Classic & Exotic Service, Inc.

Services we provide include: complete engine overhauling, transmission and rear axle rebuilding, chassis and suspension rebuilding, electrical service, instrument repair and refinishing, upholstery work, interior restoration, wood refinishing and reveneering, parts manufacturing, complete preparation and polishing of aluminum and chromium plated parts, and complete paint service, including: custom paint, lettering, striping and airbrushing. Because we are located in a major metropolitan area, we have access to many highly skilled suppliers such as laser cutters, gear cutters, foundries, spring manufacturers and other specialized services.

For years, our facility has been the last resort when restorations undertaken by others have gone awry. We have always completed, on time, all projects brought into our facility. From engine projects as unusual as the Bugatti Royale and Thomas Flyer 6-70 to the more common Packard V-12, Cadillac V-16 and Duesenberg 8, we have rebuilt and restored all types of engines. Outstanding vehicles we have completely restored include a 1930 Cadillac V-16 Roadster, 1931 Reo Royale Convertible Coupe, 1932 Packard Standard Eight Coupe Roadster, 1927 Duesenberg Model X Speedster, 1936 Cord Sportsman, 1937 Mercedes Benz 320 Cabriolet D, 1899 De Dion Quadracycle, 1932 Rolls Royce Phantom II Newport TownCar, and a1932 Duesenberg Model J LeGrande Dual Cowl Phaeton. We have also provided partial restoration service for many other cars.

In addition to complete restoration service, we also repair and restore subassemblies and components for private customers and other restoration facilities. We provide all types of mechanical service work for vintage, classic, sports and collector cars. For tune-up, brakes, electrical, fuel system, or suspension, the staff at Classic & Exotic Service, Inc. are capable of providing all your service requirements. We have experience with vehicles from 1899 to 1975.

Classic & Exotic Service, Inc. provides the following rebuild and repair services for the owner or restorer of fine Classic cars:

1. Restoration of Bragg-Kliesrath brake boosters used on Duesenberg, Stutz, Packard, Lincoln and other Classic Era automobiles. The rebuilding service includes complete disassembly and cleaning, installation of a new cadmium plated bronze front casting, new leather piston seal, new shaft bellows. The canisters and shaft will be repaired if pitted. The canisters is painted black and the shaft and dust cover are cadmium plated.

2. Restoration of Bragg-Kliesrath vacuum valves for brake boosters. The rebuilding service includes complete disassembly and cleaning, replacement of the diaphragm with a modern neoprene diecut diaphragm, if required replacement of damaged internal springs, cadmium plating exterior steel parts and glassbead blasting the aluminum housing..

3. Restoration of Bragg-Kliesrath vacuum regulating valves. The rebuilding service includes complete disassembly and cleaning, replacement of the diaphragm with a modern neoprene diecut diaphragm, replacement of the diecast housing with a new cadmium plated bronze casting, cadmium plating exterior steel parts, replacement of internal and external springs.

*Repair parts for Bragg Kliesrath brakes are available individually through our online store and catalog here:
Bragg Kliesrath Supplies.

4. Restoration of 4000 series Delco distributors. The rebuilding service includes complete disassembly and cleaning, replacement of the lower casting with a new bronze casting, installation of new bearings and bushings, repainting and replating with original finishes, replacement of the die cast zinc advance weight with a new bronze weight, installation of new points and condenser, assembly and setting of point synchronization and advance curve on a Sun distributor tester.

*Repair parts for Delco Remy Distributors are available individually through our online store and catalog here:
Delco Remy Supplies.

5. Restoration of Delco Lovejoy shock absorbers used on Cadillac and Duesenberg and other makes. The rebuilding service includes complete disassembly and cleaning, reseating of check and relief valves, replacement of broken or worn parts, assembly with new valve gaskets and shaft seal and restoration of shaft sealing surface.

*Repair parts for Delco Lovejoy Shocks are available individually through our online store and catalog here:
Delco Lovejoy Shock Supplies.

6. Restoration of Chassis lubricator fuelpump assemblies used on Duesenberg Model J engine. Rebuilding service includes complete disassembly and cleaning, replacement of all cracked and broken castings with new bronze and iron castings, replacement of diecast internal gear supports in timer gear case with iron gear supports, installation of a new bronze fuelpump bellows, replacement of fue lpump valves and springs if required, repair of worn fuel pump actuating cam lobes, replacement of worn fuel pump cam follower if required, installation of new Bijur pump seal and filter if required, assembly and testing,. In addition complete new assemblies are available, as are all parts individually.

*Repair parts for Bijur Chassis Lubricators are available individually through our online store and catalog here:
Bijur Chassis Lubricator Supplies.

7. Restoration of Classic Era ignition coils. Rebuilding service includes complete disassembly and removal of original coil windings. Installation of new coil windings, replating of lock cylinder and lock housing if required, assembly and testing.

8. Rethreading of Cord 810/812 manifolds. We have developed and manufactured special tooling and fixtures to rethread the exhaust manifolds used on 810/812 Cords: The original worn threads are recut to a larger size and the gasket seat is resurfaced and new matching bronze downpipe nuts are supplied. This service normally takes less than 1 week to complete. We prefer to machine the manifolds before they are porcelainized, however, we can process manifolds which have been reporcelainized.

*Repair parts for Cord 810/812 and L-29 are available individually through our online store and catalog here:
Cord Supplies.

Classic & Exotic Service, Inc. can rebuild and restore the most difficult and complicated engines and transmissions. Because we can fabricate almost any part, worn and damaged items present no problem. From machining a new heat treated, stainless steel, water pump shaft to eplacing poured-in-place main bearings with bronze backed, babbitt lined bearings, or manufacturing new timing gears and sprockets, Classic & Exotic Service, Inc. will completely and correctly rebuild all mechanical components to the highest standard.

All engines are completely disassembled, thoroughly cleaned and chemically derusted, never acid dipped. After cleaning, we take the time and effort to check and rectify all fits within the engine. Usually, all bearings, bushings, pistons, rings, timing chains, valves, valve guides, valve springs, and gaskets are replaced. When required, new parts will be made. Additionally, new studs and fasteners are used when required. The engines are painted with durable urethane paints. Brass, aluminum and plated parts are refinished with the correct finish. Careful attention to detail and extensive experience allow us to build engines, which run perfectly and look beautiful.

Classic and Exotic Service, Inc. has a complete machine shop to produce custom parts for antique automobiles. Our equipment includes: 3 Bridgeport mills, 1 Yamasaki vertical mill, 1 13" Clausing lathe, 1 20" Mori Seiki lathe, 1 Elgo turret lathe, 1 Hardinge ACH screwmachine, 1 Deckel pantograph engraver, 1 Abrasive Products automatic surface grinder and a staff of 3 Machinists experienced in producing reverse engineered parts.

Additionally, we have developed an extensive network of outside suppliers to assist in producing many parts. Our location in a major metropolitan area, which has a long history of manufacturing, provides access to many specialists and unique services.

Almost any part can accurately and economically be reproduced. If you need unusual and unobtainable parts for your project, contact us and let us see if we can help.

Classic & Exotic Service Inc. also repairs and rebuilds components for Duesenberg automobiles. We can rebuild any chassis or engine component from a generator or starter to a transmission or rear axle. The staff at Classic & Exotic Service Inc. have been specializing in Duesenberg automobiles for over 15 years. We have the expertise and knowledge required to repair and restore any part of a Duesenberg engine, drivetrain or chassis.

1. Bragg-Kliesrath brake boosters: The rebuilding service includes complete disassembly and cleaning, installation of a new cadmium plated bronze front casting, new leather piston seal, new shaft bellows. The canisters and shaft will be repaired if pitted. The canisters is painted black and the shaft and dust cover are cadmium plated.

2. Bragg-Kliesrath vacuum valves for brake boosters. The rebuilding service includes complete disassembly and cleaning, replacement of the diaphragm with a modern neoprene diecut diaphragm, if required replacement of damaged internal springs, cadmium plating exterior steel parts and glassbead blasting the aluminum housing..

3. Bragg-Kliesrath vacuum regulating valves. The rebuilding service includes complete disassembly and cleaning, replacement of the diaphragm with a modern neoprene diecut diaphragm, replacement of the diecast housing with a new cadmium plated bronze casting, cadmium plating exterior steel parts, replacement of internal and external springs.

4. Delco distributors. The rebuilding service includes complete disassembly and cleaning, replacement of the lower casting with a new bronze casting, installation of new bearings and bushings, repainting and replating with original finishes, replacement of the die cast zinc advance weight with a new bronze weight, installation of new points and condensers, assembly and setting of point synchronization and advance curve on a Sun distributor tester.

5. Delco Lovejoy shock absorbers. The rebuilding service includes complete disassembly and cleaning, reseating of check and relief valves, replacement of broken or worn parts, assembly with new valve gaskets and shaft seal and restoration of shaft sealing surface.

6. Chassis lubricator fuelpump assemblies used on Duesenberg Model J engine. Rebuilding service includes complete disassembly and cleaning, replacement of all cracked and broken castings with new bronze and iron castings, replacement of diecast internal gear supports in timer gear case with iron gear supports, installation of a new bronze fuelpump bellows, replacement of fue lpump valves and springs if required, repair of worn fuel pump actuating cam lobes, replacement of worn fuel pump cam follower if required, installation of new Bijur pump seal and filter if required, assembly and testing,. In addition complete new assemblies are available, as are all parts individually.

7. Ignition coils and switch box assembly. Rebuilding service includes complete disassembly and removal of original coil windings. Installation of new coil windings, replating or replacment of lock cylinder, assembly and testing.

Classic & Exotic Service, Inc. is the largest supplier of parts for Duesenberg automobiles. The majority of our inventory of new and used parts are for the Model J chassis and engine. However, we do have some items available for both the Model A and the Model X cars.

We manufacture a wide range of parts such as Oil pans, Oil pumps, Water pumps, Water jacket plates, Exhaust cutouts and Manifolds, Stainless steel tailpipes, Brake hoses, Brake shoes, Engine fasteners and many other parts. When ever possible, stronger and longer lasting materials such as bronze or iron are substituted for original materials such as zinc die castings.

In addition, extra effort and care is taken to produce authentic appearing parts. Many of the parts are produced from rubber molds take off original parts. The molds are used to produce lost wax castings in both bronze and aluminum. Beside lost wax, many sand castings are produced from wood patterns made which duplicate the original part. All of the special acorn head engine fasteners are made from 303 stainless steel on our own screw machine.

We use and install the parts we manufacture on the cars we restore, so the parts fit, function and appear as original. If you require any part, please inquire as we have a very large quantity of parts on hand and are constantly producing and aquiring new parts and inventory.

The paint facility at Classic & Exotic Service is "State of the Art". A downdraft spray booth with baking capability provides the basis for fine durable finish. Our staff has developed the procedure to apply, color sand, polish and finish modern urethane paints to give flat, orange-peel-free surfaces that are superior to the best lacquer finishes. All paint work starts with the complete removal of existing paint, removal of all rust, proper preparation of the metal prior to priming, application of an epoxy based primer and use of polyurethane high build primer to give the perfect base for an outstanding paint job. After several block sandings, the primer is sealed and painted with either single stage or basecoat-clearcoat urethane topcoats. After proper drying time the paint is wet sanded with successively finer papers and finally polished to an durable, magnificent gloss.

Plating and polishing is a time consuming and difficult process. In order to obtain a show winning and durable finish, all parts are stripped to the base metal, hand filed to remove waves and dents, repaired as required, hand sanded to remove file marks and polished before being copper plated. After copper plating, parts may need additional hand sanding to utilize the copper as a filler to remove any waves or pits that were too deep to be removed in the initial metal finishing process. After the parts have been coppered and sanded flat and true, excess copper plating is trimmed from the part to insure it will fit the car properly. Finally, the part is copper buffed to a mirror-like finish and nickel chrome plated. If required, other plating processes can be applied to the part to obtain the correct finish. Other materials such as rhodium, nickel sulphamate and cadmium can be used. We take the time to research which plating process is correct and use the right process to obtain the right look.