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(Last updated Friday, 13 January 12)
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The Metro Region CCCA has provided for its members and all classic car enthusiasts this library of technical articles written by Metro members. A number of these have been written by the Metro Region's Technical Editor, Chris Wantuck, and David L. Czirr. They were prepared and published in the Region's award-winning quarterly publication, The Metropolitan Skyline, and are presented here in this archive for your convenience and education. They range in subjects from restoration tips to practical motoring or use of your collectible automobile. The goal of the Metro Tech page is to share information with others and the Metro Region welcomes all submissions of technical articles. If you have a submission or a suggestion on a particular topic, please contact Craig Handley, Editor of the Metropolitan Skyline! The Metro Region is certainly fortunate to have the technical skills of Chris Wantuck at the ready. As our Technical Editor, Chris' articles have been well-received. So well-received that the Metro Region was awarded a fourth-place 2009 National CCCA Award for contributions to the technical aspects of restoration and maintenance. Congratulations, Chris! |
| The Incredible Threaded Rivet, by Chris Wantuck |
| Winter, 2006 - PDF - 1 page |
| There are several discoveries that have made an impact on our lives such as the airplane, the zipper, sliced bread, & canned beer and to this list we can add the Threaded Rivet. More... |
| Electrical Connections ~ The Importance Of Soldering, by Chris Wantuck |
| Fall, 2006 - PDF - 3 pages |
| The electrical systems in our collector cars provide for some critical operation and an abundance of conveniences and that without them, would question the existence and use of the automobile. The ignition and starter systems are certainly considered essential closely followed by lighting and important comfort accessories such as the heater fan or perhaps power windows. The radio and power antenna are nice-to-haves and aren’t crucial to auto operation, but they are to the occupants. More... |
| Polyol Products In Restoration ~ A Review Of Kwik Poly, by Chris Wantuck |
| Winter, 2007 - PDF - 3 pages |
| Manufacturing of vehicles ranging from the very beginning through the 1930’s included wood as a means of providing a frame for the body. More than likely carried over from the stage coach era, wood was plentiful, it could be cut, shaped and joined together using available tools and skills. Depending on the era, the exterior of this wooden frame was covered with an aluminum, steel or copper sheet metal (and in rare instances fabric) where it could be easily nailed. More... |
| Welding Cast Iron ~ Repairing A Brittle Metal, by Chris Wantuck |
| Spring, 2007 - PDF - 2 pages |
| If you put ten people in a room who are familiar with auto restoration, who do their own work, or who are professionals and discuss the challenges of restoration, the topic of repairing cast iron is likely to come up. Tasks such as straightening body panels, paint work, or even reproducing ornamental pieces during a restoration are fairly common and usually can be overcome, but mention a cracked or broken cast iron part and shivers are likely to resonate though your body. More... |
| Trailering Basics 101 - A Look At Trailering Before And After You Buy The Trailer, by Chris Wantuck |
| Summer, 2007 - PDF - 5 pages |
| You’re the owner of a collectible automobile. Great. Either it’s a show car or one intended to participate on tours. Whether you’ve owned it for years or recently acquired it, you now have the decision to have your collectible transported. Professional transport services are convenient, but are not for everyone. If you’re considering buying a trailer to transport it yourself, the following tips are offered before and after you purchase one. More... |
| Brass Plaques ~ Custom Brass Plaques Made Easy, by Chris Wantuck |
| Fall, 2007 - PDF - 2 pages |
| Serial number data plates, manufacturer identification plates, body number tags, firewall ID plate, or just a simple tag showing date of manufacture or restoration, these are the plaques that distinguish your collectible from others. This type of detail shows the quality that has been expended during the auto’s restoration or preservation. More... |
| Hubcap Restoration, by Chris Wantuck |
| Winter, 2008 - PDF - 1 page |
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It’s inevitable. There are times in the collector car hobby where the pieces just don’t go back together exactly the way they were intended. Parts that disintegrate after 60 or 70 years of use fatigue and some clever way is needed to keep things assembled. The list of problems can be numerous and the number of solutions many. In this quick Tech Tip, we’ll examine a hub cap that’s used on a drop center wire wheel that has its fastening tabs either broken off or have been bent enough times where one more bend will certainly break them off. More... |
| Organization Tips During Restoration, by Chris Wantuck |
| Spring, 2008 - PDF - 2 pages |
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Few of us take on the seemingly immense task of performing a full ground up restoration of a collector car. Even if it’s not a complete restoration that you’re contemplating, there are some steps you can take that will aid you in documenting your project that will be invaluable when you go through the process of reassembly. This article suggests some obvious and some not well known tips that should help you and perhaps others documenting a certain model collectible. More... |
| Six Volt Converters ~ Special Adapter for 12 Volt Accessories, by Chris Wantuck |
| Summer, 2008 - PDF - 3 pages |
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Do you enjoy driving your classic or antique automobile on tours or going to local meets? When driving do you wish that you could include your favorite 12 volt powered accessory? Did you think that because your collectible auto runs on 6 volts that you can’t use it? Think again! This article looks at two products that are special converters used for powering 12 volt accessories using the existing 6 volt electrical system on your car. More... |
| Getting Your Lost Hubcap Returned, by Grace Gluck |
| Fall, 2008 - PDF - 1 page |
| Steve Wolff gave us this tip to help preserve the loss of your hub cap. Losing a hub cap has happened to all of us at one time or another. More... |
| The McCullough Formula for Engine RPM, by Charlie Eggert and H. Paul Johnson, Jr. |
| Fall, 2008 - PDF - 1 page |
| Charlie Eggert wrote to the Technical Committee of the Pierce-Arrow Society in June of this year concerning engine RPM for his 1933 Pierce-Arrow and this was the response: More... |
| Reproducing Small Parts ~ A Quick Way To Make Patterns, by Chris Wantuck |
| Winter, 2009 - PDF - 1 page |
| During your restoration, have you come across a situation where you have a good sample of a part, but you need two, three or more of them? Is the part in question small and perhaps has some unique shape that machining it using conventional methods seems not practical? Even if machining were possible, when you consider the cost of certain machine tools and cutters would the final cost be prohibitive? In most situations you only need a few and there is not likely to be any demand that would warrant investing in these machine tools. More... |
| Rebuilding A Door Bumper ~ An Example In Machining Basics And Simple Casting, by Chris Wantuck |
| Spring, 2009 - PDF - 3 pages |
| There are many projects during an auto’s restoration where several processes must come together to achieve the final desired results. Rebuilding this sedan’s Door Bumper assembly is a good example. This Door Bumper is used in the door jamb area to provide a degree of tension to keep the door from rattling against the body’s jamb and sill plate. More... |
| Preparation Before The Plater ~ Steering Wheel Lock And Pin, by Chris Wantuck |
| Summer, 2009 - PDF - 1 page |
| This Technical Tip addresses one of the common problems faced when preparing parts for the chrome plater. This steering wheel lock assembly, typical of a 1930’s classic includes the Yale brand lock cylinder (tumbler) assembly. This cylinder should be removed before the bracket is sent to the plater. More... |
| Steering Box - A Peek Inside What Turns The Wheels, by Chris Wantuck |
| Fall, 2009 - PDF - 2 pages |
| The Steering Box. The simple name for the mechanism that links the steering wheel to controlling the direction of the front wheels. We grasp the steering wheel and turn it, but what actually happens? This article takes a look at a classic era steering box, defines some of the common terms, and provides some pointers on maintenance. Since so many companies used steering mechanisms of either their own design or standard available products, it is virtually impossible to address all variations. The principles remain the same and the actual adjustments or maintenance for your particular unit will likely be slightly different. More... |
| Instrument Face Plates, by Chris Wantuck |
| Winter, 2010 - PDF - 2 pages |
| During the restoration of our collector automobiles, we sometimes come upon a situation where a certain part is purchased and upon receiving it, is not quite as it was advertised. Sound familiar? This example of a Seth Thomas electric clock is one of those cases. More... |
| Simple Casting - Tail Light Lenses, by Chris Wantuck |
| Spring, 2010 - PDF - 2 pages |
| Restoration Ideas - where do they come from? We can read a prewar book, an article written from two decades ago, attend a seminar, overhear someone explaining their successes or woes, or see a recent video or TV show. During such a TV episode that aired in the late 1990’s, where a man named Bob Vila hosted a series called This Old House... More... |
| Door Jamb Switches, by Chris Wantuck |
| Summer, 2010 - PDF - 1 page |
| You've probably heard the phrase "I started this restoration with just the steering wheel and found everything else over the years."... More... |
| Ignition Distributors, by David L. Czirr |
| 1st Qtr 2011 - PDF - 2 pages |
| Given the amount of work that ignition distributors perform, they deserve better than they generally get. A thorough tune-up should periodically include removal for a cleaning, inspection and lubrication. Though some may be apprehensive about reinstalling correctly, simple steps can alleviate this concern. More... |
| Distributors and Ignition Timing, by David L. Czirr |
| 2nd Qtr 2011 - PDF - 2 pages |
| In a prior article we discussed removing the ignition distributor for examination and maintenance, with the caution NOT to turn the engine over while it was removed, and that the ignition timing should be reset... More... |
| In-Line 8 Head Gasket Replacement, by David L. Czirr |
| 3rd Qtr 2011 - PDF - 2 pages |
| Replacing head gaskets on Packard Eights was a pretty common operation when these cars were in their prime; carbon and valve jobs at 25,000 to 40,000 mile intervals were the norm... More... |
| Favorite Lubricants, by David L. Czirr |
| 4th Qtr 2011 - PDF - 1 page |
| If there ever was a subject nearly guaranteed to provoke controversy this is it... More... |
