C Carl

This Oriental intrusion happens fairly frequently here. But I don’t know what implications may be. I sure don’t know what they want. - Carl

Has your windshield been replaced with safety glass ? - Carl

Kurt has ordered 7:00x21 Lesters. Blockley could not deliver in time. I bought my Lesters for the ‘24 30 years ago. They still seem just fine to me. 40 psi front, 36 rear. The Lesters were on the ‘27 when I bought it, and I figure they are at least 20 years old. Any comments regarding the quality of current production vs. decades past ? And tube concerns ? - Carl

Hi Ben, yeah, the owner told me the old machine just loafs along at 90 turning 1800 rpm. But I didn’t get a ride. - Carl I just added this picture. Good insight into big mid-1920s high performance cars.

Kurt’s car is equipped with later, (‘26-‘27) Cadillac wheels and 7:00x21 tires. He would like to drive his car extensively, and tire quality is important. Blockley tires are of the very highest quality available. They look more period correct than the modern looking tread on my ancient Lesters. Available in 7:00x21, the Blockleys on this 1926 Speed Six Bentley frequently see 100+ mph, and in the eyes of this beholder, look period compatible. Check flap and tube availability. Total price may come in under the bill for inferior bubble gum made in who-knows-where. - Carl.

Let’s see : That got it !

YES ! Collateral benefit is protection from destructive UV sunlight, and rain. - CC NOW I HAVE THE UPSIDE DOWN CURSE. I HAVE EVEN COPIED THE PICTURE INVERTED IT, AND ADDED BOTH VERSIONS. Both came out insisting to provoke me. I’ll mess with it later, but now Sandy and I are going to my brothers house.

.............. this morning on my way to the local Mc joint : a ‘53 Mark Vll pulled up and parked. So many middle class car guys of my generation got to play Jag. Few can play that game these days, but so it is with cool cars bought at the bottom of the price curve. Generation before us got to similarlyplay the Antique and Classic game. And on it goes................ Vll got so much so right ! - Carl

Somewhat embellished indeed, Dave !, But the guys and gals of our American Luckiest Generation actually lived in a bit of an “American Graffiti “ period. Right ? I don’t think kids today live that semi innocent , carefree, mythical “Ozzie and Harriet” embellished existence we did. I ran a mean still down in the chem lab after school, cookin’ up a bit of white lightnin’. I was in A.P. chemistry and served as a kind of T.A. to the regular chem class, so my distillation technique was extremely precise. I’ve sipped a bit of high quality ‘shine over the years since. In retrospect, mine seen after the passage of so many decades compares well. But I am quite sure I have embellished the quality in my mind. To keep an antique car connection here, I drove a dark green ‘49 Cad model 62 sedan back then. Would have been a cool rum runner in some circles back when it rolled off the line. For the times, they were a very fast reliable vehicle which handled quite well. 1950 Cads placing 10th and 11th at Le Mans goes to prove that !! Oh those high school hi jinx early ‘60s days ! Never to be repeated ! - Carl

Hi Lump, I really enjoyed reading about your Grandpa and your fun with his ‘57 Chevy wagon. Well, I am older than your Grandpa was at the time, but that anecdote is objective proof that not only was he once a young high school lad, but could still remember being one ! 🙂😊❤️ - Carl

Thank you Glenn ! No , here is the only solution I could use. This incident is only a peep at what is going on on my old age, (77 in 2 months), as I move my house and two loaded 2 car garages to my last stand. But the overall situation is good. Tick season out here. After crawling over, and lying on , the ground I have only found one tick on me, not yet dug in. The very best news is that I have worked long and hard for 4 tough days without incident. I did not think I had that in me. Gives me unexpected optimism that I could yet have enjoyable active life into my eighties. This realization is precious to me, and means I may be able to spend long periods of time for days touring the old Cadillacs. What a magnificent retirement dream to share with all my friends in AACA, hopefully even in person ! Here to share is the present status. Three huge empty crates will have to be pulled off the trailer and stacked. I enjoy the challenge of the seemingly impossible. In the previous picture you see some of the huge blocks I have which will be fundamental to the effort. I hope my rigger self can do the job with two helpers. The picture over the roof of the suburban shows the glorious morning today. The wind has died down, and I wish I could stay. But : back to work. Thanks again everyone ! It is a remarkable privilege to be among us all here. Grateful Alive, - Carl

Sitting down, ready to eat, should have mentioned the status update on the ‘22 Cadillac sedan Patrick and his son bought from the forum here. The one that the long time owner totally dismantled to the collective dismay among us all. Remember that green one for sale at a pretty attractive price ? Anyway, it was dismantled right where the parts were piled and never moved, thus everything is still there. Right down to the complete tool roll, and original bill of sale. Includes a tool that even has Patrick scratching his head in wonder ! Patrick had hoped the mileage was low, but he found the speedometer with about 80 thou’ on it. Good thing all engine work has an “in house” solution. They planned on getting a lot done this last Virus Winter, but with the problems upon problems upon misfortune, couldn’t get to it. Best wishes to Patrick Reeve and family. - Carl

Free at last, free at last ! Yessir. And more where this’n came from. Thank you, Fossil. Almost finished unloading the suburban. Best wait for a dawn departure. Don’t like night driving at all, mountains or flatland.

Thank you guys. Thank you VERY much. Yes, it has been sitting for at least 1/2 year. I PB blasted it, and tried every possible combination of effort. Time to pull the pin and drive off with an open receiver. Gotta pic up another trailer tomorrow morning, but I have many more balls mounted up. Just as I had slathered the PB into it, Patrick Reeve called, and I told him he was the only person in the world I would take a yap break with. He has been having an extremely tough year, he and his son hurt their backs pretty bad, and worst of all, his mom had a stroke. But we had some fun talking and laughing, and I got more engine knowledge necessary to make a go/no go decision on the ‘24 Cad I recently bought on the forum. Better hit it. Driving into the sun, and then over the mountains at night is not my idea of a fun drive. So when I get back tomorrow, will I have an easier time of it with the ball totally unloaded ? Thanks for taking Sunday night to help me. Out I go to chock the tires, and “pull the plug”. - Carl

Thank you very much ! I will go back out right now and report back. - CC

Never been stuck like this before. Everything seems o.k. Trailer just will not lift off the ball. I am getting late for my return drive over the mountains. Putting as much up force on the trailer Jack with the release shimmed all the way up and rocking it back and forth until the Jack jumps off the block, and more won’t budge it. Just drove over the mountains this way, no problems , nothing unusual. Should I just put full force of my USA made hi lift Jack under the tongue and full force it ? Or should pull the pin and drive the receiver off leaving zero weight at a dangle and try to work it off that way ? I wish I had been here before, because it must be something fairly simple. Thanks for any suggestions. Late and getting later, - Carl

Hi Kurt ! Man that Cad is looking good ! A suggestion before you take off, is to pull the distributor and set it up on a machine. Set and synchronize the points, and check bushing. Perhaps replace the bearing with a sealed one. And do not neglect to de-couple the direct exhaust heat to the intake manifold, and cap the ports on the exhaust manifold with steel plates. This trip will generate memories for life, and you want to tip the balance in favor of good ones. Hot intake on hot days raises the drivers blood pressure and temperature to the third power. As the miles and hours and days go by behind the wheel, your thoughts will turn to all sorts of state-of-the-art century old technology. Engine reliability is particularly fun to contemplate, as you realize what the Spirit of Saint Louis was about to do. Etc, etc, etc. For all of the forum : I have been talking to Kurt as he has been looking for a 1920s Cadillac. He is exactly the age I was when I bought my first “oldie” from Eastern Ohio, the beloved ‘24. Have always wished I had got the turn key car sorted for long distance driving as it awaited the snow to melt off the Rockies late June. Driving home with a chase and tool truck would have been a fantastic shake down cruise. But I wouldn’t have got far. Might have just made Indiana before the multiple plate clutchpak froze up. A sleepy parade car put back in heavy duty road service may well have that happen. If it does, you want to do some bearing replacement in the trans while it is out. Input bearings with scores of thousands of miles accumulated with inferior lubricants of the times, should be replaced routinely. But we just don’t know what the road holds for Kurt’s clutch. Sometimes they do seize up. On the other hand they sometimes loosen up. Sometimes they stay the same. I really treasure my phone calls with Kurt, and Jason as they discover the wonderful world of Roaring Twenties Cadillackin’. They bring me back to the enthusiasm I had when I was in the prime of my life. I am deeply grateful to the people on this forum who share their old car lives with me. I encourage all to include tips for Kurt as he prepares for departure scarcely over a month from now. Kurt, you are soon to be the most popular guy on forum. I hope you find companions for each leg of your trip. The rest of us all here will be “armchair shotgun riders”. Bon Voyage ! 😎, - CC P.S. Don’t let me forget to tell you of the lesson Gil Duffy gave me about driving interesting old machinery on the road. I would right now, but I am typically late.

I can not give you a specific answer. As you know, working strength and breaking strength are two different , but specific values. I am curious about this also, because I worry about the Gabriels and Watsons on my 1924 and 1927 Cadillacs respectively. They are original, with obvious implications. If I were rebuilding mine, without any info, I would go for the stronger material. However, it is hard to imagine any material back then as strong as nylon. Glad you brought this up. - Carl.

There is no 1 there. It is an artifact caused by the $ sign and the radio antenna in the line of sight. - Carl

Thanks for getting back to me, Shawn. I will leave the part in place so I know where it is. I am one of those unorganized people who wouldn’t know where their ears are if not for being permanently stuck to my head. If anyone is local to me needing this part, come and pull it and take it for free. $10 for my logistical efforts if mailed. - Old, slow, at best firing on 7, Carl.

Hi Shawn, I have this , and I am sure I can still pull it off for you. Would you be happy to pay $10 plus mailing from Washington State ? No hurry on my end, but you might find one local to you. It will have your name on it, just in case a closer one does not turn up in time for you. - Carl

Maybe even PARTICULARLY Caddy, Steve. ‘56 heads are prone to cracks. I have never owned a ‘56, have had ‘55 and ‘57, neither of which have the inherent ‘56 problem, so have no direct experience. But I have 2nd and 3rd sourced anecdotal substantiation. Also , the first picture seems to be of a different car. Not just the original wheels which seller says come with the car. First thing you notice is top car was an A/C car. Rear view mirrors appear different. Though I can’t tell for absolutely certain, top car does not seem to have the “eye”, whereas the for sale car definitely does have it. Personally, I think the seats are ugly. - CC

No, that is not a typo above. No, I actually forgot my age. That is the first time in my life that I did not know how old I am. I will not be 78 in two months, I will only be 77. I thought I already was 77, but I suppose I shouldn’t be too upset with myself. The doctors say I am physically more like a guy about 90. Makes people laugh when I explain my response to the typical “how are you (doing)” question : “Not too bad for a 90 year old !” I say with a great big sincere smile. So Drop’ : Did you treat yourself to a chat with Roy ? I take it that if you did, you came away empty handed. Sorry. I hope success is just around the corner for you. - Cadillac Carl

My friend Roy Lassen, (classicaccessories.org), has a lot of stuff like that. Give him a call : 805-569-7160. He is great to talk with, among reasons being that he is a 95 year old lifelong car guy. Also an ex B-17 pilot. That said, he is quite conversant, in good health, but at 95 and noticeably slowing down, he does need to move a massive amount of inventory. Whenever I visit him , I leave with more treasure and knowledge than I came with. You could mention that his friend Cadillac Carl with the 1927 Cadillac he loves sent you. Make him give you a good deal, and see if he has anything else you might not have realized that you need. Good luck, - CC P.S. Just for the fun of it here is a picture of Roy when we were on a dinner cruise 5 years ago. In some ways, Roy looks younger than I do, and in some ways he is in better shape than I am 2 months short of my 78th birthday. See if you can get him to remember the truly wild ride we had going home from the Cold Spring Tavern at dusk, Easter 2016. Fast descent down the steep, winding Old San Marcos Road in the hills above Santa Barbara, California. Pretty safe bet that was the most aggressive drive EVER in that tough old Cadillac. Ed himself would have been impressed, and awarded us a two thumbs up ! Roy said it reminded him of his driving style back in his “wheelman” days. Might as well include a picture of the ‘27 before we left “the tav’”.

Yeah Ben, and actually Pat Williams joined back on February 5th, so he is not some “one hit wonder”. He is one of us, and would certainly appreciate the help we have to offer. I do want to reiterate that location will be a large factor in the efficient disposition of the cars. As with most things, taking advantage of, and picking low hanging fruit is usually a no brainer. Someone wanting a car might be only a few dozen miles away. Likewise, a kind generous AACA member might be able to stop by and help. Where are you and/or the cars located, Pat ? All the best to you, and your wife’s family. - Carl