Matt Harwood

*SOLD* Thank you!

*SOLD* Thank you!

**SOLD** Wait, wait, wait! Don't just look at the pictures--keep reading because you need to know that this is NOT a modified car. Look past the flashy wheels and you'll find a very correctly restored, very high-point RocketBird that's simply drop-dead gorgeous. In fact, this modestly priced Thunderbird might just be the nicest car in my entire inventory, up to and including cars that cost ten times as much. It is EXTREMELY impressive. Reinstall the original wheels and hubcaps (included with the car), put the skirts back on (also included), and I'll wager that this is a 92-94 point car at any AACA meet in the country. It is seriously nice. This car came to me because the guy who restored it noticed that I had another Medium Blue '63 Thunderbird convertible and figured that a matched set would look good. Now the convertible is a nice car, but I don't dare park this one next to it because this one is just so off-the-charts amazing. It's a California car that was purchased in pieces and restored by a guy who spent a lifetime in a bodyshop and clearly he knew what he was doing. According to him, there is not one patch panel, not one replacement piece of sheetmetal, and nothing more than a skim coat of filler to make it laser-straight. Every piece of chrome was refinished, the lenses are polished, and even the Thunderbird logos are sharply rendered--the front bird even has a red eye. I'm telling you, he didn't miss a thing. The interior is correct two-tone vinyl and the car is equipped with power windows and factory A/C. How do I know it's factory A/C and not dealer-installed? Look at the compressor, which is the original compressor for this car, and you'll note that none of the mounting boss holes are drilled or tapped--those are open only on the dealer-installed units because they're made to be universal. With R12 refrigerant inside, it's pretty darned effective. The seats have new foam, the carpets are new, the door panels are new, the dash pad is new, and, well, you get the point. The instruments are beautifully refinished and all the bulbs inside the dash are fully functional--turn on the headlights and the gear selector needle seems to glow like Darth Vader's light sabre. Too cool! The only other notable modification is the AM/FM radio and speakers in the door panels and on the rear package shelf, but the original radio is included with the car. The trunk is finished with a full reproduction mat set and includes a restored jack assembly in the side storage area. And no, there's no rust. The 390 cubic inch engine was rebuilt and runs superbly. In fact, it feels about 100 horsepower stronger than the one in the convertible for some reason. It starts almost instantly and I was demonstrating it for a client yesterday and simply reached in and turned the key and it started and idled perfectly without any pumping of the accelerator or help to keep it from stalling while it was on the choke. Very impressive. It's correctly detailed with Ford Gold on the tinwork and the shade of the paint was matched to original samples found on the underside of the air cleaner, so it's more of a tan than a gold, but it's authentic. All the little stuff is correct, from hose clamps to the staples holding the rubber air dam in place ahead of the radiator. The FMX 3-speed automatic offers crisp shifts and 3.00 gears make it a superlative highway car. Power steering and power drum brakes are effective and while the wheels aren't everyone's cup of tea, I can't argue with the way this sucker goes down the road without a single squeak or rattle. There's more than $60,000 wrapped up in just the restoration, not counting the guy's time. I know RocketBirds aren't commanding huge prices and our asking price of $26,900 might be ambitious for one of these. But if you look at it from the point of view that this is quite possibly the nicest one you'll ever see and it's an absolute joy to drive, well, perhaps then it'll start to seem like a bargain. What else can you get for $26,900? A year-old Honda? Yeah, right. This car is very, very impressive. Thanks for looking!

**SOLD** Wait, wait, wait! Don't just look at the pictures--keep reading because you need to know that this is NOT a modified car. Look past the flashy wheels and you'll find a very correctly restored, very high-point RocketBird that's simply drop-dead gorgeous. In fact, this modestly priced Thunderbird might just be the nicest car in my entire inventory, up to and including cars that cost ten times as much. It is EXTREMELY impressive. Reinstall the original wheels and hubcaps (included with the car), put the skirts back on (also included), and I'll wager that this is a 92-94 point car at any AACA meet in the country. It is seriously nice. This car came to me because the guy who restored it noticed that I had another Medium Blue '63 Thunderbird convertible and figured that a matched set would look good. Now the convertible is a nice car, but I don't dare park this one next to it because this one is just so off-the-charts amazing. It's a California car that was purchased in pieces and restored by a guy who spent a lifetime in a bodyshop and clearly he knew what he was doing. According to him, there is not one patch panel, not one replacement piece of sheetmetal, and nothing more than a skim coat of filler to make it laser-straight. Every piece of chrome was refinished, the lenses are polished, and even the Thunderbird logos are sharply rendered--the front bird even has a red eye. I'm telling you, he didn't miss a thing. The interior is correct two-tone vinyl and the car is equipped with power windows and factory A/C. How do I know it's factory A/C and not dealer-installed? Look at the compressor, which is the original compressor for this car, and you'll note that none of the mounting boss holes are drilled or tapped--those are open only on the dealer-installed units because they're made to be universal. With R12 refrigerant inside, it's pretty darned effective. The seats have new foam, the carpets are new, the door panels are new, the dash pad is new, and, well, you get the point. The instruments are beautifully refinished and all the bulbs inside the dash are fully functional--turn on the headlights and the gear selector needle seems to glow like Darth Vader's light sabre. Too cool! The only other notable modification is the AM/FM radio and speakers in the door panels and on the rear package shelf, but the original radio is included with the car. The trunk is finished with a full reproduction mat set and includes a restored jack assembly in the side storage area. And no, there's no rust. The 390 cubic inch engine was rebuilt and runs superbly. In fact, it feels about 100 horsepower stronger than the one in the convertible for some reason. It starts almost instantly and I was demonstrating it for a client yesterday and simply reached in and turned the key and it started and idled perfectly without any pumping of the accelerator or help to keep it from stalling while it was on the choke. Very impressive. It's correctly detailed with Ford Gold on the tinwork and the shade of the paint was matched to original samples found on the underside of the air cleaner, so it's more of a tan than a gold, but it's authentic. All the little stuff is correct, from hose clamps to the staples holding the rubber air dam in place ahead of the radiator. The FMX 3-speed automatic offers crisp shifts and 3.00 gears make it a superlative highway car. Power steering and power drum brakes are effective and while the wheels aren't everyone's cup of tea, I can't argue with the way this sucker goes down the road without a single squeak or rattle. There's more than $60,000 wrapped up in just the restoration, not counting the guy's time. I know RocketBirds aren't commanding huge prices and our asking price of $26,900 might be ambitious for one of these. But if you look at it from the point of view that this is quite possibly the nicest one you'll ever see and it's an absolute joy to drive, well, perhaps then it'll start to seem like a bargain. What else can you get for $26,900? A year-old Honda? Yeah, right. This car is very, very impressive. Thanks for looking!

Would this work for you? Lots of patina, totally solid, runs superbly. Ready to enjoy. $14,900. More details here: http://harwoodmotors.com/vehicles/inventory_details.php?id=468

Neat car, not badly priced. Did they even make phaetons in 1937? Also, is that a reflection of something green on the seats or is that really a red car with green upholstery?

Not to steer this topic off-course, but RM's Hershey auction catalog mentions a "Jowett." Typo or different make than Jewett?

GM was using tube shocks in 1937?!? Shouldn't it have lever-action shocks bolted to the brake backing plates? The tube shocks must have been retrofitted at some point in the past--I don't think they were used on cars until the '50s. But maybe I'm wrong and Pontiac was ahead of the curve. Can anyone confirm?

I don't have any good close-up photos of mine, but they're kind of spherical with red lenses on the rear and clear lenses on the sides and a white lens up top to illuminate the license plate on the driver's side. This is the best photo I have of my car's rear: Here's a shot of the rear of a 1930 Cadillac convertible coupe we have in stock, but again, this is the only image I have at the moment. The '30s are similar but they're a little less horizontal in terms of the mounting bracket. Hope it helps!

You can't pour in repairs to worn mechanical parts. If your car is in good health, adding something like this is merely throwing your money away on something that may do nothing at best and actually do harm at worst. Why bother? Quality oil changed regularly on a healthy car is all you need.

You need to look at this from one of two perspectives: One, if you want to learn the skills required to restore a car and are doing it more for the journey than the destination, then don't buy a Charger, buy a practice car first. Something that you will enjoy but which won't use up all your cash just in the purchase. In any restoration, the purchase is a tiny fraction of the overall cost of completing the car. OR Two, if you're doing it because you really want a Charger and this is the only way you can afford it, well, I have bad news: you can't afford it. It is ALWAYS (ALWAYS!) cheaper to buy someone else's finished car. You cannot put in "sweat equity" and make money on a restoration unless the finished project will be a six-figure car. You will spend years restoring it, you'll have sub-standard results (you're a rookie, so that's OK), and your finances will be perpetually drained while you're working. It is not cheaper in any way, shape, or form to restore a car than to buy a finished one. The rest of the advice you've received here is spot-on. If you're just starting out, buy an inexpensive yet still interesting and fun car, and practice on that. Get one that runs and drives so you don't have a pile of car taking up your garage and killing your enthusiasm. Restore it one piece at a time instead of tearing it to pieces and doing a complete frame-off job. Learn the skills, hone your abilities, gather your tools and contacts in the business (you WILL need help with much of it, no matter how talented you are). Later, when you're confident in your abilities, that might be the time to find your dream Charger. But even then, it'll still be cheaper and easier to buy a finished car. And for Pete's sake DO NOT use credit cards to buy the car! Oy! With maxed-out credit cards and no cash reserves, what, exactly, will you have left to spend on the restoration? This is a MASSIVE mistake in every possible way. DO NOT DO IT! Start small, learn stuff, be smart, stay frugal and you'll get there. Few of us owned our dream cars right off the bat (some of us never get them at all) but there's a lot of fun to be had along the way. Good luck!

First, welcome to a fellow Buick fan. I'd also recommend checking out the Buick forum just a few slots down from here. Awesome knowledge base there. You've already found the big thing: rust. If the driver's floor is bad, expect the rest to be worse, particularly the passenger's toe panel. These cars were notorious for leaking through the windshield seals, soaking the glove box, and keeping the passenger's side carpets wet 24/7. The rockers are going to be rough, but you'll have to get under the car to see it, as they were box sections that tend to rust from the inside out because the drain holes get clogged and there's no way to get in. And then there's the trunk, particularly at the very end where the seals have failed and water collects in the trough. So I bet it's going to be rusty in all the usual areas. The only other things are the transmission if it's a Dynaflow, which can be reliable but finding someone to rebuild/service it can be a challenge, and the hydraulics that power the windows/seat/top which are tough to properly sort out. Otherwise, the hardware is pretty robust and parts are relatively easy to source. Trim pieces will be scarce and your chrome bill will be well into the five-digit territory, but that's the whole appeal of a '50s Buick, right? Anyway, more details and photos will help us give you a better idea of the car's value and problems that you may face. For a car with rusty floors, $17K seems like a lot of money to me because it's going to need a very, very expensive restoration, no matter how you go into it initially. Once you start chasing rust, it's going to be very hard to do a "frame-on" restoration of a car like this. The body will have to come off to get it all. Good luck!

Welcome to my world, boys. If I sold a car to every guy who said he'd buy it, I'd sell five times as many cars as I do. Don't ever get your hopes up until there's money in your hand, and even then, 1 guy out of 15 or so will ask for it back...

I strongly suspect that someone with a similar car needed some spare parts and had exhausted all other methods of acquiring them. I expect that every time he drives his car with your stolen parts in it, he will feel a pang of regret/sadness/guilt/remorse, but probably not joy. Ill-gotten gains are never sweet, no matter how hard someone's heart. I recall going to the 75th anniversary Buick meet in 1977 with my father and his good friend in Flint, MI. That friend had a gorgeous 1936 Roadmaster convertible sedan in whose back seat I rode most of the way from Cleveland to Flint. After a night in our hotel, we came out to find the metal sidemount covers and center posts for the convertible sedan top had been stolen. That was not random thievery or mischief, it was a guy missing those absolutely unobtainable parts from his own car stealing them from someone else. The absolute lowest of the low. I was only 7 years old, and I spent the rest of the weekend scanning the crowd for those bright cream-colored sidemount covers. I was as furious as a 7-year-old could be at the injustice and indignity of the whole thing. I don't feel like we should have to guard our cars at shows and I don't want to live in a world where we have to. Things like this are still rather rare anomalies. They totally suck and I, too, would be outraged, but I'm not going to blame the victim for not locking his car up at a car show or babysitting it all day. Perhaps there's less respect in there world today than there used to be, but I'm not yet ready to throw in the towel on humanity in general and car guys in particular just because of one or two sad events. I parked our 1947 Dodge Power Wagon at last Sunday's show with the hood open and the doors open (literally, not just unlocked) then walked the show, got some lunch, and did other things. I refuse to live afraid. I'm still sorry to hear about this, it really stinks.

Both of the above responses are smart things to check. With the carburetor, make sure the float level is correct. If it's too low, that would explain your slanted pavement problems. Also remember that resistance goes up with temperature, so the hotter it gets, the harder it is to make a spark. The wires are a good place to check, but I'd also check your coil. Coils are notorious for working perfectly when they're cool, they test just fine, but when they get hot they stop working without warning. Replacement coils for your car are available at almost any auto parts store or via the internet, so make sure you get the right one. I suspect that you're having two separate problems, not one. Track down each one separately and see what you get. Start with the carburetor and set the float level correctly and see what happens. Then move on to the electrical system and see if you can remedy your hot start issue, which may also be helped by raising the float levels. Modern gas evaporates very easily, especially in the heat, so if your float level is too low, the carburetor bowls might be going dry out even during the period of a work day, causing your hard starting. Good luck!

I don't think you need to give anything away for free, just make everything reasonable. A bottle of water or two with registration at the gate is nice, but I don't think you're forced to choose between entry fee and free food. However, I would argue that the food is the best way to cover your costs on the whole show if you're careful with your margins, so free admission and reasonably-priced food would be my vote if I had to have one. Also, if you're doing voting, especially people's choice voting, make everyone vote for TWO cars. That way when everyone votes for their own car, there are other votes that can be counted towards a genuinely worthy entry. Be sure to note that ballots without two votes will be discarded.

Man, I sure miss my '41 60 Special in a big way. These are fantastic all-around cars for touring and to me the '40 is arguably the best-looking of the bunch. See you at Hershey, Tom!

I attended two distinctly different shows over the past two weekends and came away with a few thoughts on what worked and what didn't. Last week was a club event with judging held at a high-end hotel and was obviously aimed at high-end cars. My Cadillac was there, but it was the mongrel of the bunch. The choice of venue made this event work, as it was at a high-end hotel/golf resort and when it started raining, they let us park our cars in the ballroom. That MADE the show. Nice! Things that didn't work at that show: people complaining that their cars "only" scored 99 points, people who vanished back to their hotel rooms or into the hotel bar after parking their cars, hugely expensive (high-end hotel/golf resort). You could also make the argument that since it was limited to Full Classics, a lot of people and cars were excluded, but I think that's OK given the quality that showed up. Just today I attended another show that was quite different. It was free of charge save for a suggested $5 donation when you drove in, with most of the proceeds going to the Kidney Foundation. Open to all interesting cars of all eras, and everything from Model Ts to hot rods to this year's Lamborghinis showed up, and all were welcomed. Pre-registration was encouraged and you got better parking, but you could register at the gate and park in a secondary lot. They ultimately had about 300 cars and it was hosted by a local party center that abuts a golf course and the cars were parked on the grass on the driving range. I registered the Cadillac but at the last minute decided to take our heavily modified 1947 Dodge Power Wagon that was warmly welcomed and always had a crowd around it. I was parked in the Mopar section next to a 1931 Chrysler sedan and a 1967 Plymouth GTX. Nobody argued about changing my class at the gate when I showed up in a different vehicle. Reasons why this show worked: no judging so no complaints from trophy collectors, casual attitude, low cost, and an openness that made everyone feel welcome. Things that didn't work: none that I could see. It was a really nice show with good, affordable food (I spent $12 to feed myself and my 6-year-old son lunch) and no pressure. Everyone appreciated everyone else's cars and if you didn't dig a particular car, well, don't look at it. But nobody with an interesting car was turned away and the quality was pretty darned good. I suspect that the promoter (the party center) lost money on it, but maybe not. They sold a LOT of food and had quite a few sponsors and non-auto-related booths (windows, siding, insurance, realtors, etc.) that probably paid to be there, and I'm OK with that. So I would suggest that you aim for a few things to make a successful show: 1. Get a variety of cars. If it's cool, let it in. As soon as you start turning people away, someone's getting a bad taste in their mouth. New, old, hot-rod, original, foreign, domestic, fast, slow, whatever. If it's loved, let it show. 2. Make it affordable. Not free, but last weekend I spent about $750 to attend a car show (it was 3 days and 2 nights, but still...). Today I spent $17. Somewhere closer to the $17 figure is where a lot of folks want to be for a 1-day car show event. 3. No judging. Don't bother. It's a logistics nightmare and someone always goes home angry. Trophies cost a lot of money and you have to have an awards ceremony that nobody sticks around for anyway. Don't even give out people's choice awards or anything like that. Show up, enjoy the cars and your friends, and who cares who has the nicest car. It removes ALL the pressure. 4. Good food. The party center provided the food and there was plenty of variety (subs, hamburgers, hot dogs, cold cuts). There was also a common dining area with tables and chairs and reasonable prices all around. Nobody felt like they were being gouged. 5. Nice setting. Not a hot blacktop parking lot, but on the grass somewhere is always nice and gives the event an upscale feel. It's easier on the feet and not as hot. 6. Keep it casual. Create loose classes. I was supposed to be in the Trucks section, but they saw that there was an opening in the Mopar section where it would be easier to get my giant Dodge into position, so they let me park there without any arguments. It didn't matter to me and nobody else seemed to mind the big, green Dodge in their midst. I think we'll see more and more shows like the latter one where it's open to all kinds of cars. I know clubs like to adhere to their charter, but if you want a successful show, you need to let everyone in. I don't think anyone minds paying a few bucks to get into a show, but don't make it a huge number. I'd probably pay $20 and $5 seems very cheap for a show of this quality, so somewhere in there will probably not get many objections. And the big thing is that it was low-pressure, and that's really what matters most. My son and I had a great time just because we didn't have a schedule to keep or anyplace to be. Look at cars, eat, look at cars, sit by the truck, go home. Easy day. Hope this helps.

Pa, get the hose! Them stray cars is at it agin!

I just looked it up and the engine dates to December 1913, so it's probably safe to assume it's the original engine.

It's officially 25 years old, so this 1989 Mercedes-Benz 560SL now counts as an antique. It was the final year of R107 SL production, and they weren't called "Der Panzerwagon" for nothing. I know there are several SL enthusiasts here on the forum, and they'll probably agree that if you want an R107, the 560 is probably the one to own. Production in 1989 amounted to just 8251 units, so they're rather rare and carry quite a few upgrades over the earlier models, including the bigger 5.6 liter V8, 4-speed automatic overdrive transmission, airbags, ABS brakes, and standard leather upholstery in place of the usual MB-Tex vinyl. At any rate, this is an ultra-clean car with just 47,956 original miles. It was purchased new in Kentucky and spent most of its life down south, so rust is a total non-issue. It's never seen snow and except for today when I was photographing it, it hasn't seen rain since the '90s. The original Diamond Blue paint sparkles and shines, as it should on a car that cost a whopping $64,300 when it was new (and those were more robust 1989 dollars). It features Euro-style headlights which really give it a sleeker look than the US bulbs and they're also more effective, which is nice. There are two flaws on the car and both are quite minor, but it's so well preserved that I feel like I have to mention them. One is a blemish on the driver's door that looks like a drop of solvent touched the paint because it's not a scratch--it's just like the color was erased. The other is a small chip that I couldn't find without help. THAT'S how nice this car really is. The dark blue leather interior is equally nice and aside from a little stretching on the driver's seat, virtually new. The door panels, dash pad, and carpets are excellent and while the floor mats look a little faded, they're actually accessory floor mats that have been protecting the original floor mats from day one, so the originals are like new. Everything works, including the A/C, which now uses R134a refrigerant, and it still carries its original Becker Grand Prix AM/FM/cassette stereo. The burled walnut is real burled walnut, not plastic, and it really warms up the Teutonic interior. The trunk is nicely preserved and includes a full set of factory tools and a spare that might have been used once--maybe. The blue canvas top is original to the car and in very good condition, with the only notable blems being a small pinhole in the driver's side quarter window and a loose thread on the passenger's side. And yes, it does come with a matching hardtop with stand. The 5.6 liter SOHC V8 offers a lot more performance than its 226 horsepower would suggest thanks to the fattest torque curve this side of a big block Camaro. The engine bay is spotless and still carries all its original equipment, all beautifully maintained save for standard service items like fluids, hoses, belts, and the battery. There's no trace of corrosion or grime anywhere and the sucker runs like it was built yesterday, not two-and-a-half decades ago. The 4-speed automatic overdrive transmission is a welcome addition, giving this car impossibly long legs on the highway, and you guys who already own one of these can vouch for the fact that it eats pavement at an unbelievable rate on long trips. The underside was undercoated from new and remains solid, although it isn't detailed for show or anything like that. It steers, brakes, and handles like a new car and the 205/65/15 Michelin radials on unmarked alloy wheels are probably only the second or third set of tires the car has ever worn. All the original books and manuals, plus decades of receipts, are included with the car. Are these cars collectors' items yet? I don't know. What I do know is that this is one case where it pays to buy the best SL you can possibly afford. The inexpensive ones with deferred maintenance are probably the most expensive cars you can own, but a high-quality car like this will run practically forever if you treat it right. We're asking $32,900, which is about right for the end-of-the-line 560, and there can't be many better specimens than this. Thanks for looking!

*SOLD* If it's patina you crave, this wonderful little Model T pickup has it in spades! It's got a neat story behind it, as it was acquired by a friend of mine when some guys working on the bridge near his shop noticed that he works on old cars. One of the workers mentioned that his uncle had this Model T in a barn up in Michigan and would he like to have it? So he drove up with a trailer, pulled it out of the barn, and brought it home, and it is unquestionably highly original. Being a master mechanic (he's the guy that every other shop sends their customer's cars to when they can't figure out the problem), he got it running so well that you just need a gentle tug on the crank to make it spring to life and it drives superbly. In fact, it's so easy to start and drive that his lady friend often takes it to the store up the street. It's the best kind of survivor --totally sorted and mechanically excellent without disturbing the authentic look. You guys who know Model Ts will spot right away that this isn't a factory pickup, but rather a touring car with a Sears & Roebuck pickup bed on the back, and it's way cool. Dig the curled bed rail and the modified bulkhead that still carries the original robe rail from the touring car's back seat. I don't know anything about Shepp's Fix-It Shop, but since Shepp had a 5-digit phone number, I'm guessing it's been a long, long time since he was in business. There's still some black paint clinging to the body, but it's got a pretty uniform coating of patina but no rot or rust-through, so I wouldn't change a thing and you won't hurt it a bit by taking it out and letting everyone touch it. The brass radiator and lights are in good shape and it's worth noting that the headlights are fitted with modern 12-volt halogen bulbs so it's a bit more effective at night. The seat and top are newer, and again, if you're going to drive a patina car, you'll probably appreciate the fact that old springs and crumbly leather aren't jammed into your backside. It looks quite authentic and doesn't detract from the overall presentation. The rest is original, right down to the coil box with a set of ultra-rare and valuable early-style coils inside. No gauges, but there are two horns, a set of cowl lights, and pedals that remain in excellent shape. The side panels and door panel have also been replaced and look correct to my eye. The engine carries serial number 393034, and I'm sure someone will be able to tell me whether it's an actual 1914 engine, but the car is indeed titled as a 1914 Ford pickup. As I said, the owner is a brilliant mechanic and has it running as well as any Model T I've experienced and it feels great going down the road. Get everything set just right and it springs to life without a lot of wrestling and with the upgraded spring dampers on the front suspension, it feels more substantial than most. It tracks well and the brakes are, well, at least it has brakes. The tires are pretty old so if you're going to drive it a lot, maybe you should replace them, but the wood spoke wheels are in good order. This little trucklet recalls an all-original International Harvester that I had when I was with Vintage, and it attracted more attention than anything else in our warehouse. I'm going to bring this little T into the lobby of my new showroom, so I'm not in any hurry to sell it simply because it's going to be the star of the show. But if you think it looks like fun and you like the patina, then no disappointments here. Most of you know that I'm not much of a fan of Model Ts, but this one is really quite charming. We're asking $14,900 and we're always open to reasonable offers. Thanks for looking!

*SOLD* If it's patina you crave, this wonderful little Model T pickup has it in spades! It's got a neat story behind it, as it was acquired by a friend of mine when some guys working on the bridge near his shop noticed that he works on old cars. One of the workers mentioned that his uncle had this Model T in a barn up in Michigan and would he like to have it? So he drove up with a trailer, pulled it out of the barn, and brought it home, and it is unquestionably highly original. Being a master mechanic (he's the guy that every other shop sends their customers' cars to when they can't figure out the problem), he got it running so well that you just need a gentle tug on the crank to make it spring to life and it drives superbly. In fact, it's so easy to start and drive that his lady friend often takes it to the store up the street. It's the best kind of survivor--totally sorted and mechanically excellent without disturbing the authentic look. You guys who know Model Ts will spot right away that this isn't a factory pickup, but rather a touring car with a Sears & Roebuck pickup bed on the back, and it's way cool. Dig the curled bed rail and the modified bulkhead that still carries the original robe rail from the touring car's back seat. I don't know anything about Shepp's Fix-It Shop, but since Shepp had a 5-digit phone number, I'm guessing it's been a long, long time since he was in business. There's still some black paint clinging to the body, but it's got a pretty uniform coating of patina but no rot or rust-through, so I wouldn't change a thing and you won't hurt it a bit by taking it out and letting everyone touch it. The brass radiator and lights are in good shape and it's worth noting that the headlights are fitted with modern 12-volt halogen bulbs so it's a bit more effective at night. The seat and top are newer, and again, if you're going to drive a patina car, you'll probably appreciate the fact that old springs and crumbly leather aren't jammed into your backside. It looks quite authentic and doesn't detract from the overall presentation. The rest is original, right down to the coil box with a set of ultra-rare and valuable early-style coils inside. No gauges, but there are two horns, a set of cowl lights, and pedals that remain in excellent shape. The side panels and door panel have also been replaced and look correct to my eye. The engine carries serial number 393034, and I'm sure someone will be able to tell me whether it's an actual 1914 engine, but the car is indeed titled as a 1914 Ford pickup. As I said, the owner is a brilliant mechanic and has it running as well as any Model T I've experienced and it feels great going down the road. Get everything set just right and it springs to life without a lot of wrestling and with the upgraded spring dampers on the front suspension, it feels more substantial than most. It tracks well and the brakes are, well, at least it has brakes. The tires are pretty old so if you're going to drive it a lot, maybe you should replace them, but the wood spoke wheels are in good order. This little trucklet recalls an all-original International Harvester that I had when I was with Vintage, and it attracted more attention than anything else in our warehouse. I'm going to bring this little T into the lobby of my new showroom, so I'm not in any hurry to sell it simply because it's going to be the star of the show. But if you think it looks like fun and you like the patina, then no disappointments here. Most of you know that I'm not much of a fan of Model Ts, but this one is really quite charming. We're asking $14,900 and we're always open to reasonable offers. Thanks for looking!

If you're trading a project car for that Riv, straight across, no cash involved, TAKE IT AND RUN.

Universal is owned by Coker so you get the same stuff, the same prices and the same service. If you want radials, I strongly recommend Diamondback Classic radials instead. If you want old-style bias-ply tires, then Coker is your only choice.