1912Staver

I have nothing against traditional rods, as long as they were built a long time ago or recently built with one of the new steel body's . I can't see taking a decent stock Model A , 32 Ford, 33/34 Ford Etc. and rodding it. Happens all the time unfortunately. I see even 40 Ford coupe body's are now being reproduced. What's a hot rod anyway ? Greg in Canada

A blown big block definitely isn't for everyone. 7 or 8 MPG if you are on the throttle. What about the rest of the drive train ? It probably puts out an easy 650 H.P. that isn't a mild 350 with a 2 bbl. Also I see it has a Camaro clip, not an antique car anymore. Someone's Rod dream, now the next owner's possible nightmare. Greg in Canada

Now that you mention it I also remember the advert. However I also think there was an article about the collection, either just before or just after the fire. Greg

I vaguely recall seeing a article in a 1960's Antique Automobile about a fire that destroyed several classic Packard's including if I remember correctly FDR's parade car. Any one have any further info ? Greg

You might want to refer to edinmass's post above. As always Ed knows the Classic car and restoration game inside out. Greg in Canada,... a bit hung up on correct fasteners, and plating treatments myself.

Yes David you are absolutely correct . Only the ring needs to be removed to remove a wheel, I don't know what I was thinking when I said the center needs to be removed as well. Post amended . Greg

Hi Mike, I am afraid Ontario is 2000 miles away. Unfortunately I don't know anyone. There are several people on the forum from Ontario, someone must have an interest in early Canadian badges. Greg

I live in Canada and I generally see very few Canadian badges. Mind you I am in Western Canada so pretty remote from the center of the Canadian universe {Ontario and Quebec}. Even McLaughlin badges rarely cross my path, in fact I wouldn't mind having a spare one for my 1918 E-45 Special. I will keep my eyes open. If you ever come across anything Staver - Chicago I am always interested. And it will actually go on a car , not a display case. I also have one rear hubcap for a 1910, 11, or12, 30 H.P. or 35 H.P Staver. It's nicer than the rather plain caps on my 40 H.P. project but it is too small. Having said that it is a very nice, good sized, hefty , cast brass cap. Trade only for a Staver rad badge in any original condition. As far as I know there are only 2 surviving cars that can use this cap and neither need it. So I don't mind if it goes into a hubcap collection rather than back on a car. My spare cap goes on a 4 in. thread. The 40 H.P. has a 4 1/2 in. thread Greg in Canada

Unfortunately that 100 mm designation does not refer to the size of the wrench opening like a conventional tool size does. It means that it fits the lock ring for what Rudge - Whitworth designates a 100 mm hub. The opening of the wrench is definitely larger than 100 mm as you state and it should be. You need to find someone with a 100 mm lock nut and see if your wrench fits correctly or needs to be carefully reshaped. At the very least the end with the engagement pin looks to be bent outward. As I mentioned before the pin should point directly at the handle. You probably know this already but there are two wrenches supplied. The C- spanner you have for the lock ring . And a somewhat similar but quite a bit smaller box end wrench to fit the octagon on the center cap. The center need not be removed to change a wheel. Only to service front wheel bearings , etc. The wrenches in general are reasonably valuable, but some sizes are comparatively common, in greater demand and probably command higher prices. The more uncommon sizes are probably a bit cheaper as there are fewer people looking for them. There are repro ones out there. Possibly superior in function but lazer cut from plate rather than a forging so not the same appearance at all. If memory serves me correctly I think they are around $250.00 each so I would think a decent original is at least in the same range. Greg in Canada

Sorry I stand corrected, $7500.00 is a reasonable price . I assumed you would be asking more based on the cars condition rather than what the car is . At that price it will no doubt sell. Greg in Canada

L head Mercer ? Early 20's Cadillac ? Greg

It is a remarkably nice example of what is unfortunately the least desirable version of the Midget. I suspect the sellers have no idea of how little respect these late version cars get from the MG fan base and probably want at least double of what any MG person would realistically spend. Greg in Canada,... At least 20 MG's in my past and present

Bill , you wrench looks like someone has bent it to fit the next larger size of hub. The opening should form a near perfect 1/2 circle with the pin pointing straight towards the handle.

Yes John, you are absolutely correct. It is part of why so many Western Canadian hobby cars are ending up in the U.S. and elsewhere. Greg

Actually , I would probably fall squarely in to your no hassle group of buyers. I never expect anything of the seller other than a reasonably fair price. I would never dream of expecting a seller to go out of his way to make the deal. And certainly no throw in's or freebees. Actually the shipping thing can be a real hurdle for some of us. Coming up with the extra $3500.00 for shipping is what delayed last weeks missed deal enough to let the other buyer have a chance. For once I was seriously interested in a car 2000 miles away. And for the first time in my life from a dealer ,although it was in fact one of his personal cars. He, as I am sure you do as well provided a good set of photos and described the car very accurately. The last thing I was trying to do was build a case for some sort of after the fact beef. Just the right car at the right price. It's all I ever ask for. Definitely too far to trailer it home myself { it was near Chicago}. Might not seem like much but for some of us even that little extra takes a bit more time. I generally deal in person . Pay cash, show up with my trailer at the sellers convenience. If the seller volunteers to help with loading fine, but I would never expect it. I have bought quite a few cars over the 40 years or so I have been in the hobby and I can't think of any time I got the feeling a seller thought I was being a pain. The last few years have definitely been more difficult. Could be learning to live on a retirement income, could be the crappy Canadian $ could be the influx of overseas buyers, most likely a combination of all 3. I just know that after 40 years it really isn't nearly as much fun anymore, not for me at least. Probably is a bit of a class thing , I have gone from border line upper middle class to a definite lower middle class standard of living. Greg in Canada

Unfortunately Matt, what you have just described is how most of must buy cars, because we really don't quite have enough money to fully participate in this hobby, and how the lucky few , for whom money is really no problem, can buy cars. Unfortunately for us all the majority have money difficulties. Its not that we are completely out of our depth and shouldn't be looking even at Vega's, it's just that we can't simply waltz up , take our pick , and cut a cheque on the spot. Life's a bit of struggle for some of us. We usually eventually get there but never the easy way. Like I mentioned in another thread, twice within the last 8 months I have been within a few days and a couple of thousand $ from closing deals. In both cases overseas buyers came up with the price just as I was about to put it all together and clinch the deal. Neither of those cars will ever come back to North America. I am beginning to wonder if any of this stress and major disappointment is worth it in the end. It might be time I look into collecting clocks. The 6-8 thousand {Canadian} I put into the hobby each year would fund some nice timepieces. Greg in Canada

The other side of the situation is that at least some of us would definitely like to make up for the lagging homegrown demand. Disclaimer, I count myself as homegrown even though I am actually right next door to the U.S.A. in British Columbia Canada. Technically a foreigner however I don't really see myself as one. Those of us in British Columbia often spend a substantial amount of our hobby $ and attend quite a few U.S. events {WA. ORE. Idaho} out of necessity as like you mention there are limited opportunity's here in Canada. Swap meets and hobby cars for sale in particular. The big problem as I see it is declining middle class fortunes. The Asian's and European's have us beat six ways from Sunday on disposable income. I think many more cars would remain in North America if the middle class had a little more cash in their pocket instead of lint like many of my generation have these days. Things do seem to be slowly improving in the U.S. but here in Canada I see no equivalent reason to be optimistic. Within the last 8 months there have been two cars I was desperately trying to put deals together on {gather enough money, 90 % there but that last 10% is a killer} , both sellers eventually lost patience with me and in both cases were sold to new owners in the U.K. One a Canadian car and one a U.S. car. I am beginning to wonder why I even try. Greg in Canada

And always bear in mind the other side of life in China. I don't think many of us would be a good fit. https://www.wired.com/story/age-of-social-credit/ Greg in Canada,...….. a place many Chinese seem to want to live, and a great many want to own

Vancouver's fuel prices are disgusting. As much as $1.68 a litre. A total money grab by everyone involved. Average people are being pushed even closer to the edge. Greg in Canada

Looks like a tractor mount. Greg in Canada

On the other hand amateur attempts to get very long term storage teens / twenty's / early thirty's cars running can lead to more harm than good. Engines from this era should generally be dismantled to check for trouble before any attempt to start. Lots of potential issues that more modern engines don't usually have. Greg in Canada

I was in that same situation about 2 months ago. The item had been relisted at least 6 times. I contacted the seller and told him my max price including shipping, about 80% of his buy it now. There is always wiggle room on shipping esp. as I made a point of telling him I was OK with something less than priority service. Offer declined. Two months later the item is still being regularly relisted. It's a pretty limited appeal item so I would imagine most people wanting it have seen the auction and thought the price is too high, but I guess optimism is eternal. Greg in Canada

Unfortunately yes. I get the impression some sellers play dumb to avoid liability. In a nutshell, "I don't know anything about this item. Study the photo's and decide for yourself if it is what you want to buy." Then all liability is in the hands of the buyer. A bit flakey but that's ebay. Greg in Canada

My Staver emblem is pinned to the shell in 3 places. An unusual technique. And the rad has spots to receive and grip the pins. All in all not a very secure method. It probably is part of why the emblems seem so rare, I suspect more than a few fell off when the cars were reasonably new. Greg

Yes, I agree. At the swap meet I wasn't told the story however I was mainly doing some serious contemplating of how to get the Hudson rear end home . It could be that if I showed some interest in the whole pile and engaged the seller in conversation the story would have unfolded. About all we talked about was how being left out in the Seattle area environment for many years had led to such extreme deterioration of a once noble Packard. I vaguely remember the mention of the parts being buried but I assumed they meant by the natural shedding of leaves and Cedar tree debris, which will engulf anything left in a forested area around here if left long enough. Greg in Canada