Waking up a Sleeping Beauty, 1934 5 window

[The Art Doctor]

Oh, and if it is allowed, a little self promotion. I am one of three candidates for the EFV8 Club Southeastern Regional Director and would appreciate your vote for me; Larry Shutts. Of the other two candidates John Caldwell is a good friend, fellow RG#24 member, past National President and ran because the National begged him to do so as there were no candidates at the time (I only decided to run at the last minute myself). When he found out I also was running he asked to be removed from the ballot but it was too late as they were already printed. I do not know the third candidate Terry Thomann of Fredericksburg, VA but am sure if he were elected he'd do a fine job. Clubs do not work if people do not participate is what I told my wife when I was thinking of running, and she agreed and told me to go for it. I am the youngest candidate by far and I hope to bring the voice of the next generation to the club. If I am not successful, no big deal. I'm a GenX'er, nothing can hurt my feelings

[Zeke3]

Thanks for running, the ballots must be postmarked by January 15, 2026.

[The Art Doctor]

Christmas came a bit early tonight. Got my care package from Fred at Southside Obsolete. Of everything I ordered I was most excited/apprehensive about the windshield mechanism opening handle. The one in the car is shiny where as all the other plated parts are original pieces with nickle finish only, not chrome. To top it off it is highly pitted. It looks like someone re-chromed an old pitted piece, but possibly it is a reproduction item? The pits just gather the light and it blings like a mirror ball against the dark graining and to top it off it stands off the dash quite a ways with a big gap underneath. Fred sent me a used original in wonderful condition, it now matches the rest of my hardware perfectly and seats deeper on the stud making it closer to the dash rail. This make me so happy.


I do have one question. As its a square shaft, which way should the handle be when parked with the windshield fully retracted? Horizontal or vertical? I'm guessing vertical though it looks best horizontal because with it horizontal it is quite close to ones hands on the steering wheel and seems it could be a knuckle buster if left horizontal. Any factory photos out there of the dash?

[alchemy]

Horizontal

[petehoovie]

Originally Posted by alchemy

Horizontal

[The Art Doctor]

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It does look best that way. Horizontal it is.


Now, about that green cigar lighter. It looks to be an original to me. It has the spiral element inside the cap and a protruding sleeve in the dash it slides over with a contact in its center. It has a pigtail but is not currently wired up, which is fine with me I don't smoke. It and the ash tray look unused and I assume were NOS and replaced at the time of restoration in 1977 as everyone smoked between 1934 and then, right? Even though I will not use it, I am curious how it would have worked. It does not seem to be like the ones I remember and have in my 40's and 50's cars that you push in and it pops out all by itself a minute later when hot and glowing. This one seems to have just one spot it will sit in and not fall off, with no way to push in deeper that I can see/feel.

[petehoovie]

The lens of lighter I had in my original '34 was amber. Maybe with use, the green lens turns to amber? Mine did work. It had to be pushed in and held there until the lens started to glow, indicating ready to use...

[The Art Doctor]

Thanks Pete. I have read some discussion about amber vs green cigar lighters. The amber seems to have a wide bright metal ring around the translucent insert while the green on mine is embedded with no bright metal ring (it may have been there and the chrome rusted away, I cannot be 100% sure). Carpenter has green ones as repros Ive never seen one in person just web images and they have a very thin ring (metal or paint?). The repros do not have an element and look more like smoother, swirled color on their website. My green one has a more defined marbling with flecks of color.


I'm guessing two different original suppliers? One making amber and one making green with slight differences. I'm not going to use mine to test and see if they change color with usage. The repros are just one style sold by every vendor, whatever KnobSoup or someone like him had as an example. Might be one of those questions with no real findable answer after 90 years but lots of strong opinions. Two pics of mine, one of Carpenter repro, one of amber found on old FB for sale post.

[deuce lover]

I have had several NOS lighters small and large jewel and they to me when new the jewel was green. They push in and hold until the jewel lights up then pull it out.

Here is a NOS 34 I found at a swap here 5yrs ago. The silver tab on the side is a tax stamp. Yes automobile lighters had to have an initial tax paid.

[The Art Doctor]

Wow that seals the deal for me, as my GenZ kids would say "its just like me its, just like me" Now I may have to go and hook it up if even for just one test run to see it glow through the jewel.


I spent yesterday messing with the brakes. I chalked the front shoes and found just a few high spots at edges and immediately around several rivets dragging but through that process realized that about 50% of each shoe was low. The arc of the shoes was dead on at least. It was just that only half the friction surface was making contact with the drum as they had yet to wear in. I filed them carefully till the chalk was about 90% gone, it did not take long at all. They can wear in the rest of the way to true better than I can with a file. My retracting springs are mismatched and I want to replace them even though they seem to work. I sold some Oldsmoble engine parts this week and turned around the same day and placed an order with 3rd Gen for the springs and a bunch of need/want items. I was happy to see that the correct taupe rubber (vinyl?) floor mat was back in stock and scooped one of those up as well. Mine is an old V8 Shop one that has embrittled and is cracked from having been left partially folded over for a decade.

[petehoovie]

Originally Posted by deuce lover

I have had several NOS lighters small and large jewel and they to me when new the jewel was green. They push in and hold until the jewel lights up then pull it out.

Here is a NOS 34 I found at a swap here 5yrs ago. The silver tab on the side is a tax stamp. Yes automobile lighters had to have an initial tax paid.

[petehoovie]

Originally Posted by The Art Doctor

I was happy to see that the correct taupe rubber (vinyl?) floor mat was back in stock and scooped one of those up as well. Mine is an old V8 Shop one that has embrittled and is cracked from having been left partially folded over for a decade.

The taupe floor mat in my '34 was purchased from Third Gen Auto Parts as well...

[Terry,OH]

There were two Mfg, of the lighter, Casco and Cuno, their bases are unique to each. The Casco has a replacement element. The The lighter and it's base were also reproduced a few years ago. IMO leave it electrically disconnected.

[petehoovie]

Originally Posted by Terry,OH

There were two Mfg, of the lighter, Casco and Cuno, their bases are unique to each. The Casco has a replacement element. The The lighter and it's base were also reproduced a few years ago. IMO leave it electrically disconnected.

[Kube]

IMO leave it electrically disconnected.[/QUOTE]

Amen! I have witnessed two electrical fires in all my years with these old Fords. BOTH were the wire of the lighter.
Even my full restorations, I remove the metal connection within the butt connector. It appears correct but zero contact.

[The Art Doctor]

Gas gauge works! Put in 5 gallons and it eventually went up to a little over half. Not bad for accuracy in an 11 gallon Drake tank, I can live with it. Very slow to climb, but it eventually does.

[The Art Doctor]

Boom, Happy New Year! First drive in the bag. Lots of stuff to correct and still to do. List just got longer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjD87wzo8Ls

[petehoovie]

Originally Posted by The Art Doctor

Gas gauge works! Put in 5 gallons and it eventually went up to a little over half. Not bad for accuracy in an 11 gallon Drake tank, I can live with it. Very slow to climb, but it eventually does.

[al's28/33]

HAPPY NEW YEAR, very glad to see you got the gauge working and looks original as can be.

[Scott/Mn]

Originally Posted by The Art Doctor

Thanks Pete. I have read some discussion about amber vs green cigar lighters. The amber seems to have a wide bright metal ring around the translucent insert while the green on mine is embedded with no bright metal ring (it may have been there and the chrome rusted away, I cannot be 100% sure). Carpenter has green ones as repros Ive never seen one in person just web images and they have a very thin ring (metal or paint?). The repros do not have an element and look more like smoother, swirled color on their website. My green one has a more defined marbling with flecks of color.

Another cigar lighter photograph, this one from our unrestored '34. When I shine a light behind it, the lens is definitely amber in color.