Hi Guys - I just became the proud owner of a 1930 Chevy 3 window coupe that is in very nice condition except for a few flaws. The car has only 80 miles on it since the motor was rebuilt and was only driven in parades by the previous owner.
1) First problem is the clutch grabs when you try to go into gear - was overheated by clutch riding in parades - am getting the clutch rebuilt - no problem.
2) The previous owener just put a new battery in 3 months ago and had the starter rebuilt (so he says) at the same time - the problem? when coolant temp. is cool the engine whips around 1 turn and starts instantly. When the engine is hot - the starter has extreme trouble turning and will not get a full turn to start the engine. If you wait 10 minutes for the engine to cool down - it starts right up. Starter? - if so what should I look for? One guy tells me that the engine has too few miles on it and still is tight from the rebuild and that is causing the problem - somehow I have trouble with that diagnoses.
3) My floor is a piece of blackish colored 3/4" plywood with a hole the size of the battery cut out of it where the battery goes under it and with about 2" clearance around the pedals and the steering column. There is a rubber mat over top the the plywood. Is this really stock? Would it be proper to replace the plywood with tongue and groove Oak? The repair manuals I have on this car says nothing about the floor or the floor in the trunk. Any help as to what is original or what other owners do to their floors would be appreciated.
Many Thanks
Maurice :p

Ah....my neck of the woods!

Hi Maurice! Yes, your wood floor boards should be plywood and they are stock. The floor mat was black rubber with the Chevrolet emblem embossed all over the mat. The rubber floor mat should have a jute backing as well. On the starting hot problem, there could be several causes: A small cold cranking amp battery, a poor ground on the frame or on the starter, the positive battery cable could be too small, and your starter armature could be dragging against the pole shoes. A very tight engine will also have the same symptoms hot as well.

Maurice, more than likely it is a combination of things that JunkYardDog referred to, Best thing I know is to check everything you can, ground strap from engine (near the starter) if there is not one put one onto frame to the engine block and also a good onefrom battery to frame, check the output amperage of the battery, it may be too small. Then be sure to use at least an (0) gauge battery cable to starter switch, (00)is better, if you want it to start rather than just look good go to a farm tractor supply store to buy your batterys and battery cables. Then if the problem doesn't improve check the Amperage of the starter when it is cranking, some guys set the main and rod bearings this way, the bearings may be too tight.

The 1930 Chevrolet engines don't have rubber engine mounts so the engine is bolted directly to the frame. The first year for rubber engine mounts was in 1932, and that was also the first year for a engine to frame ground strap as well.

JunkYardDog I guess you would say that the engine is grounded to the frame? LOL

Maurice
I sounds like you're thinking the clutch, pressure plate and flywheel may have seen some heat. It probably would be money well spent to have the flywheel and pressure plate resurfaced while you have everything apart. (maybe you already thought of that?) As far as the starting thing goes, my '46 did the same thing until I got a good 6 volt battery. By the way, 6v batteries nowadays are so much better than they used to be. Anyway, try to get something on the order of 700 CCA @ 32F. Believe me - with a good 6 volt battery (assuming everything else is ok) you'll sratch your head wondering why anyone would go to the trouble, and expense, of converting from 6v to 12v.

Thanks Guys for the advice. There is a place up here in Canada that will put new friction material on both clutch plates and refinish the flywheel for $200 CDN. They say 1 week turn-a-round and come highly recommended - will let you know the quality of their work as soon as I get the clutch done.
I checked the ground strap on the battery and it is about 12" long and is a braided cable - it is new and clean contacts to the battery and frame. The positive cable is about 3/8" diameter with covering. Will look at increasing the size of it. I have to check the amperage of the battery, but I know the guy I bought the car from bought it at a country farm implement repair shop. I suspect it is a then a tight engine or a dragging starter. One stupid question - there is 30 weight oil in the engine now. Can I safely change it to Pennzoil 10w-30 and mayber better lubrication will help if it is a tight engine? What about adding a can of Marvel Mystery oil to the crankcase? Will that help? My main technical experience is on VW diesels and Mercedes gas - Boy is this a different car to work on!!! Thanks to this site I have ordered the Alemite adapter for my grease gun from the source suggested in Nevada - any other special tools required that modern cars don't need? One last thing - I tried the horn - and laughed so hard my sides hurt - it doesn't beep or ah oo ga - it makes a sound like a sick cow! It looks like a klaxon horn - is it supposed to ah-oo-ga? If I take it apart can it be repaired? I went to Snyder's web site and they have parts for (sorry for swearing) MODEL A Ford horns - which look like the Chevy horn - can these parts be used to repair my horn? So many questions---- and SO MUCH FUN!!!
Thanks for all your responses
Maurice

Maurice, it's me again, sounds like the battery cable may be a bit small. In your climate 10W-30 may work better in a new engine or even 20W, also do you have a repair manual or often called a shop manual? If not one would be well worth the price. I like Marvel Mystery oil, I add some to the fuel tank ,and a little to the oil (not over a 1/2 pint.)
As to the horn some of the Chevrolet vendors may sell the parts, they may be the same as a F.O.R.D. horn. Fix Or Repair Daily? or Found On the Road Dead?

Yep, as Macky Wacky said, your battery cable is way to small! It sounds like a 12 volt and that could be most of your starting problem when hot. The 6 volt positive cable is a big mother!

Your horn should be a Klaxon Model 8-C and on the back side of the motor cover you will see a set screw that sticks out through the cover. Turn that screw a little one way or the other and that will change the tone of your horn. At least it is working, so now you just need to adjust it with the set screw.

OH YA JUNKYARD DOG AND MR MACK?? WHAT WOULD WE DO WITHOUT THAT WONDERFUL MARVEL MYSTERY OIL, I JUST WISH I COULD BUY IT IN FIVE GALLON CONTAINERS.

Thanks for the updates - I'm not at home now - but there is a battery shop right next door here - what length positive cable should I buy?? - The fellow bought the car from gace me a book called Chevrolet Six, has 800+ pages and covers 1929-1940. Is it good enough? Just to verify - the horn is NOT an ah-oo-ga horn - right?? -All the help is appreciated
thanks

Yes, the horn is an ahooga. As I remember (without looking it up), I believe that the positive battery cable is 27 inches long.

That book is okay, but it is a little removed from the year of your car. I suggest that you purchase an owner's manual, a shop manual, a set of 1930 Chevrolet Service News, a 1926-31 Fisher Body Manual, and a 1929-32 parts book. All of this literature is available in reprint from the Filling Station in Lebanon, Oregon.

Thanks Junkyard Dog - are you sure 27" - the starter is only about 18" from the battery - that would be one big sucker to coil up if it is too long!!!! I will take your advice about the manuals. The previous owner just stopped in with the original owner's manual! - one down a few to go. Can hardly hait to get the horn working - haven't heard that sound since I was a kid in the fifties!!!
thanks

I will go look up the length of the battery cable and I will get back to you in a few minutes!

Yep, I remembered correctly....the specs. call for the positive battery cable to be 27 inches long!

Thanks - I will go and pick one up !!!

Cool! Remember though, that these things don't grow on trees and the correct positive cable is also cloth covered, not rubber.

Damn - didn't know that - order from the filling station?

Yep! They have them listed in their catalog at $17.50 each. Be sure to specify a 6 volt cable when ordering.

Thanks for your help - it's ordered. Could I trouble you with one other little problem - the passenger side door is a little low and is leaving scrape marks on the body paint at the bottom of the door when you close it. It appears to be pretty uniform scraping with slightly more at the center of the door bottom. Not enough to feel when you open or close the door - just enough to scrape the paint on the body sill. Any suggestions for adjusting the door about 1/8"- 3/16" upward?

A few things to check first: Check the wood screws that hold the door hinges to the door hinge pillar and make sure that they are tight and not stripped. Also, check out the condition of the door hinge pillar to make sure that there is no rot where it meets the main sill and the front roof rail at the top and that there is no movement in the door hinge pillar when the door opens and closes. With the door closed, also check the alignment around the door opening to determine if only the door is sagging a little or if the body itself has a problem on that side. You didn't mention if the wood had been replaced or not. At any rate, if the problem is the door only, a very easy fix would be to put a very very thin shim between the bottom door hinge and the door pillar. Usually, that will raise the door just enough for it to clear the main sill, and it shouldn't disturb the way the door closes at the striker. It sounds like your door is just barely dragging anyway, so that should do the trick. Anything beyond that, you will probably have to shim the body where needed, realign the door and etc. Also, when you purchase the 1926-31 Fisher Body Manual, it will give you other tips on door alignment as well.

JunkYardDog, Just read your advice to moedip and need the manuals for my 1931 coupe also. Would the battery cable be the same for mine as his? My car is just coming apart as of now and also working on getting the motor running in two weeks. Thanks.
jerrygolf

Yes, your battery cable is the same. The same positive cable was used from 1929 thru 1932.

Thanks JunkYardDog. I just checked the Filling Station and their Fisher Body Manual is for passenger cars only but will check futher. Maybe it would work anyway. Will get the catalog when I place an order.
jerrygolf