wayne sheldon

OOH! I like it already! I think I clicked in to read the recent posts twenty times yesterday! Seventeen inch tire era is not quite my target interest, so I am having trouble coming up with a good guess (I generally stay at twenty inch or above!). I did think of the Terraplane and the Franklin, but someone beat me to those.

Robertson screws are so very much better than Phillips screws! If you haven't used them, you just don't know! I cannot figure out why this country ever embraced the Phillips screw as the common standard. They are inconsistent. They are junk! The fit is completely hit and miss between the screw and the driver. They strip and wear out quickly (because the fit is never right!). Trying to hold the driver and screw together to get them started and fighting the lousy (lack of) alignment causes pain and suffering and stains your walls and floors with blood. I cannot imagine that Robertson screws could cost that much more to manufacture than does the Phillips? The driver and screw have a natural "set" that holds together in alignment (they are slightly tapered squares), and nearly eliminates ALL my complaints about Phillips screws! I have greatly disliked Phillips screws since before I was ten! When I was introduced to the Robertson screws a few years later, I loved them! I even had to make a screw driver to fit Robertson screws one time when I ran into some. It was easy and I still have it. When I was working with cutting edge new technologies for communications systems, we used some equipment that had Robertson screws, and bought a set of drivers for them. Four driver sizes, one of which would fit perfectly every Robertson screw we ever ran into after we got them. Shall I go on? No, I want to see and hear more about this wonderful Packard! Congratulations on a great find!

The Vanderbilt estate White is left-side driven, so I would guess mid 1910s. I notice the oil sidelamps are "inside spade-mount" model T knockoffs. Except for the main body which is of course the "spade-mount", most of the pieces are the same as the ones used by Ford. Ford's were manufactured to Ford's specifications by at least three companies in the USA as well as Classco (sp?) in Canada. The two most common were Edmund & Jones, and John Brown Manufacturing Co in Ohio. I don't know just how many, but more than one of the companies that manufactured the oil sidelamps for Ford, also manufactured similar lamps and sold them as after-market replacements, and direct to other automobile manufacturing companies to use on their cars. Those after-market and other lamps came in several altered configurations, both in spade mount and bolt mount similar to what the model T used from 1915 onward. I have a pair (a right and a left) of a set sold to use as night work lamps to be mounted on the back of trucks so that they could be loaded or unloaded in the dark. Some years ago, I saw a copy of an advertisement showing them mounted on the back of a TT truck cab. My set has the bolt mount on the side of the lamp instead of the back of the lamp as Ford used, as well as different clear lenses and smaller side lenses opposite the bolt mount. I have seen the spade mount versions used on several low production cheaper cars of the mid 1910s, sometimes showing in original advertisements. (Wish I had some copies to share?) I would be curious to see if this White's sidelamps have the round or squarish inner chamber/reflector. Ford used the round inner piece from 1915 until about 1918. And then the squarish one from 1918 until the end of model T production on cars sold without the electric (battery, starter, generator) package. The lower cost no starter cars were a lot more common than most people today want to believe. Although the lower cost non-demountable wheel rims were even more popular! Which style inner piece they have would narrow down the age of the lamps, and therefore the vehicle. But of course, there are better ways to date the vehicle (serial number!). Of course, I don't know if this White's oil sidelamps were original to this vehicle or not? But I suspect they may have been.

The entire top looks totally wrong, and should likely be thrown away. It may actually be a bit earlier? The 1912 MW and MA models had a different front end ahead of the dash. I am fairly sure this style front wasn't officially used after 1911. The 1912 MW and MA models are considered by some to be more truck than car. Although IHC did continue to offer optional "Sunday go to meeting" seats for the back which could be taken out for farm or work hauling during the week, and put back in for family outings or church. Those seats were offered up until about 1915, after which, IHC continued with trucks and farm equipment.

1924 Rickenbacker?

I saw the thread title and wondered what in the world could the famous fake photograph be? I clicked on the link and as soon as it began to load I chuckled aloud as I recognized it well before it finished loading! However, I had never read the story behind it! So thank you for that. Early days of racing are filled with amazing stories of crashes and unbelievable survival! And unfortunately, a lot of fatalities as well. Speeds were much higher, but cars somewhat safer by 1931. Any way you look at it, he was very lucky to walk away.

I like the car! I hope it treats you well. Fifty years ago, I had a good friend that had a 1929 Cadillac five passenger sedan. It was a great riding car then. I often wonder what became of the friend, and the several nice cars he and his dad had.

Pleased to see that you are still around! Remember that pendulums like to swing back and forth in a singular direction. When homes on wheels are in motion? Best to remove the pendulums. A rubber band can be carefully used to anchor them also. Hopefully we will see you become a regular on here!

That looks a lot like the 1929 Reo Flying Cloud Master semi sport coupe I had fifty years ago. Only mine was never that far apart. I did minor mechanical work on mine. The body was decent, and the interior was actually still quite nice. It was a great driving automobile! Beautiful woodwork by the way!

I don't recall ever seeing that photo before? However, willing to stick my neck out for discussions sake? I don't mind making a fool of myself from time to time? My first wild guess would be Amelia Earhart. It looks a lot like her. She was known for attracting crowds, especially children. And sometimes drove a Kissel similar to that. But I cannot make out enough details in the photo to be sure of anything. I believe that her "Yellow Peril" was a 1923 Kissel Goldbug. Not sure which model.

I got a Studebaker pocket watch to go with my antique Studebaker years ago. And I have an antique Elgin pocket watch. I wish I could get this to go with my watch!

At the time, I had some serious misgivings about it. However, my dad sure had fun at a meet about forty years ago. He had grown up on his grandparent's cattle ranch near the Northeastern corner of Nevada high desert, during the depression. The meet was the Friendship Day meet still put on by the Mid Peninsula Old Time Automobile Club (a good local independent antique car club). It was an open invitation to all area clubs and non club individuals to bring whatever you want to show off in a nonjudging show. It often had an attendance of between five hundred and a thousand cars in those days! My dad loved going to car shows, but rarely did. It was usually something he was "going to do" later. But this time, he and mom showed up in the modern car, but he didn't wander around much. Some fellow, I didn't know him, never even heard who it was, brought some big steam tractor of around 1900 in on his company truck. He managed to get it unloaded, and tried to show it off. It became obvious to everyone that he really knew nothing about it, but it was still an immediate hit with people. Then my dad wandered by. He had always loved tractors, and the bigger the better. Although he had little practical experience (some, just not a lot), and he had grown up around a few similar steam tractors and railroad locomotives, he and the fellow that brought the tractor talked a lot. The next thing I know, someone tells me that my dad is helping the fellow fire up the boilers and checking the thing out for nobody knows what! Now, my dad was a brilliant man, well versed in physics, an electrical, structural, and construction engineer. But this was a bit out of his wheelhouse so to speak. Frankly, I had visions of the thing blowing my dad and itself to bits! It didn't help any that my dad had lost an eye in a dynamite accident on a construction site when I was twelve! (It was someone else's fault!) (But getting literally blown up once should be enough for anybody!) I didn't know what condition the thing was in? The owner obviously knew almost nothing about himself! An hour later, the owner and my dad are driving the thing all over the show grounds! And they continued for a couple/few hours! The tractor, and my dad, were the hit of the show! Nothing bad happened (Thankfully!), and I am sure that in part was due to my dad taking reasonable and intelligent precautions. In retrospect? I suspect it was one of the best days in my dad's life! He liked to be the center of attention. And he rarely got to be center stage at anything like a several hundreds of great cars type showing. A few years later, I was at another Friendship Day meet. A few conversations I heard asked "Were you here the year that guy drove the steam tractor around?" I would just smile.

Mark S, Arcata is a nice old town also. It has been a few years now since I have been there. But their town square looked like something out of a movie. The old road out to Samoa was always a pleasant drive. And the Samoa Cookhouse used to be wonderful for those that like rustic beyond casual dining! Prairie Creek Park was one of the family's favorite places to visit for decades. Been there many times.

While certain aspects of this are frightening. And a feeling of hopelessness creeps in alongside worry and the realization of your vulnerability? In the long run, you will benefit from the antique automobile experience in many many ways. And, believe it or not, this is one of the things that you will benefit from. Antique automobiles connect their caretakers to history and understanding in many ways that no modern car can. History becomes more personal, you become connected to your own past and family in ways you never imagined! You also become connected to realities of life, past, present, and future, you will understand so many things so much more than you did before. One of the realities you will understand better is your responsibility to yourself! Your responsibility to your own safety, as well as the safety of others. Most people are born sheep. They will be as good or bad, as smart or stupid, as they are taught to be. When they are taught that the responsibility is always someone else's? When they are raised to believe that some corporation and their car is going to save them from themselves and every other idiot on the road? They believe that and they drive accordingly. But those things are not reality. The idea that someone else is going to always care for you or protect you from harm is a fantasy! Anything that adds significant enjoyment or quality to one's life involves some amount of risk. And antique automobiles are no exception. People have been killed driving their antique automobiles (including a few people I have known). However the understanding that one usually gains from the antique automobile hobby is also likely to help you live better, and may help you to save yourself from other people's foolishness and recklessness. You will be a better driver of anything you drive because of what the antiques teach you. Probably a better worker, a better family man, and better friend to yourself and others, because of what the antique cars teach you. You will likely also make better friendships with better people. Enjoy the journey.

Kelsey would be a good probability.

Ford I don't think ever used a 17 inch OD wooden rim. They did use a 17 inch Fordite (plastic/rubber composite) rim for a couple years. And a considerable number of after-market accessory steering wheels were offered and sold with 17 inch OD wooden rims. A lot of the accessory rims were fancier than this, however some were rather plain. In addition to Ford, many, dozens? Many dozens? Many other cars would have used that size wooden rims. Four spoke spiders were the most common from the beginning up to about 1930, so this could probably fit and work really well for a hundred different cars. I have rebuilt a number of odd steering wheels, including a bunch of accessory ones for model Ts, over the years. It is common for the four screw holes to not quite line up with a spider that is slightly different than what the rim was on originally. Often, that is not a problem. Usually, it is just a minor shifting of the angle required. A careful drill and glue a dowel small piece in place of the original hole, and re-drill and put the screws in the place required to fit the now spider. The usual four spoke spider usually fits close enough that it covers the dowels once all assembled, and everything looks as good as new. A very nice looking rim! It wants to be placed between hands and spider and be driven for thousands of miles! As for the letter "K"? Most steering wheels I have looked at didn't have such a mark. But I have noticed a few that did have something like that. I don't know what they were from or what they meant.

One is from Montana, one from California. Where are they now? Makes a huge difference to anyone interested in them.

Walt G, Now, THAT is funny!

Bloo, Believe it or not, I lived in Ferndale for about four years. We moved there to be closer to family (BIG mistake!). Then moved to Grass Valley to get away from that same family. Except for the family issues, I loved living in Ferndale! Hundreds of miles of the best antique automobile roads in the world within thirty miles of my door! Beautiful Victorian village. A few areas best to know to stay out of? Including parts of the "Lost Coast". Most of the people were fine, and an amazing amount of them rarely if ever drove faster than 50 mph! So driving slow even on the highways was considered normal. I often passed modern cars with my antiques, even on the freeway! Coastal Highway 1 actually turns inland and ends at Leggett several miles South of Benbow. North of Arcata and especially North of Crescent City, It is the 101 that runs alongside the ocean. Much of that is still two lane as I recall. The last past time I drove up that way, there was still no cell service for about half the distance from Ukiah into Scotia (just South of Fortuna) One time, my son and I had to take Bell Springs Road from about ten miles North of Laytonville clear into Garberville in the dead of night during a torrential downpour because a mud slide had closed the 101! Fortunately, I had my DeLorme book with me. But no cell service for most of it.

Thank you for all that ply33! Comparing old road atlases, maps, and guide books can be fun! And frustrating. Highways changed a lot back in the day, guide books were updated, sometimes annually. Main roads got traded around for a variety of reasons, sometimes for better routes. Sometimes for local political reasons. Major realignments occurred during the various "works projects" building better roads during the depression. And even more during the great highways projects of the 1950s and 1960s. During the 1970s, budgets got cut back, and many highways were left unfinished. One little town on Hwy 101 in Northern California that was one of the worst bottlenecks and most hated towns in the state (by the trucking industry!) wasn't bypassed until about ten years ago. I had driven through that little town literally hundreds of times myself! I actually cheered when I first drove by it on the new freeway section! And I love driving through (most) small towns.

I have a bit of a problem connecting this highway 99 with the highway 99 that runs through most of California's Central Valley? However, I know that at some point in the middle of the last past century, they probably were all connected. When Interstate 5 was being built in the 1960s, it was run basically parallel to Highway 99 from deep in Southern California clear on up into Canada! Although some of it got moved around a bit, most of old Highway 99 in California still exists. Although it vanishes a considerable distance short of the Oregon border near Red Bluff California. At one time or another, I have driven almost every mile of California's current Highway 99. Nearly half of it in a model T. Again at one time or another, I have driven every mile of Highway 101 from the Southern terminus in Los Angeles into Portland Oregon. The parts from just outside Salinas California to beyond Eureka California I have driven hundreds of times! Also, at one time or another, I have driven every mile of Interstate 5 from San Diego up to where we turned off for Mount Rainier. Just thirty miles East down the foothills slope from me, Hwy 99 passes by Marysville CA. Ironically, I see it may have used to go through Marysville WA. Google Maps doesn't make it easy. I tried to see how much of it still exists as Hwy 99 through Oregon and Washington. I found several pieces here and there, but huge gaps where there was nothing showing "99". I imagine there are a lot of bits and pieces of what used to be Hwy 99 scattered through all three states! I wonder how much of it is marked as such? Thirty miles South of me, what was once known as the Lincoln Highway went through Auburn California. Parts of it later became known as Highway 40. Although somewhat unofficial, some of it is still marked as such. I also have trouble thinking of Hwy 99 as any sort of "coastal highway"? Most of it is roughly a hundred miles from the coast as the crow flies. By car? Most of Hwy 99 is nearly three hours from the ocean! (There just ain't no short way across that direction!) Most of Hwy 101 is around twenty to thirty miles inland from the ocean, and in places even it can take over an hour to reach the salty water! Although in some places it would be a five minute walk from your car. Hwy 1 is the real coastal highway. Parts of it are one and the same as parts of 101, and in areas where they split, Hwy 1 is closer to the ocean. Most of Hwy 1 is within a few miles. Actually, most of it? One can see the ocean from the highway if it isn't foggy. While today, it is Hwy 5 that most people really know and use? For decades, it was 99 and 101 that were the main North/South travel and transportation on this end of the continent. And Hwy 1 was the real "coastal route". So much history on those highways.

Pretty sure that is the Falcon Knight. 1927-28 as k31 says.

They are still around! Since I was mostly working on model Ts and early non-Fords, I had other suppliers I went to more often, because they concentrated on model As and V8 Fords. However, I bought things from them on several occasions thirty to fifty years ago! I think they were on Dell Avenue even then?

Yeah, I think you have bigger problems than just the rubber cord that did nothing more than look like something was there? My low mileage 1927 Paige 6-45 sedan has Weed Levelizers on it. They have steel cables between the Levelizers and the axles, front and rear. I have never had them apart, so I can't tell you what is supposed to be inside. My 1927 Paige 6-45 also has Weed bumpers front and rear, which were optional.

Must be an interesting story behind that Packard? And a hand crank in front? Frame and head lamp looks pretty messed up.