Steve S. in PA

Thank you. That confirms the year, is there any way to identify the model from those numbers? I'd really like to know what size the engine is.

If you are unable to use the available paperwork to obtain a title, there is a fairly simple process that you could use. Get your local county court to declare you the owner of the car using your bill of sale, etc., and then submit the court order with an MV-41 application for title. You will get a PA title this way. I have not tried this with an imported car, but I have obtained many PA titles using this method. It is slow, but it has worked every time. I think it would be wise to make sure that you have adequate proof of the seller's ownership and such, but I can't see why it wouldn't work. Good luck.

I have been asked by some friends to assist in getting their Buick back to a useable condition. The car was restored at least 50 years ago by a man who has passed. His son, who was the last driver of the car, has also passed so there are a lot of unknowns. My role may or may not include doing the mechanical repairs, but at this point I am trying to gather information for them. The car is currently in storage, and the family plans to get it to a better location where it can be worked on. My first request is for help to identify the year and model of the car. The family has always called it a 1929, but I think it is a 1930 model 40. The chassis number on the frame rail is 2372XXX, and the engine number stamped above the starter is 2475XXX. Can anyone confirm the year and model? Once I am sure what the car is, I will have more questions. Thanks for your help.

Yes, the wheels do look like they could be from an International. It is interesting that they fit. Are you sure that the engine is a six cylinder? I rather doubt it. By the time Federal began to install six cylinder engines in small capacity trucks they had already changed the sheet metal styling completely. If you could provide the serial number it would save a lot of guessing.

Great truck, I think you should buy it. It looks older than 1923 to me, but it's hard to say. It is not a model WL. The WL was a 4 ton truck, and your floor indicates that this truck has a 1-1/2 ton capacity. 1-1/2 ton Federal trucks from around 1919 to 1923 usually have model numbers beginning with "s". Do you know what engine it has, or if the transmission is mounted in unit with the engine, or amidship? The radiator tanks appear to be aluminum, which is not something I have seen before. They are usually steel. The dash board does not look like the usual Federal dash, perhaps it was supplied with the fire equipment. It's in very nice condition. Good Luck.

1wonton, your brake booster looks very much like many common air chambers used on heavy trucks for everything from brake applications to tailgate releases on dump trucks. I am sure that you can find a complete replacement if not a diaphragm, but those are available also. I don't know what the difference would be between vacuum and air, but I am sure there must be something in the big truck world that could help you out. Google air brake chamber and take a look.

Thank you all. I was asking for a friend, he will be glad to know.

Thank you. The Mercer sure looks like a match. I was asking for a friend, he will be pleased. Steve

Please identify this car. Thanks.

Please identify Syd Chaplin's car. He was an actor, and half brother of Charlie Chaplin. Thanks.

A three quarter ton WD would have been built with a full floating rear axle. As TerryB noted, the pictured truck has a different rear axle, not original. It is a semi floating type, probably installed to get a little more road speed. My guess is that the truck will sell in the $2000 to $4000 price range. Good luck.

I do not know what the old truck market is like in Washington, but in the northeast part of the county an asking price of around $1500 would be a good place to start. The auxiliary transmission is a big plus to truck people. ( by the way, it has 24 speeds) Good luck with it.

The Antique Truck Club of America (ATCA) National Meet will be held in Macungie PA June 14&15 2024. It will be the 42nd year at that location. The truck show in York, PA is part of the American Truck Historical Society (ATHS) annual convention. It will be held June 6-8, 2024. the ATHS convention rotates to different locations each year.

Sent you a PM.

Your door latches are for a B model Mack truck, 1953-1966.

The truck is not an International. I believe it is a REO Speedwagon form about 1930.

I have gone through the court to obtain a title here in PA at least a dozen times. I did not use a lawyer. The process is time consuming, but it is not difficult. Basically you are challenging PennDOT to prove in court that you do not own the vehicle. They will offer to cooperate with you if you agree to follow their procedure. Eventually you will state your case before the judge, and unless someone in the courtroom raises an objection, the judge will issue an order identifying you as the owner of the vehicle. That court order is then submitted to PennDOT with an MV-41 application for title, and eventually you will get your title. There is a bit more involved, but that is the general process. It works.

It looks like a GMC to me.

Thanks for the link. The story is told well. I hope to soon resume work on a similar 1921 Federal. Their radiator upper tank repair solution is very interesting. The tank is made of steel and they all seem to rust pretty badly. I spent a ton of hours welding a new one together, but never thought of building an improved top tank that would fit under the original, hidden from sight !

Can you identify this wheel, possibly from a truck? Thanks.

KoBa I suggest you contact the American Truck Historical Society in Kansas City Missouri. They have extensive White truck information in their library. I do not know if it dates as far back as 1914. You might also post your inquiry on the Just Old Trucks website. There are a couple men there who are White truck experts. Here is a link http://forums.justoldtrucks.com/Forums/PeterJs-Place Good luck in your search.

In Mack terminology the Duplex is a five speed main transmission with a two speed compound transmission for ten speeds forward A Triplex is a five speed main with a three speed compound (15 speeds), and a Quadruplex is a five speed main with a four speed compound (potentially 20 speeds). The compound in a Mack is attached directly to the main gearbox as opposed to an auxiliary transmission (Brownie) which is separated from the main gearbox by a driveshaft. Mack compound transmissions are noted for smooth shifting. You don't have to shift both sticks at once-through the steering wheel or otherwise- but it does impress people.

Two shift levers in a truck was a quite popular setup at one time, but three sticks have never been common. Yes, they are around, but they were usually built for extreme duty, heavy loads, or difficult terrain. No city truck was ever built on purpose with three shift levers. There would have been no practical reason for it. Some of the vintage three stick trucks you might see these days have been re-built that way as a novelty. Perhaps the most famous twin stick trucks are the Thermodyne Diesel equipped Macks of the late forties to the late sixties. Due to the narrow power band of the Thermodyne engine, many gears were required just to keep the engine pulling at its best rpm. High torque rise engines eliminated the need for all of those gears. With the introduction of the Maxidyne diesel in the mid sixties, Mack replaced the ten, fifteen, and twenty speed transmissions with a 5 or 6 speed transmisson.

Looks very much like a Continental truck engine from the early 1920's. Possibly a J4 model.

Here in Pennsylvania, I have obtained proof of ownership through the local court system many times. I take the PA DOT to court, they agree that there is no other known owner of the vehicle, and I receive a court order identifying me as the owner of the vehicle. I submit the court's order to the Department of Transportation with an application for title, and I get a title. It is slow and costs a few hundred dollars, but it is entirely legal, and it works. Some hire lawyers to do the work, but I have been able to do it all myself so far.