Hudsy Wudsy

I'm entering this conversation a bit late, but I might suggest that in a similar situation, a look at beautiful original or restored examples of the car might go a long way towards dissuading someone who is "torch-happy". I took a moment to Google "Image" some '29 Chrysler coupes and saw a number of beautiful cars and one pathetic looking light blue street rod version of one. The thought that I'm always trying to drive home at times like this is how very disproportioned modified cars often look. The light blue coupe is a fine example of that. Sadly, my argument often requires that the person with whom I trying desperately to reason have some sense of taste. Don't ask me my success rate. https://www.google.com/search?q=vintage+auto+lite+distributors&biw=1220&bih=648&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAmoVChMIs_Wyho3exwIVwouSCh0KlA6Q#tbm=isch&q=1929+chrysler+coupe

Despite it's being red and white, my first thought upon seeing it was bookmobile. I'm sure that it is relatively rare, but then, too, are white elephants. Over the years I've encountered sellers with many such odd vehicles and it seems that they have them for many years before they finally arrive at the right price to attract someone.

While both Auto Lite and Delco used the bail style distributor cap retainer clips, it was Delco who used the screw in grease cap as seen in your photos. However, it's possible that these distributors may have been by some other smaller company with which I'm unfamiliar. Here's a link to some Google images of Delcos: https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1220&bih=648&q=vintage+delco+distributors&oq=vintage+delco+distributors&gs_l=img.12...2492.17593.0.21567.37.18.5.14.3.0.286.1594.16j1j1.18.0....0...1ac.1.64.img..12.25.1645.HfUGpi1DaAM

Another quick "at a glance" way to tell '49 Fords from '50s is that '49s still had the outside gas cap, while '50s had a door concealing the gas cap. Of course, you have to be glancing at the drivers side for this tip to work.

I hope that this isn't true, but perhaps, as the populace ages, there simply are less men who have an interest in vehicles that are that old. I've always fiddled with old Victrolas, Edisons and such. In recent years, it's gotten to the point where you can hardly give many of them away. The particularly desirable ones still sell, though. I have wondered on occasion if maybe those folks who might have some fond memory of their Grandparents old phonos are to point in their lives where they no longer have any interest. I suspect that to subsequent generations, such old items are mere curiosities and not things they have a personal interest in. I don't want to get carried away with comparisons here, but it would be sad if interest in '20s car waned for the same reason.

I don't know what the "correct" price should be for this Buick, but it sure looks immaculate: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Buick-Other-/181853363335?forcerrptr=true&hash=item2a574e1c87&item=181853363335

That's always so very irritating when folks do that. They sell the item, delete the email from Craigslist that contains the link and, as a result, they can't cancel or delete the ad later. I've often seen cases where the seller will run a second ad stating that the item in the first ad is sold. It seems that having only twenty-some thousand miles on it, plus that almost virgin interior, somebody bought a very nice car for a reasonable price. I'm aware, of course, that it may have had condition issues that simply didn't show in those small pics.

Yeah, I was thinking that the seller maybe meant '26, but I wasn't sure.

For whatever it's worth here's a C/L (St Louis, MO) ad for some Chrysler parts. I don't know what year it is, but it isn't '36. I wouldn't even bother to post this , but maybe someone could use the hub and cap: http://stlouis.craigslist.org/pts/5155540364.html

Not mine and I don't even know what the seller is asking for it, but geez, I do love a vintage car with a beautiful original interior: http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/wsh/cto/5190005499.html http://images.craigslist.org/00j0j_iZuns0Tomky_600x450.jpg

Reg, thanks for this. It's a beautiful car and I one that I'd love to own. My opinion is that $8500 is a fair price for this one. I think that the green one is overpriced by $4000 at least. I wish you lots of fun with your new old Chrysler!

Geez, it's not just the brake pedal that the guy would have to operate way over on the right side. Just try to imagine how tiring it would be to use your left foot on the gas and, as I said earlier, quickly move it to the brake pedal. You don't think that the guys foot would sometimes get caught under the brake pedal on it's way?

I remember now having seen this process on one of the "How it's made", or other such science/technical television shows. It was really remarkable.

I apologize for bringing it up again. I should have put more effort into searching the forums.

(sigh)

I thank you for your thoughts, as well. You are probably right about simply painting them a solid, compatible color. I know that I read of others who tried with mixed success to faux paint them, and that probably played a role in my lack of enthusiasm. I have to admit, though, that what is probably playing a role in my thinking, here, is that I recall genuinely agonizing two different times over buying two separate '38 - '39 Hupmobiles. though they are conventional cars mechanically, I love their rare and distinct Raymond Lowey styling and handsome lines. In both cases I almost made the commitment, but ultimately decided that their hideously deformed plastic (Tenite, actually) dashboards would keep me from ever being able to enjoy driving them. I can and do tolerate flaws all of the time, but right in front my eyes while driving seems like looking through a badly cracked windshield, to me. Back to the price for a moment, though...does anyone see this car as being worth over $10,000?

There is a VanDerBrink auction coming up on Sat 9/26 in Boone, IA that offers many fine and rare autos. As I perused the auction list the first time through, I stopped a couple of times to confirm that this unique collection was in fact being offered here on the prairie. I won't even bother to mention any of the vehicles specifically, but I'm sure that many of you will find that just reading all that is offered interesting in itself. Here's a link to the site: http://www.vanderbrinkauctions.com/auctions_details.php?detail=170&allimages=NO

Except for the fact that our love of vintage cars makes us all history buffs of sorts, there really is no reason whatsoever that my remarks here are relevant to anything at all automotive, but I'm going to share this with you anyway...Just now I was listening to my local news and learned that it was on this night exactly fifty years ago that I saw the Beatles at the old Met stadium in Bloomington (here in my lifelong state, Minnesota). Some of you old enough may remember the Met stadium where the Vikings, coached by Bud Grant, played host to reluctant visiting teams from much warmer climes. The Met stadium was torn down some time ago and is now the home of "The Mall Of America", a place that I have to assume is high on the list of any home grown or foreign terrorist. If it helps makes this at least a tinsy bit relevant, my friend's Mom drove us out to the concert in a yellow '60 Pontiac two door sedan.

"Valiant" has a nice euphemistic ring to it.

I wasn't going to bore you nice folks with details, but I did do some research and amongst the things I read on the subject (I think through WPC site) was that someone who seemed knowledgeable on the subject said that current resolution on 3D printers wasn't sufficient to do a decent job, but that will change soon enough. Removing the plastic and applying a faux finish to the metal underneath has been satisfactory in a couple of cases. The seller also makes mention of the interior condition, as well. I'm afraid that, in all honestly, I see a $6,500 car at best, though. Thanks to all of you for sharing your thoughts on the subject.

Back to the car itself, I've always admired '48 Cadillacs in general, and Fleetwoods all the more. I think that there is something a little iconic about the car having the old world flathead powering the "new" tail-finned body. The seller says it's rust free. If a person could free up the engine, they might be into a neat, desirable car for a mere $2,500. Here's a link to a few on Google: https://www.google.com/search?q=1948+cadillac+fleetwood&biw=1220&bih=648&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&sqi=2&ved=0CCgQ7AlqFQoTCLvR7_v8uscCFYMNkgod1J4MtA

Thank you! That was the info that I was looking for!

I'm appalled by the image of a student sitting on the lap of a Drivers Ed teacher. No, guys, I think that we have to search elsewhere for an explanation! I'm sure that for someone who has lost the use of their right foot or leg, driving with the regular gas and brake pedal arrangement is doable, but maybe very tiring for long hauls. Further, I might think that if someone had to use their left foot on the gas and then quickly transfer that foot to the brake pedal there could be some tendency that their foot might catch briefly under the brake pedal. Of course that's where skilled craftsman come in. They can modify auto controls to accommodate the nature of someone's disability. Still, I'm intrigued by the possibility that this arrangement might have been ordered from the factory.

I'm afraid that at this point the question is moot. I would pay a good price for a '39, especially this one in green, and with an overdrive, but the dashboard plastics and the interior condition makes far from a $11,500 car: http://marshall.craigslist.org/cto/5140247723.html

I'm afraid that you guys aren't reading the actual Craigslist ad. Click on the link that I provided. The seller states, "This has dual foot controls, 2 gas pedals and 2 brake pedals. Rare option." I'm sure that the linkage is, in fact, quite complex, but I think that we have to assume that the seller knows what they operate. It's pure speculation on my part, but I suppose that some possible scenario might include an injured war vet. If he had enough money to but a Fleetwood, I suppose that he could also have had enough money to pay for a sophisticated conversion like this. What I'm most curious about the question of it being an option that someone might have ordered from the factory. I wouldn't assume that was the case, but those additional pedals are identical to the factory ones. Sooner or later some knowledgeable Cadillac guy will enlighten us, I hope.