[BCA Centennial Award - R.I.P.]

Allow me to relate two tales which to me says the BCA does not care for early cars.  One weekend in the 90's the McLaughlin Buick club was coming to my town for a tour.  The fellow organizing the event invited me along even though I was not a member.  When my wife and I arrived driving our 1913 Buick for the 32 miles trip to the next town the club President told me to park over there and he would take us.

 

My 1915 McLaughlin was purchased from an ad, to me it means no club member would buy the car, even from a club Director who owned the car nearly fifty years.  A Canadian production Buick with a known history from new and unloved by the club.

 

When I drove Chevys I was a 25 year member of the VCCA, 25 years also in the HCCA and now 10 in the ACCA.  I've been known to say the BCA only like Roadmasters and Skylarks.  One day a fellow was telling me he was coming back from a trip the Pierce Arrow Society with his beautiful '13 Model 48 and I commented the people must have loved his car, he surprised me saying no, they like the chrome cars.  I do not know if that is true just another story I relate.

 

Respectfully submitted, my opinion, Gary

[Auburn - Buick Meet - Need Hotel or Restaurant Reservation ?]

I hope the Auburn/Buick meet is a smashing success and I am very sorry to miss it.  On the other hand I understand the measures are needed to control the Corona Virus, however, the US/Canada border must be open for us to attend the Old Car Festival by September.

 

The car I planned to bring to Auburn was my newly restored 1915 McLaughlin, it is not finished yet, maybe in next month.

 

Be careful, Gary

[owning, fixing and driving a Snapper's era Buick]

We have an upholsterer, Pat, who is doing a first class job of installing the leather diamond tufted seatbacks.  We work together a few hours during the afternoon on the McLaughlin in my garage after he finishes his day job.  Although he made the patterns and sewed them together at his home.

 

The first photo is the rear seatback stretched out on a frame with two rows of buttons installed which form the diamond shapes.  Then the front seatback stuffed with horsehair and nailed into the waiting car.  The final photo are a '48 Chevy and '41 Ford a local horse owner added to his fence row.

 

Stay well, Gary

 

[Auburn - Buick Meet - Need Hotel or Restaurant Reservation ?]

What he said, me too.  Gary

[owning, fixing and driving a Snapper's era Buick]

Driving our 1913 Buick on tour with a group of friends for the first time since last September.  Owen Sound, On is the home base for the weekend, finished the top job yesterday and the car is running well.  BBQ at the host's home this evening and a 50 mile drive with a picnic Sunday.

Stay well,  Bev and Gary

 

[1941 Packard 120 convertible coupe for sale, in London Ontario Canada Concours Winner]

The owner and Packard live an hour from RM Sotheby's head office, likely the largest retailer of antique cars in the world.  I have an interesting car which I have offered to some friends without any takers, when my time comes to sell the car it will be offered by RM.  I am not having the public coming to my house from a Kijiji ad, run down my pride and joy to try to get a lower price, and deal with the banks.

 

Good luck with your sale, Gary

 

 

[Thank a fellow member]

David Coco has helped me with advice when I sewed and installed a top for my 1915 McLaughlin last year.  Last week he took a phone call from my upholsterer concerning diamond tufting.  Thanks.

 

Doug Ives I met on these forums and visit with regularly at events.

 

Peter McIntyre repaired a crack in a windshield frame last week, gratis.

 

Larry Schramm has the same car as me and we talk often.

 

Thanks all, stay well, Gary

[owning, fixing and driving a Snapper's era Buick]

Today I installed an inline fuse, two junction blocks and the 16ga wiring to light up my dormant lanterns.  I plan to use the four terminal junction block mounted under the front floor as the battery recharging point and all the wires are carried in stainless steel conduit.  Ford Model T supplied the lamp switch mount on the dash board.

 

Stay well, get vaccinated, sorry to hear Cadillac Carl passed away,  Gary

[owning, fixing and driving a Snapper's era Buick]

Top is on my 1913 Buick Model 31, must make some adjustments and trim the excess material tomorrow, add the hidem gimp on the first and last bow.  Tada.

 

Friday we are away with a small group of old car friends for the weekend.

 

Regards, Gary

 

 

 

[Is it worth mid $20s ?]

Five years ago I purchased this 1939 Century with an older repaint and recent interior with 80,000 miles in Canada for about $6500. USD.

 

Regards, Gary

 

 

[owning, fixing and driving a Snapper's era Buick]

Today, Saturday, I removed my old hidem gimp and replaced it with a low luster new length along the rear backrest.  I fabricated the rear wings and installed them ready for my back curtain tomorrow.  The windshield baffle is the final piece before the car has to be good to go Friday.  My new windshield hinge is still at the platers, supposed to be finished today.

 

Regards, Gary

 

[owning, fixing and driving a Snapper's era Buick]

To me it is always a red letter day when I successfully sew the main deck and side panels together, with help from my wife we did it.  She lifted and supported the 8' 8" of Stayfast and I guided it under the needle, four seams.

 

Stay well, Gary

 

 

[owning, fixing and driving a Snapper's era Buick]

Maybe such as most things the preparation work is 95% of the job, well, my prep work for the new top for the '13 is completed today.  The photos show the top pads which are comprised of three layers of stout canvas and four layers of Stayfast topping material, nailed to the wooden bows with 5/8ths" tacks .  The second shows the first piece of Stayfast, black on black, the main deck and the third shows my top straps, two layers of canvas and three Stayfast.  I installed the front to back center strap which fits my definition of over restored because I like it.  The extra strap looks like someone cares to me.

 

Stay well, Bev and I are getting our second vaccine injection Monday,  Gary

[owning, fixing and driving a Snapper's era Buick]

Finished sewing the top pads this afternoon and sewed a center strap, too.  I took an hour to fit the bakelite parts and bulbs I purchased earlier from Restoration Supply in Ca to light up my lanterns.  Success, fitting the old connectors with the new parts, a bit of filing and sanding.  I bought a new 12V 9AH lead acid battery from Amazon which even fits the original wooden battery box.

 

Tomorrow, back on upholstery,  Gary

 

[owning, fixing and driving a Snapper's era Buick]

Busy month at home with a Buick and a McLaughlin to keep me out of mischief.  The 1913 top is standing on it's own and ready for top pads and recovering.  Pat is installing buttons and horse hair into the seat backs of the McLaughlin.  I am getting the one year only 1913 lanterns to light up with 12 volts, I finally repaired a broken lens in one of the lamps and I discovered the lens frame is nickel plated, so I stripped off the black paint.

 

Bev and I have been invited to a small gathering of friends the third weekend in June.

 

Stay well, Gary

 

 

[owning, fixing and driving a Snapper's era Buick]

Pat has finished sewing the diamond tufted seat backs for the front and rear seats of the 1915 McLaughlin.   We expect to stuff them, add the buttons,  and install the new soft leather into the car on Monday afternoon.  Progress, have nowhere to go though, a friend is finishing his 1913 Twombly and we are planning to have a do in July and call it the "Two New Car Tour".

 

Regards, Gary

 

[Period images to relieve some of the stress]

Last fall we had an Autocrat on tour and the only photo I have which shows double running boards is this group shot.  The Autocrat is parked near the center of the line.  Gary

 

[owning, fixing and driving a Snapper's era Buick]

Top time for the 1913.  Sockets and windshield are painted, bows are installed in the top irons and wrapped in a thin cotton which matches the top material.  I raised the height of the top to a bit over seven feet though I can still park the Buick in the garage or trailer with the top up. Second photo is left over leather for the McLaughlin after cutting out the patterns for the front and rear seat backs.  It will be used for door pockets and panels, misc pieces, etc.

 

Stay safe, nothing going on in Ontario, Gary

 

[owning, fixing and driving a Snapper's era Buick]

My McLaughlin is on the final lap after a six year restoration which I thought would take three when I began with the cars purchase.  The McLaughlin, which is basically a Canadian Buick was together but hadn't been on the road since 1991.  The big problem was in the fragile rear axle, the crown wheel was weak with flaking and chunks missing.  I managed to obtain a used gear and a real good friend mated the pinion with the crown and outfit everything with modern bearings and seals.

 

The upholstery was delayed because of medical problems and COVID worries.  My guy, Pat, is currently sewing the pattern onto the leather and when he is ready we will stuff it with polyester and horse hair, add buttons and put it into the car.

 

Here is a photo of one of the six pieces the car takes, a side panel of the rear backrest.

 

Regards, Gary

 

[Tops]

For comparison here is a photo of the sockets and bows for a "two man top".  It shows the second and front bow must be lifted and relocated to a body mount in the front seat area and reversed when folding the roof.  It's clumsy and heavy and takes two persons, last fitted to Buicks in 1915, though the 1914 and '15 big six has a "one man top".

 

Regards, Gary

 

[How about a picture of YOU with a car?]

Posted in the wrong thread, me in my friends Cadillac.  A life style I would like to be accustomed to.  Gary

 

[owning, fixing and driving a Snapper's era Buick]

The local stay at home edict from our government gives me time to have fun with cars.  My friend welded my steel windshield frame and then brazed the remaining holes closed, it is sound as a pound, as the first photo shows.  Next the frame is going to to be painted black.  Black is the correct finish as shown in the book, Buick, a complete history on page 97.

 

I've also fit the new bows to my top sockets, next week I'll paint the irons shiny black.

 

Pat, my upholsterer, is ecstatic with the patterns he produced for the front and rear backrest of the 1915 McLaughlin and we will be, hopefully, cutting leather hides this week.

 

Stay well, get vaccinated,  Gary

 

[owning, fixing and driving a Snapper's era Buick]

Keith;  Haartz cloth is the standard for antique cloth tops.  In America, Eric Haartz's company manufactures it and wholesales it to companies such as LaBaron Bonney or Bill Hirsch who then retail the fabric.  In Canada a company called Triden handles Haartz cloth Stayfast but they are a wholesale outfit.  Stan Uher, of Classic Coachworks has an account with them and he ordered me 12 yards at $89.00 each.  Long story short, Stan made a phone call to Toronto, had it shipped to Blenheim and I picked it up there, locally.  I sent Triden a cheque in the name of Classic Coachworks.

 

In your situation with the '16, I think I would attempt to bond a piece of my old top onto your old top and improve the appearance and cover the hole.  More than that you probably should entertain a new top.  At least you have a good pattern?

 

You want the old top let me know.

 

For the '15 McLaughlin the upholsterer is back on duty and I have hopes the car will be finished in the next few weeks.

 

Gary

[owning, fixing and driving a Snapper's era Buick]

Hey Keith:  You are welcome to my old top, maybe it would supply material to plug your hole and keep you dry.

 

I am going to be in Dorchester Friday morning and I could bring the piece along.  It is about 94"X 54".  A real good friend is going to try to silver solder some fine cracks I discovered in my windshield frame.

 

Here is another Model 31 photo with a beautifully fitted top.  Gary

 

[owning, fixing and driving a Snapper's era Buick]

Began to install the new wooden bows into the prepared sockets of the 1913 this afternoon.  Photos show the old top being removed and the interior pads and straps.  Then the primed irons stacked and waiting, then the progress is slow as the bows are wedge shaped to fit tightly into the sockets and finally the first bow is in place.  Nearly, I left it a bit long so I could adjust the look when all four of the bows are in.  And a vine almost covering a farm shed along the path of Bev and I walk past everyday for exercise.

 

Stay well, let's get this virus in the rear view mirror, Gary