Restorer32

Check your facts, 1n 1948 98,897 Packards were built, second best year on record, 1937 having been the best. Personally I think they're ugly with a capital Ugh but heh, I've even heard of people who collect Studebakers ! Of course after the war about anything even remotely resembling a car was saleable. Over the years I've made a minor hobby of looking at parts cars to see if they still had license plates and if so, the last year of registration...I've seen many early 30's cars, rusted beyond hope, but still showing plates from the early 50's.

No question about the stresses inherent in any long inline engine but Manufacturers built quite a few things that, looking back, makes one wonder "What in the hell were they thinking? " We restored a 1917 Bell automobile with a 4 cylinder Lycoming engine...it had NO center main bearing...tramp on the gas and you could feel the crank flex...chuck a Straight 8 crankshaft in a lathe, set up a dial indicator and notice that you can flex the thing several thou just with the pressure of your little finger...thus the 9 main bearings...

Inline 12 currently in production; Not a Monobloc but still interesting: Wartsila NSD RTA96-C Inline 12 Bore 3'2" Stroke 8' 2" 89,640 HP @ 90 RPM Fuel Consumption 1660 gal/hr Crankshaft weight 300 TON

Pete, you would make a good attorney....when the facts are with you argue the facts, when they are against you argue the law....Please explain why my ALF 980 cu. in. 6 cylinder runs and runs well..the crank certainly is as long or longer than a straight 12 would be...at what point would an engine self distruct? Would 9 cylinders be ok ? How about 10? Or is 12 the magic number ? Apparently Packard made a mistake building all those inefficient Straight 8s...if they were ignorant enough to build them doesn't it follow that they might also have been ignorant enough to build an inline 12 ? And if the V-12 was so wonderful why did they continue building Straight 8s ?

It would fit nicely on a '55 Special chassis I would think ?

Of course if one were thinking street rod there wouldn't be that much difference would there?

Mighty big difference between a 1930 Model A Roadster and a 1935 V-8 Roadster.

I suspect that if the Cadillac V-16 had not actually gone into production we would be hearing the same arguments re how ridiculous the concept was, why Caddy engineers would never waste time on something so frivolous, why it would never work....etc...and exactly why wouldn't an inline 12 work efficiently? Certainly there have been longer and heavier engines used in marine applications for example. Inline 6 engines are noted for their reliability and longevity..what are the limiting factors in going to 12 ? After all, that's only 4 more cylinders in a row than the Straight 8, which was fairly successful I think.

MAN OF A THOUSAND FACES...principal actor, whose name escapes me at the moment, drives a 1932 Model 900 Convertible in several scenes...can't imagine them using a 900 instead of a "real" Classic...

Anyone need a car transported (open trailer) to the New Bern AGNM from the Harrisburg, Phila., Baltimore or Washington area at a reasonable cost ? I'll even show it for you if necessary.

Any information on the Kline automobile built in York, Pa.? Company later moved to Richmond, Va. I'm interested only in the cars built in York.

I'm a fairly big guy, only one in the shop who could crank start a '28 Autocar we restored. Boy was I smug until I found myself in the emergency room with a badly broken right arm. Yea, I know all about keeping your thumb on the outside etc. etc. Needless to say the beast now has an electric starter.

Regarding the 900 Coupe Sedan: Leaving the asking price aside the 900 two door sedan is indeed a rare car. I am the roster keeper for the 900 and know of only 5 existing examples including the remains of 1 in my parts yard which literally washed out of a creek bank in Minnesota. It's probably restorable with Herculean effort, if anyone is interested it's available for about the same cost as a restorable Model A Ford. Who says Classics have to be expensive? If you saw the 900 Coupe Sedan at Hershey (the one currently advertised) you might agree that it is a strikingly attractive car. Unfortunately for the breed the low windshield and rakish lines of the 900 are very appealing to street rodders, several sedans and at least 1 convertible coupe having met this fate. Again, anyone out there wanting to spend God knows how many hours restoring a terribly rough but basically complete 900 Coupe Sedan (but having something of value and rarity upon completion) contact me, but don't say you wern't warned!

We're restoring a 1909 ONLY, so named because it had only 1 cylinder...unfortunately only 14 ONLY cars were built before the company went bankrupt. "You're restoring an Only? Are there any other ONLYs known?" "No, we're restoring the only ONLY". "Parts hard to find?" "Yea...most parts for the Only are Only only"......shades of "Who's on first"

My final words on the subject...once again my "Spare Parts Theorem" has been validated...At any given time there are more horses asses in the world than there are horses, kinda like Tucker parts.

So then you're saying that things are exactly as they appear...while you (assuming you represent the CCCA) are perfectly willing to take my membership money I should certainly not have the audacity to assume that my chintzy 900 convertible in any way allows me to use the mantel of "Classic" when referring to it. Frankly, I fail to see much classic styling in those bulbous late 30's Twelves...classic performance perhaps, but styling ?

I reiterate...it is thinking like yours turns away folks like me...I think I can see more Classics at Hershey than at most Grand Classics anyway....doesn't that tell you something?

Mr. Hartmann, you've just illustrated the exact attitude that has soured me on the CCCA. I bought my 900s before they were Classics and had no influence on that decision. I suspect the shoe is actually on the other foot and it's the "oldtimers" like you who are worried about the value of your Classics diminishing as their exclusivity is diminished by the inclusion of more (and equally worthy) Classics into the fold. Please if you would...tell me why my '32 900 Convertible is a "lesser" Classic than the '31 840 Roadster parked beside it...Wern't they built to the same standards by the same workmen to plans drawn by the same engineers? I suppose if they had been more expensive and if fewer had been built you would be singing the praise of the "Custom" Light 8. Many 840s remained unsold at the end of the model year...imagine that..Classics that didn't sell ? Guess they wern't "Classic" enough....

Actually metallics were available in the early 30's. Can't seem to locate my judges manual, it speaks directly to this point.

Pete Hartmann..the only man Dale Carnegie ever smacked...your routine is becoming trite and predictable. Only had to read the first line or two of your post to recognize the writer. Please find some new material.

My 2 cents worth....I am no longer active in the CCCA primarily because of the costs. I have encouraged several folks for whom I have restored classics to consider membership. One fellow in particular joined but did not renew simply because he did not feel welcome nor could he justify the expense. Couldn't there be a variety of events designed to appeal to those of us who own and love "lesser" Classics but aren't really interested in Champagne Luncheons and such? I'm sure the 840 Roadster we just completed would be welcome at a CCCA event but would we ? Don't widen the scope of CCCA. Do try to make the "inner circle" a bit less intimidating. For me at least that would go a long way toward reengaging my attention and keeping me (age 54) and my son (age 19) as active members. Simply put, we want to have fun at a CCCA event, not feel like a pair of brown shoes at a black tie dinner.

Regarding driving older vehicles: I have a friend with a '31 Caddy v-12 who drives several thousand miles per year including from Baltimore to Nova Scotia and back. Also another friend with a '21 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost who logs several thousand miles a year. Look closer and you'll find quite a few folks who drive their cars. The CCCA has several driving tours a year, as does the AACA and The RROC. It can be a challenge maintaining these drivers but it certainly is good to know they get used.

I'm going (and judging) and can haul a car (open trailer) both ways at a reasonable rate if anyone wants to show but needs transportation from York, Baltimore, Philadelphia area for their car.

Judges are not supposed to smoke while judging, only prohibition I know of regarding the evil weed....

This is my 34th Hershey and the weather has been nice more often than wet. I suspect those who complain about the weather would find something to complain about regardless. Accept Hershey for what it is...the largest family reunion in the world! It's all fun..I even miss the mud in a sick, perverted sort of way. And please don't change the location..I can sleep in my own bed, get up at a reasonable hour, shower, have a coffee, drive to Hershey and still be in my spaces by 8:30...guess I'm spoiled.