Why I like orphan cars

[auburnseeker]

On 9/11/2019 at 11:43 AM, Xander Wildeisen said:

Out here, Xander Wildeisen!

So what's the Alias? 

[Xander Wildeisen]

It is pronounced Xander Wildeisen. Not Xander Wildeisen.

 

[Xander Wildeisen]

There was an Auburn boat tail speedster that was for sale a few years back. A mix between an Auburn and a? Can not remember what else. 35-36 Boat tail body and a Franklin? Anybody remember that one?

[padgett]

Abby-normal.

 

Well anything from Pontiac is an orphan but was thinking of abandoned model lines like the Corvair.

[Restorer32]

We have found over the years that you can find any part for any car ever made if you have enough time and enough money...well...in our case enough customer's money.  Someone should start a thread on the aggravation and eventual Eureka moment folks went thru finding an elusive part.  We had given up on ever finding a 1917 Bell Covert transmission when one serendipitously turned up. Sometimes you have to stop looking before a part decides to reveal itself.  I recently bought a pair of optional external horns for a '32 Packard 900 after looking for over 35 years.

[Xander Wildeisen]

I bought a 1937 Terraplane coupe just for the crank hole cover. I knew I could make a couple of bucks on the car, It was sold at a swap meet. (just missing a crank hole cover)  

[John S.]

I had a 1949 Commodore 8 Coupe. Car was a strong runner.

[Xander Wildeisen]

The one I adopted has an eight cylinder engine. It is stuck, maybe from sitting? Not sure, if it does not want to get up and running. I have a 308 Hornet engine that will drop right in there. And put the 8 engine in the corner.

[Xander Wildeisen]

On CL out here.    https://boise.craigslist.org/cto/d/boise-1937-hudson-terraplane-pickup/6974950130.html

[auburnseeker]

Cool but boy that looks rough and expensive to get the missing pieces. 

[60FlatTop]

I'd come up with the $3500 I got for the one i had if I could buy it back.

 

That was maybe 1993.

[auburnseeker]

Of course you could have this for an independent as well.  Everything is expensive for it.  Even the rusty iron,  though every owner has a pile of extra parts for theirs.  

[Frantz]

4 hours ago, Restorer32 said:

We have found over the years that you can find any part for any car ever made if you have enough time and enough money...well...in our case enough customer's money.  Someone should start a thread on the aggravation and eventual Eureka moment folks went thru finding an elusive part.  We had given up on ever finding a 1917 Bell Covert transmission when one serendipitously turned up. Sometimes you have to stop looking before a part decides to reveal itself.  I recently bought a pair of optional external horns for a '32 Packard 900 after looking for over 35 years.

Not an orphan, but '54 Ford stuff is alot of one year only stuff. I needed an exhaust manifold and they were fairly pricey in poor condition on ebay. Carlisle to the rescue! I scoured through every pile of manifolds I could find until the last row I found an "EBU" (1954 car) manifold in pretty darn nice shape. I asked the guy what he wanted, $10... I was thrilled. I realize that doesn't  hold a candle to finding Bell parts. Didn't most of a Bell turn up a few years ago? What happened to that one? Or is that where you found the parts?

[padgett]

Think that is part of the definition of a hobbyist: spare parts. Anytime I need a part I try to buy two, one to fix and one for the next time. one is needed. Heck I have cabinets of parts for cars I have not had for years and a spare Reatta that has disappeared in vegetation over on the east side...

[Xander Wildeisen]

4 hours ago, auburnseeker said:

Of course you could have this for an independent as well.  Everything is expensive for it.  Even the rusty iron,  though every owner has a pile of extra parts for theirs.  

I will trade you straight across. The Hudson for the Cord. Parts are cheaper for the Hudson. The car is all original. I know somethings have been changed on your Cord, and I am willing to over look this. 

[auburnseeker]

Tempting boy very tempting.  Now if you still had that Auburn and threw that in the deal,  boy we would really be talking  

Edited September 12, 2019 by auburnseeker (see edit history)

[Xander Wildeisen]

I still have the Auburn engine. And will install it in the Hudson coupe for you. So.... we have a deal?

[auburnseeker]

I need the rest of the car as well.  but boy that would have been fun to run for a while like that. 

[Xander Wildeisen]

Fun to run like this.

[auburnseeker]

I would have had alot of fun with that car but was kind of discouraged by an Auburn guy from buying it.  Should have listened to the voice in my head instead.  Well worth the investment for the Smiles I would have had driving it around.  Do you know if the buyer ever fixed/ finished it or is it just a dream in the corner somewhere? 

[Restorer32]

2 hours ago, Frantz said:

Not an orphan, but '54 Ford stuff is alot of one year only stuff. I needed an exhaust manifold and they were fairly pricey in poor condition on ebay. Carlisle to the rescue! I scoured through every pile of manifolds I could find until the last row I found an "EBU" (1954 car) manifold in pretty darn nice shape. I asked the guy what he wanted, $10... I was thrilled. I realize that doesn't  hold a candle to finding Bell parts. Didn't most of a Bell turn up a few years ago? What happened to that one? Or is that where you found the parts?

A fellow found a Bell body and is working on finding enough parts to restore it. The fact that it was an assembled car, that was built using parts purchased from suppliers rather than parts designed and made in house makes it a little easier. 

 

 

[Xander Wildeisen]

53 minutes ago, auburnseeker said:

I would have had alot of fun with that car but was kind of discouraged by an Auburn guy from buying it.  Should have listened to the voice in my head instead.  Well worth the investment for the Smiles I would have had driving it around.  Do you know if the buyer ever fixed/ finished it or is it just a dream in the corner somewhere? 

Not sure where it is? I was told it was going to be shipped over seas. Denmark or something like that. It would be a nice project for someone. Picture taken the day it was being loaded up. Off to the new owner

[nick8086]

Donated in 1985.. Frazer 1951

[mercer09]

Randy, time to make that beast run!

 

it is  beautiful eye candy though............................

[auburnseeker]

I know.  I haven't had any luck trying to trade it off and when I tell people what it would take to buy it they disappear,  though I think my expectations aren't too far off.  I did have a 40 Lasalle Conv't sedan that needs some servicing offered for trade.  I told the guy if it was a little older like a 36 or something then maybe but hard to trade my car for a 25K car.   just never cared much for the 1940 styling either.  Definitely doesn't have the curb appeal of the Cord. 

Maybe I should change my ad and put that I'm looking for a drivetrain/ parts car. 

[John_Mereness]

Driving an Auburn - fine cars

[mercer09]

Randy, how about a trade for a nice and very rare 1907 Maxwell DR? only about 5 in existence.

 

it is 22 hp and 3 spd trans. far nicer then the lightweight Maxwells. Built in Tarreytown NY.  I have 3 brass cars and am fine with two...........

 

then your Cord could sit in my garage, as eye candy.

[auburnseeker]

Never had a brass car.  Show me a photo. 

[Modeleh]

On 9/12/2019 at 10:29 AM, Restorer32 said:

We have found over the years that you can find any part for any car ever made if you have enough time and enough money...well...in our case enough customer's money.  Someone should start a thread on the aggravation and eventual Eureka moment folks went thru finding an elusive part. 

We’re still looking for 4 igniters for a 1906 Zust if anybody out there has any they’re using as doorstops please let me know.  They are a 3 bolt pattern that mounts to each cylinder.  The eureka moment was finding a low tension Bosch mag with Oil printed in three different languages on the lube cap, not an easy thing to stumble upon in British Columbia. Searching since 1980, running out of time! 😂

Edited September 14, 2019 by Modeleh (see edit history)

[Xander Wildeisen]

9 hours ago, Modeleh said:

We’re still looking for 4 igniters for a 1906 Zust if anybody out there has any they’re using as doorstops please let me know.  They are a 3 bolt pattern that mounts to each cylinder.  The eureka moment was finding a low tension Bosch mag with Oil printed in three different languages on the lube cap, not an easy thing to stumble upon in British Columbia. Searching since 1980, running out of time! 😂

I don't speak Latin. A picture of what you are looking for would really help us in helping you.

[mercer09]

concerning the igniters- make new ones- problem solved.

[60FlatTop]

I never considered the Cord and Auburn cars as orphans. The true orphan cars tend to have a deeper relation between their lack of an audience fot original car sales and the owner's, I guess one would say, integration into the things about them.

 

When I was 16 years old I had a Kaiser Traveler for sale. I was still living at home. A couple days after I sold it a potential buyer showed up and was greeted by my mother. She died at 83 years old. Any time during the intervening 50+ years, if someone mentioned Kaiser, Hudson, Nash, or any of those, she immediately remembered that man who wanted the Kaiser and how distinctively easy he would be to recognize in a crowd. Is there an orphan car uniform store?

[Modeleh]

7 hours ago, mercer09 said:

concerning the igniters- make new ones- problem solved.

Yes that’s what we are having to do.  Just that it’s easier said than done but that’s how the lions share of the restoration was done. Sorry I don’t have a photo of one as we don’t have any to photograph or copy. For those who aren’t familiar with igniters they are essentially like a set of large ignition points that fit into the cylinder each one operated by a pushrod from a camshaft to a trip lever on the igniter mechanism to open and close the contacts to create a spark gap.  Most engines were converted to spark plugs early on like the similar 1907 Fiat of the Larz Anderson collection.  After finding out about that car I was hopeful we would have a similar system to copy but the curator told me it was converted to spark plugs around 1911 and the original parts weren’t saved. I guess my comment was more about the notion that any part can be found given enough time and money which is optimistic but I don’t believe to be true.

Edited September 14, 2019 by Modeleh (see edit history)

[Paul Dobbin]

On 9/10/2019 at 11:21 PM, padgett said:

Don't forget that without the Subaru 360 we would never have had the Bricklin.

 

Pontiac, Oldsmobile, and Saturn are all orphan cars now. Cadillac is trying to make Pontiacs but is failing.

 

On 9/10/2019 at 11:21 PM, padgett said:

Don't forget that without the Subaru 360 we would never have had the Bricklin.

 

Pontiac, Oldsmobile, and Saturn are all orphan cars now. Cadillac is trying to make Pontiacs but is failing.

We drive a Saturn Vue everyday.  In 2005, O6 & 07 the V6 Vue had a Honda

3.5 engine and transmission.  We bought it because it could be flat towed behind our Motorhome,  the only alternative to buying a whole Honda.  It's been a wonderful car with 255 HP and 246 ft. lb's of torque.  13 years of only batteries and tires for upkeep.  We even took the Factory Tour in Spring Hill TN

which was a  nice clean Toyota style factory.  Sorry to see GM switch it to trucks and ditch the Saturn line.

[TheYorkBell]

On 9/12/2019 at 6:07 PM, Frantz said:

Not an orphan, but '54 Ford stuff is alot of one year only stuff. I needed an exhaust manifold and they were fairly pricey in poor condition on ebay. Carlisle to the rescue! I scoured through every pile of manifolds I could find until the last row I found an "EBU" (1954 car) manifold in pretty darn nice shape. I asked the guy what he wanted, $10... I was thrilled. I realize that doesn't  hold a candle to finding Bell parts. Didn't most of a Bell turn up a few years ago? What happened to that one? Or is that where you found the parts?

Still working on finding parts for my Bell - mainly focused on finding a good donor chassis to use. If you look on my profile I started a thread (and an Instagram account) for the restoration if you would like to follow.