jim5618

One of the neat things I found in the Car is a log my Aunt and uncle wrote on "restoring the Model B". They were not very thorough in writing in it, but it is clear they painted the car in 63. does that change the clean it and drive it comments? I am still going to clean it and drive it. Just curious

More pictures, The box of lenses are not for this car. Are they Model A?

I finally got up to see the car. Good news is that other than the tailight brackets I believe every part is there. I am surprised to see the heater. Is this from a later year? The gas tank will need to come off and get cleaned. We are rebuilding the carb before we try to start it. I imagine the fuel pump will need to be done too? I only got the gasket set for the carb...I am wondering if I should get the full kit as long as we are taking it apart. any thoughts? I welcome any explainations as to what is and is not right with the car.

First real restoration question. The people storing the car (family friends) managed to break the drivers side tail light bracket. I see these are readily available as reproduction parts. How hard is it to find originals? If these are not readily available as originals I will get the repo to have on there while I am looking. Readily available means I can find a good one on ebay or a classified in the next month or so for ??? What are they worth. repo is $40ish.

Just thought I would post some additional Info I got. The car has been moved to my dad's garage and I will go up this weekend so better pictures coming. I found out my Uncle bought it in 1959 for $40.00 (50 years is a LONG time to own a car). The number we have on the paperwork is 5085XXX. If I am reading the book correctly this is an early model?

Naw....he got his hands on the shrinking process from Willie Wonka.....only explanation that works.

Huh?? not sure I follow the Leave it Alone comment.

Does anyone know a source for basic seat covers for a model B tudor? I am not talking the Lebaron Bonney kit type, more like jc whitney cheap cover. Just something to sit on and hold the stuffing in till we get around to the interior work. Something more fitted than an old army blanket

I need to talk to him again. I think he got confused (he was doing something when I asked him about it) . He does have a small allis chalmers farm tractor but the grader is a massive road construction type piece of equipment.

Shows what I know. it is a 1949 Allis Chalmers WD45 he thought it was important to mention it is Gas not dieisel. Any suggestions?

Dave...sure you don't mean west of Great Barrington? you tag says NY. Yes he is close, the grader is in Peru, MA. Scrappers hit the area pretty hard. Believe it or not, the manages to steal the electric meter of the side of my dad's camp. And the power was on. I will call and see if I can get the info on the grader

What books? I have the set of the "1932 ford Book". which looks like excellent reference for what items were on the car and what they look like. Are there any books out there that are repair manuals? I am thinking like a haynes or Chiltons type manual. Are the copies of the original shop manuals available anywhere?

sorry for the slow response, still trying to get the info from my Dad. I have no idea if it is a Cat, just mentioned it as I am not aware of other equipment from that period. My Mom said she thought is was more like a 1950. I will definately post as soon as I can as it is in Western Mass. Interesting to hear of the clubs as my dad has an ancient John Deere Bulldozer he kinda restored (in his own way)

I do not have the year handy, but my dad has a road grader from around the 30's or 40's. This was fully operational until some crud stole the radiator off of it. Does anyone know a source for old construction equipment parts? Is there a greate caterpilar graveyard somewhere?

I am hoping Dean gets his interior done before I do. I need all the help I can get. I probably won't be able ot get started on it till the week before christmas. Hope to have lots of photos next week though. Dad is 73 so I can't push him too hard in getting the car out. Especially in November in the berkshires.

Has anyone done thier own install of the Lebaron seat upholstery kit? I know there are videos on line and it looks straightforward, but is it one of those things the pros make look easy and a do-it-yourselfer can never get right? Other than the cloth, my seats are intact and in good contition.

I think this is on topic here.... what are the big drivers of prices for a model B? I know there is a big difference between someone asking a high price and actually getting it, but I see ads for body's alone for $6K and a rolling chasis with no motor or interior on Ebay for $16k (again, doesn't mean he will get it). Yet when I up a 32 tudor in the cost manual the price for a complete car needing resotration was in the 6-10k range? I did not see a big price diff between v-8 and 4's, nore did there seem to be a big jump beween tudors and coupes? what is the best way to determine a good price for a completed running B that is not ashow car, but is basically original and replacement parts?

Keep the photo's coming, it looks like the exact car I am getting ready to do. I am not doing the full restoration. I will be very interested to see the interior done. Thanks.

Finally got the photo's. at 70 my dads version of working the digital camera is to print thr pictures and mail them. The circles on the body are photo flaws not issues in the paint The batteries were removed and akll the floor parts are there. All the cloth is gone but I believe all hard pieces of the interirior are there. Any suggestions for an interior shop in Mass or upstate new york? Does Lebaron have a instalation shop too?http://jrodda.smugmug.com/Cars/henrysB/14423836_RvcVo#1069694570_uMWo7-A-LB

Let me clarify my thoughts, and maybe it isn't worth doing. I was thinking of what in muscle cars we called "bolt ons". I would keep all the original parts and wouldn't do anything that couldn't be reversed in a sunday afternoon of wrenching. The idea would also be to not use anything that wasn't available in 1950 for example. I have no desire to do a chop it up and drop a 1970's chevy v8 into it.

Sorry if I wasn't clear. I am not trying to restore and flip this. I want to restore and keep it. I think I can get it for $5k or so which based on my research seems like a good price for a complete, rust free chasis and motor. This is in better shape than that. Once the interior is redone I believe it would be a presentable all original car. Myy uncle went through a lot getting gauges and stuff for it. He even has an appropriate period clock for the visor(I think it was from a mercury). I am trying to err on the very conservative side here. My thoughts long term are to do some minor modifications to make it into what a hot rodder in the 50's would have done to it. I am NOT going to chop it, but look for wheels and maybe carb and exhaust mods that someone would have done back then.

I am not going to get pictures for a couple of weeks. More trying to get a feel for example at a minimum what conditions it would need to be in for say$5k and what you hope to see for$15k ?

OK this car belonged to a realtive who had it pretty much restored (not a frame off or anything more of a always taken care of original car) and drove it on sundays etc. It hasn't been driven in 15 years and was in his barn. mice got to the interior, motor turns over but we didn't spend time to realy try to get it to run. He had it as long as I can remember and I'm 48. What would it cost to redo the interior and in VERY broad terms, what is is worth as it sits? Assume anything cloth is shot? Body and Class are all in nice shape including the roof. I believe it is a v8 and I know he said it had an electric fuel pump. It is a Tudor.