WTB oil filter bracket

[stephen hill]

 WTB need a oil filter bracket that bolts on the head for a flat head engine . i have the filter and other parts  thanks steve hill # 25502              email orphanauto@yahoo.com

[Jim Stamper]

     It has been stated on this forum before by some who don't believe using the head bolts for the bracket is a good idea.  I tend to agree, and will be mounting mine probably on the left fender well.  Cadillac seems to have tried out several places during the flatheads production life.

     A very sanitary looking metal bracket can be fabricated to mount it somewhere else.

                                                                            Jim Stamper CLC#13470

[gary griffin]

   Oil filters were a dealer added item as they were not standard. That is why there is no standard place to mount them. I had a bracket only on the left head of1942 I am restoring and the engine was running well so I decided to leave the engine  alone. I told the painter to take the bracket off not knowing that the head bolts protrude into the water jackets and he broke a couple of head bolts. Of course this happened due to the rusted condition of the inside end of the head bolts. The short story is that in taking the head off we broke most of the bolts and decided to rebuild the engine as long as it was out of the car with a head off. As I recall about 3/4 of the head bolts broken in the process.
     Show cars have no oil filters or they lose points for them if they do.
     This all hapened in late December. I found an old machinist who had a fool proof method for getting the broken ends of the head bolts out of the engine so I hired him to do all of the machinisit type work on my engine. Notice old and probably real good but not so fast. My engine is just about ready to come back for reinstallation in the car. I lost 4 months and a lot of $$.  I am restoring the car to use it and will install a oil filter but it will be on the left inner fender where I think it belongs. I have explained this in more detail in my blog "restoring my1942 Cadillac ".

[stephen hill]

thanks to all after seeing what others think to will aslo mount on the inner fender.

[John Washburn CLC 1067 Sadly deceased.]

Stephen,

I offer the alternative view.

If one reads the Cadillac Serviceman, June 1st, 1938, page 23, "Follow These Instructions In Oil Filter Installations". One finds a lengthy article on how to install a filter on the flathead V-8. The interesting quote is:

"The filter itself must be mounted on the engine. Mounting on the body dash would cause considerable flexing in the connecting pipes and might easily result in fatigue and failure within a very short time".

Most of the installations of oil filters are mounted to the engine.

Not sure about point deductions since it was a standard Cadillac add on.

If you do not mount it on the engine use hose instead on metal lines to reduce the chance of damage via vibration.

John Washburn

[gary griffin]

   Very interesting addition to the equation.

   I would assume that either the earlier engines did not have the rusting bolt in the water jacket problem due to design differences in earlier engines or they were not around long enough in 1938 for the problem to have manifested.

   I have seen it both ways  and possibly the problem was discovered and corrected later.

    Quote from 1942 Authenticity Manual  "No oil filter was supplied when these cars were new, but some cars have them installed. Some parts books show an installation kit as being available. It is possible that these were dealer installed. Suffice to say that most authentic cars will not have an oil filter"

   Although I have went to great lengths to do an authentic job but as my restoration nears completion I have decided to install an oil filter on the left fender well. I will probably never be in a Cadillac show and actually intend to drive my car everywhere I go with it (It won't fit in my trailer). I bought my filter with hoses from a great old guy, Cadillac Eddie Jones of Minneapolis, and he has tons of parts for these cars.

[John Washburn CLC 1067 Sadly deceased.]

Gary,

I see you are specifically talking about 1942, correct?

In 1937 oil filters were a standard option offered by Cadillac. This was discontinued in 1938. So these old flat heads did have a oil filter at one time. But if you see pictures of it one wonders how you changed the filter.

Thanks god this is just a hobby.

John Washburn

[gary griffin]

The authenticity Manual covers 1942 through 1947. No information on earlier models.  It is printed for judges to use at shows and specificaly says it is not a restoration guide but will probably be used for that also.

Thanks again to Jeff Hansen for the guide and keeping me on the correct path for the past year.

[Martin Michaels]

Stephen, I just bought a the whole setup from a gentleman named Eddie Jones he lives in Minnesota Phone # 612-558-2629. I believe he said he had 3 of them,not sure if he would take one apart? Marty