1931: REMEMBERING THE AUTOMOBILE "CRANK"

I would wager that 95 percent of the visitors to this site never had the experience of cranking an auto. My brother had a 1931 Pontiac with a cranking ability. I remember a number of people who told stories of guys getting their arms broken due to improper cranking. The crank was inserted into a hole in the lower part of the grill where it meshed with the crankshaft on the lower part of the engine. Supposedly a half turn clockwise would start an engine which was tuned properly. What an unpleasant task!

Anonymous said...

Tom:You bet I remember the hand crank when all else failed.My first car was an abandoned 1932 Chevie 2 door with bucket seats.I paid $10.00 for it. it sat in Thresa alley in South Trenton. We had a mechanic in that alley by the name of "Frog" who I implored to get it running so I could take my date to midnight Mass at Sacred Heart. The day before Christmas Frog toiled till near dinner time.Last thing we needed was a set of plugs. Nothing being opened, he drove me over the bridge to Morrisville, Helped me over the fence at Piscopo's junk yard, handed me the wrenches, got yher spark plugs, we got back, he gapped them, and got out the crank, and WOW, one turn and she fired up.What a night. I felt like Rockafella. Wooden blocks under the seats kept them upright. When it was cold and snowed, the car would not start even with a crank.We had to get to school, so we pushed her down Fall Street towards the Deleware, popped it into 2nd, and she fired right up.Too bad I didn't realize it had the old Bendix Brakes, which had frozen up over night, and were worthless. To stop it, we had to run it into the curb at my father's place of employment, Sokalner Brothers at Fall St. and River road. Without the curb, we would have been in the river heading to Bordentown.Now I call AAA when my Mercedes won't start! Life was good, than and now.RegardsMike Kuzma

GREAT STORY, MIKE!

Tom Glover