Obrasmechanicos

Obrasmechanicos
There's a lot of activity going on around here, and most of it on a tight budget. But that's okay because our hands never met a part that wouldn't fit. We figure that technology has more to do with learning and coping than with buying stuff.
1976 Celica
The Celica, powered by a 18 RGU gray-market engine, undergoes more or less constant modification. Recently we installed Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection.
Ford Model A
The big challenge was to find a practical technique for rebuilding Houdaille rotary shock absorbers used on Model A Fords and other vintage cars. Months of effort resulted in only four working units. Reports cover Houdialle History, Theory of Operation methods of Disassembly and the machine work involved in Rebuilding.
Another project was to adapt a 1927 Chevrolet four-cylinder ohv head to a side-valve Model A racing engine. It ran like a scalded cat.

1950 Chevrolet Pickup
The intention was to make the Chevy reliable without compromising the wonderful mix of Kelvinator styling and heavy iron. Modifications included 12V conversion, upgraded brakes, modifications to steering and suspension, a Saganaw four-speed transmission and building a reliable low-buck 235 engine.
Our Mexican adventure describes a trip to southern Mexico, and an adventure it was. The ill-fated Pepsi truck is shown on the right.

Radical Solutions
Automobiles are corporate artifacts, created by cubicle dwellers to enhance the bottom line. But the industry has had a few unDilbert-like moments. One of the most memorable occurred during the middle of the Depression, when, out of desperation, Chevrolet bought the rights to the Dubonnet front suspension. While it had problems, the Dubonnet ifs survived until the 1960s in Ferrari and other high-performance automobiles.

Tatra cars with their swing-arm irs, air-cooled opposed engines, central tube frames and aerodynamic styling represented a new departure in automotive design that did not go unappreciated by Dr. Porche.

Pioneer Aero Engine

Charlie Taylor, a machinist employed at the Wright Brothers' cycle shop, built the world's first successful aircraft engine. The Wrights, who had a propellor to design and an airframe to construct, pretty well left the job of engine fabrication up to Charlie. In less than 90 days, with little more than a drill press and a lathe, he built a single-cylinder proof-of-concept engine and the four-cylinder, water-cooled engine that lifted the Wright Flyer off the beach at Kittyhawk.

South Bend Lathe
Built during Roosevelt's second term, the big South Bend can still turn out accurate work. Her major problem was the gearbox, which we rebuilt.

Vintage San Francisco Streetcars
Love those old streetcars that clatter down Market Street. Recently we took a look at several cars undergoing restoration.

Automotive Spanish

This glossary is a compliation of technical terms used by Spanish-speaking mechanics. These are the sort of words that lexographers ignore.
Links
Archives

Obrasmechanicos
There's a lot of activity going on around here, and most of it on a tight budget. But that's okay because our hands never met a part that wouldn't fit. We figure that technology has more to do with learning and coping than with buying stuff.
1976 Celica The Celica, powered by a 18 RGU gray-market engine, undergoes more or less constant modification. Recently we installed Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection.
Ford Model A The big challenge was to find a practical technique for rebuilding Houdaille rotary shock absorbers used on Model A Fords and other vintage cars. Months of effort resulted in only four working units. Reports cover Houdialle History, Theory of Operation methods of Disassembly and the machine work involved in Rebuilding. Another project was to adapt a 1927 Chevrolet four-cylinder ohv head to a side-valve Model A racing engine. It ran like a scalded cat.
1950 Chevrolet Pickup The intention was to make the Chevy reliable without compromising the wonderful mix of Kelvinator styling and heavy iron. Modifications included 12V conversion, upgraded brakes, modifications to steering and suspension, a Saganaw four-speed transmission and building a reliable low-buck 235 engine. Our Mexican adventure describes a trip to southern Mexico, and an adventure it was. The ill-fated Pepsi truck is shown on the right.
Radical Solutions Automobiles are corporate artifacts, created by cubicle dwellers to enhance the bottom line. But the industry has had a few unDilbert-like moments. One of the most memorable occurred during the middle of the Depression, when, out of desperation, Chevrolet bought the rights to the Dubonnet front suspension. While it had problems, the Dubonnet ifs survived until the 1960s in Ferrari and other high-performance automobiles. Tatra cars with their swing-arm irs, air-cooled opposed engines, central tube frames and aerodynamic styling represented a new departure in automotive design that did not go unappreciated by Dr. Porche.
Pioneer Aero Engine Charlie Taylor, a machinist employed at the Wright Brothers' cycle shop, built the world's first successful aircraft engine. The Wrights, who had a propellor to design and an airframe to construct, pretty well left the job of engine fabrication up to Charlie. In less than 90 days, with little more than a drill press and a lathe, he built a single-cylinder proof-of-concept engine and the four-cylinder, water-cooled engine that lifted the Wright Flyer off the beach at Kittyhawk.
South Bend Lathe Built during Roosevelt's second term, the big South Bend can still turn out accurate work. Her major problem was the gearbox, which we rebuilt.
Vintage San Francisco Streetcars Love those old streetcars that clatter down Market Street. Recently we took a look at several cars undergoing restoration.
Automotive Spanish This glossary is a compliation of technical terms used by Spanish-speaking mechanics. These are the sort of words that lexographers ignore. Links	Archives