edinmass

Jon, the issue is one guy who lives in the flatlands places it on on a car.....and he THINKS his car runs well. It doesn't, it's just that it ran so shitty for years that the new incorrect carburator is an improvement over the POS they had on it for forty years. Fact is, less than five percent of pre 1942 cars are running and performing at 100 percent. Most are usually around 75 percent at best. Too many shady tree mechanics are certain of their skills........when actually they have no skill. For a car to run correctly..........as you know, you need a perfect ignition system, a perfect fuel delivery system, and a good mechanical system......the three are almost never present in the same engine........I could go on for hours, and I'm sure you could go on for weeks........my new carburator is doing the exact same thing as the old one held together with JB Weld........... I just got a car in that had 12k worth of work done on it, and the hole in the carburator was fixed correctly.......with J B Weld..........literally true, and just in the last 60 days.

When you build a car for God, divine intervention comes in the play somewhere! 😝

Walt, Lee and Anne Davenport were good friends. As the youngest guy at the CCCA events, and he as usually the elder.......I became close to them. I would carry their bags, keep an eye on their car, and just generally keep close to them on the tours. Lee was similar to Bob Stark........both American hero’s from WWII, and they never said a word about their accomplishments. Lee Davenport actually changed the world, and no one knows who he is, or what he did. He saved hundreds of thousands of American lives in the war.

The list is short, and distinguished. A breed quickly going extinct. Like the Passenger Pidgin, from billions to zero in a few short years............only question now is who will be the last man standing.......and breathing.

Ok, it’s not a Christmas theme, but it’s from a Pierce Arrow guy who shared it with me..........

So, it’s interesting that while I have no idea about the transaction, I’m 100 percent certain who here bought the project. Let’s say it’s up in the cold, cold north. The pre war car world is a small place.........😎

Bad safety glass……..

Busy…..

Bob Stark was a great American, and a fascinating human being. I got to know him as a very young man, and he was generous enough to let me drive his cars. He worked into his 90s. Sharp as a tack. Never had a negative word and always had a smile on his face. I miss my old friend. Someday I hope to get up to the museum and get that Lincoln running again.

The Flying Wombat is a national embarrassment, and should have been put in the crusher years ago. B&S fxxxxd up ten times more cars than they improved. Anyone who would admit to designing or building the Wombat has no soul. PS- yes, I have had my hands on the Wombat…….only for a few minutes, so I know what I am talking about. It also smokes more than a WWII destroyer laying a smoke screen at the Battle of Leyte Gulf.

Not Pierce Arrow..........

Walt......I agree. I always thought Inhad good taste in Whiskey, Women, and Willoughby’s!

A 1934 Lincoln KB Willoughby Enclosed Drive Limousine has always been one of my favorite cars........

We have been running those solid state condensers since 1986. To my knowledge, every one I ever installed is still driving down the road.

Today, it’s not so much what a Buick is worth.......it’s what you can buy for the equivalent money. A open Buick is a great car........but at the numbers getting tossed around a Pierce 12 sedan or a Packard 8 coupe come into the same range. Unless you have a specific Buick buyer, you have lots of competition in the nice used car market right now. Buyers have more choices......supply is up, so the buyer has mor purchasing power and can afford to be price sensitive. I recently saw a fabulous big car for sale at 50 cents on the dollar.....in my humble opinion. It’s still for sale two weeks later, so my market estimate of the car was way off........and I do this all day long. Unless cars are exceptionally well restored and are still as show level, cars that are less than perfect or show wear and patina can be very hard sells unless you market them on price. The competition on this car isn’t from other Buick’s......it’s from EVERYTHING.

First off, I agree 99 percent of the inspectors are more like inspector Clouseau, than real car guys. I only do pre war stuff. My price for a day? 1500 plus all costs….flight,rental, ect……. That eliminates any car under 50k 99 percent of the time. In this world, you get what you pay for…….some of the time, and excellence is almost impossible to find……and hire. I really don’t like the inspection business and try and only do it for friends and major collectors who won’t second guess my opinion. No, I don’t do appraisals………fact is, if a car is truly rare you don’t have any variety as to what you can purchase………and if you need to do the numbers in any direction, you won’t end up with the car anyways. PS- I don’t do a condition report, I don’t compose ten paragraphs on the car. It’s a conversation of expectations, people who buy a old car based on price will NEVER be happy with their purchase. People who buy based on condition, authenticity, drivability, and get a feeling for a car they can’t or won’t look at themselves for whatever reason usually have realistic expectations. And ever conversation I have just before the phone hangs up is…….expect to put 25k minimum into a true 100 point car to go down the road……and it could hit 50k in the blink of an eye. Big cars generate big bills. Sadly, the hobby isn’t getting cheaper.

1912 Cadillacs had the battery and a timer to set so the car would charge in the box on the running board.

The differences from year to year and model to model back in the day is substantially more significant than it is today. Basically it was simple for them to make a custom frame for just one particular model. Individual customization was still fairly simple even when going down the line back then. I’m sure you’ll figure it out without too much difficulty. Looks like you got quite a bit of wood work to do. While the body style is simple, wood work in general is difficult; especially if you save as much original material as possible. It’s a good example of a car that looks like a “easy bard find” restoration that isn’t easy. The car is in good hands, and I’m certain it will be finished correctly and authentically as possible. Thanks for sharing the adventure. Merry Christmas, Ed Minnie.

I routinely look at cars for people, and 95 percent of the time I recommend they pass. Fact is very few cars are actually done right, but it seems all of the half assed restorations are looking for Pebble Beach money. I warn my customers ahead of time that it’s rare when I recommend they purchase a car. Simple fact.......buy the car that won first in class at Pebble...........it’s the cheapest way to own a perfect car, and you usually only have to pay forty cents on the dollar of the actual restoration cost.........you will still be upside down in the car, but at least you will have a good car.

I’m more fortunate than most, as many events and tours I am on, it’s actually “work”. Getting paid to drive pre was cars is fun and VERY high stress......when you have to fix every car that breaks down on the side of the road. Most are not sorted, and often are beyond a quick roadside fix. So while the stress is high, the fun is over the top. I’m guessing this year I have about 8K miles of windshield time myself in what one would call big iron cars..........they tend to be ten times more complicated than the basic transportation that was 90 percent of what was going down the road new. Interestingly, most of the stuff I did on the roadside was post war machines. I’m certain for me this years mileage was the most I have ever done. I’m hoping next year is just a little bit shorter............ yes, you can actually burn out driving great cars in great areas.......... stress is ten times more exhausting than the actual work. Here is a J on a roadside repair......we got lucky there was a gas station to pull into........that was 178 miles in one day on back country roads in the Smokey Mountains......

Pepper in the radiator.......... Gesundheit! 🤧

Sorry to hear they are out of production. Unfortunately many projects that are still needed now and in the future won’t ever be done again due to economics......and lack of interest. I never got to see one of your units at George’s place unfortunately. I missed the Stutz event at Hilton Head, but did see you at the Hershey dinner. Merry Christmas......Ed Minnie.

I love a parade......a d do two of them every year. Fourth of July and Memorial Day. Great memories of my family and middle America at its best.

Rusty Jones treatment worked well..........😏