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  • Who makes springs?

    Hi everyone. I seem to recall that someone in the club makes small coil springs. My son's 38 Cadillac needs at least one and maybe a pair of hood springs. Anyone know who make springs?

    Thanks
    Alex

  • #2
    Where I once worked, I dealt with the Lee Spring Company and Century Spring Company for small coil springs. I also ordered some from McMaster-Carr as they had a large variety to choose from. If you know the wire diameter, coil diameter and spring length you should be able to easily find what you need. The listed companies have websites. For small orders, McMaster-Carr is a good place to deal with and shipping is fast.


    Autumn at Lake Barget
    In the middle of Minnestudea
    sigpic
    In the middle of MinneSTUDEa.

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    • #3
      There is Whitten Spring (spelling)? He makes some beautiful Stainless Stude hood springs. Would have to dig up his contact info.

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      • #4
        My company makes springs, but they aren't cheap when you only buy 2. What most of the guys do is order 20 or so and then sell them on Ebay. They generally make all their money back and then some. It's like free springs.

        Doug
        Venice, Florida
        1950 Champion
        9G F1

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        • #5
          That would be Bob Whiten at Whitco Spring Sales, Tulsa, OK. Google shows the phone number as (918) 437-5666. I got cab mount springs for my M5 from him.

          [img=left]http://www.studegarage.com/images/indy/gary_indycar25_vvsm.jpg[/img=left] Gary Ash
          Dartmouth, Mass.
          '32 Indy car replica (in progress)
          '48 M5
          '65 Wagonaire Commander
          '63 Wagonaire Standard
          web site at http://www.studegarage.com
          Gary Ash
          Dartmouth, Mass.

          '32 Indy car replica (in progress)
          ’41 Commander Land Cruiser
          '48 M5
          '65 Wagonaire Commander
          '63 Wagonaire Standard
          web site at http://www.studegarage.com

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          • #6
            That would be me, I have retired and no longer make springs, sorry i got old.

            101st Airborne Div. 326 Engineers Ft Campbell Ky.

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            • #7
              You too. I thought it was only me.

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              • #8
                Thanks to everyone for all the replies. I am working on some leads.
                Doug, there were only 500 model 90s made and very few still in existence so not too much demand for hood springs.
                Wouldn't be able to sell on ebay
                Alex

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                • #9
                  Bringing this thread back up as I would like to find stainless hood springs for the 58 PH---
                  Any sources now?
                  64 Champ long bed V8
                  55/53 Studebaker President S/R
                  53 Hudson Super Wasp Coupe

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                  • #10
                    Educate me. Can spring steel be "stainless"?
                    Brad Johnson,
                    SDC since 1975, ASC since 1990
                    Pine Grove Mills, Pa.
                    '33 Rockne 10, '51 Commander Starlight. '53 Commander Starlight
                    '56 Sky Hawk in process

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                    • #11
                      Every machinist has a copy of Machinery's Handbook. In it is a listing of what size 'mandrel' to use to wind a spring of a certain outside diameter using a particular diameter of spring wire. The mandrel is put in a lathe [if no dedicated spring winding machine is available] and the wire wrapped around the specified mandrel. A slightly different technique is used to make an extension spring or a compression spring.

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                      • #12
                        Have two hoods for my M16 but both had broken return springs for the 'hood' safety latch...can't drive it without undue danger of the hood flying up. The attached pics show how the replacement was made. The org. spring was .055 wire, I have .059 so that is what was used. Drilled 1/8th and 1/4 holes, in the proper positions, in a piece of scrap aluminum block. The first pic shows that block with some 1/8th pins inserted and a piece of the .059 spring wire in it's first position. On top of the block is also a broken original spring that is being reproduced. The next shows three bends having been made; the last with 1/4 inch pins. The last big bends were accomplished using a 3/8 diameter pin [a handy 3/8 bolt laying nearby]. The 3/8 pin was clamped on the top of the long straight legs of the partially bent spring and then bent around it. No other tools were used...just the fingers to bend the wire around the pins. Then the completed spring and some old broken ones. Last is a view of the open hood with the new spring installed. Anyone need a spring for a M16 or M15 and [I think] an M5 safety hood latch? They will be free as it's a piece of cake to make a few more.

                        I submit this with the idea that showing how easy it is to make somewhat complex springs that no one will be afraid to do it. If it took skill or patience I could not do it. Lots of spring wire is available at hobby shops.
                        Attached Files
                        Last edited by oldsalt; 04-16-2013, 11:36 PM. Reason: More BS

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                        • #13
                          Every machinist has a copy of Machinery's Handbook. In it is a listing of what size 'mandrel' to use to wind a spring of a certain outside diameter using a particular diameter of spring wire. The mandrel is put in a lathe [if no dedicated spring winding machine is available] and the wire wrapped around the specified mandrel. A slightly different technique is used to make an extension spring or a compression spring.

                          Bob Whiten here AKA Whitco Springs Retired-- Not as easy as it sounds. The wire is drawn through a tension device before being wound around a mandrel and after it is wound it has to be cooked in an oven at a specified temperature for wire used. (example music wire was 450 degree's Stainless was 650 to 1200 degree's depending what type of stainless it was. Cooking the spring changed the diameter of the spring, music wire it got smaller in diameter, and stainless it got larger after being cooked. And then there are different kinds of ovens which determine how long it was to be cooked.

                          As for the question can a spring be stainless -Yes and many other kinds of materials. But most springs are made of music wire.
                          101st Airborne Div. 326 Engineers Ft Campbell Ky.

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                          • #14
                            I stock hundreds of Studebaker springs and inventoried them, but need part numbers to get you the correct one.
                            I have bought out 28 Studebaker dealers and have inventoried over 20.000 different items on my computer
                            Robert Kapteyn
                            studebaker@mac.com

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                            • #15
                              I was looking for stainless because of the rust factor. Painting the springs don't seem to help much. Clonelark - can the regular springs be powder coated at 375 degrees without affecting them adversely ?
                              Bob, I will keep you in mind. Still looking for the bird emblem that goes on the decklid of 58 PH #1326748V
                              64 Champ long bed V8
                              55/53 Studebaker President S/R
                              53 Hudson Super Wasp Coupe

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