dibarlaw

Making sure that this for a Standard car since the Masters are larger and the 1924 has a double ended pointer.

John: I agree with your statement. Looks like this will be an agenda item at our Allentown meeting. As members of the PWD we should be pushing for this award. A participation award.

I have been asked by others who have participated in this thread subject to express my thoughts. First. Knowing what it takes to present a 100 year old car at a gathering (notice I did not say show) some form of recognition is warranted. Second. My love for antique cars was begun in the early 1960s. At the time the cars that were considered "antique" were usually pre-war (WW I that is). Brass era cars were always a delight for me to see. My likes have not changed. The only reason I do not own a 100 year old car was I could never find one affordable in any condition. Yes I could of had Model T Fords but my heart belonged to Buick. Only recently has their been any opportunity for me to be able to acquire one. My reason now is that the Brass era tour groups seem to have much more fun on their outings. I wanted a car to drive, not a stage for a trophy. But a recognition for the preservation, upkeep and driving of a century old vehicle is quite a badge of honor. Third, On joining the BCA. I did buy my 1937 Buick in 1987 as an affordable place holder until the time when I could find an older car. I was pleased to find an organization who would help with getting the car back on the road. The 1937-38 Buick Club, being very specific to my needs. One catch. I had to belong to this even more expensive national club, the BCA. Tough on a first year teachers salary. But I joined the BCA hoping for some benefit. For many years there was very little to peak my interest in the old Bugle as to my 1937s needs let alone earlier Buicks. Only since Pete Philips has been involved with the Bugle have there been any occasional information or articles to keep me interested. I do realize the Bugle must support interests of all Buick collectors. After being a casual observer for 25 years (life happens) I was finally able to attend a National at Danvers in 2011. We really wanted to get involved. (My wife and I were thinking about dropping out of the BCA after that experience). But we joined the local chapter and have done 4 more nationals. Realizing that if you wish to receive from the organization one must contribute. I believe that the Buick people we have met along the way since then have restored our faith. To me it has been about the friendships we have made. Mostly positive thoughts so far. Fourth. As the director of the local Mason-Dixon chapter I many times have to justify my insistence on driving my 78 and 90 year old Buicks to our membership. Read that as "you drove that where? You must be crazy" !!! So I also know about keeping an older vehicle on the road. I never expected to receive awards on my "drivers". My first phone conversation as chapter director was with a person who wanted to bring a car (1982 Rivera) to our yearly car show. His question? How big will the trophies be? That mentality has somewhat jaded me as to what I felt the hobby should be. Just try to get a group of chapter members out for a local 80 mile round trip. "I can't do that in my antique, after all it is a 1980!!" I have not gotten my AACA Senior yet! "So I do have a bit of a problem with trophy seekers. Yet I do feel if one makes the effort to bring /drive their early car, they should have recognition. My feeling is that I don't believe we will get more people to bring their 100 year old cars to BCA events for the sake of a badge. Having said that, a 100 year badge would go far to make these owners feel more welcome. To me, that has been at the core of the issue. Feeling welcome. The BCA has not been all that welcoming as of late for us pre-war people. Lastly. As a steadfast supporter of the BCA for over 28 years(except when we wavered a bit in 2011) I have tried to talk up the organization whenever I can. Also as a Chapter director it is my obligation to serve and increase the membership. I have already fielded concerns with those in my local who indicated that if the Allentown celebration does not fulfill it's promise they will be leaving the organization. Having stated my reasons for joining the BCA, (and now being somewhat dissatisfied with the turn of events that the BOD has instigated) if there was another way I could connect with other like minded early vintage Buick people I would ........ Oh wait!. Here we are.....

Thanks Lief: There is a fellow who bought the 1924-45 that we discussed about a locked up engine over 2 years ago. That car was sold at auction all apart and the new owner now has it on the road. But he does not deal with computers. I know others have tried to help him with missing parts. I believe he still is missing the cover form his S/G. I will try to call him again to see if there is any interest. I know I found some things for the previous owner and for some reason they did not find their way to the new owner.

Joe and Dave : Thanks for the tip as I am still trying to finesse the gage out of a tank for my1925 Buick. Trying not to destroy what is there so there is at least something to go by.

The Auction experience was well worth it. I was a cheapskate phone bidder. If you wanted to be in the convention center ballroom floor you had to have a $200 non refundable on purchase bidders number.. It was so interesting to see the RM crew members trying to get some of the older cars running to drive across the auction block. A beautiful 1929 Packard roadster thought to bring in the order of over $80,000 would not start. After the chief mechanic could not get it going then came the "TOW OF SHAME" which was a 4 wheeler and a tow strap to drag the expensive machine across the auction block.. That happened many times over the next 2 nights. Many of the1910s-20s cars started up immediately and quickly died. Each time some one forgot to turn on the fuel or vacuum tank. Each car had a card with starting instructions. The 1915 C-36 had the same problem and the young crew member automatically calls the head mechanic. I felt torn.. but since I had been denied the chance to drive the car I at least wanted to hear it run. So I suggested the young man turn on the fuel valve below the vacuum tank. Wow.. started up and ran pretty nice after that. It did leave a trail of oil on the trip up to the convention center ballroom.

Larry. I believe Dave was referring to this Larry. Also considering that the mechanic who worked on the car is a Larry also. Looks like a Larry conspiracy. With no Moe, Curly or Shemp. Another thing we noticed on the car was that it had a decided lean to the passenger side. It was not noticeable to me since when I first saw it at Larry (the mechanic's) garage it was on the lift. Looking at the photos on the RM website.the front and rear views of the car looked to have it in a perfectly level attitude. On closer examination the driveway where it was photographed the grade slopes down on the drivers side. Broken Spring?? While the car was on the trailer we found evidence of pop riveted patches. Also bondo on the fender and body as well as how the mismatched fenders were installed. They had a 90 degree flange with about 40 very small pop rivets. RM touted this as an "high grade older restoration". As my friend Dave Blaufarb told me after our examination when it was on the trailer at $24,500 .... "I think you dodged the bullet on this one"..

Charlie: I thought that there was another problem with the swivel unit that you showed me at Hershey. You mentioned that your dad had Model T gears installed. I had hoped to get a dialog with other Buick guys as to getting it back to what it should be. I hope as Terry said that Russ may be able to help. From what I saw I could machine a collar to reinforce the broken casting. If that is the only thing stopping your speedometer from racking up some miles. Larry

I did own the 1915 C-36 for about 10 seconds at the Hershey RM auction. They took my phone bid at $15,000. Larry Schramm looked it over with me and he picked up on a few things that I missed when it was at the mechanics garage. I offered the owners $15,000 before the mechanic got it running. They said they wanted a "bit more" but would not say what a "bit more" was. Then when he got it back on the road I told the intermediary I could go more if I could drive it. I tried to set up an appointment to do so from April till the end of August but was always put off. The car sold for $17,500. The RM site states $19,250 as they added the buyers premiums. Again, the intermediary was to screen worthy buyers. Then I found out from the mechanic that the intermediary was the one who pushed to put it in the auction. Expecting $20K-$25K. I figured that my bid with the 10% premium would have been $16,500. What I would have considered "a bit more". Instead the family would have realized more if they would have sold it outright. Considering what they had to spend getting it running. Also, I don't know exactly what RM would have taken out. At least 10%. I know our local auction houses do 30% on household items and 15% on vehicles. I hoped that the car went to a Buick loving home. Surprise!! I find out it went to a dealer who had it at his space the next morning at $24,500! I believe it was left out uncovered with the top down during our severe thunder storm Friday afternoon. So much for a Buick loving home!

In 1925 Buick had a series of Enclosed Touring and Roadsters. The Standard series had a 25A Touring and 24A roadster. The Master series had the 45A and 49A touring and 44A roadster. These had glass in the side curtains. I know of at least 4 of the 1925-25A's. I made an offer on a 1926 Model 45A last year and hopefully the new owner will have it at the BCA's 50th anniversary in Allentown next year. My 1925-25 Touring has the incorrect top sockets. (See my avatar photo) Someone along the way cut down a set from a larger car to work with it. The top sits about 3" too tall at the rear. But the top folds and we let the sun in and breezes blow. I put down the top in May and put it up in October. The material is regular tan vinyl convertible top stuff probably put on in the 1960s. The Gypsy sides are pretty well torn up from the previous owner folding the top without undoing the "lift the dot fasteners" and not having a rest to set the assembly upon. I had inquired at John's Enterprises about making me a set and he said he could not do it.

I can suggest who not to send a 1937 Buick Special to...

Looking forward to photos since I have offered on several 1915s. A C-36 and a C-37 and a 1914 B-37. Marty had an outstanding B-37 which he offered me at a fair value price. But was more than I could afford. But I am still looking.

Leif : This is a very nice original car with original upholstery. And the low mileage is believable. I rode in the car when we were at the Buick nationals in Portland. I also helped the owner get it running after it would not start at the show. Great person to deal with and we have kept in touch. I was just sorry that he is selling it now. I asked him for a chip of paint so I can match mine. So glad to see you back on the forum. We were worried about you.

Are the landau bars available? Where is the car located?

PM sent

Dwight: It does not give a model. But the ad indicates prices for Standard and Master Buicks. So this would be current for 1925-1927 years since afterwards a Series designation was used.

Thank you Jeff. It is always good to have this type of information. I had believed prior to this that my car may have been made in March 1937.

Apparently there was a market for replacements of the Marvel Carbs early on for Buicks in the 1920s. I can't recall where I found this ad.

The top appears to be from a much larger roadster.

Model 1937-41 Frame 3104501 Engine 4 3277328 Body 28832 Paint 510 Trim 300 Style 37-4419

Marty: Thanks for the photos of the Roadmaster with the top down. The former director of our chapter has a beautiful blue 1937 Roadmaster Phaeton which will never have the top down as long as he will own the car. Also another member has a Green 1937 Special Phaeton who will also never put the top down. Both cars have gotten their senior awards. So I say put the top down and let the sun shine in! Of course that is my preference. On my ratty, driver, 1925 Standard touring I put the top down in May and put it up in October. As to tire pressure with my 1937-41 I run 650X16 Firestone Bias at 30 psi all around. At lower front pressure the tires do squeal a bit. Rode and handled well on our 1,585 mile round trip to Nashville TN.

Several people on the 36-38 tour around Nashville were running Diamond Back Radials at very high pressure 65 psi and they said they looked and rode great. I asked Jesse Cahue about the tires on his 38-48 since they looked so large. He sais he was running 750 X16s I could not imagine anyone changing a flat on the rear. He said he calls AAA! I drove my1937 with 650X16 Firestones Bias and seemed to handle well and smooth ride. The photo shows Ralph Artall's 1938 Special coupe with Diamond Backs.

Shadetree: Thanks for posting this video and photos. The 1915 V-12 to me is the most intriguing design of an early Buick. Also I do love these big 7 passenger teens Buicks and seeing that beautiful V-12 running is a real treat! As a side note. Today on TCM I watched "The Bride Came C.O.D." 1941 from Warner Brothers. Starring James Cagney and Bette Davis. In one scene they pull a 1915 C-55 out of a barn to get away from the ghost town where they are stranded. The 1915 C-55 has been sitting since 1919 (22 years). After some tinkering, pumping up the tires and getting some AV gas from Jimmy Cagney's stranded plane, they are ready to try and start the car. Jimmy could not get the car started by cranking. The next thing was to have him push it to a hill. Once going down the hill it backfires a bit and starts to run. That is until it tears itself apart on the rough desert rocks and flips on it's side throwing Bette and Harry Davenport out into a cactus (I am still in tears over it's loss). They probably left the car in the desert where they shot the scene. I wonder......

We got home at a quarter to 7 last evening. We stayed over night at the same motel in Bristol VA. We left there at 8:20 AM. So over 10 hours with stops. Probably 7 1/2 hours total actual on the road driving time.Total mileage since last Sunday morning when we left Chambersburg is 1,585 miles. I kept the speed between 55 and 60 mph on routes 81 and 40 thru VA and TN. We would get on to routes 11 and 70 to cut the boredom of the interstates. Except for the first 2 days when the temps were in the upper 90s, the water temp stayed at 160 degrees. Other than a few hard pull, uphill vapor locking episodes (when we had to use some ethanol gas) she ran great! 100% gas was very available once we were in VA and TN. We were the only ones on tour who had no problems! John Young from Louisiana trailered up a beautiful green 1938-41. Low mileage, pristine interior, flawless paint etc. On the first day of the tour his brakes locked up which caused the engine to overheat ( plugged return hole). This caused the same problem we encountered trying to go to Springfield. Sludge from the overheated engine plugged up the radiator. The first photo is of the on the road repair seminar with 38-41 stuck in the middle of the street. The tour leader Ralph Artall is trying to remove the master cylinder cap to clean out the return hole. Ralph had the starter vacuum switch go out on his 1938-46 Coupe. Then one of the modern cars on tour with us a 2002 Park Avenue had a plastic fuel line split. The local Buick dealer quoted him $1,800 to repair and a five day wait for parts. A local shop got him going again for less than $100 and now they are back home in Indiana. This is the third "tour" we have been on. The second with the 37. We did have a great time. On the last night we had a banquet and all dressed in period 1930s costume. Right up my alley. But now Joan wants vintage jewelry.

We got home at a quarter to 7 last evening. We stayed over night at the same motel in Bristol VA. We left there at 8:20 AM. So over 10 hours with stops. Probably 7 1/2 hours total actual on the road driving time.Total mileage since last Sunday morning when we left Chambersburg is 1,585 miles. I kept the speed between 55 and 60 mph on routes 81 and 40 thru VA and TN. We would get on to routes 11 and 70 to cut the boredom of the interstates. Except for the first 2 days when the temps were in the upper 90s, the water temp stayed at 160 degrees. Other than a few hard pull, uphill vapor locking episodes (when we had to use some ethanol gas) she ran great! 100% gas was very available once we were in VA and TN. We were the only ones on tour who had no problems! John Young from Louisiana trailered up a beautiful green 1938-41. Low mileage, pristine interior, flawless paint etc. On the first day of the tour his brakes locked up which caused the engine to overheat ( plugged return hole). This caused the same problem we encountered trying to go to Springfield. Sludge from the overheated engine plugged up the radiator. The first photo is of the on the road repair seminar with 38-41 stuck in the middle of the street. The tour leader Ralph Artall is trying to remove the master cylinder cap to clean out the return hole. Ralph had the starter vacuum switch go out on his 1938-46 Coupe. Then one of the modern cars on tour with us a 2002 Park Avenue had a plastic fuel line split. The local Buick dealer quoted him $1,800 to repair and a five day wait for parts. A local shop got him going again for less than $100 and now they are back home in Indiana. This is the third "tour" we have been on. The second with the 37. We did have a great time. On the last night we had a banquet and all dressed in period 1930s costume. Right up my alley. But now Joan wants vintage jewelry.