Wed Nov 16, 2022 1:03 am
Just a quick update.
With the colder temps settling in, I'm sure glad I got all my painting done when I did. It's been in the low 30s for the past couple days.
I made another stop at Engines Service in Milwaukee. Phil and Rick were able to provide me with a good used kill switch that's in much better shape.
I was also able to aquire a NOS intake boot (the one that goes from the air cleaner to the carb) to replace the rock hard 70 year old one.
I asked Phil of there was any way to convert the unit over to a 12v negative ground from the current 6v positive ground. We found a good used 12v generator in the back room that is a direct replacement for the 6v. The only other thing I will have to swap out is the ignition coil. The 6v starter will stay. It will just crank over really fast!!
Cosmetically nothing will change. And everything will look OEM, which is what I want. Only things that I need to swap are the drive gear and the distributor drive.
Phil also gave me a few good tips in getting the distributor reinstalled and the engine timed. Basically we get it pointing at #1 on TDC with the points set at .020. You then start and run the engine and with using your timing light, you fine tune the timing at full governed speed to coincide with a certain timing mark on the flywheel cover. Pretty simple I think.
The 12v conversion not only for easy replacment of the battery and coil, but will also come in handy for plans I have to have an Arduino module to control the throttle solenoid I will be adding to the siren.
This particular Mobil Directo was equipped with a bare bones control system. One basically just started the unit and pulled the throttle out. You would then have to chase the siren around or even perhaps ride it to shut it off!
We also looked at the VF4's serial and build numbers to figure out when it was made. 1951 appears to be the build date of the motor. So this narrows down the manufacture of the Mobil Directo to 51 or 52
Jerry
Owner of former Wisconsin Dells/Lyndon Station Decot Model 12 (10/15 port)
Owner of the world's only fully operational Mobil Directo BN52G