Dave Henderson

Can the front panel be lowered? I assume you would have pictured it that way if so, but I notice the vertical seams or joints near the front corners of the sides, and the objects that could be hinges at the bottom. With its 'fitted" base with gas filler access, it is apparent that it was made for permanent mounting and probably for a given model. The auxiliary rack is unique. It may have had fitted luggage., especially if the front drops. This one is special.

The pump appears to have been rebuilt at some time using a non-original steel packing nut. The fan is an aftermarket replacement for the original "propeller" type fan that all Model A's originally had. .

Definately not a pre-'30 body. Incidentally, some of the earlier '30 trucks had the '29 style bodies that were updated with a twist-on gas cap rather than the '28-'29 threaded style cap. From what I can make of the picture, it appears to have the 1930 style 2-piece splash apron. But, like so many Model A's, it could be a truck that was kept going with a mixture of parts from various years. If it does in fact have the "indented" firewall, it couldn't be other than a '31, unless, and it's unlikely, that someone changed the firewall. Of course, there's always another exception..... could be a '31 body on a '30 chassis!

That there was no hole for a handle is a significant clue.

The Stromberg LB 1 was used on the 1917 Roamer.

'Jamer...maybe you're the guy the VDot dMV "ladies" dupli-issued my old tag number to!! Our dmv gals here don't make you keep coming back...you just never get to leave.

In Virginia there was a re-registration required last year for all Va. antique plated cars, which added some new requirements such as certifying that the vehicle met all safety reqiurements as of the date of its origin. When I didn't get the same notice from the DMV for my Cord, which I have owned for many years, that I had received for my other antiques I contacted them and found out they had no record of the car at all, niether title nor antique registration. They had chucked it all. Luckily I had the original title and antique registration card. Then another issue came up. They had re-issued to someone else the tag number of the permanent porcelain plates that I had received from them years back, and they insisted that it would be necessary to issue me new (no longer porcelain) plates with a much higher number, even though the issuance of my plates pre-dated the ones subsequently issued to someone else. After a couple hours of what was quite frankly anger and disgust, I received a surprize call from a very nice lady in Richmond who had found a way for me to retain my old plates. So, is there a lesson there? Better make sure you have original papers and keep them in a safe place or you could regret it, specially if you are in Virginia!

Not jingles but; remember Mad Man Muntz; "I'd give em away but my wife won't let me", and in the Washington, D. C. area, dating from the car scarce WWII years I believe, Uncle Joe Cherner's radio slogan was "Next to a new car a Chernerized car is best".

Oldcar, I'm sending you a pm.

Some aftermarket iaccessory tems seen in cars of that era; a flashlight holder attached to the steering column; likewise a holder for the registration card; a small round ash tray suction-cupped to the dash, and a "junk fence" similarly attached to the top of the dash to keep stuff like cigarette packs there; an extension on top of the emergency brake handle, making it easier to reach. And don't forget those handy "necker's knobs" with girlie pictures in them on the steering wheel.

An observation; 2 door sedans were very popular among people with small children, for safety and security reasons. Because young familys usually did not have lots of money, they didn't buy higher price cars llike Buicks very often. Hence the lower demand for 2 door Buick sedans. Buick buyers preferred and could afford the convenience of having 4 doors. In low priced cars, 2 door sedans were big sellers, sometime out selling 4 dr. ones.

An aftermarket item, it could have been intended for some specific application, but it could also be a universal replacement for 12 volt cars (provided the ground polarity was correct). Were it not 12 volts, I'd say it was for early V8 Fords, but they were 6 volt cars. Also, installation of it on a car not originally having one could be easily done By placing it in the cable circuit between the battery and the starter, and adding a push button on the dash wired to it. It looks like it has a button on the bottom which, if functional, could have been to actuate the starter from under the hood while working on the engine.

Geez guys, no one has nominated the '41 Buick. It even outshined the '41 Caddy!..... (from the peanut gallery)

'37 Super Eight, 15th series.

'34 Studebaker

The adio head as in the second picture (without the under-dash mounting bezel) was usually attached to the steering column. Does yours show any signs of having had provision for a column bracket? There were also '30's cars that had their dash specifically designed for mounting a head with cables. Your head does not look like it was intended to be mounted that way. Since this head is labeled "Delco" rather than a specific GM car make, it may have been from a radio intended to be adaptable to various makes, and could have been for a dealer-installed accessory radio, or for a universal aftermarket one. Send me a pm if it is for sale. Dave

This is the sheet metal floor hump over the transmission. Original, from a 1954 XK 120 roadster, good condition, $100. Prefer not to ship. (703) 938-8954

Just shows what you can do with a little paint and a lot of money1

Suggest you join the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Club, 3 V12 technicians are there to assist . E mail auburncars@verizon.net

The correct spelling is Duesenberg!

James, An acclaimed designer, Al Leamy, who is credited with designing the front wheel drive L-29 Cord and other classics, left the Auburn Automobile Company and went to G M Art and Color, their design studio under Harley Earl, at about the time the '37 Olds styling features would have been under consideration. Among his drawings, retained all her life by his widow, was a frontal design sketch with some subtle similarities to the Olds. I recall that the L-29 Cord he designed had inboard front brakes, and wonder, if, just if, if he was on the Olds design team at A & C and put those 2 vertical trim strips on each side of the panel under the radiator grille, delineating just where those inboard brakes had been on the Cord. The horizontal panel under the grille humps outward, and is also suggestive of front wheel drive because that is where the transaxle would have gone. G M's new ideas sometimes first appeared on the Oldsmobile, hydramatic and a 2 speed predecessor to it, for example. So, taking a really long shot, could it be that the original intent of the '37 Olds front design was for a front wheel drive car? For some of my experiences with the '37 Olds I had as a high schooler look at the last page of your other posting about your Grandfather's '37 Olds. Dave

James, congratlations on your good decision to keep the Olds. From its appearance and the very favorable environment in which it has been stored, it doesn't appear to be a difficult one to bring back. (Hope for the wife's sake you didn't really kick HER car out of the garage as I had facetiously suggested!) Here are a couple recollections I have from the late 1940's when a '37 Olds sedan just like yours (albeit a klunker) was my high school car. After I started using it I discovered the radio had a peculiarity in that it would only play while stopped or momentarily during right hand turns, no kidding. What was causing this? The wire from one running board antenna to the other one was hanging down and rubbing on the drive shaft! Another drive shaft-related happening occurred when, as I was driving along there was suddenly much noise and pounding from beneath. It was caused by the fact that it had a 2 piece drive shaft, with a center u joint cushioned in a large rubber mounting. The rubber had died. I'll leave you with one more; one very cold winter night the Olds horn spontaneously blasted away at about 2 am. The cold had shrunken the plastic surrounding the horn button and squeezed it inward. I hope you have all good experiences with yours, at least good enough to laugh about later, as I had. Good luck.

Not very long ago there was a picture in the "What is it" forum of a sedan that was identified as a Continental Ace if you care to dig back.

Peter, I know you have a tough job. That granted, "What Is It" ranks high among the most interesting and informative forums, and In my opinion it should not be relegated to a second tier.

and suicide front doors