On Sat, 24 May 1997, Susan wrote:
> Hey Carter!
> Is that because the 1900 parts were all made from the rusted metal
> scavenged from derelict tanks left by the German (Italian? American?)
> army after WWII? That's what I heard.
> Susan & Keith
Tank parts might have been better. The axles were just plain steel, no heat
treat, coarse splines. Textbook failure stuff. Not the kind of failures
associated with inconsistent material quality. At the time the cars were
introduced electricity was still rationed in Italy. A lot of trade with
England was barter. Back to the axles: A lot of parts have faults--on
the street cars failures might show up after long use. That's a warning
flag. I've learned a lot interviewing old timers, like Frank Fasulo.
Where to be careful, at least on the cars which find their way to my
shop. The 1900 axles are a weak link with standard tires on street cars.
I'll talk with Greg and try to post more by the end of this week.
--Carter
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