1912 overland

[JustDave]

hello everyone

i have been watching the 1912 overland on ebay,ive been looking for a brass project car for awhile that i could afford,this one seems to have no action on it yet,is there anyone with overland knowledge,what questions should i ask,its in my state but quite aways away,to far to inspect and not buy,is there anything i should know about these cars befoire i try and cut a deal,lookin for someone with brass car knowledge that could help out, thanks dave

[sambarn]

Dave, she looks like a huge project but bewteen the brass lights, wheels and parts she's probably worth 4 grand. Throw in the 4 cylinder oiler and whatever else could come out of that garage - it looks like a goldmine!!- and, if you have the time and commitment level to do the restoration work (the owners have been trying for 50 years) then go for it. If the wood work is still good that is onje of the huge time eaters already done.

[1912Staver]

Hi Dave. The Overland looks like a great project. Dont get your hopes of a bargin too high however. The last one { a few months ago}, which was in more or less the same condition went for something like $10,000.00. These brass era Overlands are quite good cars , and have a lot of interest . I would definately try to pay a visit with the owner, even if it is a long drive. It is rare to find any fairly complete 1912 era project for less than $10,000.00.

Overlands were very popular cars and have survived in good numbers. This car looks like a great candidate for a 1st. brass era car. Unfortunately there are probably quite a number of other would be purchasers that are thinking the same thing. Good luck! Greg in Canada

[Guest sfbeatle1]

These cars are project cars, to say the least- i own a 1914 Model 79- I have resourced parts over the past 4 years, and am still not done yet.

Replacement parts are nowhere to be found, and EVERYTHING has to be fabricated, that you cannot find through research. I would say, if you don't have alot of time to make this commttment in both building, finding parts, and assembling, then forget the entire idea and possibly retract the bid while you still can, if not already. If you go ahead and make the committment, then it will be very rewarding- it's your choice and good luck in your endeavor!!!

Edited March 23, 2011 by sfbeatle1
added (see edit history)

[1912Staver]

Hi everyone. I agree with everything sfbeatle says. Any vintage car requires a large comitment of time, money etc. And in the case of the Brass Era cars the time component can be very large indeed. Only the Model T Ford has reasonably good "off the shelf" parts availability. Virtually anything else will require a lot of legwork on the part of the owner {or a owner with deep enough pockets to hire someone to do the legwork for him}. I am now 10 years into my own project, with probably {if I am lucky}another 10 to go. Certainly there are times I question my sanity for getting involved with such a large project. On the other hand at the end I will have a much higher quality car than I could have possibly afforded to have bought as a turnkey vehicle. And in the process I have developed my own skills conciderably. As well I have met and interacted with a great group of like minded Brass Era people who have offered a lot of advice and assistance.

I just hope I am able to drive the darned thing before I need a day pass from the nurseing home to do so. If anyone of us looked at our old car hobby involvement from a "common sense" viewpoint I doubt many would be able to justify it. The hobby has changed so much from the days of finding an old relic in a barn and tinkering with it to make it run again. A lot of the same motives still remain , preserve a part of our past, do something with our own hands, etc. But the cost involved has skyrocked. There are few if any easy fix up barn finds remaining. The unrestored cars available today are generally a far more involved undertaking than the ones average old car guys took on 40 or 50 years ago. But the thing to keep in mind is that it can still be done! Not every old car needs to be a $75,000.00 ++ pro restoration. There is still room for the average Joe in the old car hobby, it just takes time, persistance, and at least some money. Greg in Canada

[JustDave]

thanks everyone for the replys,i believe the average guy can restore a brass car with a certain amount of automotive knowledge,as said i believe on every resto you gain more and more knowledge,i have a couple of early thirties cars waiting to be worked on now as well as a 27 moon roadster,i have mainly restored 30s cars,muscle cars and a couple of indian motorcycles,but ive always liked early brass cars,and since where not getting any younger i thought now might be the time to dig 1 up ,all help is appreciated and ill let everyone know what happens thanks dave,

[1912Staver]

Hi Dave and all. I notice the Overland auction ended today with a final price of $8350.00. Not the deal of a lifetime perhaps, but not outrageously high either.

Should be a lot of fun for someone. They are very pretty little cars when done. Esp. the roadsters. Any chance that was you Dave , or are you still looking?

Greg in Canada

[JustDave]

hello no it wasnt me i was away from the computer this weekend and didnt have a chance to see where it went,so im still looking,i will find a project eventually,i like big projects when they are finished it kind of makes you feel like you won the war,will keep looking something intresting will pop up,thanks to everyone for there help, justdave

[old car fan]

Dave ,that was a great project ,i was wactching it as well ,just to many