64 lead knock off hammer

[John F.]

Can someone post a picture of an original knock off hammer from an early 64? Where there more than one supplier? Did some have two holes in the handle and others not?

[Larry E.]

Re: 64 lead knock off hammer

Impossible to show; knock offs where not available in 1964. Larry

[Michael J.]

Re: 64 lead knock off hammer

Impossible to show; knock offs where not available in 1964. Larry

Hold on there pilgrim, yes they were. According the the TIM&JG, the earliest documented cast aluminum knockoff wheels were at VIN 3285, built about Nov. 13, 1963, and delivered as a set of five. Option P48 on the '64 order form, and about 806 cars came equipped that way, pricey at $322.80.

[Joe R.]

Re: 64 lead knock off hammer

Yes, KO's were available in 64 but there was a recall because they were bad castings and leaked air. They are several documented cases of original owners that still owned their cars. I owned a 64 s/n 11,XXX with original KO'S. I can provide paperwork of two original owner cars.

JR

[Michael J.]

Re: 64 lead knock off hammer

Joe, I was under the impression that the leaking issues were essentially all corrected after the false start in the '63 MY run when they had all the problems. Records indicate that 806 cars came equipped in '64 with them. There were only a few more than that, 1116, that came equipped with them in '65.

[Joe R.]

Re: 64 lead knock off hammer

Michael,

Several years ago I talked with an original owner 64 at Bloomington. He ordered the car and waited several weeks and then inquired to where his 64 was! Contacted by the District Manager and told his car was in the parking lot and had four flats. He eventually talked them into including tubes and the car was delivered with four flats and tubes inside the car. He drove it for many weeks with the tires using 9 pounds of air each week. He was called by GM and told to return the car to his dealer. He refused! He eventually installed the tubes and probably still has the 64.
Yes, I would not have believed this story either but I saw the car, the invoice and talked to the owner personally.
He displayed the 64 at Bloomington in the Grand Hall at the University. I have pictures of this car that I snapped myself.
As I recall this 64 was in the 11,XXX range just after my 64.

JR

[John F.]

Re: 64 lead knock off hammer

My original thread asked if anyone has a picture of their original lead hammers that came with the car and if there was more than one supplier.

[Michael J.]

Re: 64 lead knock off hammer

Right, sorry, for judging the one LIC and some others sell are good, all the manual mentions is semi-gloss black and no weld on the head to handle join. Holes are not mentioned.

[Joe R.]

Re: 64 lead knock off hammer

Sorry John,

Usually the Gestapo from California locks the thread when it gets off subject.

But then again it does not contain any truths of how the NCRS is being run!

JR

[John F.]

Re: 64 lead knock off hammer

Thanks guys!

[John D.]

Re: 64 lead knock off hammer

John,I have the original knock off hammer from my 65. Head is not welded to the handle. It has two holes that are punched the hole way thru.
Location of the holes. From bottom of hammer. 1st hole center line is 2-1/2" up.
2nd hole is 6-1/16" up from the bottom. Hole size is about 5/16"
Hammer head is not welded to the top.
Original paint semi-gloss black. So the manual is correct .
I forgot to mention the two Impressions.One on each side of the hammer. Location is not the side with the punched holes. Impressions are deep and located about 5/8" down from the hammer head.

Seems to be quite difficult to get a straight answer around here friends.

I have a NOS hammer that is identical to the one that came on my 65. I also had knockoffs on my '66.
Story: One time I hit a curb with the '66 on the way home late at night. Blew out the tire. Could not get the spinner off. The dealer couldn't get it off either. THey actually ended up breaking the spinner with brute force. Shortly after that horrible experience I sold the knockoffs and went to steel rims and wheel covers.

Both my new '65 and new '66 had a black rim for a spare. Many years later when I joined NCRS I found out that the dealer might have been borrowing the knockoff rim and giving the customer a black cheep wheel. No wonder he had a huge stock of knockoffs. True story. John D

[Alan D.]

Re: 64 lead knock off hammer

Two hammers existed, 3859067 and 3871308. Early was welded, later was not. See page 300 of Noland's book.

[John F.]

Re: 64 lead knock off hammer

Thank you Alan. I just got a used manual and found it. Has anyone tried rebuilding the head of the hammer? Could you form up the end and melt the leaded end to reform? It looks like .38" at each end in the drawing.

[Michael J.]

Re: 64 lead knock off hammer

Are you interested in a hammer that works well or just for judging? The only hammer I use for my '64 knock-offs is a ****** Thumper. I also use that for my Cobra Halibrand knock-offs. It works great. For judging, it is the one I showed the picture of, it passes fine since it follows the TIM&JG description.

Oops, guess I should have said "Mother Thumper"......

[John F.]

Re: 64 lead knock off hammer

I have the car up in Illinois now and hope to have shipped here later. What appears to be the original hammer is beat up pretty good on both sides. Maybe I should just leave it alone and get the "thumper". There are a few NOS ones in the classified for $250 ea.