wayne sheldon

The Studebaker ED series was as dictator27 says the six cylinder model around 1915/'16, also known by their "series" numbers of series 16 or series 17 or 18. It (and its companion four cylinder) didn't look much like that engine at all. The intake and exhaust were on the same side, not the intake run through the block (to preheat the vaporized fuel) as this engine is. Also, Studebaker did not go to the removeable head until later in the 1910s. I am not familiar enough with early Dodge automobiles. However I do not think this is a Dodge four. They did run the intake through the block to preheat the fuel vapors and had a removeable head that early, however, if memory serves still, I believe the intake and exhaust sides were flipped from this motor. I don't recognize it offhand. But I have seen so many engines of that era. The mid 1910s had most companies switching from cast in pairs and threes blocks to single units as well as adding removeable heads, that there were so many variations those years. This one looks somewhat familiar (I know I have seen that raised intake casting on the side of the block before!), but I cannot place it.

Looking at the "auction" listing shared above? I certainly am no expert on lap robes, and definitely not on presidential ones! However, the first thing I noticed in the auction photos is that the embroidered "Presidential Seal" appears to be a sewn on embroidered patch. Not something I would expect to see on a "highest end" Presidential robe of ninety years ago. I have never been one to attend many auctions. Only been to a few in all my years in the hobby. However I have known many people that bought and sold major collector cars at auctions (Jack Passey among them!), and a few times I attended just because friends of mine were going anyway. I learned a long time ago to not believe what was published in the auction catalogs.

Synchronized 2nd and 3rd? Should be. I think Chevrolet picked that up about 1933. Pretty sure all Chevrolet cars were torque tube through at least 1952. Not sure about 1953/'54. 3/4 ton pickups and bigger trucks were open driveline I "think" throughout the 1930s and later. If I recall correctly (please correct me if I am wrong?) the first year for the famous Babbitt-beater 216 was 1939. So it should be the 216. I don't recall what year they dropped the oil fill/breather pipe on the side of the engine, and put the oil filler in the valve cover? However, I know 1941 still had the side filler (pre-smog later 1940s and early 1950s still had the breather pipe just without the oil filler). The engine photo is the wrong side to see the breather pipe, however, the valve cover doesn't have the oil filler in it.

I guess I need to try to check the model T section here more often. I spend some time on the MTFCA forum everyday. Ford put a serial number on every production vehicle manufactured from mid 1903 onward. The big question is where? For the model T Ford, from the first 1909 model (manufactured in late summer 1908) into early 1926 "model" year, that serial number was on the engine block, and although there were other serial numbers associated with the early car (body numbers, radiator numbers, data plate numbers, etc), the ONLY official serial number on the entire car was the one on the engine block. Except for the first hundred or so cars, 1909 into 1912, the serial number was below the valve area, on the car's right hand side. Early in the 1912 model year (about November or December 1911) the "official" serial number was moved to the upper left side of the engine block where it moved around for a few months, before settling onto the space just above the water inlet to the block. There, it remained through the end of model T production. 1926 "model" year production began around September of 1925. It wasn't until well into December of 1925 that Ford began putting the serial number on both the engine block and the frame. So even early 1926 models had only the engine number for the official serial number. Location on the frame was usually very close to near the brake/clutch handle cross shaft. However, it could be on either side frame rail. on the top of the rail. I have seen a couple frames with the serial number farther forward from the cross shaft. No reason is known why the factory did that. Sometimes, the serial number stamping is faint, and is often hidden by just rust. If one is there, sanding with a medium-fine sandpaper will usually show it. Coarse sandpaper works faster, but if it is faint, might completely obliterate it. TT trucks basically followed the model T cars as far as serial numbers were concerned. Odd exceptions. Some states, including California where I am, preferred serial numbers be on the frame, even back in the 1920s. So, sometimes, engine numbers, and sometimes state assigned numbers, were stamped onto frames. (California back then requested engine numbers be stamped onto frames, however, it was not required) These might be located anywhere! If your TT is a 1925 model? It should not have a serial number on the frame. The only serial number for a 195 TT would be the engine block. And that number might be meaningless if the engine was changed at any time in the past 98 years. Several good pictures could help with identification.

That was why my first comment was "broken axle"! Followed by a couple snarky comments. Clearly some sort of hack job.

Broken axle? Long walk home? Painted wrong colors?

ALL collector vehicles are a narrow specialty for appraisals. Military vehicles, hearses and ambulances, much more so than anything else is! Authenticity, provenance, correctness of restoration, all play a big role in their value! Rarity does not make a big difference in value for vehicles that by their very nature are already rare! One could be the best Buick late 1930s ambulance on the planet? Finding a hundred collectors anywhere in the world that can afford the car for anywhere near what the restoration cost would be very difficult! "Professional cars" and military vehicles truly appeal to a very limited spectrum of the antique automobile hobby. And most of the people that would love to have one frankly cannot afford to buy or keep one if they had to pay even half of what it should be worth. It would be helpful to know whether the OP is looking to sell or buy? Advice needs to be skewed to reflect future issues if the OP is seriously interested in buying it? Or point out the disadvantages of hanging on too long hoping for that "one" person to come to buy it if trying to sell it? Just reality.

The "zipper" was invented about the time of World War One (the "Great War"), however did not start becoming common until around the time of World War Two. Clothing, like non-military men's pants and suit slacks almost never had zippers until after the second world war. So that zippered pouch, if original to the blanket, might make it later rather than earlier. Lap robes were still in common use in the 1950s, even in closed cars. Heaters were not yet standard equipment, and most sedans had blanket ropes on the back of the front seat where either front or rear passengers could grab the blanket when they got cold.

Varun C, you constantly amaze me on the many cars you can identify!

This is something about earlier cars that gets mentioned occasionally, but needs to be explained a bit better more often. Before Henry Ford led the way for mass production techniques, most parts of nearly all automobiles were produced in small shops, most of the work by hand in limited numbers. Many types of crude bucking forms and jigs were used, and designs often changed from one week to the next week. Printing was slower also. Most catalog pictures had to be altered by hand one way or another before they could be included into parts books or sales brochures. Designs of cars often changed before the brochures were printed. Actual production was often somewhat different from what pictures showed in the books and brochures. Even in actual production, cars one month may have had different enders from the previous month, even in the same model/series. A car I know. I won't give the actual year or model, and please, anyone knowing the car, do not mention their name, as the owner would prefer that. I will say that the make is a National. There are a fair number of those in private collections all over the globe. And more than a few people know of the car, and its history. I personally knew at least four collectors owning at least one National. A private collector I have been fortunate to know for several decades now, bought the car a few decades ago. The car's history was known, back to the original owner. And, the car was more than a little updated when it was nearly ten years old! It had also suffered a typical 1950s refurbishment, which had erased a bit more of the original car. This presented a problem for the then new owner. Although mostly a very solid, well cared for car, it was not quite like it had been when new. The car sat in the collection for a number of years while other cars were acquired and restored, and they considered what to do with the National. Eventually (not too long actually), the decision was made to restore the car back to as close to as original as reasonably possible. A car as rare as this, most owners know who most of the others are. Research was done, copies of era brochures and photographs were purchased. Other owners were consulted. When the car had been updated (about ten years after it had been built), the wheels were cut down to take advantage of the then newer tire sizes available, and all four fenders had been replaced with something considered more stylish for the time. Top and windshield had also been chopped a bit. The top, windshield, and wheels were not much of a problem. Proper replacements or simple alterations to return them to as original took care of those. The Fenders however turned out to be a real problem. The later replacements were not anywhere near correct, and frankly, they weren't all that nice (it was a nearly ten year old car when the "update" was done!). Research had supplied several brochure pictures, but none of them matched the original era photos of similar year and model cars! A few similar year and model cars were known to exist in private collections, owners were contacted, and as helpful as they could be. The problem was, that most of the known other cars all had different fenders fronts and rears! If I recall the numbers, of all the known other cars, there were three cars that had fenders alike. That specific style was seen in era photos of a couple other cars. The owner of one of those three cars was not very far away (almost a thousand miles?), and willing to be very cooperative. The consensus was found (no where near unanimous!), a sample available, the fabricator was sent, extensive photos and measurements and even tracings taken, and the best possible guess for the car were duplicated. So, a well known marque, lots of original era information available, and several known survivors, yet the fenders across the board are not all alike. No wonder us mere mortals have so much trouble identifying some of these unusual cars! Ariejan, you are one of the best!

Now, that is a cute and nicely accessorized 1924/'25 model T Ford coupe! Headlamps, radiator cap, wind wings, and steel disc wheels. I had a 1924 model T coupe, nicely accessorized, but not quite that much. I sure miss it.

Easy. The series 80/81 Pierce Arrows, some of them had a "good" head, and some of them had a "bad" head. I don't offhand recall which parts of which series had the good ones or the bad ones. But there are a lot of nice series 80/81 cars hiding in garages because they have a "bad" head, and "good" heads are tough to find and get. So, either the car had a bad head, and a previous owner removed the head planning to replace it, or trying to get it repaired? He may have taken the head to som shops, not liking the quotes or lack of guarantees for the repair? And somewhere in the process either the PO or a shop lost the head or scrapped it for nonpayment of the charges? Or, the car had a good head? And someone, maybe the same owner, maybe a friend, had a nicer car in a more desirable body style that they couldn't drive because that head was bad. "Hey. I have an idea, lets take the good head off this car, and get the nicer car running, and we'll replace this head later?" But it never got replaced. This car makes me sad. It reminds me of the 1925 series 80 sedan I had to sell about thirty years ago. Only mine was in MUCH nicer condition, and had a good head. It was one of my favorite of all the cars I have ever had. I enjoyed driving it on tours as much as any car I ever had! Even if I had the money to throw away, I wouldn't buy this one for half the asking price.

Hey! I have a great prewar art deco toaster! And a couple nice electric toasters from around the Great War (WW1). My wife has a Facebook account, and shows me stuff often. Otherwise, the only time I ever look at it is cars for sale shared here in the "not mine" area. She did sign me up in to an account. It is still there. The last time I signed in or looked myself was when one of my longtime best friends died suddenly over ten years ago. I signed in to leave a farewell on his site/page.

I admit it! I ain't gonna lie! I have brush painted a few cars over the years. A couple I hoped to keep long enough to repaint and do a better job of it. And a few because I don't want to fool around with highly toxic really stupid expensive modern paints. Good old type oil based enamels can work fine, and are still available at farm and boating stores. A couple of my favorite cars came to me as horrible unrestorable piles of junk. It was easier to brush when ready than to keep ready parts until I had enough to set up the spray equipment. Several such cars came out looking just fine, and I enjoyed them on tours for as long as I had them done enough to drive. Every antique automobile I ever owned and later sold, was better (most a LOT better!) when I sold it than it was when I bought it. So I feel good about them.

Water jacket freeze cracks usually do not do major damage to cylinders or valve areas. However, it would have to be closely inspected to know for certain that they were okay. Usually, freeze cracks and even missing chunks can be repaired by someone that knows the right ways to do so. However, be sure they are highly recommended by experts in the know! A ham-handed hack can do a lot of damage in the attempt to do the repairs. There are only a few people in the country good enough to be trusted. I knew a couple people some years ago, but do not think they are still available, and I don't have any good recommendations at this time. I have done a fair amount of cast iron repair myself. I have done some good work I am proud of? And I have done some cheap and dirty repairs (simple repairs on cars not worth the expense or time, like a model T Ford engine block) that I would prefer to not admit to. So I know my way around it a bit. I will not do such repairs for others as frankly I am NOT good enough. Maybe later I will tell the incredible tale of what can actually be done by someone that knows what they are doing and doing it right.

Sad, on so many levels. Nice looking car. Based on one photograph? I have seen a few very original Durant automobiles, basically, this model. They may have been blue? But none I have seen were anywhere near that shade of blue.

Interesting! Don't recall ever seeing one before. But then, I don't pay much attention to late 1930s Ford trucks.

You say the engine is ruined? How so? You might be amazed at what a good shop can rebuild. Of course, you might be shocked at the cost also?

Looks to me more like a gas tank cap. From what I don't know. Probably late 1950s or 1960s from the style.

Stan Howe was considered by many people to be the world's best antique automobile carburetor specialist (no offense to Jon/carbking!). Stan was a brilliant and energetic fellow (auctioneer, writer, musician, and antique automobile hobbyist). Sadly (not unexpectedly), he passed away a couple years ago while working in his shop (he was in his 80s!). He had had a small machine shop, and was proficient in machinist work large and small (had a watchmaker's lathe!). For antique automobile work, he specialized in antique era brass carburetor rebuilding. He knew, truly understood, how a carburetor worked. He could make any part they needed, and had a couple engines of different sizes set up to test run carburetors and aid in their adjustment. He was considered by many to be the go-to guy for early carburetors, and rebuilt many of the rarest of the rare of them for private collectors and museums all around the world. Ten years ago, several people would have quickly sent you to Stan Howe. Also, ten years ago, before he retired, Jon/carbking here was still rebuilding carburetors for collectors all over the world, and would have done just as well with it! Unfortunately, a lot of the hobby's best craftsmen are slowly going away. Maybe we should just chain Jon to his workbench? (Just KIDDING!)

I knew someone about twenty years ago that had an almost identical car. His was beautifully restored, near show condition (he paid top dollar for it because it was so nice!). It was a great nickel era tour car. I know the upholstery on this one isn't quite right, but what I can see doesn't look too bad (I do wonder what is hiding behind the turned up rear seat cushion?). I wish I could jump on this one, as long as I didn't find too much serious damage hiding from the photos. But I cannot afford to consider any such thing right now. Odds are that about a month of clean up and some tinkering on the mechanics would have a marginally usable car. Never know what problems sorting might find. But that is part of the fun. One always has to fix a few things.

Thank you, and you are welcome! The mechanical brakes are an arguable point. I am biased, with my interest in earlier cars. The fact is, that many people are afraid of mechanical brakes for many reasons. Not the least of which is they do not understand them. They feel that brakes were actuated mechanically because people back then did not know better. General Motors mechanical brakes in the 1930s were actually quite effective. In the mid 1920s, as hydraulic brakes were becoming more available, most people feared them. People believed the newfangled things were unreliable, therefore unsafe. And to some extent, they were right. While Chrysler adopted the hydraulic brakes early, and helped fuel further development of hydraulic brakes, most other automakers weren't ready to accept them, and instead had their engineers improve the mechanical systems for mechanically actuated brakes. By the early 1930s, GM's mechanical brakes worked quite well. There are a few minor advantages to modern power assisted and disc brakes. However, the ultimate reality is that maximum braking ability is between the rubber and the road! Maximum braking is just before the wheel locks and goes into a skid. How that magic point is reached doesn't really matter. As long as you can press the pedal hard enough to lock the wheels, and develop the skill to not lock the wheels? All the modern improvements to braking won't make much difference. (Although arguably, that last ten feet might be THE difference?) For collector cars, I personally prefer mechanical brakes! Collector cars often are made to sit for lengthy times, and hydraulic brake systems can go bad from lack of use. It is not uncommon for a car to sit for awhile, and then be taken out and have the brakes fail within a couple hundred miles. Mechanical brakes on the other hand, can often sit for a coupe decades, and with nothing more than a few squirts of oil at a few key points be as good as the day the car was parked. If they sit long enough, in poor conditions, damp or whatever? Mechanical brakes might rust up and freeze, becoming partially or completely unusable. In that case, they would require a fair amount of work to get them working properly again. The most important aspect of mechanical brakes is that they be serviced well, and PROPERLY adjusted! Some parts do require a bit of oil occasionally (especially cables through flexible tubes!). And the pull angle of levers is critical! For mechanical brakes to work properly, those two things are most important.

I highly recommend joining the AACA, and especially a local group. You may want to inquire about how much of their local memberships fools around with the early cars. I know that a few of this forum's best members with early cars are in Pennsylvania, or nearby. However, don't write off the HCCA entirely. While the national club is basically strict pre1916, something of which I fully support (yes I am one of those die-hards in the HCCA, and proud of it!). The national club does recognize that the needs of local Regional Groups can vary, and allows them to to include somewhat newer cars in their clubs as active members and participate on local tours and events. The Regional Group I belong to in California is still primarily pre1916, however, allows older members to participate in local activities with cars somewhat later than 1916. Many Horseless Carriage members have nickel era or other cars from the 1930s. You could have good luck finding help in either the AACA or the HCCA. I am not very good at searching forums for past discussions. However, a couple (few?) years ago, Ed in Mass did quite a thread on reviving his 1917 big White touring car, including a radiator and block flush using (I think?) Evaporust (may be misspelled?)? Maybe someone here better than I can find a link to it? Others have done it since, and it seems to cure a lot of overheating issues. What type of radiator does your Maxwell have? I have known several Maxwells over the years and have seen both honeycomb type and tube and fin type radiators on them. Honeycomb (cellular) type radiators can be very difficult to clean out by traditional methods. The cellular shapes cannot be rodded out in the typical way, and sometimes do not respond well to simple boiling out of the core. The longer slower flowing of Ed's method did a much better job of cleaning out the old radiator. Tube and fin radiators are different issues. They are easier to clean, can be rodded out, then boiled. However, they also have a failure mode that is very difficult to fix. When manufactured, the fins are made, and punched with a lot of holes for the tubes to press into. The pressed together tubes and fins conduct heat effectively and flowing air carries the heat away keeping the engine plenty cool enough. However, with age, corrosion builds between the tubes and fins, reducing the thermal conductivity, and the air can no longer carry away enough heat to keep the engine from getting too hot. If this has happened, it can be very difficult or impossible to fix it. Model T Fords used tube and fin radiators from the factory throughout their seventeen year run. Honeycomb type were made and sold as after-market replacements. I have had good luck running originals of both types. Hopefully, yours will work out fine.

I try to avoid using significant acids or even strong bases for brass cleaning. Those chemicals do draw the softer metals (zinc) out of the brass, result in hardening of the brass, and sheet brass like in headlamps or radiators become more brittle and prone to cracking. A couple years ago, I started working on a really nasty looking brass radiator for future use on one of my brass era Ts. I mixed a diluted molasses bath, and after taking the radiator halfway apart, left the pieces in the bath for about two months. During the soaking, I pulled pieces out several times to check their apparent condition. After the long bath, the color of the brass was a bit on the red side, indicating some loss of zinc. However, the dented pieces straightened well, and there has been no other sign of material damage. I haven't been able to get back to it and finish it for two years now, but am hoping I can finish it and hopefully have a usable radiator. I was hesitant to use even that mild of an acidic solution, however, the radiator was so bad that repair would have been nearly impossible without it. I need to spend a couple hours soldering to reassemble it. I had bought it years ago off eBay really cheap expecting to only use it for pieces (back before shipping cost skyrocketed!). Upon receiving it, I found it to be in better condition than I expected, in spite of the obvious corrosion and badly dented upper tank. I tend to like the look of slightly tarnished brass. Our local HCCA Regional Group used to have an annual "green brass" tour in late winter. The idea was to bring the brass era car out for one tour before spending a day polishing the brass for the tour season.

Hey, and we get to bump it back up to the top a couple times! Looks like a nice one. Good luck with the sale.