Speedster project update first start of engine. test

[dobro1956]

Im trying to post a video of the first engine start of the speedster project. Its a short video as I have no radiator on the car yet. After this video I even hand cranked the engine a couple times. The engine has a Rajo 4 valve setup, a Bosch front plate distributor setup, a cast iron dual exhaust feeding a Taylor "loudspeaker muffler" There is a very noticeable difference in the sound of the exhaust when open or closed. In the video the difference does not sound much different. I guess its because of the closed in shop area. The carburetor is a Stromberg OE-1 built by Stan Howe. Tomorrow Ill try and install the "dual blade" fan assembly and the radiator. Then I can let it run for a longer time and try and "fine tune" the carb. Stan does a test run before he sends them out and I did not need to do a thing to it to get the engine to start. But after it warms up, I may need to "tweek" it a little bit. Its been a 6 year long trip to this point. But if the engine is OK, all that's left is the little details.

I had to wait a short time for the video to load in my preview, as it loaded fairly slow. I also had to click the small arrow in upper right corner to get it to go full screen.

Im still learning the settings on the spark advance to make it run smooth. When I disappear behind the car Im hooking/unhooking the temporary hot wire to the battery.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/LoEBqogdAR8398Au7

[Scott_Conger]

Donnie

that.
is.
cool.

[CudaMan]

Great car and video!

[Henry K. Lee]

Super Job Donnie!

Hank

[dobro1956]

Thanks guys,
When I started this project, I figured it would take 3 maybe 4 years to do. This year's winter work season was year #6 . It seems to take a lot longer these days to get something done. Its heck getting old. Ill try to post another video with a short walk around, when I get the radiator on and it can run longer.

[Kingsford-Smith]

Sounds great Donnie.
Have recently bought a 4 valve Rajo for my speedster project and am interested to know if you had any problems fitting it.We are still in lockdown and it hasn’t arrived yet.

[Aussie16]

Great to see it running. It has been fun to watch the build progress over the years and the postings. Looing forward to seeing it move. Well done.

[DanTreace]

Donnie

Loved that video! The engine sounds good, and the exhaust too, once rev'd up and on the road that open pipe will sound off

Dogs and cats will scatter!

Your project has come a long way and watching each step is fun and the results sure looking good.


Bet ya didn't envision the results today at the time you came across just that worn ole speedster shell of a body

Chickasha OK, March 19, 2014 4:06pm

[MWalker]

Congratulations, Donnie! It has been a long time since you started this project, as you mentioned. I remember when you bought that body at Chickasha. You were so proud of it, and I wouldn't have dragged it home if it had been free. But you showed us all what a nice car it could be. Can't wait to see it on a Club tour, whenever we start having those again.

[dobro1956]

Its been a long trip on this one. The main thing is the build kept changing as I went along. One change led to another change. It was always two steps foward and one step back. Adding the Rajo 4 valve was an ordeal. The install of the 4 valve was fairly simple. But someone before me had changed the lifters to Y-block Ford lifters. Y-block lifters are .060 oversize. So there was no option available to match the Rajo push rods. The lifters were in perfect condition and the rest of the engine was good, so I really did not want to tear it down to sleeve the lifters bores. So I had to have custom push rods made. After months of looking, and contacting push rod makers, I finally had them made. Then the dual exhaust would not work with the Rajo intake, So I had to custom machine special spacers for the intake. But that made the carburetor and the frame want to occupy the same spot. So I had to fabricate a special S-adapter to move the carb to a better location.
Everyone who has built a speedster probably knows changing one thing , changes two more things. . But that is the challenge and fun of building a speedster. The challenges I had to deal with, and having all the tools and machine shop machines I have , makes me really appreciate what most of the average guys back in the day had to do to build their cars.
I hope in the next week or so to get it out and drive it.
Mike, we may get lucky and have a tour this fall ???. So far, one of our tours is cancelled and Petitt Jean swap meet/car show is also cancelled. This may be the year of no fun stuff to do.

[Dropacent]

Great day in the morning, Donnie ! Congrats. I have the same upper cylinder lubricator for mine. Are you hooking it up to take care of the overhead valves, or like normal to the manifold ?

[dobro1956]

Tim, I will hook the "Craveroiler" upper cylinder lubricator to the manifold and feed Marvel Mystery Oil to the valves thru the intake. Everyone knows Marvel Mystery Oil. should give me at least 20 more horse power, and make the engine last forever. .

[Dropacent]

Sounds like a good idea. I’ll do the same, as you’re one smart fellow!

[John Warren]

Well Donnie, this is getting exciting!! Can't wait to see it go, it has been a great project to follow. Lets see more..... Hopefully we can go on a speedster run soon. Thanks for sharing the build.

[StanHowe]

Wow!! You bought that about twenty minutes before we got to the swap meet! We talked to you and it looked like it went to a good home. It did!!

[Chad_Marcheese]

Donnie, I want to congratulate you on the milestone of hearing it run....It sounds GOOD! Wow 6 years now. I can't believe it's been that long already. Finish her up and go take it for a social distancing ride. Congratulations again!

[dobro1956]

There is a little story to go with the finding of the body at Chickasha. I had collected speedster parts for most of my Model T life.... The only item I really needed to start on the project was an original body. I did not want a repro body. It had to be an original and have patina. That year, about a month before Chickasha I started a "Chickasha Dream List" on the forum. It was started so everyone could post what they were looking for or really needed. About the only thing on my "list" was to find an original speedster body. Most of the comments went something like, "good luck with that idea" or "SURE, let us know how that works out" or other similar messages... So the morning of the swap meet "parking lot lineup" We were sitting in line in the road on the west side of the meet before daylight. It was very cold, foggy, the windshield and windows were fogged up. But there we sat.... About that time a pickup drove by my window. I do not know why I rolled down the window, but I did. The pickup drove by my window and stopped at the truck behind me. Where he stopped put his trailer right beside my widow. There in the dark the "only" thing I could see was the speedster body. If he had kept going or stopped sooner or later I would never had seen the body... He stopped in the only position that put the body in the light from a night light pole. So I immediately jumped out of the truck as he was driving off. He drove down the road and turned around to get in line. He was just barely out of his truck when I caught up to him. I asked him how much for the body. He gave me a price, I did not even try to haggle. As I was reaching for my billfold to pay him, Don Lang, Steve Lang and Mark Friemiller all arrived at the trailer. They asked how much was the body, just as I was paying for it. If I had been 30 seconds later, I would not have got the body. I like to think me and this body were meant to be together.

[Duey_C]

Glad you got it!
Providence? Is that the right word? From the Cambridge dictionary: "1. an influence that is not human in origin and is thought to control people's lives:"
Very Happy for you and he sounds great.