Paul Dobbin

Add #7 Close to home. I can go for 5 seconds or 5 hours and I'm still @ home and can be found and checked on periodically or if I'm to quiet. Our gas golf cart can be there in a flash, (Seen in the Christmas picture)

We had a 2 car garage and a 3 car barn in Florida, that sometimes held 4. When we moved north to the Smoky Mountains we built the barn first. 56 X 36 with a carport on each end and a 10 X 10 Equipment room in the back of one of he carports. It has 10' walls and scissor trusses, giving us 14.5' in the center. (Accommodates my 4 post lift) two 10' wide x 8 ' high doors on the long side and a 11.5' X 10" barn door in one gable end. (Accommodates our DP Motor Home) with room for 6 old cars. (If I sell the RV I'll gain 3 stalls.) We built the barn before the house and lived in The Roadhouse inside the barn while doing the house. This necessitated a guest room and bath in the barn, now my fine workroom. Lessons learned: #1. Build bigger than the number of vehicles you own when you start. #2. Make your work stall twice the size of a parking stall. #3. Foam roof insulation and gas heat makes it a year round playroom. #4. A 4 post lift is the answer if you buy the big one (Need to be high too) #5 Only one of my 2 gable windows gets sunshine, the other 6 school house windows 3' x 6' all have blinds, but light gets more important as we age. (Also my nylon car covers protect the vehicles from late afternoon sun, dust and fly spec. Ours is all wood and stick built. Board & Batton siding, metal roof, concrete floor, 200 Amp service, insulated sectional garage doors with remote openers. In hind site, I would have made it bigger with a center door to accommodate a center isle for driving, with the lift at the far end. I would also have been rich and better look. (As l long as hind site is 20/20. I would also have required digging out the whole side of Rabbit Mountain to get enough flat space.) I guess I'm real happy with what I have.

1939 Pontiac 6

I toured the "collection" with Bill Smith prior to the building the Museum structure. I came away with the idea that it was a Region's museum in alliance with the AACA National Club. At that time there were only 200 cars in the storage building. I see his signature on this latest "AACA Museum" letter that I find offensive. I question whether the entire BOD over there are in really agreement with all this nastiness

There is a 1914 Rauch and Lang electric car parked inside the Dupont Registry building in Clearwater Florida. The owner often comes out for the monthly Cars & Coffee there and parks it outside with the high end sports cars. A nice car that proves the Tesla is not such a new idea. Somewhere, I have a picture of it parked next to my car, that was 20 years newer.

Just make sure you get a clearance from U.S. Customs.

I had a Walker Low Boy and finding and buying a seal kit cost more than a new 3 1/2 Ton Michelin jack at Sam's Club, 25 years ago. Sometimes we just have to move on.

The Long Long Trailer should be required viewing for anyone thinking about RVing, What I liked was the hitch dolly to take the tongue weight. I remember my grandfather had one for his 1950 Ford when towing their trailer. P. S. My wife picks up smaller stones than Lucy.

You mean painting it with "Red Oxide Primer".

Ah yes, Bruce Elder. Another good character with a antique car addiction and an interesting building to share his addiction. I especially like the car elevator to the upper floors. Stopped in to meet him and he shared the tour an some great old car stories about people we both knew.

Earl, It's a flat head V8, great car! I looked at several before I bought my 57 Ranchero. It's about a $12,000 to $15,000 car and worth it in my book. If you want two tone, paint the roof black. (Bad choice for Florida). I thought you were looking for a late model (90-93 Buick) If so, look at the Riviera, but I'd love to see you an Judy in a Ford V8, matches your DA. ! Plus people in 93 Buicks dance funny. Paul

Granny's Antique Auto Restoration Garage is Classic

We knew a guy in Florida with 300 cars on his lakefront property with the same problem with his county. They ordered him to remove them and when he didn't, they did. This is the same guy who bought a car at Hershey and paid for it in cash without a receipt or bill of sale. Later returned and the car and the seller were both gone. You know the old saying about a fool and his money.

Actually the Shay has a big following, with shows, rallies and parts dealers. I found the one pictured in a yard sale about 20 years ago. Not running (had a bad computer module) In the short time I owned it I learned a lot about them. Shay made the Model A Roadster and few Model A pickups, then 57 T-Birds. Sold by Ford Dealers beginning in 1978, they were quite popular with their 4 cylinder Pinto running gear. I felt the car was to light for the Pinto suspension and it rode roughly a the the top of the springs. Shay had a hard time building them fast enough to fill dealer orders and there was a long wait to get one. This led to many complaints to FoMoCo about the wait and the poor fit & finish when delivered. I paid $3500 and sold it for $8,000 after lots of detailing, value today about $12,000. To 90% of the public, they are "antique cars". Technically they are eligible for AACA Shows. I think the club has ruled on that, but not sure of the rulings results

We have a 66 VW that we use for touring. It's an original car except fot\r all the spots I painted with lacquer. Mochet Velo is correct, it's easy and very forgiving.

No actual automobiles were harmed in building the"Packard"

I bought a truck in that condition once. I lucked out and it was rusted casting plugs (Freeze plugs). I pulled the engine and took the pan off an replaced the plugs with pennies and have been driving it now for 28 or 29 years.

There are many attempts to sell modern car to people who want the old look and not a streetrod or a real antique because they are afraid of old cars reliability and repair costs. Try to find another plastic fender for that "Packard". Here is another licensed Ford "Replica" that Ford wishes they never allowed their name on.

Dave Young, Your opening line is 100% Correct. "I realize that I need to speak to my insurer about this'" The reason it's so correct is because there are 50 States and 50 sets of Insurance Regulations Your local agent should be you best source of State Correct information. If your car is getting the same use that your old Nissan Pickup got, you can insure it that way and pay a similar price. When you want stated value coverage you get into collector car specialties insurance and have to live with their risk selection rules, ie, garaging, limited use, no young drivers, etc, etc. Talk to your agent and the Speciality Insurors, who will all have some variations on use and mileage. Remember, the more risk the more the premium will be.

Don't forget Henry Ford told the dealers, "Paint it any color the customer wants, just sell them a car" In 1915 the suggested price to paint the new Model T at the Dealer was $15.00. that's why my 1915 Model T Touring was red. If I had purchased it new for $440.00 I sure could have found another $15.00 to have it be red.

Floors, bottom of doors and trunk all rust. This car looks like mostly dry storage for the last 80 years. for that price you can do a lot of fixing. Good Luck. Join us in the Early Ford V8 Forums and get another V8 back on the road.

All good advice here, And why haven't you bought it yet? '"You snooze, you looze" is the old saying. Seems it could apply here.

Dave, we call those optional parts, because there are always leftover parts after any repair.

That's right! When we started touring, there were plenty of pre WWII cars, now many guys bring the newest car allowed. In the beginning the cars were all older than the drivers. Now, almost all the drivers are older than their cars.

You know you've been playing with old cars a long time when... When you were the youngest guy in the local club when you joined 45 years ago, and you still are!