TG57Roadmaster

When it's my turn to create an "Ain't I Clever List," at the top of those facing my unholy wrath will be the X-Box and Element. It'll go something like this... "We have breadboxes in America, we just don't drive them." Too-shay! TG

I'm going to ask my pal Mike Parente if he'll let me take his Pinto Pangra on the Muscle Car Tour... TG

Sheesh! Another, "Aren't these awful, ain't I clever" piece scribed by someone who wouldn't know the difference between a Citation and a Citation*. The Renault Dauphine, AMC Gremlin, Ford Mustang II (all amazing sales-winners) and the people who built them need to make apologies to no one. I don't know who the contributor, Keith Barry is, but this quote on the astonishing Porsche Panamera is more than telling..."With four doors and room for four suitcases in the trunk (a trunk! In the rear!) the Panamera has already been ruthlessly mocked by 13-year-old boys and 911-owners alike. If, over time, it proves to dilute the overall brand for the sake of immediate sales, it will be enshrined as a true automotive atrocity." First, I stop paying attention when brand is used in place of marque. Second, many grown ups may like the idea of a Porsche with a back seat and trunk, even some loyal 911 owners. Third, who listens to precocious 13-year-olds (other than their parents, who are obliged to do so)? Methinks Mr. Barry doth protest too much (or listens to too many 8th-graders). TG *Edsel, 1958; Chevy, 1980

Better give up Green Dragon, as you'll never get a satisfactory answer; the lines have been too blurred. Like classic and kleenex, it's entered the lexicon and been bandied about by everyone from Barrett-Jackson to the Village Idiot (come to think of it, the two are closer than we think), and now most anything means muscle. SBC 350 in a Vega, you've got muscle. Drop a 383 in a Volare, call it muscle. Take a look at ebay or an Auto Trader, and you'll see all kinds of stuff being pawned off as muscle. Deservedly or not. I gave an answer above, as did many others, what more do you want? Muscle cars (capital M) died in '72 when the gubment and insurance companies strangled HP and cubes (technically, they reclassified HP). Defining it is up to you. TG

Welcome Larry, Dragging that motor around for more than half a lifetime? Well you've hit the right place, as many of us here have similar stories of dedication. It kinda goes like this, "Well, I might need that 220S inline six someday..." The best & quickest way to reach your target Benz crowd is a marque-specific forum like this one: PeachParts Mercedes ShopForum - Powered by vBulletin It's free to register, and will reach a broad global audience of like-minded Mercedes Crazies; they'll appreciate your commitment to saving that engine, too! Good luck! TG

John, Thanks for an incredibly detailed thread, especially for naming your contributors/suppliers; this has to be one of the most informative discussions on the entire Forum. It will be a Go-To manual when we begin our own work on this '34 Eight Coupe Roadster, one of the few Standard versions extant, and a true Time Warp car if there ever was one. Thanks again, and I can't wait to visit the Citizens Motor Car Company! TG PS, please disregard the incorrect Super 8 caption from this 1951 photo.

I'm not much for resurrecting, that is, rebuilding to modern standards, the great cars of the past. Automotive history is littered with many such "dream-busters," failed attempts to do just the same. Remember the Duesenbergs, Mercers, Model A's, Packards and Clenets of the '60's-'70's, to name several? Many of them are now shown in their own 2nd-generation class at AACA shows. Though their funding wasn't Gatesian, these ersatz "classics" nonetheless took a stab at recreating the glory of past designs, riding on modern chassis, and all ultimately failed. The joy of all the cars mentioned in this thread is their inherent quirkiness, the unique "feel" or other salient qualities that make us collect and restore them. Or move mountains to find low-mileage originals that preserve those from-the-factory attributes. It's precisely those tactile, difficult to describe traits that draw many of us to the vast array of marques and models from the past that still exist. Of course, it's all up to the individual, and there are some great cars listed here, but give me the lilting puff-puff-puff of the Roadmistress's dual exhaust/resonator set up, the slow but steady whirring wind up of her Dynaflow, any day over more modern elements. Anyway, it's a great idea for a thread, and if money was no object, I'd order up 50 Duesenberg II's, and 50 knock-off Mercedes-Benz 540K's, keep a few of each, then give the rest of 'em away for wedding/birthday/anniversary gifts. They're both available today, have fine modern running gear, and at least a bit of the smell of the originals. Still, they're just hot rods clothed in classic duds, flash for cash, and can never replace the real thing. But that's just my two cents, pittance subtracted from our imaginary billions... TG

The body looks really nice; if the interior's as good, drop a 350 or 305 in it, and you'll have an $800-$1,200 car, regardless. I understand about him being your baby, but to everyone else, he's just an old 4-door sedan, the least collectible of all body styles. But then, there are a lot of folks who like 4-door sedans, myself included. Best of luck, just don't crush him, TG

Jeff, this 1913 Chalmers is shown to have been driven on the '53 Tour by Miss Christine Pollard... Here's another of Mr. Pollard's cars on the '53 Glidden, a 1906 Cadillac... And a 1903 St. Louis, again from the Pollard stash... Another notable name on the '53 Tour, a young Thomas J. Lester in an '04 Auburn... Someone should snap up these photos before they're lost to history; there are 4 pages of them! It says they're official photos from someone's album, so they should be crisp and clear. TG

The wiring is a little less confusing in Bangkok...where they make our Nikon cameras. TG

FYI, there are many pictures of cars that took part in the 1953 & 1954 Glidden Tours on ebay, including this 1909 Austin belonging to Barney Pollard... I don't know most of the names involved, but some of you may recognize the more notable early collectors, among them, a 1903 Peerless from Henry Austin Clark, Jr's collection... These have been kicking around on ebay (4 pages of 'em) for several years now. TG

I confess to desires for AMC's also, having gone to high school in Kenosha, WI in the early-'70's. Try the links page at Arctic Boy's cool AMC site, which is in New England as I recall. You can spend plenty of quality time there, and maybe even get a lead on your (forbidden) dream-car! TG

For Sale...Exact copy of 1899 J B Brewster Buggy, Good Wood and Bamboo, but with NOM, Must Sell, recently laid off from Nike Shoe Factory; will consider TRADE FOR USED VESPA, or NEW SCHWINN 3-Speed, or Case of Marlboro 100's...Call +86 BR-549.

You're quite welcome John, I guess now we'll have to start referring to you as, "the guy who has (access to) everything!" Color me green, TG

John, I can't help with any cars or owners, but if you need any filler for printed matter, consider using this 1920 Black & Decker ad from Automotive Industries. There can't be much ephmera for such cars floating around, and it shows a Barley Motor Car interior scene with some chassis. Just a thought... Larger; click once after opening to enlarge & save the biggest file-size. Good luck with the event! TG (PS, I'm the one who sent you the 1919 Elizabeth, NJ Duesenberg Factory folio of copies with all the machine company adverts).

96rm, I wouldn't worry too much about the black soot, as all the car needs is a short run on the 405 to blow out the carburetor. Then I bet she'd run just fine. The condition of the car is on par to what my '57 was when I bought her in '92, for $2,000. The things that had to be replaced for safety (tires, hoses, belts, etc.) were done quickly to get her roadworthy, but the car is still an ongoing project. Otherwise, the condition of both is comparable, with the '57 headliner & paint a bit better, but certainly not show-ready. I drove the car, even showed it in the driver class, for 8 years before redoing the interior (it still has not been repainted) and replating the rear bumper. The "embarrassment factor," by that I mean its condition, was overshadowed by the gem I knew to be underneath, the diamond that would one day be revealed. Larger; Thanks DLynskey(!) for this pic of the Roadmistress at last month's AACA SE Nat'l Meet at Charlotte AutoFair. The point is, I know these '57-'58 cars pretty well, and your Super is a super deal, and one that can be enjoyed daily during its refurbishment. Although there's alot of pricey shiney bits involved, the car can assuredly be done on a meager budget (as mine was; I just found and installed a pair of NOS backup lenses for $55, an 18-year wait!), and is particularly right for a younger person who has the luxury of time and patience. Flash, head-turning looks, and a rust-free, running, powerful car that you can start enjoying tomorrow... I'm surprised it isn't gone yet! TG

Wayne, I was just getting ready to post the same link to the Buick ad... a real deal if ever there was one! And something that's repeated daily a hundred times, only we don't hear or know of it. As for annoying ads, members of most clubs go into histrionic fits when annual dues are increased by the price of a decent bottle of wine, or two six-packs, knowing full well that the newsletter/mag is the most costly part of those dues. The best answer is to simply turn the page... TG