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Another barn find...


Pete Phillips

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Found another one from long-term barn storage, similar story to the other '48 I found in May. This one is a 1948 Roadmaster model 76S, from a barn in Maine. You won't believe it: 16,000 actual miles, documented on the oil change stickers on the driver's door post! Has sat in the barn untouched since 1970, when the original owner stopped driving it and gave it to a friend. The friend put it in the barn and just left it. This fall, he finally decided to sell it, now that he is in his late 80s. I got John Griffith in Maine to go look at it for me--thanks again, John--and he confirmed it was the real thing and in good shape, but not running of course. I had it hauled from Maine to Hershey, drove to Hershey, PA. with my trailer last week, loaded the car in the rain in front of my cousin's house in Jonestown, PA., and hauled it home to Texas, arriving back this past Monday afternoon after 3 days of driving. Man, that Roadmaster is heavy! The car attracted a small crowd every time I stopped for gas or food. Has the original black paint, original upholstery, even has the original worn and cracked US Royal 8.20 by 15" tires. Engine was stuck, but I got it unstuck after putting Marvel Mystery Oil in the spark plug holes overnight. If you felt a slight movement in the earth about 2:15 pm yesterday, it was the celebration in my garage when we got the engine to crank and run for the first time in 43 years!! No lifter noise, no rattles, no exhaust manifold leaks, 40 pounds of oil pressure at a fast idle, fuel pump works and it is actually running off of 43-year-old gas in the tank (what a difference from today's gas). Lots of white smoke due to burning off the Marvel Mystery Oil, but that's good for it right now. I soaked the valves and valve stems with it, too. I found several 1940s road maps of New England and New York in the trunk, an antique can of Simonize car wax, and a new fan belt in a box from the early 1940s, plus the jack, the original trunk mat, spare tire with wood shelf, and near perfect cardboard liners.

No rust, couple of dents in the left rear fender, bumper guards pretty badly pitted, but this gem is totally unrestored! Interior is amazing.

Question to the group: Would you clean and repaint the engine and engine compartment or not? It has almost no paint on it and looks pretty lousy and dirty. I am not going to paint or restore anything on the exterior or interior, but I can't decide about the engine. Next work is to redo the entire brake system and get some new tires. Look for this car in the Archival Class at Springfield, MO in 2015!!

Pete Phillips, BCA #7338

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Guest Rob McDonald
I would paint and detail the engine and it's compartment

Me too. I'd Follow Shadetree's lead - restore the hidden stuff, while enjoying the lovely originality of the rest. Good thing this isn't a '49 or I'd have come down there and get it.

Edited by Rob McDonald (see edit history)
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Can you post a photo or two of the engine compartment in question? I would imagine the decision depends on what it actually looks like. If it's an absolute disaster, then I would me more tempted to clean it up, at least some.

I agree with this^^^

Outstanding car, Pete

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The engine compartment is not pretty. Grease and surface rust on nearly every surface. It's somewhat apart right now, but here is a current photo. Got the radiator out for cleaning, putting new hoses on everything, valve cover off for valve train oiling. Right now, to show anyone under the hood, is a big let-down, compared with the rest of the car. My thought is to open the hood and have it be spotless and gleaming with correct engine paint, etc. Yes, I know that's a deduction for archival judging, but it is so ugly under there now.

Second photo is what I found in the trunk--1940s road maps, 1941 fan belt new in the box, ancient Simonize wax in a can, and a brand new inner tube still in its 1940s box.

Pete

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Pete, nice find, great car!

As for the engine and engine compartment - well I think I would be tempted to cheat a little!!

Cut and polish will bring up the firewall - horns - air tubes etc in keeping with the rest of the car.

As for the motor itself I think I would paint it and then " age " it artificially. Have seen this done on some of those TV restoration shows, most recently on a Chev motor done by the Gas Monkeys on Fast'n'Loud.

At the end of the day though you are in a win win situation with that car - well done.

Edited by 50jetback (see edit history)
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  • 6 months later...

Today is the first really warm, dry Saturday we have had this spring, so I got the BIG baby out for the first time this year, washed off the dust, and gave it the first wax and polish job it has had since at least 1970. That's the original paint, rust spots and all, but I will never repaint it as long as I own it. I was able to pop out the dents in the left rear fender without any paint damage, and I do admit to having the front bumper rechromed because it was pretty badly dented up and damaged by the original owner. Not bad for 66-year-old paint that spent 43 years in a chicken coop in Maine. The big 320 engine purrs like a kitten.

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Edited by Pete Phillips (see edit history)
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Today is the first really warm, dry Saturday we have had this spring, so I got the BIG baby out for the first time this year, washed off the dust, and gave it the first wax and polish job it has had since at least 1970. That's the original paint, rust spots and all, but I will never repaint it as long as I own it. I was able to pop out the dents in the left rear fender without any paint damage, and I do admit to having the front bumper rechromed because it was pretty badly dented up and damaged by the original owner. Not bad for 66-year-old paint that spent 43 years in a chicken coop in Maine. The big 320 engine purrs like a kitten.

I am sorry, Pete. It is so neat everything must seem second place:p.

I had a ,48 Super in the late '50s. I cant remember another riding as well.

Ben

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