Matt Harwood

Sold, thank you!

Sold! Thank you!

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Looking at that car, you're at least $50-70,000 away from having a really nice $35,000 car, if you restore it to first-rate condition. So cross it off your list if you're looking to come out ahead financially when it's done. Buy someone else's finished car and enjoy immediately. HOWEVER, and this is a big deal for us car guys, you don't do it for the money, you do it for love. If this is a car you can love, that will keep you motivated through the project, through the mounting expenses involved in things you can't do yourself (machine work, chrome, upholstery, etc), then I'd say this car could be a desirable, rare Full Classic and obviously I'm partial to Cadillacs. It'll cruise at 40 MPH and I've found that my big '29 sedan attracts every bit as much attention as the sporty roadsters and phaetons at shows. On tours when the weather turns, nothing's better than roll-up windows and a functional heater! Everyone wants to ride in my back seat on those occasions. Nickel Cads are less desirable than the later models, but they're very high-quality machines overall. What is he asking for this car? Given the condition, the unknown completeness (parts for this car are going to be quite difficult to source), and the questionable quality of any work already done (meaning you'll have to do it over again), I'd say this car should be priced at $2000-3000.

Despite the weather, the folks of the Hershey Region did a first-class job in every way. Traffic was easily controlled and the layout and organization were excellent. Lighter crowds probably helped, but I was continually impressed by how well they make this massive event work. Several examples: Put the wrong window sticker on one of our cars. A volunteer helped us rectify the situation, even riding with me to the correct parking space and getting us through the check point at the Car Corral entrance. Apparently someone in a cart crashed into a car in the Car Corral, and then blamed the owner of the car for not parking it straight. We had two spaces and the space next to us was open, so I kind of parked the cars at an angle facing each other. Two workers came up and explained the situation and I was happy to help. No strong-arm tactics, just politely asking us to move the cars. They could have been jerks, but instead they were gentlemen. I wish I'd gotten their names, they did it exactly right. On Thursday, I pulled in driving the 1941 Packard and across the row from us was a mid-50s Ford pickup that was clearly NOT stock. Big Pro-Street tires, wheelie bars, and an engine whose every cylinder fire could be felt in your chest (which he continually demonstrated by revving it to 7000 RPM). About an hour later, was asked to leave. I'm glad to see that the rules were being applied in a consistent way. That really goes a LONG way towards keeping tempers cool. How much do you want to bet that the owner of the hot-rod pickup is on another message board talking about what assh*les the AACA guys are for throwing his rod out of the show? Some tourist decided to drive his Ford Focus through the car corral at a rather elevated rate of speed and was chased down at speed by a pair of workers in a cart. It was amusing but eventually they caught him/her and showed him the way out. Not sure if the tourist was intentionally or inadvertently doing a drive-thru, but the volunteers were on it right away before anyone got hurt. Anyway, kudos once again to the fine folks who make this event happen each year!

Bummed about the weather, got very wet sitting by the cars in the car corral. That was A LOT of rain. Wow! Sadly, during the heavy rains on Thursday night or Friday morning, somehow the engine in my beloved Audi allroad daily driver filled with water. Got in Friday morning, started it, turned around in the parking lot and drove about 30 feet before it stopped dead. Had it towed to a local shop where they found water in the intake, turbos, intercoolers, and cylinder #6, which also had a broken connecting rod. Engine is toast, insurance company will likely total the car. I rented a car and drove home, leaving it behind, probably forever. I'm very, very unhappy. I also liked not having a car payment, and that allroad was still a very nice car that I expected to use for many years. A perfect capper on a dreary week. Don't know how it happened, but that's about how the whole week went for me. Next year HAS to be better!

There are several national inspection companies that will have a look, and their fees typically run $400-500 (which seems like a lot, but I've seen dozens come through our shop and that's what they charge). They'll take photos and look the car over. Some more thorough guys will check the body with a thickness gauge and hopefully there will be a road test. I've also had inspectors come in, look the car over, make a list of flaws, and call it done. While that can be sort-of helpful, it doesn't really paint a complete picture of the car in context, A good inspector should ask you what your expectations are and go from there with an overview that will give details on the car, but put them in perspective. No car is perfect, but certain flaws are acceptable and certain ones are not. For example, on an all-original car in good condition, would you call many small chips in the paint defective? I had one inspector look at my 1941 Cadillac and tell the potential buyer it was covered with chips and micro blisters, which scared the buyer away. On the other hand, it was 100% original paint that won an AACA National HPOF award. See how context can make all the difference? Finally, that Buick is going to be an expensive car (looking at that one, I'm guessing $50,000-70,000). Is that a price range you're able to explore as a gift? If not, I'm sure we can all make some good recommendations and many of us here may know of a suitable car if something a little more affordable is what you're looking for. Hope this helps and this is a wonderful thing you're doing!

I hope the injured folks are OK. This is my single biggest fear whenever I go out with the family in one of the old cars. I'm not worried about the safety of my hardware, but the idiots around me make life very challenging. I think the biggest issue is dopes with camera phones swerving in to get a better photo. I've had this thought about seat belts many times, and with two young children, my wife and I had a long discussion about it. But the problem is, on an old car with a wood body frame and floor, where to you secure the belts? A big fender washer under the floor ain't gonna cut it given the astronomical forces involved in a car crash. Then there's the thought that you can secure them to the steel frame of the car, but with the body only being held on by 8 or 10 bolts, in an accident if the body comes off the frame (which happens frequently), and I'm in the body yet belted to the frame, what happens to me? We've ultimately decided that there's no safe way to mount seat belts in a car with a wooden frame and/or wooden floors (like my 1929 Cadillac, or this Model T). Driving defensively, avoiding traffic, and counting on the visibility of a 6-foot-tall 5000-pound Cadillac is our best (and only) defense. What options have other hobbyists used?

This has long been one of my pet peeves, and kudos to our friend lordairgtr for understanding that the music isn't the show or even really necessary. He's in the minority, however. Our local cruise-in is quite large every Tuesday night (300-400 cars), and is so regular and well-attended that the parking lot owners have allowed them to string permanent wires and hang permanent speakers from the light poles. Then the DJ shows up and sets up his massive array of speakers and, well, I feel like this guy whenever I go there: It's DEAFENING, to the point where I park my car at the far end of the lot away from it just so I can have conversations. It's painful to walk up to get a hot dog or a drink next to the speakers, and for reasons I can't explain, the choice spots are RIGHT NEXT TO THE SPEAKERS. Maybe those guys are already deaf? A big part of my problem is that my hearing was damaged in an explosion a few years ago (I'm down to about 20% in my right ear and about 70% in my left). The problem isn't that I can't hear sounds, but that I have limited "bandwidth." If there's just too much going on, I can't differentiate sounds very well, so while I'll hear your voice, it sounds kind of like someone has their TV on too loud in the apartment next door--I can't make out the words. This is even a problem, say, driving in a car with open windows where I often can't understand what my wife is saying to me (ha ha, make the jokes) and in movies where the actors use foreign accents, I can't understand them. I'll also say that at Pebble Beach this year they played classical music as you'd expect, but I found even that to be a couple of notches too loud. They were just trying too hard and whenever the announcer broke in with a thundering voice from beyond, the crowd was frequently startled and cringing at the volume. Not elegant. So yeah, I REALLY hate this. Low-key ambient music is typically OK, but making it the focal point of the event? Yeah, I'll pass. Instead of going to that local cruise night every week and supporting the hobby, I go twice a summer and then remember why I hate being there. If my voice is raw from shouting at a car show, they're doing it wrong. So here's to you, Mr. Loud 50's Music DJ Guy:

*SOLD* Thank you!

*SOLD* Thank you!

*SOLD* Thank you!

*SOLD* Thank you!

*SOLD* Thank you!

*SOLD* Thank you!

*SOLD* Thank you!

*SOLD* Thank you!

I think we have to look at these cars at this auction as entities unto themselves. They'll never be restored, they'll always be the "Lambrecht cars" and that's that. People are paying a premium for that unique provenance. It makes no sense, it's stupid, it's ridiculous, but nobody said cars were a rational hobby. If we look at it realistically, there's a real conundrum: You've bought a low-mile original car that needs a total restoration; do you keep it as-is and preserve the originality, despite the deteriorated condition and likely the inability to use it as anything but a static display? Or do you use it as the foundation of a fresh restoration so it can be just like all the restored cars? There's just no reasonable upside to ANY of these cars no matter what you do to them. Keep it or restore it, it's still just a garden-variety car that's either completely unusable or just like 10,000 others. So what you're left with is people paying a premium due to the marketing power of perception. We will be seeing Lambrecht cars circulating the auction houses until everyone is over the hype. And the first round of suckers who paid too much at this auction will be like the Ferrari guys in 1989 or the Hemi guys in 2008--they'll be holding the bag when the music stops and think, "I paid how much for WHAT?!?"

Thanks to the guys down in the Lincoln forum, I've discovered that there were no Zephyrs after 1942, so this is merely a Lincoln convertible. Sorry for the confusion!

Thanks for the feedback, guys. I'll make the changes. Always great to have experts on hand!

With the death of the Zephyr in 1942, all non-Continentals became simply "Lincolns". Underneath, however, this convertible is the same as the Continental, but given that I've never seen another one like this, I'm guessing they're quite a bit more unusual. This one has a nice older restoration that's in very good condition today. The front end is familiar to anyone who's seen a post-war Continental, but I personally really like the sloping rear deck compared to the bustle-back look of the Continental, and the quarter windows give it a much more graceful profile, don't you think? Maroon paint is always the right choice on cars of this vintage, if not particularly adventurous, but the finish remains shiny with only a few blemishes that are age-related and not really damage. The chrome is in good condition, particularly the grille, which, on these cars, can cost a fortune to restore, and the two-tier bumpers are straight and clean. And just between you and me, I much prefer having real door handles on the outside of my car rather than push-buttons. The interior is handsome black leather that's in better shape than the photos would indicate--black is really hard to photograph properly. There are a few creases, but it is supple and comfortable with firm underpinnings that make it a great tour candidate. Matching black carpets are neatly bound and the door panels are really slick-looking with dramatic curves on the arm rest and a neat map pocket underneath. All the gauges are functional save for the clock (and radio, sadly), and the power windows and top work like they should. It's equipped with a heater/defroster unit and that "O" knob on the lower half of the dash is for the fully operational overdrive. Even the steering wheel is in great shape, although it's not the cool red transparent plastic you find in the Continentals--I suppose they had to cut back somewhere. The trunk is much, much larger than the Continental's, again making this a great choice for touring. The engine is the same 292 cubic inch V12 that was used throughout the Lincoln lineup. Fully rebuilt at the time of restoration, it runs extremely well and exhibits none of the temperamental behavior that used to give these engines a bad reputation (which was undeserved, in my opinion). It's no longer detailed for show, but it wears correct green engine enamel, an oil bath air cleaner, and a generator up top. It starts easily and idles almost silently, and even though it's a little smaller than some of its competitors, it's incomparably smooth. Get it rolling and it whispers along at highway speeds thanks to the overdrive. The undercarriage is both over-detailed (painted to match the body) and under-detailed (a bit grungy from being driven) but everything is in place and it all works like it should. It's also got a new exhaust system and good wide whites on the original wheels. Handsome and unusual, this will become a favorite if you like to drive. Asking $54,900 and we're always open to reasonable offers. Thanks for reading!

With the death of the Zephyr in 1942, all non-Continentals became simply "Lincolns". Underneath, however, this convertible is the same as the Continental, but given that I've never seen another one like this, I'm guessing they're quite a bit more unusual. This one has a nice older restoration that's in very good condition today. The front end is familiar to anyone who's seen a post-war Continental, but I personally really like the sloping rear deck compared to the bustle-back look of the Continental, and the quarter windows give it a much more graceful profile, don't you think? Maroon paint is always the right choice on cars of this vintage, if not particularly adventurous, but the finish remains shiny with only a few blemishes that are age-related and not really damage. The chrome is in good condition, particularly the grille, which, on these cars, can cost a fortune to restore, and the two-tier bumpers are straight and clean. And just between you and me, I much prefer having real door handles on the outside of my car rather than push-buttons. The interior is handsome black leather that's in better shape than the photos would indicate--black is really hard to photograph properly. There are a few creases, but it is supple and comfortable with firm underpinnings that make it a great tour candidate. Matching black carpets are neatly bound and the door panels are really slick-looking with dramatic curves on the arm rest and a neat map pocket underneath. All the gauges are functional save for the clock (and radio, sadly), and the power windows and top work like they should. It's equipped with a heater/defroster unit and that "O" knob on the lower half of the dash is for the fully operational overdrive. Even the steering wheel is in great shape, although it's not the cool red transparent plastic you find in the Continentals--I suppose they had to cut back somewhere. The trunk is much, much larger than the Continental's, again making this a great choice for touring. The engine is the same 292 cubic inch V12 that was used throughout the Lincoln lineup. Fully rebuilt at the time of restoration, it runs extremely well and exhibits none of the temperamental behavior that used to give these engines a bad reputation (which was undeserved, in my opinion). It's no longer detailed for show, but it wears correct green engine enamel, an oil bath air cleaner, and a generator up top. It starts easily and idles almost silently, and even though it's a little smaller than some of its competitors, it's incomparably smooth. Get it rolling and it whispers along at highway speeds thanks to the overdrive. The undercarriage is both over-detailed (painted to match the body) and under-detailed (a bit grungy from being driven) but everything is in place and it all works like it should. It's also got a new exhaust system and good wide whites on the original wheels. Handsome and unusual, this will become a favorite if you like to drive. Asking $54,900 and we're always open to reasonable offers. Thanks for reading!

*SOLD* Most of you already know I'm a fan of 1941 Cadillacs, particularly those with the Hydra-Matic automatic transmission, and this Series 63 sedan is a handsome Full Classic that's ready to tour. I like the Series 63's look, which isn't quite a fastback but is more sporting than the other models, neatly bridging the gap between the non-Classic Series 61 fastbacks and the rest of the lineup. It was available for only two years, then vanished, so they're somewhat rare, too. This particular 63 is a car with a lot of originality and has never been the subject of a full restoration, and I have no reason to doubt that the 70,000 or so miles shown on the odometer are correct. It has certainly been maintained as necessary and still looks good, but the overall condition suggests a car that has always been loved. The two-tone blue paint was apparently a special order, since there is no color code on the cowl tag, and it spent most of its life in service in the Washington DC area. If I had to guess, I'd say that the upper paint may very well be original, since it shows some cracking and checking, but the lower half is simply too nice to be 72 years old. There are a few amateur touch-ups on the light blue portions and I might enlist the help of a real body shop to get it back in shape (there's one spot of primer on one of the door posts). Regardless, it has a wonderful overall look that's all-of-a-piece where nothing stands out as too nice or too deteriorated, and it's considerably nicer than my HPOF-winning 60 Special. The chrome is spectacular, so nice that I have to think it was refinished at some point, which is a big plus on any car like this--the grille alone can cost thousands to restore. All the stainless and even the rubber fender guards are in great shape. I also believe the interior is original, save for the front carpets, which are a disappointing replacement set. However, the seats, door panels, and headliner are all proper gray broadcloth and in wonderful condition, and there's no reason to believe they have been replaced. The driver's seat shows light signs of wear and stretching, but everything else is quite impressive. The woodgrained dash shows up bright and clear, and all the gauges are functional save for the clock and radio, but you already knew that. It has both under-seat heaters and a defroster, all of which work, and the trunk is neatly finished with the original burlap material and a full-sized spare tire, plus assorted manuals and tools. The only other known issue is that the fog lamps do not work, most likely due to burned-out bulbs, but neither the owner nor I have investigated. We aren't sure whether the engine has been rebuilt, as it simply looks too good to be original. Whatever the case, it runs well, starts easily, and has that great V8 burble that Cadillacs do so well. Both the carburetor and water pump have been recently rebuilt, so it runs like a Cadillac should and the radiator shutters work correctly to keep it cool. The factory mechanical fuel pump still lives on the engine block, but the engine is actually fed by an electric pump that bypasses the mechanical one, because the owner didn't want to risk filling the crankcase with fuel if the diaphragm ruptured. The entire front suspension has been rebuilt, including new springs, and the Hydra-Matic transmission shifts well and is--shockingly--not a leaker. Four new Diamondback Classic wide whitewall radials have been recently fitted, and I think they're the absolute correct choice on a car like this. A set of restored, matching steel fenderskirts with medallions are also included with the car, which are probably worth $1500 by themselves. We're asking $24,900, which means this is a great deal of car for the money. Handsome, fast, spacious, and a Full Classic, this is a wonderful tour car that needs nothing to enjoy immediately. I like this car a lot!

*SOLD* Most of you already know I'm a fan of 1941 Cadillacs, particularly those with the Hydra-Matic automatic transmission, and this Series 63 sedan is a handsome Full Classic that's ready to tour. I like the Series 63's look, which isn't quite a fastback but is more sporting than the other models, neatly bridging the gap between the non-Classic Series 61 fastbacks and the rest of the lineup. It was available for only two years, then vanished, so they're somewhat rare, too. This particular 63 is a car with a lot of originality and has never been the subject of a full restoration, and I have no reason to doubt that the 70,000 or so miles shown on the odometer are correct. It has certainly been maintained as necessary and still looks good, but the overall condition suggests a car that has always been loved. The two-tone blue paint was apparently a special order, since there is no color code on the cowl tag, and it spent most of its life in service in the Washington DC area. If I had to guess, I'd say that the upper paint may very well be original, since it shows some cracking and checking, but the lower half is simply too nice to be 72 years old. There are a few amateur touch-ups on the light blue portions and I might enlist the help of a real body shop to get it back in shape (there's one spot of primer on one of the door posts). Regardless, it has a wonderful overall look that's all-of-a-piece where nothing stands out as too nice or too deteriorated, and it's considerably nicer than my HPOF-winning 60 Special. The chrome is spectacular, so nice that I have to think it was refinished at some point, which is a big plus on any car like this--the grille alone can cost thousands to restore. All the stainless and even the rubber fender guards are in great shape. I also believe the interior is original, save for the front carpets, which are a disappointing replacement set. However, the seats, door panels, and headliner are all proper gray broadcloth and in wonderful condition, and there's no reason to believe they have been replaced. The driver's seat shows light signs of wear and stretching, but everything else is quite impressive. The woodgrained dash shows up bright and clear, and all the gauges are functional save for the clock and radio, but you already knew that. It has both under-seat heaters and a defroster, all of which work, and the trunk is neatly finished with the original burlap material and a full-sized spare tire, plus assorted manuals and tools. The only other known issue is that the fog lamps do not work, most likely due to burned-out bulbs, but neither the owner nor I have investigated. We aren't sure whether the engine has been rebuilt, as it simply looks too good to be original. Whatever the case, it runs well, starts easily, and has that great V8 burble that Cadillacs do so well. Both the carburetor and water pump have been recently rebuilt, so it runs like a Cadillac should and the radiator shutters work correctly to keep it cool. The factory mechanical fuel pump still lives on the engine block, but the engine is actually fed by an electric pump that bypasses the mechanical one, because the owner didn't want to risk filling the crankcase with fuel if the diaphragm ruptured. The entire front suspension has been rebuilt, including new springs, and the Hydra-Matic transmission shifts well and is--shockingly--not a leaker. Four new Diamondback Classic wide whitewall radials have been recently fitted, and I think they're the absolute correct choice on a car like this. A set of restored, matching steel fenderskirts with medallions are also included with the car, which are probably worth $1500 by themselves. We're asking $24,900, which means this is a great deal of car for the money. Handsome, fast, spacious, and a Full Classic, this is a wonderful tour car that needs nothing to enjoy immediately. I like this car a lot!

*SOLD* Most of you already know I'm a fan of 1941 Cadillacs, particularly those with the Hydra-Matic automatic transmission, and this Series 63 sedan is a handsome Full Classic that's ready to tour. I like the Series 63's look, which isn't quite a fastback but is more sporting than the other models, neatly bridging the gap between the non-Classic Series 61 fastbacks and the rest of the lineup. It was available for only two years, then vanished, so they're somewhat rare, too. This particular 63 is a car with a lot of originality and has never been the subject of a full restoration, and I have no reason to doubt that the 70,000 or so miles shown on the odometer are correct. It has certainly been maintained as necessary and still looks good, but the overall condition suggests a car that has always been loved. The two-tone blue paint was apparently a special order, since there is no color code on the cowl tag, and it spent most of its life in service in the Washington DC area. If I had to guess, I'd say that the upper paint may very well be original, since it shows some cracking and checking, but the lower half is simply too nice to be 72 years old. There are a few amateur touch-ups on the light blue portions and I might enlist the help of a real body shop to get it back in shape (there's one spot of primer on one of the door posts). Regardless, it has a wonderful overall look that's all-of-a-piece where nothing stands out as too nice or too deteriorated, and it's considerably nicer than my HPOF-winning 60 Special. The chrome is spectacular, so nice that I have to think it was refinished at some point, which is a big plus on any car like this--the grille alone can cost thousands to restore. All the stainless and even the rubber fender guards are in great shape. I also believe the interior is original, save for the front carpets, which are a disappointing replacement set. However, the seats, door panels, and headliner are all proper gray broadcloth and in wonderful condition, and there's no reason to believe they have been replaced. The driver's seat shows light signs of wear and stretching, but everything else is quite impressive. The woodgrained dash shows up bright and clear, and all the gauges are functional save for the clock and radio, but you already knew that. It has both under-seat heaters and a defroster, all of which work, and the trunk is neatly finished with the original burlap material and a full-sized spare tire, plus assorted manuals and tools. The only other known issue is that the fog lamps do not work, most likely due to burned-out bulbs, but neither the owner nor I have investigated. We aren't sure whether the engine has been rebuilt, as it simply looks too good to be original. Whatever the case, it runs well, starts easily, and has that great V8 burble that Cadillacs do so well. Both the carburetor and water pump have been recently rebuilt, so it runs like a Cadillac should and the radiator shutters work correctly to keep it cool. The factory mechanical fuel pump still lives on the engine block, but the engine is actually fed by an electric pump that bypasses the mechanical one, because the owner didn't want to risk filling the crankcase with fuel if the diaphragm ruptured. The entire front suspension has been rebuilt, including new springs, and the Hydra-Matic transmission shifts well and is--shockingly--not a leaker. Four new Diamondback Classic wide whitewall radials have been recently fitted, and I think they're the absolute correct choice on a car like this. A set of restored, matching steel fenderskirts with medallions are also included with the car, which are probably worth $1500 by themselves. We're asking $24,900, which means this is a great deal of car for the money. Handsome, fast, spacious, and a Full Classic, this is a wonderful tour car that needs nothing to enjoy immediately. I like this car a lot!