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cxgvd

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Posts posted by cxgvd

  1. I have a project this year to redo the woodgrain metal parts of my 1939 Buick.  Most everything is good with the base coat, no rust problems, most of the other woodgrain pattern is faded in places and all the clearcoat is dull.  The mahogany has very dark look.  Short of refinishing every part, can the woodgrain pattern be filled in here and there, blended with the existing and all then clearcoated?  I do not expect to be invited to Pebble Beach, just a nice place to sit as the world goes by.

     

    Regards, Gary

     

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  2. In southern Ontario we had a heavy frost Saturday morning it served to remind me to take a different kind of fall photo.  I parked my 13 Buick and my '15 McLaughlin in the driveway overnight, climbed out of bed before breakfast and at first light I snapped a photo.  Disappointed with a light frost, if any camera buffs are interested I used an old 50mm F1.4 lens for the low light conditions.  The first photo is from Saturday afternoon.

     

    Here you go, Gary

     

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  3. The rain finally quit and gave me an opportunity to teach my wife to drive our 1915 McLaughlin.  Bev knows how to drive and she owns an Alfa Romeo sportscar, so she knows clutches, transmissions and breakdowns.  She has been a passenger perhaps hundreds of times, watched cars being repaired at the side of the road, has toured in early cars and she is an enthusiast.  Now she has her own car after six years of work and waiting.  Basically, Bev must learn the oddities of this car.  The McLaughlin is equipped with electric starter and lights, 25 horsepower, clutch and three speed gearbox, powerful brakes and is just slightly larger than a Model T Ford.  Bev is a cautious driver, however, if she breaks it I will fix it.

     

    Regards, Gary

     

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  4. My car is a 1915 McLaughlin, I tell people it is a Canadian Buick.  Buick sold McLaughlin Motor Company of Oshawa, On complete chassis and McLaughlin supplied the bodies and sold them throughout Canada by their carriage dealer network.  McLaughlin began to build Chevrolet in Canada and in 1918 McLaughlin's contract with Durant ended and he sold his company to became General Motors of Canada.   McLaughlin Buick nameplate was discontinued in 1941.

     

    I acquired this C25 model from a man who owned the car for 45 years and treated it to a 6 year, though easy restoration.  The original owner was a railroad man in North Bay, On and he nicknamed it the Iron Duke, I do not know why?

     

    Regards, Gary

     

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  5. RIP my friend, Doug.  We met with Doug over Labour Day weekend during his favourite activity, a car show held at Heritage Village, a club he supported.  He indicated he had some pain, but did not dwell on it, instead walking around and visiting his many friends in attendance.

     

    Sorry for his loss, a great guy who will be missed by his elderly mother and new grandchild.

     

    Bev and I will attend his visitation and carry regards from the forums,  Gary

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  6. I have a truck and trailer and am fortunately able to park everything at my property.  A few years ago I bought a 1939 Buick sedan with the idea of driving long distance or even cross country and leaving the brass cars at home.  After driving the '39 up to 100 miles on quiet two lane roads a few times and comparing it to driving my wife's new Ford Fusion I leave the '39 home now drive the Ford and prefer the truck and trailer.

     

    When I am rambling in my '13 Buick, at 30 MPH, I feel great and modern traffic gives me a wide berth.  My '39 makes me nervous, I think, other motorists expect me to accelerate, turn and brake like their new cars and frankly it does not.

     

    I have driven the brass era car a 100 miles and have a 1000 smiles.  Everyone loves the early cars, people point and wave, take pictures, perhaps they are pointing and laughing.  I never tire in reciting the old joke "just two more payments."

     

    Back to the original posters question.  An early member of the HCCA often told the story of petty jealousies of two ladies, one with a pre '16 and the other with something slightly newer, to shun the newer car owner the first lady managed to get the date set to exclude her rival.  I never believed the story, but hey, it's as good a reason as any.

     

    Regards, Gary

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  7. Rather than show you more photos of our 1913 Buick model 31 I dolled up the car with some accessory items to show our local car club friends at a BBQ this afternoon.  The flip top rad cap is original nickel or German silver finish which I had a machinist adapt for our car.  The motometer manufacturer is unknown to me but has a 1915 date and the red mercury rises and falls with the engine temp.

     

    I have had this spare mounted trunk longer than I have had the Buick and to think it is made from paper and has survived since 1910.  It leaves the house rarely and only in sunshine, not even risking it on a cloudy day.

     

    Finally I added a brake lamp which appears age correct to me and adds some measure of safety to the Buick.

     

    Regards, Gary

     

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  8. The 1915 is finished except for the fine tuning and side curtains, the 1913 seems to be well sorted, and we are missing the Old Car Festival, seems to be a good place to retire this weblog.

     

    At the Fun on Wheels show yesterday we had two friends join Bev and I, Mark and Heather received the award for having the oldest car, 1912 Ford (By at least 25 years) and we won one on the five choice awards.  We were parked together and enjoyed a steady stream of well wishers and question askers.  Doug (DEI) stopped for a visit and had a conversation with Mark concerning his dad's 1920 Overland.  Seems Mark's dad was a close friend of the fellow Doug's dad acquired the Overland from and Mark has photos and recalls riding in the back seat as a child.  Great stories.

     

    Funny story at the end of the show Mark cranked and cranked the Model T before it caught, a young fellow came around while the car was idling and was sorry to have missed seeing an engine started by hand.  I told the fellow no problem Mark would do it again for him.  No, he was not doing it again.

     

    In two weeks our local car club, the KHAC, is having a one day tour and BBQ, which we will attend with the 1913 Buick.  The first week in October our six couple sub group Covid bubble, I call the Holiday Ramblers, is meeting in Listowel for a three day tour of central Ontario.

     

    Life is good at 35 MPH in a seven foot tall antique.

     

    Regards, Gary

     

     

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  9. The history of my 1915 McLaughlin touring car is known from new.  When I acquired the car from a man who owned it from 1969 until 2015 he gave me this B & W photograph from a TV series the McLaughlin had starred in.  The next picture is the owner and his son in 2015 the day I took the car home and the last photo is following a long restoration and was taken Saturday two miles from my home.

     

    Regards, Gary

     

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  10. One more day to finish the McLaughlin, Pat, the upholsterer is happy with the job and has signed off on it and I have paid him.  He told me he has the next diamond tufted trim job in the works so his taking his time to learn a new trade should pay off.

     

    Saturday, Bev and I are visiting with firefighters at Essex and then Sunday is our turn to shine.  I have heard from many friends they intend to attend Cars are Fun with us.  I will take some centerfold type photos soon, in the meantime Pat's seats are pictured.

     

    Stay well, Gary

     

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  11. The 1915 McLaughlin C25 is days away and one seat cushion from being finished and on the road.  I contacted Heritage Village to register for the car's premiere outing this Sunday and sent a car show flyer to my friends, the Holiday Ramblers tour group.   We may have four or five pre 1916 cars to show.  Look me up when you are in Essex, On.

     

    Regards, Gary

     

     

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  12. Picture worthy.  Today I installed the panel on the rear of the front seat of the 1915 McLaughlin.  The other photos show the tool box open and closed and the robe rail with our choice of blanket to spread for a picnic.  All trimmed except for the large headed tacks which I am going to install last as shown on the top hidem welting in the photo.  Notice too our cocoa mat rear carpet.  Show day is now less than two weeks in my future to debut our touring car in Essex, On.

     

    Regards, Gary

     

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  13. I think I can, I know I can, make my deadline to attend my first show with the 1915 McLaughlin on Sept 5th.  Today I installed the main deck of the folding top and trim it up with hidem welting.  Pat, the upholsterer did a magnificent job of preparing the seat cushion springs from a less than ideal set.  They will be the last part to go into the car before the show and he says next Friday the job should be complete.

     

    Regards, Gary

     

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  14. Received an email from my local car club informing me a show I enjoy is planned for Sunday, Sept 5th.  I want to debut my 1915 McLaughlin there, just the push to get her finished.

     

    Visited with my local restoration shop this afternoon and we worked out some door panel details, he also had four door escutcheon plates, beautifully nickeled, and will go perfectly on my project which I needed.  I already had the door pulls restored and waiting to go on the car.

     

    The weather is oppressively hot, though the McLaughlin is in air conditioning and no excuses remain.

     

    Stay well, Gary

     

        

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  15. I've owned this one for 25 years, I sold my car in a day.  I'd have this one advertised, seems correct and reasonably priced.  The '29 Chevy had a smooth 6 cyl engine, it was a larger and all round better car than Ford.  I have no interest in this sale except to endorse it.  Good luck with the sale.  In Canada, blue body was the correct colours.  Gary

     

     

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  16. Hello Mike and welcome;  I have a similar car to your roadster.  Your best source of info and like minded folks would be found on an internet site called BrassBuicks.IO.com.  They have over 500 members and you can ask questions, such as point setting.  Please use your search bar and you will find it, joining is no cost and good luck with your car.

     

    Regards, Gary

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