Maurice houdaille 1880 1953 invented the doubleaction rotary shock absorber that bears his name. Ford flathead v8 books ford model a books oneill vintage ford. A 40 page, a4 book, every page in color, showing the complete removal, disassembly, inspection, repair, and assembly of model a shock. Delco made a piston version for gm, but those werent round shaped.
Lever arm shock absorbers were the first form of hydraulic shock absorber or damper used for. Previously published as the shock absorber handbook, 1st edition, by the society. All modern shock absorbers are velocity sensitive hydraulic damping devices meaning the faster the suspension moves, the more resistance the shock absorber provides. This book is restoration manual, data reference, and covers the history of types, changes.
This second edition of the shock absorber handbook first edition published in 1999 remains the only englishlanguage book devoted to the. Our company, a1 shock absorber co, was founded in 1936. May 01, 2019 houdaille industries was founded in 1925 at 537 east delavan ave. Offered with extensive history file, books, and tools. Smoothing the ride for over a century the history of the shock absorber part i the horseless age, march 1905, truffaulthartford advertisement. The shock absorbers on my 34 pickup appeared to be leaking.
Smoothing the ride for over a century the history of the. Apr 01, 2014 model a ford houdaille hydraulic suspension. Took one off and it was covered with a thick substance that doesnt easily wipe off. In the popular tubular shock, a piston with small orifices is attached to the chassis and a cylindrical oil reservoir is attached to the suspension or axle. Oct 22, 2007 the shock absorber handbook, 2nd edition provides a thorough treatment of the issues surrounding the design and selection of shock absorbers. A brief history of shock absorbers catalytic converter. In common with carriages and railway locomotives, most early motor vehicles used leaf springs. As air or oil moves through the valve into the cylinder, the piston moves freely in one direction but is resisted in the other direction by the air or oil. Yet the decision was made to begin the long treacherous journey to the fabled i5 route to sunny california. This is still full too, not sure if this was ever opened, the cap is very tight. Chapter 1 gives a good basis in the history of the hydraulic dampener, from. The case of the undamped houdaille shock absorber by don ratzlaff it was a long, dreary, bumpy road which lay ahead of the lonesome little model a coupe.
Mikes a fordable parts is your best source for model a ford parts. The invention is particularly useful in hydraulic shock absorbers of the rotary type or so called houdaille type in which valve assembly mounted within the piston structure controls the flow between the hydraulic working chambers, as for example the type of shock absorber disclosed in peo et al. Unless you are a purist, and want to maintain the original appearance, the conversion makes. Houdaille shock quality auto parts, new, used and recycled. The amount of resistance a shock absorber develops depends on the speed of the suspension and the number and size of the orifices in the piston. It takes time as well as prep work to do your research and also contrast choices. Model a ford shock absorber parts spares oneill vintage ford uk. There were also friction shock aborbers model a is the most common application for these. Front independent suspension with coil springs and houdaille shock. The following ford parts catalog chart gives a good visual identification guide for 1928 to 1935 ford houdaille shock absorbers, though it is not detailed in the various varieties and subtle differences especially in the model a and model b era. Removed the fill plug and poured out some of what little was in there. We are machinists, that are automotive experts, and we cater to the perfectionist. Houdaille industries manufactured shock absorbers, auto. In part iii the series will look at other shock absorbers introduced after 1910.
Ford houdaille lever shock absorbers rebuilt by apple. Often, if the shock arm is moveable a little bit of heat will reliquify the original glycerin mix fluid and allow you to pour it out through the fill port. See all formats and editions hide other formats and editions. Unscreww the fill port and bolt the shock upside down and heat the shiock body with a butane torch. Houdaille of france gets credit for designing the first workable hydraulic shock absorber in 1908. It is the book you picture as a classic textbook for a collegelevel shockdesign course. These form a vital part of the suspension system of any vehicle, essential for optimizing road holding, performance and safety. Houdaille shockabsorber history posted in tnfs archive. Contrary to the seemingly selfevident meaning of the words, shock absorbers dont absorb shock. This is a reproduction of one of the original shocks manufactured for the model a with stamping and patent numbers, filled with hydraulic oil with needle valve adjusted.
As the little coupe bumped along the road the suspension components. Housings rebushed with bronze bushings, shafts reground. Ford also used the houdaille tubular, directacting, airplane shocks on fords and mercs 4748 and probably up into the 50s60s until houdaille was absorbed by some other comapny or out of business. Hydraulic shock absorber structure houdaille hershey corp. Heres an old 1qt can of houdaille shock absorber fluid. In the early 1900s, cars still rode on carriage springs. Macs is open, shipping daily and ready to meet all of your automotive needs. France, europe, and the world have entered into a new era of thought, attitudes, and powers. At houdaille shock restoration, the shock is completely dissembled, rebuilt, and inspected to ensure proper orientation for its location in the vehicle. Most shock absorbers are a form of dashpot a damper which resi. The houdaille shock is a critical component of the ferraris and maserati suspension systems.
Unfollow houdaille shock to stop getting updates on your ebay feed. Jan 22, 2015 in part i of the history of the shock absorber you can view earlier units and read an article in the the horseless age november 7, 1906 issue explaining shock absorbers available at that time. Most shock absorbers are a form of dashpot a damper which resists motion via viscous friction. It does this by converting the kinetic energy of the shock into another form of energy typically heat which is then dissipated. After all, early drivers had bigger things to worry about than the quality of their ride like keeping their cars rolling over the rocks and ruts that often passed for roads. Exactly when he began his experimental work is unclear, but we do know that he was far enough along in 1907 to patent the twovane pressurebalanced rotor.
Model a ford garage model a b v8 ford 1928 1935 shock. A shock absorber or damper is a mechanical or hydraulic device designed to absorb and damp shock impulses. We were wondering if there was any way to find the history on our car, i have the 7. If the fluid is hardened, you would have to disassemble the shock to clean it out. Front, rear, left, or right available original equipment, not reproductions. Mar 14, 2006 around 1930, many cars with solid axles and leaf springs began to use leveraction shock absorbers, made by a number of manufacturers. To be brought to an undignified standstill, in a vintage car, right in front of an east end busqueue by a dismal, clattering noise and to walk back, amidst laughter, to retrieve a completely detached shockabsorber is not a pleasant experience, but was part of the cross that the writer had to bear in the cause recently, and gave ample excuse for pondering on the story of these. Horock designs the telescope shock absorber, using piston and cylinder fitted inside a metal sleeve, with a one way valve built into the piston. At houdaille shock restoration, we specialize in building and restoring shock absorbers found in 19491960 ferrari and maserati vehicles. This shock of history makes clear the fact that there is no such thing as an insurmountable destiny.
Truffault invented what appears to be the very first shock absorber to be used on a vehicle, after installing it on a bicycle. Houdaille industries manufactured shock absorbers, auto parts. Phil oreilly recognized that his company, houdaille industries, was taking a gamble when it underwent a leveraged buyout in 1979. Unfortunately,the shock absorber is an often overlooked part of a car that requires attention after years of use.
The houdaille lever arm hydraulic shock was used by ford from 1928 through 1948. That is a job for a shop that does rebuilding with specialized tools and equipment. Mafca recently published an excellent book for you titled. To be brought to an undignified standstill, in a vintage car, right in front of an east end busqueue by a dismal, clattering noise and to walk back. This, the second edition of the shock absorber handbook first edition published in 1999, remains the only english language book devoted to the. Over the years, there have been many imitators, but this is the tbucket resource you have been looking to find.
Shock absorber wikimili, the best wikipedia reader. This series of books from john wiley ltd and professional engineering publishing. By the time you rebuild or replace the lever shocks, you will usually have more cost than the conversion, and a better ride. Unfollow houdaille shocks to stop getting updates on your ebay feed. Shock absorber oil for topping up the original houdaille lever arm style model a ford shocks. Sep 19, 2012 the term shock absorber is a misnomer. Rare pullman fluid houdaille shock absorbers vintage used 16. We started out rebuilding of lever action shocks made by delco, houdaille, lovejoy, gabriel and monroe. For anyone that is interested in old houdaille hydraulic double action shocks, here is a new to. Shock absorber handbook, second edition sae international. This site was created in 2006, to provide enthusiasts with a place to discuss tbuckets. Hydraulic shocks damp spring oscillations by forcing fluid through small passages.
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