Keith Acres son, before summer who has a mid 20's D touring and he paid near $2000 to have his late 30's Packard grill plated and yes Valleyfield again. Takes forever also.
Norm

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1932 614 Sedan

Norm:
The ones from Butters come with the cap. He makes them for the 614 style Radiator (round cap) and for the 618/Frontenac (Grill type radiator) No need to do any drilling. You keep your original cap without the swallow to put on at night, so the swallow doesn't fly away during the night.

Gord

Do You own a car built by Durant? Frontenac 1932

Hi guys, I have made several of the Swallow radiator caps, that fit on many of the different models. They come Plated and are ready for use.
Mike

Hello Mike,

Do you have the swallow model to fit the Devaux?

Thanks,
Dennis

Mike
How about the other radiator cap for Durants the one with the small wing on it? Do you make them or can you?

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1928 Model 65 4dr

Dave,

I Have worked with Jeff, Rays' son, for 26 yrs.
as far as I know both parents have passed on .Jeff and his sister are doing fine.I bought the Durant from them,and my dream came true. I thought the engine had a crank knock in it,but it turned out to be the ballencer is loose. do you have any ideas on how to fix it? I put a new water pump on, and flushed the cooling system. Also put a new gasket on the radiator cap. The car goes down the road very nice. I am very happy whit the car.I am missing the starter crank and the leather trunk. Any info will be greatly appreciated.

thanx Rick

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1931 Durant 612

Dennis ... I see in photos Myron Cummings 32 DeVaux has the swallow cap. Is the rad any different than Gords 32 Fronty ?

I see in Partner, Mike /Neil makes the swallows for $280 US plus shipping to fit 30 / 31 D's and Fronty's. Guess they should have said 30 - 32 for both D / F.

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1932 614 Sedan

Hello everyone.... been reading all the talk about this cap and remembered I had taken this photo of Myron's cap while at the 2007 Auburn meet. Also has a nice backdrop of Durantians swapping parts and stories!

Ah Jim .. the neck of the rad is higher than the rad shell on the DeVaux ?? The 30 - 32 D's are flush and why I have so much problem finding a drop center cap to fit. Ford / Chev have 1/2 twist necks, like the pre 30 D's with screw on caps.

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1932 614 Sedan

Jim: I think that picture is of Reg Bent's 1930 Rugby Touring which is the same as a 407 or 614 Durant. Myron had his red DeVaux Coupe there, and the picture is of the brown touring. The rad shells are much different.
Gord

Do You own a car built by Durant? Frontenac 1932

The DeVaux has a "false" cap on the rad. shell. The real fill cap is under the hood! That is not a DeVaux rad shell we are seeing in the picture. When the rad shell is restored and rechromed, it is then painted over to match the car color. (I know this-to the tune of 2K). The leading edge of the shell and the "false" cap are all that is left exposed. It brings one to tears to have to paint over most of the shell. Gary

Do You own a car built by Durant? Yes

Take a look at my car (now sold) in the "photographs". I took that picture just before I got the hubcaps back from restoration. You can see why it hurts to paint over so much. Gary

Do You own a car built by Durant? Yes

Gary,

Did your message mean that you sold your Devaux?

Dennis

Hi Mike,

I have made the cap, that has the smaller wing that runs down the center of the cap. I made one for Gary Warden, I beleive a couple of years ago.
Mike

Hi Dennis,

I beleive that the Devaux rad caps were hidden under the hood. I think that in the past the swallow was made by Harvey Frid to fit that Devaux car. You would have to ask Gord Curl for more information.
Mike

Sorry everyone... guess I got the pictures mixed-up between the owners and the cars... Thanks for the correction Gord

Ok guys ... if thats a pic of a 30's D or Rugby why is the cap up in the air ? Orig V caps are flush to the rad shell.
Hard to tell in photos if its Reg's cap as the pic seems to have a filled in area cap to shell.

Yes I'd be frustrated spending 2 grand only to paint over the shell. Guess thats the only way to have part chrome and part painted. Interesting that the filler was hidden and a dummy cap on top like the Franklins that are air cooled.

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1932 614 Sedan

Norm:
Take a look under the "photographs" Rugby and you can see another shot of Reg's car.
That is his car in Jim's picture.
Gord

Do You own a car built by Durant? Frontenac 1932

Hi Gord. Thats where I looked and it seems different with chromed area between cap and shell. The pic on this forum has the swallow cap high enough to allow a finger between cap and shell like its perched up on an extended rad neck, like a Chev / Ford rad neck. Its just an I wonder type thing if the repro swallow has a different type fastening that has it too high. I was looking at a very close up pic (6.5mb, sigh could have used the pic to cover a wall. Poor old PC chugged and chugged and jammed) of a 1930 614 sedan down in Moncton under restoration, which has the orig V cap on the rad. Wanted to reach though the pc and "borrow" it. . It was flat to the shell like Stephans 31 orig had in the 60's. Not finding fault just curious. The 3 Frontys pics are too far away to see how close the cap is to the shell. Terry's site seems to have your cap flush also, before you drove over it ha ha. The 32 618 has it flush also .

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1932 614 Sedan

Hey this sounds interesting.. How about someone writing a little about this, and sending me some pictures out of old brochures?
Would be nice to put in print in the partner for others who are not online to see...

Where Are You From? www.oldcarlenses.com

Do You own a car built by Durant? many