edinmass

You can scan an early 30’s CCCA classic for less than 1700 dollars. It’s accurate less than a single millimeter. Scan two identical coach built cars………and they are much closer to each other than you would think………we actually did it earlier this year. It was a fun exercise.

On a rebuilt engine after break in, yes. Especially with splash.

Primitive for 1934.......but obviously it worked well. If I were running one today, after rebuild and break in, I would run 100 percent synthetic oil in it. Todays modern regular oils are probably three times better than what was available pre war.

You need to post photos. I would be surprised if the cam bearings, mains, and timing gears/chain are not pressure fed. The distributor drive gear may be splash. Hudsons were good cars but not crazy expensive. I'm surprised they had splash rods in 1934.

I recommend a proper diagnostic procedure. Is it pulling to the left because the right side is not grabbing? Or is it pulling to the left because the left side is activated too much? I would drive the car on a dirt road, and apply the brakes to see which ones lock up, and if they are all applying at the same time. Also, on cold drums drive it to 40 mph, stop aggressively and then take the brake drum temperature. Disconnect the fronts and check the rears, and then the same with the front. I wouldn’t assume you have similar friction material all around the car. Since it’s hydraulic, place pressure gauges in the bleeders and check for equal pressure from side to side. Its a basic system, shouldn’t be rocket science. Also, shoes that are not equalized will grab hard and aggressively……..so you must be sure they are floating properly.

OK- I hope this title passes the rule for this section. ID hidden to protect the guilty. I’m fortunate to work on many of the greatest cars of the pre war era. Recently I fixed a very nice open car that won its class at Pebble twenty years ago. (Big boy toy.) Obviously a very nice car. Over time, a tractor mechanic got his hands on it, and hacked all the usual items to death. Spent a few weekends fixing everything back to proper standards, and sorted the car. It was driving fantastic. 75 mph all day long, put a ton of miles on it. Returned it to the owner, who was very happy. Three months go buy, I get an angry phone call. Car is broke, starts and dies, yada-yada-yada. I drive over to the 40 million dollar house, and pull up in front of the garage. I look over the car and in less than ten minutes ask……..who put the battery in backwards? You said no one touched anything on the car! Well apparently installing a battery “isn’t working on the car”. When I asked why they hooked it up backwards……..different than the way they took it out. Answer….I don’t know what I am doing, I was just installing a battery. (Literally the gardener installed it.) You can’t fix stupid. They were flabbergasted when I told them they owed me for my time. Seems it’s fine to blame me for something I didn’t do, and my time and gas isn’t worth anything.

With John Deere lawnmowers running 35k, 22k for a very nice coupe is not ridiculous. Nothing wrong for stepping up on a car if you like it. And a good low mileage car is a bargain at any price over most of the junk being offered for sale. Glad it went to someone who has the passion for it.

Just looking at the can…….I can smell it. And the window stickers? Back in the day, we used drain oil in a blow gun, then drove down dirt roads to make the car rust proof. Worked great……..but made a huge mess. What was the charge for Rusty Jones back in the day? 200-300?

Hell……I run EVERY day at top speed……….to the bar after work! Never met a bottle of Crown Royal that could beat me, but it has kicked my ass once or twice! My doctor tells me I’m in terrific shape……..round IS a shape. 😏

Long story. It’s an item I couldn’t justify buying………but did anyways from a very good friend I met on this forum. I’m glad I did……..but I also admit that I would have preferred Hoover’s over FDR! 😎

Thats the benefit and drawback of the internet. Much more material, much never seen before and unpublished, gets posted. But the value of the item is then very significantly diminished. It seems the hard-core collectors generously share amongst themselves with the promise of not posting it, or sharing it with others. (Certainly true for some of us here.) On items that are 50 or $100, it’s not terribly bad. Thousand dollar items are fairly common in the market. When I was writing the check for many of the things I bought, I had little to no money at the time. When I did sell most of my stuff I was fortunate to make a huge return. I took the huge profit and turned it into a car I could drive. I think that part of the market is gone forever.

As a car mechanic with five years of college under my belt, I can tell you no matter how many classes you take on trying to fix or restore a car, there’s no substitution for 6000 hours in the shop. The biggest thing hurting the hobby today………… if you’re really smart enough and talented enough to restore cars at the professional level, on paper you should be smart enough not to want to do it. Fortunately, I’m not smart enough to know what I do is dirty and difficult work. So I continue to do it. And I actually enjoy it. Todays young people are mostly willing to take the schooling. And pay for it. But the low pay, long hours, and relatively poor working conditions to get to a highly skilled point in your apprenticeship…………that they are not willing to endure.

I don’t mind paying all the money for stuff, but the 25% bidding fee and shipping does take some of the enthusiasm out of it for me. Especially when you start dumping big dollars. I never post my literature stuff in the open. Some of the Knick knacks I don’t mind. Like this factory jewelry and dealer items. Or my FDR Presidential Lap Robe. When buying literature where the numbers are five figures……..and yes, there is stuff like that out there………I never copy or reproduce it. I will send photos to a few very select close friends and collectors. Recently I appraised a custom photo album at 40k. Yes……stuff can run that high.

According to Eddie Murphy in 48 Hours, we all need more trim! 😎 We should probably have the Grand Opening party after the weather improves. I’ll bring a few bottles of Crown.

To be honest, I own some absolutely killer material. It’s narrow in focus, but absolutely breathtaking. I paid all the money for it back in the old days. (80’s and 90’s) In the early 2000’s I sold 80 percent of my collection. Recently I have purchased some world class dealer items from the 20’& 30’s. All for very reasonable numbers. So the response to the current auction was surprising. It will be interesting to see if the market on literature starts to improve over its historical drop off.

If you hit the power ball for two billion………call me. I’ll help you finish setting up your shop……..😎

Your switch MUST be rated for 300 amps and surge to 1500, or it’s gonna cook. All the 12 volt switches sold won’t handle the amperage of a six volt. 90 percent of what is for sale is junk. Be careful, and buy the correct unit.

If you didn’t have religion before you bought that car, you would discover it quickly when paying a bill for a competent shop repairing and servicing it!

Walt……..I actually NEED pre war cars……….the few of us that have gasoline in their veins can’t live without them. It’s a terrible disease. Having the library to service the cars is just as important as the tools. While I had copies of everything I was bidding on, I prefer to own the original source. 👍

I bid on four items. And I bid BIG. Didn’t get a single one. Surprised me. The market has been soft for ten years. Go figure. And the numbers I placed I assumed I would win. Didn’t need any of it. Just wanted it. Such is life.

In ALL 50 states, hazmat and used oil can cause headaches. If you give oil to someone and it spills, you are on the hook........even after it's at the final location. So if you don't generate enough of your own waste oil........it's not worth the hassles. Someone spilled 14 gallons on my property back in the early 2000's. It cost 17K to clean up back then. So just be aware about ANY hazardous waste handling.

I would pull all four plugs and insert a camera in the holes. The top of the piston will be clean if you have Gasket or crack issue. It’s fast and easy. It’s also a definitive answer.

Im not a restorer, just a used car mechanic. Obvious short cuts are an alarm at resale. I perfectly understand the expense issue. On big jobs I suggest that a poor repair and a correct repair are not that much different in cost. What good is a half price new core if it doesn’t flow right or fit the shell correctly. Hood alignment issues, cap and tank issues, ect. Some radiators run 75 thousand plus for a 540k. So a radiator needs to both function and fit well. Add in the obvious looks difference and I’m making an argument that a good car that you want to enjoy is worth investment. The expense versus value of the car today is now going in the opposite direction it has been for the last 40 years. Middle of the road cars are either stagnant or going down in value. Personally I look at this as a plus because I can afford more cars. Downside is a major repair and it’s almost worth walking away sometimes.

Ron…….I expect you to visit me when you come down. I would like to return the favor. I’m about 18 miles away from Boynton Beach.

I can almost smell the paint burning off at start up……..looking forward to seeing it go down the road.