Marty Roth

Drove the 1914 Buick all week long on the AACA Reliability Tour in Pennsylvania Dutch Country based in Lancaster - a hilly and exciting week with about 500 miles of serious driving. No problems other than really working the brakes hard. The Buick received her "CENTURY CLUB - 100 Years and Counting" Badge, presented by our AACA National President.

Another great day of driving the spectacular countryside of Eastern Pennsylvania among an array of very interesting cars and their caretakers. Watching the farmers plant and tend fields manually, and plow with horse power (not automated) is inspiring. Their children were lined up on the porches and roadsides, pumping an arm in the air in hopes of hearing our Klaxon, Explosion Whistle, Exhaust Whistle, or any other noise-maker. Most were very friendly and seemed enchanted by our early conveyances. We had the pleasure of being awarded AACA's new "CENTURY CLUB" badge by our AACA National President. It will be displayed on the 1914 Buick, having been both shown at Lebanon and driven on the Reliability Tour.

We are also enjoying the Reliability Tour and thank Terry Bond for getting his report posted. I've been having delays with on-line activities, but will post a few photos as we travel in our 1914 Buick B-37 Touring. I did have time Tuesday evening to re-do my Brake Adjustment - an important factor on a 2-Wheel-Brake car in these treacherous hills and fantastic backroads. A big "THANK YOU" to the Lesher Family for the amazing route they laid out for Wednesday. It seems that my prior conversations with Mr. Spock resulted in having my 1914 Buick become to subject of "MAGNETIC TELEPORTATION". We left the car in a parking space at the Doubletree Headquarters Hotel, and the next morning it was in a parking space, but a notable distance away. Methinks that Multi-generational trickery may have played a role here -- shades of the Ricketts-Barnett Historical Society and Adult Beverage Evaluation Group. Thanks for the good laughs guys (and Gal)!

I have been off-line a few days, but car is still available

Thanks Brian & Dave, Larry sent photos of the rod he made, and Mark described it so that I could understand as well. The odd thing, was that the petcock is so low on the side of the crankcase that it would appear to be a drain, rather than a fill-level technique ! Thanks again to all -- Now to spend the next week passing Model-Ts

btt

Yes, and thanks to Mark and to Larry. The photos were an added bonus, and I'll probably make an extension similar to check from above . Now I know that our oil is at a safe level. Next step will be to make a "dipstick", marked at the correct level. We will show at Lebanon this week, and will drive the Reliability Tour next week.

Larry & Joyce were at the Packard Proving Grounds with the 1915 Buick truck, and a TV reporter found them irresistible : http://www.wxyz.com/about-us/as-seen-on/thousands-to-gather-at-legendary-packard-proving-grounds-for-cars-r-stars

Always the best advice.....thanks

How do I know if I have enough oil? or too little? or too much? I had been told that as long as I see oil flowing through the "SIGHT GLASS" in my dashboard, that it was OK. Since there does not appear to be a dipstick for this era, is there a better way to ensure the right quantity? I will be driving more as I tackle the AACA Dual Meet in Tennessee next week, and then the AACA/HCCA RELIABILITY TOUR in Lancaster, PA the following week. Thanks for any advice. Marty

On the way to the Buffalo Meet last week, I saw a sign on the NY State Thruway, advising that there was a "TEXT STOP" 2 miles ahead, and that "IT CAN WAIT" I think it is great to have a parking area on the highway to read and send texts, and wish more states had such areas, and would also enforce No-Texting laws. With all the travel we do in support of AACA activities, I'm constantly amazed and disappointed at the number of distracted drivers who "attempt" to drive while their real attention is to their electronic devices.

Pictures and measurements will aid in identification

I use Rotella 15W-40, the same stuff that is used by diesel engines - and it has plenty of zinc, even if your engine does not require it -- can't hurt, and sometimes I even get the equivalent from Wal-Mart !!

I had the extreme pleasure of finally meeting Chris Bamford this past weekend while in sunny Buffalo, NY. We actually met face-to-face at Jim Sandoro's wonderful collection, The Buffalo Collection - Pierce-Arrow Museum, where Chris had ridden by bicycle from the Canadian side. http://www.pierce-arrow.com/ The show field provided yet another short meeting as I was en route to my judging assignment for the Eastern Division Spring Meet, held at the S.U.N.Y. Campus - Buffalo(/Amherst,NY). With more than 430 vehicles registered, and perfect weather conditions, I think all would agree that the event was as good as it gets. Thank you to the many individuals who worked to make it flow as smoothly as it did. It is always great to have a face to go with a name - especially one which has posted notable thoughts on our FORUM. Thanks, Chris, for remembering me, and I hope to meet many more Forum contributors at Meets and on Tours.

So Rusty_OToole is saying that the Chrysler "could' actually be run as a Positive-ground car - if those conditions could be met.. Thanks Rusty, for the added information I should have included, but didn't

You CAN go PARTIALLY to 12-Volt: 1. Place a pair of 6-Volt Optima batteries in the battery tray and wire them in SERIES 2. Replace the generator with a 12-Volt Alternator 3. Run the entire car from the post of the FIRST BATTERY - your car is still running on 6-VOLT 4. Take the lead from the SECOND BATTERY giving 12-VOLTs to run your A/C, radio, cell phone charger, etc.

Thanks for the comment Dave, Hopefully the right caretaker will see this thread and adopt this great survivor Oldsmobile.

Dave Zimmerman was a respected gentleman and true friend whom I could always count on for thoughtful advice. He repeatedly reminded me how much he enjoyed his visit to our Division Tour in Houma, LA in 2005. It was Dave who encouraged me to consider serving AACA on our National Board of Directors. Following the election, Dave passed along advice he had been given by our mutual friend and 1999 AACA President Janet Ricketts - he said that when there was any question as to a choice of path, to always do what was "best for the AACA Membership". Hopefully we can all benefit by that advice. I had the pleasure of meeting Dave and Brenda's grandson Leif some years ago, and serving with him doing our YOUTH JUDGING program at the AACA MEET in Auburn, Indiana earlier this month. This young man will obviously continue the path his grandfather defined - a true "MENSCH". Dave put up an extended and hard-hitting fight for as long as possible, and chose to be home with his family for his final days. Our love and condolences go to Brenda, and to all of Dave and Brenda's extended family. Rest in peace, my friend. Marty

Hi Bill, Nice photo of the Overland and the President........Congrats on supporting another local function....wish we were going to Maine with you the week after next, enjoy the Chrome Glidden Tour for us !! We are in Buffalo/Amherst for the AACA Meet this weekend

Bulldog, you are exactly right, and we encourage participation - as well as more judges !!

A Day For Reflection.... Thankfully my Dad returned from his service for the duration of the War in the Pacific, having served with the 6th Special Battalion, Seabees, U.S. Navy, injured but able to return to work... far too many did not return, or were even more seriously injured... our daughter-in-law now treats Vets dealing with PTSD

Thanks James, but $17,500 is a long, long ways from the $3,500 Carlisle mentioned, and his truck was likely nearer to our location.

Edgar, did I ask you to RE-SET THE WING-FLAPS, ELEVATORS, RUDDER??

Carlisle1926, I wish I had known about your 1947 American LaFrance 700 Series - I would have jumped on that one as that was the year and model my Dad was assigned to when he first rode the Tail-Board when first appointed to the Linden, NJ Fire Dept. He retired as a Captain, but on his first day, and the day they first opened the new station, Chief Miller put me (a 5-year old) in his lap and drove that 1947 700 Series out of the house and onto the driveway for the ceremony. If you come across another in similar condition please call me first!

He probably would have done better at the Hershey Car Corral. The Dodge Brothers Touring looked really decent to me, and the provenance would certainly have ben an added adea of interest, at least to me. I probably should have bought the 1924 Dodge Brothers touring from David Coco back in the 1980s, but foolishly let a stuck valve and a fender ding dissuade me. Thankfully I did get the 1927 Chevy Roadster and the 1917 Franklin Touring, as well as the all-original extreme low-mileage 1958 Chevy Bel-air which took us touring all over North America and which our children drove on Founders and Chrome Glidden Tours.