[Laguna Seca Sued by Rich Neighbors for Being a Race Track]

This is nothing new or special, just another example of our exceptional freedoms & judicial system at work.

Anybody has a freedom & a right to sue anybody, not to mention our society having more laws, regulations & rules than any other in the history of the world, just to “protect” those freedoms and rights .

Oh the irony !

[Cam and Lifter failures – why are they increasing??]

48 minutes ago, Hemi Joel said:

Besides the inconsistent and poor quality of parts and removal of zinc from oil, lifter bores are more worn that they used to be from mileage. Lifter to bore clearance with a flat tappet cam is critical, and should be .0012" - .0018". If it is loose, or out of round, the lifters are less likely to properly rotate in the bore. This clearance needs to be checked, and rotation needs to be verified. If a flat tappet lifter doesn't rotate, it will fail promptly. If things aren't right, reamed/honed bores with oversize lifters (if available) or bushed lifter bores, or switching to roller lifters is the solution.

Etc, etc, etc...

 

All this and more should make it clear why a properly and thoroughly done engine rebuild on any decades old American production car/truck V8 can easily run into tens of thousands $$'s, even without any exotic hot rodding or modifications.

Just a rebuild to stock specs.

 

[Cam and Lifter failures – why are they increasing??]

1 hour ago, edinmass said:

 

Today you can't trust almost anything to be what you order/expect. We always Rockwell test every replacement part today. You can buy valves today that are soft like you can't imagine. The stories are endless......

 

 

 

Same here…

Unfortunately, same applies to almost all vintage car parts produced today or should we say in past couple of decades and not just engine or mechanical components. 🙄

[Cam and Lifter failures – why are they increasing??]

4 hours ago, edinmass said:

Have him calibrate his valve spring tester... 

Perhaps excessive approach, but my machine shop’s cylinder head guy uses two to test each and I check them all with mine during final assembly.

 

Also, many of the well known lifter manufacturers now get theirs from same or similar sources in C***a or T****n as those in plain white boxes or “Brown & Sharpe”, “Starrett,” or “Tesa” precision measuring equipment/tools, etc., etc., etc.

 

[Learning The True Market Value Of An Old Car]

Oh, and if I’ve failed to make it clear before, I along with all my lifelong antique/classic/vintage car enthusiast/hobbyist friends have always believed anyone other than brokers/dealers/flippers considering or seriously discussing antique/classic/vintage cars as some kind of “market commodities” shouldn’t be taken seriously as passionate/true enthusiasts/hobbyists for said vehicles and in most cases these type of individuals would probably be better off spending (wasting ?) their time and money speculating in Wall Street or something and leave the old car hobby for those who can & will appreciate/approach it as just that, a hobby.

 

Simply put, you buy the car you want and can afford, including to live with the consequences.
 

Full disclosure: I’ve bought and sold probably 1000+ antique/classic/vintage cars in past four decades, although vast majority of those transactions took place over 30 years ago, when I was acting/working as a broker/supplier of them to a huge demand in Nordic countries at the time, but can’t recall a single occasion in which the consideration of price (or “value”, if you will) for any of them had anything to do with other cars, including identical years, makes or models. 
Each car’s price/value was always weighted against its own merits, as it only should.

[Learning The True Market Value Of An Old Car]

Besides, there are numerous vintage car makes/models cited in “price/value guides” that if any were actually available in such ranges there would be a long line of takers.

As J.P. above aptly pointed out, closest thing to somewhat reasonably valid statistics could only be achieved with large volume production makes/models still available in large quantities and yet only the buyer with cash in hand will determine the value of each example.

 

I only see these questions any potential buyer of any vintage car should be asking themselves:

1. Do I really like/want it ?

2. What is it worth to me, i.e. do I have funds to buy it without a single financial concern or worry ?

3. Can I afford to own it, i.e. do I have means to properly maintain, insure, restore, store, use it, etc, without a single financial concern or worry ? (Like a boat, country club membership, daily driver, house, real estate, etc, purchase of a vintage car is just an introduction and a first of many future checks to be written for it).

 

If the answer is “No”  to any of the above question, it’s pretty clearly not the right car for that person.

 

 

[Learning The True Market Value Of An Old Car]

22 hours ago, edinmass said:

Gunsmoke is 100 percent correct.

I second that 100%.

 

Any buyer for any specific (vintage) vehicle is the only realistic market value indicator for it.
In this case it would be what DrumBob is comfortable/willing to pay for that particular car, whatever it is.

Everything else is just meaningless/pointless hyperbole.

 

 

[Were you ever gifted a vehicle of significant value ?]

23 hours ago, Restorer32 said:

… gifted a car with significant value? Maybe something needing full restoration but of significant value when finished? 

 

20 hours ago, TTR said:

Define "significant value" vs. cost of full restoration.

Still waiting please ?

 

P.S. While they aren’t really within purview of OPs inquiry, I’ve been “gifted”(?) or offered (for free) leftover parts cars (including one quite rare example in good condition, after the engine was removed from it to clients car*) or new & used parts from restoration jobs, shop equipment, tools, etc.

 

* This reminded me of a client buying a quite rare 1950s 2 dr Ht car in overall good, running/driving condition for high five figure sum just to get a one piece of interior trim for his, even rarer convertible. They all came with this “interior” piece, but finding or seeing one today is almost equivalent to finding cavities in hens teeth.

[Cadillac, Chevrolet or Checker in NYC?]

Only a couple of A-4's known in driving/working condition in the world and not many more even existing in any condition. Talk about rare automobiles.

Few years prior to pandemic, I was asked to assist with preparations to have one (restored and working example) brought to and toured around U.S. at various car shows, but lack of needed funding for all associated expenses (not for me, I offered to volunteer my assistance) shelved the idea.

[Were you ever gifted a vehicle of significant value ?]

Define "significant value" vs. cost of full restoration.

 

I was gifted a fairly desirable, rare (less than 500 produced) and somewhat valuable(?) early 1960's vintage car 35+ years ago for helping the relatives of a friend of mine to disperse his small collection of cars, parts and an small aircraft after he unexpectedly died in a plane crash.

The car was quite nice unrestored SoCal specimen and good candidate for a "full restoration", but I only did the mechanicals, i.e. engine, trans., brakes, suspension & steering, etc, to make it drivable/useable "as is". Sold it few years later.

[What can I get a car collector wife for Christmas?]

By the way, did OP ever clarify whether this “collector car wife” he was looking to buy/get a gift for was his own or someone else’s ?

[Great day for a car ride in the country]

While I only managed about 60 miles in total between several 5-20 mile drives and all were conducted on city streets and freeways, it was a nice weekend for final road tests as she’s scheduled to go back home next week.
Despite all the headaches* she gave me, I’m going to miss her and hope she’ll come back for other services (Although none are serious enough to prevent driving enjoyment, I’ll provide a list of recommendations to owner and note all in order which they can and eventually will become problematic if left unattended for extended periods of time) 

 

* Most caused by previously done less than ideal repairs and replacement parts.

 

 

[Great day for a car ride in the country]

58 minutes ago, Paul Dobbin said:

    I moved here from Florida and don't own any accordingly clothing.

I moved here (SoCal) from climate similar to Alaska and know better, so when planning/preparing for drives or road trips, I have and select wardrobe options accordingly. 

Heck, I even carry chains in my vintage cars during a season they may be needed in, just in case.

[How do I get started in endurance rallies? (ERA events, etc)]

11 hours ago, Angelfish said:

Peking to Paris, The Sahara Challenge.  That sort of thing.   Not the Ken Block full on racing. 

 

Although it might be wise to start with a shorter event in North America.  

 

This would something completely new for me and a few years off.  Yes, it's expensive, we'll put that aside for now.   I would like to learn about the nuts and bolts of starting from zero and building the practical knowledge to have a reasonable expectation of finishing.   Where to start, who to talk to, what to bring along and what to leave at home.   Anything to help learn about these events.

How about contacting event organizers to ask them and then, see if they could put you in touch with some of the previous participants ? 

But be aware, some of these types of events now allow “poseur” participation, i.e. participants just renting their rides and support teams, etc. instead of being hardcore car guys/-owners.

[Great day for a car ride in the country]

On 1/1/2024 at 2:49 PM, Paul Dobbin said:

Today, New Years Day, was a good day for a ride in the country.   We only had 7 cars but a beautiful sunny day and only 40 degrees.

We led in our stock 1934 Ford, followed by a 25 Model T Coupe, a 30 Model A Coupe, a 32 Plymouth, a 33 Buick, a 36 Ford, a 51 Ford Victoria.   It was a 50+ mile day into northeast Georgia to a Restaurant for a late lunch and some fellowship for the 17 people in the

group.   It's an annual event with different routes and destinations and I think only two cars had working heaters and nobody

complained.   Our old club in Florida did it today too, for the 43rd year.   (I led the first 28)  

 

Heaters are for sissies, especially in open vintage cars. 😁

All one has to do is dress themself accordingly. 

[Great day for a car ride in the country]

Our annual New Year's Day road trip to/through Joshua Tree Nat'l Park got cancelled couple of days prior, so I spent the first* half of yesterday road testing the Cord 812SC transaxle shifting operations.

Turned out a reasonable substitute, especially since I finally got it all sorted & working great last week (but like so many cars I've worked on and sorted over the years, I'm falling in love this one too).

Even after completely rebuilding the transaxle itself and adjacent electrical and vacuum control components (+ other stuff), it still had a couple of quite interesting and surprising (read hidden) electrical "issues" (read more previous hackwork) I was having hard time figuring out until I designed and built my own diagnostic/testing equipment specifically for this electrical/wiring system. 

 

*My wife had reserved us seats in a local movie theater for 3pm showing of "FERRARI" (we both enjoyed it) after which we went for dinner to a great Sushi restaurant next to the theater.

[32 PA Plymouth]

31 minutes ago, broker-len said:

I have one of those gauges with rubber end  take out all plugs    stick the gauge in each hole and hit the starter     think think all holes are  35 PSI

Seems low.

Care to describe your compression test procedure in more detail ?

For example:

Hot or cold engine ? Fully charged, good battery (attached to a charger) ? Throttle closed or open ? How many cranking revolutions per each cylinder ? Etc…

 

[1933 Lincoln v12]

This thread, while offering a lot of (unsolicited) advise/opinions/suggestions, is quite typical of any and all interweb forum topics by demonstrating very well why one should avoid asking any (serious) advise or recommendations in public forums for almost anything.

I imagine same applies to other social media.

[32 PA Plymouth]

If compression is even and within expected(?) range, there's usually no need for leak-down test.

How much has the engine been used/driven since the rebuild ? If not much, I'd try to drive it 20-30 miles (hard) and see if anything changes

 

[Here’s a fun one — Who bought a car for under $ 100 ???]

I don't recall ever buying any specific vehicles, modern or vintage, for less than $100, but have been offered many for that, i.e. less than $100, or free and turned down most of them.

I've also given or offered several (vintage) cars or lots of (good ?) parts for them for free, but not all were accepted.

 

OTOH, I've bought numerous vintage cars for less than $500 and many of those have been reasonably good, running/driving examples, but I really didn't start buying/selling/owning vintage cars until mid 1980's.

[1923 Gotfredson 20B -- Exhaust pipe donut flare]

P.S. The bead on the pipe may not be original and even if it is, not necessarily needed.

[32 PA Plymouth]

What are the compression and leak-down tests showing for each cylinder ?

 

[1923 Gotfredson 20B -- Exhaust pipe donut flare]

What is the O.D. of the pipe or, conversely, the I.D. of the triangular flange ?

And what does the flange side of the exhaust manifold looks like ?

[P2 Air cleaner]

2 hours ago, jpage said:

Here's a picture of my restored unit. Notice that the doge units are higher than the Plymouth's, maybe because of the larger engine.

So how did it look after dipping, draining, wiping off the excess and eventually in use ?

And how often you service, i.e. clean and re-dip it ?

[In Car Record Player]

1 hour ago, TerryB said:

RCA manufactured a record player for cars in the 1950s

 

Except that advertisement is for 1960 Chrysler Corp cars. First year they offered 45 RPM Players (as I noted in my earlier comment) 😉