mrcvs

Okay here are some photographs. I don't know...up in the air about letting her go. But I don't drive it much. In fact, 25 miles since engine refurbished as club project. Other club members have gone over this car and said its fairly sound except front two quarter panels in lower portions need work. Built 13 October 1930. Ran fine 2 yrs ago. Dead battery last spring. Went to Wal-Mart AutoZone and Tractor Supply to purchase a replacement 6 volt battery this morning to run her today and no luck. Where are you finding batteries today? Interior redone in 1970's I was told.

I'll post some photographs soon. I have no idea what it is even worth these days.

What did you get?

The thread about long distance driving of early automobiles made me think of this. Lately, this hasn't been a problem, however, as both antique cars I own are not running. In any event, 35 to 45 mph is maximum comfortable driving speed. A bit less is more relaxing. 50+ is not possible. What really takes away from the enjoyment of driving these is the impatience of all one's fellow motorists. Tailgating, passing in a no passing zone, being given the finger, nearly run off the road, etc. The rudeness seems to be getting worse! Not to mention no one else realizes early cars have mechanical brakes and can't stop on a dime. ☺

What modern one do you recommend? Also, how do I know if it's LH or RD?

Is the author of "Chasing Grandpa" on this forum? I'd love to discuss this with him. He drove a 1917 Maxwell a few years ago from New Jersey to California. I'm lucky if mine can make it 4 miles to Das Auwscht Fecht!

Thank you!!! Where can I get this? That is, a Delco unit?

I want to drive them, and I actually enjoy working on them. Trouble is, I feel like my cars are lemons. Need to be worked on all the time, rarely run flawlessly. Others seem not to have such problematic cars.

Here is what I need:

Well... I'll admit I'm rather frustrated. I have 2 antique cars that I have driven maybe 300 miles total for both in the nearly 8 years since I bought the first one. I can't drive them if they don't run. I remember first getting the Maxwell and running it 20 miles and had a blast. Then several shorter runs. Then threw a fan blade. Fixed that. Then the awful gas we now have not enabling the carburetor float to work. Dumping gas...and now I think the points. Not much fun...probably will run another 10 miles and it will be something else. I kind of am thinking of just selling both and be done with a hobby that's really no fun. I can't even do that. Easier to sell a car when it actually works. Believe me, I'd love to say what a fun, rewarding hobby. I'm to the point where I think it really sucks. I guess old cars are just unreliable. Or, how do I make mine reliable? I kind of want to just send them to someone and say take this pile of junk and fix it so it actually works.

Wow! Right on both counts! Folks want comfort. This surprises me! I have a 1930 Fordor. Might consider selling as might lose storage space.

I should state that some trepidation could (not saying would) disappear if I didn't work so much. I think being retired and breaking down isn't as bad when you only have this problem as your concern vs breaking down far from home and having to worry about making it to work at 5:30 am the next day.

That is, if given a choice today, what style would most folks prefer? I won't reveal what I heard yesterday but I just about did a backflip. After several responses, I'll reveal what I was told--and why.

I have to give y'all credit. I have two vintage cars, 1930 and before, and, admittedly, it's with great trepidation I wander more than 5 miles from home in either of them. For fear of breaking down or overheating, which has happened, and the inability to be able to get my car home if not running, before the weather breaks, which is of concern in an open touring car. I don't know how to overcome this fear, which has actually been realized. The Model A had a crack in the engine which was there but not evident when I bought it (between 2 cylinders). Fortunately, the car was parked after a trip and wouldn't start at home. Then after this I broke down a mile from home. Turns out a replacement coil was defective. The Maxwell had a Johnson carburetor that dumped gas due to a gas logged cork float that wouldn't float. Replaced with an original A-D carburetor. Success TBD as now no spark which seems to be points and condenser. Have fear of being in the middle of nowhere with no gas as carburetor was dumping it unbeknownst to me. Also a few overheating issues, increasing rpms seem to have resolved. Believe me, I'd love to drive both of these 300 miles and back, but what do you do if you even make it 300 miles and are that far from home and broken down?

1917 Maxwell Model 25 Touring Car

I had posted in the Maxwell section originally and one response and price was high. Where should I look and whom should I contact and what is a realistic price to pay?

I am amazed at how on some of these TV shows, a teens or '20's car is fixed to running condition in short order. Perhaps money is no object. I have such a car in need of such parts. Not an incredibly valuable car, but quoted several hundred dollars for such mundane parts. Perhaps you have to pay the piper! Limited supply. What experiences and solutions to such a problem? Input desired.

Wow, I asked that question already. Obviously, I needed this several months ago and didn't due anything as I traveled for work and now the garage is cold. I didn't even remember asking this question but now I do. I must be getting old.

I believe these need replacing on my 1917 Maxwell. Where do you think I might find a replacement?

What material was the clear portions of a sidecurtain?

I was referring to GOV's for civilian Federal employees.

PToday, GO's for civilian Federal employees tend to be subcompact cars, such as the Ford Focus or the Hyundai Elantra. A decrease in size from Dodge Avengers, etc. But when were such vehicles first utilized by the Federal government, typical make and model, and any ideas what the earliest government plates looked like and the evolution thereof to present form?

I took the serial number at the start of the year and the end of the year and interpolated as to when might have been produced. This assumes a constant production rate and is completely unscientific and could, in reality, be off by as much as several months.

Yes, that's the number I had written down and promptly lost. Thanks!

I asked because I misread your earlier statement --hopefully the OP's car is years earlier than yours and hence decent gears. My mind read this as differing gear quality within the same year and I wanted to see how close yours is to mine. The implication was how close is yours to mine, as in what are the odds mine might have stress fractures in the gears, without having examined them. Note: seven key not working. With a serial number of 1691eighty-seven, this interpolated as to late Setember 19Seventeen. The odds are probably not good.