Quote:
Originally Posted by SJW
Your points are well taken, Jeff. But, I think I see a difference between the base of knowledge and experience required to rebuild and tune up old clocks and radios, versus Rochester MFI units, in particular. I'm doubtful that, a decade or two down the road, there will be anybody alive who has deep experience with enough of those units to know all of the intricacies associated with them. The sheer number of design changes and parts differences that are to be found would seem to demand the amount of hands-on experience that younger guys would find very difficult to manage. How many of those units would a young guy likely ever have available to work with? Perhaps there is a trove of info out there about Rochester FI that can be located and absorbed by somebody who does a deep dive into the subject, but I doubt there's as much available as there is for clocks and radios.
Time will tell. Guys like Tom Parsons and Jim Lockwood would have a better perspective on this than I would. I have to wonder how much of the knowledge that exists, and that once did, ever made it into any sort of publication where it's been archived.
I'm not aware that Studebaker ever made the transition to vacuum-boosted power brakes. I'd have to research it, but I think they might have stuck with the hydraulic boost until the company tanked. You're right that it's yet another system that's gone the way of the buggy whip.
Live well,
SJW
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I agree with you, SJW. There is a reason Wonderbar radios are being converted to bluetooth and hydraulic power windows are being replaced with plastic electric motors. And small block Chevy engines were installed in sleeve-valve Stearns-Knights....There is a point where the old technology is too arcane, parts are impossible, and the knowledge is lost to the sands of time. I have a good friend who is quite eccentric and works for a foundation that restores pre world war one race-cars. The solutions they have to come up with working on 110 year old machinery is nothing sort of fascinating. I have been able to glean information on this stuff from period repair manuals and copies of Horseless Age magazine from 120 years ago. I still have in my toolbox special tools for early Ford Escort timing belts, tie rod ends, and GM E2Se electronic carburetors. Haven't used them in 30+ years, as the cars to use them on are all gone. I do have my flathead wrenches and valve compressor because I'll likely own another one someday!