C Carl

Yes, I had seen your response, Mike. I seem to remember this taking place in the early A.M., our time on the West Coast. Bernie has had a tough time of it recently. Though the fires certainly put things in perspective, the horror really does pile on. - Carl

I witnessed in real time decision Bernie made to delete his fascinating, informative, voluminous contributions. There is an enormous amount of stress being inflicted on our Australian sisters and brothers currently, as the whole world understands. Battle fatigue would not be an overstatement. Combined with poor Bernie's last dream being shattered, perhaps his reaction can be understood. I again would like to suggest that no member take things too seriously around here, and please refrain from generating public personal attacks and criticism. Many of us regard this wonderful universe of helpful people as a peaceful escape from personal problems, some quite severe. Thank you all, - Carl

Uh oh. I better set the record straight. Some people take things quite literally : Hey, Jim, don't let my nonsense scare you. Actually, NONE of us bite. (Er, um at least none that I know of). 🤔. - Carl

Yes, specifically where in Washington ? Bloo of forum fame here cruises a '36 Pont' out of Wenatchee. I bounce back and forth between Seattle and E'burg. Lots of other Washington forum folk. Maybe we can help you avoid being taken advantage of this time. Sadly, I know only too well how that feels. - Carl

Just might be patina indeed. Please show more pics inside and out to confirm. - Carl

Happy New Decade to Cherrie, John, and all of you ! I hope you'uns get through it undiminished ! The new decade is but an hour old here on the West Coast, and I am incredibly happy with it so far !!!! 🕐 - Cadillac Carl

Deepest sympathy, Bill. You are a far tougher man than I am. I wish you an eventual full recovery. - Carl

Hi Mike ! Welcome to AACA forums ! But you need to post below in Parts Wanted. Also, you really should join Cadillac & LaSalle Club, and contact fellow members with 1903 Cadillacs. I understand that yahoo groups are being evaporated, and being resurrected elsewhere rather than on yahoo. It wouldn't hurt to introduce yourself just above in General Discussion, and explain the projects you are working on. Good luck, Mike. I hope you stick around here with us. - Carl

........... brake down.............. in the dark......... ????????? The DARK ????????? DARK ??????????? Please ----------- DO-------NOT--------DRIVE-------AT-------NIGHT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Plan on reaching your destination by around 3:00 in the afternoon. If you can't get there by dark, stay at some intermediate point. I have spent quite a few years of my life living and driving in Latin America. Scores of thousands of miles behind the wheel there. Some of my driving included moving about with U.S. and British Embassy personnel aboard. Part of embassy "drivers training" included admonishment against night driving, (oh : and what to do when - not "if" - you kill someone if you insist on driving at night). In YOUR situation, YOU are quite simply NOT equipped to deal with that possibility WHATSOEVER. And since you would not be able to put embassy's "what to do when" lesson to use, there is no reason to repeat it on forum. No fun in any case. DO NOT DRIVE AT NIGHT !!!!!!!!!!! Road Hazzard s abound in both high visibility situations and low. DO NOT DRIVE AT NIGHT !!!!!!!!!!!! O.K. Admittedly situations may arise in which there is a perceived need to drive at night. I hope you don't fall for it. But it is a good idea to have intense illumination capability. The best quality Off-road flamethrowers should be mounted as high as possible, (on the rack ?), and the mounting bolt threads disabled by welding. And just how theft resistant is all the external cargo/etc. ? Make it difficult to snatch and dash. You will be traveling to and through some extremely desperate regions. DO NOT DRIVE AT NIGHT !!!!!!!!! Seek advice from those in the know regarding the possibility of, and means to deal with robbery, armed or otherwise. You tell 'em that the notorious Cadillac Carl gave you some advice you need to second, (or third), source. You tell 'em CC advised you to do what they tell you. Relax, look down, don't talk among yourselves, and invite them to take everything they would like. Give it up with grace and sympathetic understanding. All you need is your lives. No resistance. I have walked in some of the most dangerous places in Mexico City. Technique is to wear ragged humble clothes, and especially beat up unattractive shoes, take a sufficient amount of money which might make someone very happy to have met you. Now if modesty is a part of your genetic makeup, I advise carrying a newspaper, I recommend Excelsior, and a roll of scotch tape. That way if they do take the shabby clothes off your back and backside, you can tape up a makeshift kilt. Mmmmmm mmmmmm......... and DON'T DRIVE AT NIGHT !!!!!!!!!!!! The whole point of my drawing from an unusually huge amount of living and driving in Latin America, (including night driving when absolutely necessary - not without some very serious consequences, by the way), is to help you and your family to avoid getting into the start of a really bad movie. That could turn into a REAL bad nightmare with eyes wide open in less time than a blink of just on of them. I'll be watching you. My Latin American experiences are the most valuable adventures of my life. Come home safely ! - Carl

Roger, John S, and all : I have heard of Pease, but as I am 3000 miles away, have never dealt with him. If my understanding is correct, there may be some inventory overlap period between him and Craig, BUT that in general, Pease is shifted farther towards the earlier end of the chronological spectrum, with Craig extended farther into the newer end. Is this true ? Would either conceivably have any parts for my mid '20s Cadillacs ? Thank you for any leads. - Carl Oh, and thanks also to you, ia-k : Please consider this old man's advice : don't take forum discussions too seriously or personally. No need to get upset and confrontational with your fine forum friends. I wish you a very happy decade of the new '20s, and many more !! - CC

Well hi there, Wayne ! Just surfing and skipping around the forum and saw your greetings. Thank you. I sure wish I could be of some help to you too, but all I can do is return greetings to you. I hope the new decade of the '20s is kind to you and yours. And many more !! - Carl

Hi, Sunny ! No link ? Say, I am certain that you are intimately familiar with the headwaters region of the Gila. I "discovered" that, and the 'dwellings and the "hot", (warm ?) springs while rather aimlessly wandering about, back road exploring, something like 15 years ago. Lucked out, I was one of the first cars in after the road had just been re-opened after several days of fire closure. How much would that area have changed since then ? Of course my impression of it was enhanced by the fact that so very few other people were there because of the road closure. Always cool to have remarkable places almost totally to yourself. Fortunate also to have enjoyed the great Mayan ruins of Palenque, to only Sandy and myself and a couple of friends in the misty dusk during a "Norte" storm. You can't do that anymore. We had driven the mighty Off-road '71 Cadillac Eldo convertible down there right after the massive peso devaluation of '82. Virtually free gasoline, free living. Were any of you all able to get in on any of that ? Safe, adventurous driving, all. No matter what rubber you roll on. And have a Happy Rewarding New Decade !! - CC

Hi, ia-k, and a hearty welcome to our friendly, supportive group ! I don't offer constructive criticism that frequently here, and as a rule, try to avoid "butting heads". So please accept a gentle suggestion in the positive spirit in which I offer it. Put rather simply, if you have real interest and capability, why not, as in the case of the cleaner version of the "Mathematician named Paul", (you know, who "had a hexahedronical ball"), since you have Craig's "phone number - give him a call !". In case you have misplaced the number, I have gone to the trouble of looking it up for you : 516-485-1935. It is somewhere between incredibly difficult, and impossible, to change a person. Understanding that truism can become a valuable compass with which to navigate the often stormy seas of life. From time to time, one simply has to engage with another person on THEIR terms, in the context of THEIR reality. Here : let me give you an example. See the frontal view of that 1924 Cadillac in the square to the upper left corner of this here "Sunday's Sermon" ? It is an original, unrestored 7 passenger touring. Hard to find if that is the one such ancient specific rare car you are hunting. After only 3 years, an ad popped up in Hemmings. Never have seen such a non-informative ad. Just the car model, no price, no phone number, no condition, no address, no nothing. Nothing but a P.O. Box in the name of R. Pierce, (did any of you old guys know Ray ?), in Akron-Canton, Ohio. That was 30 years ago. I guess you might say I had been presented with an opportunity of a lifetime, because I have never seen such a good deal on one of 'em since. If I hadn't played it Ray's way, but just turned around and second guessed him, and didn't drop a line to the 'Box, I would have missed out. See what I'm getting at ? I have never had the pleasure of meeting or speaking with Craig. He's been here for a few years, and I always have been impressed with the way he conducts business, and the relationships he has with other forum members. He is certainly not a Princely Predator. What he is, is a guy enduring the untimely toughest stage of his now shortened life. Many of the people here, mostly in our 60s, 70s, and 80s, myself included, are in various stages of our terminal illness. Even some of our younger members are enduring and adjusting to such misfortune. You can't walk far enough in their shoes, or roll far enough in their 'chairs to fully understand what they are going through. Can we all here in our Sunday congregation to which we warmly welcome all newly converted, take a lesson, please ? Can I get a witness ! Pray for Craig, and let him call his own hymns. If the spirit so moves you, go ahead and get up and dance. "It won't hurt you". And it won't hurt, if you really might want to dance, to get on the horn with Craig. This will be, to the right person, an opportunity of a lifetime. Remember that sparse ad in Hemmings ? Under these circumstances.............................. Craig, I hope you are and will continue to be comfortable. Hopefully your well-built business will soon find an energetic new proprietor. Count your blessings, all. As a lay member, I leave you appropriately with my nickname from over 60 years ago. - Deacon

The absolute necessity of properly checking the bearings when dropping and cleaning the pan can give you a go/no go answer as Bloo warns above. You may also find a "take it very easy" result, to last you for a limited amount of miles. You know : heavy-up the oil. keep your foot out of it, and spend some of your discretionary slow driving time doing other things. Like working some overtime to pay for that which you can not do yourself for the impending overhaul. Another component seldom mentioned, is timing chain and gears condition. The the results of checking these can also mean no go in some cases. - Carl

Keep the book and buy a Cadillac to go along with it ! So say : - Cadillac Carl

Terry, I believe cousin there is just rigging some kind of "Rube Goldberg Device" in order to amuse photographer and all. 🤔🤪😂. - CC

(*) : hmmmmmmmmmmm............. Thinking, trying to remember so long ago, there just might have been a little Vaseline in the mix - not that it matters, I am not making any recommendations here 😏. - CC

And if I understand your terminology correctly , the width you mention is not an extremely critical dimension in this case. Not rim width, but rim DIAMETER as measured : Merry Christmas, and I sure hope the New Year turns out to be a very happy one for you. I know you have had some extremely trying times recently. - Carl

And Merry Christmas to you guys, Terry, Gary, and (if Gunsmoke will forgive me if I am assuming inappropriate familiarity), Harry. And to all who read this ! - Carl

It has been my experience that noisy water pumps are not well enough to be let alone. Maybe a necessary field repair I had to make before most o' youse in yer 50s were born, learned me up too well. My first long distance road trip in my own car which developed a serious leak as a pump packing failed just short of 1000 miles out. On the spot fix limited to assets on hand. Yarn and chewing gum were the only materials I could find. Continued outbound, and returned home, still dry ! After that "trial run", I figured I could leave well enough alone. And it did not let me down. Even if my water pumps are not calling out for timely help, I check them periodically anyway. Always try to wiggle the water pump fans when I look at a car I am buying, or about to start a long trip. Saved my tail feathers back in the late '60s. Back then, in more innocent times, there were opportunities to do delivery driving. Little Danish Dolly and I had flown from Europe to Nassau on a cheap flight on International Air Bahamas airline. Then got a delivery '65 Cadillac out of Miami to Chicago. Checked the H2O pump, and it was loose. Good thing I checked and repaired prior to departure. Back then, things could be very different than now. "Blondie" and I were denied service at a necessary hamburger stop. Waitress informed us they didn't "serve nobody but truckers. Hi-uh-puhs nyethuh !" Real good thing the 'pump had been replaced. Might have been awkward at some place that didn't work on nothin' but no trucks. Ca-di-laks nyethuh. I'll tell you. That li'l hamburger addict I was traveling with finally had her mind blown. In the new Olds we got out of Chi' town to Seattle, by the time we got to Wyoming, she was absolutely astonished that we were still driving. Corner to corner USA did not compute to the mind of a girl from such a tiny country as Denmark. Lesson here is that it is always better to fix a water pump a little early, than just a leeeeeTL bit too late ! And effin' you young'uns in yer 50s think you are old and slow, just think how 70, 80, and 90 will be. And yes, I do know there are a few exceptions. I hope some of you will be. On the average, it takes me a whole 7 day week to do what I could do in my prime in a day. Some days I worked all day doing what would literally kill me in 10 or 15 minutes today. MERRY CHRISTMAS, Matt and y'all ! And for a happier New Year, please wear this shoe if it fits : If you are experiencing anguish and stress, toiling in this trying life, please treat YOURSELF as you would have OTHERS treat YOU. All the VERY BEST, - Cadillac Carl

Affordable is defined by the individual. Right now, I can't afford a new pair of shoes, and can't afford the stakes to "throw bones" in hopes of doing so. When the house sells, affordable will be far more optimistic. Happy hunting ! - Carl

Well, OK, I did it. I took the perhaps indecent liberty to differentiate between the original proposition, that regarding the one and only dream car you would have, money being irrelevant, if you could have but one. Having another AFFORDABLE dream car is quite a different subject. With due respect to Jeff Perkins, and fellow members, if taking such liberties is deemed inappropriate, and mixing the two almost opposite aspirations is preferable, I will gladly delete the topic I just started. As I posted, a Model T Ford is a conceivable next possession. A 1930 Mercedes-Benz SS38/250 is as impossible for me as re-floating and re-commissioning the Titanic as a yacht for me. - Carl

As we all know, Jeff Perkins / MN has started an extremely popular topic which has us submitting the one dream car we would have (if wishes were horsepower ?), in our garage. Some are more modest and more down to earth in our daydreams. So to differentiate between the original intent, and what might, just MIGHT be feasible, I submit this extrapolation from Jeff's fun topic. Wishing all of you a very MERRY CHRISTMAS, and if you don't find that next car under the tree, here's hoping a HAPPY NEW YEAR gives you the opportunity for it ! I'll start : When I cash in my Seattle house, I might be able to swing my "AFFORDABLE dream car", some inexpensive but road ready iteration of a T - Model Ford. With thanks to Jeff and all, in this case not "Cadillac", just plain, - Carl

Hi Joe. Could you or Ed please post a picture of this close tolerance bushing ? If very close tolerance is needed, you must find a shop that operates inside and outside grinders which can take your job. I have recommended in the past that such jobs can be done by companies which rebuild hydraulic cylinders. A good machinist can accurately cut to a significant fraction of a "tenth", (of a thousandth). If that will cut it for the transmission bushings. go ahead and whittle 'em out if the process is efficient. However, not everyone is familiar with the routine capabilities of grinders. For example : In order for seals to hold against extremely high hydraulic pressure, the surfaces must be very smooth and accurate. After the surface is finely and precisely ground, it is then hard chrome plated. The grinders last job is to then take out the miniscule micro ripple inherent to the plating process. Man, you can't do THAT with cutting tools. Yeah, let's see what these bushings look like.................... Thanks, - CC

Not only that, but I'm pretty sure Joe knows what he is doing. The question I have is how hard could it be to make a bushing ? - Carl