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I think I read on this forum that someone bought new pistons/rings from Dale
Cooper and they were instructed NOT to hone the cyl walls. Can this be right
or did I misunderstand? Always been told that rings would never seal without
honing, esp as Hudson block so hard. Also any good info on sources of good
pistons and rings, new mfg for esp Hudson Hornets? What is available and
good or bad reviews? Anyone using Dales'; my info on Egge product is terrible;
what say you? Any interchanges for pistons? Seems I heard someone used
new 1960's Chevy pistons on a Hudson 262. I would have e-mailed Dale Cooper, but could not find his address. Thanks, Gert Kristiansen.

Gert,
I bought a set of 308 .020 rings and pistons from Dale. They are non pinned copies of the original four ring pistons. Presently the block and pistons are in the machine shop being fitted.He does not have the original pinned rings to fit the original pistons. I posted on a thread previously and one response was not to use the "dingle berry" type hone. Perhaps that was what you saw. Those really are not hones, just glaze breakers. I have delt with Dale by phone only, I don't ever remember seeing an email address. He is a pleasent man to deal with.

If Dale should somehow not have what you need, Kanter has a piston supplier that produces excellent work. And as I recall, Kanter machines the ring grooves themselves, so can do them in sizes to match a particular ring you may be wanting to use, or have them done with just three grooves (contrary to some recently voiced opinions, there are some modern ring designs that do just fine with just two comp's and one oil ring). Bob Rovegno, our former gasket supplier, is engine parts manager at Kanter. Call him with any questions about their pistons. He's in the HET roster.

Gert... U have received some solid advice for pistons and rings ... just add my two cents... The first Hornet engine I built was bored . 060 over and I used Egge supplied pistons, pins and rings in it. The engine went together as desired and ran well. So, I have had a different experience ... as an aside ... when I overhauled my 54 Wasp, I needed two pistons ... they were standard and no one had them ... so I asked my NAPA parts man if they had a good piston supplier ... they measured the holes and took one of the cracked pistons as a sample ... made two duplicates in 10 working days ... and they were four ring pinned pistons. Cost me about 60 dollars per piston...

Good Luck

Ken

__________________
Ken Cates
Waco, Texas

Ken Cates' STEPDOWN RESTORATION WEBSITE

Dale does not have email, but all his contact info and parts he sells are on his website at http://www.hudsonmotorcarco.com/ My experience with his has been great, unlike some of past dealings with Kanter. If you are looking for Hudson engine parts, I would start here. He is a straight shooter and he knows Hudson's. Kanter sells anything and everything and lacks the expertise in any one make, with the exception of maybe Packards (and there they sell Tiawan Tommy knock off crap.) One man's opinion.

I am troubled by your comment on Egge engine parts. I am rebuilding a 202 in a '56 Wasp, and they were the only ones who had ALL of the rebuild parts. They were very helpful in spec'ing and pricing it all out, and even questioned the sizeing of crank and rod bearings. So far they have been good, but I have not seen the parts or their quality. Kanter had about 80%, NW Auto about 70%, and Cooper only about 20% of the parts I needed. What is so bad with Egge's parts?

I have had two dealing with Egge, and I'll never deal with them again. I tried to get piston for my 17 Hudson when I was rebuilding the engine, and they said it would cost $1,500 for a set of pistons, and were very indifferent with there attitude. Kind of take it or leave it. Jack Clifford supplied new pistons for about $200. I bought a set of pistons and rings for a 37 Terraplane from them, and they sent two pinded pistons and four regular pistons, and all the rings were for the regular pistons and nothing for the pinded pistons. The rings were just wraped in news paper, very unprofessional!! I called them to see if the would exchange the pinded pistons, or the rings to make a matching set, and they would not. Since then, I have heard of other people having simular problems.
I wish you luck with your dealings with them. They will never see another nickel of my money.
Gene.

I am the person who bought the rings from Dale that say in big letters do not hone cylinders for these rings. I think that is pretty unusual. These rings are pinned rings that are standard for a 232 engine. I don't know if they would fit for a larger engine. I am not going to use them, and plan to send them back to Dale for credit against new pistons and new rings when I bore my cylinders. They are original rings from way back when.... If anyone wants them for the 90 dollars I paid for them plus shipping, I will mail them, Dale has indicated he will give me credit. so I am sure they can be bought from him after I send them back also. Ken, Have not contacted the guys from Dallas. what are the odds I can just use an engine shop in the Austin area and not have them ruin my block for boreing and installing valve guides?

Alex.

I cannot recommend anyone in Austin as I have no experience nor do I know anyone who has had Hudson engine machine work done there. Like most larger cities in US, Austin will have a number of first rate machine shops. I would suggest that you contact someone in the circle track racing scene. The circle track racers usually will know what shops are detail orientated and that is the type of shop needed to get a good results. The other consideration is the ability of the shop to maintain the tolerances desired. The quality of machines and persons operating them will effect the outcome of the jobs.

Again Alex... I DO NOT have any reason to provide positive or negative comment about any shop in the Austin area.

Good Luck

__________________
Ken Cates
Waco, Texas

Ken Cates' STEPDOWN RESTORATION WEBSITE