Gunsmoke

I watch Coronation Street 5 days a week, a British Soap Opera which has been running continuously since 1962! "Get it sorted", or "sort it" is used frequently whenever there is an issue that needs to be taken care of (personal beefs, relationship trouble etc). Interestingly, the guy who uses it most often is a character named Kevin Webster, who ironically is the itinerant Mechanic in Weatherfield! (the fictional community)

Cantilevered rear spring makes sense (curved saddles in OP may be upside down) but based on overall frame length of 106", that would still leave wheelbase about 80" or so (assuming springs are 30" long (14"-15" either side of axle), which is pretty short, and this photo just posted appear to have at least 105"-115" WB. Likely a very short early car. Suggest looking for something with about an 80" WB like this 1904 Wilson Pilcher (British).

What do we have on right end, appear to be curved spring saddles although that does not make sense? The bar and cotter pin at cross ember is for what? I see running board brackets appear to be cast to take a RB support rod across underneath of car (my '31 Chevrolet had one on those, although I know it is not of that vintage). Those unusual heavy powertrain side supports (motor/bellhousing/trans) should tell us something? More to this story than meets the eye!

Personally, other than the hooded headlights, (which appeared on virtually every car in the day, Ford, Mercury, Olds, Buick, Dodge...)and general proportions (common to all full sized sedans of the era), I see nothing in common other than America's fascination at the time with chrome googaws! And these are not the worst examples.

I've seen 2 fully restored 1926 Chryslers in my area for sale over past 5 years. One came up for sale as part of an estate, mint restoration from 20 yrs ago, stored since then, I helped get the car running (carb needed some tuning). asking price seemed reasonable at $12K Canadian (about $9K in USD), but no takers, eventually sold for $7500Can ($5000 USD). A second party without realizing values, bought a similar restored 1926 Chrysler for circa $15K 10 years ago. When she tried to sell it after spending another 4K-5K on maintenance (incl a new radiator, tires) she listed it for $25K, she got no offers, and I suspect she will never sell for greater than $10K-12K Canadian. The moral of this story is although late 20's Chrysler Sedans are very nice "conservative" cars, and relatively easy to maintain, there is not a big market for them. So be careful how much you invest.

While I have yet to discern it, I'm sure there is some AACA purpose behind this post? Antique Automobile Club of America, for those who are confused about the interest of most members. Please save these types of posts for your facebook chums.

Great to be able to tag along vicariously! I see top 2 cars/teams are only .03 seconds apart after 8 stages! Be interesting to see final stage results.

Pinning this down will require bolt pattern diameter (5", 5.5", 6" etc) as well as hub hole diameter and perhaps overall drum cover diameter.

There was a necessity to mate the trunk rack to the car, i.e. the connection mechanisms/locations (to frame, bumper etc), the folding limitations, clearance for fuel cap, tail lights etc, and in most cases, it was only possible if side-mount spares eliminated the need for a rear mounted spare (There were some exceptions). My 1931 Chevrolet Deluxe Coach came to me with dual side-mounts and a trunk rack, and had sat that way in a couple of barns for 47 years. Shortly after I started restoring the car, I found an old parts hoarder who told me he had 2 1931 Chevrolet Trunks. Skeptically I went to look, and sure enough they were a perfect fit for my car's rack. I bought both ($100 each) and eventually shipped one to a VCCA member restoring a similar car. I learned thru VCCA that Chevrolet did not offer a factory or dealer trunk in 1931, but relied on after-market to supply one. By 1932 however, they arranged with the Potter company to have a dealer available trunk to offer customers. For the lower priced cars, this approach (factory and aftermarket) was likely most common up to the mid 30's when trunks became an integral part of the car body. BTW, note location of fuel cap, trunk rack edge has a rounded indent in that area to allow removal of gas cap.

Thanks for the confirmation Walt. I so often see mis-fitted trunks and racks, and always thought a trunk rack size list would be so helpful in matchmaking for those who have an orphaned trunk and are looking for prospective buyers.

Does anyone know of a list of trunk rack sizes, seems it would be useful for matching up trunks to cars. For example the 1931 Chrysler CD8 trunk rack is 36"x16", same for roadsters and sedans although a different height trunk may have been used for roadsters. I'd be interested in a 36x16 trunk if someone has one, but not a high one, perhaps 12" high would suit.

Maybe so, top has been bent/creased drastically so difficult to see what it was.

Really enjoying reading the updates and seeing photos. Must be a blast regardless of scoring results. Unfortunately my good friends have had to retire the 1930 Hudson Coupe. Appears the fully restored car has a gremlin of some sort in engine (my guess fuel or electrical), worked perfectly each day for many miles in each of first 2 stages only to lose power in end of each stage and virtually idling home with 6 or 7 minute penalty. Issue was not easily diagnosed and decision made not to risk abusing what had been a full engine rebuild. For one of the guys this was 3rd run, one guy his 2nd, so they knew what they were in for, but a 110 year old '30 Hudson Mechanic was hard to find!

Woulod the outrigger /cross member up towards front (along with some trailing sheet metal) suggest it may have had a truck cab? That might also explain why rear 2/3rds of frame have no details. 8 ply springs would be about normal for a large car or small truck. Large brake drums with outside shoes should also narrow vintage. Appears to have had 12 large and long spokes. Finally, a closeup of the hub/grease cap may help.

I'm just getting back at the Chrysler after a couple of months of "everything else in life!' sure you all know what that means. I'll be posting some photos of progress on the steering assembly soon. In meantime, as some may know it takes a lot of space to restore one car and even more to do 2 of them. So last summer jammed for space, I decided to sell my 80% restored 1931 Chevrolet Deluxe Coach, and here is a series of photos as I found it, as it was when I finished my frame off work, and now as new owner has painted it. As can be seen, he elected to do all the brightwork in black to avoid the heavy cost of re-chroming. I like finished results, an economical way to keep these "common" cars on the road. Used blue denim for interior seats and panels. BTW, for those wondering, while USA cars were 2-tone (blue body, black above belt line), all Canadian built cars such as mine were one color, in this car's case originally Oshawa Blue with black fenders.

Anyone can go to "The Great Race 2022" home page and find among other things the daily results as well as totals to date for each entry and standings (there are about 130 entries). You will need to know names of driver/navigator in order to find who you are looking for. I have some friends driving a 1930 Hudson Coupe.

When you click on OP profile it is "disabled', suggesting a waste of our time. Can a moderator check if this post is still valid and if not chuck it please.

I think the front sheet metal is simply an attempt to make something simple to cover engine while allowing sufficient cooling air and perhaps a bit of streamlining. N0thing to do with the cow catcher notion, this thing probably didn't go fast enough to hit anything, and it's flimsy shape would never withstand hitting a cow or anything else of size. Likely an air cooled engine, and crank is most likely part of the crank-start system, no otherwise visible method of starting. The rear seats are obviously for small children. been trying to figure drivetrain system. Assuming rear wheel drive, axle and tube very small diameter, no sign of central differential. Also don't see any elements of front steering but must be out of sight. I agree the rather unsophisticated nature of the build suggests perhaps pre-1900, and may have started from a buggy chassis. It is also possible this was an early Selden patent attempt, with the engine driving the front wheels and the entire front assembly (wheels and engine) steerable by means of a pivot below the steering column, much like horse and buggy days. Having said all that, the 2 dudes have a very haughty look, proud of their means of transport! Fortren (original poster), can you shed more light on the "alleged speeding incident", and why you think car may be of "French" origin?

I opened this topic today for first time and having scrolled thru 82 pages have been mesmerized by the skill, understanding, creativity and patience exhibited in making such complex and precise parts. I've never used a lathe (except 50 years ago to turn some wood spindles) so it is fascinating to see an overly modest expert at work.

Would be one way to avoid patent infringement!

In many respects, cars as they age are like baseball cards. Sooner or later the "commons" are so plentiful they plateau at a "supply/demand" spot low enough to allow many to enter the collector card market and enjoy the hobby inexpensively. However the "MVP's, Elite players, Stars, HOFer's, and rare real oldies", perhaps less than 1% of the players, maintain their exclusivity, and typically only increase in value. I see Tri-5's and Mustangs and such in the same category, as well as most pre-war sedans, etc. All "common" cars, are collectible but not highly sought after. The cars that will always be sought after are the stars that were recognized as such from the outset but sold in small numbers because of price, limited production or some provenance issue. As someone mentioned, each generation's idea of a great model "ages out", and the next generation has a different lust. As such the older generation's collections will tail off with only the real gems/stars/exclusive ones retaining their cachet. Twas always such.

Nice "survivor" even if it has a later GM engine. Personally I would limit work to getting it mechanically good for driving, such as having a mechanic do a careful refurbish of engine (clean, flush, compression test, points, plugs/wires, new oil flush rad new coolant, etc) transmission/rearend, attention to brakes, attention to wheels and tires, lights/horn working (maybe a $5K-$10K rebuild). Then enjoy the attention you'll get every time you confidently back it out of the garage. If you start a full restoration, add another $30K. Of course a good wash and tidyup is allowed!!

I grew up in the area this bus would have operated, certainly no rail system. I don't expect any clues from front view will shed light on what lies beneath. Body/lights/bumper etc seem sorta homemade (some metal work shop). The grill is only curious piece, appearing to have a crank hole at lower center, but coming up too high (to bottom of windshield) to service a radiator (radiator would have to be in driver's compartment). So my thinking is that even the grille was either made up, or purloined from a truck like vehicle and simply "stuck" on the front and built around, or is the only visible piece of the rolling chassis lying underneath this crude body. So if we could find a grille that looks like that in some truck/tractor like vehicle that may be a close as we get.

Great looking car, will be such an attraction where ever it goes, just the way I like'em! It is so much more enjoyable owning a car when all you need to worry about is keeping them mechanically fit and in a good garage (free of the 4M's, moisture, mice, mold, and moneypit).

And it was a coupe, a pretty rare model! I remember in the mid 50's as a 8-10 year old sitting on the end our rural driveway watching cars go by and any coupe was rare, let alone a Plymouth.