SC38dls

OH Henry! Welcome to the best forum you can find for old cars. A big hint - we like pictures of cars. We like to know where you are located. We like to know what’s your main interest. We like to know your skill. We’re not nosy it just helps in answering questions you may come up with in the future. Did I mention we like pictures? If not we really like pictures. I’m sure you will even get more nice welcoming responses if you post some pictures. dave s ps- I think some of us like pictures because we can’t read so well. That’s just a personal experience on my part but I know everyone likes pictures for sure.

Pick one and as Nike says just Do It ! Both will be used if your like most of us. I would love to have a barn again with or without concrete. Pour more if you can or put down plywood if possible. Get as much good clean working room as you can and just do it. Have fun, get it on the road asap and drive it. dave s

Where do you live? What is your daily drive like, miles, rush hour, school, shopping all different requirements that would determine use. dave s

I worked for Burroughs Computers when I first got out of college and Detroit was the training center. They put us up in the Sheridan Cadillac hotel right downtown. Detroit in the early 70’s was not a great place but we had a great time. Friday night jazz bands on the top of the Fountain hotel (?) a great place called Jim’s garage. If it’s still there and the neighborhood hasn’t gone to being too bad go. Detroit deserves a break and all the help it can get. It seems they are trying. dave s

That’s how the people sitting in those seats got out before they cooked! dave s

The reason to listen to your insurance company then make a rational decision based on what you can afford, in my opinion- if that’s worth anything. I had my 38 insured for a guaranteed 15,000 through Hagerty. I got in a fender bender that destroyed the grill beyond repair, dented the left front fender, crumpled the right front fender, and broke both fog lights. The INDEPENDENT estimator Hagerty used assessed the damages at over $32,000 ! He had new engine side panels, realignment of hood, new chrome belt lines on the hood, bumper guards and a $20,000 parts car!😳. Hell, the parts car was worth more than my original drivable insured car. When I pointed this out to my agent and said I would settle for 3/4 of the estimate with out the parts car instead of having it totaled for the $15000 guarantee Hagerty was very happy. I spent approximately $2800 on the total repairs of the $9000+ settlement amount. I had to do the work but the $2800 included the tools I needed to do it plus I had ( and I think a lot of forum members did too) fun doing it. Hagerty was good, recently I received the same type of notice from them and jumped at the chance to increase my value by $10,000 for a cost of less than $20 a year. After knowing how easily it is to have your car considered total for a very minor accident I will go for a higher value every time they offer it to me. dave s pics below to show before, during and after repairs.

Have you tried an SOS pad. Not sure if it will take this type of stain off but it works well on everything else. It does take elbow grease also! dave s

If a car is done so well it can be in a show that’s great. I enjoy seeing those cars very much. I just don’t understand the nitpicking of the point system. But that’s ok because I still get to enjoy them while the owner has to figure out how to get that last point or two. If that’s what he/she enjoys great, it’s part of the hobby I’m not a judge or any type of expert on old cars I just enjoy them. Except for the seats in my 38 my car was original but it would never qualify for a survivor class in a show because I drive it. All the survivors I’ve seen in shows are pristinely clean. Yet the odometer has thousands of miles on them. Does the judge take points off because I’m driving on dirt roads and pristine cars like that drive on red carpets? It makes no sense that a survivor after 20 years wouldn’t have a few dings and scratches. As originally asked how does a judge decide and not use personal preferences? dave s ps- That’s why I drive instead of show but just my choice. Shows are fun.

The bus is nice to look at and everyone has a view. But no thanks to a ride, a hot day in jolly old England like they sre having now I would imagine you could cook at least a hundred people or so an hour! dave s

To me personally I think it’s way more fun to drive the car than nitpick about a license plate date! But that’s just me. dave s

Ed, hope all is well with the family. dave s

Ed, are you open to accepting Crown Royal bribes? You probably will be thirsty after answering all these guesses. dave s

54 Ford a fraternity brother had at college in the sixties. He could never figure out how people were using his car.

The name ! 😳. I know a smart a$$ answer. dave s

It must have been when everyone else made a wrong turn and they got caught on camera. dave s

I don’t have a 37 but do have a 38 State Commander. I’m in Aiken SC. Where are you located? dave s

I think if I owned those three cars I would drive one every day! Enjoy them as much as possible they will most likely outlast you if you take care of them. Have fun. dave s

We all want Ed’s hands and brains if any prewar cars breakdown on a drive. I struggled with a problem for two weeks he diagnosed and fixed the distributor in less than 15 minutes then set the points so well it decreased the running temp and increased the gas mileage by 2 miles per gallon. I would let him ride in the back seat instead of the trunk too. dave s

I’ve had an Autozone 6 volt in my 38 Studebaker for 6+ years now. It’s a daily driver I take out 4 or 5 times a week and it’s still cranking fine. dave s

Always carry duck tape and some extra wire. Tom, that was a heads up fast fix to keep you going. To me that is not a tractor mechanic fix it’s a McGiver fix. Got the job done and on your way. I too have enjoyed this tread and your adventures. Hope next year the two of you can do it again. It looks like you will pass within a couple hours drive of Aiken so I will definitely be going somewhere to see it in person. dave s

Don’t forget the availability of information on a model A repair was not around when these cars were in use. Even today the internet is not always accessible out in rural America. Farmers had to be able to get a car running on their own with what they had as even parts were not easy to get as today. The important part was to get it running not to make it pretty or concours correct. Sometimes a current day so called “tractor mechanic “ was considered as good as we think of the master mechanics we have available to us lucky AACA forum members. dave s

New technology is not always good. It was built using an old style battery and that what she likes. Nothing wrong with that she just is set in her ideas of what is right and what isn’t her style. Give her what she wants and I bet she will be a happy camper. I know she is a darn good looking lady and deserves to be treated with the utmost care. I’m not trying to be a male chauvinist pig by calling your car a ‘she’ or ‘lady’ it’s just a fine looking car and I’ve always called my cars ‘she’s’ besides I’ve never known a guy to look that good just ladies have that virtue. dave s

VL2 sorry I thought the optima was in the truck. Bummer it goes bad that quickly at the cost of those things. I’m glad I’ve stayed 6volt positive ground on my 38. I’ve had the battery 6 years but I drive the car 4 or 5 times a week. Good luck hope you get it home and back it it’s warm snug bed so you get to drive it again soon. dave s

The negative can go anywhere on the truck dave s

Check your truck for a place to connect to jump the truck not at the battery. It usually has a red plastic cover often square with a plus (+) on it you will get a better connection. dave s