Best Brass Car

[R W Burgess]

Popular, indeed. Today, my new AACA Magazine came in and right in the back there are two brass cars for sale. One, a '22 Ford T with go fast goodies for $15,000, and the other, a goodie '09 Ford Speedster with a good looking white paintjob at $28,900. Jump right in fellows! One of these days, it'll be me. <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> Wayne

[caf]

Steve- I e-mailed you my list at aaca1@aaca.org as it won't fir here very well hope you get it, Chuck

[Stanley735]

Having a Nickle era Stanley, I would have to vote for the 1909 Model Z Stanley, my friend Willis Able has one and it is fast and impressive.

Jim Showers

[Lozierman]

Many years ago I purchased a large 6 cylinder T head engine from Hemmings. I bought it with the thought of using it to put together a 1910 Lozier Briarcliff. I had almost all the parts for the Lozier except for a T head engine. I knew it wasn't a Lozier motor, but thought it would work until I could locate the correct motor. One day a collector came to see my mystery engine and corectly identified it as an Oldsmobile Limited motor. It was not exactly like the others he had seen, (he had two already). Mine was serial number one, and had many pieces which had been nickle plated, unlike the others he had or had seen. He told me he had the rest of the parts to complete the 7th surviving Limited. I sold him the motor. I'm still looking for a 4 or 6 cylinder T head engine for the Lozier project! The Limited had come from a barn in Maine, and had been stored there since the early 1930's. It was in great shape, complete with magneto and carb. Probably would have started as is with some gas, but I never tried. Incidently, it was about 1 inch too wide the the Lozier frame. It would have been a great engine to use, but that would have hurt the Lozier frame and also kept an original Limited from being completed. It is being restored, or perhaps has been completed by now. The motor went from Maine to Washington State and then to Michigan. Hopefully, when its back on the road it will travel as many miles as a complete car!

[Guest imported_Joe Kieliszek]

Hello,

Some years back, I spotted an ad in the Hemmings for an upper

aluminum crankcase half for a model 10 Buick. For $250, I thought

it was a pretty good deal, so I sent away for it. When I opened

it up, it looked like someone tried fixing it after a wrecking

ball had landed on it- there is about as much tig welding on it

as remaining virgin material.

Oh well, It would make an interesting display at Hershey,

Thanks,

Joe Kieliszek

[1937hd45]

Lozierman, Thanks for sharing that story! I always enjoy reading stories like that where spair parts are collected to produce a restored vehicle. Years ago some Miller Indy car parts I had went West to help restore two running Millers.

[Steve Moskowitz]

The Limited was either the Oldsmobile car and I was driving it (white) or it was the Belf family vehicle (green). Yes, if it was the GM Limited it normally is on loan at the museum in Lansing.

That spare engine is still in Michigan and the car still under restoration, I helped out with finding a transmission for them as well.

The Melton car?? I am not sure from the picture which car it is and who now has it.

[1937hd45]

Steve, Here is a side view of the Jimmy Melton Olds Limited, taken from Bright Wheels Rolling by Ken Purdy. Most of the good cars in this collection were bought by Bill Harrah but this is not the Limited that Harrah had. Melton found this car in 1945 in the Jefferson City, Missouri Oldsmobile Dealership with less than 4,000 miles on it, and had it restored in a record FIVE DAYS! This was done at the request of Harvey Firestone who made new 43x5 tires for it for the Century of Progress Exhibition in 1946 in Indianapolis.

[Steve Moskowitz]

I could be wrong but it looks like it may have been the "Browning" car which is now owned by Mr. Lucas. Again, I could be wrong but there are only a few other possibilities.

[Lozierman]

Steve, and others interested;

The "Browning" Limited was purchased by Otis Chandler. He also purchased the 1909 Lozier Briarcliff they owned, at the same auction.

[Guest De Soto Frank]

I know most "Brassies" probably already know this, but I'll throw the trivia in for the benefit of "youngsters" such as myself ...

When James Melton wasn't stalking antique cars, he was touring the world as a renowned singer of Grand Opera (his "day job"); I believe he was a tenor.

Sadly, he died while only in his forties (c. 1950)...both the Music world and the Antique Car world lost a great figure all too soon.

Certainly, a modern singer such as Pavrotti would need something like the "Limited" to haul HIS car-cass around !

[Guest stude8]

At the beginning of this thread it was mentioned that you could get a brass ride at the Miller Meeet in Milwaukee held every July (2nd weekend)at the State Fair Park race track. Here is a link to a photo I took there 2 years ago of a first time rider with Herb Lederer driving his 1913 Mercer T head. As he lets out the clutch at the start his speech is "No doors, no windows & nothing to hold onto" the nothing to hold onto is what gets your attention fast. Stude8

http://www.aaca.org/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=245&password=&sort=1&cat=519&page=18

[roberthead]

Well, without a doubt, the best brass car will be the one that next finds it's way into my hands!

I have had some orphan cars over the years - a pre-war Crosley that was a Jr 1st Hershey Sr 1st Dearborn recipient in 95/95, a '19 Briscoe touring, a number of 1930's cars, some 60's cars, motorcycles, a '36 C10 Chrysler Airflow (currently for sale), and an '11 Ford Torpedo.

The Ford was fun, but shimmied like the dickens on train tracks and pot-holes. It lacked stopping power (scared the stuffing out of me gliding through an intersection on a red light once).

Anyone out there with a brass project car they want to trade on an Airflow? robertheadceec@yahoo.com