Looking to talk to Any one that >>>

[BILL WZOREK]

Looking to talk to any one that may have worked at the Houdaille Shock
factory in New York.
Or if you have a family member that may have worked there I would like to talk to them.
I am trying to collect as much information about the shocks so it can be passed on to those that follow in this great hobby.

THANKS
BILL W

[flathead34]

Bill, That is a great idea. Why don't you send a note to Jerry Windel, editor of the V-8 Tiimes, to have him put that request for you in the V-8 Times. It reaches a lot of V-8 owners who may know someone who worked in the Houdaille factory. I believe Jerry's email address is [email protected] . Mike

[1931 flamingo]

Bill: Try to find what town in NY they were made and then contact the local newspaper with a letter to the editor with your request. Might work
Paul in CT

[Pothole Jim]

Houdaille Shocks were designed and built by Houde Engineering Buffalo, NY.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/33118419@N05/3477294883/

I would suggest contacting the Buffalo Historical society to see what they have in the library.

[rotorwrench]

Houde was making rotary hydraulic dampers well up into the 70s for Bell Helicopter which also had its origins in Buffalo. I timed many a set of stabilizer bar dampers on the Bell 47 series helicopters. The stabilizer bar system Bell used made the older helicopters more docile on the controls. Hell even I can hover one but I stick to the mechanical end of the deal.

Kerby

[Zaemo]

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Can you start right now by phonetically spelling Houdaille so I can figure out how to say it?

Z

[1931 flamingo]

I say it "who-day-lee". Any others?
Paul in CT

[chuck stevens]

Bill,
Here is a link that has some names as resources, don't know if this will help.http://forums.autosport.com/index.ph...ed&pid=2555235

Thanks again for the nice job, Chuck.

[Gary in La.]

I was always told it is "who-die" ,somewhat French in spelling and pronounciation.

[Zaemo]

Here's what Wikipedia says.

Nomenclature

• The device's name in common parlance (among the general public and auto mechanics) is shock absorber or simply shock.
• Technical names include damper and dashpot.
• During the early 20th century in the U.S., the then-well-known Houdaille brand (pronounced WHO-dye) was in some places a genericized trademark for the device,[1] but has since disappeared from use.

[Manuel]

I think they were a French company originally, or started in France.

Manuel in Oz

[rotorwrench]

Americans seldom pronounce French nouns the way that they do. Who-Day-Lee is the common US pronunciation and has been since day one. We always pronounce all the consanants in a noun whether it is correct or not. It's the American way!

My brother had a Renault Dauphine when I was a kid. We always pronounced it Renalt instead of Rayno. That car was no princess for sure. We called it four letter words more often than not.

Kerby

[1931 flamingo]

AH the good old renault dauphene.
Paul in CT