hddennis

Thanks Pete, I appreciate the pictures. I'm praying for you that the regulator is still functioning. I've been chasing Maxwell information and parts since 1991 and this is the first time I've ever seen this variation. Could I get the measurements for the cover on your starter switch? I ask because I've ran across 2 sizes and the larger one is what I've seen the most but yours appears to be the smaller version. Howard Dennis

Talbotracer, I was going over my files looking for information to help you when I discovered something I never noticed before because I've never actually physically seen a 1915 Maxwell. Unlike later Maxwell's it appears yours does not actually have a central dash panel. Maybe you could help me with my files and post pictures showing what your regulator looks like and where it is located? Howard Dennis

Like I said above many changes can happen over 103 years. I'm pretty sure your Model T like conversion is an Atwater-Kent distributor that came out on the Late 1917 Maxwell. Between 1915 and 1919 Maxwell used about 8 different dash panels and wiring configurations. Could you post a picture of your dash panel that also shows the fuse panel configuration? Howard Dennis

Two questions, do you have a Simm-Huff starter/generator AND also a Simms-Huff magneto? I ask because a lot of things can get changed in 103 years! Here's factory literature on a 1915 Maxwell. Howard Dennis

So Bob, you mean one of my first collector car photos was of the great author Ken Purdy's car? Boy, I used to love the way he wrote about the great cars! You almost came away from his description of a ride smelling of gasoline and old grease, white knuckled and windblown but hooked forever! Howard Dennis

Just realized after I posted these pictures of the Alco that early in my life I followed 2 Vanderbilt cup racers being driven on public roads onto an antique car meet field. Bet not many have had that privilege! If anyone has ever entered the Vanderbilt Estate in Hyde Park New York try to imagine the beauty of that drive way and views being awakened to the popping roar of this beast, quite a privilege indeed! Howard Dennis

Close to where I found the above photos I also found 2 of Joel Finn's Alco and at first thought they were taken at the Ridgefield meet but after examining the large lawn and huge trees now believe they were taken on the massive lawn of the Vanderbilt Estate in Hyde Park New York. A very fitting location for a Vanderbilt Cup winner. Howard Dennis

Bob, thanks again for bringing this great memory back. We've discussed this before about a 17 year old car nut following Old 16 down NY Route 22 to this meet which was my first ever antique car show. Wow what an impression it made on my life! I apologize for poor photos taken by a cheap camera 50 years ago and now viewed through a sealed plastic album page at least that old. Imagine the joy in me to see a fully restored example of a 1932 Plymouth as I had just acquired the exact same model and had great plans on bringing it back from the dead and just had to get a picture of me standing along side it and dreaming of the day I could take the same picture of my own Plymouth. The Duesenberg stuck in my mind not only for what it was but it was for sale for $50,000 which seemed to me a bargain even then. Hope some will remember these cars and add details unknown to me. The double cockpit Bugatti wowed me as I had never even seen pictures of such a body and though what a great idea to combine wooden boat styling with cars. Wish I'd had enough film to capture the whole car as well as others there that day. Howard Dennis

Just in case any new owners need information on their Atwater-Kent Type CC distributor here's a good source: http://www.oldcroak.com/atwater-kent-cc-and-ca-ignition-system/ Howard Dennis

Ian, just curious how you figured out when a serial number was produced? Do you have production number tables I've never seen?

Ian, I bought a few off ebay a while back but haven't seen any lately. This fellow contacted me last year when I was trying to find condensers. I believe he has most distributor parts for Maxwell but have no idea how much he charges. tsvanmeet@gmail.com or 402-359-5762 Tom VanMeeteren Howard Dennis

Ian, My chassis # 180649 and engine # 181555. Why do you ask? Howard Dennis

Now listed on eBay: https://www.ebay.com/itm/123345845889 Howard Dennis

Now listed on eBay: https://www.ebay.com/itm/123345845889 Howard Dennis

Years ago we did a Model A four door just like this for a tall owner and since it was a complete restoration we added extensions on the seat back sides and moved the bottom back before sending it to Lebaron Bonney for upholstery. It worked out great and only difference was a narrower opening for rear seat entrance but once upholstered it looked like it had always been that way. Howard Dennis

I found a 1914 Maxwell advertisement on Google listing adjustable front seat and bet that's the "first" Chrysler was bragging about in the 1970's. Howard Dennis

1928? Buick Tire Gauge and original pouch for sale. Reads and holds pressure until released. $70.00 + $7.50 shipping in Continental United States Paypal preferred but not a deal breaker. Howard Dennis

1928? Buick Tire Gauge and original pouch for sale. Reads and holds pressure until released. $70.00 + $7.50 shipping in Continental United States Paypal preferred but not a deal breaker. Howard Dennis

Doesn't look too bad, hopefully yours is enough older than mine that they were still hardening the gears correctly. I've attached pictures of the one purchase I thought was perfect because the gears looked brand new. Notice the damage that the previous mechanic missed when he rebuilt it with new parts when the brittle gears failed and scarred up the carrier just like yours. Apparently the first failure stressed the carrier and it pulled apart inside the bearing race when put back in service. Another area I had trouble with was finding two carrier halves that had a tight fit on the spider gear cross. My theory is when the gears started to fail they lost tiny bits from the hundreds of tiny cracks and the gears and roller bearings ground them up into a very abrasive slurry that eventually wore out any surface it touched. To give Maxwell and Hyatt bearings proper credit I've never seen a broken bearing just highly worn. I doubt if modern bearings could survive such a terrible operating condition but the Hyatt bearings and the little Maxwell just chugged along until something large broke off and jammed up everything till something major broke. Howard Dennis

When my uncle first acquired this in the early 1990's I started down the road of trying to fit a Model T Ford center section to the Maxwell tubes and axles and found it was VERY close but my uncle didn't want to spend for the needed machine work and the project was put away until I acquired it in 2007. I decided to try to keep it all original and it was not only costly but time consuming as well. Howard Dennis

A quick Google search turn up one supplier but I'm sure there are more: https://www.oneillvintageford.co.uk/acatalog/Gearbox_Axle_Oil.html Just another note from my personal experience. My 1917 came to me with a blown rear axle and it took me years and the purchase of the internals of 10 rear axles from as far away as New Zealand to get a functioning rear axle. Every single one had either had a catastrophic failure in the past or was about to when it was parked. If memory serves me correctly these axles run roughly from 1914 to 1919 or thereabouts. It appears that Maxwell was dealing with car production, secret wartime production and a labor force shortage due to WWI. As a result it's believed somewhere during this period the factory over hardened some ring and pinion gears to the point that they were full of spider web cracks and started shedding bits almost immediately. I got one set of gears out of one axle that had a failure and was repaired with all new parts except the carrier which then failed when put back in service and the car was then junked. I thought I had hit a home run until cleaning revealed the spider web cracks all over the gears. I believe the change happened after your car was built and closer to my years but I just wanted to give you a heads up on this possibility. Howard Dennis

Pictures and serial numbers are what is needed. Some are rarer than others and you need to determine exactly what it is to figure out it's value. Howard Dennis

Talbotracer, gear oil is kind of a personal preference based on type of usage and your assumed knowledge of what they meant by "heavy gear oil" in manuals from 100 years ago. Having worked on many cars pre WWII my preference is 600w oil available from many antique Ford parts suppliers. It's been used in millions of 4 and 8 cylinder Fords since almost the very beginning for transmissions and rear axles. I'm including some pictures from my 1917 Maxwell when I had the rear axle apart. I just discovered I took no pictures of the driveshaft but maybe these will give you a little idea of what to expect. Note I had already removed the damaged ring gear. Do you have an owners manual or parts book as they show detailed drawings? Howard Dennis