History Dzus Fasteners when were they used first

I am building aluminum bodys for vintage cars and a lot of specials.

All have to be period perfect. Always looking for different fastening methods so i was thinking if i could use DZUS for prewar cars.

Anybody knows when they were used first. Aircraft i guess but when....

thank u

Mario

 

Quick search looks like early 30's.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dzus_fastener

 

Very interesting.
Thanks for the post...

 

aircraft access panel fasteners from the 30's

 

Was noted in an article about WW II that the Dzus fastener had an effect on US aircraft maintenance in helping turn around planes quickly.


ago

 

WW II for sure. I had a whole canvas bag full dated 1943.

 

Apparently they were invented in 1932: http://www.dfcis.com/history.html

 

Go to any aircraft bone yard or antique air show and you will find the ans.

 

1932.

 

Ah, so the questions of "when were they invented" and "when were the they used on airplanes" have been answered.

The real question that needs answering is "when were they used on cars".

We had Atomic Power in the 50's, doesn't mean it's a traditional way to power an old car.

That said, there's always going to be one dude who points out some obscure reference, so let's see it! I like learning new things!

 

This was the OP's question. The exact answer was provided.

 

Justice Bros. claim to be the first to use them on a race car in 1946 while working at Kurtis-Kraft: http://www.justicebrothers.com/co_history.html At least in the US.

But who knows? I think they were in more common use in the 1950s and 1960s than prewar. What did Mercedes and Auto-Union use in the 1930s?

 

What did Mercedes and Auto-Union use in the 1930s?[/QUOTE]

I believe they used some kind of screws. I think German WWII aircraft used screws also.


Ago

 

Tonight I'll start looking through my 1949-1950 issues of Hot Rod for some photographic proof. Bob

 

Hard to say for sure, but the 1946 Kurtis built Ross Page Spl. Indy car appears to have used quick release fasteners.

 

I think I noticed them on the vimeo that 3wlarry just posted as "Emotional", but didn't pay attention to the age of the car.

 

Thank u all - yes it would be the question when were they used on cars.

German racecars used screws with extra large heads, Mercedes had homemade srews that had two little holes and they had a special tool to handle them.

German Aircrafts had screws as well.


Mario

 

I would think the GI's returning from WWII would have first hand knowledge of Dzus fasteners and other aircraft parts. Ever go to an Army Navy surplus store in So Cal and see 55 gallon drums of A-N fittings! If you are willing to sort thru them, you can get them for pennies on the dollar. My guess would be mid 40's at the lakes by returning service men, now building hot rods.

 

There was a flood of military surplus after WW2 and the surplus stores were a happy hunting ground for hot rodders. That is where they got drop tanks for streamliners and a million other things. So, I would say Dzus fasteners were probably in use at Bonneville from 1946 on although I can't prove it.

 

History would probably be that one of them or someone connected to them used the fasteners on airplanes in WWII. Like a lot of other aircraft parts that made their way to hot rods in that time frame guys coming back from the service knew they existed and it didn't take a lot of hunting to find sources for them.

 

Ed Justice served in the 8th Air Force in WWII.

 

So-Cal Streamliner 1949 Bonneville

 

I will have to check but I believe the Schenck Streamliner used Dzus fasteners, it was built early 1940.

 

Dzus fasteners factory resided in west islip ny,just a few miles away from where I grew up. Ted dzus is still around he ran a ps car in the 80s I believe called the 1/4 turn fastener man. A yellow chevette or simular type.
He shows up a local car shows with his yellow pro street merc.
Just some useless information on a truly revolutionary product.

 

In the heyday of the hot rod (40s - 50s) guys used to go to the surplus stores on Saturday morning just to browse around and see what neat stuff they could find. Once I went to a surplus place in Oshawa and they had a jet engine 20 feet long in front of the door. It was too big to go inside.

 

NO! Stuff like this is PRICELESS, If you and others don't pass this trivia along it gets lost forever. Thanks for the post. Another East Coast built part to add to the list. Merry Christmas! Bob

 

He just finished his yellow henry j its in November's issue of gasoline alley magazine on long island
Just some more useless info

Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!

 

George Dzus of Islip NY Invented the quick release fastner in 1925. First used in 1933 on the Martin B10 Bomber "information found in Gorden Eliot White's Book Kurtis Kraft Masterworks of Speed and Style"

 

Just another aircraft invention used by hotrodders including myself , but camlocks are even better !

 

I just saw some never seen shots of Chrisman's 65 Comet. The rear deck lid was held in place w/ caged dzuz buttons like the ones Moroso sells. That car was built back in 64.