rear axle carrier

[ttoldcarbuff7]

I have a bushel of carriers and spiders all which have problems. Anyone know of some place / one who can weld wear and then machine it back to tolerance? what are the rest of you doing with badly worn parts which are not available anymore?

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by ttoldcarbuff7

I have a bushel of carriers and spiders all which have problems. Anyone know of some place / one who can weld wear and then machine it back to tolerance? what are the rest of you doing with badly worn parts which are not available anymore?

I hauled 1370 pounds of mechanical parts and damaged sheetmetal to the scrap metal dealer yesterday. I still have that much or more to take. Items like what you are suggesting really have no value simply because the restoration costs are too great for the end value, ...and generally there are still serviceable items out there to be purchased.

For example, two weekends ago I attended an auction up in Winchester Virginia where I witnessed what was a conservative estimate of 10 tons of Model A stuff get hauled off for scrap. There were Model A engine blocks, transmissions, and mechanical parts of all types that no one would bid on, --well no one except the scrap dealer. I never really got the exact story on this stuff but it appeared the owner had a fetish about disassembling a component to see what was inside, and then leaving it to deteriorate while being hoarded. I cherry-picked what I thought I could use and then let a scrap dealer take what I couldn't haul.


.

[Steve Plucker]

Originally Posted by BRENT in 10-uh-C

I hauled 1370 pounds of mechanical parts and damaged sheetmetal to the scrap metal dealer yesterday. I still have that much or more to take. Items like what you are suggesting really have no value simply because the restoration costs are too great for the end value, ...and generally there are still serviceable items out there to be purchased.

For example, two weekends ago I attended an auction up in Winchester Virginia where I witnessed what was a conservative estimate of 10 tons of Model A stuff get hauled off for scrap. There were Model A engine blocks, transmissions, and mechanical parts of all types that no one would bid on, --well no one except the scrap dealer. I never really got the exact story on this stuff but it appeared the owner had a fetish about disassembling a component to see what was inside, and then leaving it to deteriorate while being hoarded. I cherry-picked what I thought I could use and then let a scrap dealer take what I couldn't haul.


.

I just got sick!

Pluck

[cradlescyth]

Sick is not the word.

Some of us with little means could use some of that stuff.

Too bad we did not know of the auction.

Can't be everywhere..

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by cradlescyth

Sick is not the word.

Some of us with little means could use some of that stuff.

Too bad we did not know of the auction.

Can't be everywhere..

Let me put things into perspective to alleviate some of the upset stomaches.

I did not take it all as I was respectful of other bidders if I saw they had a need for something in the pile. My goal was to purchase what I considered rebuildable cores. I also sold (very cheaply) several single items to folks who approached me needing something that was in a pile I purchased. Below are some pictures of what I hauled out of there. A 6'x12' trailer, a heavily loaded 16' trailer and a 12' flatbed on a 1-ton diesel truck. All totaled I have two nights of lodging, several meals and fuel for two vehicles that all cost about $1,000.00 not including the $1600.00 I spent for the merchandise. I now have a part-time employee that has spent the better part of two weeks sorting, culling and inventorying all of this stuff. You do the math on the costs of everything by the time I have it ready to begin restoring.

This auction was well publicized here and on the Model T forums, and the attendance was decent IMHO. Matter of fact, there were several Fordbarners there whom all chose to "not bid" probably because the hassle was greater than the reward. I DO understand how it seems like when a pallet load of cylinder blocks complete with crankshafts sells for the opening bid of $5.00, it seems like $1.25 each is a great price. Now factor in your round-trip fuel bill, tolls, at least one night of lodging, and the 'wear & tear' on your pick-up, ...and now you likely have about $51.25 in each one of those blocks! Not such a great deal after all unless you absolutely need it.


Now after thinking about this, I think I'm gonna puke!



.

[Russ/40]

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The thing that chokes me up is how abundant the stuff is in some geographic areas, compared to southern California, where the EPA has all but mandated the closure of wrecking yards, and the shipping of scrap to China. Old tin and iron that is still found in abundance in parts of the country is non existent here.

[Jim Brierley]

The subject has been covered quite well, I do the same with cams, scrap the ones I won't grind because of wear, often just on the center main journal. Can they be repaired, sure, by hard chrome or welding, but it is not cost effective when there are still a lot of decent ones around to grind. In Terry's case, he has as much into a short block for instance, as it is worth at a swap meet, IF you can find a buyer, and he has no guarantee if the block or crank is usable.

[dumb person]

Seeing all that stuff go to waste i am not amused. i do not care if you think it is worn it is unobtainable in any form by any means. Now i know why i will never be able to afford a model A

[ttoldcarbuff7]

Okay, so who has a carrier and spider in good shape to sell. As I said, I have gone through a bushel and don't have one that I want to spend the money on putting all new bearings, gears, and seals only to have it growl and whine every time I turn a corner.

[hardtimes]

Originally Posted by dumb person

Seeing all that stuff go to waste i am not amused. i do not care if you think it is worn it is unobtainable in any form by any means. Now i know why i will never be able to afford a model A

you are not alone! i scrounged for years for most every part to build a roadster, for my model a frame...parts from all across this nation. even back then, shipping and gas prices ate me alive! todays gas and shipping prices make it an impossible task for an 'average' beginner enthuesast...financially...to do as i did. oh it can still be done..if one doesnt care how long and/or concerned about cost. along the way, if you run low on money and have to put 'things' on hold....life moves on, there goes your will/drive also..to finish a dream! mine still only in primer..after all these years, because paint/body finish are even costlier than parts silver lining...grey primer is all i could do, back when...so used to it

btw..along the journey, i came to meet/know some guys with TONS of model a stuff..hoarded , locally in calif, so the 'stuff' is here. hmm, i do try to understand these ole dudes...as some might classify me as ole dude now, but it aint easy sometimes. i just wouldnt answer them, when they asked me why i was drooling

[ttoldcarbuff7]

I guess being in the right place in the right time is paramount to getting the pieces one needs. I just don't know how one hears about these great sales where all the old pri
mo parts are to be found.

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by ttoldcarbuff7

Okay, so who has a carrier and spider in good shape to sell. As I said, I have gone through a bushel and don't have one that I want to spend the money on putting all new bearings, gears, and seals only to have it growl and whine every time I turn a corner.

OK, lets start out this way. I probably have a "serviceable" carrier for you and as long as it doesn't cost me anything, its yours. Now with regard to the word "spider", exactly what are you needing, the differential gear yoke?

With regard to a growl, the "spider gears" will not cause a 'roar'. Matter of fact, the differential gears do not rotate fast at all. The only thing that worn gears cause is excessive movement of the axle shaft.

.

[Rowdy]

I buy about 80% of my stuff from scrap iron dealers. I go through and pick out the decent parts, easier than trying to compete with them for large piles of heavy stuff that only about 15% have actual resale value. Rod

[Russ/40]

[QUOTE=
i came to meet/know some guys with TONS of model a stuff..hoarded , locally in calif, so the 'stuff' is here. [/QUOTE]

In San Diego, not any farming communities, or farm auctions!

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by Russ/40

In San Diego, not any farming communities, or farm auctions!

Sounds like it is time for you to move to a better area!!

.

[Mike V. Florida]

Now factor in your round-trip fuel bill, tolls, at least one night of lodging, and the 'wear & tear' on your pick-up,

Would not these expenses be the same whether you bought something or not?

But I do agree that huge lots have appeal to only a few people, such as the scrap guy. I mean how many of us really need 5 or 6 blocks that would have come up in a single lot? One of maybe two yes but not much more than that.

How many bumpers does the average Model A'er need?

As much as it hurts to know tons of stuff went to scrap I know that even if I could have gone for free and had free transport back home of what I bought, I have no place to store it and don't need more than one of everything as a spare if I could store it.

Brett, were they T "Rocky mountain" drums or A's that I saw in the pictures?

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by Mike V. Florida

Would not these expenses be the same whether you bought something or not?

But I do agree that huge lots have appeal to only a few people, such as the scrap guy. I mean how many of us really need 5 or 6 blocks that would have come up in a single lot? One of maybe two yes but not much more than that.

How many bumpers does the average Model A'er need?

As much as it hurts to know tons of stuff went to scrap I know that even if I could have gone for free and had free transport back home of what I bought, I have no place to store it and don't need more than one of everything as a spare if I could store it.

Brett, were they T "Rocky mountain" drums or A's that I saw in the pictures?

Model A.

.

[Keith True]

I have a hard time finding good carriers too.Most I find have the axle thrust surface worn so badly the spiral oil groove is gone.As for old junk,in the last few years I have seen two,(locally)instances where parts were scrapped.One was at the estate of a man who lost his dairy farm to the feds in the mid 50's when they built Pease AFB on it.He was paid VERY well for it.He had A's in use at the time,and after his retirement from farming he would tinker up engines.He assembled dozens of them,starting with only the ones with perfect babbit.There were two?maybe three dozen of them on wooden stands,complete and running with all accessories.The lawyers handling the estate wanted to sell them off,but to remove them you had to show proof of insurance and workmans comp for any helpers.They wound up going to a local scrap dealer.That guy was pretty good,he tried to save them although he knew nothing about A's.He made extra trips with the dump trailer,setting them on the floor in one layer instead of filling the trailer.He did contact a club about them,I don't know who it was though.A handful of guys showed up,wanted to pick and choose,fire them up,etc.He is a pretty nice guy,but these guys tried his patience.He had told them X cents per pound,take all.In the end he broke off the starters and generators and loaded the engines into the frag trailers.At a salvage yard less than three miles from me the owners widow finally died and her grandkids cleaned the property up.Those executors had set the rules so strict that the bidding went from buying the scrap to charging to remove it.The yard had closed in 1978,and the latest car in there was a 1968.I was helping the yard that did a lot of the cleanup so I got a lot of the old body tools from the shop.We were removing the old Weaver 4 post lift when one of the attorneys caught us.It was to be scrapped,and it was not leaving as a workable unit.We had to torch it into sections and throw it into the trailer.The only cars that left there whole were the ones from his personal stash that had been stored in the garage.Everything else was crushed on site.There were around 700 cars in the yard,mostly 50's Chevys.There is a stash of engines in the western part of the state,the man that used to do babbit work for lots of us passed away a couple of years ago.He had 700(seven hundred)engines in his barns.Who would even want to try and handle the logistics of dealing with that,except for a scrap buyer.

[Steve Plucker]

Where was Bert's when we needed them?

To bad there is not a "Bert's" on the East Coast.

Pluck

[JoeWay]

To bad there is not a "Bert's" on the East Coast.

Pluck

Even worse, there's not a "Bert's" on the West Coast.
My daughter lives just south of Denver, so I've had a couple of chances to visit Phil and Steve--even got a ride on the freeway in Phil's "patina coupe"--but I'd go much more often if they were within, say, a four hours' drive.

Joe