Reunited with an Old Friend

[Fargoguy]

While growing up I wa surrounded by cars. Dad was a car guy, as were most of our family friends. When I was 5 or so, over at my grandparents house in Moose Jaw, SK, I discovered that just accross the alley from their house was the home of Harold Loney and his lovely wife. In his garage, in addition to a Morris Minor convertible and a Morris minor traveller, accross the front of the garage was the most magnificent touring car. I was enamoured with it immediately. I’d been around model ts and model as, but this car was bigger and it was different. Harold welcomed 5 year old me in, and for years I would visit his garage when at my grandparent, and he would let men play in that car , as well as give me little jobs helping him on the garage. This went on for many years. 
The car was a very rare 1915 Russell Touring. Canadian-only made by the Ccm bicycle company. He had found it and restored it himself over the course of many years. He rarely drove it, but it was always covered up in the front of the garage where he was always tinkering on it. Harold’s health declined, and his daughter took both Harold and his wife to be near her in Ontario.  None of us were aware of what happened to any of the cars. Years later I saw the Morris convertible in a nearby town, but the rumour was that the Russell had gone to a museum in Ontario. 
Fast forward 30 years, and I was dropping off a Model T part with a fellow in Calgary, touring his collection and there was Harold’s Russell! I was so happy to see it again. 
that was a few years ago, and I was in contact with its current owner, Peter Findlay in Vancouver. He has recently acquired the car- the only 1915 known to exist, and has spent the last couple of years sorting it out and getting it into touring condition again. 
on Saturday I was pleased to get a tour of Peter’s collection and get a ride in the 15. Peter told me that the car is very easy to drive and reliable- he uses it as a daily driver to run errands. It’s a six cyl continental engine and is smooth and powerful. We took it for a ride around Burnaby ( a suburb of Vancouver, BC). I was so happy it has a good home and is seeing regular use. Peter is a fine gentleman who keeps old vehicles running in excellent condition. The Russell is in good company, sharing the garage with a 1910 Russell as well- that one has the 4 cyl Knight engine. I was lucky enough to get a ride in that one too- the sleeve-valve engine was so quiet. 

[Trulyvintage]

Nice Story 

 

 

Jim

[zepher]

Amazing that you got to see and ride in the very same car decades later.

Maybe you could even end up as the caretaker some time down the road?

[erichill]

Cool story  Happy for you.

[oldcarfudd]

Agree, a great story.  As an aside, Peter Findlay trailered that sleeve-valve 1910 Russell out to an HCCA tour last year.  It was in southwestern Québec province, between Montréal and the New York line, and many of us got to enjoy seeing it run.  I understand he then took the car to the home of the original owner in Ontario.  The home still exists.  The owner, well, - - - .

[PFindlay]

3 hours ago, zepher said:

Maybe you could even end up as the caretaker some time down the road?

Not likely.  It turns out that the huge touring car that the 5 year old played in is not so huge for the 6'2" (?) grown man.  Some late teens / early twenties cars were just not set up for the big guys.  This one is not a fit.   ... but his daughters seemed pretty interested.  Peter

[zepher]

I know prewar cars tend to be a tight fit in the driver's seat.

I'm not a very big guy and it is a tight fit in the driver's compartment of my Pierce.

Driving it for more than an hour means I need to get out and stretch and walk around a little so I can get the kinks out.

[Larry Schramm]

I do not seem to have a "tight fit" problem with my 1915 Buick truck.  Lots of room, but the Model T, that is another story.

Edited April 2 by Larry Schramm (see edit history)

[pmhowe]

3 hours ago, PFindlay said:

Some late teens / early twenties cars were just not set up for the big guys

I find it fascinating to see how seating space priorities have changed. Most cars of the 1920s and early 1930s have spacious rear seating leg room, while front seating is a close fit. The modern cars I am used to have just the opposite: The premium is on front seat leg room, and the rear seat passengers suffer. Works for me. But I still relish squeezing into the front seat of a pre-war car, sitting in an upright position, and gently working through the gears (double clutching - up and down), and taking it for a spin.

[Fargoguy]

My 6’6 inch frame would be a definitely tight fit for the Russell- but I think it’s probably do-able. My girls did indeed like the car- they likes all 3 actually ( 1912 Reo was the third) and enjoyed seeing them. I own a model T roadster pickup - with a Ruckstell- and it is just as small or smaller.  I have driven a 1911 T touring and found it much roomier than my 27 pickup for sure. Thankfully both of my girls are not built like me and would have no problem fitting in the driver’s seat - and they already are adept at double clutching. 

[Chris Bamford]

20 hours ago, oldcarfudd said:

...As an aside, Peter Findlay trailered that sleeve-valve 1910 Russell out to an HCCA tour last year.  It was in southwestern Québec province, between Montréal and the New York line, and many of us got to enjoy seeing it run...

In April 2023, a couple of us had a layover in Vancouver and Peter was kind enough to fetch us at the airport that morning in his wonderful Russell. We had breakfast, kicked tires at some mutual friends' shop, and were delivered back to YVR in good time to catch our connecting flight. Best six-hour layover in history.

 

Brief video on the road: https://youtu.be/aCJAhJxxO6k

 

Read more on the first and last pages of our local club newsletter: https://www.eacc.ca/newsletter-may2023.html