Steve Braverman

My father bought a new Haulmark last year. They have several factories around the country. We special ordered his trailer to fit his car, and yet be small enough to tow behind a Chevy Astro. The Haulmark people are very helpful. Give them a call.

There should be a GVW on the trailer. Call Haulmark if you can't find it. I highly doubt it is more than 9,000 lbs. My 25' C&C has a GVW of 9,500 lbs. It weighs about 3,500 empty.

Any guesses?

I own a Franklin Olympic. I bet you're wondering why you should care. Well, Franklin needed a mid-price car to sell during the depression and had no money to design and tool for one, so they bought Flying Clouds from REO sans engine, hood, radiator, and other trim parts. They installed a Franklin engine, grille and a new hood, put on some different hubcaps and emblems, and viola, a Franklin Olympic. The only parts that are unique to the Olympic are the bell-housing, hood, crank-hole cover, and some other minor trim pieces. Franklin used some very primitive methods to assemble the car, including trimming the front apron with snips and smashing the air filter housing with a hammer to clear the steering box. The result is an amazing car with the best power to weight ratio of any car of 1933 except for a model J Duesenberg. Now maybe it's because I hang around in Franklin circles all the time, but I see many more Franklin Olympics than I do REO Flying Clouds. Maybe Franklin sold more cars than REO, or maybe the Franklin engine was more durable than the REO. Or maybe more people saved the Franklins than the REOs. Who knows. I joined the REO club to try to find parts and learn more about the cars, and found the club to be rather small and not much of a resource. That's all I know other than that the Royales are beautiful cars and share many parts with the smaller Flying Clouds. Oh, and the build quality and engineering of these cars is terrific.

Thanks Steve, I think I sent it to a general mailbox "general@aaca.org." I threw away the white sheet, and then it said in the mag to send in the activity request form. I'm just excited to finally make it to a national tour, it's been 20 years for me.

I would like to get some info on a national tour, specifically the Berkshire Tour in western Mass. in August, but I lost the white insert from my <span style="font-style: italic">Antique Automobile</span>. I tried sending an e-mail to HQ, but got no response. There is no link anywhere on either the AACA site or the CVA site for this tour.

I saw a '57 Chevy that had an electric shaver complete with a vanity mirror on the driver's side. My dad's 1910 Sears has a whip socket.

I may have a set. Let me look. I'll get back to you next week.

Is your idle set too low? That can cause the condition you describe.

If you live near the water, any place that does marine canvas will have them.

Any idea where I can get some?

leave it outside for a few months.

Running an electric fuel pump dry is never a good idea. I guess I'll put in some Stabil, or maybe I'll just keep on riding the damn thing.

I am doing a ground up restoration on my 1933 Franklin Olympic convertible coupe. I plan to show it at an AACA show, but only long enough to get my National First, then I want to drive the wheels off of it. I bought the car in 2003, and started disassembly as soon as I got it. Last year the frame was painted, and last month the springs were all re-bushed. I'm hoping to have the chassis rolling again this summer. Work, kids, and lack of funds all are factors that keep these projects from progressing at a reasonable pace. The car will be completely stock, but after I get the AACA First, I will most likely fit either a modern rear end for more favorable gearing, or install an overdive. Other than the 4.5:1 gearing, Franklin got this one right from the start. Oh, in the meantime, I dive my 1932 Franklin sedan as much as I can. It's bone stock and original. No electric fuel pumps or other hackery. It runs perfectly no matter the weather. I regularly drive it 350 miles to the Franklin Trek. Id does leak oil like the Exxon Valdese, and a lot goes out the tailpipe too, but a case of oil is easier than tearing the engine down. When the convertible is done, the sedan will get a ring and valve job along with all new gaskets. Antique cars are not dead! Not by a long shot.

I found the culprit today. It's my Dad's 1911 Franklin. The tank is copper, and somehow the copper must react with the fuel, because the car always has fuel problems. I took the car out of the garage and the smell is subsiding. At least I've isolated the problem.

This may be a little out of scope for an AACA forum, but I'll ask anyway. I want to lay up a motorcycle for long-term storage and I'm not sure how to take care of the fuel system. The bike is a 1994 BMW, and it's fuel injected, so draining it dry is not an option. It may be sitting for a few years. Should I put in some fuel stabilizer and hope for the best?

I'm embarrassed to admit that there are a few cars in my garage that have not run in about 10 years (Dad's cars, not mine). The other day I was overwhelmed by the smell of stale gas in the building. I looked under all the cars, and none of them seem to be leaking. Is the strong smell normal when gas turns to varnish?

They had the 6V group 2 battery on the shelf.

I just paid $90 for a group 2 6V battery at NAPA. Did I just get ripped off? I haven't had to buy one for a long time, but I don't ever remember them being so expensive. Then again, I seem to be saying that about everything I have to buy recently.

This is up on eBay. It looks like it was made by the same company that made the "repeal" plates.

I don't know if this helps, but I spotted this in Colorado a few years ago. I've never seen or heard of another Whippet this large.

No

A friend has a '78 Nova with a 350 V8 and 3-speed column shift. He special ordered it new. The dealer made him pay for it up front because they knew it would be a white elephant if he didn't take it.

Hi Dave, Those look exactly like the locks on my '32 Plymouth, which I think are cast iron or steel. I could take some pictures and measurements for you.

I teach 8th grade, and they make better arguments than this.