franklinman

All of the replies offered make sound cases for their proposals. The bottom line is this. If you are looking for a quick, and clean, sale of everything then the best way to go is with the auction route. All cars will sell on one day, but you may or may not receive the price you're hoping for. Having worked with them in numerous cases, I would heartily reccommed RM as one auction company. Yes, you will give up some return in some cases, but a good auction company does earn their pay. It does all of the pre-sale marketing, absorbs the expense(s) involved in photographing, representing, mailing, site set-up, etc. etc., and in many cases brings in buyers that you may not otherwise reach. On the other hand, if you've got the time and expertise to deal with a large group of vehicles you can choose to go it by yourself. Don't underestimate the amount of time and expense you will need to devote to this if you expect to receive the maximum return from each sale(s). Having personally dealt with buying and selling large collections I can tell you it isn't the "cakewalk" many would have you believe. Even if you choose to go with listing the cars on Ebay, there's still much work to do, and there will be many headaches to deal with. It's not just snapping a few pictures of each car and sitting back and waiting for the "bids" to come rolling in! If you've never dealt with something on this scale before, you might want to consider consulting with someone that has past experience and possibly even a consignment scenario. It gives you a greater involvment in the decision process than an auction, a higher level of privacy regarding each sale, and in many cases at less expense than an auction. If you would like to learn more, feel free to PM me and I'll be glad to walk you through some scenarios you might learn from.

GOOGLE "Restoration Supply Co."

All black, with DB Blue wheels.

Hello Alex. I have a 1910 Franklin that might suit your needs. If you'd be interested in an early Franklin send me a PM with your contact information and I'll give you a call so we can discuss it in greater detail. Bob

Hello Muledeer, I've sent you a PM. Check it out and give me a call. I look forward to talking with you.

We will definately be cutting back on the number of show/tours we attend this year, along with a lot of other expenses. The only AACA Nat'l that we may attend (other than Hershey which is less than 1/2 hour away) would be Bristol, and that's only if I manage to get the car that I'd like to show there completed in time. It's not just the cost of fuel, now over $4.00/gal. locally. The cost of everything, food, electricity, etc. had risen, and if oil keeps going up everything is going to get a WHOLE LOT HIGHER! Business is already slower than at any time in the last 15-20 years, and I don't see anything coming from our elected officials that makes me believe anything serious is being done to straighten things out and get the country/economy headed back in the right direction. Let's face it, our hobby is a wonderful thing, and for some fortunate folks the current financial situation isn't a problem... at least not yet. But for others, if they are not already in dire straights, it's only a stones throw away depending on what the near future holds. It's only prudent to start practicing financial constraint before you don't have any choice in the matter.

We are going to be making a limited run of hand cranks for the 1903 Cadillacs. These cranks are unique to the 1903 models only. The cranks will be supplied complete and assembled; you paint them to your liking. They will be all steel, with the exception of the handles. The handles were originally wood, but these will be made of a phenolic material, which will be more durable. The prototype has been completed and we are ready to go on this project. (Note: We have seen several cars that the offset on the cranks required to clear the step plates was different. We have made ours with a very slight increase, but if your car requires a little larger offset you may have to heat and bend the main arm slightly; a very easy task.) The price for each crank will be $300. A 50% deposit ($150 per crank) is required to confirm your order. We will only be making the number that we receive confirmed orders for. There will be NO EXTRAS made, so if you need one, or think you might in the future, now is the time. These have not been made before, and may never be made again. Confirmed orders and deposits must be received no later than March 21<SUP>st</SUP>, 2011. The balance will be due, along with the cost of shipping, upon completion. We expect to have them done by the end of April. If you have any questions, or wish to place an order, contact me directly at (717) 645-0334 or email at marern1@comcast.net.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>

We are going to be making a limited run of hand cranks for the 1903 Cadillacs. These cranks are unique to the 1903 models only. The cranks will be supplied complete and assembled; you paint them to your liking. They will be all steel, with the exception of the handles. The handles were originally wood, but these will be made of a phenolic material, which will be more durable. The prototype has been completed and we are ready to go on this project. (Note: We have seen several cars that the offset on the cranks required to clear the step plates was different. We have made ours with a very slight increase, but if your car requires a little larger offset you may have to heat and bend the main arm slightly; a very easy task.) The price for each crank will be $300. A 50% deposit ($150 per crank) is required to confirm your order. We will only be making the number that we receive confirmed orders for. There will be NO EXTRAS made, so if you need one, or think you might in the future, now is the time. These have not been made before, and may never be made again. Confirmed orders and deposits must be received no later than March 21<SUP>st</SUP>, 2011. The balance will be due, along with the cost of shipping, upon completion. We expect to have them done by the end of April. If you have any questions, or wish to place an order, contact me directly at (717) 645-0334 or email at marern1@comcast.net.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>

If, and that's a big IF, they are doing it right, that's a GREAT price. When we get new wheels, from Calimers if at all possible, we're looking at somewhere between $2k-$3K for prep & painting. That doesn't include any plating for lock rings, rim bolts/wedges, etc., plus new tires, tubes, and flaps or rim strips. Also it assumes that all metal parts, hubs, rims, felloe bands were properly sandblasted and prepped before the wheel was assembled. There's a lot to properly finishing a set of wood spoked wheels, as others have stated. Best advice is don't cheap out and do it right the first time. It's a whole lot more work to fix it the second time, as I've had several clients find out. Your comment regarding the cost of the wheels versus the cost quoted to paint them is the same as is often heard by restoreres from customers that complain that the restoration cost is more than the car is worth. The simple fact is that the cost to paint a set of wheels for a Model 'T' isn't a whole lot different that for a Mercer, Thomas, etc. It's just a matter of what it takes to do the job right.

Dead on right! Just got through changing mine.

Good catch, you're right on the electic lights/crank. Also, come to think on it, I think it could be a 1910, since I'm pretty sure that the 1911 models had a flat top dash/firewall, and the 1910's had the earlier style curved style.

Appears to be 4-cylinder Caddy, approx 1911-12.

We have a great drive-in theater right here in Dillsburg, PA. It's call Haars Drive-In (google it). It like a step back in time, with a great snack bar, play ground area for the kids, etc. Bring your lawn chairs, let the kids run, and have a great evening. A double feature every night too! They have a nice car show there every year. Run by the same family since back in the '50's.

Also consider that your antique auto insurance policy most likely WILL NOT provide coverage during the time it's being used. That includes damage to the car as well as any liability from any damages to other people and/or property! Very much like the scenario(s) discussed on this forum regarding the use of our cars in weddings, etc. I was just approached about using a car for a documentary film this summer. After I explained that I would require a specific use policy covering the car and all liability, payment for transporting it to the site (about 300 miles each way), my time on site (2-3 days expected filiming schedule), lodging expenses, AND that I would be the only one driving the car and would personally be there whenever the car was being used, their interest seemed to drop significantly. The simple fact(s) is/are that these people don't understand our older cars, aren't necessarily aware of their value(s) and the cost to restore/repair them, and as stated above to them the car is just another movie prop. My advice is to be firm in your explanation of your expectations, insist on a written contract, insurance, etc. and have everything checked by your lawyer before agreeing/sigining anything. It might a fun, but it also could be a nightmare if something goes wrong.

Definately Marmon

Re: Southbend lathe, what model/size, what tooling/equipment is with it, condition, price?

The best source for having new spokes/felloes replaced is Bill Calimer (Calimers Wheel Shop) in Waynesboro, PA. He advertises in AACA and has a website you can google. The best wheel work available, BAR NONE!

A common source of vibration in these motors can be from an improperly adjusted starter/generator drive chain, and yes it can be periodic. Also, especially when warm, excessively high RPM's can cause damage to the S/G armature windings. They can expand and I've actually seen a couple of cases where they will lock up against the fields.

Look like early style 4-cylinder Dodge Brothers, approx 1915-16.

I will be at Hershey, RNH-39-41 and go home every night, if you are interested in seeing the car and/or parts. You can call me at (717) 645-0334.

From numerous previous personal experiences, I can tell you with certainty that without a title from the previous owner, signed over to you, PA will not give you a title. NO EXCEPTIONS... This is the most difficult state to deal with on title issues for really old cars. The reasoning that I have gotten from PENNDOT is that they are concerned about liability in the event that a car ends up having been stolen, and then the previous owner comes back to try and recover by filing suit against the state. I've never heard of a case that it's happened, but that's their story, and they're sticking to it. I have successfully used Broadway in the past, but I'm hearing that their service has become much slower in recent years. You might look into having a friend in a more sympathetic state title the car, and then "sell" it back to you.

Try WalMart. They seem to stock a good selection of Krylon's spray paints, at least around my area. A year or two ago Krylon made a change in their numbering system, and their semi flat black suddenly disappeared from most shelves. Then it showed up again with the same number, 1613, but with a prefix number added, and the name changed to satin black. You might need to check through their stock and read the numbers on the bottom of the cans to see if something like that happened too.

Try Dressler's in Lewisberry. The owner is Ben Dressler, he's been in the business for many years, very knowledgeable, and sympathetic to us old car guys. I've used him in the past and been very satisfied. The phone number is (717) 938-4685. Good luck.

Pontiac displayed a 1940 Sedan with a plexiglas body at the Worlds Fair. The car still exists and was owned by AACA Nat'l Board member Don Barlup for several years back in the 1970's. The car was fully functional and a real blast to drive ( I did ). I'm not sure where it is now but it was the subject of a feature article in Automobile Quarterly many years back.

First, they better make sure that there are mechanics at the inspection stations that have the tools, and the know how, to work on 100 year old cars. Don't think that'll happen soon!