How drivable are 1920s car?

[edinmass]

11 minutes ago, pkhammer said:

At $10k I think it'd be a bargain if it was painted in an authentic color. Maybe repainting the fenders black and putting correct running boards on it would go a long way to help the look?

 

 

BETTER YET.......Get a Bozo The Clown Costume.........and then you have the clown car. 🤡

[pkhammer]

Cars are like people, right? It's what's on the inside that counts. At least that's what Mom always said. On the other hand another wise person once said "beauty is only skin deep but ugly goes all the way to the bone!".

[pkhammer]

Plus driving an early car with those big clown shoes would be tough.....................!

[Jim Skelly]

a vinyl wrap would help!

[Buffalowed Bill]

I'm responding only because you asked. As a Studebaker guy I've picked up a little knowledge about the marque, and some other marques  as well. You asked what's the difference between a 4cyl car a 6cyl etc.-if the top speed is maxed out at say 50mph. IMHO it's the pleasure of driving. For me pleasure driving is a matter of power and torque. Power and torque allowed for taller gearing, less shifting, and often a quieter ride.

 

While I personally love the straight eights, which were to become one of the features of the Classic Era, there is six cyl. Studebaker that has always intrigued me, or at least for the four decades since I first had a ride in one. The 1928 "Commander Big Six." This would be the last year for this engine and to my knowledge this was the only year that the model featured 3.3 two one gearing. My first ride was in a touring car and it made me a believer. We had six people in the car. Even with that kind of load the driver seldom had to shift down. The steepest hills no problem. Top speed I really can't say, but no doubt considerably higher then 50mph. I don't know if this is the kind of anecdotal information you wanted, but it gave me a chance to get this one out there.

[58L-Y8]

When I attended the Franklin Centennial in 2002 in downtown Syracuse, I was impressed with the relatively high number of well-preserved original cars shown.  All were fully functional, having been touring as part of the meet.  If Franklins pique your interest, join the Franklin Club, get to know the owners and their cars.  Then, the natural process will reveal who has cars they prefer to sell to those already interested in and enthusiastic for the make.  You will be offered a better car of known history and likely known mechanical condition.  Good luck with your search, selection, and acquisition.

 

 

[alsancle]

What Steve just said. Join the club, go to some meets, Network, be friendly, interested, and the cars that quietly sell among the club members will become available to you too.

[De Soto Frank]

Don't know what your budget is... early hydraulic brakes can be fussy and expensive to rebuild.  The Brakes on the 1924 Chrysler B-70 blew my mind when I first say them... four-wheel hydraulic, but external contracting band, with the cylinders inside  the drums, with these funky curved levers to reach the bands on the outside... 😮

I would shoot for something with four-wheel brakes.

I don't think anyone has mentioned it, but perhaps a mid to late '20s' Dodge Brothers ?  All-steel Budd Bodies, rock-solid drive-train, decent parts support for a non-Ford...

I would also champion a six-cylinder Chrysler, but then you're getting into early Hydraulic brakes again...

Consider also Hudsons, perhaps Essex...

Also perhaps an Overland, or Willys-Knight.


If you want the "1920's experience" on the cheap, a Model T will get you there w/o bankrupting you.


I have a 1928 Ford Model A 49-A Special Coupe... fun driver, four-wheel mechanical brakes, still best to keep the the WPA roads.  Lots of fun! 


De Soto Frank

 

[Brass is Best]

I drive 1920 and earlier cars a lot of miles every year. All cars are only as good as the last mechanic that repaired them. When I hear "it stops good for 1920" I know who ever worked on it had no idea what they were doing. If a car is serviced and set up properly it will stop, start, run, idle and drive good. Will a 1920 car stop like a new Ferrari? No certainly not. Will a 1920 car stop with confidence absolutely. Find a car you like and service it properly. You will be glad you did.

Edited May 18, 2022 by Brass is Best (see edit history)

[John_Mereness]

On 5/16/2022 at 5:20 PM, alsancle said:

 

See Walt,  that was why I said 29!   The wood chassis reminds me of the prewar Stanley.    Would you agree with the club support comment I made?  It seems pretty active to me.   I just like the styling.

 

 

Owned a 1930 Speedster Convertible Sedan (4th photo) - fabulous Franklin albeit rather rare car.

 

The 1929 Club Sedan (with 1930 wheels) was owned by Jerry Gray of Detroit Area (he was an engineer for GM) and they drove the car several times from Detroit to Cazenovia NY for Franklin meet (they sold it for a brass era Franklin).

[A Woolf]

In my opinion one of the most underrated cars of the late 20’s is the first generation of six-cylinder Dodge Brothers.  The Victory Six and Senior Six are well made cars.  They were equipped with 4-wheel factory hydraulic Wagner Lockheed brakes, automatic spark advance, and a robust engine with full pressure oiling.  The bodies are all steel and were built by Budd.  They are also attractively styled.

 

The car in the photo is a 1928 DB Victory Six sedan (they were also offered in two door, coupe, roadster, and touring body styles).  Until recently our family was the caretaker of this car for over 50 years.  At the time my father and mother purchased the car it had approximately 8000 miles on it and they were the fourth owners but the two previous owners just flipped the car after it was pulled from the garage where it sat for years.  Over the years the car was driven 30,000 plus miles.  Until the new owner picked it up a few weeks ago as far as I know it had never been on a trailer.  The car was driven on trips from home (Atlanta) as far away as Williamsburg, VA.   My parents purchased the car in 1971 and it was used to haul the family on car tours (primarily AACA) all over Georgia, NC, SC, TN, and FL plus the one trip to Virginia. 

 

The car drives very well.  I personally drove the car a lot of miles and it was always a pleasure to drive. It cruises nicely with the stock gears about 45-50 mph. They do have some pot metal issues with starter/generator endplates and distributors that can fail but the DB vendors were offering replacements last time I checked. 

 

The really surprising thing is these cars are available for Model A money but they are a lot more car than a Model A.  They are very much a sleeper in the old car world.

 

Alan 

 

 

[edinmass]

Alan, there are a bunch of cars I call “sleepers”, ones that are a good value and above average in performance for their year. The trick is to inquire with club members who can share with you their experiences from years of collecting. While I haven’t driven them, similar Buicks and Stude’s are also very good cars.

[marcapra]

I have a 48 DeSoto coupe so my experience with 20s cars is very limited. The 48 of course is very comfortable to drive.  With its long wheelbase of 121" it feels smooth and can handle today's freeway speeds.  Much smoother than my 2017 Kia Optima!  And the brakes are fine.  I've ridden in a Model T and an A.  In those cars, you are always wondering if you are going to make it alive!  I rode in a 1908 Maxwell, very primitive because of the crash box.  I got to sit in a 1929 DeSoto and you would think there would be lots of foot room.  DeSotos are big cars right?  Not in 29.  The DeSoto then was basically just a 6 cylinder Plymouth placed just under Dodge.  It changed by 1932.  But is the 20s, the front seat was bolted in the B pillar and was not adjustable.  The rear seat passengers had the foot room.  At 5'10", I would not be comfortable sitting in a 29 DeSoto because it feels more like you are in a Model A.  But around 1931, they finally got around to offering adjustable front seats.  

Edited May 19, 2022 by marcapra (see edit history)

[hidden_hunter]

15 hours ago, Brass is Best said:

When I hear "it stops good for 1920" I know who ever worked on it had no idea what they were doing. If a car is serviced and set up properly it will stop, start, run, idle and drive good.

My Cadillac’s brakes were really badly adjusted when I got it and you had the choice of locking up the wheels or doing nothing. After some trial and error we got them to be very good for the speeds you should be doing in the car (they are huge after all)

[Brass is Best]

4 hours ago, hidden_hunter said:

My Cadillac’s brakes were really badly adjusted when I got it and you had the choice of locking up the wheels or doing nothing. After some trial and error we got them to be very good for the speeds you should be doing in the car (they are huge after all)

Outstanding!