Can anyone ID this mystery chassis & engine

[Robt.]

Mystery chassis & engine...A friend has had this out in the back 40 for decades. No one has ever been able to ID it.

It's in Canada if that helps!

[PFT]

Robt., a friend of mine about 40 years ago had a 33 Plymouth coupe that had a tube front axle similar to that. Can't help anymore than that, but maybe it's a start. Good luck with the search. PT

[Tom Cwach]

I think the round tube is a frame cross member. The axle looks to be an I beam.

[Chris Props]

That looks a lot like a 1930-1933 Willys-Overland Six.

http://clubs.hemmings.com/clubsites/.../gallery15.htm

[Robt.]

Thanks fellas. I'd say you're bang on with the engine: http://clubs.hemmings.com/clubsites/...ry/wil_134.htm

What about the frame? Doesn't look like those Willys... I guess that label should be the give-away if anyone recognizes it.

And doesn't the Willys have an I-beam front axle? Plymouth, eh? Reminded me of a Bugatti - as if!

[Patrick McNallen]

I'm pretty sure the Plymouth & Dodge cars had 5 lug bolts. A lot of Willys cars had 4 lug bolts.

[PFT]

I stand corrected, I took a closer look and see that the tubing is a crossmember and the axle is hiding in the weeds, Sorry for the misinformation. PT

[Tom Cwach]

Willys had four bolt hubs up to 1941.

[Bud Tierney]

Well, it's a bit far out, but if that's a starter peeking out past the steering gear, and if it has an ID tag on it, you might try posting again, asking if anyone with an old starter catalog can find the number and if it shows what it came on...

[Bob Ronning]

it could be an 1942 Nash 80 they started at number B114001 yours looks to br B11769- anyone else have some info I can look up numbers of most U.S. cars from the 20s and 30s.and 40s some older.

[Robt.]

Originally Posted by Tom Cwach

I think the round tube is a frame cross member. The axle looks to be an I beam.

Hey, you're right! Sharp eyes.

[Dustin D Ehli]

Save the manifolds, someday someone will be looking for one that isn't cracked in a zillion peices.
Dustin

[Robt.]

I'll see if I can send the tag photo to a Willys expert for further info.

It's not going to be junked, but is probably for sale for a pretty reasonable price...

[Patrick McNallen]

Nash? It could be, but at least some Nashes of the 1940s had a very distinctive sheet steel exhaust manifold. The exhaust header pipe was just bolted or clamped to the side of the block. There was no heat riser. I think the 1 bbl downdraft carb appeared to sit right on top of the head on that engine, with no external intake manifold visible.

[Bud Tierney]

After looking at the pix more carefully, some comments:
Pic #1: manifold looks like an updraft carb type (is that a carb on the bottom end?); the exhaust out the front of the manifold looks like old style (mid-late 20s/early 30s) Two-blade fan or broken four blade? Front spring hangers at nose ends of frame rails looks like old style. The tires are earlier than 1940, they're maybe 17s, much more likely 18s or 19s, which means late 20s/early 30s. Is that a generator nose pulley showing? Any ID tag on it?
Pic #4: Brush in way, can't see if generator there. Headlight (if that is one) between LF wheel and frame rail looks about the right style for late 20s/early 30s (if it goes with rest of car, that is). Partially visible cyl walls on block also says old style.
Some other things bother me: Motor set behind front axle? Brake drums look large, maybe ribbed? Those sound like some kind of light speedster, and if so, it's Valuable, with a capital V.
I can't figure out the wheels: in pic #1 the LF looks part spoke, part steel, while in others they look all steel.
Getting the sizes off the tires will help place it in time, if not m'f'r. Frankly, I'm dying of curiousity!!

[Robt.]

Here's the only other photo I have at the moment.

Will get back out there with the camera and post some more before long.

[Andy Williams]

Robt,
I found a similar one in an old auto book. it looks like a 1922 Columbia 6.
Here are the specs for this car measure yours and see if it matches. It has a continetal 6-Y engine 50.7 hp. 3-1/8 X 4 bore and stroke. timken axels, a 3 speed trans, 4 bolt steel disk wheels, barrel headlights and has a 115 inch wheel base. I am not sure if it is it or not but it is similar and if the wheelbase is the same it might be. Andy

[Bud Tierney]

Now, I don't know if this is getting hilarious or frightening...
After the coincidence of almost accidentally noting what could be the vehicle in the "1907 Hybrid 4WD,4WS etc" post on this forum while thumbing thru an old-truck book a day or so before the posting, now it develops I've been emailing (yesterday and today) with a guy on the ytmag "Stationary Engines" forum who's trying to ID some old Cont Fed-Mogul replacement rods by their forging #'s (he needs a catalog pub in the 30s, mine's too late). One of the forging #'s he has is 6YD-400, which we'd been speculating could go with the 6Y engine, used (among other cars) in the Columbia Andy came up with. (My catalog says Light Six, and 1923, but let's not quibble; that's as close as these parts catalogs usually come). Small world.
Robert, if you decide to restore that (now, that'd be a project!!) he may have your rods!

[Andy Williams]

Rob,
If it is a Columbia it is rare. They only made 8,000 from (1917-1924) and later (1925-1928) Changed the name to a Moon Diana which they only made 7,000. It said only 9 Columbias are known to exist and only 6 Dianas, so if it is one, it is rare even stripped down as it is. One photo had disk wheels and another had wood spoke wheels so the disk must have been an option as on other cars of the time. Andy

[Andy Williams]

Robt.
I was wondering if you ever found out what it was, a Nash or Columbia?