Jack Bennett

Hi kfcaeguy…….be really careful about allowing the tractor to bed and board with the cars. I tried that with my 8N for a while and it got spoiled rotten. Took several months of isolation, outside, to get it acting normal again🤗.

And a few of them became prison busses, and were used to transport nearly 6 million of our citizens between correctional institutions. But, that’s another story. I guess I did strike a nerve though because it sure got cold in here really fast. With that I regress and admit that lined pockets, with good old American dollars, sure beats living in North Korea or communist China. And, on the subject of expensive…..every inmate in the prison system costs the American taxpayer $200,000.00 a year to feed, medically maintain and cost of security and custody. Admittedly, I am out classed on this forum, and I think the admin should be admonished for polluting the forum by allowing veterans free membership. Jack

I just happened upon a photo of my ride during the 1970’s and 1980’s. It is a M60A2C main battle tank, presently on display at the Fort Lewis, Washington military museum. Since the direction of vintage vehicle ownership eventually, and predictably drifts toward “restored” value, I suppose I can safely mention that a paltry sum of $1,292,000.00 will park this sweet ride on your private pad. Jack

Thanks for your eloquent and informed response to my quote to another members response. I feel extraordinarily good that we are able to still participate in a forum which does allow nearly instantaneous communication between AACA Members and guests. Being a retired Army soldier, who manned a main battle tank in Korea, and over watched the Czech border to assure the Soviet Union did not transport nuclear weapons to take that ability away, I take a bit of credit here. However, the extent of my education was limited, and I was unable to start a business or maintain a family in the sense of maintaining a “home”. So it stems more from a view from acquired maturity, than possession of a vocabulary limited to three words, I humbly remind you that “American Pickers” and “Hoarders” are popular television programs which vividly portray a lifestyle I had no part in naming. My post simply puts into words a personalized opinion which adds another element of thought to the title, and direction of flow, of the original thread. And surely, a AMERICAN who enjoys a capitalistic system which allows another to buy, barter and sell a car, which is valued at the cost of three houses during the times our collector cars were prime, must be eternally grateful to those of us who kept the worlds communist dictators at bay. But, since you apparently aren’t, that’s OK too, because, one day, your collection will too be auctioned off at pennies on the dollar, and flipped to put us old car hobbyists in our place. Jack

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Some really exotic vehicles, and very pricy, I’m sure. Being a back-woods boy from Missouri, I decided to post a couple of my own, exotic, and appropriately pricey rides over the past five decades.

Hi AM demco32……..There are still a few people alive today who remembers Dwight D. Eisenhower. For those who do, that memory is probably based more on a time, rather than a man. Eisenhower was a five star general, Army Chief of Staff and Supreme Allied Commander of all forces during World War Two. He was also president of the United States for a period of time extending between 20 January 1952 to 20 January 1961. I will not recount all his accomplishments during his time as president, but I will mention the one which affects the people who collect, restore, drive and love old and classic cars. It wasn’t the “good old days” when roads were dirt, usually little more than two mud or dust filled ruts, and seldom ran any further than to the outskirts of the next small town. It was normal for a family to consist of 10 or 12 sibling children, a mom, a dad, perhaps a GMA and a GPA as well as any number of aunts, uncles and cousins. It was also normal for a person to go from infancy to elderly without ever traveling a distance any further than the county line from their home of birth. And it was normal for those people fortunate enough to afford a motor vehicle to pass the treasured parts needed to keep those vehicles running from person to person, mainly as a part of treasured items handed down to other family members upon their death. There was no such thing as a “barn find” and the treasure trove of new old stock (NOS) auto, truck and tractor parts would not become a commonly used term among antique vehicle fans for a couple of decades. And then came Eisenhower, and the major role he played in construction of the interstate highway system. These multi lane stretches of pavement ran from coast to coast, and northern to southern borders of the US, and they served their purpose well by establishing a new form of merchandising. Bubba was no longer confined to the back forty, and Sissy could now travel as far as a Greyhound bus could take her. And barns and basements full of the hoarded machine parts and materials, so treasured as essentials to maintenance of the farm, and providing some assurance the tin Lizzie could be maintained to provide basic transportation needs, became a new source of income. However, selling car, truck or tractor parts has draw backs because they are heavy, space consuming, proprietary to specific vehicles, and extremely difficult to market, and/or transport to a prospective buyer. But these difficulties was overcame as a new marketing strategy, called “drop shipping” became possible with a more modern means of transport of bulky merchandise, and a whole world of new buyers opened up with inception of a communications device called the “internet”. This method of marketing makes it possible to sell something you have never possessed, seen or even have a knowledge of its use or application. People, most easily described as the “pickers” portrayed on the TV program American Pickers were now able to buy up vast hoards of old vehicle parts, at pennies on the dollar, as rural life moved into a metro world, and maintenance of the family farm became either impractical or impossible. The words “scarce”, “rare”, “vintage”, “collectible” and “costly” entered the vocabulary of the antique/classic car collector as these parts was collected by a “picker” and assembled into another hoard, only now it was for the sole purpose of creating a new market for “old”, “rare” and elsewhere non available parts.. And, it worked. Now the marketer on eBay or Amazon doesn’t even have to maintain a warehouse to store the bulky items, and has no need to have even a basic knowledge of what the item is, or does. Instead, from the comfort of their living room, a person/people needs only to establish a “store” and amass a number of “pickers” who agree to drop ship a item within a certain period of time, and to accept a certain amount in payment for the item when shipped. As a private citizen, looking for a proprietary part, one has absolutely no choice but to pay the asked price, and hope the part is shipped, as agreed, and fits when/if it arrives. The only counter to this form of legalized robbery is the number of people who participate in the old car hobby, and their willingness to overcome their own propensity to hoard parts essential to keeping the hobby alive, and affordable. The internet is a powerful tool, and in the hands of clubs such as AACA, The DB Club, WOKR and other on line gathering places where antique/classic car fans meet, the part’s dilemma can be lessened. I take a bit of pride in myself when I read that someone paid $400.00 each, plus shipping, for tires for their antique car project. For the four new, whitewall, tires I need for my old truck, I paid $350.00, including shipping from a private individual who appreciates the hobby more than they treasure money. Since I have began the hobby of old machine reanimation, I have given away body parts, transmissions, clutches and other old car parts, in amounts too numerous to list here. Concurrently, I have received enough walnut veneer to finish up the dashboard of my Willys, a new latch for the door of the same car, several carburetor parts and a nearly complete vacuum fuel tank and spare tire for my 23 DB Roadster, all for the cost of postage. And, I am certain that those people who provided me with the parts I needed felt as good as I did when I gave them the parts they needed. As a team, working together as a group, united by the love of old cars, can support each other to win the war on the runaway costs now associated with the hobby. Or not…………….. Jack

Thankfully, our government officials never leave Olympia, and probably wouldn’t come into my garage if invited.

At least a shed or a concrete pad to reduce the water bill and wear and tear on the washing machine. Side note here……..When are you coming to Tacoma to visit the Fargo Panel you passed up. I have the body and engine compartment stripped down, have the generator, starter, distributor, and clutch operational. I have determined the truck has the Dodge Senior-Continental engine, which is still froze up, but in a optimistic moment, have ordered the new head gasket and am ready to drop the pan, gain access to the bottom of the starter ring gear, and try to spin it over. Jack

Hi Fordy……I too have strict rules governing my workspace, in this case, my garage, and I perpetually maintain it in a high state of orderliness. Sadly, since my wife passed, I have no one else to credit with the exquisite display of automotive clutter which may be experienced there at any time of day or night. I do attempt to keep my tools in the “tool” place and my parts in their respective “parts” place, but I also continually strive to keep my garage a quiet place to relax, and as free from workplace discrimination as possible. That means that I cannot differentiate between the potential value of a square nut over one born an octagon, or whether a fine thread is superior to a coarse thread. Consequently, my shafts do, occasionally, get mixed with my bearings, and keeping them separated is a job in itself, easily put off for another time. While this task is extremely difficult, it is also exceedingly pleasing, when it is considered that my bolts love to be wrenched, and my screws love to be hammered, and they are all learning to help me keep the cars in a rigid state of maintenance. I function on the premise that anyone who comes into my living space either wants to sell me something or is a welcomed friend. I no longer need, or want to buy anything from a salesman, and a true friend is glad to see that a old coot can still move a trolley jack from one end of the garage to the other…….without their help. Jack

That is one cool car, and it must be a whoop to work on. I am not a Model T fan, but their history, and the part they played in automotive evolution makes for interesting study. It looks like you have arrived at a level (placing the basket) which would meet, or possibly exceed, my ability to work on, and “hurrying” could only be figurative, rather than literal, these cars. Is the “bed”, rather than a back, or rumble seat, a factory option available with this model. Or, is it a product of the era that gas rations were larger, and registration fees were less for a pickup as compared to a car? Jack

I just finished responding to the thread which asks “What are your winter projects”, or something along that train of questioning. As I wrote my response, I realized the value of having a attached garage on my home, and the luxury it provides as related to my old machine habit. The first thing, after basic reassembly of the rolling chassis is completed, is the undertaking if steps necessary to restore the ability of my project to move under its own power. This does add a element of difficulty to completion of the project, inclusive of niceties such as body paint and upholstery. But, it makes it possible to rotate projects between the garage, the driveway and the back yard, commensurate with what I’m doing on the project at the minute. The 1923 DB Roadster is the only resident member of my little machine club, who lives in, and is a fixture in my garage. The Willys has his own car port for cover, the Plymouth is sealed against the weather, and happily lives in the driveway. The tractor is quite the macho member of the club, he lives outside, and would move back there on it’s own (it refuses to be castrated by seeking shelter) if I tried moving it inside. The 1929 Fargo rests comfortably on the patio concrete pad and the F-250 chooses to watch over them all from his place behind the motor home. So, the only other obstacle to bringing my old car projects inside is my daily driver, a KIA Sportage, which is continually in-and-out of the garage. But, as I cruise the hood on nicer days, I see a new Mercedes, a pricy BMW or a classy. Audie parked in the driveway, and a garage filled, floor to ceiling and front to rear with boxes and bags of stuff and furniture which appears to date from the 1970’s or 1980’s. It is only imaginary, but I can use my X-ray vision to see all the DOS 5.0 floppy discs and the priceless 8 track tapes (for which the player was destroyed in 1971) comfortably awaiting the time they are recalled to use. And, while the cushions of the furniture brings back memories of GMA and GPA, during their 1950’s Christmas visit, their filling was converted to rat poop decades ago. So, as you toil on that brake job, on the sloped driveway, in temperatures which makes the water seeping down your pants rear feel colder than ice………..What’s in your garage preventing you from using it as a “garage”? Jack

What with the end of day light savings time, and a early onset of winter like weather, working outside, even if it could be for more than the few short hours of day light, in the rain and wind, would be a totally stupid thing to do. During the few sunny days of the past month I have stripped most of the body, and almost all of the accessories (such as the generator, distributor, oil filter, etc.) from the 1929 Fargo Packet Panel truck I recently bought. These parts are safely deposited in the cover of my patio roof, and can easily be retrieved in the quantity, and as often as I desire. Using the bad weather as a excuse, I allow myself to bring a fender or door panel into the garage, and there, with my radio blaring “Delilah” and my heater cranked up, I can take care of my holy sheet metal and paint problems. I have a nifty wood stove in my shop, and this is a great time to do some of the wood pieces of the body and cab of the truck which entails a whole lot of noise, and can generate tons of odoriferous, and extremely pleasing, saw dust. Included in the initial cost of buying the panel came a implied guarantee that it would provide me with something that needs to be done for as long as I may live. I also have my 1923 DB Roadster sitting comfortably in the garage, and when coupled with the industrial sewing machine I have located in my den, it will provide a eternity of work so long as I don’t mind wasting upholstery material. My go-to weekend driver is also perpetually available to be moved into the garage for a bit of cleaning or FITCAL (Army jargon for Feel-inspect-tighten-clean and lubricate as necessary) and my old Willys Knight is always appreciative of my attention. I have cubby holed the 1951 Plymouth Cambridge project for a while because it is too wide to work on, with the doors open, and the remainder of the upholstery work can be held off until it warms up and the rain stops. That leaves the cleaning and FITCAL it takes to keep my 1947 Ford 8N tractor humming and my 1995 Ford F-250 available to pull it all.

To the right buyer, the car may be a steal at $10,000.00 or $12,000.00. All you need to do, as a seller, is to convince yourself that you can afford to maintain the car for the period of time it may take to find the “right” buyer. Or, for the “right” buyer to find you. Of course, the cost of just getting the car to be operational may be more than a similar car, fully restored, may cost. To a lot of folks, especially in the younger set, $7500.00 is a lot of money, and that amount will buy a more modern car which will afford them daily transportation. Personally, just being a Studebaker increases the Blaaaahhhhh! factor simply because it is not a Chevy, Ford or MOPAR. No part of what I’ve said is meant to diminish the “wow” factor of owning a really neat, and perhaps highly desirable 1952 Studebaker. Rather, it is meant to state the realistic fact that both me, and my antique cars are getting old, and in the amount of time you take to find the “right” buyer, my collection of antique cars may be part of a estate sale, and sold for Pennie’s on the dollar. Jack

Hi Rata Road…….Thanks for your highly descriptive, end very detailed recount of your encounter with the magneto of your Model T. When I read posts of this nature I always leave with a taste in my mouth sort of like…”Golly, I learned something I may never use, but it sure is good having it in my mental library”. In this case, I got a taste like “Golly, I learned something I am now certain I will never use, but, it is likely to get stuck on the shelf of my mental library”. I engaged in an argument with myself as to whether I should buy a Model T, or stay with a hopelessly destroyed, but more conventional, model of car to undertake as my next reanimation project. Your post confirms my decision to go with the hulk of a 1929 Fargo Packet Panel truck, and reminds me as to why I have not bought a Model T. Just kidding of course. There is no information which isn’t valuable to us old car fans and I do appreciate you sharing it. BUT, that doesn’t even imply that I will ever own a Model T. Jack

Hi timecapsule…….Nope……your 1930 Hudson has progressed into a age of technology which, I’m sorry to say, bores me. But, it is neither a new Mercedes nor a Tesla, so I suppose the old rule KISS (keep it simple stupid) applies when working with your relatively antique vehicle. Check simple stuff, which actually is under stress, when the car is powered up. A universal joint which is cold my “clunk” as may a worn ring and pinion gear, un lubricated because the 600W or 1500 lube has drained back into the pumpkin. Or, it may be an exhaust pipe or muffler “clunking” because the rubber hanger has stiffened up while sitting, or a “U” bolt has loosened over time…..remember, even though not a “brass era” car, a lot of water has been passed since 1930 too. Good luck with your “clunk”! And, out of consideration for what can suddenly go wrong with these old buggies, be thankful it’s not a “clunk……clunk……..clunk” coming from the crankcase 🤪. Jack

Hi John….."? I don’t want to sound like an echo, but……… When I read a post, I read it a single syllable at a time, and with the knowledge firmly implanted in my little brain, by a extremely effective elementary school teacher, I use phonetics to shape words. Depending on the verbosity of the author, the content of the post, and my waning attention span, I assemble the phonetics into a sentence, a paragraph, and then, a hopefully related, mental image. And then, in true forum manner, begin my own response……a note here……there cannot be a forum without posts, threads and responses…..to the way I understand the meaning of what the poster intended to say. That does not always happen, or I simply wish to add to, or take away from the thought which the post hopes to convey to ALL who reads it. Remember, if I don’t respond the thread just dies and nobody gets to add their own thoughts, and a post/thread which becomes rhetorical or simply repeats a topic over and over, soon becomes boring. So, my compliment to your skills as a grammatical super star is to “hi-jack your thread and keep it alive. Remembering that you are perfectly free to reclaim your post/thread at any time, and nothing I can post will change your original post. Strange, what I just said brings King Tut, his tomb, and his mummy to mind. Jack

It was late 1967, or early 1968, and I was hanging out with some Army friends in the parking lot of our Schweinfurt, Germany military housing area. I seriously doubt that there can be found a more dedicated group of devout gear heads than some Armor, Infantry, Combat Engineer and Infantry soldiers standing around batting the breeze. It was such a group, on this day, doing exactly that, when the Citroen cruised into the parking lot, swung into a parking space, and was unas*ed by one of our mutual buddies. The opportunity was too great, and there was no question regarding which of us would stop the guy and demand a look at his weird looking car. Collectively, as if of one brain, without a word or a glance, we all moved in the direction of the now parked Citroen, and begin a visual smorgasbord of new things to look at. I found the suspension system hydraulics to be infectious, and I was immediately taken agape by the number of hoses used to support it. All in all, even though this was 1967/1968, I could see the same sort of system used to stabilize the gun lay of a main battle tank…….fast forward to 1980, take a look at the M1 Abrams, and feel the sense of deja vu. Or, look at the article in the Nov-Dec 1923 issue of the Hagerty Drivers Club magazine for a very interesting article on these cars. Jack

If you were more local, I’d buy the pair for no reason other than I could not resist the impulse to do so. My presently owned 1927 Willys Knight has a bullet proof sleeve valve engine, as I would imagine these two cars do also. I do hope that the buyer does the necessary research on the expense and difficulty of getting parts for these cars, but they are super interesting when working properly. Please post your progress in selling the cars. Hopefully the buyer is a WOKR member, lives in Washington state, and I can follow them. Jack

Hi plymouthcranbrook……. it is really strange that you chose the interior of your 52 Plymouth as topic for this discussion. I recently relocated my 1951 Plymouth Cambridge to its new parking space while I work on the old panel truck. The strange part of this communication is that I do have all the material necessary to complete the interior of the Plymouth. And I have nearly completed installation of its new headliner. But, finishing the interior of the car has been put on hold until I finish the chassis, and get the engine of the panel running. For some reason, when I finished the mechanics and electrics on the Plymouth, and it became drivable, a new project just seemed to dominate the horizon. Maybe it is the nature of the beast, and the owners handbook of the Plymouth cars should be changed to include the probability that it will have to survive with partially completed upholstery. Jack

“Old” is a transitory term when used with “antique”, “classic”, “collectible”, “rare” and simply “old” in any sentence which connects something to its owner. Regarding “old” cars and their usually “old” car owners. Most “old” car parts have been bought, traded, coveted and, sometimes, hoarded by their “old” owners. And, it is not unreasonable to think that a 90 year old transmission may have been bought, traded, and/or sold, several times during its long tenure in the automotive world. Common sense dictates that any person in possession of a car 50+ years old, very probably, or at least reasonably possibly, obtained the car as part of a collection, and probably intended to restore it. But, as it is expected that the “old” car eventually be relegated to that great junk yard in the sky, so can it be expected that it’s “old” owner will eventually follow. On to the exorbitant expense of trying to acquire one of the “old” car parts which has been an integral part of a “old” person’s life for the past half century. Well, it has more to do with ignorance than it does interest. Most probably the last part you bought for your prized Hupmobile passed through at least one estate sale and then passed through a gathering of folks at a place like Hershey. The “old” guy, to whom the part originally belonged to, and it was the only mechanism needed to meet, and talk to, people who shared their interest in “old” cars is now among the billions of cars which were not “saved” and now rests in the forever after. Instead it is the person who was voted “most likely to succeed” by the high school class graduating in 2010 who has the part offered for sale. And the only prospective buyer is the “old” guy who has “lots of money, and hardly no brains”. And the part ( whatever it is) is now a “rare”, “antique”, “classic”, and, at least a good reproduction, of something “old”…….and that makes it valuable. And that is all that matters…….period. Before the internet, before eBay, Craigslist and FEDEX next day shipping and before morals was something taught as something which is better left at home by the seller, it would have been “I need a ring gear, and I have this hub you need……let’s swap and share some gab”. Now it is “free shipping on purchases over $100.00 but no returns”………….and to h*ll with the gab”. Sad! Jack

Hi auburnseeker……..At the minute I have set aside a bit of time to get the undercarriage of the 1929 Fargo Express Panel, I recently bought, in working order. A daunting part of this was finding suitable 5.25-5.50X18 tires, and equally suitable inner tubes at a reasonable price. Patience payed off and I managed to find four new tires, still in the original wrappers and the blue protectant on the whitewalls for $225.00 and some shipping costs. The inner tubes was another story, and, as is many of the tasks related to reanimating a nine decades old truck, a bit of research, and a lot of learning had to be done……….and sometime “learning” doesn’t necessarily mean attainment of the desirable results. As a fact, a major portion of my old car related skills were acquired as a consequence of things which didn’t work right the first time. Be advised that I too waded around in the quagmire of the “Coker” swamp, and I too discovered that their pricy inner tube line up is painfully lacking inner tubes with a center, straight valve stem. I am dumbstruck by this oversight of a dealership which professes a wizard like knowledge of old car accessories. For a starter, you can buy any size tube, for temporary use on your antique car so long as it has a diameter of 20”. The “fat” size of the tube will be determined by the inner dimensions of your tire and inflation pressure. Harbor Freight sells a 20”, general purpose, inner tubes for less than $10.00, and Tractor Supply Company stocks them also. Be aware though that there are some special requirements which makes use of these inner tubes impractical for permanent use on an antique car. A first consideration is the durability of the tube, and when buying a cheaper one, expect to get one of a poorer quality. This is important because your antique car rims have a lot more snags and sharp edges than modern, single piece, rims. A thin tube is easily gouged and torn when used on a rim which can be compressed and expanded to install the tire, and that gap, where the rim is divided, can sure ruin a cheap tube in the blink of a eye. Also, modern tubes, regardless of stem position, have short valve stems which become inaccessible when installed in a tire used on a removable, antique, rim. That means that adding, or removing air becomes impossible after the rim is mounted to the wheel. Accordingly, the valve stems of inner tubes specifically sold for use with antique car rims have exceptionally long valve stems. To add a bit of assurance that the valve stem will not be lost during installation of the tire, since the tube will move as the rim is expanded, most valve stems of antique tubes will come threaded, and the set will contain washers and nuts to secure it. Sorry about the run-on, but that’s what this hobby is about. Jack

Never truer words spoken. The human friends I have leaned on for the past 60 years are all gone. My wife of 57 years is also gone, as is my oldest daughter. And, after a life of serving others, I believed retirement would bring the opportunity to serve my own needs for a change. Not so. Along with the freedom to choose, which came with retirement, those things to make choosing an enjoyable undertaking has also diminished in number as time passed. Regardless of our spiritual beliefs, we still need that physical presence to serve as a tether point on which to center our lives. In my case, while my old machines can never replace the comfort and companionship my real life friends afforded, they do do provide a material fixture, which mimics life, and serve as receptacles in which to store my anger and anxieties. Accordingly, I equate their existence and purpose to being more like that I share with my dog than a piece of metal and rubber. For that reason I will never completely “finish” any of my projects because to do so would be like losing another old friend. Jack