Walt G

Bob is right Don Carlson had a great collection of cars and was a nice guy. I always looked forward to seeing him at the 1942 and earlier HCCA meet each September in Ridgefield, Ct.

Image is really small but it looks like a Ford model T

I am not knocking who owns the car , but if cars sit in museums or collections and look great on display it does not mean that they will function properly if not driven often or aren't checked out properly before use. Even those of us that drive our cars all the time , usually check things out at the start of the season, to try to make sure it is all ok to go. Spend the time and the necessary $ to make sure it runs as good as it looks. It saves the cars and also a lot of disappointment to have regular maintenance and check ups.

I can't ad anything over what has been said, but just want to say what a pleasure it is to see all the constructive comments. The AACA Forum is such a wonderful thing, where people are so helpful in situations like this. Makes me proud to be an AACA member and see the great fellowship and helpfulness in today's world where most of the time most of the people are so self centered . Not my question, but thanks to all who give sage advice.

I tend to agree with Keiser,. Because of its size it seems almost to tall for a car mascot.

Great to see the period material posted, thanks for doing that, justifies what was stated during the period the cars were new. Always nice to back up current opinions/views of what was available with period images.

Harry, what you state is basically what I had done to my Packard, see my post . Works well, other drivers know what you are doing as well. It is the safe thing to do. Happy and safe motoring everyone! Walt

I too believe what keiser31 has stated. that removable door post was a modification, often the work of the Derham Body Company of Rosemont, Pa. who were Chrysler dealers in that era as well in addition to their custom coachwork activity.

I have a 1930 Packard touring car that after I bought it in 2016 and had it in my good friend Byron York's shop in Ridgefield , Ct. to be checked out mechanically ( it had been a trailer queen since it was restored in 1980 (took an AACA 1st place award in 1981then stored away in a heated garage) and I don't trailer my cars unless they don't have an engine in them or no brakes) What I did was turn the fog lights at the front into the turn signals for there since most people who have fog lights on their cars rarely drive them in the fog and rather then try to get the wire into the tail lights and disturb things there in a narrow space with another wire, I fabricated brackets to mount off the rear bumper brace and then mounted a pair of late 1920s cowl lights to them, had these wired up for turn signals. It looks very period and functions as I wanted it to without messing with the wiring harness. All very neatly done . The fog lights up front are Packard factory authorized accessories (Saf de Lites) and shown in the 7th series 1930 accessory catalog. Hand signals as per original are great but most current drivers do not know what hand signals mean and if you use them they wave back at you thinking you are waving at them and not trying to let them know where you are going. ?

Hudsy - thank you for the suggestions, all new information to me and I am guessing others who read this as well. Fantastic information.

I agree with dictator27 it is indeed and International truck and perhaps more like a 3/4 or 1 ton?

John Thanks for your update of more information, at least it gives all of us an idea where the car is! SO many posts are made for cars that may be if interest to people reading about them but rarely do they think to list where the car or truck is. That fact means a lot, price may be great for the condition but when you have to factor in transportation cost to get it to you well.......................... People posting things please do us all a huge favor and at least list the state the vehicle is in. On this example we can see the license plate but really can't read a states name. Walt

thank you for sharing your memories

Both Bob and John have valid points, but depending upon who is reading/viewing them the opinion of the person seeing this will agree with one or the other. My son is 24, he likes the old pre war cars I have but to him a car that was new when I first started to attend Hershey ( 1965) is ancient; and from a certain perspective it is. but to me although the 1960's and later cars can be of interest they were new and what I rode in to go see old cars at Hershey at that time. I think Bob may share a similar view point. When I bought a 1931 Plymouth model PA sedan in 1963 it was a little over 30 years old , but looked old due to the vast styling difference compared to a 1963 car. Some people will say the same if you compare a 30+ year old car to today's vehicles. Everyone defines "old" in their own way or "antique". I think possibly a lot of pre war car owners do not want to park their vehicles next to what they deem/consider "new" cars , those from the 1960s on up . The CHVA ( Contemporary Historical Vehicle Association) was started I believe to recognize newer cars when most other clubs didn't , now that the other clubs that didn't, do recognize these 'later' cars the CHVA seems to have disappeared. We all like what we like, try to own what we like (!) . Some people get great satisfaction from winning awards with their cars, and only go to shows/displays where they can take home another trophy, others like to drive them - not just on organized tours, but to cruise nights etc. I fall into the latter category, have never had my cars judged as I have no interest in awards; but at cruise nights if someone parks their later car next to my 30 Packard or 40 Buick - good for them, we are both having a good time and usually have a great conversation.

David, Bernie and Ed are all correct. Just because you have individuals who have(?) the education in preservation does not mean they have any clue about what you are looking at , thus the true appreciation and significance of the object no matter what it may be is secondary when it should be primary. There are also situations where when there is a good museum , people who are hired to "be in charge" are very knowledgeable as to how a museum is to be run but again have absolutely no clue about the items in the museum, from a period photograph to a key chain to a full size car. But the worst part is that they are convinced they do and feel they are important and their opinion comes first no one should question that or tell them how to do their job. I have seen more "curators/experts" offend people who have significant items that should/could be with that collection if their attitude wasn't in place and the possible donor just got turned off and felt "no way" is my collection going here. I have felt that way myself, and have professional experience in museum exhibits, object preservation, etc. and know exactly where my archives and library will not be going, and have made this clear to my son.

Bernie - WOW docked $50 for damaging a part! That was well more then a weeks pay in that era. Long Island Simplex owners or former owners are far and few in between now, with almost no activity unfortunately On another subject - love your 60 flattop ! I am a Buick owner as well but mine is a few decades older, I love taking it to the local Buick Club region events.

Sales brochures can be a help but keep in mind were done by an advertising company to attract customers to buy a car, many times they can be accurate as to colors , but equally can be just a sales ploy. People would be attracted to the colors but if they placed an order would not go with those colors. Same goes for magazine ads. I would stick with the darker fender color if the fenders are a painted a darker color. If the whole car is one color (belt line not included) then the shutters most likely would be the lighter color. Always lean towards the more conservative choice. Keep in mind the attitude of the era, people really weren't into bright colors the way some restorers, and restored cars appear now. There is an old justification phrase that goes "for $50 more you could have had a car painted any color you want" which is usually stated with a stance and look by an "expert" . Was that true? maybe but in extremely rare cases, keep in mind $50 in the pre war era was a weeks salary !! Would you spend a weeks salary now to have your new car purchase painted a special color? Walt G. ( no claim to be an "expert" !!!!!)

jpage Thank you for the compliment. I researched and wrote the article on colored side walls for Hemmings Classic Car issue 139 April 2016. All illustrations from period material. It would be hard to get a period photograph in color as black & white was what photographs were mostly pre war, and any color work was not done the same way we are used to now so the actual color shown would be not totally correct as to the way it looked (think color magazine ads of the era using photographs of cars).

AntiqueCraftsman, my advice (we are the same age) is to enjoy what you can while you can. "Life is short", more then you will ever realize, not that that time worn praise is true in every case. I would suggest that you have at least one old car that works and you can drive, that will keep your enthusiasm up when you look out and see 2 or 3 or more non working cars. I have collected/owned old (pre war) cars for 55 years, they do "get you through" tough health times which we all eventually face . Got my dream car in 2016 and by December 2017 I was suddenly in the hospital for months coping with open heart surgery and the healing afterwards , plus unexpected set backs. Thinking about the old cars, and once home being able to just go and sit in one does wonders for your outlook on a life that could have easily ended . I am happy that you are happy , old cars can be very good medicine.

I too own a Buick and like to drive the cars in my collection. I never show them so I can win an award, I just have never had an interest in trophy's. We each have our own reason to own the cars we do. My Buick is a 1940 71C series Roadmaster convertible sedan that had a cosmetic restoration in 1972 and the mechanical bits were sorted and fine tuned by Doug Seybold of Ohio several years ago. Join a club and get active - AACA and BCA are great as is CCCA. "Old cars are best viewed when in motion " - A friend and his wife who live in England said that at Hershey in 1988 as we were walking back to our modern car from the Blue Field (remember the Blue field?) and a late 1930s LaSalle sedan drive by. No truer words have ever been spoken .

I have belonged to AACA since 1965, and had an old (at least one pre war era) car since 1963. The fellows who I got to know and were my mentors in that early stage never cared to much for awards, so influenced my own outlook on that. Some had high level original or restored cars but never trailered anything anyplace. I have never had my cars judged, can understand the reward that it may bring but the appeal the cars have for me is style, to see them return be the way when they were new, and the ability to drive them day or night and in wet weather as well. A classic era Franklin I restored in the early 1970s and drove considerably after it was done for decades (40,000 plus miles) is with a new owner and has won numerous awards - now . I am happy for the current owner who is a great friend, and he drives the cars on tours as well. All this with a nitrocellulose lacquer paint job that I spent months working on to get it to my standard/level 35+ years ago. He is happy , I am happy ( that the restoration has held up so well) and the car now resides within a half hour of where it was sold new, and was owned by the original owner for over a decade. I agree with Restorer32. But to all , enjoy the car you have at the level you want to, but by all means share it with other collectors and the general public as well. Make yourself and someone else happy with the car you have.

What an absolutely wonderful story , thank you for sharing it with all of us.

there was an original black Century conv coupe here on long Island for decades ( no sidemounted tires) owned by a friend who bought it from the original owner that lived in Oyster Bay. He eventually sold the car . that 320 cu in engine used by Buick in 1940 was amazing. I have a 1940 Roadmaster conv sedan (uses the same engine as the Century) and the car is very fast , but no matter how fast you go there is no sensation of speed. I love the car , and I bought it in California by word of mouth and friends went to look at it for me, on its way east to my home here on long island I had it checked over and sorted by Doug Seybold in Ohio. My car was at one time owned by the Hell's Angels and used by them to haul their motor cycles in the rear seat area. Had a great cosmetic restoration in 1972 and engine is pretty much original not restored with the exception of perhaps a valve job at some point. A no rust ever car. Join the BCA if you own a Buick.

My sympathy to all the homes , people and businesses affected by the flooding. Looked horrific on the nightly news report. Water damage is terrible to deal with, gets in places then sits there and causes more damage due to the lasting dampness. I wish all of you who reside in the area well. Walt G.

Congratulations and I hope yo enjoy your car!