Four States of Separation Part II (Post # 59)

Continuing with updates on progress being made with the interior, body, engine, and "little jobs" that will eventually produce a restored Alfatross, here are the last two states of separation: New Mexico and Arizona.

New Mexico

I'm still grinding along here in Santa Fe with the "little jobs."  Compared with modern cars the electrical components of The Alfatross are Stone Age technology.  I've checked out most of the relays, switches and lights, but then I encountered the 
"Trafficator." I'm talking about the little box under the dash crammed with the kind of electrical components that Thomas Edison would have immediately recognized.  It tells the lights when to act like turn signals, parking lights, or brake lights.

The  Alfatross' Trafficator box, made by Carello.  Disarmingly simple-looking on the outside . . . .

. . . but a little more complicated inside.  

A comparison with today's electrical components that handle the same functions reveals how times have changed: It's large size, complicated manufacturing procedure, and profligate use of expensive metals, are evidence of a time when labor was cheap.  But if something went wrong you could easily open the case and fix it! Today's electronic black boxes are often stamped "no user serviceable parts inside."  When it quits working, throw it away and buy another one!

Two obvious problems: one of the contacts for the solenoid in the center is bent upward, and the fine,
tightly-coiled wire to the right of the solenoid on the far right has become disconnected at its lower end.  What is it supposed to be attached to?  

When I opened up the Trafficator box I expected to see the contents all in good order, as they were in the other relays and switches.  But no such luck!  Two obvious problems jumped out at me:  an electrical connection was broken and a contact arm on one of the solenoids was bent away from its intended point of contact, rendering it useless.  

I'm sure this schematic of the trafficator will be helpful when I'm connecting it to the wiring harness, but it doesn't tell me where to attach the loose end of that fine coil of wire!

The bent contact arm I can easily fix, but I cannot figure out where to reconnect the strange hair-fine, tightly-coiled wire until I understand what it is supposed to do!  Any of you electrical engineers out there familiar with early 20th century consumer electronics should feel free to chime in on this one . . .

Arizona

DeWayne and Roger, the engine guys, seem to be satisfied with the replacement Crower cams ("way less money than the Italians and way faster delivery, plus I prefer their profile design with USA gasoline vs Italian design on EU gas").  So that issue is finally resolved.

With the block, exhaust valves, crank, head, and chain box components done they have now turned their attention to the carbs, oil lines, distributor, oil pump assembly, oil pan, water pump, block inspection ports and plating and metal finishing.  

One of the carbs had a broken shaft return spring, necessitating drilling out the frozen throttle plate screws, to replace the spring.  One accelerator pump cover was found to be cracked throughout and its activation lever bent, so it will need replacement. 

Drilling out the throttle butterflies and re-tapping them.  DeWayne Samuels.

The original Solex 40 P II carbs after cleaning.  DeWayne Samuels.

The venturies and throttle shaft.  DeWayne Samuels. 

The cleaned and prepped Solex 40 PII carbs, awaiting reassembly. DeWayne Samuels. 

Profiling the piston valve relief area is under way. When this is finished they will perform a static balance prior to a dynamic balance of the whole assembly.

One of the last hurdles is valve springs.  DeWayne says he and Roger are having a serious problem sourcing replacement valve springs.  They decided to rework the spring seat area in the cylinder head to allow 0.150” additional height in the spring package, making the spring development more feasible, but are still unhappy with the options.  So far the Italian sources they have queried are not sure they can come up with stock pressure springs, but DeWayne and Roger think that the stock springs are too weak anyway.  They found some Ferrari inner springs with a spacer but the spring rate pressure is off - which is as important or more so than the seat pressure.  The search continues . . . .

So that's the overall update for The Alfatross in its present four states of separation.