cxgvd
-
Posts
828 -
Joined
-
Last visited
-
Days Won
1
Content Type
Forums
Gallery
Events
Posts posted by cxgvd
-
-
Restoring brass era cars is interesting, today, I "tied up" some backrest springs. I met an upholsterer who is willing to help me recover the seats but he did not know about tying up springs, I learned how to from YouTube videos. In the photos see the process, the cover is stout denim so the stuffing doesn't sink into the springs. I also picked a leather supplier from Toronto because he has lovely hides from New Zealand.
Regards, Gary
-
2
-
-
My 1915 McLaughlin is registered in Ontario by the serial number plate attached to the floorboards. I would say if it is registered do not make work for yourself, accept it as correct. My car is registered as a 1914 and the Ministry wants a letter from a recognized authority who can verify the car is actually a 1915, before they will change the ownership. In my case, since I have RM Restorations nearby, and a C25 car is obviously a 1915, it is a formality. I haven't bothered yet to make the change. BTW, my engine number is also on my brass plate attached to the floorboards.
My car also has the oil/ spinner sight gauge, also has a neat tool box/ foot rest for the rear tonneau and nickel plated headlamps which I think are McLaughlin features.
Regards, Gary
-
Oh, how times change. When my wife and I acquired our 1913 Buick the car had gas operated headlamps, but not functional. Using a web site named BrassBuicks.com a great fellow Harold Sharon gave me advise to get the correct pipes, hoses and all the parts to get them to light up. When the job was completed I was so happy and excited I sent in a photo and called it Glowing Gaseous Globes. For the past 20 years my photo was the banner picture on the BrassBuicks.com homepage.
Yesterday the moderator telephoned me asking if I had a higher quality photo for use in a new site. I did not, the original picture was taken with an early digital camera which recorded photos to a floppy disc. Luckily I could go out to the garage, connect an acetylene tank, strike a spark and duplicate the scene with my new Nikon D5300 camera. BrassBuicks.com is set for another 20 years of Glowing Gaseous Globes. Technology is ever advancing, always more and more computer power, however, motoring along in a 7 foot tall, 106 year old vehicle at 35 MPH remains my greatest thrill.
Harold Sharon is not longer with us, that is my deep regret. Gary
.thumb.JPG.9d4bb06b59c2404af826dbe987ef5d84.JPG)
-
2
-
1
-
-
One week until the Wayne Funk Christmas gathering for old car people from southern Ontario, lower Michigan and northern Ohio. What began with wieners and beans in Wayne's garage has morphed into a pizza party organized by Stahl's Auto Collection. It is a pleasant day seeing old friends, drinking coffee, thinking about past adventures and planning for spring.
Now the day is called Back to Basics, Dec. 11 10-4pm at Stahl's, 56516 North Bay Dr., Chesterfield, Mi., 48051. They do still collect toys for the Marine Toy Drive, $12.00 for the day or $2.00 less if you bring a toy. Everyone invited, stroll by a 100 classic, antique, movie, and special interest vehicles in a private museum, have lunch, visit, listen to music, and dream. Life is grand. Bev and I plan to be there, see you?
Regards, Gary
-
1
-
1
-
-
I think the 1910 Ford roadster participated in the Lansing to Dearborn Run, a co-sponsored event by the HCCA and the AACA Snappers, last September. The Ford still looks that way I recognized the script, is this the car, perhaps someone made their car a clone. Gary
-
I'd like to introduce the concept of unintended consequences to this thread. The future will tell us if tariffs are good or bad for the US and the rest of the world. All, I think, we know today is tariffs are charged and collected on certain imports from many countries, Canada included. The US government is in trade negotiations with the Chinese and China buys soya beans from south America, not the American heartland. History books will tell us if the US guessed the Chinese would boycott US beans or was it an unintended consequence.
For example, when an Archduke from Austria was assassinated in 1914, could the killer have known he would start WW1 and affect the world for the next 40 years. I understand your discussion how trade tariffs affect your day to day purchases, I wonder how the world will look in 5, 10, or 20 years?
Regards, Gary
-
2
-
2
-
-
Please feel better, you have friends. Everyone has stories, I feel I was abused by an appraiser while trying to buy a car from a widow and I have sold a car in a day too. Look to your successes.
In Canada, thanks to our federal government, we have marijuana brownies. Maybe you should take a vacation.
Gary
-
1
-
1
-
-
There is an interesting to me discussion in the General Forums called " well sorted out pre war car" which is something I declared to own. Thinking back to last fall, the last time I drove the 1913 Buick, the engine seemed hard to start, required much cranking. When the engine is in a fine state of tune it will start with a half turn of the crank, a child could do it. When a person has to put their shoulder into it rather than turn a key, it is tiring and it is not well sorted out.
I use Robert Bosch magneto FU4R and I have two, one connected to the engine and one under the back seat in reserve. The best? mag seems to run about 200 miles then develops a miss at speed. Last fall, during the Lansing to Dearborn Endurance Run, it happened again and I swapped mags in a laneway leading to a corn field. I can change them in 10 minutes because they are self contained and identical, I completed the run and the rest of the Old Car Festival. My local magneto man died and a buddy who would look after it is over an hour away, so I feel I need to learn a new skill and learn the art of electricity.
Second, as I was putting the Buick on axle stands for the winter I noticed some play in the tie rod ends. The great part and also the worst is every part is every thing is serviceable but it will mean a trip to the machine shop to have new pins fabricated and maybe bushings installed.
When I look after these 2 fixes then the car will be "well sorted out." I hope.
Happy Thanksgiving, Gary
-
I know of a one man restoration shop just a few miles from my home and I feel lucky. I even helped him 2 days a week for 3 years when he was commissioned to restore a big piece of fire equipment.
He still lets me bring parts to his shop for sandblasting, a while ago I had my windshield frame there and showed him a small dent. He pulled the dent on the spot and gave it back to me, no charge. Later one of my fenders needed a new skirt, I thought it was a quick job, it was not, and I paid nearly a grand for 12 hours of shop time. Not complaining, happily paid up and thanked him. He says he is going to retire when he completes his latest project, another lifelong craftsman putting away the tools. I feel there are many young people learning their crafts and trust they have a bright future, as we did when we were young.
Here is a photo of my friend and his wife in their Gray Dort. Regards, Gary
-
1
-
-
The late Harold Sharon had much to say concerning keeping brass cars on the road but my favourite expression I learned from him is "the car owner deteriorates with the car."
Try to get a copy of his book "Understanding your Brass Car" by Morris Publishing, Kearney, Ne. 1 800 650-7888. The book is full of useful tips and techniques. Harold died Aug 25th 2007 and I miss him, he helped my plumb my gas lamps and understand my Schebler carburetor.
Regards, Gary
-
3
-
-
Today is a fine fall day, the weather forecast is cold and rain for a long stretch.
My wife and I are hosting an AACA Snapper Brass and Gas tour next summer so we are testing routes and destinations this fall. We used our 1939 Century, perhaps for the last time for a long while, to go to an original Carolinian stand of trees. Carolinian bush is an area of native to Ontario hardwood trees which has never been cleared for farms. Sinclair Bush is owned by a conservation group so it will remain beautiful.
I do not winterize this Buick , so if we get dry roads at Christmas or an early thaw the car is set to travel. Gary
.thumb.JPG.e32d5602c0b00432f1028cc0180b426f.JPG)
-
8
-
-
Presentation and a clear title. When I purchased my last car, a '39 Buick Century sedan, I bought the car from a motivated seller, very reasonably. In the seller's main photo of the car it was showing a very soft tire. Really, did not even pump up the tires to show the car in the best light. I've had the Buick 3 years already and changing the wiring harness has made for a good, comfortable car.
PS, I would not buy a car with messed up paperwork, Gary
-
Thanks for the photo of the Detroit Fire Dept's ambulance. The fan's shaft broke and when it did the whirling fan damaged the rad. Stan received the Packard following the Chatham's Fire Fest in September for rebuilding. The rad was sent to California for a new honeycomb core and while the Packard was waiting Stan is changing parts and fasteners that the hot rod shop thought would be OK. The local hot rod shop restored the truck like it was a hot rod and Stan has 75 hours in making the Packard look like a proper piece of antique fire fighter equipment. The Packard rad is due back in December, the '23 Gray Dort is due for a show in July and the Chevy taxi cab is anytime. Stan said he was going to retire when the funeral coach is finished, hope not, I need him. Gary
P.S. Here is a photo of Stan and the Mrs. Jane in their 1915 Gray Dort. Classic Coachworks is providing the Snapper's next summer with a coffee stop and tour of his shop. He says the Packard funeral coach should be in pieces by then and restoration underway.
Gary
-
Doug; Hope all is well. Stan Uher's Classic Coachworks has a pattern at Witmer's Woodworking in Pa and he told them 57" wide and they came in in just a few weeks and were perfect, well, perfect for a wooden item. And they cost just $27.00 each, I paid more to ship them than they cost to produce.
I have not picked a top maker yet though I have broached the subject with Stan, he is busy. Likely, if we do it in his shop he would be in charge and would do the sewing and fitting and I would be the cheap labour. I have the old top maybe as a pattern, though it too is a replacement and not original to the car.
Next on this McLaughlin is the upholstery and I looked at beautiful black cowhides from New Zealand when Bev and I were in Toronto last week. I hope to meet up with Joe's , (Cardinal 95) upholsterer, he actually lives in Chatham. He works elsewhere but I hope to get him to take on this job or at least most of it.
I will post more as we go, Gary
-
1
-
-
Our 1915 McLaughlin touring car restoration has been going on for 4 years so far and I feel it was an easy restoration. The car has been parked since 1991 and now I know it was abandoned to the garage because the rear axle pinion and ring gear were about to give up the ghost. The axle and torque tube were given to a mechanic friend who saved it by fitting modern seals and bearings. Another friend supplied me with a replacement ring gear and without their generosity this car would remain garage furniture.
The rest of the restoration was straight forward, clean, sand and paint, over and over on all the other parts. One surprise was the top bows, one bow was a replacement and very good but the other 3 were cobbled together. Why would someone replace one bow and not four, I guess that was how it was done in the 1960's? Same reason the McLaughlin was painted resale red instead of beautiful dark blue?
A local restoration shop uses an Amish woodworking shop in Pennsylvania and they ordered me 3 new 57" steam bent, oak bows to go with the one I had. Pleasantly surprised, received them quickly and at a reasonable cost. Yesterday, I fit them into the metal sockets and now I can set the assembly aside until it becomes time to fit a new top. I have 10 yards of black Stayfast topping material for the job with new side curtains.
Regards, Gary
-
2
-
-
Snow has started to fly in southern Ontario and today I finished winterizing my 1913 Buick, model 31, everyone has their own way of getting the car ready and the following is mine.
Previous to parking the car it was thoroughly washed in the driveway with soap and clear water and left to dry in the sun. I drain all the fuel from the gas tank and carburetor and replace the gas cap and close the drains. Then I push the Buick into a single car heated garage with the top up and all of it's parts attached. I do not start the engine to reduce oil dripping onto my fresh cardboard laid on the floor under the car. The engine has permanent antifreeze which I leave alone.
Today I jacked up the car and placed it on axle stands, then to reduce a chance of mice taking up residence I remove the seat cushions so they will not have a place to hide. I plug the exhaust pipe and carburetor air intake with steel wool for the same reason. I do not think I have rodents but I keep some poison under the car and I monitor the garage for mouse tracks. I also place dryer sheets around inside the car even though I feel it is hooey. Can't hurt. I have a car cover but I do not use it, car is always clean in the spring.
Last winter I performed a big job of refinishing the wooden wheel spokes, this year everything seems good to go for another summer of driving satisfaction.
Regards, Gary
-
3
-
-
We have an early cold weather snap and yesterday I reviewed old pictures and saved some to a disc. The photos may highlight why I think brass car touring is the best thing in the hobby. Going to a show and parking on the lawn is fine, but here is my friend's model T on a rock in northern Ontario. The next is a line up while the people are visiting some venue, likely lunch or ice cream. Running boards replace lawn chairs, since these cars have no trunk the rear floor is for the driver's to carry parts, tools, spare tire and picnic cooler. You can be sure if you ever catch a ride in a 100 year old car you will be stepping over stuff to get to the back seat. My friend's 1913 Benz, he drives a car where he has to wear a helmet, googles and gauntlets, no weather protection or windshield. Finally, teenagers love driving brass era cars, these cars are for kids of all ages to enjoy.
Regards, Gary
-
1
-
-
Received a Snapper's newsletter by email this morning. It includes a synapse from this years AACA tours and promotional text of next years events. The Snapper's ( pre 1916 vehicles) have hosts and locations for three week long tours each year until 2023, as well as, Hershey Hangover and Lansing to Dearborn Endurance Run.
I cannot attach it here but I can forward the newsletter by email if you contact me.
Regards, Gary
-
Larry; I just this week received three oak steam bent bows through a local restoration shop to add to the one good one I got with the car. On a packing slip I learned they were made at Witmer Coach, New Holland, Pa and they cost $27.00 each for 57" bows. My top sockets/irons, luckily for me, are in good shape. I sandblasted them inside and out, glued in the wooden blocks with an epoxy which also filled in any pinholes in the steel, primed and are ready to fit the new bows. I will paint everything when the sockets and bows are assembled.
Regards, Gary
-
2
-
-
DEI's post in Autumn Buicks inspired me to haul out our 1939 Century for a photo shoot of beautiful colours and backgrounds if your neighbours are farmers. Dry corn will let my friends feed their livestock this winter, good for them. Windmills power their farms and provide modern, renewable energy for us. Rural life is especially beautiful in the fall. All the pictures are from Jeff and Jennifer Wilson's operation a few miles from our home.
Regards, Gary
.thumb.JPG.39bd2c7dc224a63d8d22daada5bd1228.JPG)
.thumb.JPG.7f7ce451c94475bd07b35b125f86f66d.JPG)
.thumb.JPG.c88bcd7f4726ff799294b38b6a4853a0.JPG)
-
4
-
1
-
-
This is the one thing I find exciting concerning the 100 year old vehicle part of the antique car hobby. When I acquired my 1915 McLaughlin touring car project ( which is getting new upholstery and a top this winter) it was wearing two nickel plated brass hub caps and one cast aluminum example. The top photo shows a near mint cap with 24 threads per inch, TPI, could be a model 10 but they were usually brass, my '13 and '15 have nickel plated brass, 24 TPI, where was this one used?
I also found this project, somewhat crude, of someone having a go at trying to reproduce them. They are not correct for my car, however, I would like to complete the job some time. Much of the work has already been started. BTW, through a buddy I now have two more proper hubcaps on the C25.
In the last photo the two wild turkeys survived our Thanksgiving!
Regards, Gary
-
2
-
-
Bev and I are hosting a five day tour for the brass era cars in Chatham, On starting the week of July 12th, 2020. We are making our plans based on 40 cars and 100 people and this what we have come up with so far.
Arrive Sunday; hospitality night.
Monday; drive around Chatham, kick off lunch at a café owned by a firetruck collector, tour of RM Restoration's workshops and collection.
Tuesday; visit two large firetruck collections and a firehall.
Wednesday; travel to farms and small towns in the county, dinner in the Armories and evening entertainment by Chatham Concert Band.
Thursday; drive along the St. Clair river, picnic lunch, visit the Mooretown Museum.
Friday; short day of driving, a restored theater will be showing the best old car movie " Genevieve" for free to everyone, closing dinner.
This tour is hosted by the AACA Snappers Brass and Gas but is open to any pre 1916, if you would like to be added to email list send me a message here. Registration materials should be available in December.
Bev and Gary
-
1
-
-
This afternoon I post photographs of my brass car friends, some of which I contact often, others a few times a year and yet others I might see once in a while. It is a small gathering, I think the Snappers Brass and Gas Touring Region of the AACA has 300 registered members, the HCCA has 4000? They are a great bunch of friends, we have repaired cars everywhere, parking lots, trailers and one time a Ford rear end was swapped on the side of the road with an axle someone else borrowed. Gary
-
1
-
-
Interesting day Sunday, began with a pair of turkeys in my front yard. Then we piled into the '39 Century and met up with 60 of our friends from our local car club, Kent Historic Auto Club for a 50 mile drive to Mooretown, On for a guided tour of their Museum. Even though we ran through light rain the Buick's handling was comfortable and not twitchy on my very old bias ply tires. My friend, however, told me that cold and wet was all part of the British sports car experience as he struggled to install his plexiglass side curtains and poorly fitting top. His wife elected to stay home. After a tour of the Museum which included buildings such as a general store and firehall the highlight was a display of running Lionel trains. We left the tour at a communal dinner and stopped on the way home to run some errands. All in all, even with light rain a wonderful way in which to enjoy a Sunday in the fall.
Regards, Gary
-
2
-
.JPG.e73fe84cf066fb5873029cc046b54df2.JPG)
.JPG.0da7b9abe72a150aad0c91b097d6e459.JPG)
.JPG.bea1a5217faa4ab1daa0a0c452bee0e4.JPG)
.JPG.5030b5f6dea7dd8fefd146ec9b50ec67.JPG)
.JPG.daca92a4d4529ed0e1bcc81dfb93138f.JPG)
owning, fixing and driving a Snapper's era Buick
in Me and My Buick
Posted
Getting the McLaughlin ready for new upholstery, I tied up the front seat back and compared the job to how the car looked as found. The method in 2019 is to connect the spring coils at 8 mounting points with a light rope with a fine sheath compared with horizontal and vertical points only and with binder twine.
Also the gas tank top was cut off, sandblasted inside and out, and a new top manufactured and soldered into place.
Regards, Gary