radiator louver linkage needed

I have a 1930 Hudson Super 8 and I'm looking for the linkage that operates the radiator louver linkage.  I have the dash knob and the arm with the notches in it behind the knob as well as the spring loaded bracketry on the back of the dash.  I've only seen two pictures on line ( showing engine compartment on different cars)  It seems that the linkage is connected to the upper radiator support rod that goes to the firewall.  In one picture it looks like a solid rod.  In the other picture it looks like an inner/outer cable.  Since it's not a straight line from end to end connection, the solid rod would have to have more connecting linkage somewhere.  
I would even appreciate pictures of both ends of the linkage so I could design my own as close to original as possible. I'm not sure what years the linkage was the same or if it was the same for both 8's and 6's.  Any information would be appreciated.  Better yet, if someone happens to have all the linkage and would be willing to sell, then I would be interested as well.  Cheers

Comments

  • Geoff
    Geoff Senior Contributor
    '30 used a very heavy bowden cable.  Earlier models used rods.
  • Geoff said:
    '30 used a very heavy bowden cable.  Earlier models used rods.
    Great, thanks for that.  I googled bowden cable and it seems McMaster Car sell it at pretty much any length for inner and outer cables
    .  Now I just have to figure out how to connect it to the louvers.  It would seem that I might have to fabricate a 90% fitting at the louvers.  It also looks like I'll have to pull the radiator shroud off to get a good look at how it works and how I'll approach it.  I think at the dash end, it will be fairly easy to connect.  It's not that I need it.  The temperature of the engine runs fine both at summer and winter Canadian temperatures, but it would be nice to reconnect one of the car features.
  • Check with Carl Weber in the HET Club roster. He has prewar parts and has a 1930 Roadster.
  • Check with Carl Weber in the HET Club roster. He has prewar parts and has a 1930 Roadster.
    Thank you, I'll try to contact him.
  • I found the long linkage part amongst all the spare parts that I got with the car. I'm only assuming that it is for my 1930 Hudson Super 8.  It is the solid rod type.  But now I have to figure out how front the end actually attached to the louver mechanism. 
    Not sure why the inner rod would have a right angle turn on the end, or the importance of that spring.  The other thing I'm not sure about is what hole in the firewall the linkage goes through, but it sure looks to be the correct linkage.  Just trying to image how the still missing linkage is attached to the louvers.  It would move east to west, and it would be configured somehow to be attached to the long linkage that moves north to south.  There is a hefty bracket with a tapped hole, as seen in the picture of the top of the louvers, and I'm assuming the missing linkage is attached to it.  I'm thinking something like in later years, a heater control linkage set up.  A  round disc perhaps that rotates.  The long rod would go through it and the spring would keep tension on the pivot point, to keep it from being sloppy.  Another rod coming from the louvers would go into another hole in the disc.  Just a guess.  

  • Or perhaps the missing linkage is a thick "L" shape.  With a hole at each end and a hole at the heel.  The heel hole being the pivot point.  I'm wondering what position the sliding control bar that is mounted on the dash is in when the louvers are in the open position.  Would it be pushed in tight to the dash or pulled out when the louvers were open.  My other puzzlement is the angle of that beefy bracket on the louver assembly  ???
  • Geoff
    Geoff Senior Contributor
    The spring is simply an "anti-rattle".