scott12180

Hi All -- Does anyone out there own or have experience with a pre-1923 Cadillac V8, the models with the single-plane crankshaft? I've read that these engines produced a significant vibration at 2000 rpm, which is between 40-50 mph depending on the gearing. Practically, however, what are these like to drive? Are you really limited to speeds below 40 mph (for, say, an enclosed car) ? Is the vibration that bad? What I've read suggests that these cars are very limited in their driveability because of that, but would Henry Leland have designed a car that was so bad that it couldn't be driven over 40 mph when the 1914 Cadillac 4-cylinder could do almost 60 mph? I'd like to hear about your experiences. Thanks -- Scott

Hi All -- Does anyone out there own or have exprerience with a pre-1923 Cadillac, the models with the single-plane crankshaft? I've read that these engines produced a significant vibration at 2000 rpm, which is between 40-50 mph depending on the gearing. Practically, however, what are these like to drive? Are you really limited to speeds below 40 mph? Is the vibration that bad? What I've read suggests that these cars are very limited because of that, but would Henry Leland have designed a car that was so bad that it couldn't be driven over 40 mph? I'd like to hear about your experiences. Thanks -- Scott

I think the first thing is to determine what your budget is. Then you need to determine how much work you can do yourself. Can you rebuild an engine? Do wood work? Do paint, upholstery? etc. Then to realize that buying a fully restored car is usually cheaper than buying a project car. The one advantage of a project is for a guy like you, or anyone who is young enough to be entering a period of increasing income over the next so-many years --- you can't afford a fully restored car now but you will be able to pick away at a project as you accumulate more disposable income. Old cars are a great way to dispose of income. Then deciding on what is a good car for the period you are interested. I cannot speak with authority on Brighton-eligible cars but in general if you pick up a copy of the HCCA roster of members and cars, look to see which cars appear today in the highest number. That's usually an indication that there were alot produced, and hence good parts availability, plus these cars were statistically durable enough to still exist 100 years later. Cadillac is probably one of the best early cars due to the remarkable talents of Henry Leland. Oldsmobiles seem to be plentiful but they weren't considered a high quailty car relative to other makes. I know a bit about Franklins, and although they were somewhat odd, they seem to be good quality. I can't speak about early Fords. Henry was continually experimenting until he "got it right" with the Model T. The early models might be questionable. But then again you aren't going to drive it from San Francisco to New York on dirt roads. I think if it were me, I'd look for a Cadillac. Good support networks and a high quality car. But I'm certain others would have their votes, too. (I'm just a big fan of Henry Leland. ) But the biggest problem is that these early cars are very expensive. I wonder if $50,000 would even get you a running, driving car anymore? That and the fact that you are 29 and like real antique cars is a subject for an entirely new thread. I'm sure we all would be interested to hear the play-by-play of your search --- what you are looking at, what you finally get. I am thrilled that a guy of your age is into early cars. I teach at a small college and not many of my students have any interest in old cars anymore. If nothing else, shopping is fun and free, but finally bringing one home is one of life's greatest excitements. Don't be a perfectionist always waiting for the "perfect" car to come along. Just buy something and start playing with it. Remember that these things always have some residual value, so you aren't out your entire investment if you need to sell someday. And you might even make a profit toward your next car. Good luck. Oh, and how about posting a photo of your Model T? ---- Scott

"New worms are in process....... it will be interesting to see how they turn out. I'll let you know in a few weeks." New worms will be available for which cars? --Scott

Hi --- I keep getting confused. . . If a tire is, say, 36x4", does that mean that the wheel is 36 inches and the outer diameter of the tire is 36 + 8 = 44 inches, or is the outer diameter of the tire 36 inches and the wheel is 36 - 8 = 28 inches? It seems that the wheel is 28 inches because a 44 inch wheel sounds absurd. BUT on my 1926 Packard with 7.00 x 21 tires, I know the wheel is alot bigger than 21 - 14 = 7 inches !! So on a car from the 1920's, the outer diameter of the tire is 21 plus 14 = 35. But on an earliere car, the outer diameter is 36 minus 8 = 28 inches. Why is it measured "minus" for early cars/tires and "plus" for later cars and tires?? --Scott

Hi --- Could anyone shed some light on the soundness of early engines that used ball bearings for their crankshafts? The Chalmers of around 1910-1912 or so used two ball bearings for their four cylinder engines. To me, ball bearings might be OK for light loads and VERY clean oil, but two main bearings in a big four is pretty scary. Any thoughts? Chalmers was a rather popular car with a decent reputation, that I can determine. --Scott

Hi --- Perhaps this is the wrong forum, but could anyone shed some light on the soundness of early engines that used ball bearings for their crankshafts? The Chalmers of around 1910-1912 or so used two ball bearings for their four cylinder engines. To me, ball bearings might be OK for light loads and VERY clean oil, but two main bearings in a big four is pretty scary. Any thoughts? Chalmers was a rather popular car with a decent reputation, that I can determine. --Scott

Hi all --- I read that when the K Lincolns came out in 1931 they used Gemmer worm and roller steering. As far as I am concerned, "Gemmer" is a profane word because it implies a poorly designed steering mechanism that quickly wore out and can't be adjusted. Franklin and Pierce Arrow used Gemmer with similar results and today can have many inches of free play in the steering wheel. Both Franklin and Pierce cars now have someone offering much needed rebuilding kits. Did Lincoln of this same 1931, 32, etc period use the same Gemmer steering that wears out quickly? Do most Lincolns of this period have absurdly sloppy steering like most Franklins and Pierce Arrows? Thanks for the insights --Scott

Hi all --- Has anyone installed an overdrive onto a Model L or V8 KA Lincoln? I'm thinking about a 1932 but wondering about earlier cars as well. Curious to know if this can be done and who did it for you, or which overdrive unit you used? Are you happy with the result? Any suggestions? I know that high speed gears are available but in my hilly country an overdrive is preferred to preserve the lower ratio gears when necessary. Thanks -- Scott

That much I can help with. There were (at least) three Pierce Twelve engines. In 1932, they offered a 398 cu-in (3-1/4" x 4) and a 429 (3-3/8 x 4). The 398 was only marginally more powerful than the 366 Eight due to the added internal friction and was dropped the following year. In 1933 and later (not sure how much later) they offered the same 429 as the "small" Twelve plus a 469 (3-1/2 x 4) as the big Twelve. --Scott

Would anyone care to share some experience and opinion on the relative merits of the Packard Twelve versus the Pierce Arrow Twelve of the early-to-mid-1930's? I'm sure everyone has their favorite, but from an engineeing point of view, from a reliability point of view, from a practicality point of view, etc. How would you compare the cars. I am speaking of owning one today, not necessarily back then. Perhaps another way to phrase the question might be, what are the negative aspects of either car? Why would you avoid owning either one? It would be nice to hear from someone who has owned both and can really compare the two. thanks for the thoughts. . .

Hi -- Just curious if anyone is familiar with the quality of Hill and Vaughn restorations of Los Angeles, back when Phil Hill was around. Did they pay good attention to the engine and mechanical aspects of a car to make it the best possible driving car. . . . or did they mostly concentrate on cosmetic restorations only, making the car pretty but leaving the mechanics pretty much alone? From my experience, many professional restorations done in the earlier days paid very little attention to the engine. Tom Hubbard who did Franklin restorations for Bill Harrah was like that. This is why "older restorations" usually need to have the engine rebuilt for the fist time. My 1926 Packard was that way, too. Restored in the 1970's, but nothing done to the engine. I had to rebuild just about every mechanical aspect of the car. But I have no regrets. It just makes one cautious when buying a "fully restored car" and paying a price which should reflect that.

Just curious --- There is a Buick Club specifically for 1937 and 1938 Buicks with a publication called the "Torque Tube". Since the 1936 Buicks were the start of this new series of exceptionally good performing and looking Buicks, why not include the 1936's as well? Is there a significant difference between the 1936 and 1937 Buicks? Thanks ---

Hi --- I have an opportunity to buy a 1937 Twelve Packard but would like some opinion on the relative merits of a Twelve versus a Super 8 of similar vintage. Some friends have tried to steer me away from a Twelve due to complexity, reliability, etc. I'd just like some opinion on each of these cars for someone who wants to drive and tour with them. The car I'm looking at is 100% restored with a rebuilt engine. So, let's assume that I'm not getting into a project on either. If I'm buying a "new car" in 1937, why would I want the Super 8 and why would I want the Twelve? Or why would I not want to go for the Twelve? Thanks for your thoughts. --Scott

Not only is the power supply for driving the car a problem, but the other major problem is recharging those batteries in a reasonable amount of time. Think about how long you spend at the gas pump to fill your tank with fifteen gallons of gas. Maybe two minutes? That's a phenomenal amount of energy transferred in a very short amount of time. That's the problem with transferring electricity to a battery. So far, you can't send that amount of energy into a battery that quickly. If you can always recharge overnight, it's no big issue. But if you are traveling from Washington to Boston and can't do it on one charge, you don't want to spend even one hour recharging your batteries. That's what's keeping the electric car out of the viable marketplace at this time. But maybe that will change the way we travel. If electric cars become commonplace with the recharge issue still unsolved, our personal travel will always be within a radius of one charge, whereas longer distance travel will be done on high speed rail or other efficient public transportation. Sounds like a good solution to me.

Hi --- Has anyone ever or recently been running LP gas for fuel in a Stanley? It seems that with all of the challenges of using kerosene or a gasoline/diesel mixture, a natural alternative would be LP (propane) gas or similar. Clean, reliable, no residue. . . Anyone ever give it a try? If not, why not?? --Scott

Hi all, I figure you guys out to know the truth about the Zephyr engine --- pre-War. There's been many comments over the years on how the engine was weak, troublesome, prone to bearing failure, etc. Could someone comment on what these engine are really like today? With modern lubrication, it seems that many of the problems might be overcome. Are these generally reliable engines? Do they still have weak spots you need to cater to? What's it like to drive a pre-War Zephyr? I've heard they are very low torque engines that need to be revved-up most of the time. True? I'd appreciate any comments on the engine and these pre-War Zephyr cars. They sure are terrific looking cars !! Thanks alot ! --- Scott

>>" My advice: buy a Franklin from someone in the Franklin club. You will get a car with a history and know what's right and wrong with it." AMEN to that! One of the most discouraging aspects of the hobby these days is that it has been taken over almost completely by dealers. Dealers generally have no knowledge of the car, no nothing about its history, typically misrepresent the cars, and only want to make a quick buck. Once you go down the road, their interest in you is gone. Buy from a club member and get an honest accurate description and make a friend in the process. If everyone would just say NO to the dealers, we could begin to return this to being a real hobby in the hands of hobbyists, not investors and speculators.

I believe the gentleman said he was accepting offers for them. If you want them so badly, Mike, why don't you simply make the man an offer? I owned a 1914 Series 5 at one time and spent alot of time looking at that hood. I think the hoods in querstion are pre-Series 8. The Series 8 hood is a little higher and more rounded. So this would put them at around 1914. If the opening in front is a honeycomb mesh, they are Series 4 and 5. If it's a louvered opening like a heat register in a house, it's Series 6 and 7. These hoods tend to crack near the front corners and can benefit from reinforcement. The value on something like this depends on whether someone needs the hood for their car. To fabricate something like this would cost upwards of $1000, it seems. And that's probably conservative. These hoods seem to come up now and because they were pretty handy when an old Franklin was being scrapped. They made a good dog house !

The market for old cars has been dominated by dealers for some time now. A lot of people are trying to make a fast buck selling cars that had been escalating in price rapidly. Just like the Real Estate market. Consequently, many dealers are now tying to convince people that old cars are a "great investment" and are the only good place to put your money. Of course, cars have been good investments for them if they were selling a car for twice what they paid for it. But if you buy one of their cars today at twice current market values or more, you could loose alot of money if you can't keep it for a long time. And what of the long term prospects of collector cars of the Franklin vintage? I don't know. Their practicality on today's roads is becoming more and more limited. Their desirability for rich guys to build private little museums isn't great if the number of rich guys wanting museums declines due to the economy. If it were me, I think I'd rather consider my own financial security before I blow my wad on a bunch of old cars I can't really drive much anyway. Necessities first. Luxuries later. As to the economy, we are in very serious trouble. I've heard that this quarter we will move from a Recession into a Depression (five consecutive quarters of Recession). Whatever the definitions, there's no light at the end of the tunnel and things are black for as far as anyone can see. Remember it took anywhere from twelve to sixteen years to get out of Great Depression 1.0, and 25 years before the stock market recovered to its 1929 high. How long to recover from Great Depression 2.0? No one knows. If we encounter INflation because the government starts printing more money, then cars bought today may be good investments. If we encounter DEflation because unemploymet skyrockets and no one is spending money, anything bought today will be a great loosing proposition. Bottom line: I hope Mike is right --- this will all blow over fast, but I doubt it. This is a global thing that's been building for many years due to an orgy of deregulation and greed. Any car bought today should be bought at no more than a very reasonable market value unless you have plenty of cash lying around getting moldy, or don't plan to live long, or aren't at all concerned about the "investment" factor of the car and just want to enjoy it. Which, after all, is the way it should be. --Scott

Hello --- You hear alot about the Cadillac V-16 engine but don't see much about the V-12. Could someone give me an opinion on the V-12 chassis cars? How good is the engine? Is it reliable? Does it have enough power to pull around a 5300 pound Sedan body? Are parts available? I appreciate your thoughts, in public or as a private e-mail. Thanks -- Scott

Has anyone firsthand experience buying an American-made Classic car in Europe and importing it back to the USA? Can someone recommend a Customs Broker, shipping company, or other business who can handle the process? The car would be coming from northern Italy and going to the northeast USA, like Boston, NY or Baltimore. Any recommendations on a good entry port for the US? I've heard to avoid New York. Thanks ---Scott

Hello -- Could someone please comment on the general opinion of the post-KB Lincoln Model K of the mid-to-late 1930's? I have the opportunity to buy one and would like to know if the smaller engine of the K is reliable, is a good engine, etc. For such heavy cars, is the K engine adequate? How are these cars in general regarded in the Classic Car world? Are they good tour cars? Thanks --- Scott

Hello -- Could someone please comment on the general opinion of the post-KB Lincoln Model K of the mid-to-late 1930's? I have the opportunity to buy one and would like to know if the smaller engine of the K is reliable, is a good engine, etc. For such heavy cars, is the K engine adequate? How are these cars in general regarded in the Classic Car world? Thanks --- Scott

Hello --- As the subject suggests, I would like to consider buying a car that is overseas in the Australia/New Zealand part of the world. It's an American pre-War car. I've never thought about what's involved with customs and shipping but my first thought is that it is hopelessly complicated. But then I realize that hordes of old cars have left our shores for Europe in recent years, so it can't be a show stopper. Anyone have experience buying a car overseas and bringing it home? Seems that I'd rather hire one company to do everything -- customs, ocean shipping, transport, etc. --- basically a door to door service. Does anyone do this sort of thing? Any advice or suggestions appreciated. --Scott