auburnseeker

Been there. Bought a 53 Buick convertible from a guy but it had the wrong front seat. He said the goats ate the original. looking at the farm it was on, I know it wasn't just a story.

No worse than just needs a battery. Even today with the price of batteries really up in the last few years., Really, spend the 150 or so and put a battery in it. Especially prewar cars where it's under the seat. When I read that I think, well probably needs alot more, but you won't know because you don't even get to the start it phase.

Out of curiosity I have kept a close eye on the market to see if a better choice came along if I had waited and as of today, nothing within a 500 mile radius has popped up or on all of ebay that would have been a better choice. Some much worse for alot more money, including a very scruffy one with an older restoration on ebay right now, that said no bolt untouched, but wow must be they used everything in poor shape and put it all back together. I see alot of what seem Like High asking prices, mid to upper 20's on conventional roadsters, some well into the 30's, but as mentioned I don't think there is a line of buyers for them.

I did notice with the spare tire there is a certain process to entering and exiting it. I have pretty long legs but I'm still agile so it seems workable. We'll see once I get to spend some time behind the wheel. You are right it will get a black top at some point. Sad part is it came with a brand new top side curtains and seat cover all in tan. Anyone with a black set that want's to swap?

Surprisingly I have bottles of 3m Buffing compounds along with Presta and a few others, but for most finishes I go right to mothers. I will say if you want a perfect mirror shine as on dark finishes mothers only get it to 90-95%, I finish it off with Adams Swirl killer ( I'll try to get a picture of the bottle later) An absolute mirror if you use that. Their polisher also works great. I use a 3M foam pad on it. Those are for the easy to get to places. Lots of handwork on old cars though with nooks and crannies.

Here is another before and after (1/2 done) of the Brockway roof. I'm doing the A roadster Pickup right now then back to the 36 Auburn Speedster. As far as working on Anodizing, It might brighten it a bit, but it's not going to restore it.

Works amazing on paint as well, though the label says not to use on painted surfaces. It's my preferred buffing compound when working by hand. I suspect it says not for use on paint, as it does remove a tiny amount of the finish as you do with any buffing process or compound. I have been using it on paint for probably 35 years and yet to have any adverse affects on the finish. Clear coated, Lacquer, enamel, it doesn't matter. Here is a shot of the hood on my 31 Auburn Phaeton. One side done, one not, after wet sanding and buffing with 1500 grit paper the hand polishing it with Mothers. Also a before and after of the splash apron on my 33 plymouth coupe.

That's alot of Go-jacks to turn it around then.

It works really well to clean the scuzzy green corrosion off nickel plated parts as well. I took a bunch of NOS window winders and door handles off a display for them and threw them and the chrome ones in the vat. Took them out, light scrub off with a toothbrush and they didn't have a speck of corrosion on them, plus the back sides were as clean as the front. Anybody that has ever cleaned the green scuzz off nickel knows it's a real PIA and you always seem to scratch the nickel as it's soft. Excellent for detailed pieces that are really hard to get in the nooks and crannies.

I never paid attention to the cost and figured it was worth it for towing insurance, though really don't know why I have it. I have never read the magazine and only have my friend tow my cars if I ever have the need and he is crazy reasonable I never thought of trying to get reimbursed for the cost. I should probably think about dropping it.

My son is not allowed to work in any of my garages or use any of my tools without explicit permission. Fortunately he respects that. I have a pretty cluttered shop, but my garage looks like an operating room compared to his work space I made for him in the shed. Most of which is usually puking out into the driveway, so we shovel it back in and close the doors. Oh nothing at all under the tree for me this year. I must have been a really bad boy. I made up for it though as I bought a vintage trumpet, Saxophone and Clarinet in December which I plan to learn to play all 3. On the tool end I bought an Autell Scanner to figure out the woes of my daily driver to get it inspected and think I have that figured out and ready to finally be inspected. Maybe Santa thought, He's got it under control. That's all I can come up with for an explanation.

It will be even nicer when I get done with it. I'm thinking black wheels would really make it look right. It's so tough when buying A's. I really didn't want one as nice, but I couldn't justify spending a couple to a few grand less for a truck that needed paint and a whole bunch of other work, that easily would have cost multiples of that to do. I could have lived with scruffy paint, but the paint was checked and falling off the other examples I passed on. Scuffs scratches and fading, are one thing, but paint falling off usually doesn't stop. Plus I couldn't pass up the zero rust or repair body. If she fully checks out mechanically then I'll be content with the purchase.

We'll see. I dove in head first and still haven't gotten to drive it or hear it run in person since winter hit almost the day it was delivered. Any body else buy one over the last year? I have had a few over the years but none that I put on the road. They were bought or traded for various reasons but I never intended to buy one to use. Well that was until a few months ago.

Now if one had a good engine laying around it would be a good match, but not at the listed price. Like mentioned maybe around 10 put your engine in and you would be good to go. I gave a good running one away once. Not that crazy long ago. Sold the car to a hot rodder who took it for a little less without the engine. A's make no sense to buy one other than done, unless you want a scuffy original car with Patina. That's a different story though. I tried to find a Roadster Pickup like that to beat around in, but scruffy and crappy are two different things. With every 1000 spent at purchase you seem to get a $2000-$3000 uptick in condition. Even the done cars still seem to need some work. Still taking care of little things on mine I thought were all done. Nothing significant. Just making things a tad more correct or atleast authentic looking as well as a full cut and buff of the paint. That and I still have yet to drive it. Hoping for no major surprises there.

45-55 would probably feel like you are flying.

I like it colors and all. Just checked my wallet and looks like I'm about 47G short. Says Must be sold. Do I low ball him? Just kidding. I would definitely have to sell something to free up a spot and cash. What would realistic normal cruising speed of this thing be?

Not sure about the overall condition but I will say that a 4 door hardtop wagon with a bucket seat interior is pretty cool.

Since finding a nice original or NOS floormat for this would be near impossible, Even drop in rubber mats to replace those toilet tank cover shag ones, would make alot of difference.

The Hudson Big Boy I sold in June I must have sorted pretty well. It did run drive and stop well hot or cold, never overheated. The guy I sold it to, took it to Florida (trailered on that questionable trailer) But called me the other day and left a nice message on my machine that he had been enjoying the hell out of it driving it all over Florida in the summer and the only problem he ran into was the Generator finally started acting up. So I guess I must have had that sorted pretty well. Just started the to do list on the A roadster pickup and the auburn Speedster. Have the 33 Plymouth alot of the way there with the new tires. Still have to figure out the fuel gauge issue (most likely sending unit) and put the new rear seal on the tranny. Otherwise she runs well hot or cold and starts the same. I'm hoping the tires solve the random vibration I ran into. I figured it couldn't hurt as the old ones were Sears Allstates.

There is a guy driving one around town here bone stock, all dark blue with all the factory trim in really good shape. He's using it year round/ Plastered in salt and all. Real shame. I would hate to see it in a few more years. Especially this year where we have gotten enough precip to salt almost every day and first snow came almost 4 weeks ago.

Yeah I know Tires for the big stuff are expensive. I was just surprised a tire that is so commonly used and nothing special were so expensive especially in a black wall. They actually have a radial for almost the same price as the cheapest tire which really surprised me, since usually the radial upgrade on old tires was $100 or more each. Maybe it's new upside down world pricing?

I'm starting to hear Clint Eastwood whisper in my ear every time I look at a car that isn't running when I consider the mechanics. "do you feel lucky punk" Especially if one considers not just running but reliably running. Usually two very different amounts of money required and the later in multiples of the first to the (fill in the number) power. I was shocked to see a set of black wall tires for a model A (and that's only 4) is over $1000. Just figure that with everything I guess.

I sold my big boy toy 1948 Brockway and replaced it with a slightly more road /Garage friendly 1929 A ford Roadster Pickup. Unfortunately winter hit before I could drive it, so I have no idea how road friendly it is, but it sure takes up alot less real estate in the garage. Those straw colored wheels sure need to go. I'm thinking black would be a good choice.

Must have gotten a good deal on white paint even the underneath is solid white.

That interior is hideous. The cheapest car being built today by any manufacture probably has a better interior. The inside always seems to kill so many of the kit. replicars. My Auburn is no exception, though it looks a better than alot of them I have seen and if not for some misguided soul adding a cassette deck in the middle of the passenger side panel, well actually not even in the middle so it looks even worse I could somewhat tolerate it for now. If I have my way a major dash overhaul will fix alot of that.