[1920 Speeding ticket]

Many years ago, I found these documents in an old desk. The first is a summons for speeding dated July 1920 in Middlesex county, Ontario. Second is a receipt for the $10.25 fine, which also describes the way the speed was calculated. One would think that by the time the calculations were made, the perp would be in the next county !  Third are my calculations for the speed attained. Ontario's speed limit in 1920 was 15 MPH ! Jim

[Period images to relieve some of the stress]

Here's a few more ads found in 1917 Farmer's Advocate magazines.

[Period images to relieve some of the stress]

This postcard was recently given to the current owner of this building ,now an insurance office. The ca.1919 International truck and 1920-22 Chevy 490 obviously caught my eye. Dorchester is a village just east of London, Ontario.

[Period images to relieve some of the stress]

I've been going through more of Dad's old farm magazines. and found these WW2 ads from Ford and GM Canada.

[Period images to relieve some of the stress]

Found this in an old album of Dad's. No backstory, just a brass "T" rolling along.

[One reason why I drive an old car...]

4 minutes ago, TTR said:

 

 

One can easily see those luddites and old-time “geezers” back then cursing out the modern motorized contraptions taking over the world, while in their minds, animal drawn carriages/cart/coaches or even old fashioned walking would’ve sufficed.

My grandfather was coming in from milking when a well dressed gent in a fine horse and carriage came up the driveway. He offered grandpa shares at $10 each for a new company just getting started called the Ford Motor Co. Grandpa sent him on his way ,saying he saw no future in horseless carriages. He realized a few years after that he could have retired a wealthier man !

[One reason why I drive an old car...]

8 hours ago, oldcarfudd said:

What kind of pictures does it take?  Slow, non-red-sensitive, black-and-white, I bet.  But you can get them developed and printed at your corner drug store overnight. WOW!

Taking photos isn't anything new in our family. My grandmother was documenting farm life with a Kodak box camera as early as 1907. She developed them herself in her own darkroom too. Good thing she didn't have to lug the phone out there ! (That's her on the left in the third photo).

[One reason why I drive an old car...]

1 hour ago, 1937hd45 said:

Nice phone. Slotted screws aren't available any more in your area? 

I just used what I had in my junk drawer !

[One reason why I drive an old car...]

53 minutes ago, Marty Roth said:

 

In addition to the functional phone,

I appreciate the message recording device installed provided just below the phone !

although the blacl and white plastic inking device seems rather modern by comparison

Yeah. I should dig out my inkwell and quill pen !

[One reason why I drive an old car...]

10 hours ago, Walt G said:

It is why so many of us gravitate to looking here for some amazing information and images. History is obsolete, so if we  cherish that due to our interest in old vehicles are we to obsolete? Most of us I believe not only are interested in the cars , trucks, machinery etc but in the structures that they were made in, the style/design of that as well, and just past that the style of the lettering used to note what one is seeing on the signs of the period, the lamp posts and street signs as well. It is our goal/duty and desire to pass on the mechanical and electrical marvels of a century ago.

 

Walt

I installed this functional wall phone a few months ago. Granted, it's had a couple of upgrades. Note the non-digital cuckoo clock too !

[One reason why I drive an old car...]

Early last year I was informed that Ma Bell would no longer service my flip phone. I went to the nearest Bell service outlet and said I needed a new phone. The sales clerk proceeded to show me the latest smart phones. I told him I wanted a new flip phone. I got an odd look from him but he went out back to "check with the manager". He came out with a new "5G" compliant flip phone. He then told me that service would be $93 month. I told him I use the phone for emergency use only  ,no texts or internet and it cost me $22.60 month. Match that or shove it. Again ,he ducked out back and came back moments later, punching some numbers into his computer. OK, he said ,we can do that.

I never look at texts, but did see an overdue bill notice on my flip phone. Seems they had changed all my billing to text six months ago, informing me of the change BY TEXT ! I paid my back six month's bill and called Ma Bell to tell them that I wanted paper billing and no more text messages. They agreed, but I've had 5 more text messages from them since ! You can imagine how long it takes to reply to a text when each key represents several letters and numbers !

As for GPS, I've long ago deactivated the damn annoying broad that keeps trying to give me wrong directions. Don't mess with old people !

[Vintage Beer Trucks Trending in the News]

Labatt's keg truck started out as a rusty cowl and chassis. Joe and Victor Scott restored that and built the rest.

[Vintage Beer Trucks Trending in the News]

Brothers Joe and Victor Scott built that rig. Joe was the London White Trucks dealer. The trailer was found not far from London being used as an office in a gravel pit. No cab was ever found so it was scratch built. I remember visiting them when the new oak frame for the trailer was almost completed. They also restored the keg truck.

Victor is still living. He's in his nineties.

[Canadian Built Cars]

22 minutes ago, PFindlay said:

The first Tudhopes were basically a Canadian built McIntyre high wheeler.  After a factory fire in 1909, they rebuilt and came out with their 4 cylinder car in 1911, which was actually an Everitt 30, although it was built entirely in Canada to avoid import tariffs on any parts.    Shown here is a 1911 Tudhope Everitt that belongs to the Burnaby Village Museum.  It was owned by a local tugboat operator and has good history here.  I was looking into buying it when the family decided it should go to the museum instead.  It's still there, but tucked away out of sight.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's unfortunate you didn't get it. You may have seen this ad I posted in "Period Images to Relieve the Stress. Nice to see a real one.

[Canadian Built Cars]

1 hour ago, 3macboys said:

Does anyone know if there is a connection between the cars and what became OTACO - Orillia Tudhope Anderson Company - that made the Auto-Trac and Minnitoys?

Check out the Youtube video "A Tale of Otaco" for your answers.  Jim

[Canadian Built Cars]

The Brooks steamer was built in Stratford. Tudhopes were built in Orillia. If you can find a copy of "Cars of Canada", it has many examples. Jim

[Period images to relieve some of the stress]

[Period images to relieve some of the stress]

I've been digging through my old scrap books and found a couple more interesting ads. 

[We can all relate ...]

Great topic, great song, and great album. Have to admit though, I like "CJ5 with 4 wheel drive" just as well !.

[What was your favorite road car?]

Two cars I've enjoyed driving are my '78 GMC Caballero and my '92 Buick Park Avenue. The GMC is a very distinctive ride and I've never tired of it, even after 44 years. The Park Avenue is still my favorite long hauler. Economical even by today's standards, reliable and as comfortable as a living room sofa. I still have them both.

[1915-1922 Chevrolet 490]

10 minutes ago, gossp said:

Just shy of twelve and a half feet. The Maxwell is on a four post lift so I suppose in the current configuration I could get a fourth car in this two car garage!

He was only asking $2500 for the project and I think the drive train is already rebuilt !

[1915-1922 Chevrolet 490]

1 hour ago, gossp said:

@J.H.Boland  Please don’t show me pictures like that, my garage is too full to take on the project!  

You've got high ceilings !

 

[1915-1922 Chevrolet 490]

41 minutes ago, gossp said:

I rather thought that might be the case. The incredibly light chassis always made me think about a 490 based speedster but the 1/4 elliptical springs on each corner don’t look like enough!

There were some 490 speedsters and dirt track racers built. Here's a few pictures. First is a racer that was for sale at Hershey many years ago. As I recall, it had alloy pistons from a Curtis Jenny aircraft, Winfield side draft carburetors, and a head from a 4 cylinder Olds. It supposedly could do 90 MPH ! The speedster project was recently for sale on the Smokstak forum. If I was a bit younger (and closer to CA.) I'd be tempted. The quarter elliptic springs lend themselves well to a lower profile by just inverting the brackets. Jim  

Sorry MarkV. I'm not trying to steal your thread.

[1915-1922 Chevrolet 490]

1 hour ago, gossp said:

I have always wondered what an early 490 would be like on the road. The first HCCA eligible car my father had was a 1915 Chevrolet Baby Grand, which by appearances is a very similar car but in reality is a lot more car (a lot more suspension anyways!).  The Baby Grand was a wonderful car with ample power and gentle handling. I have been curious if the cheaper car would feel like a cheaper car from behind the wheel or if it would behave well at speed. By speed, I am talking about something near 40mph. 

Only once did I try for 40 MPH ! It felt like the top and windshield were going to part company with the car at any minute. If it weren't for the fact that I had the engine balanced, I think the whole thing might have shaken apart. It's comfortable at about 25-28 MPH.

 

[1915-1922 Chevrolet 490]

I bought my '21 490 in 1972 in need of a full restoration after sitting in a farm shed since 1931. It had been modified into a pickup back in the early '20's and ,since it was thoughtfully done I left it as a truck.

Parts were hard to find even fifty years ago. I like to tell people that I wore out three new cars chasing parts for it ! There were far fewer Chevies built than Fords, thus obviously fewer parts. The engines were quite reliable, and many were used as stationary power plants. Many of the internal parts of my car came out of an engine that was used on a weed sprayer. The leather cone clutch was a bit of an Achilles heal on these. Properly adjusted and oiled they worked fine, but few owners took the time to familiarize themselves with them. My '21 rarely gets out on the road and when it does go to a show it usually goes in my enclosed trailer. Most farm tractors can pass it !

I still take it for occasional drives out here in the country, and as a John Deere service truck, it also proves popular at tractor shows.

Nice to see another one.

Jim