Robert G. Smits
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Posts posted by Robert G. Smits
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I forgot to mention your comment on surging at idle. That sounds like the "idle air control valve" which is also no longer available from MB or the aftermarket. Your only hope is a "Pick and Pull". Starting to understand why I am dumping mine.
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As a long term owner of two 380's my experience is that MB is rapidly losing interest in supporting these. As parts are exhausted they are not being picked up by the aftermarket. Before buying a 380 SL go on the 107 forum and do a search on 380 verses 560. As an example MB can no longer supply pistons or connecting rods for the 380. Within the next year both of mine are going on BaT as No Reserve auctions. On the positive side they are wonderful road cars and my wife and I never considered them under powered. One of my cars has over 250K and runs great and doesn't use oil. Average transmission life is 120-150 K. If your 82 still has the single timing chain most people on the 107 forum recommend changing every 20-30K miles or 10years. The guides deteriorate with age regardless of the miles and a broken guide does 7-9 K damage to your wallet. Remember that a cheap Mercedes is the most expensive. If you do not have deep pockets walk away form this.
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My 1912 Garford was restored by Bill Harrah in the early 70’s. At that time they could not find another example. In the over 25 years I have owned it I have run down several leads only to find a Studebaker-Garford. A few years ago Terry Bond started an excellent thread titled “The One Eyed Garford” if you are interested.
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On 7/29/2021 at 2:41 PM, carbking said:
My guess would be that any FLAPS could easily obtain a rebuilt Holley.
I must be the only one who doesn't know the meaning of FLAPS . Also what model of Holly carb? Thanks
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Interesting modification of a “lubester”. Purchased from a neighbor in 2000 when he moved to assisted living.
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From the serial # can you determine when it was manufactured? I still have a 1959 John Deere 140 H3 that my father purchased new along with a new 730 Diesel row crop.
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Rescue dog # 3. Adopted Dec of 21. Loves to ride in any vehicle and spends every day with me in the car garage. Looks German Shepard but DNA reveals 23% Pit Bull and 14% Blue Healer. Smart and lovable.
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Rescue dog # 4. My wife is on the board of our local non kill rescue facility. In August a email went out pleading for a board member to foster a10-12 y/o they deemed to be un adoptable. We decided not to foster and just adopted him. He didn’t deserve to die in a crate and makes me smile every day. One of my better decisions.
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Ed, thanks for posting. Neat Ford memorabilia This thread is too much fun to let it die.
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An early oil can. For years I passed on these at local swap meets. Bad decision!
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4 minutes ago, Larry Schramm said:
Better yet is to pack it up in the car/truck and go to Hershey for the fall meet in October. Drop it off and then enjoy the swap meet.
Agree 100% The above strategy is in case of an "unexpected exit" which happens all to often. A 50 y/o friend didn't wake up two days ago. You need to plan for the unexpected and not leave your wife with a sh** situation.
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I have been actively collecting Cadillac since the 70's. There isn't enough time left in my life to waste on trying to make a couple bucks selling it especially after following advice from ED and auburnseeker. My wife has instructions to have a packing company ship everything to the AACA library and let them sell what they can't use including over 500 auto related books. At some point you have to decide where your non essential time is best spent. Good luck with whatever you decide. Interesting thread, thanks for posting.
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I plead guilty. In 1978 I purchased a unrestored 23 Cadillac 7P touring. Still sitting in the collection unrestored. It's nice to have a car that you can load up the grandkids and dogs and go anywhere without worrying about a scratch. I can't be the only one. I will say that in 78 it was a lot more fun than 20 or 30 years later.
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My only “barn find”. Actually a rural quonset airplane hanger on a farm. Car had been sitting there for 19 years. Had a replacement top when I purchased it. Has a few scratches from sitting next to my 58 Impala 348 tri power convertible that was destroyed when a tornado hit several years later. If my memory is correct it has 56 K miles. Never touched other than maintenance. My favorite thread since Walt started Memorabilia. Thanks
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34 Pontiac purchased in the early 70’s. Obviously had a repaint sometime as I do not think this is a Pontiac color from the 34 chart. Participated in the 34th Glidden. Hopefully it will be on the next Glidden
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1941 series 63. Totally original. Purchased from a rural funeral home at 15 K miles by a good friend who toured extensively in the CCCA and never owned a trailer. I purchased it 17 years ago at 55K when my friend was getting ready to restore it and have added 12K.
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My father in law was service manager for a Ford dealership in an Iowa town of 10000. He recalls in the early 50’s they cleaned out the obsolete parts and trashed enough parts to build a new model T along with multiple NOS blocks and transmissions
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Thinning the library. Free, you pay postage Hate to throw it in recycling
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19 hours ago, auburnseeker said:
point 5 or 6 gas stations and 5 or 6 actual garages to get your car worked on
Interesting point. I grew up in a rural Iowa farming town of 900 and we had 7 gas stations, 3 garages and a Ford dealership. All had considerable advertising and signage.
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Not much evidence of softening of the memoribilia market
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Yes a framed cardboard sign/poster. I could not find any dates. It original and no evidence of an easel back.
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1982 Mercedes Benz 380SL
in Our Cars & Restoration Projects
Posted
Former AACA president Al Edmond had a sigh in his office that I disregarded on both counts. "The average man can take care of one wife and two Cadillacs". I am on the second wife(40 years) and 7 Cadillacs.