Driving an early 20th Century automobile

[JACK M]

https://www.koin.com/news/local/multnomah-county/portland-street-racing-an-ongoing-problem/1984523132

[Erska]

Back on the topic of long distance driving in early 20th Century automobiles, last summer a Florida couple drove one lap of North America in their 1919 Franklin.  Mr. and Mrs. James Eby's destination was Monterey Car Week, and they participated in several shows there (Carmel Mission Classic, Classic Motorsports Lighthouse Cruise-In, Concours d'Lemons, maybe more).  I spoke with Mr. Eby a couple of times, and he told me that to get to Monterey they'd driven a circuitous route through the inland, rural east coast, across the northern states and over the Rockies, and then down to California through eastern Washington and Oregon, traveling 5,500 miles that way.  He said traffic really wasn't a problem until they were a day or so out from Monterey.  I remember he also said the car was running well, and their comfortable cruising speed was around 40 mph, with overheating at 55.  Maintenance included daily oiling of the "top end," and he said the brake (on the driveshaft) was the most worrisome aspect of driving the car.  Also, the Franklin was a "one-family car" purchased new by Eby's great-uncle.  Here's a photo from the Lighthouse Cruise-In: 

[lump]

I have driven my 1923 Hupmobile Model R 4 cyl touring all over the place, including interstates. It is happy at 55 mph, but anything faster than that is too much. Yet, as I've grown older, I am more cautious. Those 2-wheel mechanical brakes will lock up on demand, but you have only two tiny rubber footprints in those rear tires.

 

I've been riding around in this car since my parents bought it in 1962, and in their previous antique cars before it. I distinctly recall riding from our home in Dayton, Ohio to Cleveland and back in one of the antique cars, but now I cannot recall which one. But it is true that traffic is much more congesting now than it was then. 

[Doug Novak]

On 6/2/2019 at 11:01 AM, vermontboy said:

 

Interesting - in the State of NY bicycles are considered to be vehicles and have as much right to use the roadway as an automobile. Smart riders don't abuse that right but some get downright nasty and seem to relish impeding traffic anyway they can.....really frustrating when you are driving on a two lane 55 mph road and come up on a bike (or group of riders) doing maybe 15 mph with oncoming traffic considerations.......

 

Bicycles? That's nothing compared to the Amish that take their whole family for Horse and Buggy Rides on the week ends. It's like a weekly event in Pennsylvania and they by law have the right of way.  I don't mind the challenge of safely going around them slowly.

[oldcarfudd]

The HCCA tours in Amish country a lot.  Generally, the Amish enjoy seeing our cars, and several of us use Amishmen to make upholstery, tops, and new wooden wheels for early cars.  A couple of weeks ago I took two Amish boys and their sister - one at a time - for short rides in my Curved Dash Oldsmobile.  When the girl got aboard, her dad said:  "You look like you're in a courting buggy!"  I told them the car had been a courting buggy, and sang "In My Merry Oldsmobile".

 

But there are hazards.  I set out to pass an Amish buggy, and the chugging of my single-cylinder engine spooked the horse, which broke into a full gallop.  I backed off, and got behind the buggy, and the horse stopped abruptly. Yikes!  This kind of thing must have happened a lot, back in the day.